Sega Master System, can someone introduce me to this system?

[doctorlai]

Picture from: http://rot47.net/share-picture/8C



Can somebody introduce a little bit of this gaming system? does it belong to famicom ?

[zmaster18]

Nope, the Master System doesn't play Famicom, it has it's own library of games. The American Sega Master System's Japanese equivalent is the Sega Mark III. The other systems in the picture are Sega's consoles that came after: Master System II (console redesign), Mega Drive/Genesis, Saturn, and Dreamcast.

[Lum]

Let's just say this system's compatibility is a mess.

For general use I suggest the first American console. Plays most of its best games at 60hz speed, with composite and even RGB video out.

[dougal22]

The Master System produced by Sega is 8 bit like the Famicom / NES and was extremely popular in Europe and South America (Especially Brazil), probably just as much if not more than the NES. It has got lots of amazing games which did not come out on the Famicom / NES such as the Sonic The Hedgehog games and the Wonder Boy series especially the awesome Dragon's Trap.

There are two models of the Master System, both functionally identical and play the same carts, but the older system (the longer console) includes a proper RGB Video out port and a card slot (used for a very few games released on card format and for the 3D glasses) which the Master System II lacks.

Most Master Systems (but not all) and all Master System II consoles include a built-in game. On the older console it would usually be Hang On + Safari Hunt and the newer consoles usually have Sonic or Alex Kidd built-in. On the Master System model 1 there is also a secret hidden snail game built-in to the bios. (You can use google to find out more about it and how to access it).

[P]

Master System wasn't nearly as popular as Famicom or NES but I'm pretty sure the MegaDrive outsold the SNES here in Europe. Which is weird because almost everyone I knew had a SNES or NES.


The portable console at the bottom of the picture is Game Gear, Sega's answer to Nintendo's Game Boy. It's basically a Master System made into a portable console and it can even play Master System games with a certain adapter. It eats batteries though.

[macbee]

Master System wasn't nearly as popular as Famicom or NES but I'm pretty sure the MegaDrive outsold the SNES here in Europe.

Here in Brazil Master System was as popular as the NES (maybe a little more).
Many people remember "Nintendo x Sega" wars in the 16-bit era - but here in Brazil this war was much older and existed since the 8-bit days.

[zmaster18]

Also got to mention the difference between the American and Japanese Master System:

The American Master System only plays Master System games basically.

The Japanese Master System plays Mark III games, which is the Japanese equivalent of American and European Master System. The Japanese system is also backwards compatible with Sega SG-1000 games, a Sega system that came out the same time as the Famicom and is similar to Collecovision. The Japanese Master system cart slot is less wide than the American counterpart. Also, the Japanese system has built in FM Sound expansion which upgrades the crappy sound chip into something that sounds like the Genesis for about 50 games I believe. The Japanese Master System also has a built-in 3D Glasses port in the front near the Sega My-Card slot. Lastly, the system doesn't have a built-in game but the BIOS looks like and has the music from Space Harrier with glorious FM sound.

The Japanese Sega Mark III is the original version of the Master System and has the same hardware. The Master System is simply a remodel of the Mark III with features built-in.

[P]

Master System wasn't nearly as popular as Famicom or NES but I'm pretty sure the MegaDrive outsold the SNES here in Europe.

Here in Brazil Master System was as popular as the NES (maybe a little more).
Many people remember "Nintendo x Sega" wars in the 16-bit era - but here in Brazil this war was much older and existed since the 8-bit days.

I knew someone would say that. Anyway globally Famicom/NES sold better than Master System and I'm sure SuperFamicom/SNES also did better globally speaking, although Sega did put up a good fight.

[fcgamer]

Master System wasn't nearly as popular as Famicom or NES but I'm pretty sure the MegaDrive outsold the SNES here in Europe.

Here in Brazil Master System was as popular as the NES (maybe a little more).
Many people remember "Nintendo x Sega" wars in the 16-bit era - but here in Brazil this war was much older and existed since the 8-bit days.

I knew someone would say that. Anyway globally Famicom/NES sold better than Master System and I'm sure SuperFamicom/SNES also did better globally speaking, although Sega did put up a good fight.

I'd say of all the machines, the Famicom probably had the largest impact on the world as a whole.  Factories are still producing games for that machine to this day, and that is something that I don't believe is happening on the Sega side of things.

[theelf]

Master System wasn't nearly as popular as Famicom or NES but I'm pretty sure the MegaDrive outsold the SNES here in Europe.

Here in Brazil Master System was as popular as the NES (maybe a little more).
Many people remember "Nintendo x Sega" wars in the 16-bit era - but here in Brazil this war was much older and existed since the 8-bit days.

I knew someone would say that. Anyway globally Famicom/NES sold better than Master System and I'm sure SuperFamicom/SNES also did better globally speaking, although Sega did put up a good fight.

It deppends the country, in some, master system was incredible popular, even more than famicom, like brazil

In others, SNES did not exist, just the fight was between megadrive and famicom

Master System wasn't nearly as popular as Famicom or NES but I'm pretty sure the MegaDrive outsold the SNES here in Europe.

Here in Brazil Master System was as popular as the NES (maybe a little more).
Many people remember "Nintendo x Sega" wars in the 16-bit era - but here in Brazil this war was much older and existed since the 8-bit days.

I knew someone would say that. Anyway globally Famicom/NES sold better than Master System and I'm sure SuperFamicom/SNES also did better globally speaking, although Sega did put up a good fight.

I'd say of all the machines, the Famicom probably had the largest impact on the world as a whole.  Factories are still producing games for that machine to this day, and that is something that I don't believe is happening on the Sega side of things.

Megadrive have big impact in many country, exactly same like Famicom

In some country, like argentina or rusia for example, two country i know very well, is impossible to say is megadrive or famicom/dendy the winner

And still megadrive carts are producing and selling

[P]

True. But by "globally speaking" we mean the world as a whole. Not individual countries. I should make it clear that I'm not a Nintendo fanboy by the way (just a video game fan).

[80sFREAK]

SMS is kinda MSX, but without keyboard and with slightly different PPU.

[P]

Yeah they are both using Zilog Z80 CPUs, but the Master System is a game console and not so much a home computer. I other words, no BASIC or such things that you would expect from a home computer.

[Issun]

The SG-1000 is more like the MSX, both share the CPU and the same VDC (TMS9918). The SMS used a more souped up version of the same.

[Lum]

In effect Mark III ended the family's early goals. Master System attempted to distance itself from SG-1000 with a new color and no official keyboard support.