Sega Nomad at launch: portable Genesis, $170, low battery life, TV use, cutting edge

Chittagong

Chittagong

Gold Member
Sega Genesis Nomad

nomad.jpg


Launched 1995 - 5 years after the Genesis
Originally priced $170
Played Genesis games
- most advanced portable games quality back in the day
- great publisher backing + back catalog
Battery-life in practice 1.5 - 4h
Batterypack available at launch
Multipurpose - TV tuner available

Hmmmm.... HMMMMM..
 
Also:
- ugly as sin
- huge (even huger with that cartridge sticking out)
- tiny screen

This is the first time I've seen the picture of Nomad, I've heard once about it, but I always thought it was some weird prototype from Sega that was never even released.
 
Marconelly said:
Also:
- ugly as sin
- huge (even huger with that cartridge sticking out)
- tiny screen

This is the first time I've seen the picture of Nomad, I've heard once about it, but I always thought it was some weird prototype from Sega that was never even released.
Click to expand...

The original Gameboy was uglier, had a smaller screen (black and white at that), and didn't even have Pokemon at the time, but still murdered it :)
 
Surely the PSP is the Lynx of the '00s?

And I wouldn't say no to a new Todd's Adventures In Slime World, either.
 
Well the Nomad by virtue of its Genesis capability had a far better library than even the Game Boy arguably (at that time, keep in mind this is pre-Pokemon, this is pre-Game Boy Pocket even).

The Sonic games, Streets of Rage, Mortal Kombat 2 (the GTA of its day), Super Street Fighter II, Earthworm Jim, Gunstar Heroes, Phantasy Star, Virtua Racing, NBA Jam, Jurassic Park, etc. all portable.
 
There's also the fact that, uh, there were no Nomad games. Just Genesis games. And very few good new ones were coming out by 95. That's not a very compelling reason to buy a system.
 
if you're going to speciously compare the psp to an old handheld, make it the turbo express. it was less egregiously bulky than the nomad or the lynx, and it had a much nicer screen.
 
Chittagong said:
Sega Genesis Nomad
Click to expand...
That about wrapped it up for the nomad.

Chittagong said:
Sony Genesis Nomad
Click to expand...
That would have been a success.

More seriously, back in the days Sega was releasing more hardware than software.

Remember:

cdx.jpg

32x.jpg

megacd.jpg

megacd2.jpg


BTW, the nomad never did more than a few lines on some videogame magazines, around here, for the record.
 
drohne said:
it was less egregiously bulky than ... the lynx
Click to expand...

Hey, you've got to respect a handheld that can be used for Rampart, Raiden, and as a blunt trauma weapon.
 
Why do you people keep comparing 2 completely different markets. Back in 1995, $170 was still very expensive for a handheld (how much was a GB at that time?). You could get the Genesis III at TRU for $30 so why spend an additional $140 for a tiny screen. Also, back then, the portable market was greatly dominated by kids and the parents that spent their money on systems for them. It's a totally different market now which is why Nintendo's losing ground on the home front and will soon see viable competition on the portable front.[/brokenrecord]
 
Heh, point proven, I didn't even need to mention PSP and yet this thread got filled with

"Nooooo!!! It's not like PSP!! PSP is different in many ways!"

HMMMM..
 
Genesis III was not $30 in 1995 iirc.

Agreed though the market is different now than it was then.

Sega really didn't market the Nomad at all either, did anyone ever see a TV commercial for it?

Some comparisions are valid though, I think if PSP units start burning battery in the 2-3 hour range in actual use (not counting puzzle games and what not), then I think Sony may have a problem.
 
Chittagong said:
Heh, point proven, I didn't even need to mention PSP and yet this thread got filled with

"Nooooo!!! It's not like PSP!! PSP is different in many ways!"

HMMMM..
Click to expand...
I WONDER WHY HMMM INDEED
 
Mr_Furious said:
Also, back then, the portable market was greatly dominated by kids and the parents that spent their money on systems for them. It's a totally different market now which is why Nintendo's losing ground on the home front and will soon see viable competition on the portable front.[/brokenrecord]
Click to expand...


How do you figure? Do you have data that shows that the vast majority of the portable games market (aka 'game boy') is not dominated by kids? 'Cause I would very much like to see such data.
 
Chittagong said:
Heh, point proven, I didn't even need to mention PSP and yet this thread got filled with

"Nooooo!!! It's not like PSP!! PSP is different in many ways!"

HMMMM..
Click to expand...
So your point was to create a thread where you were referring to the comparisons of the Nomad with that of the PSP without mentioning the PSP and people were able to figure it out. Uh, yeah, nice one.
 
Mr_Furious said:
Why do you people keep comparing 2 completely different markets. Back in 1995, $170 was still very expensive for a handheld (how much was a GB at that time?). You could get the Genesis III at TRU for $30 so why spend an additional $140 for a tiny screen. Also, back then, the portable market was greatly dominated by kids and the parents that spent their money on systems for them. It's a totally different market now which is why Nintendo's losing ground on the home front and will soon see viable competition on the portable front.[/brokenrecord]
Click to expand...


#1: $180 isn't expensive for a handheld now?

#2: You can get the Ps2 for cheaper than the PSP so why spend the extra money for a tiny screen?

#3: the portable market's audience is still basically the same it was when the originail GB came out.
 
paul777 said:
How do you figure? Do you have data that shows that the vast majority of the portable games market (aka 'game boy') is not dominated by kids? 'Cause I would very much like to see such data.
Click to expand...
You don't need to have data to prove such a thing. I worked retail (videogames) back in the early 90s until I landed a job in the video game industy and there was plenty of data back then that's not readily available now.
 
"#2: You can get the Ps2 for cheaper than the PSP so why spend the extra money for a tiny screen?"


HOLY SHIT!! I DIDN'T KNOW PS2 COULD PLAY PSP GAMES!!!

BREAKING NEWS



hahahah
 
fennec fox said:
There's also the fact that, uh, there were no Nomad games. Just Genesis games. And very few good new ones were coming out by 95. That's not a very compelling reason to buy a system.
Click to expand...

The Nomad was a portable version of the Genesis. I.E. Nomad games are Genesis games.

The Nomad is also one of the best handhelds ever.
 
Mr_Furious said:
So your point was to create a thread where you were referring to the comparisons of the Nomad with that of the PSP without mentioning the PSP and people were able to figure it out. Uh, yeah, nice one.
Click to expand...

Yes. My life is now fulfilled.

I can go back and wait my two DSs and two PSPs arrive.
 
GaimeGuy said:
#1: $180 isn't expensive for a handheld now?

#2: You can get the Ps2 for cheaper than the PSP so why spend the extra money for a tiny screen?

#3: the portable market's audience is still basically the same it was when the originail GB came out.
Click to expand...

#1 Nope. Look at all of the other portable devices available in the market. Not to mention the PSP has music and movie capabilities. It's a great deal for what you're paying for.

#2 $30-$50 is alot different than $140.

#3 Only because the content isn't there for the 'other' audience that's sure to eat up the PSP. Actually there are alot more adults owning GBA(SP)s now then there ever were back in the GB days.
 
Mr_Furious said:
You don't need to have data to prove such a thing. I worked retail (videogames) back in the early 90s until I landed a job in the video game industy and there was plenty of data back then that's not readily available now.
Click to expand...


I was referring to your statement that the market has changed since the early 90's. So, do you have data that shows that the portable games market (of present day) is no longer dominated by kids?

I'm sorry, I should have been more clear.
 
Chittagong said:
Heh, point proven, I didn't even need to mention PSP and yet this thread got filled with

"Nooooo!!! It's not like PSP!! PSP is different in many ways!"

HMMMM..
Click to expand...


One good point deserves another.

vboy.jpg
 
paul777 said:
I was referring to your statement that the market has changed since the early 90's. So, do you have data that shows that the portable games market (of present day) is no longer dominated by kids?

I'm sorry, I should have been more clear.
Click to expand...
The market, as a whole, is hugely different than it was back in 1995. It has matured greatly and it is this market that the PSP is targeting. The portable market was dominated by kids back then but there's a growing number of adults that own SPs and are more than likely to jump into PSPs boat at some point or another.
 
Sadly, Sega was competing with itself more than it was competing with other companies. The pics that vy posted prove that.
 
Mr_Furious said:
The portable market was dominated by kids back then but there's a growing number of adults that own SPs and are more than likely to jump into PSPs boat at some point or another.
Click to expand...


Ok, I can accept that there a growing number of adults getting into the portable gaming market (though I don't agree with your idea that they are likely to jump ship to PSP), but that doesn't address the domination question. Is the portable gaming market of today dominated by kids or not?
 
paul777 said:
Is the portable gaming market of today dominated by kids or not?
Click to expand...
If you didn't notice I actually answered this in a reply to someone else's post. Yes, kids probably dominate the portable market today BUT mainly due of a lack of content catering to other demographics.
 
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