Sega Master System

Produced By: Sega

Although the 8-bit Master System was not embraced by a large audience in the US and Japan, it remains an important and entertaining console that laid the foundation for generations of future hardware releases from Sega.

Overview

The gamepad.
TheSega Master System is an 8-bit cartridge based system released in 1985 for Japan, 1986 for North America and 1987 for Europe. It is based off the Mark III release of Sega's first entry into the Japanese console market, the SG-1000. The Master System has the ability toplay propriety 32K media cards, known as Sega Cards, as well as cartridges.It competed directly alongside the Nintendo Entertainment System during it's heyday, and it was supported by Sega well into the 1990's.Some versions of the system featured a built in game such as Space Harrier, or a timed maze game featuring a snail.  That one was hard.

The system has 2 9-pin controller ports, with each controller having 2 buttons (labeled 1 and 2) and an 8-wa
y directional pad. The pause button is located directly on the console.The Master System didn't challenge Nintendo much in the US and Japan, but it did give Sega a good foothold in the home console market that they capitilized on with their follow up, the Sega Genesis.

Peripherals

The 3D glasses.
Early models of the console shipped with a Safari Hunt/Hang On card, one gamepad and one light phaser. The light phaser was required to play Safari Hunt and would go on to be featured in games such as Shooting Gallery and Missile Defense 3D. Missile Defense 3D also made use of the console's 3D glasses, which plugged into a card slot device and saw only six games made for it since release. The glasses plugged into a card slot device and used shuters to simulate 3D depth from flickering images onscreen. An arcade stick was also released as a peripheral, and a six-button version of the gamepad appeared later in the console's life.

Sega released an add-on for the Genesis called the Power Base Converter that sat on top of the cartridge slot and allowed for Master System games to be played on the 16-bit console. It has all of the exterior features of the original Master System including a pause button on the device and support for both catridges and cards.

The Master System was, and still is, huge in Brazil for some reason.


Technical Specifications

  • CPU: 8-Bit Zilog processor running at 3.579545 MHz
  • Memory: 64 Kb RAM
  • Video: Texas Instruments VDP, 256 x 192 or 256 x 224 resolution, 32 colors on screen (16 for sprites/background, 16 for background only) from a palette of 64
  • Sound: Texas Instruments 4 channel processor (3 Square Wave, 1 White Noise)

Sega Master System - Recent Games

Name Platforms Developer
Wonder Boy in Monster World
released on April 23, 2007
GEN, SMS, WSHP Westone Co. Ltd.
Bonanza Bros.
released on Jan. 29, 2007
AMI, GEN, SMS, CPC, AST, C64, SPEC, TGCD, ARC, WSHP
Castelo Rá-Tim-Bum
released on Jan. 1, 1997
SMS Tec Toy Indústria de Brinquedos S.A.
Sítio do Picapau Amarelo
released on Jan. 1, 1997
SMS Tec Toy Indústria de Brinquedos S.A.
Sonic Blast
GG, SMS Aspect Co. Ltd.
Virtua Fighter Animation
GG, SMS Aspect Co. Ltd.
Baku Baku Animal
GG, SMS, SAT, PC
As Aventuras da TV Colosso
released on Jan. 1, 1996
SMS Tec Toy Indústria de Brinquedos S.A.
Férias Frustradas do Pica-Pau
released on Jan. 1, 1996
GEN, SMS Tec Toy Indústria de Brinquedos S.A.
X-Men: Mojo World
GG, SMS Sega
Batman Forever
released on May 5, 1995
GB, GG, GEN, SMS, SNES, PC Acclaim Studios London
Legend of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse
GG, SMS Aspect Co. Ltd.
20 em 1
released on Jan. 1, 1995
SMS Tec Toy Indústria de Brinquedos S.A.
Disney's Bonkers: Wax Up!
GG, SMS Al Baker & Associates
Sapo Xulé: S.O.S. Lagoa Poluída
released on Jan. 1, 1995
SMS Tec Toy Indústria de Brinquedos S.A.
Sapo Xulé: O Mestre do Kung Fu
released on Jan. 1, 1995
SMS Tec Toy Indústria de Brinquedos S.A.
Sapo Xulé vs. Os Invasores do Brejo
released on Jan. 1, 1995
SMS Tec Toy Indústria de Brinquedos S.A.
The Smurfs Travel the World
released on Jan. 1, 1995
GB, SMS Virtual Studio
Cheese Cat-Astrophe starring Speedy Gonzales
GG, GEN, SMS Time Warner Interactive, Inc.
The Lion King
AMI, GG, GEN, SMS, SNES, NES, PC Westwood Studios, Inc.

Sega Master System - Upcoming Games

Name Platform Developer
Golden Axe
expected release 1989
AMI, GEN, SMS, CPC, AST, C64, SPEC, SCD, TGCD, WSC, ARC, XBLM, WSHP, PC Sega, U.S. Gold Ltd., Aspect Co. Ltd.
Images

General Information Edit
Platform Name: Sega Master System
Release Date: Oct. 16, 1986
Online Support: False
Install Base: 13,000,000
Original Price: $200
Producing Company: Sega
Total Games: games
Recurring Appearances
Earth
first in
9
Jungle
first in
8
Space
first in Spacewar!
8
The United States of America
first in
6
Underwater
first in
6
Japan
first in
5
China
first in
4
New York
first in
4
Springfield
first in The Simpsons Arcade Game
3
Las Vegas
first in
3
2D
first in Computer Space
39
Jump
first in Donkey Kong
35
Side-Scrolling
first in
31
Death
first in
30
Boss Fight
first in
29
Cheat Code
first in Manic Miner
27
Lives
first in
25
Tie-In
first in
25
Health
first in
25
Game Over
first in
24
Sword
first in
14
Gun
first in
11
Car
first in
10
Spikes
first in
7
Rock
first in
7
Mustache
first in Donkey Kong
7
Cat
first in
7
Hamburger
first in Eamon
7
Tree
first in
7
Soccer Ball
first in Indoor Soccer for the TI 99/4A
6


Sega Master System Forum


Start a New Topic!


Similar Topics
Topic (» jump to last post) Author Last Post Views Posts
I not a fanboy of anything but... » TheHappiestPanda
July 25, 2008
atejas »
3 months, 1 week
105
8

You are in Edit Mode. Make sure to save your work at the end!!
  • Submissions can take 24 hours to be moderated.
  • Please leave a comment to explain why you're making this change.
Save Changes Cancel