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= Master_System =
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Introduction
======================================================================
The is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console manufactured
and developed by Sega. It was originally a remodeled export version of
the Sega Mark III, the third iteration of the SG-1000 series of
consoles, released in Japan in 1985. The Master System launched in
North America in 1986, followed by Europe in 1987 and Brazil and Korea
in 1989. A Japanese version was launched in 1987, with additions
including a built-in FM audio chip, a rapid-fire switch, and a
dedicated port for the 3D glasses. The Master System II, a cheaper
model, was released in 1990 in North America, Australasia, and Europe.
The original Master System models use both cartridges and a credit
card-sized format, Sega Cards. Accessories include a light gun and 3D
glasses that work with specially designed games. The later Master
System II redesign removed the card slot, turning it into a strictly
cartridge-only system, and is incompatible with the 3D glasses.
The Master System was released in competition with the Nintendo
Entertainment System (NES). Its library is smaller and with fewer
well-reviewed games than the NES, due in part to Nintendo licensing
policies requiring platform exclusivity. Though the Master System had
newer, improved hardware, it failed to overturn Nintendo's market
share advantage in Japan and North America. However, it attained
greater success in other markets, including Europe, Brazil, South
Korea, and Australia.
The Master System is estimated to have sold between 10-13 million
units worldwide. In addition, Tectoy has sold licensed Master System
variants in Brazil. Retrospective criticism has recognized its role in
the development of the Sega Genesis, and a number of well-received
games, particularly in PAL (including PAL-M) regions, but is critical
of its limited library in the NTSC regions, which were dominated by
the NES.
Mark III
==========
On July 15, 1983, Sega released its first video game console, the
SG-1000, in Japan. The launch coincided with the same day its
competitor Nintendo launched the Famicom. In 1984, parent company Gulf
and Western Industries divested its non-core businesses including
Sega, and Sega president Hayao Nakayama was installed as CEO. Sega
released another console, the SG-1000 II, featuring several hardware
alterations, including detachable controllers. Nakayama and Sega
co-founder David Rosen arranged a management buyout with financial
backing from CSK Corporation and installed CSK CEO Isao Okawa as
chairman.
Hoping to better compete with Nintendo, Sega released another console,
the Sega Mark III, in Japan in 1985. The Mark III was a redesigned
version of the SG-1000. It was engineered by the same team, including
Hideki Sato and Masami Ishikawa, who had worked on the SG-1000 II and
later led development of the Sega Genesis. According to Sato, the
console was redesigned because of the limitations of the Texas
Instruments TMS9918A graphics chip in the SG-1000, which did not have
the power for the kinds of games Sega wanted to make. The Mark III's
chip was designed in-house, based around the unit in Sega's System 2
arcade system board.
The Sega Mark III was released in Japan on October 20, 1985 at
¥15,000. Though its hardware was more powerful than the Famicom, the
Mark III was not successful on launch. Problems arose from Nintendo's
licensing practices with third-party developers, whereby Nintendo
required that games for the Famicom not be published on other
consoles. Sega developed its own games and obtained the rights to port
games from other developers, but they did not sell well.
North American release as Master System
=========================================
Though the SG-1000 had not been released in the United States, Sega
hoped that their video game console business would fare better in
North America than it had in Japan. To accomplish this, Sega of
America was established in 1986 to manage the company's consumer
products in North America. Rosen and Nakayama hired Bruce Lowry,
Nintendo of America's vice president of sales. Lowry was persuaded to
change companies because Sega would allow him to start his new office
in San Francisco. He chose the name "Sega of America" for his division
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. Sega of America
rebranded the Mark III 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 throwing darts
against 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 was a reference to the competitive
nature of both the video game industry and martial arts, in which only
one competitor can be the "Master". The console's futuristic 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 revealed in North America at the Summer
Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Chicago in June 1986. It was
initially sold in a package with the "Power Base" console, a light
gun, two controllers, and a pack-in multicart. The console was
launched in September 1986 at a price of $200 (200), including the
games 'Hang-On' and 'Safari Hunt'. Nintendo was exporting the Famicom
to the US as the NES, and both companies planned to spend $15 million
in late 1986 to market their consoles; Sega hoped 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
less than Nintendo's 1.1 million. Other sources indicate that more
than 250,000 Master System consoles were sold by Christmas 1986.
As in Japan, the Master System in North America had a limited game
library. Limited by Nintendo's licensing practices, Sega only had two
third-party American publishers, Activision and Parker Brothers.
Agreements with both of those companies came to an end in 1989. Sega
claimed that the Master System was the first console "where the
graphics on the box are actually matched by the graphics of the game",
and pushed the "arcade experience" in adverts. Its marketing
department was run by only two people, giving Sega a disadvantage in
advertising. As one method of promoting the console, at the end of
1987 Sega partnered with astronaut Scott Carpenter to start the "Sega
Challenge", a traveling program set up in recreational centers where
kids were tested on non-verbal skills such as concentration and the
ability to learn new skills. 'Out Run' and 'Shooting Gallery' were two
games included in the challenge.
In 1987, amid struggling sales in the US, Sega sold the US
distribution rights for the Master System to the toy company Tonka,
which had no experience with electronic entertainment systems. The
thinking at Sega behind the deal was to leverage Tonka's knowledge of
the American toy market, since Nintendo had marketed the NES as a toy
to great success in the region. The announcement was made shortly
after the 1987 Summer CES. During this time, much of Sega of America's
infrastructure shifted from marketing and distribution to focus on
customer service, and Lowry departed the company. Tonka blocked
localization of several popular Japanese games, and during 1988 were
less willing to purchase EPROMs needed for game cartridge manufacture
during a shortage. They also became less willing to invest in video
games after taking massive loans in purchasing Kenner Toys in 1987,
followed by poor holiday season sales and financial losses. Though the
distributor of the console had changed, the Master System continued to
perform poorly in the market.
The Mark III was rereleased as the Master System in Japan on October
18, 1987 for ¥16,800, but still sold poorly. Neither model posed a
serious challenge to Nintendo in Japan, and, according to Sato, Sega
was only able to attain 10% of the Japanese console market.
Europe, Brazil, and other markets
===================================
The Master System was launched in Europe in August 1987. It was
distributed by Mastertronic in the United Kingdom, Master Games in
France, and Ariolasoft in West Germany, though Ariolasoft initially
purchased the distribution rights for the United Kingdom. Because
Ariolasoft could not agree to a pricing agreement with Sega,
Mastertronic signed a deal in 1987 to take control of UK distribution,
and announced the deal at the 1987 Summer CES. The company announced
the release of 12 titles by autumn. Mastertronic advertised the Master
System as "an arcade in the home" and launched it at £99 (). Advance
orders from retailers were high, but Sega proved unable to deliver
inventory until Boxing Day on December 26, causing many retailers to
cancel their orders; Mastertronic and Master Games entered financial
crises and Ariolasoft vowed never to work with Sega again.
Mastertronic had already sold a minority interest to the Virgin Group
to enter the console business, and sold the remainder to avoid
bankruptcy. The newly rebranded Virgin Mastertronic took over all
European distribution in 1988.
Virgin Mastertronic focused marketing the Master System on ports of
Sega's arcade games and positioning it as a superior video game
alternative to the Commodore 64 and the ZX Spectrum computers. As a
result of this marketing and of Nintendo's less effective early
approaches in Europe, the Master System began to attract European
developers. The Master System held a significant part of the video
game console market in Europe through the release of Sega's succeeding
console, the Mega Drive. In 1989, Virgin Mastertronic began offering
rentals of the Master System console and 20 games. The United Kingdom
also hosted a Sega video games national championship, with the winner
competing against Japanese and American champions on the British
television show 'Motormouth'. Players competed in a variety of games,
including 'Astro Warrior', platform games, and sports games. During
the late 1980s, the Master System was outselling the NES in the United
Kingdom.
The Master System was successful in Europe. By 1990, the Master System
was the best-selling console in Europe, though the NES was beginning
to have a fast-growing user base in the UK. For the year 1990, Virgin
Mastertronic sold 150,000 Master Systems in the United Kingdom,
greater than the 60,000 Mega Drives and Nintendo's 80,000 consoles
sold in the same period. In the whole of Europe that year, Sega sold a
combined 918,000 consoles, greater than Nintendo's 655,000.
The Master System was also successful in Brazil, where it was
distributed by Tectoy and launched in September 1989. Tectoy, a
Brazilian toy company startup focused on electronic toys, reached out
to Sega about distributing their products. Despite hesitation given
the situation with Tonka in the US, Tectoy was eventually given
liberty to manage Sega products in Brazil. Their success distributing
Sega's laser tag gun based on the anime 'Zillion' gave Sega the
confidence to allow Tectoy to distribute the Master System. By the end
of 1990, the installed base in Brazil was about 280,000 units. Tectoy
introduced a telephone service with game tips, created a Master System
club, and presented the program 'Master Tips' during commercial breaks
of the television show 'Sessão Aventura' of Rede Globo. Nintendo did
not arrive in Brazil until 1993, and were unable to officially
compete, given that clones of the NES dominated the Brazilian market.
Tectoy claimed 80% of the Brazilian video game market.
In South Korea, the Sega Mark III was released by Samsung under the
name "Gam*Boy" in April 1989 and then the Master System II was
released under the name "Aladdin Boy" in 1992. It sold 720,000 units
in South Korea up until 1993, outselling the NES (released by Hyundai
Group as the "Comboy") and becoming the best-selling console in South
Korea up until 1993. The Master System was also popular in Australia,
where 250,000 units were sold in 1990 alone, and where it was more
successful than the NES. 650,000 Master System consoles had been sold
in Australia by November 1994.
Decline
=========
Although the Master System was a success in Europe, and later in
Brazil, it failed to ignite significant interest in the Japanese or
North American markets, which, by the mid-to-late 1980s, were both
dominated by Nintendo. By 1988, Nintendo held 83 percent of the North
American video game market. With Sega continuing to have difficulty
penetrating the home market, Sega's console R&D team, led by
Ishikawa and supervised by Sato, began work on a successor to the
Master System almost immediately after its launch. Another competitor
arose in Japan in 1987 when Japanese computer giant NEC released the
PC Engine (TurboGrafx-16 in North America) amid great publicity.
Sega released its next console, the 16-bit Mega Drive, in Japan on
October 29, 1988. The final licensed release for the Master System in
Japan was 'Bomber Raid' in 1989. In the same year, Sega was preparing
to release the new Mega Drive, rebranded Genesis, in North America.
Displeased with Tonka's handling of the Master System, Sega reacquired
the marketing and distribution rights to the Master System for the
United States. In 1990, Sega released the remodeled Master System II,
designed as a lower-cost version without the Sega Card slot. Sega
promoted the new model, but it sold poorly. By early 1992, Master
System production had ceased in North America, having sold between 1.5
million and 2 million units, behind both Nintendo and Atari, which
controlled 80 percent and 12 percent of the market respectively. The
last licensed Master System release in North America was 'Sonic the
Hedgehog' (1991).
In Europe, where the Master System was the best-selling console up
until 1990, the NES caught up with and narrowly overtook the Master
System in Western Europe during the early 1990s, though the Master
System maintained its lead in several markets such as the United
Kingdom, Belgium and Spain. In 1993, the Master System's estimated
active installed user base in Europe was 6.25 million units, larger
than that of the Mega Drive's 5.73 million that year but less than the
NES's 7.26 million. Combined with the Mega Drive, Sega represented the
majority of the European console market that year. The Master System
II was also successful and helped Sega to sustain their significant
market share. Releases continued into the 1990s in Europe, including
'Mercs', 'Sonic the Hedgehog 2' (both 1992), and 'Streets of Rage 2'
(1994).
The Master System has had continued success in Brazil, where dedicated
"plug and play" consoles emulating the original hardware continue to
be sold by Tectoy, including portable versions. These systems include
the Master System Compact and the Master System III, and Tectoy has
also received requests to remake the original Master System. A 2012
article on UOL wrote that Tectoy re-releases of the Master System and
Mega Drive combined sold around 150,000 units per year in Brazil. By
2016, Tectoy said they had sold 8 million units of Master System
branded systems in Brazil.
Technical specifications
======================================================================
The Master System's main CPU is an 8-bit Zilog Z80A rated for 4 MHz,
but runs at 3.58 MHz. It has 8 KB of ROM, 8 KB of RAM and 16 KB of
video RAM (VRAM). Video is provided through an RF switch (though Model
1s with an AV port can also output composite and even RGB video) and
displays at a resolution of 256 × 192 pixels and up to 32 colors at
one time from a total palette of 64 colors; the Video Display
Processor (VDP) graphics chip was designed by Sega for the Mark III.
The Master System measures 365 x, while the Mark III measures 318 x.
Both consoles use two slots for game input: one for Mega Cartridges
and one for Sega Cards, along with an expansion slot and two
controller ports. Sound is provided by the Texas Instruments SN76489
PSG built into the VDP, which can provide three square wave channels
and one noise channel. The Japanese version also integrates the Yamaha
YM2413 FM chip, an optional feature on the Mark III. With few
exceptions, Master System hardware is identical to the hardware in the
Mark III. Games for the console are playable on the Sega Genesis using
the Power Base Converter accessory, 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 higher CPU clock rate.
Sega produced several iterations of the Master System. The Master
System II, released in 1990, removed a number of components to reduce
cost: the Sega Card slot, reset button, power light, expansion port,
and startup music and logo. In most regions, the Master System II's
A/V port was omitted, leaving only RF output available; this was
reversed in France, where the local version of the Master System II
had only A/V video output available and omitted the RF hardware. In
Brazil, Tectoy released several licensed variations; the Master System
Super Compact functions wirelessly with an RF transmitter, and the
Master System Girl, molded in bright pink plastic, was targeted at
girls. The Master System 3 Collection, released in 2006, contains 120
built-in games. Handheld versions of the Master System were released
under several brands, such as Coleco in 2006.
Accessories
=============
|alt=Two Master system controllers alt=A Master System Light Phaser
alt=A pair of Sega 3D glasses
width="90" | width="90" | width="90" |
A number of cross-compatible accessories were created for the Mark III
and Master System. The controller consists of a rectangle with a D-pad
and two buttons. Sega also introduced additional Mark III controllers,
such as a paddle controller. A combination steering wheel and flight
stick, the Handle Controller, was released in 1989. The Sega Control
Stick is an arcade-style joystick with the buttons on the opposite
side as the standard controller. Unreleased in Europe, the Sega Sports
Pad utilizes a trackball and is compatible with three games. Sega also
created an expansion for its controller, the Rapid Fire Unit, that
allows for auto-fire by holding down one of two buttons. This unit
connects between the console and the controller. A light gun
peripheral, the Light Phaser, was based on the weapon of the same name
from the Japanese anime 'Zillion'. It is compatible with 13 games and
released exclusively in the West.
A pair of 3D glasses, the SegaScope 3-D, were created for games such
as 'Space Harrier 3-D', although Mark III users need an additional
converter to use them. The SegaScope 3-D works via an active shutter
3D system, creating a stereoscopic effect. The glasses need to be
connected to the Sega Card slot, and thus do not function with the
Master System II due to lack of the card slot. A total of eight games,
including 'Zaxxon 3-D' and 'OutRun 3-D', are compatible with the
glasses.
The Mark III has an optional RF transmitter accessory, allowing
wireless play that broadcasts the game being played on a UHF
television signal.
Game Gear
===========
Developed under the name "Project Mercury" and designed based on the
Master System's hardware, the Game Gear is a handheld game console. It
was first released in Japan on October 6, 1990, in North America and
Europe in 1991, and in Australia and New Zealand in 1992. Originally
retailing at 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 had released in 1989. There are similarities
between the Game Gear and the Master System hardware, but the games
are not directly compatible; Master System games are only playable on
Game Gear using the Master Gear Converter accessory. A large part of
the Game Gear's game library consists of Master System ports. Because
of hardware similarities, including the landscape screen orientation,
Master System games are easily portable to the handheld. In
particular, many Master System ports of Game Gear games were done by
Tectoy for the Brazilian market, as the Master System was more popular
than the Game Gear in the region.
Game library
======================================================================
Master System games came in two formats: ROM cartridges held up to 4
Mbit (512 KB) of code and data, while Sega Cards held up to 256 Kbit
(32 KB). Cartridges were marketed by their storage size: One Mega (1
Mbit), Two Mega (2 Mbit), and Four Mega (4 Mbit). Cards, cheaper to
manufacture than the cartridges, included 'Spy vs. Spy' and 'Super
Tennis', but were eventually dropped due to their small memory size.
The size of the release library varies based on region; North America
received just over 100 games, with Japan receiving less. Europe, by
contrast, received over 300 licensed games, including 8-bit ports of
Genesis games and PAL-exclusive releases. The first Mark III-specific
cartridge was 'Fantasy Zone', released on June 15, 1986, and 'Bomber
Raid' was the final release on February 4, 1989, a few months after
the launch of the Mega Drive. The final North American release was
'Sonic the Hedgehog' in October 1991. Games for PAL regions continued
to be released until the mid-1990s.
The Sega Mark III and the Japanese Master System are
backwards-compatible with SC-3000/SG-1000 cartridges, and can play
Sega Card games without the Card Catcher peripheral. However,
educational and programming cartridges for the SC-3000 require the
SK-1100 keyboard peripheral, which is compatible with the Mark III but
not the Japanese Master System. Mark III-specific games were initially
available in card format (labelled My Card Mark III to distinguish
themselves from games designed for the SC-3000/SG-1000), starting with
'Teddy Boy Blues' and 'Hang-On', both released on October 20, 1985.
Of the games released for the Master System, 'Phantasy Star' is
considered a benchmark role-playing game (RPG), and became a
successful franchise. Sega's flagship character at the time, Alex
Kidd, was featured in games including 'Alex Kidd in Miracle World'.
'Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap' was influential for its blend of
platform gameplay with RPG elements. Different Master System consoles
included built-in games, including 'Snail Maze,' 'Hang-On'/'Safari
Hunt', 'Alex Kidd in Miracle World' and 'Sonic the Hedgehog'.
Battery-backup save game support was included in eight cartridges,
including 'Penguin Land', 'Phantasy Star', 'Ys', and 'Miracle
Warriors'.
The more extensive PAL region library includes 8-bit entries in
Genesis franchises such as 'Streets of Rage', a number of additional
'Sonic the Hedgehog' games, and dozens of PAL exclusives such as 'The
Lucky Dime Caper Starring Donald Duck', 'Asterix', 'Ninja Gaiden',
'Master of Darkness', and 'Power Strike II'. 'Retro Gamer''s Damien
McFerran praised the "superb" PAL library of "interesting ports and
excellent exclusives", which was richer than the North American
library and provided a "drip-feed of quality titles".
After the Master System was discontinued in other markets, additional
games were released in Brazil by Tectoy, including ports of 'Street
Fighter II: Champion Edition' and 'Dynamite Headdy'. Tectoy created
Portuguese translations of games exclusive to the region. Some of
these would tie in to popular Brazilian entertainment franchises; for
example, 'Teddy Boy' became 'Geraldinho', certain 'Wonder Boy' titles
became 'Monica's Gang' games, and 'Ghost House' became 'Chapolim vs.
Dracula: Um Duelo Assutador', based on the Mexican TV series 'El
Chapulín Colorado'. Tectoy also ported games to the Master System,
including various games from the Genesis and Game Gear. Aside from
porting, the company developed 'Férias Frustradas do Pica-Pau' after
finding out that Woody Woodpecker (named Pica-Pau in Portuguese) was
the most popular cartoon on Brazilian television, along with at least
twenty additional exclusives. These titles were developed in-house by
Tectoy in Brazil.
Due in part to Nintendo's licensing practices, which stipulated that
third-party NES developers could not release games on other platforms,
few third-party developers released games for the Master System.
According to Sato, Sega was focused on porting its arcade games
instead of building relationships with third parties. According to
Sega designer Mark Cerny, most of Sega's early Master System games
were developed within a strict three-month deadline, which affected
their quality. 'Computer Gaming World' compared new Sega games to
"drops of water in the desert". Games for the Master System took
advantage of more advanced hardware compared to the NES; 'Alex Kidd in
Miracle World', for example, showcases "blistering colors and more
detailed sprites" than NES games. The Master System version of
'R-Type' was praised for its visuals, comparable to those of the
TurboGrafx-16 port.
In 2005, Sega reached a deal with the company AtGames to release
emulated Master System software in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China.
Several Master System games were released for download on Nintendo's
Wii Virtual Console, beginning with 'Hokuto no Ken' in 2008 in Japan
and 'Wonder Boy' in North America. Master System games were also
released via the GameTap online service.
Reception and legacy
======================================================================
Due to the continued release of new variants in Brazil, the Master
System is considered by many video gaming publications to be the
longest lived gaming console in video games history, a title it took
from the Atari 2600. Sales of the Master System have been estimated
between 10 million and 13 million units, not including later Brazil
sales. It saw much more continued success in Europe and Brazil than it
did in Japan and North America. In 1989, the Master System was listed
in the top 20 products of NPD Group's Toy Retail Sales Tracking
Service. However, the 'Electronic Gaming Monthly' 1992 Buyer's Guide
indicated a souring interest in the console. Four reviewers scored it
5, 4, 5, and 5 out of a possible 10 points each, focusing on the
better value of the Genesis and lack of quality games for the Master
System. In 1993, reviewers scored it 2, 2, 3, and 3 out of 10, noting
its abandonment by Sega in North America and lack of new releases. By
contrast, over 34 million NES units were sold in North America alone,
outselling the Master System's life time units globally nearly three
times over. According to Bill Pearse of 'Playthings', the NES gained
an advantage through better software and more recognizable characters.
Sega closed the gap with Nintendo in the next generation with the
release of the Genesis, which sold 30.75 million consoles compared
with the 49 million Super Nintendo Entertainment System consoles.
Retrospective feedback of the Master System praises its support toward
development of the Sega Genesis, but has been critical of its small
game library. Writing for 'AllGame', Dave Beuscher noted that the
Master System "was doomed by the lack of third-party software support
and all but disappeared from the American market by 1992." 'Retro
Gamer' writer Adam Buchanan praised the larger PAL library as a
"superb library of interesting ports and excellent exclusives". Damien
McFerran, also of 'Retro Gamer,' recognized its importance to the
success of the Genesis, 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' cited the Master System's small
and uneven NTSC library as the major problems: "Months could go by
between major releases and that made a dud on the Master System feel
even more painful."
License
=========
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Original Article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_System
