website/content/museum/sega-master-system.md

---
title: Sega Master System
categories:
- Consoles
origins:
- Japan
years:
- '1986'
cpus:
- Zilog Z80
params:
  name: Master System
  company: /companies/sega
  company_name: Sega
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: Master System
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Sega
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: Japan
  - label: YEAR
    value: June 1986 (U.S.A.) 1987 (Europe, Japan)
  - label: END OF PRODUCTION
    value: 1989 (Japan) 1990 (Europe, U.S.A.)
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: Hang On or Missile Defense 3D or Hang On and Astro Warrior or Hang On and Safari Hunt
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: 8-way d-pad, 2 buttons
  - label: CPU
    value: Zilog Z80
  - label: SPEED
    value: |-
      3.579545 MHz (NTSC)\
      3.54 MHz (PAL)
  - label: CO-PROCESSOR
    value: |-
      Texas Instruments TMS9928A VDP (NTSC)\
      Texas Instruments TMS9929A VDP (PAL)
  - label: RAM
    value: 8 KB
  - label: VRAM
    value: 16 KB
  - label: ROM
    value: 8 KB to 256 KB depending on built-in software
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: 256x192, 256x224, 256x240 (PAL only), 16 sprites (8 x 8 pixels)
  - label: COLORS
    value: 64 palette, 32 on screen (16 sprite, 16 background)
  - label: SOUND
    value: |-
      Texas Instruments SN76489 DCSG, 4 channel mono (3 tone channels, 1 white noise channel)\
      Yamaha YM2413 9 channel FM (Japan only)
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: Unknown
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: Cartridge, Sega Card slot, RF/AV outputs, Expansion Port, 2 Controller ports
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: Cartridge, Sega Cards
  - label: OS
    value: '303'
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: 9V DC, 850 mA
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: 3D glasses, Light Phazer
  - label: PRICE
    value: $199.99
  tabs:
  - photos
  - adverts
  - hardware
  - connectors
  - emulators
  - links
  - videos
  photos:
  - title: SEGA MASTER SYSTEM
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: FRONT
    subtitle: ''
    text: We can spot here the two controller connectors and the card slot.
    image: null
  - title: RIGHT SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: REAR
    subtitle: ''
    text: Not much here... Just the Audio/Video output connector, and the power in. Notice that Genesis / Megadrive A/V cable can be used with the Master System. They both have the same pinouts. Good to know...
    image: null
  - title: TOP
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: BOTTOM
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: CARD SLOT
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: CONTROL PAD
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: BOX
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: SEGA MASTER SYSTEM II
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: SMS2 POWER BASE
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: FRONT
    subtitle: ''
    text: The card slot is gone, and only the two controller connectors are left.
    image: null
  - title: RIGHT SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: REAR
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      Not much here... Just the Audio/Video output connector, and the power in. But this is a french system. US and UK systems have a poor RF aerial connector instead of the this A/V one.

      Notice that Genesis / Megadrive A/V cable can be used with the Master System. They both have the same pinouts. Good to know...
    image: null
  - title: TOP
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: BOTTOM
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  adverts:
  - title: FRENCH ADVERT (SEPT. 1987)
    subtitle: ''
    text: '"Arcades games in an armchair"'
    image: null
  - title: 'FRENCH ADVERT #2 (SEPT. 1987)'
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  hardware:
  - title: 3D GLASSES
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: 3D GLASSES
    subtitle: 'Picture #2'
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: 3D GLASSES - BOX
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: CONTROL STICK
    subtitle: 'Picture #1'
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: CONTROL STICK
    subtitle: 'Picture #2'
    text: ''
    image: null
  connectors:
  - title: A/V CONNECTOR PINOUT
    subtitle: ''
    text: This is the same pinout as the Sega Mark III and Genesis / Megadrive
    image: null
  - title: JOYSTICK
    subtitle: ''
    text: Same pinout as the SG-1000 and Mark III
    image: null
  - title: LIGHT PHASER
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  emulators:
  - title: Dega
    url: http://www.mameworld.net/easyemu/degatut.htm
    platform: Windows
    text: SMS, Mark III and Game Gear emulator
  - title: MEKA
    url: http://www.smspower.org/meka/
    platform: Windows
    text: Multi-system emulator (SG-1000, Mark III, SMS, SC-3000, Game Gear, Colecovision, Othello Multivision)
  - title: Past-O-Rama
    url: http://www.system16.com/pastorama/
    platform: Windows
    text: Sega systems emulator
  links:
  - title: GameFAQs
    url: http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/sms/game/22669.html
    text: Excellent site gathering several Sega Master System FAQs
  - title: IGN.COM
    url: http://codes.ign.com/lists/20137/068/index.html
    text: A LOT of Sega Master System game codes
  - title: MEKA Software Database
    url: http://www.smspower.org/meka/wip/meka.nam
    text: Very precise and useful software database (SMS, GG, Coleco, etc.)
  - title: Official Master System pages from Sega!
    url: http://www.sega.co.jp/archive/segahard/master/
    text: Excellent. Lot of info here (specs, pix, soft lists, ads,etc.)
  - title: Sega Master System, the console legend
    url: http://www.geocities.com/snappa_fcw/sega.html
    text: SMS dedicated website. A lot of stuff here.
  - title: SMS Power
    url: http://smspower.speedhost.com/
    text: Excellent site supporting all Sega 8-bit systems
  - title: UK Sega Master System page
    url: http://www.severedbbs.u-net.com/fletcher/SMS.html
    text: History, pictures and tech info
  - title: www.alexkidd.com
    url: http://www.alexkidd.com/
    text: FAQs, Game reviews, hardware & peripheral pics and info, ads, links and much more
  - title: www.sega8bit.com
    url: http://www.sega8bit.com/
    text: Featuring a games database, release and rarity information, plus the most active SMS related forums on the web
  videos:
  - title: Sega Master System TV commercial
    url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5vreoJLLRM
    text: 'Length: 31s'
  comments:
  - author: Rod (canada)
    date: Friday 25th December 2020
    text: This was a good little console. But there''s one big thing I don''t like about it. And that is the controller. It''s perfectly functional and all that, but it just never felt comfortable to use for long periods of times. Mainly because of the overly sharp contours of the controllers itself. Not to mention that mushy feeling shield D-pad and buttons. just never felt right in my hands...
  - author: Craig (Texas, Republic of)
    date: Saturday 19th June 2010
    text: |-
      The first RPG on a North American console was on the SMS, but it was not Phantsy Star (released on December 20, 1987 in Japan and in 1988 in NA ) it was Miracle Warriors: Seal of the Dark Lord (released on October 18, 1987).

      The built-in maze game was called Snail Maze.
  - author: Mrnintendo64guy (USA)
    date: Sunday 11th April 2010
    text: these things are hard to find
  - author: Thomsonicus (Poland)
    date: Tuesday 8th August 2006
    text: I have a fully functional Master System II console, two oryginal pads and some games. The built-in was "Sonic the Hedgehog". I must admit that this machine has very good graphics and sound and some games which were also released on the PC at that time weren't as good looking :) All games were released in nice Sega boxes, with instructions and so on. Ultima 4 had also two books to be read (one written in runic alphabet!), a poster and a biiig map :D Still working but the cartridge slot has proven to be quite problematic after all those years, must be corrosion or something...
  - author: Jason Bernier (USA)
    date: Wednesday 11th May 2005
    text: |-
      I had a Master System... If you turned it on without any cartidge or card in it, you were able to play a simple maze game that was built in to the system.

      Kinda kewl....
  - author: Michael Veale (Australia)
    date: Friday 27th June 2003
    text: I had the Sega Master System 2 I think it was great. We only had Alex the Kid on it though
  related:
  - /museum/sega-mark-iii
  - /museum/sega-master-system-ii
  - /museum/sega-master-system-iii
  - /museum/sega-sg-1000
  - /museum/sega-sg-1000-mark-ii
  oc_id: 840
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230204174803/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=840
    date: '2023-02-04'
---

The Sega Master System (SMS) was originally released as the Sega [Mark III](/museum/sega-mark-iii/) in Japan. It was released after Nintendo's [NES](/museum/nintendo-nes/) (Nintendo Entertainment System) and was never able to catch up to its level of success. The hardware was superior to that of the NES but the number of quality games on Nintendo's console far out numbered those on the Master System.

There were some quality titles on the system and it was also the first system to have a role-playing game (RPG) in North America. This game was of course Phantasy Star which was released in 1988. The SMS also enjoyed versions of Sonic The Hedgehog, Ghouls and Ghosts, and even Mortal Kombat.

There were some interesting peripherals for the system like the 3D glasses. They hooked up through the card slot on the system and with compatible software created a 3D effect. It worked quite well. One problem was you could see the shutter of the glasses while playing which detracted from the enjoyment of the game. There was also a light gun for the system called the Light Phazer.

The SMS could play two types of games; cartridges and Sega Cards. The cartridges were used most of the time. The cards were for smaller games (32 KB max).

Early in the Master System's life Sega sold the U.S. rights to Tonka. Sega thought that the toy company would be able to market the system better then they could but they were very wrong. In 1989 Sega took control of the U.S. rights again but by then it was too late.

In 1990, after the release of the [Genesis](/museum/sega-genesis/)/[Mega Drive](/museum/sega-mega-drive/), Sega released a re-designed console, the [Master System II](/museum/sega-master-system-ii/), in the U.S. and Europe to try and cut production costs and attract new users.

TRIVIA : Did you know that there is a hidden game called "The Snail Maze Game" in the Master System? To play this game, turn on your power base without a cartridge. While the Sega Master System logo is appearing on the screen, press and hold the directional button in the up position while simultaneously holding down buttons 1 and 2. Once the logo fully appears, the first maze will scroll onto the screen from the right. Have fun.

---

Adapted from Miles Mason's Master System text

**Taneli Lukka from Filand adds :**\
The AV-connector of the original Master System was deleted from Master System II together with the card slot to save in manufacturing costs. This only leaves the RF-connector for TV-output (for US & UK systems) which is a bad handicap for today's players as the picture quality is very poor with the RF-lead. Because of this many collector's consoles have been modified by adding RGB-output. All Master System models also share one bad feature. This is the pause button which is mounted on the console itself instead of the controller so it's very hard to get to it quickly. The pause button and reset button are also identical so you can quite easily press reset instead of pause if you are not careful. Pray that you are not in the final level of Shinobi when that happens...