SEGA Game Gear
SEGA's colour handheld
- 1990Released
- 4thGeneration
- SEGADeveloper
SEGA Game Gear Specifications
- Processor
- Zilog Z80 (8-bit)
- Processor Speed
- 3.58 MHz
- RAM
- 8 KB
- Video RAM
- 16 KB
- GPU
- Master System VDP with a 4,096 colour palette
- Resolution
- 160 x 144 pixels, 3.2 inch backlit LCD
Overview
The SEGA Game Gear is a handheld console released by SEGA in Japan in October 1990, and in North America and Europe in 1991. It was SEGA’s answer to Nintendo’s Game Boy.
The Game Gear is essentially a portable Master System. It uses the same Z80 processor and a modified version of the same video chip, with a larger colour palette of 4,096 colours but a smaller screen of 160 by 144 pixels. Because the hardware is so similar, Master System games could be played on it with the Master Gear adapter, and many Game Gear games were ports of Master System titles.
Its big selling point was the backlit colour screen, which was far easier to see than the Game Boy’s green monochrome display. The drawback was battery life: six AA batteries lasted only three to five hours. A TV tuner accessory could turn the Game Gear into a portable television.
The Game Gear sold around 10.6 million units and was supported until 1997. Its library included Sonic the Hedgehog games made for the handheld, Shinobi, Columns and several Disney titles.
Most Master System emulators also play Game Gear games. Gearsystem and Emulicious are both accurate and easy to use, and Genesis Plus GX is the usual choice in RetroArch.
Key Features
Backlit Colour Screen
A backlit colour screen far easier to see than the Game Boy's.
Portable Master System
Essentially a portable Master System with a 4,096 colour palette.
TV Tuner
A TV tuner accessory turned it into a portable television.
Hungry for Power
Six AA batteries lasted only three to five hours.
