The Sega Nomad should've taken off
May 25, 2022 11:21:54 GMT 10
Post by astropoug on May 25, 2022 11:21:54 GMT 10
When we talk about failed consoles, they're usually overly ambitious systems filled with terrible games/shovelware. The Atari Jaguar, the Virtual Boy, the Ouya. But with if I told you there was a failed console that should've absolutely done so much better?
I'm of course talking about the Sega Nomad. Basically, it's a portable Sega Genesis.
Nowadays, the idea of playing home console games on the go is a very popular one. Not only do you have the Nintendo Switch, there's also tons of portable handhelds that serve as retro/emulation machines. But the Sega Nomad allowed one to bring the Genesis game experience on the go.
Now, I know what you're saying "why didn't this take off?" I mean, the Genesis was huge back in the first half of the 90s, outselling the SNES through much of its lifespan. You'd think a portable version of it would've done gangbusters. It did not.
The reason I found was because it was hardly marketed. Sega was focused on the Saturn. Now the Saturn as we all know would also go on to be a failure, but Sega focused way too much on the Saturn and little on the Genesis and the Nomad. Despite the still-loyal support base of the Genesis, Sega chose to neglect them.
In that vein, the Nomad was arguably ahead of its time. Handheld gaming was always behind the curve of home console gaming (I myself never experienced a system on par until the PSP in 2005), and considering that 1995 was still dominated by 16-bit gaming, that would've made the Nomad a first in that regard.
I'm of course talking about the Sega Nomad. Basically, it's a portable Sega Genesis.
Nowadays, the idea of playing home console games on the go is a very popular one. Not only do you have the Nintendo Switch, there's also tons of portable handhelds that serve as retro/emulation machines. But the Sega Nomad allowed one to bring the Genesis game experience on the go.
Now, I know what you're saying "why didn't this take off?" I mean, the Genesis was huge back in the first half of the 90s, outselling the SNES through much of its lifespan. You'd think a portable version of it would've done gangbusters. It did not.
The reason I found was because it was hardly marketed. Sega was focused on the Saturn. Now the Saturn as we all know would also go on to be a failure, but Sega focused way too much on the Saturn and little on the Genesis and the Nomad. Despite the still-loyal support base of the Genesis, Sega chose to neglect them.
In that vein, the Nomad was arguably ahead of its time. Handheld gaming was always behind the curve of home console gaming (I myself never experienced a system on par until the PSP in 2005), and considering that 1995 was still dominated by 16-bit gaming, that would've made the Nomad a first in that regard.
