Difference between revisions of "Sega Master System"

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[[Image:MasterSystem1.jpg|thumb|right|260px|Sega Master System console]]
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{{ConsoleBob
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[[Image:MasterSystem2.jpg|thumb|right|260px|Sega Master System II console]]The '''Sega Master System''' ('''SMS''' for short) ([[Japan|Japanese]]: マスターシステム; Romaji: Masuta Shisutemu), was an [[8-bit era|8-bit]] cartridge-based gaming console manufactured by [[Sega]].
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| logo=Master System logo.svg
 +
| consoleimage=MasterSystem1.jpg
 +
| maker=[[Sega]]
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| variants=[[Sega Mark III]], Sega Master System II, [[Sega Game Box 9]], [[Tectoy Master System Super Compact]], Samsung Gam-Boy, [[Sega System E]]
 +
| add-ons=[[Demo Unit II]], [[Telecon Pack]], [[3-D Glasses]]
 +
| internal_games=''[[Hang-On]]'', ''[[Hang-On / Safari Hunt]]'', ''[[Missile Defense 3-D]]'', ''[[Alex Kidd in Miracle World]]'', ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]''
 +
| processor=[[Zilog Z80]]
 +
| releases={{releasesSMS
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| sms_date_jp=1987-10-18{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20201105232155/https://sega.jp/history/hard/mastersystem/index.html}}
 +
| sms_code_jp=MK-2000
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| sms_rrp_jp=16,800{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20201105232155/https://sega.jp/history/hard/mastersystem/index.html}}
 +
| sms_date_us=1986-10
 +
| sms_rrp_us=150
 +
| sms_date_de=1986-10-07{{magref|soft|1987-2|28}}
 +
| sms_rrp_de=299
 +
| sms_date_it=1986-11
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| sms_rrp_it=300,000
 +
| sms_date_es=1987-06{{magref|micromania|23|60}}
 +
| sms_rrp_es=29,900
 +
| sms_date_uk=1987-08{{fileref|NottinghamEveningPost UK 1987-08-20 page 35.png}}{{magref|cvg|73|132}}
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| sms_rrp_uk=99.95{{magref|ace|1|19}}{{magref|cvg|73|132}}{{magref|cvg|77|26}}
 +
| sms_date_fr=1987-09
 +
| sms_code_fr=3005-09-A
 +
| sms_rrp_fr=990
 +
| sms_date_br=1989-09-04{{ref|1=http://web.archive.org/web/20120323135328/http://www.tectoy.com.br/tecblog/?p=359}}
 +
| sms_rrp_br=1,500
 +
| sms_date_kr=1989-04
 +
| sms_rrp_kr=119,000
 +
| sms_date_as=19xx
 +
| sms_date_au=1986
 +
| sms_date_ar=19xx
 +
| sms_date_za=19xx
 +
| sms_date_mx=19xx
 +
| sms_date_pt=19xx
 +
| sms_code_pt=MSJ9027
 +
| sms_date_cs=1988{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20201021112513/https://www.telecompaper.com/news/video-games-market-small--23097}}
 +
| sms_date_yu=1990
 +
| sms_rrp_yu=2100
 +
| sms_date_nl=1986-11
 +
| sms_rrp_nl=345
 +
| sms_date_cz_SMS II=1992-10
 +
| sms_rrp_cz_SMS II=2,949{{magref|abc|37-16|31}}
 +
}}
 +
}}
 +
<section begin=intro />The '''Sega Master System''' (セガ・マスターシステム) or '''SMS''', is a [[cartridge]]-based video game console manufactured by [[Sega]]. It is a rebranding of the [[Sega Mark III]] intended for western markets, which in turn was a successor to the [[SG-1000]] and [[SG-1000 II]]. In South Korea the Master System was distributed by [[Samsung]] and known as the '''Gam*Boy''' (겜보이) and later '''Aladdin Boy''' (알라딘 보이). It was codenamed the '''Sega Mark IV''' during development.
  
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For information on the earlier Japanese version of the console, see [[SG-1000 Mark III]].
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The Sega Master System was the first of Sega's consoles to see widespread distribution outside of Japan, and went head-to-head with the [[Nintendo|Nintendo Entertainment System]] (the international version of the Famicom) across the world. Sega was unsuccessful at dethroning Nintendo in the key markets of Japan and North America. However, significant sales in Europe and South America saw the console match and outsell the NES in those regions respectively, and supported as late as the mid-1990s in Europe and through to the present day in Brazil, receiving a large library of software in those regions. It is Sega's second most successful video game console of all time, with an estimated 20 million units sold worldwide, largely in Brazil and Europe.{{ref|[[wikia:w:c:vgsales:Third generation of video games|Third generation of video games]]}}<section end=intro />
  
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==History==
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The console was originally marketed as the '''Sega Video Game System''' or just the '''Sega System''' at launch, with "Master System" being the name of the launch bundle available in North America, which was followed by the deluxe "SegaScope 3-D System" set and the budget-priced "Base System" set. The bundles were named differently in Europe, with the Master System bundle being the equivalent of the budget Base System, followed by the Master System Plus and the Super System. Because the "Master System" was the most prevalent bundle in most regions and the fact that all the consoles had "Master System/Power Base" printed on them, it became the defacto name for the platform following the Sega Master System II redesign.
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The [[SG-1000 Mark III]] came after the [[SG-1000 Mark I]] and [[SG-1000 Mark II]]. It was released in Japan on October 20, 1985. The mascot of the system was [[Alex Kidd]].
 
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The system was redesigned and was sold in the United States under the name Sega Master System in June 1986, one year after the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] was released. The console sold for $200. The Master System was then released in other places, including a second release in Japan in 1987 under its new name.
 
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Though the Master System was more technically advanced in some ways than the NES, it did not attain the same level of popularity among consumers in the United States. Its lack of success in the U.S. has been attributed to various causes, among them the difference in game titles available for each platform, and the slightly later release date of the Master System. The licensing agreement that [[Nintendo]] had with its third-party game developers may have had an impact as well; the agreement stated, in effect, that developers would produce games for the NES only. The Master System sold 125,000 consoles in the first four months. In the same period, the NES would net 2,000,000.
 
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Nintendo had 90% of the North American Market at the time. [[Hayao Nakayama]], then CEO of Sega, decided not to use too much effort to market the said console in the NES-dominated market. In 1988, the rights to the Master System in North America were sold to Tonka, but its popularity continued to decline. The move was considered a very bad one, since Tonka had never marketed a console and had no idea on earth what to do about it.
 
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In 1990, Sega was having success with its [[Sega Mega Drive/Genesis]], and they took back the rights from Tonka for the SMS. They designed the Sega Master System II, a newer console which was smaller and sleeker but which, to keep production costs low, lacked the the reset button and card slot of the original. Sega did everything in its power to market the system, but nothing came out of it.
 
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By 1992, the Master System's sales were virtually nonexistent in North America, and production ceased. The SMS didn't do too well in Japan either, since the [[Famicom]], which the Japanese Master System competed with, dominated the Japanese market.
 
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In Europe, the Sega Master System was marketed by Sega in many different countries, including a few which [[Nintendo]] wasn't even selling consoles to. The Europeans garnered lots of third party support for the SMS, and it outdid the NES in that market. Nintendo was forced to get licensing for some popular SMS titles in that market. The Master System was supported until 1996 in that market. It was finally discontinued so [[Sega]] could concentrate on the [[Sega Saturn]].
 
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The SMS didn't do as well as the [[NES]] in Australia, but the defeat wasn't as crushing as it was in North America.
 
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Brazil was one of the SMS' most successful markets. It was marketed in that country by [[Tec Toy]], Sega's Brazilian distributor. A Sega Master System III (and even a semi-portable SMS VI) had been released in that market, and several games had been translated for the Brazilians. The characters in the said games had been modified so that they appealed to Brazilian audiences (for example, Wonder Boy in Monster Land featured Turma da Mônica, the main character from a popular children's comic-book in Brazil).
 
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Later in its life in Brazil, Game Gear games had been ported to the Master System, and several original Brazilian titles were made for the system. Tectoy also produced a licensed version of the wildly popul
 
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ar fighting game Street Fighter II for the Master System. Despite the limitations of the console, the game turned out to be pretty good. The console production was familiar to the Brazilians, which explains the success in that market. During the Master System's final days in Brazil, games had been marketed for small children.
 
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The Sega Master System is still being produced in Brazil. The latest version is the "Master System III Collection". It uses the same design as the North American Master System II (Master System III in Brazil), but is white and comes with 74 games built-in on an internal ROM.
 
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Overall, the SMS was mildly successful worldwide, but failed to capture the Japanese and North American markets. Sega learned from its mistakes and made the [[Sega Mega Drive]] wildly popular in Europe and Latin America, and the North American equivalent, the [[Sega Genesis]], popular in that said market. The failure of the SMS meant the success of the Mega Drive and Genesis.
 
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==About the Console==
 
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===Sega Master System I===
 
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The SMS I is a large, tech-looking system measuring 14 3/8" W  - 6 5/8" D - 2 3/4" H, with sharp corners (unlike the Genesis or SMS II) and black plastic casing. In comparison, the NES looks like a Cessna single-engine compared to the SMS' SR-71 design. After a one-inch base, the machine is formed upward and inward to form the cartridge slot plateau.
 
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The SMS has an introduction screen which appears each time you turn on your SMS (with or without a game inserted). The Sega logo slowly "slides" into view mid-screen (with accompanying sound effect), and the text "Master System" appears underneath.  A two-tone intro tune is played during this sequence, which is best compared to the opening tune in the 16-bit Genesis version of Sonic the Hedgehog (though, in the SMS' case, the singing choir is replaced by the simple tones).     
 
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Unlike the NES, the SMS has an instructional screen that appears if you turn on your system without having a cart or card inserted (the instructional screen appears after the introduction screen). Later on, Sega switched to built-in software, which automatically loads if you turn on your machine without a game present.     
 
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=== Sega Master System II ===     
 
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In what seems to be a tradition with game systems, Sega of America released the Sega Master System II in 1990 in order to increase its current user base via inexpensive (though downscaled) hardware. This "2nd generation" SMS (comparable to the Atari 2600 Jr. and remodeled NES) measures _ x _ x _.  Very much the opposite of the original model, the SMS II looks similar to the remodeled 16-bit Genesis system.  Smooth curves, rounded corners, variable degrees of black and gray colored plastic, plus an enlarged, white Pause button for those "dive for the system" type of action games. As an incentive, Sega included ''[[Alex Kidd (game series)|Alex Kidd in Miracle World]]'' as a built-in freebie.      
 
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Unlike the SMS I, however, the SMS II lacks the following features (they were dropped in order to reduce the price of manufacture): 
 
  
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* Card port (resulting in the inability to play card based games and 3-D carts (since the 3-D glasses use the card slot))       
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The [[Sega System E]] is an [[arcade]] board based on the Master System. The console was succeeded by the [[Sega Mega Drive]] (Genesis), which gained wider worldwide success.
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* Swinging, hinged cartridge slot doors (the SMS II cart port operates via a sliding cover)        
 
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* Opening logo music tune and text "Master System", when powered up       
 
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* Reset button       
 
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* Power-on light       
 
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* A/V output     
 
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* Extension port 
 
  
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In France, the SMS 1 (and the SMS 2, which had the A/V port instead of [[RF jack]]) were sold with an RGB lead (model 3085). One end plugs into the SMS, the other into the SCART/Peritel socket on a TV, via a small box in the lead. It gives a clear picture. The box contains a small PCB, the purpose of which is to provide the blanking and function switching signals. (So my TV switches to RGB mode automatically when I turn on the console, and back again when I switch it off.) On the box it says: 'Adapteur R.V.B.'.
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==Hardware==
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The Master System is essentially a rebadged Sega Mark III and so shares the majority of the same traits as Sega's earlier console. Like the Mark III and SG-1000, it is designed to play video games distributed on ROM cartridges (or [[Sega Card]]) through a compatible television.
  
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==Pack-Ins==
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The hardware builds on the design of the SG-1000, and so is completely backwards compatible with the older console. While on a technical level this also means a degree of [[SC-3000]] support, no versions of the Master System were ever designed with the ability to expand into a home computer.
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===U.S. SMS I Pack-Ins===
 
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When released, U.S. SMS I pack-ins included (product # shown):
 
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*3000 — Hang On/Safari Hunt ("Master" package; including base unit, 2 [[joypad]]s, combo cart, light phaser and hook-ups; original retail price of approx. $200)
 
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*3005 — Hang On/Astro Warrior ("Base" package; including base unit, 2 joypads, combo cart and hook-ups; original retail price of approx. $120)         
 
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*3001 — Missile Defense 3-D ("SegaScope" package; including base unit, 2 joypads, cart, 3-D Glasses, light phaser and hook-ups; original retail price of approx. $???)         
 
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There are also 3 (possibly 4) different built-in software variations of the  
 
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SMS I. They are:       
 
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# Hang On/Safari Hunt       
 
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# Missile Defense 3-D       
 
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# Hang On/Astro Warrior (exist?  I have yet to encounter one)       
 
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# Hang On
 
  
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===U.S. SMS II Pack-Ins===     
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The Master System is a hybrid 8/16-bit console. Its CPU, a [[Zilog Z80]], has an 8-bit data bus with both 8-bit and 16-bit registers, while its [[VDP]] is an 8/16-bit graphics processor, with a 16-bit data bus and using 8-bit and 16-bit registers. This combination of an 8-bit CPU with a 16-bit graphics processor was a precursor to the [[nec:PC Engine|PC Engine]] ([[nec:TurboGrafx-16|TurboGrafx-16]]), a more powerful console that released in 1987 and began the 16-bit era, leading to the creation of the [[Sega Mega Drive]] (Genesis).
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The SMS II was released with ''Alex Kidd in Miracle World'' built in, one joypad and necessary hook-ups.        
 
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Sega of America had a short-lived special offer with the Power Base Converter, offering Golden Axe Warrior as a free pack-in.
 
  
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===Europe SMS Pack-Ins===
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===Models===
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In Europe, players were given the same pack-ins as those in the states --     
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{{MainArticle|Master System consoles}}
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concerning the original "Sega Master System."  They also received the
 
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following:
 
  
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* 3010 — Sega Master System Power Base, Hang-On cart, 2 controllers, hook-ups
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====Master System====
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* Sega Master System II, w/''Alex Kidd in Miracle World'' built-in; Sonic the Hedgehog cart pack-in, joypad(s?), hook-ups
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The original 1986 model Sega Master System took a radically different approach to its outward design to the Mark III, released a year prior. The main unit, commonly referred to as the "Power Base" is a black 3D trapezium with red/orange highlights, measuring 14<sup>3</sup>/<sub>8</sub> inches in width, 6<sup>5</sup>/<sub>8</sub> inches deep and 2<sup>3</sup>/<sub>4</sub> inches in height. After a one-inch base, the machine is formed upward and inward to form the cartridge slot plateau.
  
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* Sega Master System II, w/Sonic the Hedgehog built-in, joypad, hook-ups
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The Master System takes much of its design cues from the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), released in 1983 in Japan and 1985 in the US, with detachable controllers and power and reset buttons. But like prior Sega consoles (and virtually all cartridge-based systems going forward), the Master System is a top-loading machine. It also contains a card slot for the handful of games distributed on [[Sega Card]], and curiously, a diagram or vague instructions as to how the system works (i.e. insert a cartridge, power the system on, and use the control pads to manipulate an image on a television screen). The Master System also has a built-in "pause" button for stopping play.
  
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* "Sega Master System Plus", a SMS I with light gun and Operation Wolf cart (?), joypad(s?), hook-ups
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The Master System has an introduction screen which appears each time the system is turned on (with or without a game inserted). The Sega logo slowly "slides" into view mid-screen (with accompanying sound effect), and the text "Master System" appears underneath, with the two-tone "Sega" tune also being played during this sequence.
  
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* "Sega Super System", SMS I with 3D glasses (game?), joypad(s?), hook-ups
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Unlike the NES, the Master System displays an instructional screen if the system is turned on without having a cart or card inserted, though as Sega moved to using built-in software, the console instead began to automatically load the built-in game instead. Early original Master Systems also contain the "easter egg" ''[[Snail Maze]]'' minigame - these earlier revisions of the console's BIOS are known to have trouble playing some later cartridges, including games published by [[Codemasters]] and later Brazillian releases by [[Tec Toy]].
  
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* "Sega Super System Plus", SMS I with light gun, 3D glasses, Missile Defense 3D and Operation Wolf carts, joypad(s?), hook-ups
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The 1987 Japanese release, whose design was also brought to South Korea, makes a number of important changes. Aside a different cartridge slot, it has the Mark III's [[FM Sound Unit]] and [[Rapid Fire Unit]] built-in, and supports the [[3D Glasses]] without the need for an adapter (which usually plugs into the card slot). However, Korean consoles do not have FM sound.
  
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* SMS II, Sonic 1, Sonic 2 (assuming Sonic 1 built-in, Sonic 2 as cart), joypad, hook-ups
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Japanese Master Systems are slightly tricky to spot, even though the cartridge size is smaller. They can be identified by the text on the left hand side of the unit - Western models read "Master System/Power Base", while Japanese systems simply read "Master System". In addition, they have a 3.5 mm jack on the front for connecting a pair of 3D glasses.
  
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* SMS II, Sonic 1, [[Columns]], Super Monaco Grand Prix, 3rd game (title?), (Sonic built in, other three as a three game cart (Master Games 1)), joypad(s?), hook-ups
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Master Systems have an expansion slot on the base of the system, in anticipation of future add-ons should Sega choose to release some. No such peripherals were ever released, and by mid-1990 Sega had conceded that the port had no practical purpose{{magref|sv|1|9}}.
  
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* SMS II, Lion King, controller, hook-ups
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<gallery widths="250px" heights="200px">
 +
MasterSystem1.jpg|North American/European model
 +
SMS Japan.jpg|Japanese model
 +
TectoyMasterSystem.jpg|Brazilian model (Master System)
 +
TectoyMasterSystemII.jpg|Brazilian model (Master System II)
 +
Samsunggamboy.jpg|South Korean model (Gam*Boy)
 +
</gallery>
  
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===Australia SMS Pack-Ins===
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====Master System II====
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In Australia, at least 6 pack-ins exist: 
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After a period of decline and the rise of the newly-released [[Sega Mega Drive]], Sega constructed the Sega Master System II for overseas markets. There is virtually no resemblance to the earlier model, opting for smooth curves and rounded corners more akin to the Mega Drive, and is a great deal smaller (and, as a result, cheaper to manufacture).
  
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*The SMS I with ''Alex Kidd in Miracle World'' built-in, joypad(s?), and hook-ups.
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The Master System II removes many features (usually unpopular ones) in an effort to cut costs. There is no card port (and by extension, no 3D Glasses support), the unused expansion port was removed and the reset button has been omitted in favour of a larger pause button. The swinging, hinged cartridge slot doors of the original model are replaced with a sliding cover (which cannot be closed with a cartridge inserted), and the number of video output options reduced (usually to just RF). Also missing is a power LED and an animated BIOS screen; the BIOS just displays a simple Sega logo over a black background before the game starts.
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*The SMS II with ''Alex Kidd in Miracle World'' built-in, two joypads, hook-ups, and a Double Dragon pack-in cart.
 
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*The SMS II with ''Alex Kidd in Miracle World'' built-in, hook-ups, joypad(s?), and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 pack-in cart.
 
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*The SMS II with Sonic the Hedgehog built-in, all necessary hook-ups and one joypad.     
 
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*"Sega Master System Plus"; SMS I, two joypads, light phaser, and Hang On/Safari Hunt built-in
 
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*"Sega Super System Plus"; SMS I, two joypads, light phaser, 3D Glasses, Hang On/Safari Hunt built-in, 3D Outrun (cart?)
 
  
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==Specifications==
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Each region has its own set of cosmetic differences. In Brazil the system is known as the Master System III Compact, and in South Korea it was released twice, first as the Gam*Boy II and later the Aladdin Boy.
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===CPU===
 
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* 8-bit [[Zilog]] [[Zilog Z80|Z80]]
 
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** 3546893Hz for PAL/SECAM, 3579545Hz for NTSC
 
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===Graphics===
 
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* VDP (Video Display Processor) derived from [[Texas Instruments]] [[TMS9918]]
 
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** Up to 32 simultaneous colors (16 for sprites, 16 for background) available from a palette of 64 (can also show 64 simultaneous colors using programming tricks)
 
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** Screen resolutions 256x192 and 256x224. PAL/SECAM also supports 256x240
 
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** 8x8 pixel characters, max 488 (due to VRAM space limitation)
 
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** 8x8 or 8x16 pixel sprites, max 64
 
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** Horizontal, diagonal, vertical, and partial screen scrolling
 
  
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===Sound===
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All Master System IIs either included ''[[Alex Kidd (game series)|Alex Kidd in Miracle World]]'' as a built-in game, or ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'', which arrived in 1991.
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* '''Sound (PSG)''': Texas Instruments [[SN76489]]
+
<gallery widths="250px" heights="200px">
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** 4 channel mono sound
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SMS2 US.jpg|North American model
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** 3 sound generators, 4 octaves each, 1 white noise generator
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MasterSystem2.jpg|European model
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* '''Sound (FM)''': Yamaha [[YM-2413]]
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MS3Compact.JPG|Brazilian model (Master System III Compact)
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** 9 channel mono FM sound
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Samsunggamboy2.jpg|South Korean model (Gam*Boy II)
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** built into Japanese Master System
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AladdinBoy Blue.jpg|South Korean model (Aladdin Boy)
−
** available as plug-in module for Mark III
+
</gallery>
−
** supported by certain games only
 
  
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===ROM/RAM===
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===Internals===
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* ROM: 64 Kbits (8KB) to 2048 Kbits (256KB), depending on built-in game
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<!-- this can probably go as hardware devisions will be different -->
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* Main RAM: 64 Kbits (8KB)
 
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* Video RAM: 128 Kbits (16KB)
 
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===Game Slot===
 
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* Game Card slot (Mark III and Master System 1 only)
 
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* Game Cartridge slot
 
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** Japanese consoles use 44-pin cartridges, same shape as [[SG-1000 Mark I|Mark I]] and [[SG-1000 Mark II|Mark II]]
 
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** Non-Japanese consoles use 50-pin cartridges with a different shape
 
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** The difference in cartridge style is a form of [[regional lockout]]
 
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* Expansion slot
 
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===Peripherals===
 
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* [[StuntMaster helmet]]
 
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* [[Pro Action Replay]]
 
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* [[Sports Pad]]
 
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* [[Light Phaser]]
 
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* [[3-D Glasses]]
 
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* [[Control Stick]]
 
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* [[Rapid Fire Unit]]
 
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* [[SMS Control Pad]]
 
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===Guts===
 
 
<pre>
 
<pre>
 
RF Converter: MGB3-VU3401, 8E388         
 
RF Converter: MGB3-VU3401, 8E388         
Line 170: Line 122:
  
 
SMS Control Pad Information:         
 
SMS Control Pad Information:         
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*female plug on end view:  
+
*female plug on end view:
 
  5 4 3 2 1  
 
  5 4 3 2 1  
 
   9 8 7 6         
 
   9 8 7 6         
−
*pin 1: Up        
+
*pin 1: Up
−
*pin 2: Down        
+
*pin 2: Down
−
*pin 3: Left        
+
*pin 3: Left
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*pin 4: Right        
+
*pin 4: Right
−
*pin 5: No Connection        
+
*pin 5: No Connection
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*pin 6: Button 1 (Start)        
+
*pin 6: Button 1 (Start)
−
*pin 7: No Connection        
+
*pin 7: No Connection
−
*pin 8: Common (Ground?)        
+
*pin 8: Common (Ground)
 
*pin 9: Button 2
 
*pin 9: Button 2
  
−
==Miscellaneous==
+
===Technical specifications===
−
'''Can [[Game Gear]] games be played on the SMS?'''
+
{{mainArticle|Sega Master System/Technical specifications}}
  
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The Game Gear can run SMS carts, of course, but that may very well be due to intentional downward compatibility of the GG to the SMS, and such may not work in reverse. The only hardware difference known between the two on a chip level is that the GG can define 4096 possible colors, while the SMS can only define 64 colors, but that may be enough. If the GG has more colors, than it must have a different method of setting each of the color registers than the SMS did: The SMS color can be determined by one byte, so probably only needed one register, whereas a number from 0 to 4095 needs two bytes, and therefore the GG chips probably have two color registers, or one register with a special system which allows both bytes to be written one half at a time.      
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===Comparison===
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+
:''Main article: [[Sega Master System/Hardware comparison]]''
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The Game Gear was probably designed to allow the color registers to be set by either the 64 color method (for downward compatibility), or the 4096 color method, whereas the SMS was created before the GG, so it would not support a GG-specific game's method of setting colors.     
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−
+
As was tradition with Sega consoles at the time, the handheld [[Sega Game Gear]] is backwards compatible with the Master System and can run Master System carts through an adapter. The only hardware difference known between the two on a chip level is that the Game Gear can define 4096 possible colors, while the Master System can only define 64 colors. Since the Game Gear has a larger total color palette, it uses a different palette format with 12-bit entries (two bytes each), whereas the Master System uses 6-bit entries (one byte each). Hence, while Game Gear games will technically run on a Master System, they will have incorrect colors. (This excludes a few Game Gear titles that are actually Master System games. These titles use the Master System compatibility mode and don't take advantage of any Game Gear-specific functionality.)
−
The possible problems resulting from this incongruety -alone- might be:     
+
 
−
# A complete crash (if the GG game tried to set registers that did not exist or had nothing to do with color)    
+
Another hardware difference is [[resolution]]. The Game Gear's display is a 160x144 window in the Master System's 256x192 display.
−
# Completely scrambled colors (if the GG uses the same registers to write the colors, but in a different way)       
+
 
−
# No picture at all (if the GG writes colors using registers that had no function in the SMS, so no SMS color reg would ever be written to, and all would default to black, so no picture)   
+
The lack of a "Start" button on a Master System also prevents many Game Gear games from being played without minor changes, since the game requires the user to press "Start" before progressing past the title screen.
−
 
+
 
−
It may still be possible that the two are still compatible, but only if Sega intentionally created the GG to set colors in a matter that would cause the SMS to use it's nearest approximation, or if each cart were programmed to be SMS-compatible.
+
Its main rival was the [[NES]], an entirely 8-bit console. The Master System was the more powerful console.
 +
 
 +
The Master System's main rivals in Europe were the home computers [[ZX Spectrum]], [[Commodore 64]] (C64), and [[Amiga|Commodore Amiga 500]] (A500), the latter releasing a month after the Master System's European release in 1987; though, despite the rivalry, Sega supported these platforms as a third-party licensor of arcade ports. The Master System was the most powerful 8-bit home system, surpassing the NES, ZX, and C64, while at the same time the SMS had a lower price point than the ZX and C64.
 +
 
 +
==History==
 +
{{mainArticle|History of the Sega Master System}}
 +
 
 +
<!-- move somewhere -->
 +
===Sega RGB Cable===
 +
In France, the original Master System (and the SMS II, which had the A/V port instead of [[RF jack]]) were sold with an RGB lead (model 3085). One end plugs into the SMS, the other into the SCART/Peritel socket on a TV, via a small box in the lead, labeled 'Adapteur R.V.B.'. As it utilizes RGB, it gives a sharper and more vibrant picture compared to RF or composite video. The box contains a small PCB, the purpose of which is to amplify the RGB signals from the A/V port and provide blanking and function switching signals so that the TV can automatically switch to RGB input.
 +
 
 +
==Games==
 +
{{mainArticle|Sega Master System games}}
 +
 
 +
==Production credits==
 +
===American version===
 +
{{creditstable|
 +
*'''Team Leader:''' [[Masami Ishikawa]]
 +
| source=Developer mentions{{ref|https://www.famitsu.com/news/201308/12038274.html}}{{ref|https://www.facebook.com/hiroyuki.ohtaka/about_work_and_education}}
 +
| console=SMS
 +
| region=US
 +
}}
 +
===Japanese version===
 +
{{creditstable|
 +
*[[Hiroyuki Ohtaka]]
 +
| source=Developer mentions{{ref|https://www.famitsu.com/news/201308/12038274.html}}{{ref|https://www.facebook.com/hiroyuki.ohtaka/about_work_and_education}}
 +
| console=SMS
 +
| region=JP
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
==Magazine articles==
 +
{{mainArticle|{{PAGENAME}}/Magazine articles}}
 +
 
 +
==Promotional material==
 +
{{mainArticle|{{PAGENAME}}/Promotional material}}
 +
 
 +
==Logos by regions==
 +
{|class="prettytable sortable" style="background: #f2f2f2;"
 +
|-
 +
! style="width:100px;" style="text-align: center;" |'''Logo'''
 +
! style="width:100px;" style="text-align: center;" |'''Region'''
 +
|- style="background: silver;"
 +
|-
 +
|<gallery>Master System logo.svg</gallery>
 +
|International logo
 +
|-
 +
|<gallery>Master System logo SE.png</gallery>
 +
|Used in Scandinavia
 +
|-
 +
|<gallery>Notavailable.svg</gallery>
 +
|Used in China/Hong Kong
 +
|-
 +
|<gallery>Notavailable.svg</gallery>
 +
|Used in Taiwan
 +
|-
 +
|<gallery>Notavailable.svg</gallery>
 +
|Used in South Korea
 +
|-
 +
|<gallery>SMSII Logo GCC Arabic.png</gallery>
 +
|Used in the Arabian Peninsula
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
−
* [http://www.consoledatabase.com/consoleinfo/segamastersystem Sega Master System Console Database]
+
* [https://sega.jp/history/hard/mastersystem/index.html Sega of Japan catalogue page (Japanese)]
−
* [http://asp.tectoy.com.br/videogame/master/index.asp Master System III Collection]
+
* [http://www.smspower.org SMS Power]
−
* [http://www.segamastersystem.com/ Fan site with reviews, a rarity list, and other info] (OFFLINE)
+
 
−
*[http://www.smspower.org SMS Power]
+
==References==
 +
{{multicol|
 +
<references />
 +
|cols=3}}
 +
 
 +
{{Sega Consoles}}
 +
{{MasterSystem}}
  
−
{{SonicGGGames}}
+
[[Category:Sega Master System| ]]
−
{{Sega_Consoles}}
 
−
[[Category:Master System Hardware]]
 
−
[[Category:Hardware]]
 

Latest revision as of 15:06, 26 March 2024

Master System logo.svg
MasterSystem1.jpg
Sega Master System
Manufacturer: Sega
Variants: Sega Mark III, Sega Master System II, Sega Game Box 9, Tectoy Master System Super Compact, Samsung Gam-Boy, Sega System E
Add-ons: Demo Unit II, Telecon Pack, 3-D Glasses
Built-in games: Hang-On, Hang-On / Safari Hunt, Missile Defense 3-D, Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Sonic the Hedgehog
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Master System
JP 		¥16,80016,800[1] MK-2000
Sega Master System
US 		$150150
Sega Master System
DE 		DM 299299
Sega Master System
ES 		29,900Ptas29,900
Sega Master System
FR 		990F990 3005-09-A
Sega Master System
NL 		ƒ345345
Sega Master System
PT 		MSJ9027
Sega Master System
UK 		£99.9599.95[6][5][7]
Sega Master System
IT 		300,000£300,000
Sega Master System
CZ
(SMS II) 		2,949 Kč2,949[10]
Sega Master System
AU
Sega Master System
MX
Sega Master System
AR
Sega Master System
BR 		R$1,5001,500
Sega Master System
KR 		₩119,000119,000
Sega Master System
AS
Sega Master System
ZA

The Sega Master System (セガ・マスターシステム) or SMS, is a cartridge-based video game console manufactured by Sega. It is a rebranding of the Sega Mark III intended for western markets, which in turn was a successor to the SG-1000 and SG-1000 II. In South Korea the Master System was distributed by Samsung and known as the Gam*Boy (겜보이) and later Aladdin Boy (알라딘 보이). It was codenamed the Sega Mark IV during development.

The Sega Master System was the first of Sega's consoles to see widespread distribution outside of Japan, and went head-to-head with the Nintendo Entertainment System (the international version of the Famicom) across the world. Sega was unsuccessful at dethroning Nintendo in the key markets of Japan and North America. However, significant sales in Europe and South America saw the console match and outsell the NES in those regions respectively, and supported as late as the mid-1990s in Europe and through to the present day in Brazil, receiving a large library of software in those regions. It is Sega's second most successful video game console of all time, with an estimated 20 million units sold worldwide, largely in Brazil and Europe.[11]

The console was originally marketed as the Sega Video Game System or just the Sega System at launch, with "Master System" being the name of the launch bundle available in North America, which was followed by the deluxe "SegaScope 3-D System" set and the budget-priced "Base System" set. The bundles were named differently in Europe, with the Master System bundle being the equivalent of the budget Base System, followed by the Master System Plus and the Super System. Because the "Master System" was the most prevalent bundle in most regions and the fact that all the consoles had "Master System/Power Base" printed on them, it became the defacto name for the platform following the Sega Master System II redesign.

The Sega System E is an arcade board based on the Master System. The console was succeeded by the Sega Mega Drive (Genesis), which gained wider worldwide success.

Hardware

The Master System is essentially a rebadged Sega Mark III and so shares the majority of the same traits as Sega's earlier console. Like the Mark III and SG-1000, it is designed to play video games distributed on ROM cartridges (or Sega Card) through a compatible television.

The hardware builds on the design of the SG-1000, and so is completely backwards compatible with the older console. While on a technical level this also means a degree of SC-3000 support, no versions of the Master System were ever designed with the ability to expand into a home computer.

The Master System is a hybrid 8/16-bit console. Its CPU, a Zilog Z80, has an 8-bit data bus with both 8-bit and 16-bit registers, while its VDP is an 8/16-bit graphics processor, with a 16-bit data bus and using 8-bit and 16-bit registers. This combination of an 8-bit CPU with a 16-bit graphics processor was a precursor to the PC Engine (TurboGrafx-16), a more powerful console that released in 1987 and began the 16-bit era, leading to the creation of the Sega Mega Drive (Genesis).

Models

Main article: Master System consoles.

Master System

The original 1986 model Sega Master System took a radically different approach to its outward design to the Mark III, released a year prior. The main unit, commonly referred to as the "Power Base" is a black 3D trapezium with red/orange highlights, measuring 143/8 inches in width, 65/8 inches deep and 23/4 inches in height. After a one-inch base, the machine is formed upward and inward to form the cartridge slot plateau.

The Master System takes much of its design cues from the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), released in 1983 in Japan and 1985 in the US, with detachable controllers and power and reset buttons. But like prior Sega consoles (and virtually all cartridge-based systems going forward), the Master System is a top-loading machine. It also contains a card slot for the handful of games distributed on Sega Card, and curiously, a diagram or vague instructions as to how the system works (i.e. insert a cartridge, power the system on, and use the control pads to manipulate an image on a television screen). The Master System also has a built-in "pause" button for stopping play.

The Master System has an introduction screen which appears each time the system is turned on (with or without a game inserted). The Sega logo slowly "slides" into view mid-screen (with accompanying sound effect), and the text "Master System" appears underneath, with the two-tone "Sega" tune also being played during this sequence.

Unlike the NES, the Master System displays an instructional screen if the system is turned on without having a cart or card inserted, though as Sega moved to using built-in software, the console instead began to automatically load the built-in game instead. Early original Master Systems also contain the "easter egg" Snail Maze minigame - these earlier revisions of the console's BIOS are known to have trouble playing some later cartridges, including games published by Codemasters and later Brazillian releases by Tec Toy.

The 1987 Japanese release, whose design was also brought to South Korea, makes a number of important changes. Aside a different cartridge slot, it has the Mark III's FM Sound Unit and Rapid Fire Unit built-in, and supports the 3D Glasses without the need for an adapter (which usually plugs into the card slot). However, Korean consoles do not have FM sound.

Japanese Master Systems are slightly tricky to spot, even though the cartridge size is smaller. They can be identified by the text on the left hand side of the unit - Western models read "Master System/Power Base", while Japanese systems simply read "Master System". In addition, they have a 3.5 mm jack on the front for connecting a pair of 3D glasses.

Master Systems have an expansion slot on the base of the system, in anticipation of future add-ons should Sega choose to release some. No such peripherals were ever released, and by mid-1990 Sega had conceded that the port had no practical purpose[12].

  • North American/European model

  • Japanese model

  • Brazilian model (Master System)

  • Brazilian model (Master System II)

  • South Korean model (Gam*Boy)

Master System II

After a period of decline and the rise of the newly-released Sega Mega Drive, Sega constructed the Sega Master System II for overseas markets. There is virtually no resemblance to the earlier model, opting for smooth curves and rounded corners more akin to the Mega Drive, and is a great deal smaller (and, as a result, cheaper to manufacture).

The Master System II removes many features (usually unpopular ones) in an effort to cut costs. There is no card port (and by extension, no 3D Glasses support), the unused expansion port was removed and the reset button has been omitted in favour of a larger pause button. The swinging, hinged cartridge slot doors of the original model are replaced with a sliding cover (which cannot be closed with a cartridge inserted), and the number of video output options reduced (usually to just RF). Also missing is a power LED and an animated BIOS screen; the BIOS just displays a simple Sega logo over a black background before the game starts.

Each region has its own set of cosmetic differences. In Brazil the system is known as the Master System III Compact, and in South Korea it was released twice, first as the Gam*Boy II and later the Aladdin Boy.

All Master System IIs either included Alex Kidd in Miracle World as a built-in game, or Sonic the Hedgehog, which arrived in 1991.

  • North American model

  • European model

  • Brazilian model (Master System III Compact)

  • South Korean model (Gam*Boy II)

  • South Korean model (Aladdin Boy)

Internals

RF Converter: MGB3-VU3401, 8E388        
PCB Component Side Markings: (c) SEGA 1988         
:       SEGA (R) M4  POWERBASE / NTSC  171-5533-01       
:       837-6629  19 AUG 1988         
CON2: 35 Pin Card Slot  209-5020 K16R         
CON3: 50 Pin Cartridge Slot  PSB4D255-4R1 M18R         
CON4: 50 Pin Card Edge         
IC1:  Zilog Z0840004PSC Z80CPU 8828 SL0965         
IC2:  0821EX SEGA MPR-11460 W46         
IC3:  NEC JAPAN D4168C-20 8829P5007         
IC4:  SEGA (R) 315-5216 120U 8820 Z79         
IC5:  SEGA 315-5124 2602B 84 18 89 B         
IC6:  NEC JAPAN D4168C-15-SG 8828XX215         
IC7:  NEC JAPAN D4168C-15-SG 8828XX215
IC9:  SONY 8M09 CXA1145

SMS Control Pad Information:

  • female plug on end view:
5 4 3 2 1 
 9 8 7 6
  • pin 1: Up
  • pin 2: Down
  • pin 3: Left
  • pin 4: Right
  • pin 5: No Connection
  • pin 6: Button 1 (Start)
  • pin 7: No Connection
  • pin 8: Common (Ground)
  • pin 9: Button 2

Technical specifications

Main article: Sega Master System/Technical specifications.

Comparison

Main article: Sega Master System/Hardware comparison

As was tradition with Sega consoles at the time, the handheld Sega Game Gear is backwards compatible with the Master System and can run Master System carts through an adapter. The only hardware difference known between the two on a chip level is that the Game Gear can define 4096 possible colors, while the Master System can only define 64 colors. Since the Game Gear has a larger total color palette, it uses a different palette format with 12-bit entries (two bytes each), whereas the Master System uses 6-bit entries (one byte each). Hence, while Game Gear games will technically run on a Master System, they will have incorrect colors. (This excludes a few Game Gear titles that are actually Master System games. These titles use the Master System compatibility mode and don't take advantage of any Game Gear-specific functionality.)

Another hardware difference is resolution. The Game Gear's display is a 160x144 window in the Master System's 256x192 display.

The lack of a "Start" button on a Master System also prevents many Game Gear games from being played without minor changes, since the game requires the user to press "Start" before progressing past the title screen.

Its main rival was the NES, an entirely 8-bit console. The Master System was the more powerful console.

The Master System's main rivals in Europe were the home computers ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 (C64), and Commodore Amiga 500 (A500), the latter releasing a month after the Master System's European release in 1987; though, despite the rivalry, Sega supported these platforms as a third-party licensor of arcade ports. The Master System was the most powerful 8-bit home system, surpassing the NES, ZX, and C64, while at the same time the SMS had a lower price point than the ZX and C64.

History

Main article: History of the Sega Master System.

Sega RGB Cable

In France, the original Master System (and the SMS II, which had the A/V port instead of RF jack) were sold with an RGB lead (model 3085). One end plugs into the SMS, the other into the SCART/Peritel socket on a TV, via a small box in the lead, labeled 'Adapteur R.V.B.'. As it utilizes RGB, it gives a sharper and more vibrant picture compared to RF or composite video. The box contains a small PCB, the purpose of which is to amplify the RGB signals from the A/V port and provide blanking and function switching signals so that the TV can automatically switch to RGB input.

Games

Main article: Sega Master System games.

Production credits

American version

Source:
Developer mentions[13][14]

Japanese version

Source:
Developer mentions[13][14]


Magazine articles

Main article: Sega Master System/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Main article: Sega Master System/Promotional material.

Logos by regions

Logo Region
  • Master System logo.svg
 International logo
  • Master System logo SE.png
 Used in Scandinavia
  • Notavailable.svg
 Used in China/Hong Kong
  • Notavailable.svg
 Used in Taiwan
  • Notavailable.svg
 Used in South Korea
  • SMSII Logo GCC Arabic.png
 Used in the Arabian Peninsula

External links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/mastersystem/index.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-11-05 23:21)
  2. ↑ Soft, "" (DK; 1987-02-19), page 28
  3. ↑ Micromanía, "Mayo 1987" (ES; 1987-xx-xx), page 60
  4. ↑ File:NottinghamEveningPost UK 1987-08-20 page 35.png
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Computer & Video Games, "November 1987" (UK; 1987-10-15), page 132
  6. ↑ ACE, "October 1987" (UK; 1987-09-xx), page 19
  7. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "March 1988" (UK; 1988-02-15), page 26
  8. ↑ http://www.tectoy.com.br/tecblog/?p=359 (Wayback Machine: 2012-03-23 13:53)
  9. ↑ https://www.telecompaper.com/news/video-games-market-small--23097 (Wayback Machine: 2020-10-21 11:25)
  10. ↑ ABC, "Ročník 37, 16" (CZ; 1993-04-24), page 31
  11. ↑ Third generation of video games
  12. ↑ Sega Visions, "June/July 1990" (US; 1990-xx-xx), page 9
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 https://www.famitsu.com/news/201308/12038274.html
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 https://www.facebook.com/hiroyuki.ohtaka/about_work_and_education
Sega Home Video Game Systems
83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
SG-1000 SG-1000 II Mega Drive Mega Drive II
SC-3000 Mega-CD Mega-CD II Genesis 3
Sega Mark III 32X Dreamcast
Master System Master System II
AI Computer Game Gear
Saturn
Pico Beena


Sega Master System
Topics Sega Master System | Technical Specifications (Hardware Comparison) | History | Boot ROM | Magazine articles | Promotional material | Merchandise
Hardware Asia | North America | Western Europe | Eastern Europe | South America | Australasia | Africa

Sega Mark III | Sega Game Box 9 | Master System Girl | Master System Super Compact | Kiosk | Sega System E

Add-ons Demo Unit II | Telecon Pack | FM Sound Unit | 3-D Glasses
Controllers SJ-152 | Control Pad | 3-D Glasses | Control Stick | Handle Controller | Light Phaser | Paddle Control | Rapid Fire Unit | Sports Pad | SG Commander
Misc. Hardware Action Replay | Card Catcher | Action Case | Freedom Connection | Playkit
Unreleased Floppy Disk Drive
Consoles-on-a-chip Arcade Gamer Portable | TF-DVD560 | DVD Karaoke Game DVT-G100 | Fun Play 20-in-1 | Handheld Electronic Games | Master System 3 Collection | Master System 3 | Master System Evolution | Master System Handy | PlayPal Plug & Play | Poga
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