Sega delivering a Megadrive Mini in September

We'll be getting 40 pre-loaded games with the console, including of course Sonic the Hedgehog and other classics.

Update: We have since been informed in a press release that Earthworm Jim has been swapped out for ToeJam and Earl.

It might sound like a potential April Fool's joke, but the Sega Megadrive Mini is real and finally has a release date, meaning we can expect to see the miniature console on September 19, when it'll land with 40 pre-loaded games.

As with the NES and SNES Mini from Nintendo - as well as the mini PlayStation from Sony - the physical case will look much like the original console, and the controllers will be the same as you remember them. It's Plug-and Play ready and will cost $79.99 USD (on Amazon we can see it's £69.99, and the euro price is 79.99).

The following titles have already been revealed too:

Sonic the Hedgehog
Ecco the Dolphin
Castlevania: Bloodlines
Space Harrier 2
Shining Force
Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine
Earthworm Jim
Comix Zone
Altered Beast
Gunstar Heroes

For more on the console you can check out the official website, but remember that it was called the Genesis elsewhere. Here we find out that it uses an HDMI cable as well, providing simpler connectivity, and pre-order links are coming soon (although you can find them on Amazon as mentioned).

So far the lineup is looking similar to other compilation packages like the Megadrive: Ultimate Collection from 2009, so time will tell if this is a departure from packages we've seen and if there are any surprises in there.

Is this a good selection of games so far?