AtGames Sega Genesis Flashback HD (late 2018 model)

[WozzyCat]

Picked up an AtGames Sega Genesis Flashback HD (late 2018 model), the one with the SD card slot on the right side near the rear, and with the AtGames logo molded into the top case plastic (front right area on the case). Got it from a Labour Day sale at Best Buy Canada, in store, this past weekend.

 

Honestly, it's actually not a bad product. I know not everything is emulated perfectly (emulation never is spot on compared to the original hardware).

I used to own an actual Sega Genesis Model 1 way back in the very early 1990's, just for reference.

 

The fact that it has a cartridge slot and HDMI output built in is what enticed me to purchase. The SD card slot also enticed me.

Anyone using that SD card slot for adding game ROMs? Or what is the SD card slot for?

 

[WozzyCat]

...so I am replying to my own post (yes, it is sort of lame to do so, I get it, lol). Right now I only have two genuine Sega Genesis cartridges. One of them is the original Joe Montana Football (from Sega), and the other is Electronic Arts John Madden '93 Football. The Joe Montana one works just fine on this AtGames Genesis Flashback, the John Madden '93 does not seem to work, even though the Genesis Flashback seems to load/copy the cartridge when I insert it and turn on the system. Oh well. Emulation is what it is. This flashback Genesis is still a lot of fun...I should have bought it a lot sooner. I kept resisting plunking down the cash to buy it, due to all the bag of hurt comments towards it which I read in various forums, online. Just for the record, I also have the AtGames Intellivision Flashback, ColecoVision Flashback, and one of the Atari Flashback (I think it may be the Flashback 5 or 6, I would have to check) units. And yes, I have found each one of those to have some "off emulated moments", at least compared to my memories of each system, in terms of 100 percent accurate emulation. But still, just the same, a lot of fun.

 

In a few days, I will get an actual Sega Genesis from back in the day, so I will be able to more accurately compare games and cartridges at that point in time, when compared to this flashback Genesis HD model.

 

Just thought I would throw those thoughts out there. I am not affiliated in any way with AtGames, so I feel that my comments are non-biased.

 

 

 

[aliensyndrome]

I picked one of these up recently, too (from a pawn shop for only £30). Initially, I had regrets. I thought it was hot garbage. Some of my carts had glitches, the scanline emulation was absolutely terrible and it had all the sound glitching and clipping that I'd read about from the previous model. I was just about ready to take it back when I discovered that they'd dropped a firmware update in early 2019 (to unlock the SD card and make other improvements). I used the custom one available at GBAtemp.net to preserve the Mega Drive branding (otherwise, the one on the Atgames website turns your machine into the Genesis version).  

 

What a massive difference it's made! As far as I can tell, all the sound glitches are history, cartridge compatibility has been much improved and the scanline emulation is loads better. The only issue I can see is that most in game sounds effects are almost always half to a full second late and it's very obvious. This isn't a deal breaker for me, but I do know it would drive some people to distraction. And if this is to prevent the music from distorting or glitching out, well then I can happily deal with it.  

 

About cartridge compatibility, it's still a mixed bag to be honest, but in an unexpected way. Games that I thought had no chance of running, PAL games like Probotector and compilations like Mega Games 1+2 seem to work just fine (I've only had chance to briefly test these games, however). But other games that I thought would work no problem don't (Splatterhouse 2, Street Racer and Road Rash 2 for example). My games are pretty clean so I don't think it's to do with dirt or anything like that. Weird. Still, it's no trouble to add the roms to an SD card and play them that way.  

 

Seriously, I'm shocked! An Atgames Mega Drive console that isn't a huge disappointment? Never thought I would see the day. It's a shame that they finally got it right after all these years only for Sega's own mini console to arrive and steal their thunder. That said, I do wonder how much the old Flashback and the new mini have in common internally. Could M2 have worked their magic and helped improve the code for the Atgames machines, too? And I wonder if we will see Atgames make future Mega Drive Flashbacks once Sega have sold enough minis to satisfy demand?

 

Anyway, credit where credit is due. I have no regrets picking one up and wouldn't hesitate to recommend the SD card model to anyone (but you've got to do that all important update!).       

Edited November 10, 2019 by aliensyndrome