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Every Game Announced for Sega Genesis Mini So Far
by Seth G. Macy
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UPDATE 4/18: Sega released the names of 10 more games, bringing the confirmed Sega Genesis Mini games list to 20 titles.
Sega is joining the retro mini-console wars with its own Sega Genesis Mini, with a September 19 release date and a $79.99 price tag. The good news is you can preorder the Sega Genesis Mini right now, and it looks like this will be closer to Nintendo's offerings with the NES and Super NES Classics than Sony's misstep with the PlayStation Classic.
Where to Preorder Sega Genesis Mini 
On Walmart
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Sega Genesis Mini preorders are $79.99 with a September 19, 2019 release date:
Sega Genesis Mini Games List
Some of the best Sega Genesis classics are already announced for the Sega Genesis Mini. All told, it has 40 games, half of which have already been revealed.
Here is the confirmed Sega Genesis Mini games list so far:
Ecco the Dolphin Castlevania: Bloodlines Space Harrier 2 Shining Force Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine Toe Jam & Earl Comix Zone Sonic the Hedgehog Altered Beast Gunstar Heroes Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Earthworm Jim Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck Thunder Force III Super Fantasy Zone Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master Streets of Rage 2 Contra Hard Corps LandstalkerHopefully the Sega Genesis Mini is closer in quality to the Super NES and NES Classics. It even does one better, including an AC adapter right in the box. If you have emulation worries, Sega has M2 working on the emulation for its mini console.
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Sega has M2 working on the emulation for its mini console.
If you're unfamiliar with M2, it handled the excellent Sega Ages Collections and also the delightful Sega 3D Classic collections for Nintendo 3DS. It would be hard to find a developer with a better pedigree to handle the software for the first-party Sega Genesis Mini, so these Sega Genesis classics should get the respect they deserve.
The one small oversight is the US version of the Sega Genesis Mini includes 2 3-button controllers, while the Japanese Mega Drive Classic includes the later 6-button controllers. Since they're USB, it's likely you'll be able to pick up a 6-button controller for use with your Genesis Mini.
What to Look Out For
Navigating the world of Sega Genesis Mini retail is something of a minefield. Sega played fast and loose with its licensing in the past. Be advised: there are a lot of third-party "Sega Genesis mini" consoles already on the market, but only one official Sega Genesis Mini, coming out September 19, 2019.
The third-party Sega Genesis mini consoles seem like a good value, packed with tons of games, but they have poor emulation and don't output a high-definition signal. In fact, some of them ONLY plug in using A/V cables, a feature that's starting to disappear from modern television sets. Don't be fooled!
The good news when it comes to supply is it doesn't look as though the Sega Genesis Mini is in danger of selling out immediately, as was the case with the first runs of the NES and Super NES Classics from Nintendo. The Sega Genesis Mini has been selling so strongly since its announcement, it's one of the top-selling video game items on Amazon, and has remained in the top 25 gaming items on Amazon since it was first revealed. At one point, it was THE top-selling video game item. That's a tall feat: the spot is almost the exclusive domain of the $10 Sony PlayStation Store gift card.
Hopefully Sega has no supply problems like those that plagued Nintendo's initial releases, but two weeks into its announced availability, it's still available for preorder at the major online retailers.
All in all, it looks like this will be a hit, unlike Sony's PlayStation Classic mini console, which is regarded by almost everyone (except emulation hackers) as a complete disappointment. Its weird selection of games, emulation problems, PAL versions of some games, and a $99 price tag turned people off. You can still pick one up at Walmart for a clearance price of $39, to show how far it's fallen.
Japanese Mega Drive Mini Games List 
If you're the sort of person who drops extra money to get the Japanese versions of your favorite mini-consoles, here's what games have been announced for the Mega Drive Mini, also releasing on September 19, 2019. If it's anything like the Famicom and Super Famicom Mini, you should eventually be able to order them directly from Amazon, although probably through a 3rd party seller. People did have luck ordering the Famicom Mini directly from Amazon Japan, so that's another possibility.
Here are the confirmed games for the Mega Drive Mini coming to Japan:
Castlevania: Bloodlines Comix Zone Gunstar Heroes Madou Monogatari I Powerball Puyo Puyo Tsu Rent-A-Hero Shining Force Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Space Harrier 2 Thunder Force III Super Fantasy Zone Musha World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck Streets of Rage 2 The Hybrid Front Landstalker Contra: Hard Corps Dyna Brothers 2 Game no Kanzume Otokuyou Sega Genesis Mini at a Glance:
Seth Macy is IGN's tech and commerce editor and just wants to be your friend. Find him on Twitter @sethmacy.