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You're a console manufacturer who's just failed with their recent effort (Sega Saturn) to grip the public's imagination. With the release of your latest console (Dreamcast) just around the corner, what do you do? Rerelease the console that made you popular to begin with!
Excellent idea, but how do you proceed with such an idea? Bring the Neptune back from the dead to make a Mega Drive, Mega CD, 32X, Master System (speculative) hybrid? Well, clearly not. The Genesis 3 takes Sega back to the ideology of making a small compact machine to showcase their older works, and attempting to get smaller than the Multi-mega in overall size they manage to create a monstrosity. The actual shape of the console is actually not so bad, but considering it was an American release, they ignored the "bigger is better" rule. This size sells in Japan, not America. In terms of it's design, it took several steps back as a way of conserving as much money as possible. The slider was back for the power button, revealing a very tacky luminous orange sticker which always looks like it may peel at any moment, even if it isn't. That saves money on a bulb and circuitry. What doesn't help the machine at all is the materials it was built on. Made of cheap and tacky materials, it feels like the sort of console you'd win out of Grabclaw Arcade Machines. In effect, that was what it cost £30 (Well, $50) for on release. The whole console is amazingly photogenic, and will impress your friends in anything your camera snaps, but just hide it in a cupboard if they come to visit. It looks and feels unmistakeably cheap. Mechanically the Genesis 3 is a low quality machine. It's not a terrible machine in this field, ten years on and the console is still functioning, however the power slider wobbles, the sticker underneath always looks ready to peel, the Reset button isn't very positive and the console also has fewer working games than the original. Several games which took advantage of a glitch in the memory chips (Such as Gargoyles) can no longer be played, 32X and Mega CD compatibility have been removed, as has all backwards compatibility with the Master system convertor. This made it feel even more budget, and overall you get the impression that it's one of those consoles that will one day just give up for no apparent reason. It's not happened yet, and it's over ten years old, however I'll keep you posted on it's lifespan if/when it goes. So, credibility then? It has to be said, in 1998 a decade old console with no enahancement capabilities wasn't exactly calling for cool status. Adding to that the relatively low production number, the terrible build quality, the outrageous cutbacks and the very near release of the Dreamcast the Genesis 3 was faced with more than a fair few problems. In some collecting circles you may get an interested few questions by someone new, but often the only way you'll ever inspire people's attention in any way on the machine is to just take groovy snapshots of it and keep telling everyone that the quality is "a secret". If you're an avid collector, make this a purchase only if you got a spare few coins laying around, and certainly don't pay more than £40 for a completed item (With power pack and A/V leads, not boxed) because that will be a ripoff. Anyone looking to downsize their bulky Mega Drive set, or rebuild their childhood console with something more sizeable should really look at paying between £60-£80 for an unboxed but complete Multi-mega. That way you can still play every game, use all the add-ons and at the same time get a superb quality machine with some cool factor behind it's name. It may be alot more common in collector's basements but there's a reason they all chose it over the Genesis 3. Don't ever buy one unless you're doing so for collector's purposes. Written by Roareye Black 22/09/2008 |