'SuperSega' FPGA Console Will Play Genesis, Master System, Saturn And Dreamcast Games 1
Image: Jack Yarwood / Time Extension

A team of Spanish Sega fans are looking to build the ultimate Sega console, capable of running Mega Drive / Genesis, Master System, SC-3000, SG-1000, Saturn and Dreamcast games.

The 'SuperSega' will use a Virtex Ultrascale+ FPGA chip to replicate the performance of these systems as accurately as possible. It will also feature WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, as well as an SD card slot. The optical drive will be a CD / DVD reader / writer contained within a transparent bay within the console's unusual bodywork. Eight joystick ports will be included, allowing Sega fans to use their original controllers, and there will also be USB ports.

The team behind SuperSega is headed up by computer engineer Alejandro Martin, who has previously worked at Cinemartin and Tres Telecom. Tony Hernandez, Carlos Lopez and Cristina Burgués are also involved with the project.

'SuperSega' FPGA Console Will Play Genesis, Master System, Saturn And Dreamcast Games 4
Image: SuperSega

Burgués, who is handling PR, had this to say (we've had to tidy this up a bit, as the original press release is written in slightly broken English):

Until Supersega has a working prototype, they will not release any funding campaign. Currently, almost all Sega’s console games up to Saturn are in a working, playable state, and a few Dreamcast games are playable. So far, so good, but until we finish the prototype, we will not consider releasing the project.

Martin adds:

We have been working on a Sega Saturn core since a few years ago. Until now, there has been almost no suitable FPGA hardware out there, but with the Ultrascale+, things have changed, and prices seem more reasonable than before. With a minimum of 100 K up to 1M of Logic Cells, it is now possible to do a Dreamcast behaviour with enough speed.

The reaction online to this news has been predictably sceptical, with many people questioning if the project will even come to fruition – and pointing out that it's perhaps unwise to announce anything before working hardware is ready to be shown.

'SuperSega' FPGA Console Will Play Genesis, Master System, Saturn And Dreamcast Games 5
Image: Twitter

We'll naturally be keeping you up to speed on this interesting project, but you should also bookmark the official site, where future announcements will be made. In the meantime, do you think this will ever see the light of day? Let us know by voting in the poll below.

Do you think the 'SuperSega' FPGA console will actually happen? (968 votes)

  1. Yes37%
  2. No37%
  3. I'm not sure either way26%