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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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Castle of Illusion US

Box: 
yes
£10.00
Manual: 
yes
£10.00

The wicked witch Mizrabel has kidnapped Minnie! Help Mickey to Rescue Minnie before it's too late!

Fantasy Zone US

Box: 
yes
£12.00
Manual: 
yes
£12.00

The Fantasy Zone is once again under siege! Dark Menon is back, and his forces are stronger than ever! Guide Opa-Opa through hosts of creepy creatures and stop Menons for good!

World Cup USA 94

Box: 
yes
£10.00
Manual: 
yes
£10.00

Realistic gameplay with over 15 different moves. Customise gameplay to suit your own soccer style using pre-match options.

Tengen World Cup Soccer

Box: 
yes
£10.00
Manual: 
yes
£10.00

The World Cup is without doubt the world’s greatest sporting competition. Now all the excitement of the tournament is captured for the Game Gear. Featuring the Top 24 teams each with a squad of 15 players to choose from and in match action that is guaranteed to keep you hooked.

Ernie Els Golf

Box: 
yes
£12.00
Manual: 
yes
£12.00

Challenge Ernie Els the man with a drive like an Exocet Missile and winner of the 1994 US Open Championship at the age of 24 in this realistic and gripping golf simulation. With his name on the trophies of 13 other championships Els’ 5 year professional career has made him one of the world’s greatest golf players. Els is reckoned to have all the physical and mental attributes to be the dominant player in the golf world and is famous for his powerful golf swing which is said could give an Exocet missile a run for its money!

F1

Box: 
yes
£14.00
Manual: 
yes
£14.00

F1 is an Official Formula One Racing Game. It’s also the fastest most authentic most thrilling Game Gear racing game yet. Battle it out on the real Formula One Circuits against the real teams and the real drivers of trhe FIA Formula One World Championship.

WWF Wrestlemania Steel Cage Challenge

Box: 
yes
£12.00
Manual: 
yes
£12.00

Accept the toughest challenge in all of wrestling: the WWF Wrestlemania Steel Cage Challenge! You control every action packed move and manoeuvre – clothesline, elbowdrops, bodyslams, dropkicks. When you’re ready for the ultimate wrestling challenge the steel case if ready for you!

World Class Leaderboard

Box: 
yes
£9.00
Manual: 
yes
£9.00

Four of the world’s toughest courses, a driving range, a practice putting green – the game’s got it all!

Virtua Fighter Animation

Box: 
yes
£26.00
Manual: 
yes
£26.00

The world’s most famous fighters in the palm of your hand! Virtua Fighter Animation brings you all 8 characters from the arcade original complete with their most powerful moves, 2 viewpoints and a story mode on this whopping 8 Meg cartridge!

T2 US

Box: 
yes
£11.00
Manual: 
yes
£11.00

Destroy the shape-changing, body-slicing liquid metal T-1000! You are a T-800 terminator: living tissue over metal endoskeleton – programmed to protect John Connor and prevent Judgement Day. Battle bad-to-the bone bikers! Rescue Sarah! Destroy Cyberdyne Laboratories! Terminate the T-1000 in the ultimate metal-wrenching steel mill battle of the machines!

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