Exhibit: Sega Game Gear (1990–1997)
Released: October 6, 1990 (Japan) · April 1991 (UK)
Manufacturer: Sega
Units Sold: ~11 million worldwide
Status: The Game Boy's most capable rival
Colour Before Its Time
In 1990, the Game Boy had a green-tinted monochrome screen with no backlight. The Sega Game Gear had a full-colour backlit display — a genuinely superior visual experience. It was also larger, heavier, and consumed six AA batteries in approximately five hours.
The Game Boy lasted ten hours on four batteries. The Game Gear lasted five on six. Nintendo won the battery war, and with it, the handheld war. But the Game Gear's colour screen was genuinely impressive for its era, and its library — largely ports of Master System games — was solid.
Iconic Games
- Sonic the Hedgehog — the Game Gear's killer app, a faithful portable Sonic
- Columns — Sega's answer to Tetris, and a genuinely excellent puzzle game
- Castle of Illusion — Disney platforming at its handheld best
- Shinobi — the ninja action game that showcased the hardware
- Defenders of Oasis — a JRPG of surprising depth and quality
The TV Tuner
One of the Game Gear's most remarkable accessories was its TV tuner — a cartridge-sized device that turned the handheld into a portable television. In 1991, watching TV on a handheld device was genuinely extraordinary. It was a glimpse of a future that wouldn't fully arrive for another two decades.
Collector's Corner
The Game Gear is a beloved collector's piece, particularly among Sega enthusiasts. Its capacitors frequently need replacing after 30+ years — a common repair that restores the screen to its original quality. A recapped, working Game Gear with its TV tuner and carry case is a genuinely special collector's item.