Editing Sega Gamegear

{{Infobox information appliance
| title        = Game Gear
| logo         = Game Gear logo Sega.png
| logo_size    = 200px
| image        = Game-Gear-Handheld.jpg
| image_size   = 250px
| manufacturer = [[Sega]]
| type         = [[Handheld game console]]
| generation   = [[History of video game consoles (fourth generation)|Fourth generation]]
| releasedate  = JP: October 6, 1990<br />[[North America|NA]]/[[Europe|EU]]: April 1991<br />AUS: 1992
| price        = [[Japanese yen|JP¥]]19,800<br>[[United States dollar|US$]]149.99<br>[[Pound sterling|GB£]]99.99
| discontinued = WW: April 30, 1997 (Sega)<br />NA: 2001 ([[Majesco Entertainment]])
| unitssold    = 10.62 million
| media        = [[ROM cartridge]]
| power        = 6 [[AA batteries]], 3 to 5 hours
| cpu          = [[Zilog Z80]]
| CPUspeed     = 3.5 MHz
| memory       = 8kB [[Random-access memory|RAM]], 16kB [[VRAM]]
| display      = 3.2-square inch backlit screen
| graphics     = 160 × 144 pixel resolution, 4096-color palette, 32 colors on-screen
| sound        = [[Texas Instruments SN76489]]<br>Mono speaker<br>Headphone jack
| dimensions   = 210 × 113 × 38 mm
| successor    = [[Genesis Nomad]]
}}

=Introduction=

The '''Game Gear''' is an [[8-bit]] [[Fourth generation of video game consoles|fourth generation]] [[handheld game console]] released by [[Sega]] on October 6, 1990 in [[Japan]], in April {{vgy|1991}} throughout [[North America]] and [[Europe]], and during 1992 in [[Australia]]. The Game Gear primarily competed with [[Nintendo]]'s [[Game Boy]], the [[Atari Lynx]], and [[NEC]]'s [[TurboExpress]]. It shares much of its hardware with the [[Master System]], and can play Master System games by the use of an adapter. Sega positioned the Game Gear, which had a full-color [[Backlight|backlit]] screen with a [[landscape format]], as a technologically superior handheld to the Game Boy.

Though the Game Gear was rushed to market, its unique game library and price point gave it an edge over the Atari Lynx and TurboExpress. However, due its short battery life, lack of original games, and weak support from Sega, the Game Gear was unable to surpass the Game Boy, selling 10.62 million units by March 1996. The Game Gear was succeeded by the [[Genesis Nomad]] in 1995 and discontinued in 1997. It was re-released as a budget system by [[Majesco Entertainment]] in 2000, under license from Sega.

Reception of the Game Gear was mixed, with praise for its full-color backlit screen and processing power for its time, criticisms over its large size and short battery life, and questions over the quality of its [[List of Game Gear games|game library]].

=Specifications=

[[File:Sega-Game-Gear-wTv-Tuner.jpg|right|thumb|A Game Gear with TV Tuner plugged in]]
A handheld game console, the Game Gear was designed to be played while being held horizontally. The console contains an [[8-bit]] 3.5[[megahertz|MHz]] [[Zilog Z80]] chip for a [[central processing unit]], the same as the [[Master System]]. Its screen is 3.2 [[square inch]]es in size and is able to display up to 32 colors at a time from a total palette of 4096 colors, at a [[display resolution]] of 160 × 144 [[pixel]]s. The screen is backlit in order to allow gamers to play in low-lighting situations. Powered by 6 [[AA battery|AA batteries]], the Game Gear has an approximate [[Battery (electricity)#Battery lifetime|battery life]] of 3 to 5 hours. In order to lengthen this duration and to save money for consumers, Sega also released two types of external rechargeable battery packs for the Game Gear. The system contains 8[[kilobyte|kB]] of [[random-access memory|RAM]] and an additional 16kB of [[video RAM]]. It produces sound using a [[Texas Instruments SN76489]] [[programmable sound generator|PSG]], which was also used in the Master System; however, unlike the Master System, [[stereo sound]] is able to be supplied through an output for [[headphone]]s. Physically, the Game Gear measures 210mm across, 113mm high, and 38mm deep.

Several accessories were created for the Game Gear during its lifespan. A [[Tuner (radio)#Television|TV Tuner]] accessory with a [[whip antenna]] plugs into the system's cartridge slot, allowing the viewing of [[analog television]] stations over-the-air on the Game Gear's screen. Released at $105.88 ($186 in 2016), the add-on was expensive but unique for collectors and contributed to the system's popularity. Another accessory, the Super Wide Gear, magnifies the Game Gear screen to compensate for its relatively small size. Also released was the Car Gear adapter that plugs into cars or [[cigarette lighter receptacle|cigarette lighter]]s to power the system while traveling, and the Gear to Gear Cable that establishes a data connection between two Game Gear systems using the same [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]] game and let users play against each other.

Over the course of its lifespan, the Game Gear also received a number of variations. Later releases included several different colors for the console, including a blue "sports" variation released in North America bundled with ''[[World Series Baseball '95]]'' or ''[[The Lion King (video game)|The Lion King]]''. A white version was also released, sold in a bundle with a TV tuner. Other versions included a red [[Coca-Cola]] themed unit, bundled with the game ''[[Coca-Cola Kid (video game)|Coca-Cola Kid]]'', and the Kids Gear, a Japan-only variation targeted toward children.

[[Category:Sega handhelds]]