Sega Firecore Rating/Review

[Firebox16Bit]

I have a Sega Firecore, and I must say:
Most of these reviews on the Internet aren't that accurate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variations_of_the_Sega_Mega_Drive#Sega_Firecore_.2 8North_America.29


First off,

Firecore does have sounds issues, but they aren't that bad.
All the games sound like they have had a remixing of the music
and it is pretty decent if you don't mind the sounds being different.

Firecore does have awful controllers, the d+pad is messy
but with a quick trip to your local used videogame store
you can remedy this for about 11$ with 2 original Genesis or Mega Drive controllers.

The Firecore is about 99% functional with Sega games, the only ones that wont work
are the games that require a higher voltage to run, which around 1% of games do.
Same goes with imports, about 99% accurate.

The picture on the screen, is actually very clean looking
much better then what I have seen on any RF original Genesis.

The system does not have horrible slowdown like I have heard people claim
I am assuming they are just dogging it because its a clone; but also its officially licensed by SEGA.

The built-in games do not have glitches like sprites not showing up,
I know the Sega Mega Drive by Blaze had this issue but the Firecore doesn't.

And lastly, the system does not have rubbish build quality;
I have taken mine apart it uses real chips and has great soldering.
It is not just a single integrated chip like people keep claiming.




Honestly people, its low-priced. I got mine for $25, it has 20 games built-in
and can play almost all imported games minus maybe 1% that require a higher voltage that the Firecore cannot supply.
Its build quality is solid, and it plays games really well.



Overall, I would rate it, 8/10 stars.

Standard controllers 4/10
System Build Quality 9/10
Sound Quality 7.5/10
Picture Quality 10/10
Game Compatibility 9.5/10

[Christuserloeser]

Could you record a few short samples on how the machine sounds ? (e.g. Sonic, Shinobi, Streets of Rage, Golden Axe, etc) ?

[Ace]

I would like to see the FireCore opened up.

I will, however, say that this review is VERY lenient towards what is essentially the worst Genesis clone available today. There are unlicensed clones that work better than this. However, I will say that if someone can ignore the sound problems(seems like the more I listen to the music the FireCore produces, more and more of the low-pitched tunes sound not so bad, but Thunder Force games WILL ALWAYS sound like shit), the FireCore is the least problematic of the clones because I know for a fact that the Genesis/NES combo clones, the Innex Gen-X and the Yobo GN Twin, suffer from control lag in certain games due to the fact that those clones use NES controller signals that are run through some conversion chips that convert the signals to those of the Genesis, which causes lag. Those are the most compatible clones(work with pretty much everything), but the fact that the controls can sometimes take up to AN ENTIRE SECOND, if not longer, to register, it lowers the compatibility rate. The sound isn't that great either, but that's something that can be easily fixed. It's just a bad sound circuit, whereas on the FireCore, it's a bad emulator that causes sound problems, and fixing that is one major pain in the ass. There is another combo clone out there that, while it's 100% accurate(have no idea about the control lag), does not work with Virtua Racing or Master System converters(missing cartridge slot connections).

Although, I am still waiting for the FireCore, GENCore, RetroGEN and GENMobile to come to Canada so I can get myself a few games that for some reason, despite being dirt common, are INCREDIBLY HARD to find in my area because SPORTS GAMES FLOOD EVERY DAMN USED GAME STORE! I won't be getting the true Genesis experience, but hey, it's better than nothing.

Say, do you happen to have any of these games to test out on the FireCore:

-Thunder Force II (MD)
-Thunder Force III
-Thunder Force IV/Lightening Force
-Road Rash
-Road Rash II
-Road Rash 3
-Sonic 3
-Lotus II R.E.C.S
-Rolling Thunder 2
-Rolling Thunder 3
-Mario Andretti Racing
-MIG-29 Fighter Pilot
-Brett Hull Hockey '95
-NHL 96
-Space Harrier II
-Super Hang-On
-Super Thunder Blade
-Castlevania Bloodlines
-Top Gear 2
-Darius II/Sagaia
-Air Diver
-OutRun 2019
-Bio Hazard Battle
-Super Monaco GP
-Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP II
-Nigel Mansell's World Championship Racing
-Formula One

Quote the list and highlight the games you have in this list in bold.

[doomguy]

is it compatible with the 32x? and i looked at one in a shop and it said it is compatable with sd cards. i take it that meens you can play roms on it? i didnt pick it up because it was priced at £40 rofl! thats like over $60 and all of the shops were about that talk about over pricing.

[Firebox16Bit]

I own a original Sega Genesis, and also a Sega Nomad to go along with my Sega Firecore. I must say that since I got my Sega Firecore, I boxed up my original Genny and haven't looked back, but thats mostly because Firecore plays imports.


@doomguy - Firecore doesn't have the right connection to play 32X or Sega CD just like Genesis 3 doesn't and Master Converter requires the Firecore to have a higher power flow which Firecore doesn't produce.

@ACE - I have Sonic 3 and Road rash, both play awesome.
In fact even Sonic 3D plays on my Firecore, but your other games I don't have but I assume probably all of them will play.

[Firebox16Bit]

I did a bit of purchasing games today, Sonic 3D, Judge Dredd, Quackshot, The Ooze, another copy of the Haunting. And of course, Dracula!!!

All played on Firecore.

[zetastrike]

I don't get the need for a clone. It's not like Genesis consoles are hard to come by. I could never tolerate that awful sound. Good music is very important to me in a game. I couldn't play TF4 with that off key sound.

[NeoVamp]

sniff sniff, smells like shilling in here.

[Firebox16Bit]

I don't get the need for a clone. It's not like Genesis consoles are hard to come by. I could never tolerate that awful sound. Good music is very important to me in a game. I couldn't play TF4 with that off key sound.

As I said it cost me less then importing a Mega Drive or Modifying my Genesis for all regions; so its worth the $25 for sure.

I already have 2 Genesis, a Model 1 and a Nomad. Firecore is more of my Sega Mega Drive/Genesis all in one.

[Ace]

@doomguy - Firecore doesn't have the right connection to play 32X or Sega CD just like Genesis 3 doesn't and Master Converter requires the Firecore to have a higher power flow which Firecore doesn't produce.

Allow me to correct something in that: the reason why Master System converters don't work on the FireCore is NOT because of power flow, but rather due to the same reason why Virtua Racing, the Game Genie, the 32X and Master System converters don't work on the Genesis 3: a missing connection on the cartridge slot. On the Genesis' cartridge slot, there's a certain pin that determines whether the Genesis enables Master System compatibility mode or not. When it's left floating(with no voltage applied to it), the Genesis is in full Genesis mode, but when it's connected to Ground, the Motorola 68000 is inactive and the Z80 takes over, along with the Genesis' VDP switching into a compatibility mode for Master System games. Because the FireCore has that pin on the cartridge slot leading nowhere into the ARM chip, Master System compatibility mode is never achieved.

Still waiting for pictures of the FireCore's motherboard.

[Firebox16Bit]

Allow me to correct something in that: the reason why Master System converters don't work on the FireCore is NOT because of power flow, but rather due to the same reason why Virtua Racing, the Game Genie, the 32X and Master System converters don't work on the Genesis 3: a missing connection on the cartridge slot. On the Genesis' cartridge slot, there's a certain pin that determines whether the Genesis enables Master System compatibility mode or not. When it's left floating(with no voltage applied to it), the Genesis is in full Genesis mode, but when it's connected to Ground, the Motorola 68000 is inactive and the Z80 takes over, along with the Genesis' VDP switching into a compatibility mode for Master System games. Because the FireCore has that pin on the cartridge slot leading nowhere into the ARM chip, Master System compatibility mode is never achieved.

Still waiting for pictures of the FireCore's motherboard.

Funny thing about that, I just stripped the head on one of the Firecores screws... I cannot open it again. But I assume eventually someone else will take one apart.

I really should have taken pictures the first time but really the first time, I just wanted to see how it looked and actually I was impressed by the design of the board.

[Chilly Willy]

Funny thing about that, I just stripped the head on one of the Firecores screws... I cannot open it again.

Just superglue a small bolt to the stripped head, unscrew it, and replace it.

[Ace]

Damn it. Does anyone else have a FireCore they can take apart and take pictures of the motherboard?

[Phosis]

Although I have to admit the Firecore emulation, at least as I have seen it on the Gen Mobile, is not as bad as some people go on about. There is a definite noticeable, sometimes CRIPPLING difference when it comes to sound. There is definite slowdown on many games where there should not be slowdown. There are definite annoyances with the hardware and software that make some games unplayable; enough that it IS worth mentioning, at least in the case of the Gen Mobile. If I can't play Beyond Oasis and Phantasy Star IV, I ain't happy.

I don't look at the Firecore as a replacement system; it's a novelty item. You cannot make a fair comparison between a Genesis console and a Firecore because, quite simply, Genesis beats the hell out of Firecore; it is the original hardware. You got your Firebox for cheap, which is good, but at my own local shop, they sell it for 60 dollars plus. This is not acceptable, when I have purchased WORKING GENESIS SYSTEMS for five dollars or less; which have no compatibility problems, which have decent composite video, and which can be modded for S-Video, Component RGB, Crystal Clear Sound, and many other things.

I don't blame you for liking the Firecore; in fact, I REALLY like the look of the console, and I almost want to pick one up just because of that fact. And if it pleases you to have a shiny new, extremely tiny Genesis emulator plugged in to your TV instead of your own Genesis, by all means; don't let anyone stop you. But there are huge differences between the two, and for the most part, I can't see anybody preferring the Firecore over the Genesis if they aleady have a vast collection of games. I suppose if you like the majority of the twenty built in games, only plan on collecting one or two extra, and don't really know or care about the sound differences anyways, it would be alright.

But I'll stick with my Genesis anyday of the week.

[Firebox16Bit]

Hmmm... I see, and I do own 2 other Genesis; but I couldn't imagine Firecore as a standard system for someone unless they want to play imports and are interested in possibly playing new games.

[Phosis]

Hmmm... I see, and I do own 2 other Genesis; but I couldn't imagine Firecore as a standard system for someone unless they want to play imports and are interested in possibly playing new games.

For imports I can kind of see it. But to get someone capable to mod your system probably wouldn't cost much more than the price of the Firebox anyways. And the "new games" that are being promoted will turn out to be nothing more than vaporware. If they DO come out, judging by the quality of games on the RetroGen, they won't be worth anyones time.

Maybe a bit pessimistic, but there it is.