You LOVED playing yours, but HATED the awful battery life.
You LOVED reading segas official catalogue full of game gear games and genesis games, but HATED that there was always that one game gear game you always wanted but could never get (huge props if you remember the catalogue)
You LOVED playing your friends game gear, but HATED that you had to give it back to them because you wanted one yourself and didnt own one.
You LOVED playing all your game gear games, but HATED there was always that one game you couldn't even pass level one on.
You LOVED playing a game on it, got excited when reaching a new level, just to either die or have the game gear die, forcing you to start over completely again, which you HATED.
My suffering: playing Sonic Triple Trouble. The chaos emerald levels with knack were fucking BRUTAL (they made Elden Ring look easy by comparison-at least at my young age). After hours and HOURS I finally got them all, just to get a game over on an easy part of the final level. Pain, nothing but pain.
My most cherished nostalgic memory: sitting on our couch, game gear plugged in, and playing it while soaking in the christmas tree lights, various household holiday lights and decorations, along with the accompanying presents. I cant quite place why that memory has stuck with me. If I had to guess, at the time, I was truly at my happiest. I got to play my game gear and anticipate my presents!
.......I truly long for those days again.
My dad did the same thing. It was permanently wired to his car and we loved it. We drove cross country a few times and played the entire time.