SEGA Racing Handheld

Sega racing handheld anbernic out run arcade PSP portable steering wheel 2020 dave delisle davesgeekyideas

I’ve always wanted to incorporate a steering wheel into a handheld gaming device, because I don’t enjoy nudging a d-pad or analog stick for the entirety of a race. The wheel allows for a more fluid control scheme, and possibly a more relaxing experience while playing. Unfortunately this device would be exclusive to racing games!

This handheld was inspired by an F1 steering wheel, notably the carbon fiber body and colorful buttons. The wheel is embedded into the device, both thumb grips are joined by an arm that rests behind the screen. The shoulder buttons are the accelerate and brake inputs, and there are paddles on the back for shifting (not shown here).

Sega racing handheld anbernic out run arcade PSP portable steering wheel 2020 dave delisle davesgeekyideas

Went with SEGA because they have been dipping their toes into making hardware again, plus they have an extensive catalog of racing games: Out Run, Hang-On, Daytona USA, Sonic Team Racing, Sega Rally, and Virtua Racing to name a few.

Force feedback and rumble could be incorporated, but that depends on the games included (if they are all retro it wouldn’t be worthwhile). One must-have feature would be to link up multiple devices for multiplayer racing, where many of these games excel.

Last Starfighter Mini Cabinet

Last Starfighter mini cabinet bartop video game 2020 dave delisle davesgeekyideas

Mini arcade cabinets are all the rage these days, even SEGA is getting in on the act! My hope is that a company like Basic Fun or My Arcade will issue a Last Starfighter-themed mini cabinet. Or even better, Arcade 1UP releases a bartop cabinet.

While there are fan-made video games of what was featured in the film, I think the twin flight sticks may make things difficult to execute. I would settle for a Galaga or Missile Command re-skin, or a generic shmup will do. As long as the iconic attract mode from the film is present in some form.

Even a Hallmark keepsake ornament (like this) would be neat. One can dream.

I’ve looked into building a bartop cabinet of this recently (I made the above mockup for that purpose), but I’ve hit a wall: all my email inquiries for custom side panels and vinyl prints have gone unanswered! Probably due to the recent worldwide hullabaloo.

NHL ’94 Goal Light Cartridge

NHL 94 Sega Genesis cartridge LED goal light design by Dave Delisle davesgeekyideas

NHL ’94 turns 25 in a few months! If it were up to me, I would re-release it in this nifty cartridge with a built-in goal light. The LED light would illuminate when a goal is scored (unless the scoring team is the Canucks or Oilers).

The idea isn’t so far-fetched. Recently there have been commemorative cartridge re-releases for Street Fighter II, Mega Man 2, Mega Man X, and Holy Diver to name a few. Are retro game cartridges following the same footsteps as vinyl albums? Time will tell.

I doubt NHL ’94 would get the re-release treatment, despite the game’s cult following. However this cartridge would make for a cool Budweiser Red Light or a Hallmark ornament.

The light gimmick would be great for other cartridge games. The buzzer in NBA Jam, fatalities in Mortal Kombat, low health in Zelda, getting damage in Goldeneye 64 — I can go on forever. The trick is programming the light to react to an in-game event.

AtGames SEGA Handheld Redesign

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There have been several iterations of this SEGA handheld released by AtGames over the years, and I always thought they looked soooo close to resembling the Dreamcasts’s VMU device. Thought I’d post a mockup.

These handhelds are decent for the price. They have a good screen, rechargeable battery via USB, some built-in games, and an SD card slot so you can add some more games. I never pulled the trigger on one because of their well-known sound issues.

However if they did release a VMU or Game Gear-styled version, that may be enough for me to buy one.

SEGA Genesis Cartridge Cover System

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This is from the cutting room floor of the jewel case console design a few posts back. I went with that design because it could be used for ALL platforms, however I did start things off with a Genesis-only design, thought I’d share it here.

EverDrive Cartridge Handheld Design

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EverDrive Cartridges are game cartridges that feature an SD card slot for storing a large collection of game ROMs, essentially a multi-cart with a library you can edit. They are made for just about every cartridge-based console from yesteryear, from the NES to the N64. I think these products are great for allowing gamers to collect and play older games, despite the ROM piracy. Some games are tough to come by after a few decades.

I’d like to take the Everdrive a step further by including a screen and some play controls, transforming the cartridge into portable handheld console as well. It still plugs into a console for big screen gaming, but now you can take it on the road too. Sort of like a Nintendo Switch!

SEGA Genesis Classic Design

Sega genesis classic console design by Dave Delisle

SEGA will be offering a new version of the Genesis Flashback later this year, their answer to the wildly popular NES/SNES Classic editions offered by Nintendo. It features HDMI output and 2 wireless controllers, so what’s not to love? Well it’s made by AtGames, so I strongly advise folks to wait for reviews before buying.