Analogue Mega Sg review: the best Mega Drive clone for flat panel TVs

In what has become somewhat of a tradition at this point, boutique console manufacturer Analogue has returned with a new machine focused on Sega's eight and 16-bit legacy - the Master System and Mega Drive/Genesis. The new Mega Sg is a beautiful piece of hardware designed to play Sega games with optimum compatibility while delivering pristine visual results on a modern flat panel display.

The Mega Drive or Genesis is Sega's most successful console. With over 30 million units sold worldwide, it was arguably the first system to challenge Nintendo's dominance in the marketplace and with a wide selection of superb games, it's not difficult to see why. From Sonic, Shinobi and Streets of Rage to third-party classics like Rocket Knight, Gunstar Heroes and Thunder Force 4, it was the place to be for fast-paced action.

For those wanting to revisit the system today with their original cartridge library, however, options haven't always been great with low quality clone systems, such as those from AT Games, failing to accurately deliver the original experience, sometimes with absolutely shocking results. The Mega Sg aims for absolute accuracy, using an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) to accurately recreate the original silicon. While Mega Drive is the main focus of this review, an adapter in the box supports the 8-bit Master System, while further adapters are incoming to allow for compatibility with Game Gear, SG-1000 and more.

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