Sega has released two mini versions of its Genesis / Mega Drive console, leaving some fans wondering which classic piece of hardware the company will make mini next. The Saturn, which followed on from the Mega Drive in 1994, seems like the logical choice. But it sounds like turning the Saturn into a mini console would be difficult for Sega to achieve.
“The development of hardware up until now has occurred when the internal and external conditions have happened to align,” Sega chief Yukio Sugino said in an interview with Famitsu, translated by IGN.
“The Sega Saturn has surprisingly high performance, so the difficulty (of creating a mini version) is also high.”
While Sugino’s comments cast doubt on the likelihood of a Saturn mini coming out any time soon, he did leave the door open to its release, and even the possibility of a Dreamcast mini, confirming “tactical research” is currently being done in this area.
“When it comes to reissuing classic hardware, it’s not really a case of saying, ‘sales are good, so let’s make another.’ It might be some way off, but I’d like to consider it when we are in a situation where we can develop it openly together with people who have long loved the Sega Saturn or the Dreamcast. That said, I believe our teams are doing some technical research.”
The Sega Genesis Mini launched in 2019. IGN’s review returned a 9/10: “The Sega Genesis Mini isn’t perfect, but it’s as close to perfect as any retro all-in-one mini console has come so far.”
The Sega Genesis Mini 2 came out in 2022 and similarly impressed. IGN’s review called it “a delightful follow up to 2019’s Genesis Mini, with another generous helping of M2 magic locked inside its tiny frame”.
Unlike Sega, Nintendo has so far resisted the temptation to release mini versions of its classic hardware. Sony has released the PlayStation Classic, a miniature recreation of the original PlayStation console.
IGN’s picks for the top 10 Sega Saturn games include Panzer Dragoon Saga, Virtua Fighter 2, and Guardian Heroes.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
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