Genesis

Retro-Bit announces new Undeadline Collector’s Cartridge for Genesis/Mega-Drive; pre-orders open until August 10th, 2025

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When there’s an ultra-rare, ultra-expensive, and especially Japan exclusive shooter for Genesis/Mega-Drive, you can bet your bottom dollar that Retro-Bit will try to bring it to the western world as one of their Collector’s Cartridges, as they have done a few times before. This time, they’ve set their sights on the monster filled shmup known as Undeadline (1991).

Pre-orders have already begun in North America and Europe for this ghoulish shooter, which is at a big time bargain compared to trying to track down even a loose cartridge of the original Japanese copy of this cult Mega-Drive classic. This comes licensed from the current rights holder D4 Enterprise and with a brand new English translation made in cooperation with D4.

Come on down past the break for a closer look at this game and for pre-order links.

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Gamescare announces a December 2025 release date for their new FPGA Genesis/32X console: the GF-1 Neptune

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The Brazillian company GamesCare have announced a December 2025 release window for their hotly anticipated Genesis/32X hybrid FPGA console: the GF-1 Neptune. At the moment, pre-orders are not yet available and no price has been announced, though they have stated it will be average for consoles of this nature. Given the usual cost of most FPGA consoles, I would estimate somewhere in the ballpark of $200-300 USD, but we’ll see soon. (Expect tariffs to be an issue as well) They have also promised that crowdfunding will not be part of their plans.

This announcement was made public through GamesCare’s Twitter, along with a link to a signup page for their new email newsletter. You can sign up there to hear when more info comes out. The link will be right below the break.

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Sega’s Japan exclusive Mega-Drive turn based strategy game The Hybrid Front receives a fan translation

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Sega’s classic cyberpunk turn-based strategy game for Genesis/Mega-Drive, The Hybrid Front (1994), has finally been fan translated.

This translation was 7 years in the making, as the team of fans responsible, Nebulous Translations, had announced this translation back in 2018. Due to some difficulties with packing English text into the game’s visual interface, which was intrinsically designed for kanji-heavy Japanese to be written out vertically, the translation patch took a lot longer to put together in the team’s spare time. After much difficulty, a translation patch is now available for the public to download and try. The Hybrid Front and its surprisingly in depth story and dialogue for its time is now far more accessible to curious English speaking fans.

If your interested in trying it for yourself, strategize your way past the break for the download link.

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New top-down Genesis/Mega-Drive shooter Sovietborgs now crowdfunding on Indiegogo

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Developer Retro Sumus are back with an all-new action shooter coming to Genesis/Mega-Drive called Sovietborgs. Spaniard developer Retro Sumus were previously known for their amazing 3D Dreamcast shooter Xenocider, released in 2021. That game, one of the first fully 3D indie games on Dreamcast, was a visual tour-de-force and a great tribute to Space Harrier and Sin & Punishment. With Sovietborgs, they’ve set their sights not just on Genesis, but aim to bring the game to Dreamcast and even MS-DOS and Neo-Geo. Quite the ambitious project indeed, and they’ve brought Sovietborgs to IndieGogo for the funding needed to make it happen.

Sovietborgs leverages pre-rendered 3D graphics, much like Vectorman or Sonic 3D Blast, to bring you into an alternate reality in which the Soviet Union became the dominant civilization following the Cold War. You’ll be controlling three mercenaries called “Sovietborgs” all at once to wipe out all the vicious mutants in every level. The game will play like a top-down shooter, but there are in-between levels more like a horizontal scrolling shmup as well. The music is inspired by the Strike trilogy and Command & Conquer: Red Alert and composed by the same Juanjo Martin who composed the music for Xenocider.

If you’re just itching to throw money at this game’s Indiegogo and get a copy of the game in the process following its completion, then journey on down past the break and find out what to expect from this campaign.

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SEGA Talk #165: Toy Story (1995)

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Open the toy box, because on this SEGA Talk we’re unboxing Toy Story for the SEGA Genesis! How did this multiplatform licensed game wow players in 1995? How does it compare to the movie of the same name? Is there a snake in my boot? Watch and find out on this toyetic SEGA Talk!

[iTunes – Stitcher – YouTube – Download]

Support us on Patreon! Get early access, have your memories read on the show, select the games we talk about!

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Remaining Sega Forever mobile games being hit with End-of-Service announcements UPDATE: Annnnnnnd they’re gone

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Recorded from the Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II mobile app

The final nail in Sega Forever’s coffin has just been pounded in. The once-promising initiative out of Sega Europe to bring classic Sega games back on mobile devices as free, ad-supported games had already been quietly discontinued years ago and several games were delisted and left with their online services disabled in 2023. Now, most of the remaining games are meeting the same fate.

Like before, this comes without any official announcement from Sega outside of this end-of-service notice popping up within the affected games, along with a link directly to Sega’s website. Each of the games will remain playable offline and tied to your Google Play or Apple account if you had previously downloaded them, but they will no longer be updated, so it’s only a matter of time until they do become unplayable as Sega will no longer make sure they keep up with ongoing Android or iOS updates. This has actually already happened with each of the games that were delisted the last time since we reported on it two years ago. The topical games here are still available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store as of this writing, so you may as well download the remaining games if you haven’t already and enjoy them while you can. As part of this update, all online features will be shut down, which amounted to leaderboards and, for the Genesis/Mega-Drive games, save-states saved onto the cloud. Local save data will remain accessible. The option to pay $2 USD to disable ads, which will now be disabled anyway, is also gone.

Check past the break for a list of the affected titles.

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Retro-Bit re-opens pre-orders for Toaplan Shooters Collector’s Edition Vol. 2 set of Genesis/Mega-Drive games, now without Twin Cobra

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Remember when Retro-Bit opened pre-orders for a new collector’s set of Toaplan Genesis/Mega-Drive official reprints, only to quickly call it off because of an unforeseen licensing issue? It seems they have now worked out that licensing issue and the set is now available to pre-order once again. Sadly, Twin Cobra (1991) seems to have been the source of that licensing snafu and has been removed from the set, leaving only Slap Fight MD (1993) and Grind Stormer (1994). Fortunately, those two games are the ones with extra modes exclusive to the Genesis versions, when Twin Cobra had no such additions.

The entire set has been readjusted and is available for pre-order at the usual retailers in North America and Europe. Due to it going from three games down to two, it is now available for the reduced price of $139.99 USD instead of $159.99 USD, with the individual games still being $59.99 USD. Anyone who really wanted Twin Cobra should be allowed to request a refund if they left their old pre-order in place. Anyone who still has a pre-order open and can live without Twin Cobra will still have their pre-order honored.

For more info on the new Collector’s Set, as well as pre-order links, come on down past the break.

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SONIC WEEKLY: Sonic & SEGA Fandom w/ KORI-MARU

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This week, we’re joined by KORI-MARU to reminisce about Sonic the Hedgehog and other favorite SEGA franchises. We also cover DC x Sonic the Hedgehog #2 (with a spoiler warning and skip option), and the recent episodes of Chao Tales. All that plus your weekly Rings of Saturn update too. This is a fun one, folks!

For more episodes, search SONIC WEEKLY on your podcast service of preference.

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Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack updated with Streets of Rage, ESWAT: City Under Siege, and Super Thunder Blade

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On April 11th, 2025, Sega added three early Sega Genesis/Mega-Drive games: ESWAT: City Under Siege, Streets of Rage, and Super Thunder Blade, to Sega Genesis – Nintendo Switch Online. Japan gets the same three games at the same time.

All three games are immediately accessible to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers following a quick patch update to the app. For more info on each game, check in after the break for a synopsis on all of them.

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Sega Genesis Wumbo announced exclusively for North America and Sega Mega-Drive Micro announced exclusively for Japan (April Fools)

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In a most bewildering twist, Sega have announced their next big vision for mini consoles, and I do mean big. They’re returning, once again, to the Sega Genesis well with the announcement of the Sega Genesis Wumbo for North America exclusively and the Sega Mega-Drive Micro for Japan exclusively. Nothing has been announced yet for Europe.

Both consoles are essentially the same thing as the two Genesis Mini consoles before them, but now with a new and unexpected gimmick. Japan’s Mega-Drive Micro will be half the size of the original Mega-Drive Mini. It will be so small, in fact, that it will come with a special, separate USB-C adapter for both HDMI out and power input, as the console will be too small to fit an HDMI port and a power port on it. North America’s Genesis Wumbo will be twice the size of an original Model 1 Genesis console (Not the Genesis Mini. The original Genesis console from 1989). Controllers will also follow suit, with the Mega-Drive Micro’s controller being half the size of an original controller while the Genesis Wumbo’s controller will be double the size.

Sega have not yet announced a release date for the two consoles, but they have announced a starting lineup of ten games. Have a look past the break to see what those games are, along with more information.

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Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast Tees Launch at Don Quijote

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Alright, fellow Sega faithful! Dust off your VMUs and plug in those 6-button controllers, because Don Quijote is about to drop a pixel-perfect power-up for your wardrobe!

Yes, you heard right! Our beloved Sega consoles are getting the fashion treatment, courtesy of a collaboration with the legendary discount haven, Don Quijote. Get ready with three sleek, limited-edition black tees, each paying homage to the iconic Mega Drive (or Genesis), Saturn, and Dreamcast.

For a mere 2,199 yen (that’s roughly $14.61), you can snag these threads in sizes L and XL. Each shirt boasts a subtle chest logo, a bold back graphic, and—as if that wasn’t enough—a bonus sticker of the console’s logo to slap on your console, laptop, or wherever your Sega spirit takes you.

But here’s the kicker: these are Don Quijote exclusives! So, if you’re planning a pilgrimage to Japan, set your GPS for your nearest Donki and be there bright and early. These treasures drop sequentially from March 29, 2025 at 9:00 AM JST, and they won’t stick around forever.

Let’s recap:

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Phantasy Star II getting a fanmade port to the Amiga platform

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These are interesting times for retro ports. First, we had folks porting games to Sega consoles from other platforms, then someone ported Shinobi and Golden Axe to SNK’s Neo-Geo platforms, and now someone wants to bring Phantasy Star II (1989) to the Amiga platform. I’m certainly not against it.

Homebrew developer RetroLover is now hard at work on an Amiga conversion of the seminal and very influential Genesis/Mega-Drive JRPG Phantasy Star II. That game is their favorite RPG of all time, and this is their way of paying tribute to it and the Amiga platform. The game is being rebuilt in Scorpion Engine, which is made for development of Amiga, Genesis, and even Neo-Geo games, but RetroLover is aiming to make this as faithful to the Genesis original as possible. They’ll still be adding enhancements to make it easier to play through, such as an improved battle system based on that of Phantasy Star IV (1995).

For now, though, the port is still early in development. However, RetroLover has released a demo for the public to try and is open to feedback. If you have a way to run Amiga games, I’d say give it a go. You can find a link to download it below the break.

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Indie fighting game Pocket Bravery getting an official Genesis/Mega-Drive port

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Here comes a new challenge on Genesis/Mega-Drive. Pocket Bravery, a modern, independent 2D fighting game by Brazillian developer Statera Studio, has an official 16-bit port being worked on for the Genesis. The port is being handled by RheoGamer, himself a Brazillian developer, who had previously ported Real Bout Fatal Fury to Genesis and is already hard at work on his own Genesis port of X-Men vs. Street Fighter and an original King of Fighters Genesis game. Needless to say, this makes him the perfect candidate for porting a game that was already clearly inspired by the best of Capcom and SNK’s fighting game pedigree. Never underestimate the love Brazil has for the old school Sega, Capcom, or SNK.

For more info on Pocket Bravery to get you excited for this 16-bit port, have a look past the break.

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New mid-range Genesis/Mega-Drive flashcart, the Mega Everdrive Core, launches from Everdrive creator Krikzz

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The ever-so-busy creator of the Everdrive line of flash cartridges for various retro systems, Krikzz, has debuted his newest edition to the Mega Everdrive lineup for Genesis/Mega-Drive hardware: The Mega Everdrive Core. This new mid-range flash cartridge, in terms of functionality, sits between his most feature rich option: the Mega Everdrive Pro, and the next best option: the Mega Everdrive X5. (Not to mention a much bigger step up from the next newest edition to the Mega Everdrive family, the OpenED)

Like any flash cartridge, this allows you to run digitized Genesis game roms on original Genesis consoles, as well as certain clones. The Mega Everdrive Core can also run Master System and 32X game roms on Genesis systems as well. (Provided you’re using a system compatible with Master System games in the former case or have an original 32X equipped in the latter case.) It also has support for the Genesis version of Virtua Racing too, unlike the OpenED. The most important difference between this and the Pro model is that it cannot run Sega CD games, the modern classic Genesis RPG Pier Solar (2010), or games patched with MSU-MD support.

After the break, you can expect a handy chart detailing the differences between the Core and the Pro and X5 models, as well as a link to order directly from Krikzz’s Everdrive store.

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New Genesis/Mega-Drive shooter ZPF now available for pre-order

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Remember the new hit indie Genesis/Mega-Drive shooter ZPF, which succeeded in its Kickstarter campaign to fund development in July of last year? The game is still in development as of this writing, but pre-orders have now opened up to the public on Backerkit (In December 2024, but hey, they’re still available right now, at least). Even if you didn’t back the Kickstarter, you now have a chance to get your order in and be assured to receive your copy of the game as soon as it’s available. If you did back the Kickstarter, you can take this opportunity to order any items that weren’t included with your pledge that you may want.

From Backerkit, you can order new exclusive Complete-In-Box packages, collector’s edition sets, and other goods such as an artbook or a vinyl or CD soundtrack. You can also order copies of the developer’s previous game Tanzer or the other recent new indie Genesis game Rocket Panda, if you feel like having an extra game with ZPF. These two games are available for $45 USD, while ZPF is available as a $50 cartridge-only package, a $60 CIB set, and a $150 collector’s edition complete with unique cartridge design.

For a link to the pre-order page, and details on other goods you can pre-order, have a look after the break.

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