Sega master or Power Base Converter

[Mel]

Does anyone ever play this system?

[Melf]

I have the Master System (the one with Hang-On and Safari Hunt installed). The PBC is awesome, but I've heard conflicting reports about whether or not you can save with it. I remember I couldn't save Ys, but others have said they could save Phantasy Star.

[Russman]

I have a PBC, but I don't use it much. Not all the games are compatible with Genesis controllers, so you have to use an old SMS pad, which I don't really care for.

[landstalkerx]

I have a SMS but I don't use it very often. I only have 4 games for it though.

[Elusive]

I have a Master System 2, the (inferior to the SMS1 =P) Alex Kidd model. What's interesting is how different the attitude was to it in the UK as opposed to how it fared in the US.

For example, it's ironic that the games that're common as dirt in Europe (Sonic 1, Alex Kidd in Miracle World etc.) are actually rarer than hen's teeth in the States. Seriously, how many games did you guys miss out on, thanks to Captain N?

I love the Master System. It's got some fantastic games in its library (the Sonic series, RPGs like Ys & Phantasy Star, Zillion, Kenseiden etc. - not to mention fantastic conversions like OutRun, Shinobi, Road Rash and Streets of Rage), it's technically superior to the NES, and it attempted different styles of gameplay - for example, the 3D glasses, cheaper card games, backwards compatability with the SG-1000 and SC-3000, and so on.

Also, point of order: There is only one game not compatible with the Mega Drive/Genesis controllers, and that's Alien Storm. All the others work fine with buttons B & C.

And I own a third-party Master System Converter, the Pro Mega-Master, released by Datel in Europe. Its compatability rate is a bit below that of the official SMSCoverter, though. Plus the 'pause' button's really teeny tiny, which is a drag as it can wiggle the cart and crash your game.

Did you know the SMS is actually Sega's #2 best-selling console?

[Drixxel]

I knew it sold remarkably well in Europe and South America, but was unaware that it ranks in at second place for Sega bestsellers. Interesting.

[Melf]

it's technically superior to the NES, and it attempted different styles of gameplay - for example, the 3D glasses, cheaper card games, backwards compatability with the SG-1000 and SC-3000, and so on.

Really? I didn't know that. So I could play SG-1000 and SC-3000 games right on my Master System?


Also, point of order: There is only one game not compatible with the Mega Drive/Genesis controllers, and that's Alien Storm. All the others work fine with buttons B & C.

The U.S. version of Wonder Boy in Monster World will not work with a six-button Genesis pad, unless you hold down the mode button when you start the game. Otherwise, WB just spazzes out (literally) in the same place and won't move.

[j_factor]

Cyborg Justice doesn't work with Genesis controllers, I don't think.

[Mel]

I don't know, there's so much stuff I can do with the genesis, I'm not sure if it's worth the trouble...

I'm a big platformer fan, so i was hoping that I could expand my library with some sms classics, but since it was so obscure in the US... I don't even know what titles are considered superior...

[j_factor]

I only have about 5 SMS games and it's not hooked up. It's a good system, though.

Just for you Mel, I'll list its best platformers. I'm excluding those available on Genesis, but including those available on GG.

Alex Kidd in Miracle World
Alex Kidd in Shinobi World
Psycho Fox
Asterix
Lucky Dime Caper (starring Donald Duck)
Kenseiden
Jurassic Park (different game from any other JP)
Land of Illusion (starring Mickey Mouse)
Quartet
Sonic, Sonic 2, Sonic Chaos
and of course the Wonderboy games

[Hokkus]

I bought mine few months ago. I only have 4 games so far.

So far so good. Shinobi absolutely rocks, Wonderboy is very good too and Alex Kidd in Miracle World is excellent except I hate those yanken matches.

[Elusive]

it's technically superior to the NES, and it attempted different styles of gameplay - for example, the 3D glasses, cheaper card games, backwards compatability with the SG-1000 and SC-3000, and so on.

Really? I didn't know that. So I could play SG-1000 and SC-3000 games right on my Master System?

Yes, but only if you have a Japanese Master System - the Japanese Master System is basically a Mark 3 revision of the SG line of computers made by Sega These computers are all bacwards compatible. The Mark 3 was exported and redesigned as the Master System, with a different cartridge slot created: as such, a SG/SC cart won't fit in an American or European 'Master System'. I don't know if one could whip up an adapter, though. *shrugs*

A brief history of Sega's personal computers:

The SG-1000 was an 8-bit console, and it had 3 revisions: Marks 1, 2 and 3.
Mark I was Sega's first console, and was sold only in Europe and Japan. Mark II was the same as the Mark I, but it had an optional keyboard attachment and 'Card Catcher' that plugged into the cart slot, allowing the machine to play card-based games (first produced for play on this console). The Mark III was the Mark II with added RAM and better video hardware. It came with built-in Sega Card support, and is fully backwards compatible. It was the MArk III that was designed to compete with the Famicom. Strangely, it was this model that was redesigned as the 'Master System' and sold globally. The rest is history.
The SC-3000 is the 'home computer' version of the SG-1000 cartridge-based gaming console. Bottom line, it's an 8-bit home computer with built-in keyboard, disk drive, etc.

Pictures

http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/8690/sg1000mk14df.th.jpg (http://img127.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sg1000mk14df.jpg)
^ SG-1000 mk1. Note the rectangley cartridge - it's vaguely a 'Master System' cart turned on its end, don't you think?

http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/3237/sg1000mk25iy.th.jpg (http://img127.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sg1000mk25iy.jpg)
^ SG-1000 mk2

http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/8103/segamarkiii6wg.th.jpg (http://img127.imageshack.us/my.php?image=segamarkiii6wg.jpg)
^ The Mark 3 - i.e. the Japanese version of the Master System.

http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/5572/smsmodels1cu.th.jpg (http://img127.imageshack.us/my.php?image=smsmodels1cu.jpg)
^ What the Mark 3 was exported as - note the redesigned shape and cart slot.

http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/7826/jamaenesesms3dc.th.jpg (http://img127.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jamaenesesms3dc.jpg)
^ Now THIS is interesting: The 'Master System' was re-imported into Japan, and was given an extra little touch: The unit had an extra sound chip installed, gving the machine an extra 9 sound channels. As such, most Japanese Master System games sound better (a LOT better) than their European or American counterparts. Play the Japanese Phantasy Star or Space Harrier games in Japanese mode, and then Euro/US mode in the SMS emulator of your choice: can you hear the difference?

http://www.retrogames.co.uk/stock/assets/images/Mach_-_Sega_SC3000H.jpg

^ And finally, the SC-3000. The computerised version of the SG consoles - the console games could be played with this system, though. Backwads compatability again.

/encyclopaedia =P

[j_factor]

I'm pretty sure the Card Catcher games (as well as the SMS Card games) work cross-territory.

[Mel]

Well, i got my Powerbase converter yesterday, and a copy of shinobi.

My reactions (in hindsight) were pretty damn funny.

After hearing the sounds (after months of nothing but genesis) and looking at the graphics, my reaction was "Are you f****** kidding me?"

I played it for 15 minutes. Its one of the best 8-bit games i've ever played. Very fun. I was expecting something closer to ninja gaiden (nes), but Its closer to altered beast in the way it plays. Very arcade.

I'm going to try to get wonderboy 3 next.

Now if I could only get my segacd back, I would have all the sega systems, muahahaha.

[AlexKidd]

I was one of the 5 people in the U.S who had a master system as a kid rather than an nes. Alex Kidd in Miracle World was the first video game I ever played. I still have the one I had back then along with another one.
I have somewhere between 30-40 games for it. Now that I have a few nes systems and about 100 games for those i'm not sure what I like more. The nes has a lot of games which are on tons of different systems while the sms has some more unique titles. They're both cool in their own way.

[lordofduct]

What I never understood is why people actually put up with the NES and that damn cartridge slot problem.

I don't know ANYONE who didn't have to blow there cart a hundred times before it worked and still feared it crashing mid game.

Yeah now we have replacement ones on ebay, but back then no one knew about that. We put up and dealt.

No one really bitched to the point of boycott though. But when the Dreamcast had "a loud GD-ROM motor" (which I never noticed), everyone has to flip a lid and shun the thing??? I'm confused with gamers logic. Just like the "oh Playstation has a huge library!" yeah, of which 70% is total crap. Thank god there are SEGA fans out there still.

[Melf]

MS Shinobi is so underrated. It was amazing for the time, and was very close to the arcade, given the hardware.

[j_factor]

You know, I never had that many troubles with my NES. Could have something to do with the fact that the only unit I ever had was a refurbished one?

[Mel]

Does Phantasy Star work on the PBC?

[j_factor]

Yes. As far as I know, compatibility is 100%.

[Melf]

You know, I never had that many troubles with my NES. Could have something to do with the fact that the only unit I ever had was a refurbished one?

Wouldn't surprise me. Both my Model II Genesis and Sega CD are refurbished, and I've had them both problem-free since 1996.

*Knocks on wood.

[acdc]

master system is the shit

[Mr. Ksoft]

Nice bump just to say that... I must agree though, from what I've emulated.

I wish I could find a SMS around here, but I'm American so that pretty much kills my chances of ever locating one :P

[wizzzard77]

If your looking for a SMS check out this site http://www.gaminggenerations.com/store/ they are the local used game store here in town. They have a nice system with quite a few games to go with it that has been sitting in the shop for a couple months now. It is in good shape and they had it running on one of the demonstration TVs and it works well. They also have a ton of model 1 Genesis systems in the back room. I picked up a non-TMSS unit in mint chape for cheap with a 32x.

[Mr. Ksoft]

Really huh? Their website doesn't seem to list one.

[wizzzard77]

Yeah Evan hasn't put all his inventory online yet but if you send them an e-mail I'm sure the'll set you up. I was down there on Saturday and it was still there. Its a small business and he's been setting up his new store in Steves Point, WI and inventory stuff is a little behind I think. Give them a ring there good guys and will work with ya.