"Offbeat" is a SmartShanghai column about stuff to look at or do in Shanghai that's interesting or weird (relatively, of course), that doesn't fit anywhere else. It appears weekly, monthly, or maybe even annually, when we're not busy working on other superfluous column ideas.

I've be searching to buy a Sega Genesis in Shanghai for nigh three years now, for reasons that are now unknown to me. It could be my fascination with the company's long-standing commitment to failure in the consol market, outflanked by Nintendo in the early days, and by just about everyone in the twilight of their existence. It could be just a general nostalgic affection for out-dated video games, reminders of innocence lost and simpler times. Ahhh, cosmic ballet.

Probably though, it's because I still have a score to settle with Sonic the Hedgehog. I was never able to beat Dr. Robotnik in the final zone and I can't take living with failure any longer.

I'm older. I'm wiser. Fuck it. Let's do this thing, Dr. Robotnik.

As a side note, yes I know you can probably get Segas on Taobao, but I've bought three different electronic items on Taobao and not one of them worked so I'm kind of pissed at it. I prefer shopping the old fashion way anyways: have what I want in your store, I will give you money, and then you put it in my hands.

As another side note, that's a picture I found on the internets of a guy who made a guitar out of his Sega Genesis. Good idea.

In a somewhat generic and unassuming video game store at 201 Fumin Lu, amongst all the new-fangled Nintendo DS vanity cases, Guitar Hero bric-a-brac, and Wii paraphernalia, a retro-minded shopkeep has put together a fabulous wall of classic video game consols. At around 25 different systems, his collection rocks the hits from yesteryear (Super Nintendo, Japanese and American version of the original Game Boy, Game Cube), along with some really obscure ones (a really old looking red thing my colleague tells me is a "Chinese Nintendo", the Panasonic R.E.A.L, a slew of Japanese hand-helds), and, YES, a few of Sega's greatest misfires (Sega Dreamcast, Sega MasterSystem, and Sega Genesis).



It's a pretty impressive collection. There are a few holes here and there (no TurboGrafx-16? Atari Lynx? No Sega CD? Sega Saturn?), but all the same it's a lovely trip down memory lane. Against the slick packaging and design of the Nintendo Wii and new Playstations, all these old game consols look like the wonky and broken androids from the movie A.I.



Palms sweating with anticipation, I point at that slick-looking Genesis and say, "how much"?

"Not for sale, only for show..."

Fair enough. Alas, the quest for a Sega Genesis continues. But if you want to pop by and have a look at the guy's collection, he's at 201 Fumin Lu. He's also really nice, so you should get all your other Wii and Playstation fodder from him as well.



Fuhui video game store is at 201 Fumin Lu, near Changle Lu.

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