It's crazy that I am still writing about this handheld, because it was first announced way back in January 2024, and I've had not one, but two children since then; that's how long it has been not only in development, but publicly announced! Hyperkin has made it clear that they've met a lot of challenges when developing this product, the most recent being a failed level of quality in their recent factory partner, and that's just one of the reasons why it has been delayed for so long.
But do not fear, as Hyperkin has officially come out to say that "pre-orders are starting soon", which is great news for many who have loose SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive cartridges lying around our homes. On social media, Hyperkin stated that "R&D and community testing are complete! Mass production is starting, and packaging is being finalised. Pre-order news coming soon!" while sharing a video of the product in hand, and being used with a dock that connects the handheld to an HD TV while offering multiple controller ports to use it as a portable console.
This is one of the first times we've seen the handheld in the flesh, while offering a look at the large 5" screen that can toggle between 16:9 and 4:3 mode, and a look at the ergonomics, controls and docking. It's a large handheld for sure, one that's not going to fit in your pocket, but that's because Hyperkin wanted that large display in order to offer a better SEGA gaming experience, and has designed the console to look like a Genesis/Mega Drive controller for nostalgia and comfortable long gaming sessions.
At this moment in time, Hyperkin has only mentioned that mass production has begun, alongside the final design of the packaging, with pre-order announcements coming very soon, so if I had to guess, we'll likely be able to lock in an order before the end of the year, and an early 2027 shipping time, which will be great to see. I'm excited about this one as I grew up playing the SEGA Mega Drive, so I'm curious to see how well this runs authentic carts via the SoC and how long it lasts on a charge! We'll keep you all updated with announcements via our free weekly newsletter, so be sure to subscribe!
