The absolute highlight of SEGA's booth was, oddly enough, the Genesis Mini. This year, the company had a clear focus on ports and classic games. SEGA had a little alcove set up, with beanbag chairs, fake wood-paneled walls, and a nightstand, with the Genesis Mini resting atop it. Everything felt right out of the 90s, with fake dorky VHS tapes and little green army men figures sitting next to the Genesis Mini, perfectly capturing the era from which the Genesis hails from. With, as the representative said, "Over 40 Genesis roms to pick from", the miniature console is packed to the brim with nostalgic titles. The first thing I noticed about the Mini was the controller, which felt just a bit cheap, and lighter than I remembered. This was especially apparent after I'd gotten to extensively try out the new Retro-Bit Genesis Model 2 controller earlier this year, which felt leagues more comfortable and solidly built. Regardless, it all comes down to personal opinion and preference, and if you dislike the controllers that the Genesis Mini comes with, you can replace them with your own. The real concern was how well the games ran. Since the Genesis was my very first console, I have a very deep-rooted nostalgia for the console and its games, having extensively tried many similar products, including the much-disliked Atgames replica. I chose to play Sonic 2 first out of the lineup, knowing exactly how the game should feel on original hardware. The Genesis Mini managed to live up to my lofty expectations, and playing through the first level of Emerald Hill Zone felt just like it did when I first played a SEGA Genesis as a child. For those that are used to playing on emulators, the Genesis Mini features savestates, and a nicely designed menu UI that lets you see all 42 games in their full boxart-clad glory. Sony should take note, as this is exactly how you do a reproduction/classic/mini console.

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