01-11-2019, 02:25 AM
Looks Like Retro-Bit Is Resurrecting Sega’s Switch-Like Handheld, The Nomad
<div><div class="media_block"><a href="http://images.nintendolife.com/b40e4d6a6e871/large.jpg"><img src="http://images.nintendolife.com/b40e4d6a6e871/small.jpg" class="media_thumbnail"></a></div>
<figure class="picture strip"><a title="Sega Nomad" href="http://images.nintendolife.com/b40e4d6a6e871/sega-nomad.original.jpg"><img src="http://images.nintendolife.com/b40e4d6a6e871/sega-nomad.900x.jpg" alt="Sega Nomad" /></a></figure>
<p>Retro-Bit – the company behind a series of <a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/09/hardware_review_the_retro-bit_go_retro_portable_is_a_rose-tinted_disappointment">clone systems</a> and <a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/08/gallery_unboxing_retro-bits_incredible_r-type_and_holy_diver_limited_editions">repackaged classic games</a> – has already confirmed that it is <a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/12/sega_dreamcast_saturn_and_mega_drive_hardware_coming_from_retro-bit_in_2018">working with Sega</a> to produce a series of officially-licenced accessories for the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive and Sega Saturn. The company is showing these products off at CES <em>right now</em>, and they look so close to the real thing it’s actually impressive (whether or not they feel as good is something we’ll be investigating when we get our hands on them).</p>
<p>However, Retro-Bit has something else at CES which is even more interesting – it’s showing off a prototype of what appears to be a reborn <a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/11/hardware_classics_the_sega_genesis_nomad">Sega Nomad</a>. If you didn’t know already, the Nomad was Sega’s ill-fated attempt to turn the Mega Drive into a portable system – if was kind of like the Switch before the Switch existed. It ran all Mega Drive (well, Genesis) games and could be connected to the TV for the full home console experience. While it was impressive for the time, it ate batteries like nobody’s business and didn’t really find the audience it perhaps deserved.</p>
<aside class="gallery">
<div class="col"><a title="Screenshot 2019 01 10 At 12.37.28" href="http://images.nintendolife.com/aab38d91d1018/screenshot-2019-01-10-at-12-37-28.original.jpg"><img src="http://images.nintendolife.com/aab38d91d1018/screenshot-2019-01-10-at-12-37-28.450x495.jpg" width="450" height="495" alt="Screenshot 2019 01 10 At 12.37.28" /></a></div>
<div class="col"><a title="Screenshot 2019 01 10 At 12.37.19" href="http://images.nintendolife.com/b67a7383aef61/screenshot-2019-01-10-at-12-37-19.original.jpg"><img src="http://images.nintendolife.com/b67a7383aef61/screenshot-2019-01-10-at-12-37-19.450x495.jpg" width="450" height="495" alt="Screenshot 2019 01 10 At 12.37.19" /></a></div>
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<p>Fast forward to the present day, and modern rechargeable batteries and LCD screens should make this a more viable proposition, and the rumoured price point of around $80 would also make it pretty appealing. It’s worth noting that a <em>lot</em> of speculative hardware gets shown off at CES, and seeing as both of the units shown lack Sega’s branding, it could be that these units have yet to meet with the company’s approval.</p>
<p>We already have the <a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/03/hardware_review_the_hyperkin_supaboy_sfc_is_a_portable_snes_for_under_p100">Hyperkin Supa Boy</a>, so it would be great to have a ‘new’ (and more importantly, decent) Mega Drive portable. Sega fans have had to endure some <a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/01/hardware_review_segas_heritage_deserves_better_than_the_mega_drive_ultimate_portable">real stinkers</a> in the past, with the decade-old <a class="external" href="https://www.pocketgamer.com/articles/017188/genmobile-portable-mega-drive-review/">GenMobile</a> being the last notable system that actually allowed you to use original carts on the move.</p>
<aside class="object object-youtube">
<div class="youtube"><iframe class='youtube-player' type='text/html' width='900' height='507' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/3iGtOppoXpw?version=3&rel=0&fs=1&autohide=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=0&iv_load_policy=1&hd=1&wmode=transparent' allowfullscreen='true' style='border:0;'></iframe></div>
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<div><div class="media_block"><a href="http://images.nintendolife.com/b40e4d6a6e871/large.jpg"><img src="http://images.nintendolife.com/b40e4d6a6e871/small.jpg" class="media_thumbnail"></a></div>
<figure class="picture strip"><a title="Sega Nomad" href="http://images.nintendolife.com/b40e4d6a6e871/sega-nomad.original.jpg"><img src="http://images.nintendolife.com/b40e4d6a6e871/sega-nomad.900x.jpg" alt="Sega Nomad" /></a></figure>
<p>Retro-Bit – the company behind a series of <a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/09/hardware_review_the_retro-bit_go_retro_portable_is_a_rose-tinted_disappointment">clone systems</a> and <a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/08/gallery_unboxing_retro-bits_incredible_r-type_and_holy_diver_limited_editions">repackaged classic games</a> – has already confirmed that it is <a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/12/sega_dreamcast_saturn_and_mega_drive_hardware_coming_from_retro-bit_in_2018">working with Sega</a> to produce a series of officially-licenced accessories for the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive and Sega Saturn. The company is showing these products off at CES <em>right now</em>, and they look so close to the real thing it’s actually impressive (whether or not they feel as good is something we’ll be investigating when we get our hands on them).</p>
<p>However, Retro-Bit has something else at CES which is even more interesting – it’s showing off a prototype of what appears to be a reborn <a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/11/hardware_classics_the_sega_genesis_nomad">Sega Nomad</a>. If you didn’t know already, the Nomad was Sega’s ill-fated attempt to turn the Mega Drive into a portable system – if was kind of like the Switch before the Switch existed. It ran all Mega Drive (well, Genesis) games and could be connected to the TV for the full home console experience. While it was impressive for the time, it ate batteries like nobody’s business and didn’t really find the audience it perhaps deserved.</p>
<aside class="gallery">
<div class="col"><a title="Screenshot 2019 01 10 At 12.37.28" href="http://images.nintendolife.com/aab38d91d1018/screenshot-2019-01-10-at-12-37-28.original.jpg"><img src="http://images.nintendolife.com/aab38d91d1018/screenshot-2019-01-10-at-12-37-28.450x495.jpg" width="450" height="495" alt="Screenshot 2019 01 10 At 12.37.28" /></a></div>
<div class="col"><a title="Screenshot 2019 01 10 At 12.37.19" href="http://images.nintendolife.com/b67a7383aef61/screenshot-2019-01-10-at-12-37-19.original.jpg"><img src="http://images.nintendolife.com/b67a7383aef61/screenshot-2019-01-10-at-12-37-19.450x495.jpg" width="450" height="495" alt="Screenshot 2019 01 10 At 12.37.19" /></a></div>
</aside>
<p>Fast forward to the present day, and modern rechargeable batteries and LCD screens should make this a more viable proposition, and the rumoured price point of around $80 would also make it pretty appealing. It’s worth noting that a <em>lot</em> of speculative hardware gets shown off at CES, and seeing as both of the units shown lack Sega’s branding, it could be that these units have yet to meet with the company’s approval.</p>
<p>We already have the <a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/03/hardware_review_the_hyperkin_supaboy_sfc_is_a_portable_snes_for_under_p100">Hyperkin Supa Boy</a>, so it would be great to have a ‘new’ (and more importantly, decent) Mega Drive portable. Sega fans have had to endure some <a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/01/hardware_review_segas_heritage_deserves_better_than_the_mega_drive_ultimate_portable">real stinkers</a> in the past, with the decade-old <a class="external" href="https://www.pocketgamer.com/articles/017188/genmobile-portable-mega-drive-review/">GenMobile</a> being the last notable system that actually allowed you to use original carts on the move.</p>
<aside class="object object-youtube">
<div class="youtube"><iframe class='youtube-player' type='text/html' width='900' height='507' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/3iGtOppoXpw?version=3&rel=0&fs=1&autohide=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=0&iv_load_policy=1&hd=1&wmode=transparent' allowfullscreen='true' style='border:0;'></iframe></div>
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