Sega Nomad - Forgotten Consoles

I'm sure that you haven't heard of this thing. Even its name sounds unusual. But its amazing purpose of playing Sega Genesis games on the go had slowly evaporated because of the Nintendo Gameboy, the ultimate portable console. Even if forgotten, was this console actually good?

HARDWARE

This console is big. I mean, really, really big. Of course, fitting a Genesis into a portable hardware, with a color display, unlike Gameboy, was something a bit hard to accomplish. However, given its dimensions, the console fits perfectly in your hand, the system having a curve, comfortable shape. However, the shape of the Nomad is odd; if you look carefully you can actually notice the top part being like a slope; a nice touch, but still unusual. The D-Pad and the buttons are clicky, stable and offer responsive feedback. On the top of the system you can find the cartridge slot for your games. The space is well thought, and the games stand still. To be honest, even if huge, this was Sega's first attempt at making portable consoles. Even if not perfect, the Nomad's hardware surely feels good and comfortable, given its old age.

SOFTWARE

Of course, being a console from the 90's, the software department wasn't pretty evolved. The Nomad is pretty simple here: just pop in the game, fire it up, and time to play. Well, for about two or three hours. To power it up, just put six AA batteries in it and you're ready to go. I would have preferred a rechargeable battery, but this is good enough.

CONCLUSION

This console was SEGA's first attempt at making a portable console. Of course, even if it has its fair share of flaws, there is still much to like about the Nomad. The buttons, the big, curvy and well-shaped design, all of these made the Nomad a great console.