Anyone up for a masochists review of the AT Games Genesis Portable (2016 MK1-3) edition?

Tanooki

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I figured since there's the torment of the Game.com going on I'm sure some Sega fan would love to have their eardrums raped while trying to muddle through the handheld the unknowing(or caring) love and any Sega fan would like to beat ATgames to death with as a blunt object weapon.

It's bad, but not entirely bad since you can toss a SD card in there to widen the library a lot. I'm not certain any of the 40 games they made (not the 40 from Sega) has a single one among them worth bothering does it?

This only crossed my mind as I found a new one at the flea market today for $18, and idiots pay $40-60 for them on ebay for some insane reason.
 

NeoSneth

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I believe i have the same type of unit but older. The biggest turn off is going to be the poor sound emulation. the bleeps and bloops are not accurate.

I prefer the Genmobile in that it can use carts.
 

GohanX

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I have one of the Atgames portables, which is pretty much the same thing in portable form. You know, it plays just fine, I'd they'd ever fix the sound it wouldn't be a piece of shit.
 

fenikso

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I have three (they were all basically free). The sound is abysmal and you can't save your progress in games, the D-pad is shit (not unplayably bad, but still shit), but it's OK for portable Genny gaming.

Wish Sega would license to somebody that gave a shit.
 

Tanooki

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I've had the original one with the SD slot and this one is the latest. The best I can say for it is pretty straight forward -- they don't give but just a little shit, maybe a shart about doing anything with it. I'm speaking of the handheld that takes the SD cards making it a ROM runner basically, never used the TV based one.

The audio from around 6+ years ago they did improve it, slightly, but it almost would be like game to game basis whatever the tweak was, but the notable stuff if you know your Sega well sucks (but if you don't you likely wouldn't notice to be fair.) Also it has (console using real carts too) the damning already noted NO SAVING...the dumb piece of shit can't even save a game on a legit Sega cart so don't bother with Phantasy Star. So that begs the question what gave them the right to advertise on the previous years model Mega Man Wily Wars knowing it's a battery only game with no password (like on NES?) ASSHOLES...no one buying that will ever see the tower unless they put a hacked ROM on a SD card. And then there are a small handful of games that have graphics glitches and of that less that are rendered unusable but the only one I know that should piss someone off is Contra as the first stage the background won't move so unless you know where all the pits are you're fucked.

As a casual device just to tote in a small pocket it's not the worst, but Sega really should expire that license now Nintendo is about to shame them hard next month with their emulated mini-box and do it right. I've had this thing awhile back and sold it breaking even, then today at a flea market found another one complete in the box probably not used/lightly used for $18 so I grabbed it. If I can find a little 1GB SD card around here somewhere I'll throw Castlevania and a few others into it.
 
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SML

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Unbelievable that they still haven't added save support. It's the only thing that's kept me from buying one of these. I think in some promotional materials last year they actually advertised save support as a new feature, too.
 

Tanooki

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Actually it appears in some format they have. A new handheld branded with Sonic 25th on it was at Target days ago for $50. It has Phantasy Star 2and3 along with Sword of Vermillion on there, oddly no Sonic3. Perhaps they added SRAM save but not EPROM? I have no idea.

But if this one does at least SRAM save there are hacks online one could patch a non SRAM game like Sonic3 or Phantay Star 4 to save that way.

Im tempted to sell the turd off I got at the flea market as I could get like $40 for it on ebay, then apply that to this new model and see what happens.
 

sr20det510

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I picked one up from Bed Bath and Beyond for about $30 or so a few months ago.
Sound sucks balls, but overall I enjoy playing from time to time.

Shinobi III is not bad, and play that the most.

Best thing for me is that my nephews enjoy it. They have begun to enjoy playing games not just for the graphics but for the gameplay and fun.

Battery life sucks also
 

Tanooki

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You got the last year black box MK one right? Sound is not great for sure, but between what is there, and with SD card ROM loading I think it still is worthwhile just as a pocket stuffer, especially as you saw for kids. I keep the SMS GG one around which has no audio flaws for that reason.
 

madmanjock

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So I had the older 6 button version, and yes the sound was bad but not actually as terrible as some people make out.

I could tell the music was off in sonic and knuckles - plus the ring sound was nasty. But in columns, golden axe and mean bean machine it didn't bother me. The more low sample and bassy the sound was the less off it seemed. High pitched noises seemed too loud and off key however. I sold it a while ago so this is from memory. Headphones helped too. Built in speaker was shite.

Still much, much better than the game.com though. Sonic Jam on that was BAD.

Tanooki - yes I believe the new version does support save. I'm interested myself if they've finally nailed the sound problem with the new emulator... but I'd rather not waste the cash
 
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Tanooki

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Hey I thought you all should know this. I did some digging on the newest version.

It does and does not save. They did a crude hack that allows Sword of Vermillion and both Phantasy Star titles to work, that is it. I am not even sure if legit carts into the home would do it or just the internal ROMs. I found someone on sheer dumb luck who reviewed the newest andI guess he works at or knows someone at ATGames. That is it, for NOW. Next year a new version again will drop. This time NEW HARDWARE. Supposedly all new parts, new supplier, and it will solve the worst gripes people have with the stuff we have now (saving, shit audio on the highs, some games not working due to graphics issues like Contra, and other things.)

My advice, wait for next holiday season and buy that as a portable or both. My guess is they got their current supplier of the handheld and console atari, coleco, and intv to make a Genesis version so it would be android, ARM based, and emulated so basically like the Retron5 support for the Genesis except this one would read SD cart ROMs while the R5 w/out a hack is locked.
 

FilthyRear

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Why are people still buying this crap?

FFS just buy a Genesis.
 

GohanX

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If they fix the sound and the saving on the portable I'm all in. Ballzdeep.
 

madmanjock

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If they fix the sound and the saving on the portable I'm all in. Ballzdeep.


Yup. A nomad 2 with sd card reading? Yes please! Can't be that hard to pull off, they had great megadrive emulators in the 90's
 
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Tanooki

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That's kind of how that guy was making their next version sound like. An SD card Nomad2 like device for the new hardware handheld they are supposedly cooking up. I imagine if they just 'borrow' whatever the Retron5 took or the retro box out of Japan recently that does TG16(the R5 doesn't) it should look, sound, and save right with a (going by currently model) pretty bright and crisp screen with a semi-decent speaker and a good audio out jack.

I'd buy it, I want a nomad, but given how much problems they tend to have and the poor washed out screen (worse than stock good caps GG) I'd take a device like this any day over the old beast. YOU can make an old Nomad really special, but the expense for the internal work including the lCD swap is not cheap.
 

dragonpt

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Yeah I'm a huge Sega megadrive fan...

Have one of those at games ( fire core) portable ( black & orange one)
Its... Shit (sorry my French):

- awful sound
- can't save
- bad d-pad
- you need to convert ROM to .bin ( if not mistaquen, it doesn't accept the other format)
- etc

Only bought cause I really want to play games on-the-go...

After that, it has been on a corner...

Best thing I ever did was buying a Nomad ( very expensive since I live on Europe) and had to import it from the states ( taxes and more taxes...) But totally worth it

On top of that, now I bought an Ever drive and I'm the happiest guy around ;)

Awesome sound
Awesome d-pad
The nostalgia...

The only thing the nomad needs is a proper LCD replacement ( the original one is just... Bad)
Still researching for a good LCD

Cheers
 

Tanooki

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Your english is easy enough to read.

I agree with your complaints. I also agree the Nomad is more or less the way to go but the screen on it is awful and as they have aged they are even worse now. There are LCD replacements, but require good modding and are not cheap. I had one back in the later 1990s and earlier 2000s and used it plugged into the TV or on the couch and it was fun. I had thought about buying another, but with the costs involved in making it good again is not worth it anymore to me. The fact the new atgames handheld out next year fixes the audio, fixes the graphics problems, fixes the save games, still uses carts (home) or SD card (handheld) makes it a cheap winning combination I can't wait to see come out and get reviewed.
 

GohanX

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I really did like the Atgames handheld other than the sound. The screen was pretty good quality, the dpad wasn't that good but it was serviceable, and the buttons were okay, but at a little too much of an angle. In the winter I'd keep it in my jacket pocket since it was small enough to be unobtrusive and (to be honest) I didn't give a shit if it got messed up.
 

Tanooki

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Hah that's how I feel about it. I guess I'm not your typical Sega player as I don't get the big love for Sonic. I mean I can play them a bit but I don't get into them and definitely have no interest wearing my ass out getting gems and really I find myself usually because of my love of pinball playing Spinball more than the others so the audio sucking isn't an issue really for me as the others don't suffer anywhere near as bad for it. The one I found cost me $18 a good month or two ago, and that's totally worth it at that rate just to toss around and use whenever not caring if cold weather or pocket abuse gets to it.
 

dragonpt

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I bought the portable and the regular one, mega drive (at games) on the first day, when they came out in Portugal.. 2 years ago I believe ( or was it 3? )

The regular one is even worse, of course bad sound ( it's emulated of course ) a lot of games don't work/ have glitches... The *pads* ... A Wii knockoff ...

Jess...

Here's a pic of both + my lovely nomad
( also have 4 mega drives, 3mod1, and 1 model2)
Plus megacd2... ( The mega model2 and two of the model1 are region mod + Hz switch)
Just missing the 32x that has become insanely expensive ...
Oh and I was luckily enough to bought a megajet several years ago in mint condition :)
From Japan

qwS9oQJ.jpg


8R6xFJz.jpg


IF indeed the next handheld at games mega drive does support carts + good sound, then I'm in ;)
 
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madmanjock

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The only thing the nomad needs is a proper LCD replacement ( the original one is just... Bad)
Still researching for a good LCD

Cheers

Maybe these guys could just sell you the screen?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SEGA-NOMA...056060?hash=item20dfb3ccfc:g:g30AAOSw3xJVddGZ

The high cost for the nomad in europe for the reasons you said are what is putting me off them also.

The screen on the atmark is the only great thing about it, I hope the revision next year lives up to promise
 

dragonpt

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