Aside from the slots for SNES and Genesis games, the Retrode 2 also has four controller ports, a pair each for both consoles. The device doesn’t need any driver so it should work with any operating system. However, like its predecessor the Retrode 2 will only let you access the data inside the cartridges; you’re going to need an SNES or Sega Genesis emulator before you can actually play your games. Although you can easily find free emulators online, the Retrode 2 would be a lot more useful if it already had emulators built-in, so so it could just be plug-and-play.

The Retrode 2 also has controller ports for SNES and Genesis controllers, which you can then map to play with your emulators. on your PC or Mac.

Press start on your browser and pre-order the Retrode 2 from Stone Age Gamer for $85 (USD). That seems like quite a lot to pay, when you can buy the Hyperkin RetroN 3, which is a complete emulator for SNES, NES and Genesis cartridges for just $70.

[via Engadget]

I’m anxious to see what else people can do with the PS Vita when it is available in all regions.

[via Tiny Cartridge via Kotaku]

The PlayMore handheld can play games from the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, Nintendo NES/Famicom, SNES and Gameboy, GBC/GBA right out of the box. Games are played on a 2.8″ 300×240 resolution screen (or is that 320×240?) The system looks pretty nicely designed, and has both a D-Pad and analog stick, as well as small L and R shoulder buttons. It’s not clear how these are used with older console games, but I’m sure some hackers will get their hands on the PlayMore and get it emulating other systems which take advantage of these additional controls.

Not that you’re likely to use this thing as a media player, but the PlayMore also supports playback of a wide variety of audio and video file formats, and it even has a (craptastic – 0.3mp) camera built in. But you’re not buying this thing to take photos. You want to play some Super Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog and Donkey Kong Country, right? Well it should handle those just fine – assuming you know where to (ahem) get your hands on those game ROMs.

In terms of storage, the PlayMore has 4GB of on-board capacity, plus you can add up to 16GB with a microSD card. It’s also got an A/V out cable for hooking it up to a TV, and is charged via a standard mini-USB connector.And if you’re to believe the photo below, it’s even more fun when you’re drunk:

So now on to the best part. The PlayMore sells for just $57.88 (USD) over at ChinaVasion, so if you don’t already have a handheld retro emulator, this looks like one of the better deals out there. If you buy one, post a comment and let us know how it works for you!

Once you get past the slightly inappropriate Muppets, (or you just skip to about 0:38 in the clip), you’ll be treated to an awesome rendition of the classic Green Hill Zone  theme song from the original Genesis/MegaDrive Sonic the Hedgehog, performed by musician Sonaje. Here, check it out:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

See, wasn’t that worth it? I especially love the fact that he’s not just playing the theme song on guitar and piano, but actually making the sound effects for Sonic grabbing up rings, jumping and spinning.

If you enjoyed the performance enough to put it on your iPod, you can grab an MP3 of the track here.

AtGames’ (aka Sapphire) Arcade Nano Sonic system is small enough to hang on your keychain or backpack, but packs ten games under the hood. Five of the games are classic SEGA Genesis games including Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic Spinball, Sonic 3D Blast, and Alex Kidd. There are also five “bonus” games including Air Hockey, Naval Power, Cannon, Fight or Lose and Checker, all of which I’ve never heard of before, so I’m gonna guess they’re not all that. The tiny system has a built-in joystick and buttons, runs on a single AAA battery and connects to a composite video and mono audio jack on your TV.

If Sonic isn’t your thing, they’re also making Nano Columns and Nano Virtua Fighter 2 versions, each with their own collection of five classic and five bonus games. I’m not sure what games come with Columns, but the VF2 version packs in some good ones, including Shinobi 3, Golden Axe, Golden Axe 3, and Alien Storm.

If you have any doubts about these miniscule systems, here’s a video review of the Sonic one in action:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

While it looks like the emulation isn’t 100% perfect, it still looks pretty playable to me, and these still look like a great gift for classic SEGA fanatics. All three Genesis Nano systems can be found over at Walmart for $19.96 each.

Despite the “110+” labeling, the system comes with a total of 40 games (the higher count includes all levels you can directly select). Included are 15 classic licensed games, 7 “interactive sports games”, and 18 “arcade games”. I found a full list of included titles here. The system ships with a pair of wireless controllers, which both appear to have a traditional D-pad (presumably for the classic Genesis titles), but also motion control (probably for the other titles).

Perhaps the most intriguing part of this oddity is the SD card slot which lets you “easily expand your gaming library beyond the games built-into the system.” So far, the only downloadable games I could find are these lame looking ones. I’m not sure if you could use the SD slot to load up your own ROM on the thing, but for just $35 bucks, it might be worth a shot.

In my experience, previous SEGA Genesis products from ATGames have had issues with wonky sound emulation, so you should consider that before plunking down your money. Others over on the SEGA-16 Forums have stronger opinions than mine – like this guy: “You can get more accurately emulated Genesis hardware by slotting an original cart between your ass cheeks, then sitting down quickly onto it and screaming ‘SEEEEEGGAAAA’”. Okay, so maybe you shouldn’t buy one.

If you still want one, you can get your hands on the ATGames 110 Games Motion Control Sonic System over at DDR Game.

The compact system comes with emulators for the Super Nintendo, NES, Sega Genesis, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance, but if it’s anything like the other portable emulators out there, you can bet there will be more emulators, and probably a Linux build for it at some point. It’s also got a nice 3.5″ screen – making it significantly larger than, say, the Dingoo A320.

In addition to classic gameplay, the portable can play 8 different video file formats and 10 different audio formats, and offers a microSD card slot for expansion beyond the 4GB internal memory. It’s also got a video out, so you can connect it to your TV and play classic games on the big screen.

You can get your hands on the Letcool portable over at Chinavasion for $71.25 (USD). If you buy one, let us know how well it works!

The entire chair is mounted on top of a joystick, so as you tilt the chair, you’re actually controlling the game. Designed for games like After Burner II, Road Rash and Space Harrier II, it’s definitely an unusual way to play.

The auction has a starting bid of $300, but you can own this rarity right now for a Buy-it-Now price of $500 bucks. Unfortunately, it’s only available for local pickup in the Temple, Pennsylvania area, since it’s too difficult to ship. Me, I think I’ll stick to my couch and a regular joystick.

[via GameSniped]

Better yet, the Retro N 3 can play games from their original cartridges, rather than running emulated ROMs, so you can just dust off your old carts from the closet (or eBay) and play the originals as they were originally intended.

While the N 3 provides ports to connect controllers from each of the classic systems, each system also includes a pair of wireless controllers which sorta resemble the 6-button Genesis controller. The Retro N 3 is available in either red or grey color schemes, and can be ordered over at Hyperkin’s online store for $69.99 (USD).

[via GoNintendo]

You’ve probably noticed all of the classic games that are coming back out again as video game companies look to cash in on older games through services like Xbox Live Arcade and the Wii online store – but these are sometimes  ports and not emulations of the original games. The Retrode is a basic device which can copy your real old SNES or Genesis cartridges to your computer. It ports them into ROMs via a USB cable, and then the ROMs can then be played with the appropriate emulator.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Be prepared to pay for it though: it costs about $100 (USD). Or you could simply find a way of getting some ROMs without Retrode…

[via DVice]

The initial version of the app will come bundled with Space Harrier II, but then once you’re inside the collection, you’ll be able to add new games, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Golden Axe, Ecco the Dolphin and Shining Force for starters. Prices for each game range from $2.99 to $5.99 (USD) for each game.

While the Genesis Ultimate Collection won’t hit the iPhone App Store until early February, you can already find several of these games individually on the App Store, but the Ultimate Collection will give you a neat and tidy way to keep them all in one place.

Of course, if you’re a real Genesis fan and you don’t mind another gadget in your backpack, you could always just pick up one of these instead. That’s how I roll.

[via Gizmodo]

Modder Trstn18 created his SNEGENES P handheld with the parts from an authentic “mini” SNES, and a Gen-X clone machine. The whole thing is set into a custom see-through case so you can see all the electronic goodness inside. While I wouldn’t necessarily call a system that’s 8.6-inches wide, 5.4-inches tall and 1-inch thick “handheld”, it’s still a pretty great mod job.

The SNEGENES P is powered by six 2600mAh batteries, which let it play for somewhere around 5 to 7 hours on a single charge. There’s also composite video and stereo audio outputs, which let Trstn play his favorite games on a TV. And yes, Virginia, it can play actual cartridges from these retro systems – unfortunately, the rear of the SNEGENES is a bit of a hot mess:

Here’s a brief video clip showing off the SNEGENES P in action:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Now why the video clip is backwards, I have no idea. Maybe it’s because “snegenes” sounds like a backwards chant you’d hear in a subliminal message on a Beatles record. Just hold your computer up to a mirror and you can watch it properly.

[via Ben Heck Forums]

They’re available in both a 16-bit (Mega Drive aka Genesis) and 32-bit (Saturn) versions. And while they will light your cigarettes, they won’t play any games – unless you manage to find a shrink ray and miniaturize your carts down to size. Of course if you had said ray, you’d probably just shrink your entire console collection and stick them all in your pocket. But then you’d be too big to press any of the buttons, and you’d have to shrink yourself. Lather, rinse, repeat until you and your consoles are at subatomic particle size.

But I digress. Want these awesome Sega lighters? You’ll have to save up ¥10,500 for each one (about $114 USD), get out your Japanese-to-English dictionary and head over to NetYou. While you’re doing that, I’ll be working on my shrink ray.

[via andriasang via joystiq]

This new handheld isn’t made by Sega, but the AtGames Gen Mobile is fully-licensed by the original console maker. AtGames has previously made some Genesis portables, but this is the first one they’ve made that can actually play all of your original Genesis cartridges wherever you go.

In addition to playing classic Genesis and Japanese Mega Drive carts, the GenMobile comes with 20 built-in Sega games, including classics like Sonic Spinball, Golden Axe and Altered Beast. It’s also got an AV output so you can play games on your TV screen if you don’t want to squint and watch all of your games on the 2.5-inch LCD screen.

And if you’re not in the market for a handheld but still want to play all your old Genesis games, be sure to check out the new Gen Core – the smallest complete Genesis system I’ve seen. Plus, it looks like Sonic!

Want one? I sure do. You can order the Gen Mobile over at Stone Age Gamer for $54.99 (USD). The Gen Core sells for $39.99.

[via NowhereElse]

While there aren’t many details about the heritage of this mod, what we can see from the picture is that the little droid is loaded up with a Dreamcast, an Xbox, an N64, an Atari 2600, a SEGA Saturn, an NES, an SNES and a PlayStation. It’s also got a projector and sound system built-in for good measure.

Though R2-D2 may have been designed as a utility droid, I think he’s finally found his real purpose – gaming droid.

[via Hack N Mod]

The E-Time Game Play Controller ($22 USD) may look like a standalone game controller, but it’s actually a self-contained SEGA Mega Drive/Genesis console. Just load your SEGA MD ROMs onto an SD memory card, plug it into the slot on the controller, and you’ll be playing Sonic, Golden Axe and your other favorite 16-bit titles on your TV. The battery-operated controller even can save games in progress if the original title supports it. You can even plug in a second controller with a standard Mega Drive/Genesis connector.

Keep in mind that this is not an officially-licensed SEGA device – just another one of those cheap Chinese gadgets that might not live up to its promises, so don’t blame me if it doesn’t play all of your ROMs. And anyhow, what are you doing with those ROMs anyway? As long as it plays Zombies Ate My Neighbors, I’m fine.

[E-Time Game Discussion Board]

The Mega Drive 4 Guitar Idol edition will include not only a Mega Drive/Genesis gaming system, and a pair of old-school controllers, but bundles a guitar that would make current-gen console players happy too.

The system comes pre-loaded with a whopping 87 classic SEGA 16-bit games, including titles such as Altered Beast, Rainbow Island, Golden Axe III, along with the brand-spanking-new Guitar Idol and 50 music tracks from a number of popular artists. Everyone from The Ramones to Panic at the Disco to Billy Squier is represented on the diverse the track list.

No word on if or when you’ll be able to grab this system outside of Brazil, but for now, you can find out more over on TecToy’s website.

[Interama and Sega Nerds via GameSetWatch]

Freetron’s FunPlay 20-in-1 not only can be connected to your television, but since it runs on 3-AAA batteries can be played on the road with portable DVD players (as long as they have a video input). The battery-operated circuit also makes this a perfect candidate for portable game system hackers – although the built-in 16-bit Genesis/Mega Drive emulator is limited to the 20 included games as far as I can tell.

Here’s a full list of included games: Sonic Blast, Sonic Chaos, Sonic Drift 2, Sonic Spinball, Sonic Triple Trouble, Alex Kidd High Tech World, Alex Kidd The Lost Stars, Altered Beast, Astro Warrior, Bomber Raid, Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine, Ecco The Tides of Time, Fantasy Zone, Golden Axe, Penguin Land, Psycho Fox, Quartet, Ristar, and Super Columns.

You can grab one of these over at DealExtreme for just under $15 (USD). With 20 fully licensed SEGA games for that price, this thing looks like a pretty great deal. I think I paid $159 bucks for my original Genesis, and that was before I bought a single game.

Of course, if you don’t need to take it on the road, and you’ve got a PS3 or Xbox 360, you owe it to yourself to check out Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection instead – which includes twice as many games for just $28 (USD).

There are cakey versions of the Gamecube, an NES, an Atari 2600, a TurboGrafx-16, a Sega Genesis and a Nintendo Wii all gathered around for a game of Duck Hunt on an edible TV. More pics of these delectible consoles can be found over on BFedRec’s Flickr cakes album.

This Chinese import plays 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit titles from 7 different game platforms in one compact system. While it sports a less than thrilling name, the CVFH-N03-4G (aka the Dingoo A320) can play thousands of games from the NES, Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Nintendo Gameboy Advance, SNK Neo-Geo consoles, as well as the CAPCOM CPS1 and CPS2 arcade systems. The system features a 2.8″ QVGA (320×240) display and can also output to your TV.

Now how you get game ROMs to play on the system is up to you, but once you do, you can load up the portable system with up to 4GB of games and other media files and can even play some Flash-based games. There’s also a mini-SDHC slot in case 4GB isn’t enough to whet your appetite for storage. In addition to retro games, the portable can play your audio and video files in a wide variety of formats. There’s also an FM tuner, voice recorder and e-book reader along for the ride in case you get bored with all of those classic games. Check out the video clip below to see one of these in action:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The CVFH-N03-4G/Dingoo A320 multi-platform gaming handheld is available over at Chinavasion in both black and white versions for $87.31 (USD) each.