GameGear

"Wasn't a bad system, but failed because of a lesser quality game selection than GB."

The first commercial that Sega made for this system stressed how Game Gear had color and how you didn't have to be in a well lit room to play it. They didn't tell you about how good the games were at all. Come to think of it, they never really did. The GG wasn't a bad system. Too bad it was marketed so poorly.

Graphics Capabilities: 9
The GG was a tiny Sega Master System. People who had an SMS back in the day know how great the graphics can be on this system. The fact that it had color was obviously good. You had to adjust the contrast just right, however, or the game got quite blurry when action got fast (especially in the Sonic GG games). Being able to play in a dark room was nice, but if you didn't have an AC adapter, your play time would be extremely limited. GG was notorious for being very battery hungry.

Audio Capabilities: 8
About the same as the GG.

Controller Design: 9
Just fine, but no select button.

Game Library: 7
This is why the GG didn't give GB a good run for its money. Most of the games on GG were action and sports. Great if you're an action and sports fan, bad if you like more genres than just these. There were a few racing games, but nothing spectacular. I myself can't think of any noteworthy GG adventure games, if any actually exist. The only noteworthy RPG on GG is Lunar: Magic School, and you have to import that. In the GG's defense, the Sonic games on it were great...they almost looked exactly like Genesis Sonic games.

Peripherals?
Yes, Sega tried breathing life into GG with extra accessories just like they did with the SMS. The TV tuner was the most well known accessory. Unfortunately, the GG already cost enough money. You could get a much bigger, better portable TV for less money. Besides, if you took the GG with you on a car/airplane trip and tried watching TV with just batteries, you'd only be able to watch a couple of shows. If you actually have the TV tuner, chances are you have a car adapter.

Another peripheral that a lot of Sega fans LOVE is the Master System Adapter. It's use is pretty self-explanatory. I say, if the GG was bundled with this and all of the SMS games were rereleased, it would have fared much, much better. The thought of being able to play Wonder Boy III: Dragons Trap anywhere you want would have been enough to help Sega generate a lot of revenue.

Bottom Line?
Well, the GG is being remade (by another company; sadly it is not compatible with the Master System Adapter), so if you want to try the good games that were on the system, now's the time. Unfortunately, GG's game lineup isn't that broad, so while some people will find fun here, more than just a few people won't, which is why I give it a 7.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 07/12/01, Updated 07/12/01