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==Market share==
==Market share==
When the Master System was released, it had a low impact on the video game market, selling only 125,000 consoles in the first four months.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.videogames101.net/segamaster.htm |title=Sega Master System Release Infos and Quick Specs |publisher=videogames101.net |accessdate=2010-07-03}}</ref> Due to strong International support (mainly in European markets and in other regions like Brazil), the Master System is the [[List of best-selling game consoles#Sega|second best selling]] Sega console with 13 million units were sold worldwide, only the [[Sega Mega Drive|Mega Drive/Genesis]] sold more.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://superclassicvideogames.com/Sega%20Master%20System%20main.html |title=Sega Master System Historical Impact |publisher=superclassicvideogames.com |accessdate=2010-07-03}}</ref>
When the Master System was released, it had a low impact on the video game market, selling only 125,000 consoles in the first four months.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.videogames101.net/segamaster.htm |title=Sega Master System Release Infos and Quick Specs |publisher=videogames101.net |accessdate=2010-07-03}}</ref> Due to strong international support (mainly in European markets and in other regions like Brazil), the Master System became the [[List of best-selling game consoles#Sega|second best selling]] Sega console. With 13 million units sold worldwide, only the [[Sega Mega Drive|Mega Drive/Genesis]] sold more.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://superclassicvideogames.com/Sega%20Master%20System%20main.html |title=Sega Master System Historical Impact |publisher=superclassicvideogames.com |accessdate=2010-07-03}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 18:04, 30 January 2011

  • BR: September, 1989
Sega Master System
マスターシステム
Master System
Sega Master System
Sega Master System II
Top: The PAL version of SMS.
Bottom: The PAL version of SMS II.
ManufacturerSega
TypeVideo game console
GenerationThird generation (8-bit era)
Introductory priceUS$ 200[3]
DiscontinuedJP 1989

NA 1992[4]
EU 1996
BR 1998


Units sold13 million [5][6][7]
MediaROM cartridge and card
CPU8-bit Zilog Z80 at 3,58 MHz (3,579545 MHz)[8]
Memory64 kbits (8 KB)[9][10]
StorageSega Card (256 kbits max. capacity)
DisplayNTSC or PAL based on the TMS9918 video chip
Controller input2 controller ports[11][11]
1 expansion slot[11]
Best-selling gameAlex Kidd in Miracle World[12]
PredecessorSG-1000
SuccessorMega Drive/Genesis

The Master System (マスターシステム, Masutā Shisutemu) (abbreviated to SMS) is a third-generation 8-bit cartridge-based video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1986 in North America, seven months after the original NES,[13] and in Template:Vgy in Europe. Its original Japanese incarnation was the Sega Mark III, which was first released in 1985.

When the system was later released in North America it was sold in two incarnations: a bare-bones console with one controller bundle called the Sega Base System and a bundle with two controllers and a light gun entitled the Sega Master System. It was this latter configuration that became the more popular and better known of the two, and the system almost immediately became synonymous with this bundle. The system itself appears to have originally been intended to have been referred to as the "Sega Power Base" in English-speaking markets, and the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive adapter that lets Master System games be played on that console was later referred to as the "Power Base Converter".

In the European, Oceanic, and Brazilian markets, this console launched Sega onto a competitive level comparable to Nintendo, due to its wider availability, but it failed to put a dent in the North American and Japanese markets. The Master System was released as a direct competitor to the Nintendo Entertainment System in the third videogame generation. Despite its shaky performance in the major territories, it enjoyed over a decade of life in smaller markets.[14] The later Sega Game Gear is effectively a hand-held Master System, with a few enhancements,[14] although it required an adapter to play actual Master System cartridges.[14]

In 2009, the Master System was named the 20th best video game console of all time (out of 25) by the video gaming website IGN.[15]

History

To compete with Nintendo's NES/Famicom in Japan, Sega decided to develop a console system of its own. The SG-1000 and Mark III were available in Japan in the mid-1980s, and the successor to the Mark I/II, the Sega Mark III, was released in 1984.[16] Sega witnessed the early success of the Nintendo Entertainment System, and entered into the American console market. Sega redesigned the Mark III, renamed it the Sega Master System, and released it in 1986, after the NES first came out.

Sega's Master System was technically superior to the NES,[17] capable of displaying twice as many colours on screen and featuring a CPU twice as fast as the one used in the NES; it arguably trumped the Nintendo Entertainment System in every possible technical respect and was released nationwide in the United States the same year, 1986. However, technical superiority affected the market share little as the popularity and game library was lacking compared to those on the NES.[17]

The original SMS could play both cartridges and the credit card-sized "Sega Cards," which retailed for cheaper prices than carts but had less code. The SMS also featured accessories such as a light gun and 3D glasses which were designed to work with a range of specially coded games.

The Master System technology lived on in Sega's Game Gear, which was based on the technology found in the Master System. The console had two game formats which were cartridges and a Sega Game Card format. The cards held only 256K of data (cartridges held over 4 times that amount), but the advantage to both Sega and the consumer was the fact that the cards were cheaper to manufacture, and sold for less than the carts did. The console featured a range of built in games that played whenever a cart or card was not inserted; the different models of the console each featured different built-in titles. The Mark III was also backwards compatible with SG-1000 software.

During its lifespan, the Master System was built in several variations.

Further information: Variations of the Sega Master System

Origin

Designed by Hideki Sato, the designer of the original Sega Game 1000 (エスジーセン, Esujī Sen) (abbreviated to SG-1000), was a cartridge-based video game console manufactured by Sega, which was first released to the Japanese market on Friday, July 15, 1983 for ¥15,000 (US$241.50),[18] is the primary man responsible for every Sega arcade and home hardware system, including its most successful console, the Mega Drive (メガドライブ, Mega Doraibu), (abbreviated to MD or Genesis).[19]

The SG-1000, along with its direct successor the SG-1000 II, marked Sega's first entry into the home video game hardware business, and while neither system was popular,[20] they provided the basis for the more successful Sega Mark III which eventually became the Sega Master System.[20]

Japan

The Sega Mark III was released in Japan on Sunday, October 20, 1985 for ¥15,000 to compete with the Family Computer, following on from the SG-1000 and SG-1000 II. The Mark III was built similarly to the SG-1000 II, with the addition of improved video hardware and an increased amount of RAM.

The system was backwards compatible with earlier SG-1000 titles. As well as the standard cartridge slot, it had a built-in slot, formerly known as expansion slot for Sega My Cards, which were physically identical to the cards for the Sega SG-1000 "Card Catcher" add-on. While in Japan there were many titles in this format published for both the SG-1000 and Mark III, only a few were published in the West (the numbering changes between Tonka and Europe):

The Sega Mark III, the original Japanese version of the Master System

The Mark III was redesigned as the Sega Master System for release in other markets. This was mainly a cosmetic revamp and the internal components of the console remained virtually the same. The redesigned console was itself released in Japan in 1987, with the addition of a built-in Yamaha YM2413 FM sound chip, Rapid Fire Unit, and 3-D glasses adapter; all of which were separate accessories for the Mark III.

The Mark III controllers

Sega Master System game cartridges released outside Japan had a different shape and pin configuration to the Japanese Master System/Mark III cartridges. This may be seen as a form of regional lockout.

Typical of the era, the Master System had several different mascot characters, the most prominent of which was Alex Kidd.

In a lot of respects, Alex Kidd was Sega's first official mascot character for approximately 5 years, from 1986 up until the introduction of Sonic the Hedgehog in 1991.[21][22] A handful of games featuring Sonic the Hedgehog were produced for the Master System, but none of these were ever released in Japan for the system.

Neither the Mark III nor the Japanese Master System were commercially successful, due to strong competition from the Family Computer, which held the 95% of the market share there.

The last licensed release in Japan was Bomber Raid, released by Sega on February 4, 1989.

North America

The system was redesigned and sold in the United States under the name Sega Master System in June 1986, less than a year after the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was released. The console sold for $200. The Master System was subsequently released in other locales and markets, including a second release in Japan in 1987 under the new Master System name.

By 1988, Nintendo commanded 83% of the North American video game market share[23] and the rights to the Master System in North America were sold to Tonka, but its popularity continued to decline due to Nintendo's policies in spite of the company's success in gaining a position on the market for the system.[24] One of Nintendo's policies was that its third-party licensees could not release any video game on competing consoles. The lack of third-party support left the Master System deprived of many arcade and NES hit titles. Activision and Parker Brothers were the only two third-party companies publishing for the Master System in North America, but both companies stopped supporting the Master System in 1989[4] and neither companies had released more than five video game titles for the platform.

Sega Master System II

In 1990, Sega was having success in North America with its Sega Genesis and as a result took back the rights from Tonka for the Master System. It designed the Sega Master System II, a low-cost Master System that lacked the reset button, expansion port (which was never used), and card slot of the original. Since the card slot was used as a connector to synchronize the 3D glasses with the original Master System, the SMS2 couldn't use the 3D glasses. In an effort to counter Nintendo's Super Mario Bros., the new system included Alex Kidd in Miracle World playable without any cartridges; hence replacing the built-in Snail Maze and Hang-On/Safari Hunt of the original system.

Sega marketed the Master System II heavily; nevertheless, the unit sold poorly in North America. In 1991, Nintendo was forced by the U.S government to abandon the restriction it held on its third party licensees, but the Master System had already been eclipsed long ago with no signs of ever recovering. By early 1992, the Master System's sales were virtually nonexistent in North America and production ceased.

The last licensed release in the United States was Sonic the Hedgehog, released by Sega in fall 1991. Some European games were released in Canada for some time after.[25]

Europe

In Europe, the Master System was very successful. Sega marketed the Master System in many countries, including several in which Nintendo did not sell its consoles. It enjoyed strong third party support in the continent, including from American video game publishers that had not released titles for the platform in North America.

In Germany, it had some success, where it was distributed by Ariolasoft beginning in winter 1987.

In France, the console was first distributed by Mastertronic France then from September 1988 to September 1991 by Virgin Loisirs and then from September 1991 by Sega France. The Master System sold more than a million units in this region.

In the United Kingdom, it was distributed by Mastertronic, who later merged with the Virgin Group.

In Italy it was distributed by Giochi Preziosi and in its first years it overshadowed the Nintendo Entertainment System. The NES only gained a good market share later in its lifespan, after the release of the Sega Mega Drive.

The console was produced far longer in Europe than in Japan and North America. It is generally considered a success in Europe where it competed and managed to rival the NES. Because of the success in Europe, Sega decided to open its Sega Europe division.

Due to its architectural similarity to the Game Gear, software companies were easily able to make versions of their games for both the Master System and Game Gear. In fact, many Game Gear titles that were released in North America and Japan were released alongside Master System versions of those games in Europe.

As in North America, Sega launched the redesigned Sega Master System II in 1990. This system included Alex Kidd in Miracle World, and later Sonic the Hedgehog, as a built-in game.

The last licensed release in Europe was The Smurfs: Travel the World, released by Infogrames in 1996. Its successor, the Mega Drive, which was also successful in Europe, was supported up until this time as well. However, both were discontinued so that Sega could concentrate on the Sega Saturn.[26]

Brazil

Sega Master System III compact: Brazilian variation of Master System II.

Brazil was the most successful market for the Master System. Tec Toy, Sega's distributor in Brazil, was responsible for marketing and sales. Both the Master System I and II have slight differences in the external appearance of the console, but are still extremely similar to the Master System outside of Brazil.

At least five versions of the console were released between 1989 and 1995 and several games had been translated into Portuguese. The characters in these games had also been modified so that they appealed to Brazilian mainstream audiences (for example, Wonder Boy in Monster Land featured Mônica, the main character from a popular children's comic book in Brazil, created by Maurício de Souza). Brazil also produced many original games, like Sítio do Pica Pau Amarelo (based on the works of Monteiro Lobato), Castelo Rá-Tim-Bum (from the TV Cultura series) and TV Colosso (from the Rede Globo series).

As of 2010, both Master System and Sega Mega Drive are still being produced in Brazil, now with several games running direct from the memory, and, as of 2006, the cartridge slots have been removed from the Master System, as the cartridges aren't marketed anymore.

The latest version is called Master System Evolution, includes 132 built-in games.

Tec Toy games

In 2002, Tec Toy, motivated by the success of the Sega Master System in the Brazilian market, decided to continue producing more games. By the end of the 1990s, there were well over 70 Brazilian variants of the original Master System games. The system was rereleased again by changing the color of the console to a white hue. A number of games were exclusively released in the Brazilian market for the Master System.[27]

Master System 3

Master System Compact: wireless variant developed in Brazil.
The Master System Girl

The latest version is the "Master System 3" (a completely different unit to the original "Master System III" which was a grey Master System II). It has a brand new modern black design, with details in blue. Even with the visual changes, it was not renamed, save switching the roman number in the name to a decimal number. Although outwardly similar to the Master System II, the Master System 3 featured internal changes that allowed it to handle cartridges up to 8 megabits (1024 kilobytes) in size.

The Master System 3 came with 131 games built in, including games like Sonic the Hedgehog, Alex Kidd and Golden Axe.

One of the more notable Master System consoles in Brazil was wireless Master System Compact developed by Tec Toy. The console transmits the A/V signal through RF, dispensing cable connections. It was produced from 1994 to 1997 and is still a target for console collectors. A similar version, called Master System Girl, was also released in an attempt to attract female consumers. The only difference in this version is a strong pink casing and pastel buttons.

Later, Game Gear games were ported to the Master System and several original Brazilian titles were made for the system. Tec Toy also produced a licensed version of the fighting game Street Fighter II for the Master System. The console production was familiar to the Brazilians, which explains the success in that market.

Overview

Overall, the Sega Master System was mildly successful worldwide, but failed to capture the Japanese and North American markets. However, Sega was able to garner a greater market share with the Master System's successor, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in Europe, Brazil, and North America.

The Sega Master System was re-released in a smaller handheld form factor in late 2006. This small handheld device is powered by 3 AAA batteries, has a brighter active matrix screen, and contained 20 Game Gear and Sega Master System games. It was released under several brands including Coleco[28] and PlayPal.[29] In 2009, Master System Evolution (a new version) was released in Brazil.

Official Sega Packs

This list shows a fraction of what exists so everything on Sega packages, except with console controllers and accessories, there are many worldwide collectors items.[30]

Various accessories and collectibles items, were partially released by third-party for the Master System.[31]

This also included games packages, such as the games packages Marksman Shooting & Trap Shooting,[32] Hang On & Safari Hunt,[33] Marksman Shooting / Trap Shooting / Safari Hunt[34] (as a three-pack) as well as many other collectors items.

  • 3000 Sega Master System (with a maze game) Hang On / Safari Hunt
  • 3001 SegaScope package
  • 3005 Sega Master System (with Astro Warrior/Hang On in cartridge)
  • 3005-05B Sega Master System (Alex Kidd)
  • 3006 Sega Master System 2 (Alex Kidd)
  • 3006-05A Sega Master System 2 (Sonic the Hedgehog)
  • 3006-18 Sega Master System 2
  • 3010 Sega Master System (Hang On in cartridge or card)
  • 3010A Sega Master System Plus (Hang On/Safari Hunt)

Technical specifications

CPU

Main article: Zilog Z80

The Master System`s CPU is a 8/16-bit Zilog Z80.[35] The maximum addressable memory is 64 KB.

CPU reference[36]
Processor Zilog Z80
Clock Rates (NTSC) Input: 2.5 MHz
Bus: 3.579545 MHz, ? MHz, or ? MHz
Clock Rates (PAL) Input: 2.5 MHz
Bus: 3.546893 MHz, ? MHz, or ? MHz
Clock Rates (SECAM) Input: 2.5 MHz
Bus: 3.546893 MHz, ? MHz, or ? MHz
Buses 24-bit and 8-bit address buses, 8-bit data bus
Additional Features
  • DMA
  • Opcode
  • Timed IRQ (not sure)
  • Parallel I/O processing (not sure)

Video

  • Graphics: VDP (Video Display Processor) derived from Texas Instruments TMS9918A
    • Up to 32 simultaneous colors available (one 16-color palette for sprites or background, an additional 16-color palette for background only) from a palette of 64 (can also show 64 simultaneous colors using programming tricks)
    • Screen resolutions 256×192 and 256×224. PAL/SECAM also supports 256×240
    • 8×8 pixel characters, max 463 (due to VRAM space limitation)
    • 8×8 or 8×16 pixel sprites, max 64
    • Horizontal, vertical, and partial screen scrolling

Audio

  • Sound (PSG): Texas Instruments SN76489 (note that the Sega Master System, Game Gear, and Mega Drive / Genesis used a slightly altered clone of the newer SN76489A, while the older SG-series used the original SN76489)
  • Sound (FM): Yamaha YM2413
    • Mono FM synthesis
    • Switchable between 9 tone channels or 6 tone channels + 5 percussion channels
    • Included as a built-in "accessory" with the Japanese Master System (1987)
    • Supported by certain games only

Onboard RAM

  • Boot ROM: 64 kbit (8 KB) to 2048 kbit (256 KB), depending on built-in game
  • Main RAM: 64 kbit (8 KB), can be supplemented by game cartridges
  • Video RAM: 128 kbit (16 KB)
  • Game Card slot (not available in the Master System II)
  • Game Cartridge slot (not included on newer Brazilian models, as these have built-in games)
    • Japanese and South Korean consoles used 44-pin cartridges, the same shape as SG-1000 cartridges
    • All other consoles use 50-pin cartridges[37] with a wider shape
    • The difference in cartridge style is a form of regional lockout
  • Expansion slot
    • Unused, pinout compatible with 50-pin cartridges (but opposite gender) in all regions

Unit dimensions

  • Dimensions[38]:
    • Width: 365 mm, Depth: 170 mm, Height: 69 mm

Media input

One of the most unusual features of the Sega Master System is its dual media inputs: one cartridge slot and one card slot. The card slot accepted small cards about the size of a credit card, much like the later PC Engine/TurboGrafx.

The cards and cartridges both serve the purpose of holding software. However, the cartridges had a much higher capacity, while the cards were much smaller. Sega used the cards for budget games, priced lower than the typical game.

Almost all cards are games, but the 3-D glasses card served an entirely different purpose. The 3-D glasses plug into the console via the card slot, and allow 3-D visual effects for specially designed cartridge games. In this fashion, both media inputs worked in tandem.

The card slot was removed in the redesigned Master System II, providing support for only cartridges. This helped to reduce the cost of manufacturing the console since the cards were unpopular and few card-based games were made. Most of the card games were later re-released as cartridges.

A floppy disk drive add-on for the original Master System was developed but was never released.

Peripherals

Game controllers

  • Controller 3 – 2 buttons, hole for a screw-in thumbstick
  • Controller 4 – 6 buttons, very similar to the Mega Drive's 6 button pad; released in Brazil only.
  • Control Stick - 2 buttons and a stick similar to a gear stick, but on the right side and the buttons are on the left side.
  • Light Phaser – Light gun, not compatible with Mega Drive light gun games.
  • Sega Remote Control System - remote controller
  • Sega Sports Pad - trackball controller
  • Sega Handle Controller - (Steering Wheel controller for driving-/airplane games)
  • SG Commander - a standard controller with built in rapid fire.

Standard controllers

The Master System's controller

The Master System controller has only 2 buttons, one of which additionally performs the function of the traditional "Start" button; the pause button is on the game console itself. The original controllers, like Sega's previous systems, has the cord emerging from the side; in 1987 the design was changed to the now-typical top emerging cord. Some controllers also include a screw-in thumb stick for the D-pad.

The controller uses the prevailing de facto standard Atari-style 9-pin connector and can be connected without modification to all other machines compatible with that standard, including the Atari 2600, Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum with Kempston interface or similar.

When Street Fighter II was released (in Brazil only), a new six-button controller similar to the Sega Mega Drive controller was also released. The current Brazilian Master System consoles come with two six-button controllers.

The later Mega Drive/Genesis controllers generally work fine on the Master System, with buttons B and C corresponding to 1 and 2 respectively and the other buttons not doing anything. A few Master System games, such as Alien Syndrome will not function properly with these controllers, and must be played with original Master System controllers, even on a Genesis/Mega Drive equipped with a Power Base Converter.

Light Phaser

The Sega Light Phaser

The Light Phaser was a light gun created for the Sega Master System, modeled after the Zillion gun from the Japanese anime series of the same name. The phaser was heavier than its Nintendo counterpart, the Nintendo Zapper, but considered by some to have a more responsive trigger and more accurate targeting. As with the Nintendo Zapper, the Light Phaser looked realistic enough to warrant parental pressure to alter the device so that police would not confuse it with a real gun. Altered Light Phasers are distinguished by a hand-painted neon orange tip and are much rarer than their solid color counterparts. Tec Toy also released a blue Light Phaser in Brazil.

Assault City Light Phaser version

List of games using the Light Phaser

For the Master System was a lot of games in development that specifically can be played with the Light Phaser, are among others the following:[39]
1. Marksman Shooting
2. Trap Shooting
3. Safari Hunt
4. Shooting Gallery
5. Gangster Town
6. Missile Defense 3-D
7. Rescue Mission
8. Rambo III
9. Wanted
10. Operation: Wolf
11. Assault City1
12. Laser Ghost
13. Space Gun
1)Assault City is a shooter that can be played either with a controller or a Light Phaser (if you have the phaser compatible version of the game). There are two versions of the game available; the other version can also be played with a gamepad.[40]

SegaScope 3-D Glasses

3-D Glasses and card adapter

The LCD shutter glasses rapidly alternate between the left and right lenses being opaque, used in tandem with two different alternating images flashed from the TV synchronized with the switching of the 3-D Glasses to create a natural stereoscopic 3D effect. The Master System glasses can only be used in the original Master System, since it hooks up directly to the card port not found in the Master System II. This system allows 3-D graphics in full color. The technology takes advantage of the fact that televisions display an interlaced image, displaying the left image in the top frame and the right image in the bottom frame, so it tends not to work with non-standard televisions and most capture cards, which tend to combine fields. The same technique has been used with similar glasses for some 3-D films in movie theaters, though these have largely been replaced by newer methods that would not work on a home TV. Only eight Master System games are 3-D compatible.

With the use of the Master System Converter/Power Base Converter, all peripherals are fully compatible with the Sega Mega Drive.

Remote Control System

The remoteler is a joypad with a built infrared system and a receiver for the signals. Manufactured by WKK Industries, it is not an official product from Sega and was distributed only in small amounts.

Compatibility with Mega Drive/Genesis

See also: Mega Drive, Master System compatibility
Power Base Converter.

The Mega Drive/Genesis is backward compatible with the Master System, despite having a differently shaped cartridge slot. Sega developed a pass-through device for the Mega Drive/Genesis, allowing Master System cartridges to be played on the newer system. It was called the Power Base Converter in the US, the Mega Adapter in Japan and the Master System Converter in Europe. The somewhat large device plugs into the Mega Drive's cartridge slot, covering the entire circular top of the system. Master System cartridges and cards can then be inserted into the device and played on the Mega Drive using Mega Drive controllers. Due to its size and shape, the converter will not fit properly with the Mega Drive II, necessitating the use of the Europe-only Master System Converter II, or a third-party converter cartridge.

Games

See also: List of Sega Master System games

On the original release of the Master System, a hidden game known as Snail Maze is built in the console, which was a number of labyrinth puzzles with a time limit. This game can be accessed from the system BIOS by starting the system without a game cartridge inserted and holding Up the buttons 1 and 2 simultaneously.[41]

Astro Warrior is integrated into one version of the console (the Sega Base System, which was slightly less expensive and lacked the Light Phaser).

Hang-On and Safari Hunt are also integrated into another version of the console. Additionally, the original North American release of the console (which included the built-in Snail Maze) came bundled with a cartridge containing both Hang On and Safari Hunt. Some versions only had Hang-On built in.

Alex Kidd in Miracle World is integrated into Master System II consoles in North America, Australia and Europe. Sonic the Hedgehog is integrated into newer PAL Master System II consoles. It was later ported to the Sega Game Gear.

A marketing agreement between Sega and the producers of the anime Zillion resulted in a (game) based on the anime series in which the protagonists use a pistol which is nearly identical to the Light Phaser, including the cable.

Virtual Console

A number of Master System games are available for download on Nintendo's Wii Virtual Console in North America, PAL territories and Japan.

The first game released for this service was Hokuto no Ken, on February 26, 2008, and later, Fantasy Zone, released on March 11. Both were released in Japan, at a standard cost of 500 Wii Points (though Hokuto no Ken costs 600 points, due to the game's source license). In North America, Wonder Boy was the first SMS game released for the service on March 31, 2008.[42] Fantasy Zone was also announced, but its release date was on April 14, 2008.[43] In Europe, both Fantasy Zone and Wonder Boy were released on the same day.[44]

The option to switch to FM audio, for the handful of games that used it, is available for all regions.[45]

Market share

When the Master System was released, it had a low impact on the video game market, selling only 125,000 consoles in the first four months.[46] Due to strong international support (mainly in European markets and in other regions like Brazil), the Master System became the second best selling Sega console. With 13 million units sold worldwide, only the Mega Drive/Genesis sold more.[47]

See also

References

Much of the data for this article was taken from the SMS Console Database site.

  1. ^ a b c "Release Information for Sega Master System". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2009-09-27.
  2. ^ "Sega Master System hardware Encyclopedia [[Japanese writing system|jap.]]:セガハード大百科 - マスターシステム". Sega. Retrieved 2008-08-11. Release Date: October 1987, Value Bundle: 16,800 yen, jap.:発売日:1987年10月 価括:16,800円 {{cite web}}: URL–wikilink conflict (help)
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External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sega Master System.
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