SEGA has quashed any rumours of an entry into the next-generation of gaming by announcing a new group of portable dedicated consoles on the eve of the original's 30th anniversary: the Game Gear Micro.
The new mini Game Gears come in four colours, each of which is pre-packaged with four games. The portable machine has a 1.15-inch display - minuscule when compared to the original console's 3.2-inch screen.
If you're unfamiliar, the SEGA Game Gear was the company's response to Nintendo's groundbreaking Game Boy. As well as a bunch of new games, it also featured new titles in classic Mega Drive series, including Sonic the Hedgehog and Shinobi. Unlike the Game Boy, it also enjoyed a colour screen.
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Read on for all the specs and release details for the Game Gear Micro...
SEGA Game Gear Micro specs
The new micro Game Gear is a pretty simple piece of kit. It measures just 80 x 43 x 20 mm (3.15 x 1.69 x 0.78 inches), with a dinky 1.15-inch (29 mm) display. That's about the size of a business card!
The obvious question which springs to mind is, how on earth are you meant to play a game on such a tiny screen? Well, luckily for you (but not your bank balance), SEGA is apparently also releasing a micro version of its Big Window magnifying unit. Phew.
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SEGA Game Gear Micro features
The Game Gear Micro features a single mono speaker and a headphone jack. You can charge the console by USB or use two AAA batteries.
In Japan, the only region in which the console is currently confirmed, the Game Gear Micro comes in four different colour versions with four games each:
- Black - Sonic the Hedgehog, Puyo Puyo 2, Out Run and Royal Stone
- Blue - Sonic Chaos,Gunstar Heroes, Sylvan Tale and Baku Baku Animal
- Yellow - Shining Force Gaiden, Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya, Shining Force Gaiden: Final Conflict and Nazopuyo Aruru no Ru
- Red - Revelations: The Demon Slayer,Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible Special, The GG Shinobi and Columns
As the vast majority of these titles were Japan-exclusive, it's highly likely that SEGA will package each version with different games for the international market. Here's hoping for Streets of Rage!
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SEGA Game Gear Micro price
In Japan, SEGA is making its new portable console available for ¥4,980. That translates to around £37 or $46. Dr. Serkan Toto from Kantan Games predicts the console will go for $50, £50 and €50 in the West.
The Big Window add-on will retail for a massive ¥27,255 - roughly $250 or £199. Quite steep just to be able to actually see your game...
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SEGA Game Gear Micro release date
The Game Gear first released in Japan on October 6 2020, and we still have no word on when we might be able to get our nostalgic mitts on the baby Game Gear outside of Japan.
In a recent interview with Famitsu, translated by Siliconera, however, SEGA's Yosuke Okunari talked about the Game Gear Micro, but it doesn't look good for those of us outside Japan.
"The Game Gear Micro is only sold domestically in Japan," he said. "When we do the next one, I feel like the project scope will be much bigger as we gaze upon the world."
While this is nothing concrete, Okunari seems to be implying there are no plans to sell the Game Gear Micro outside of Japan, as the scope of the project did not extend that far.
However, the SEGA employee could just be remaining coy as to not give away any upcoming announcements. The Mega Drive Mini was released in Europe and the Middle East just a couple of weeks after everywhere else in the world, and so we'll anxiously wait for any more updates. Stay tuned...
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