Master System games

The Brazillian exclusive release of Baku Baku Animal.

With about 320 Sega Master System games officially released during the console's lifespan, the Master System has a sizeable set of games in its library, but far fewer than its successors, the Sega Mega Drive, Sega Saturn and Sega Dreamcast. Though statistically better than its main rival, the Nintendo Entertainment System in some technical areas, a lack of third-party support ultimately placed the console in a distant second place during the third generation of video game consoles.

The majority of the Master System's big hits were ported from the arcades - Fantasy Zone, Space Harrier and OutRun being amongst the more well known. Initially Sega Master System games came in cartridge and "Sega Card" formats, the latter being quickly phased out towards the end of the decade due to its limited storage space. By 1989 and 1991 the console had been phased out in Japan and North America respectively, but support continued to come in from European developers and publishers, and the console was kept alive well into the 21st century in Brazil.

In Japan, games were generally packaged in brown/gold cardboard packaging with rich and colourful artwork. In the west games were packaged in plastic clamshell cases (which would also be used for the Sega Mega Drive). Western Master System games are notorious for their dull box art, opting for a grey grid on a white background. As time went on things became more colourful (especially in Brazil, where later boxes are blue). Similar aethetics were applied to the cartridge designs.

Brazil would receive a large amount of exclusive Master System games, often converted from the Game Gear, meaning many Master System games are now considered valuable collectors' items.