Sega's Master System never won the US console war, but it quietly reshaped gaming worldwide, turning Europe, Brazil, and beyond into unexpected strongholds of the 8-bit revolution.
Sega Master System: An International Gaming Legend
- Thread starter Amir Shoam
- Start date
gamerk2
Posts: 1,602 +2,026
"The next generation Sega Saturn was released in 1995 outside of Japan. However its impractical dual-CPU architecture could be seen as a metaphor for the lack of collaboration between Sega of America and Sega of Japan, which led to Sony creating the PlayStation alone rather than jointly with Sega."
There really wasn't any collaboration between Sony and Sega after Nintendo left Sony at the altar. I know that SGI was consulted on Sega's end, but they decided to eventually go it alone (SGI eventually partnered with Nintendo on the N64).
Its also important to remember that the Genesis was a flop in Japan; it lost outright to both the SNES and PC Engine. Sega's big business in Japan was it's Arcade market, so they wanted to build a console that was built on it's Arcade architecture that titles could be ported to easily. By contrast, Sega of America had a smash hit with the Genesis, and wanted to leverage it's install base (hence the Sega-CD, 32x, and Neptune project). These two factions were *never* going to agree on anything. Hence the failure to come up with a successor to the Genesis.
There really wasn't any collaboration between Sony and Sega after Nintendo left Sony at the altar. I know that SGI was consulted on Sega's end, but they decided to eventually go it alone (SGI eventually partnered with Nintendo on the N64).
Its also important to remember that the Genesis was a flop in Japan; it lost outright to both the SNES and PC Engine. Sega's big business in Japan was it's Arcade market, so they wanted to build a console that was built on it's Arcade architecture that titles could be ported to easily. By contrast, Sega of America had a smash hit with the Genesis, and wanted to leverage it's install base (hence the Sega-CD, 32x, and Neptune project). These two factions were *never* going to agree on anything. Hence the failure to come up with a successor to the Genesis.
Neatfeatguy
Posts: 2,246 +4,536
The Master System was the one console that was never in my possession when growing up. I didn't even know anyone that owned one. Guess that's why is slipped under my radar as a kid. It was Atari and Nintendo.
I didn't get into Sega until I purchased one around 1990 when I was about 10/11 years old. Saved up my money from mowing, allowance and working card shows. I remembered playing the crap out of Virtua Fighter in the arcade and was stoked when it was coming to the Genesis, but only if you had the 32x adapter for it. So I purchased the adapter and a handful of games for it and got to play Virtua Fighter at home now - not as good as the arcade, but I didn't have to leave the house to play when I wanted to.
I didn't get into Sega until I purchased one around 1990 when I was about 10/11 years old. Saved up my money from mowing, allowance and working card shows. I remembered playing the crap out of Virtua Fighter in the arcade and was stoked when it was coming to the Genesis, but only if you had the 32x adapter for it. So I purchased the adapter and a handful of games for it and got to play Virtua Fighter at home now - not as good as the arcade, but I didn't have to leave the house to play when I wanted to.
NumberNine
Posts: 1,935 +3,964
I'd always wondered why there was so much overlap between the Mega Drive / Genesis and Master System libraries and this article clears that up. Good stuff.
hahahanoobs
Posts: 5,784 +3,513
My introduction to Wonder Boy and my favourite 8-bit era controller. 
I really liked Master System more, maybe because I had Game Gear also ;-)
Mostly games looks better, and in Europe Master System was more favorite, then NES...
But lets be honest, both Nintendon't a Sega was and especially Nintendon't continue to be super evil companies...
Anyway everybody quickly switched to Mega Drive and everybody forgot about SNES, at least everybody around me ;-)
We also had Commodore C64 and in 95 we switched to PC, and if there wasn't Gran Turismo, I had never touched consoles again
Mostly games looks better, and in Europe Master System was more favorite, then NES...
But lets be honest, both Nintendon't a Sega was and especially Nintendon't continue to be super evil companies...
Anyway everybody quickly switched to Mega Drive and everybody forgot about SNES, at least everybody around me ;-)
We also had Commodore C64 and in 95 we switched to PC, and if there wasn't Gran Turismo, I had never touched consoles again
Thrackerzod
Posts: 257 +370
If I recall correctly "Master System" was indeed supposed to be the bundle name for the expensive set, as there was a cheaper set called the "Sega Base System". The official name of the console was "Sega System" and the console unit was called the Power Base. It was all very confusing.
One of the things a lot of people miss when they talk about the good old days of gaming is that distribution wasn't that great. I was born in 81. It was very difficult to even find stores before the 90's selling video game systems. Toys R Us and the Wiz were the main go to. KB Toys, Software ETC and Electronic Boutique were the others. Software ETC and EB sold more expensive stuff like imported games, Neo Geo, Turbo Graphyx 16, and PC games.
But distribution was very limited back then. Nowadays you hear of systems selling out on day one to hundreds of people on lines. It wasn't that way back then. First of all, these things were expensive and everyone didn't have credit cards. Further: many stores didn't have them. Nowadays you can get a video game console, a 70" TV and a side of beef brisket from Walmart or Target stores.
I never once saw a Sega Master system on a store shelf.
My older cousin had one.
My other older cousins had the Nintendo NES with Gyromite Robot.
It was Game Gear and Genesis that enjoyed better availability.
Things got a lot better in the 90's and obviously in the 2000's. I can sit here at my desk, order a console and have it in a few hours from Amazon without leaving the house.
The games were even worse. Many games you heard about but never saw available in stores. Or: the production was more expensive and they were in short availability or wildly expensive.
Now you just download them.
But distribution was very limited back then. Nowadays you hear of systems selling out on day one to hundreds of people on lines. It wasn't that way back then. First of all, these things were expensive and everyone didn't have credit cards. Further: many stores didn't have them. Nowadays you can get a video game console, a 70" TV and a side of beef brisket from Walmart or Target stores.
I never once saw a Sega Master system on a store shelf.
My older cousin had one.
My other older cousins had the Nintendo NES with Gyromite Robot.
It was Game Gear and Genesis that enjoyed better availability.
Things got a lot better in the 90's and obviously in the 2000's. I can sit here at my desk, order a console and have it in a few hours from Amazon without leaving the house.
The games were even worse. Many games you heard about but never saw available in stores. Or: the production was more expensive and they were in short availability or wildly expensive.
Now you just download them.
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