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Hello everyone. We are moving to a new, bigger premises so website ordering will be closed for the next month while we move everything to our new building, reorganise and do a full stock take. We will not be taking any orders or able to reply to any messages during this time. We will be open again at the start of December. Many thanks. Console Passion

Sega Game Gear

The Game Gear was Sega's response to the Nintendo Gameboy, the Monochrome handheld designed by Nintendo's Gunpei Yokoi, and released in 1989. Sega had taken note of the general publics criticisms of the Gameboy, and wanted to make a handheld console "everything that the Game Gear wasn't".

The Game Gear was released late 1989 in Japan, 1990 in North America and as usual, us Europeans had to wait even longer, until 1991!

The most obvious different between the two consoles was the 4096 colour palette of the Game Gear, with a maximum of 32 different colours on screen at any time. The screen size was larger than the Gameboy, and was back-lit which meant that you could play it pretty much anywhere, unlike the Gameboy which needed good light.

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The console itself was held lengthways, with buttons on either side. This ergonomic design change made the Game Gear much easier on the hands - one criticism of the Gameboy was that it had a very cramped feel it, and many people complained of sore wrists & hands after extended game play.

The Game Gear was, in essence, a portable Sega Master System. This meant that many Master System Games could be easily ported onto the handheld console. Indeed, a Master System Converter add-on was released, which allowed any Master System Game to be plugged into the Game Gear.

Another add-on which proved to be a popular selling point was the TV Tuner. A small device which clipped to the back of the Game Gear turned the handheld console into a small portable TV, not unlike the Sony Watchman. Other add-ons included a rechargeable battery pack, screen magnifier & multilink cable, to allow two Game Gears to be connected in versus play.

With all these add-ons and advantages over the Gameboy, you would expect the Game Gear to have been the more popular of the two consoles. Unfortunately for Sega, it was not - they had overlooked one very important detail. Battery Life. In the end the deciding factor in the latest chapter of the Sega vs Nintendo war was how long the batteries lasted.

While the Game Gear did indeed have everything the Gameboy lacked, it had to pay a price for these luxuries; the average lifespan on the batteries was between 3 and 5 hours, whereas the Gameboy could easily exceed 10 hours. This was a problem suffered by many other handhelds such as the Neo-Geo pocket and the Atari Lynx - while they may have been superior in every other way, it was the simplest of factors that made the Gameboy the overall winner, and eventually the best selling console of all time.

As with all good things, the Sega Game gears came to and end in 1997. In the end, there were over 200 games released for the console, although many of them never made it out of Japan, such as the excellent Sonic Drift & Sonic Drift 2, and take-on of Super Mario Kart which included a multi-link option. Thankfully these can all be played on any Game Gear as there is no region lockout, due to there being no TV compatibility problems.

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Sega Game Gear Pirate Console Boxed

Box: 
yes
£120.00
Manual: 
yes
£120.00

Very rare Sega Game Gear Pirate console, containing a Z80 3.86Mhz processor, 4096 colour palette, 4 channel stereo sound and a backlit screen. Includes columns, Streets of Rage and Shinobi 2 games . The console is boxed with manual and has been tested.

Pete Sampras Tennis

Box: 
yes
£12.00
Manual: 
yes
£12.00

Play against 30 computer players with different skills, looks and powers. 3 different court types - grass, hard and clay, 18 world Tour locations, over 450 frames of player animation. Interactive crowd noises, shots include volley, lob, drop and power. high precision after touch ball control to add power and direction.

Sega Game Gear Pro Action Replay Boxed

Box: 
yes
£25.00
Manual: 
yes
£25.00

This item is as a cheat cartridge. A book is provided which contains hundreds of codes for Sega Game Gear games. You simply insert the Action Replay into your console and slot your game into the top. When you switch your machine on, a code entering screen is displayed and you can enter codes for infinite lives, ammo, health etc. You can also do searches for new codes if the book does not contain any for a particular game, or you can search www.gamefaqs.com for additional codes. Great for getting past that level you've been stuck on for ages!

Solitaire Poker

Box: 
yes
£9.00
Manual: 
yes
£9.00

Try your hand at the hottest video poker game around! Even seasoned veterans will find Solitaire Poker a welcome challenge

Tazmania US

Box: 
yes
£10.00
Manual: 
yes
£10.00

TAZ is at it again. Like a Tasmanian tornado, his ravenous appetite is spinning way out of control. The only thing that can satisfy it is the boulder-size egg of the great lost Seabird. To find it, TAZ must search throughout Tasmania. It's a mad dash through a mine shaft in a runaway cart. Pick the right route or TAZ could get lost. Help Taz dodge Bush Rats by learning to fly. Jump over cliffs on a speedy ski ride down an ice mountain.

Dragon Crystal

Facebook
Box: 
yes
£18.00
Manual: 
yes
£18.00

Fight countless battles with frightful creatures as you search for the way out of a bizarre world of labyrinths.

Operation Starfish

Box: 
yes
£16.00
Manual: 
yes
£16.00

No mission too dangerous, no location too hostile, James Pond is FI5H's top secret agent. A master of disguise who rubs out ennemies with a swish of a fin, Pond is about to start his most difficult mission to date... Operation Starfi5h. Good Luck!

Sega Game Gear Official Carry Case Loose

Box: 
yes
£10.00
Manual: 
yes
£10.00

The Sega Game Gear Official Carry Case. Hard wearing plastic carry case to protect your Game Gear when it's not in use. Has the official Sega Game Gear logo on the box. This item is unboxed.

Bram Stokers Dracula

Box: 
yes
£14.00
Manual: 
yes
£14.00

In the black of night he stalks his unwitting victims with the passion of a prince and the grace of a wild animal. He is the Prince of Darkness - Count Dracula - and he's cast his hypnotic spell on your lovely mistress, Mina Murray. Now you, Jonathan Harker, must nail this notorious bloodsucker to the stake and save

Mortal Kombat 2

Box: 
yes
£16.00
Manual: 
yes
£16.00

All the fierce Kombatants of the #1 arcade smash gather for Mortal Kombat 2. All yours to Kommand. Brutal moves, friendships, babalities, hidden surprises, crushing combos, and outrageous finishing moves. Expect no mercy from Shang Tsung and the twelve other Mortal Kombat warriors. Let the Kombat Kontinue!

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