Gaming consoles have come on a long way since their very humble beginnings. We’re now at a point where modern consoles are capable of outputting 4K display and producing visuals that are eerily comparable to real life. Despite these new consoles being at the forefront of technological advancement, we’re increasingly seeing a return to retro game consoles and beginning to see some of these consoles being rebooted in various forms. Two of these recent re-releases are the SEGA Megadrive Mini HD and the ATARI FlashBack 8 Gold HD. But how do they both stack up? Is retro gaming really making a return? We’ve stacked up both of these new releases to see whether they really can compete with the modern consoles as well as living up to the legacy of the originals.
SEGA Megadrive Mini HD
The SEGA Megadrive Mini is the latest re-boot of the popular 90’s gaming console. The Megadrive Mini features over 80 built in games including SEGA classics (Mortal Kombat and Sonic The Hedgehog) as well as some new exclusive titles. The console also features a cartridge slot so you can plug in and play any of the original SEGA classics from yesteryear to see if your true talents have stood the test of time. To bump this re-boot into the modern age, the console now comes with two wireless controllers (no more tripping over controller wires) and an HDMI port (Sonic has never looked so good!).
Image sourced via flickr.com
Comparing this reboot to the original console there are aspects of familiarity alongside new, modernised features. The nostalgic feel of the controllers and the games on the console will take you straight back to the early nineties sat on your friend’s sofa on Saturday afternoon. Coupled with the wireless controllers and HDMI capabilities this gives the console a fresh new lease of life and greatly improves player experience. Whilst this doesn’t necessarily compete with the hyper-realism in other modern consoles, the Megadrive Mini definitely has a place for those looking to return to their gaming origins, introducing a younger gamer to the retro classics, or simply for those looking to just play games that are fun again and don’t require the 40+ hours of engagement that many current titles do.
