Sega Master System <SMS> is an 8-bit system that belongs to the 3rd generation of home consoles. It was powered by the famous Zilog Z80A CPU at 3.58MHz <a well-known processor that was also found in the ZX Spectrum, which for many was their first computer during the 80s>, the memory was 8KB of RAM, while the resolution was 256×192 pixels with a total of 32 colors on-screen simultaneously. Sound was handled by a Texas Instruments chip, which Sega used in almost all of its machines <SG-1000, SC-3000, Game Gear>, while the Yamaha YM2413 sound chip was also present in the Japanese Sega Mark III variants of the console.

What’s interesting is that there was also an audio upgrade for the system in the form of the so-called FM Sound Expansion Board, which used the aforementioned Yamaha chip to synthesize a completely different, richer, and more complex sound <featuring 9 channels>. It was similar to what we later heard on the Mega Drive/Genesis console. Some games, like Space Harrier, had support for FM Sound, and today there are reproductions of that expansion, but they are not cheap. On the other hand, the console accepted two game formats – lighter games with basic memory requirements came on Sega Cards, while more complex titles were released on cartridge.

The SMS directly originates from the Japanese Sega Mark III, which was the third revision of the SG-1000 console <first released on July 15, 1983 — the same day as the Nintendo Famicom>. The Sega Mark III appeared in 1985 and was soon redesigned for Western markets, being introduced a year later as the Sega Master System in America. The European version of the console arrived in 1987, while in my country, which was called Yugoslavia at the time, it didn’t appear until 1990.

My Master System console was bought for me by my late father from the then-famous Serbian company General Export-Import. The console itself cost 12.000 dinars, while the games were around 3.000 dinars. Considering that the average salary here was about 9.000 dinars at the time, we can agree that SMS wasn’t cheap at all, nor was it affordable for many households, primarily because of the situation my country was in.

Unfortunately, due to the Yugoslav wars that followed, distribution of the Master System ceased as early as 1991, and individual units were obtained exclusively through gray-market channels. In the mid-90s, the famous Belgrade company Beosoft began distributing the popular Sega Mega Drive console and also had titles for the Sega Master System. I personally acquired some games from a customs liquidation store, and it wasn’t until the early 2000’s that I expanded my collection at flea markets, where the games were being brought in as electronic waste.

Sega Master System was also known for its built-in games, which varied across different BIOS versions and regions :

As for additional accessories, in addition to the two joypads that were included in the standard package, the following were also available for purchase :

When it comes to games, I’ll mention some titles that I consider essential and that, in my opinion, everyone should try :

What’s particularly interesting is that before the famous Nintendo plumber with a mustache, Sega had its own mascot, but never officially revealed it. It was the small flying ship, Opa-Opa, from the game Fantasy Zone. Some older fans believe the mascot should have been Professor Playor, who was found at the end of every printed instruction manual, while many users felt the mascot should be Alex Kidd. Ultimately, the famous Sonic The Hedgehog now represents Sega. This might have led to a humorous detail where the name of Alex Kidd appears on a tombstone in the game Altered Beast, a nod to Sonic having “killed” him. 🤣

Although it was technically superior to its competitor, the Nintendo NES, the Master System did not enjoy the same popularity, especially in America where the NES was presented as a savior after the infamous 1983 video game crash. On the other hand, Europe never had that situation because it was dominated by the home computer scene, such as the Commodore C64 and ZX Spectrum. It’s also interesting that the SMS outsold the NES in Europe and Australia, and that it is still being manufactured in Brazil, a practice that began back in 1989 due to high taxes on imported electronics. The company TecToy signed a contract with Sega to legally assemble the consoles within Brazil, which drastically lowered the price of the SMS. It is the only console in the world that has been in production for nearly 40 years, thanks to its popularity and cult following in this Latin American country. Moreover, the system saw unique Brazilian releases, such as versions of Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat 3 that were never released globally.

If you’re planning on getting this incredible console, you should know this :

◆ These days, Master System hardware doesn’t come cheap. Putting together a decent game collection isn’t for the faint of heart, given that prices are climbing and original games are getting harder to find by the day.

◆ Gameplay-wise, it doesn’t really matter whether you go for the original SMS or the SMS2. Personally, I prefer the aesthetic of the first version, but for everyday use, I use the SMS2.

◆ I recommend that every PAL console owner’s first step after acquiring the unit is to do the 50Hz/60Hz region mod <I won’t go into why this needs to be done, as that’s a story in itself> and wire up the dual mono audio output.

◆ Don’t bother too much with buying original games, instead, get an Everdrive emulator cartridge that can hold a complete collection of games, starting from the SC-1000 all the way to the Sega Game Gear.

To conclude, I would add that the Sega Master System unfortunately struggled to match the mainstream success of the Nintendo NES due to market conditions, weaker game selection and poor marketing. The SMS never really had a chance to become a more dominant system, so maybe that’s why I personally felt the need to always “defend” it. Whenever I reminisce about my childhood, it usually comes to the forefront as a beautiful symbol of my carefree youth. The Sega Master System has always been and always will be my favorite console in the collection, and the only one I want to literally be buried with. 🙌