The Mega SG Gives Old Sega Genesis Cartridges an Extra Life

I’m not much of a nostalgic gamer. I enjoy modern-but-retro-inspired games quite a bit (Hello. Do you have a moment to talk about Hollow Knight?) but I don’t often pine for the gaming experiences of my misspent youth. They’re usually better as memories.

For example, the Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind I remember is lush, vivid, and creepy. I’ll always remember how it felt venturing into the perpetual storm surrounding the Red Mountain, and how amazed I was to see NPCs raise their arms to shield themselves from the swirling red ash. Experiencing Morrowind today wouldn't be the same. It looks and feels dated. Reality can never match those wonderful memories.

So when the Analogue SG Mega arrived at my door I was skeptical. It’s a retro console of sorts. It runs original Sega Genesis cartridges using some impressive technical wizardry (more on that later) but at the end of the day it seemed like just another trip down memory lane—one I’d rather not take. Until I spent some time with it.

There is something delightfully transgressive about plugging a 1989 retro console into a 65-inch 4K TV. It’s even more delightful when Sonic the Hedgehog tears across the screen in full 1080p. The picture is sharp and colorful, vivid on a modern TV, and the audio is remarkable. Sonic's iconic bells, whistles, and music were faithfully reproduced through modern speakers.

Like it's sibling, the Super NT, the Mega SG is different from other self-contained retro consoles. Instead of coming bundled with controllers and 20+ games baked inside it like the NES Classic and SNES Classic, it's designed to actually play old Sega Genesis cartridges with pristine accuracy. It's less of a retro console and more of a revival.