The articlegameplay, story, development, reception
Development
The Sega Genesis Mini was first announced at the Sega Fes show in April 2018. The announcement was part of a trend of releasing smaller versions of retro video game consoles. It was delayed in September, missing the console's 30th-anniversary window, when Sega dropped its partnership with AtGames, whose 2017 Sega Genesis Flashback was critically panned for its production quality. Instead of using AtGames's Flashback software on a Japan-exclusive Mini, Sega handled the entire production of the system. The system was released worldwide on September 19, 2019, except in Europe and the Middle East, where it was delayed until October 4, 2019, due to distribution issues.
M2, who previously collaborated with Sega on the Sega Ages and Sega 3D Classics Collection series, produced the Mini's ports. Sega emphasized first-party production quality in its marketing for the Mini, as the company returns to the hardware business after last producing the Sega Dreamcast in 2001. The menu music was written by Yuzo Koshiro, who was also the composer of the compilation's Beyond Oasis, Streets of Rage 2, and The Revenge of Shinobi. The Sega Genesis Mini had sold over 300,000 units by the end of March 2020.
