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Console1986

Sega Master System

Sega Master System
Model illustration · Image: Evan-Amos · Public domain · Source and original on Wikimedia Commons · Saved as WebP and resized where necessary
Photo: own photograph

Summary

The Master System is the version of the Sega Mark III produced for the West. The exterior, like Nintendo’s NES, has been changed for the western market, but technically it does not differ from the original. The card slot is taken over by Mark III, but proves to be superfluous. Only 15 games appear for this format, while over 300 are published on regular modules.

The new name “Master System” officially refers to the superior winner in a duel – an allusion to the competition of the NES. In fact, the name is chosen by the American employees by throwing a dart.

Sega has no chance against Nintendo in the USA. The Master System is the technically superior console, but the NES is already widely used and has a larger range of games. The Master System sold better in Europe and was particularly successful in Brazil.

Special case Brazil

In Brazil, the master system developed an unusually long afterlife. Tectoy introduced the console there in September 1989 and produced more variants for decades. In 2009, the company introduced new master system models, while Sega itself no longer produced consoles. Historical report

These new editions include the Master System Evolution, which Tectoy describes as a plug-and-play device with 132 built-in games. The long history of the Master System in Brazil thus includes different device generations and technical versions under the same name. Tectoy product description

Family tree

  1. PredecessorSega Mark III
  2. This objectSega Master System
  3. SuccessorMega Drive/Genesis

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