The Master System is an 8-bit home video game console made and designed by Sega. It was created as a revised version of the Sega Mark III, which was the third version of the SG-1000 series of consoles. The Mark III was first sold in Japan on October 20, 1985. The Master System was released in North America in September 1986, followed by Europe in August 1987, South Korea in April 1989, and Brazil in September 1989. A Japanese version of the Master System was launched on October 23, 1987, and included features such as a built-in FM audio chip, a rapid-fire switch, and a special port for 3D glasses. In 1990, a cheaper version called the Master System II was released in North America, Australasia, and Europe.
The original Master System models used both cartridges and a small card format called Sega Cards. Accessories included a light gun and 3D glasses that worked with specific games. The later Master System II model removed the card slot, making it a system that only used cartridges. This version was not compatible with the 3D glasses.
As a third-generation console, the Master System was released at the same time as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It had fewer games and fewer highly praised titles compared to the NES, partly because Nintendo required games to be exclusive to their system. Even though the Master System had better hardware than the NES, it could not take away Nintendo’s lead in the market in Japan, North America, and most of Western Europe. However, it was more successful in some regions, including the United Kingdom, Belgium, Spain, Brazil, South Korea, New Zealand, and Australia.
The Master System is estimated to have sold between 10 and 13 million units worldwide. In Brazil, Tectoy sold an additional 8 million licensed versions of the Master System. Later reviews have noted the Master System’s influence on the development of the Sega Genesis and its collection of well-received games, especially in PAL (and PAL-M) regions. However, it is also criticized for having a smaller game library in NTSC regions, which were dominated by the NES.
History
Sega released its first video game console, the SG-1000, in Japan on July 15, 1983, the same day its competitor Nintendo launched the Family Computer (Famicom). In 1984, Sega’s parent company, Gulf and Western Industries, sold off non-core businesses, including Sega. Sega president Hayao Nakayama became CEO. Nakayama and Sega co-founder David Rosen later arranged a management buyout with financial support from CSK Corporation, and CSK CEO Isao Okawa was named chairman.
On July 31, 1984, Sega released the SG-1000 II, an updated version of the SG-1000 with changes like detachable controllers. To compete with Nintendo, Sega released the Mark III, another version of the SG-1000, in Japan on October 20, 1985, priced at ¥15,000. The Mark III was designed by the same team as the SG-1000, including Hideki Sato and Masami Ishikawa, who had worked on the SG-1000 II and later led development of the Mega Drive. Sato said the console was redesigned because the Texas Instruments TMS9918A graphics chip in the SG-1000 lacked the power for the games Sega wanted to create. The Mark III used a chip designed by Sega, based on the unit in Sega’s System 2 arcade system board.
Although the Mark III’s hardware was more powerful than the Famicom, it was not successful at launch. Problems arose from Nintendo’s rules for third-party developers, which required Famicom games not to be published on other consoles. Sega developed its own games and obtained rights to port games from other developers, but these games did not sell well.
Though the SG-1000 had not been released in the United States, Sega hoped its console business would do better in North America than in Japan. In 1986, Sega of America was created to manage consumer products in North America. Rosen and Nakayama hired Bruce Lowry, Nintendo of America’s vice president of sales. Lowry joined Sega because he could start his new office in San Francisco. He chose the name “Sega of America” because he had worked for Nintendo of America and liked the word combination. Initially, Sega of America was tasked with repackaging the Mark III for a Western release. The Mark III was rebranded as the Master System, similar to Nintendo’s reworking of the Famicom into the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The name was chosen by Sega of America employees who threw darts at a whiteboard of suggested names. Plans to release a cheaper console, the Base System, also influenced the decision. Okawa approved the name because it referenced the competitive nature of the video game industry and martial arts, where only one competitor can be the “Master.” The console’s futuristic design was intended to appeal to Western tastes. North American packaging was white to differentiate it from the black NES packaging, with a white grid design inspired by Apple computer products.
The Master System was first shown in North America at the Summer Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Chicago in June 1986. It was launched in September 1986 at a price of $200 (equivalent to $590 in 2025), sold in a package with the “Power Base” console, a light gun, two controllers, and a multicart with the games Hang-On and Safari Hunt. Around the same time, Nintendo was exporting the Famicom to the US as the Nintendo Entertainment System, and both Sega and Nintendo planned to spend $15 million in late 1986 to market their consoles. Sega aimed to sell 400,000 to 750,000 consoles in 1986. By the end of 1986, at least 125,000 Master System consoles had been sold, more than the Atari 7800’s 100,000 but fewer than Nintendo’s 1.1 million. Other sources say more than 250,000 Master System consoles were sold by Christmas 1986.
Like in Japan, the Master System had a limited game library in North America. Limited by Nintendo’s licensing rules, Sega had only two third-party American publishers, Activision and Parker Brothers. Agreements with both companies ended in 1989. Sega claimed the Master System was the first console where the graphics on the box matched the game’s graphics, and promoted the “arcade experience” in advertisements. However, Sega’s marketing team had only two people, giving them a disadvantage in advertising. In 1987, Sega partnered with astronaut Scott Carpenter to start the “Sega Challenge,” a traveling program in recreational centers where kids were tested on skills like concentration and learning. Out Run and Shooting Gallery were two games included in the challenge.
In 1987, amid weak sales in the US, Sega sold the US distribution rights for the Master System to toy company Tonka, which had no experience with electronic entertainment systems. Sega made the deal to use Tonka’s knowledge of the American toy market, as Nintendo had successfully marketed the NES as a toy. The announcement came shortly after the 1987 Summer CES. During this time, Sega of America shifted focus from marketing to customer service, and Lowry left the company. Tonka blocked localization of popular Japanese games and reduced purchases of EPROMs needed for game cartridges during a shortage. They also became less willing to invest in video games after taking large loans to buy Kenner Toys in 1987, followed by poor holiday sales and financial losses.
On October 18, 1987, the Mark III was re-released as the Master System in Japan for ¥16,800, but still sold poorly. Neither model challenged Nintendo in Japan, and, according to Sato, Sega captured only 10% of the Japanese console market.
The Master System was launched in Europe in August 19
Technical specifications
The Master System uses an 8-bit Zilog Z80A processor that runs at 3.58 MHz. It has 8 KB of ROM, 8 KB of RAM, and 16 KB of video RAM (VRAM). The console displays video through an RF switch, though some models can also use composite or RGB video. The screen resolution is 256 × 192 pixels, and it can show up to 32 colors from a total of 64. The Video Display Processor (VDP) was designed by Sega for the Mark III. The Master System measures 365 mm × 170 mm × 70 mm (14.4 in × 6.7 in × 2.8 in), while the Mark III measures 318 mm × 145 mm × 52 mm (12.5 in × 5.7 in × 2.0 in). Both consoles have two game input slots: one for Mega Cartridges and one for Sega Cards, along with an expansion slot and two controller ports. Sound is produced by the Texas Instruments SN76489 PSG chip inside the VDP, which can create three square wave channels and one noise channel. The Japanese version also includes the Yamaha YM2413 FM chip, which was an optional feature on the Mark III. Master System hardware is mostly the same as the Mark III. Games for the Master System can be played on the Sega Genesis using the Power Base Converter and on the Game Gear using the Master Gear Converter. Compared to the base NES, the Master System has four times as much system memory, eight times as much video memory, and a faster CPU clock rate.
Sega released several versions of the Master System. The Master System II, introduced in 1990, removed features like the Sega Card slot, reset button, power light, expansion port, and startup music and logo. In most regions, the Master System II lacked an A/V port, using only RF output, but the French version had A/V output instead of RF. In Brazil, Tectoy made variations, such as the Master System Super Compact, which uses wireless RF transmission, and the Master System Girl, a pink-colored model aimed at girls. The Master System 3 Collection, released in 2006, includes 120 built-in games. Handheld versions of the Master System were sold under other brands, like Coleco in 2006.
Accessories for the Mark III and Master System include a controller with a D-pad and two buttons. Additional controllers, such as a paddle controller, were also made. A steering wheel and flight stick called the Handle Controller was released in 1989. The Sega Control Stick is an arcade-style joystick with buttons on the opposite side of the standard controller. The Sega Sports Pad, which uses a trackball and works with three games, was not released in Europe. The Rapid Fire Unit is an expansion for the controller that allows auto-fire by holding a button. This device connects between the console and the controller. The Light Phaser, a light gun based on a weapon from the anime Zillion, works with 13 games and was only sold in the West.
The SegaScope 3-D, a pair of 3D glasses, was made for games like Space Harrier 3-D. These glasses use an active shutter system to create a 3D effect. They connect to the Sega Card slot and only work with the Mark III, not the Master System II, which lacks a card slot. Eight games, including Zaxxon 3-D and OutRun 3-D, are compatible with the glasses.
The Mark III has an optional RF transmitter that allows wireless gameplay by sending the game signal to a UHF television.
The Game Gear, a handheld console developed as "Project Mercury" based on Master System hardware, was first released in Japan on October 6, 1990, in North America and Europe in 1991, and in Australia and New Zealand in 1992. It originally cost JP¥19,800 in Japan, $149.99 in North America, and £99.99 in the United Kingdom. The Game Gear was designed to compete with the Game Boy, which Nintendo released in 1989. It shares similarities with the Master System, and Master System games can be played on the Game Gear using the Master Gear Converter. Many of the Game Gear's games are ports of Master System titles. Because of hardware similarities, including a landscape screen, Master System games are easily adapted for the Game Gear. In Brazil, Tectoy ported many Game Gear games to the Master System, which was more popular in the region.
Game library
The Sega Master System used two types of game formats. ROM cartridges could store up to 512 KB of data, and Sega Cards could store up to 32 KB. Cartridges were labeled based on their storage size: One Mega (1 Mbit), Two Mega (2 Mbit), or Four Mega (4 Mbit). Sega Cards were cheaper to make but had limited memory, so they were eventually stopped. The number of games released varied by region. North America had about 100 games, Japan had fewer, and Europe had over 300 games, including versions of Genesis games and games exclusive to the PAL region. The first game for the Mark III was Fantasy Zone, released on June 15, 1986. The last game for the Master System in North America was Sonic the Hedgehog in October 1991. Games for PAL regions continued until the mid-1990s.
The Sega Mark III and Japanese Master System could play games from the SC-3000/SG-1000 and Sega Cards without extra devices. However, some educational games for the SC-3000 required a special keyboard. Early Mark III-specific games were sold as cards labeled "My Card Mark III," such as Teddy Boy Blues and Hang-On, both released on October 20, 1985.
Among Master System games, Phantasy Star is known as a key role-playing game (RPG) and started a successful series. Alex Kidd in Miracle World featured Sega’s popular character, Alex Kidd. Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap combined platform and RPG styles. Some Master System consoles had built-in games, like Snail Maze, Alex Kidd in Miracle World, and Sonic the Hedgehog. Eight cartridges supported saving progress using battery backup, including Penguin Land and Phantasy Star.
The PAL region had more games, including 8-bit versions of Genesis titles like Streets of Rage, additional Sonic the Hedgehog games, and exclusive titles such as The Lucky Dime Caper Starring Donald Duck and Ninja Gaiden. Retro Gamer’s Damien McFerran praised the PAL library for its variety of high-quality games.
After the Master System was no longer sold in other markets, Tectoy in Brazil released new games, including Street Fighter II: Champion Edition and Dynamite Headdy. They translated games into Portuguese and adapted some titles to match Brazilian culture, such as Teddy Boy becoming Geraldinho and Ghost House becoming Chapolim vs. Dracula: Um Duelo Assutador. Tectoy also created original games, like Férias Frustradas do Pica-Pau, based on popular Brazilian cartoons.
Few third-party developers made games for the Master System because Nintendo’s rules limited developers from releasing games on other systems. Sega focused on adapting arcade games instead of working with outside developers. Early Master System games were made quickly, which sometimes affected their quality. However, the Master System had better hardware than the NES, allowing games like Alex Kidd in Miracle World to have more detailed graphics. The Master System version of R-Type was praised for its visuals, similar to those on the TurboGrafx-16.
In 2005, Sega partnered with AtGames to release Master System games in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China. Some games were also available on Nintendo’s Wii Virtual Console, starting with Hokuto no Ken in Japan and Wonder Boy in North America. Master System games were also sold through the GameTap online service.
Reception and legacy
The Master System is often called the longest-lasting gaming console in video game history by many video game publications. It earned this title from the Atari 2600. Sales of the Master System are estimated to be between 10 million and 13 million units, not counting later sales in Brazil. The console was more successful in Europe and Brazil than in Japan and North America. In 1989, the Master System was listed among the top 20 products in the NPD Group's Toy Retail Sales Tracking Service. However, by 1992, interest in the console was declining, as noted in the Electronic Gaming Monthly Buyer's Guide. Four reviewers gave it scores of 5, 4, 5, and 5 out of 10, pointing out that the Genesis offered better value and had more quality games. In 1993, reviewers scored it 2, 2, 3, and 3 out of 10, citing Sega's lack of support for the console in North America and few new game releases. In contrast, over 34 million NES units were sold in North America alone, which is nearly three times more than the Master System's total sales worldwide. Bill Pearse of Playthings said the NES had an advantage because of better software and more well-known characters. Sega closed the gap with Nintendo in the next generation by releasing the Genesis, which sold 30.75 million units compared to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System's 49 million units.
Looking back, the Master System is praised for helping develop the Sega Genesis but criticized for having a small game library. Dave Beuscher of AllGame wrote that the Master System "was doomed by the lack of third-party software support and all but disappeared from the American market by 1992." Adam Buchanan of Retro Gamer praised the larger PAL library as a "superb library of interesting ports and excellent exclusives." Damien McFerran of Retro Gamer said the Master System was important to the Genesis' success, stating, "Without this criminally undervalued machine, Sega would not have enjoyed the considerable success it had with the Mega Drive. The Master System allowed Sega to experiment with arcade conversions, original IP, and even create a mascot in the form of the lovable monkey-boy Alex Kidd." In 2009, the Master System was named the 20th best console of all time by IGN, behind the Atari 7800 (17th) and the NES (1st). IGN noted the Master System's small and uneven NTSC library as a major issue: "Months could go by between major releases, and that made a dud on the Master System feel even more painful."