Sega Master System/Boot ROM
From Sega Retro
- Back to: Sega Master System.
Based on the Sega Mark III in Japan, the Sega Master System comes preinstalled with a boot ROM - an interface which appears when the console is given power. Almost all of Sega's hardware systems had some form of startup sequence that graphically told the end user that a game was loaded and ready to play.
The first known BIOS released was based upon the Sega Mark III, which featured an animated blue SEGA logo, along with MASTER SYSTEM written underneath. This was a prototype that wasn't released in the final product and is designated as Prototype M404 among emulation communities[1]. (See here for video demonstration)
Among its final release in North America in June 1986, the first major BIOS known publicly is the SEGA startup sequence. The animation sequence this time was the SEGA logo sliding from the left side in the center of the screen, followed by MASTER SYSTEM and its copyright information shown underneath. The trademark SEGA sound as heard in many of the Sonic the Hedgehog games, is also played in the background using melodic system tones (See here). If no cartridge was inserted, the user would be presented with a screen that tells them how to
Japanese releases of the SMS BIOS offered more musical graphical enhancements, along with music from Space Harrier (See here).
Contents
Built-in games
What was unique about SMS was that Sega had included built-in games that could be played without any cartridges inserted. While original releases of the system did not have any retail games built-in, there was an extra hidden game that could played upon startup. By pressing 
+
+
on Controller 1, the player could play the hidden Snail Maze game.
Sega would later package other games with the system built-in similar to the Snail Maze game, but was no longer hidden to the end user. Rather, the boot ROM would automatically boot into the built-in game after displaying the Sega startup sequence. Depending on the console build and BIOS included with the system, players could choose to play either Hang-On, Missile Defense 3-D, Safari Hunt, Alex Kidd in Miracle World, and [[Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit)|Sonic the Hedgehog].
Screenshots
Logo
M404 prototype
US/EU 1.0/1.3/2.0
JP 2.1
US/EU 2.4/3.4/4.4
US/EU Alex Kidd
EU Sonic 1
KR Alex Kidd
Software error
US 1.0
US/EU 1.3
US/EU 2.4
US/EU 3.4
US/EU 4.4
US/EU Alex Kidd
EU Sonic 1
Technical information
ROM dump status
| System | Hash | Size | Build Date | Source | Comments | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
8kB | 1986 | Sega Master System (US/EU) | v1.3 | |||||||||
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8kB | 1987 | Sega Master System (EU) | v2.0 | |||||||||
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8kB | 1987 | Sega Master System (JP) | v2.1 | |||||||||
|
|
128kB | 1988 | Sega Master System (US/EU) | v2.4; Hang-On / Safari Hunt built-in | |||||||||
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128kB | 1988 | Sega Master System (US/EU) | v3.4; Hang-On built-in | |||||||||
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128kB | 1988 | Sega Master System (US/EU) | v4.4; Missile Defense 3-D built-in | |||||||||
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128kB | 1990 | Sega Master System (US/EU) | Alex Kidd in Miracle World built-in | |||||||||
|
|
256kB | 1991 | Sega Master System II (EU) | Sonic the Hedgehog built-in | |||||||||
|
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128kB | Samsung Gam*Boy (KR) | Alex Kidd in Miracle World built-in | ||||||||||
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8kB | 1986 | Prototype Master System (US)[2] | v1.0 prototype | Page | ||||||||
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8kB | 1986 | Prototype Master System (US)[2] | M404 prototype | Page |
References
| Sega Master System | |
|---|---|
| Topics | Sega Master System | Technical Specifications (Hardware Comparison) | History | Boot ROM | Magazine articles | Promotional material | Merchandise |
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| 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 |