The Master System is an 8-bit home video game console made and designed by Sega. It was based on the Sega Mark III, which was the third version of the SG-1000 series of consoles. The Mark III was released in Japan on October 20, 1985. The Master System was launched 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 released on October 23, 1987. This version included a built-in FM audio chip, a rapid-fire switch, and a port for 3D glasses. The Master System II, a less expensive model, was released in 1990 in North America, Australasia, and Europe.
The original Master System models used both cartridges and a credit card-sized format called Sega Cards. Accessories included a light gun and 3D glasses that worked with special games. The later Master System II model removed the card slot, making it a system that only used cartridges. It could not be used with the 3D glasses.
As a third-generation console, the Master System was released at the same time as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Its game library was smaller and had fewer highly reviewed games compared to the NES. This was partly because Nintendo had rules that required games to be exclusive to their system. Even though the Master System had better hardware, it could not take away Nintendo’s market share advantage in Japan, North America, and most of Western Europe. However, it was more successful in some areas, 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 8 million licensed versions of the Master System. Later reviews have noted the Master System’s influence on the development of the Sega Genesis. It also had several well-received games, especially in PAL (including PAL-M) regions. However, it is criticized for having a limited number of games in NTSC regions, where the Nintendo Entertainment System was dominant.
History
Sega released its first video game console, the SG-1000, in Japan on July 15, 1983. This was the same day that its competitor, Nintendo, launched the Family Computer (Famicom). In 1984, the parent company of Sega, Gulf and Western Industries, sold off parts of the company that were not its main focus, including Sega itself. At this time, Sega president Hayao Nakayama became the CEO. Later, Nakayama and Sega co-founder David Rosen arranged for a management buyout with financial help from CSK Corporation. This buyout placed CSK CEO Isao Okawa as chairman of the company.
On July 31, 1984, Sega released the SG-1000 II, an updated version of the SG-1000 with changes to its hardware, including detachable controllers. To compete better with Nintendo, Sega released the Mark III, another version of the SG-1000, in Japan on October 20, 1985. The Mark III cost ¥15,000. It was designed by the same team that worked on the SG-1000, including Hideki Sato and Masami Ishikawa. These individuals later led the development of the Mega Drive. Sato explained that the Mark III was redesigned because the Texas Instruments TMS9918A graphics chip in the SG-1000 was not powerful enough to support the games Sega wanted to create. The Mark III used a chip designed in-house, based on the one used in Sega’s System 2 arcade system board.
Although the Mark III had more powerful hardware than the Famicom, it was not successful when it launched. Problems arose from Nintendo’s rules for third-party developers, which required that games for the Famicom could not be published on other consoles. Sega developed its own games and obtained the rights to port games from other developers, but these games did not sell well.
Although 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. To achieve this, Sega of America was created in 1986 to manage the company’s consumer products in North America. Rosen and Nakayama hired Bruce Lowry, who was then vice president of sales at Nintendo of America. Lowry joined Sega because the company allowed him to start his new office in San Francisco. He named his division “Sega of America” because he had worked for Nintendo of America and liked the combination of words. 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 how Nintendo rebranded 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 of the name after being told it referred to the competitive nature of the video game industry and martial arts, where only one competitor can be the “Master.” The Master System’s final design was intended to appeal to Western tastes. The 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 later launched in September 1986 at a price of $200 (equivalent to $590 in 2025). It was sold in a package that included 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 U.S. as the Nintendo Entertainment System. 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
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. Video is shown through an RF switch, though some models can also use composite or RGB video. The display has a resolution of 256 × 192 pixels and can show up to 32 colors from a total of 64 colors. The Video Display Processor (VDP) was made by Sega for the Mark III. The Master System measures 365 mm × 170 mm × 70 mm, while the Mark III is smaller at 318 mm × 145 mm × 52 mm. Both consoles have two game input slots: one for Mega Cartridges and one for Sega Cards, plus an expansion slot and two controller ports. Sound is produced by the Texas Instruments SN76489 PSG chip, which has three square wave channels and one noise channel. The Japanese version also includes the Yamaha YM2413 FM chip. Master System hardware is mostly the same as the Mark III. Games for the Master System can be played on the Sega Genesis with the Power Base Converter and on the Game Gear with the Master Gear Converter. Compared to the NES, the Master System has four times more system memory, eight times more video memory, and a faster CPU.
Sega made several versions of the Master System. The Master System II, released in 1990, removed parts like the Sega Card slot, reset button, and expansion port to reduce costs. In most regions, the A/V port was removed, but in France, the Master System II had only A/V output. In Brazil, Tectoy made versions like the Master System Super Compact, which uses wireless RF, 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 were made by other companies, like Coleco in 2006.
Accessories for the Mark III and Master System include a controller with a D-pad and two buttons. Additional controllers, like a paddle controller and a Handle Controller (a steering wheel and flight stick), were also made. The Sega Control Stick is an arcade-style joystick. The Sega Sports Pad, which uses a trackball, was compatible with three games but was not released in Europe. The Rapid Fire Unit, an expansion for the controller, allows auto-fire. The Light Phaser, a light gun based on a weapon from the anime Zillion, works with 13 games and was only available in the West.
The SegaScope 3-D glasses, used for games like Space Harrier 3-D, require an active shutter system and connect to the Sega Card slot. They do not work with the Master System II because that model 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 play by sending signals to a UHF television.
The Game Gear, developed as "Project Mercury" and based on the Master System's hardware, was first released in Japan in 1990 and later in other regions. It cost about ¥19,800 in Japan, $149.99 in North America, and £99.99 in the UK. It was made to compete with the Game Boy. Many Game Gear games are ports of Master System titles, and the Master System was more popular in Brazil, where Tectoy made many ports.
Game library
Master System games were available in two formats: ROM cartridges and Sega Cards. ROM cartridges could store up to 4 Mbit (512 KB) of game code and data. Sega Cards had a smaller storage capacity of up to 256 Kbit (32 KB). Cartridges were sold based on their storage size, with labels such as "One Mega," "Two Mega," and "Four Mega." Sega Cards were cheaper to make but had limited memory, which led to their eventual removal from the market. The number of games available varied by region: North America had about 100 games, Japan had fewer, and Europe had over 300 games, including 8-bit versions of Genesis games and titles exclusive to PAL regions. The first game for the Mark III was Fantasy Zone, released on June 15, 1986. The last Mark III game was Bomber Raid, released on February 4, 1989. The final North American Master System game was Sonic the Hedgehog, released in October 1991. PAL region games continued to be released until the mid-1990s.
The Sega Mark III and Japanese Master System could play games from the SC-3000/SG-1000 systems and Sega Card games without needing an extra device. However, some educational and programming games for the SC-3000 required the SK-1100 keyboard, which worked with the Mark III. Early Mark III-specific games were sold as cards labeled "My Card Mark III" to distinguish them from other games. These included Teddy Boy Blues and Hang-On, both released on October 20, 1985.
Among Master System games, Phantasy Star is considered 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 gameplay. Some Master System consoles had built-in games, such as Snail Maze, Hang-On / Safari Hunt, Alex Kidd in Miracle World, and Sonic the Hedgehog. Eight cartridges supported saving progress using battery power, including Penguin Land, Phantasy Star, Ys, and Miracle Warriors.
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, Asterix, Ninja Gaiden, Master of Darkness, and Power Strike II.
After the Master System was no longer sold in other markets, Tectoy in Brazil released more games, including Street Fighter II: Champion Edition and Dynamite Headdy. They translated games into Portuguese and adapted them for local audiences, such as changing Teddy Boy to Geraldinho and Ghost House to Chapolim vs. Dracula: Um Duelo Assutador. Tectoy also created new games, like Férias Frustradas do Pica-Pau, based on popular Brazilian media.
Few third-party developers made games for the Master System because Nintendo’s rules limited NES developers from creating games for other systems. Sega focused on adapting arcade games instead of working with outside developers. Many early Master System games were made quickly, which affected their quality. Compared to the NES, the Master System had better graphics, as seen in Alex Kidd in Miracle World and R-Type, which had visuals similar to the TurboGrafx-16.
In 2005, Sega partnered with AtGames to release Master System games in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China. Some Master System games became available on Nintendo’s Wii Virtual Console, starting with Hokuto no Ken in Japan in 2008 and Wonder Boy in North America. Games were also offered 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 gaming magazines, a title it took from the Atari 2600. Sales 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, it was listed among the top 20 products in NPD Group’s Toy Retail Sales Tracking Service. However, by 1992, interest in the console was declining, as shown by reviews that gave it scores of 5, 4, 5, and 5 out of 10. These reviews pointed to the better value of the Genesis and fewer high-quality games for the Master System. In 1993, reviews gave it scores of 2, 2, 3, and 3 out of 10, noting that Sega stopped supporting the console in North America and stopped releasing new games. Over 34 million NES units were sold in North America alone, selling nearly three times as many units as the Master System globally. Bill Pearse of Playthings said the NES had an advantage because of better games and more well-known characters. Sega caught up with Nintendo in the next generation with the Genesis, which sold 30.75 million units compared to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System’s 49 million units.
Looking back, some praise the Master System for helping develop the Sega Genesis, but others criticize its limited number of games. Dave Beuscher of AllGame said the Master System struggled because few companies created games for it, leading to its decline in the American market by 1992. Adam Buchanan of Retro Gamer praised the larger PAL version’s collection of games, calling it “superb” with many interesting ports and exclusive titles. Damien McFerran of Retro Gamer said the Master System was important for the Genesis’ success, allowing Sega to test arcade games, create original ideas, and develop a character like Alex Kidd, a monkey-boy mascot. In 2009, IGN ranked the Master System as the 20th best console of all time, behind the Atari 7800 (17th) and the NES (1st). IGN noted that the Master System had a limited and inconsistent NTSC game selection, with long gaps between major releases, which made the experience less enjoyable.