Difference between revisions of "Sega Master System"
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GerbilSoft (talk | contribs) (→Graphics: SMS supports 32 colors out of 64 (6-bit). Where did the 256 come from?) |
GerbilSoft (talk | contribs) (→Miscellaneous: SMS still doesn't have a 256-color palette.) |
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'''Can [[Game Gear]] games be played on the SMS?''' | '''Can [[Game Gear]] games be played on the SMS?''' | ||
| − | The Game Gear can run SMS carts, of course, but that may very well be due to intentional downward compatibility of the GG to the SMS, and such may not work in reverse. The only hardware difference known between the two on a chip level is that the GG can define 4096 possible colors, while the SMS can only define | + | The Game Gear can run SMS carts, of course, but that may very well be due to intentional downward compatibility of the GG to the SMS, and such may not work in reverse. The only hardware difference known between the two on a chip level is that the GG can define 4096 possible colors, while the SMS can only define 64 colors, but that may be enough. If the GG has more colors, than it must have a different method of setting each of the color registers than the SMS did: The SMS color can be determined by one byte, so probably only needed one register, whereas a number from 0 to 4095 needs two bytes, and therefore the GG chips probably have two color registers, or one register with a special system which allows both bytes to be written one half at a time. |
| − | The Game Gear was probably designed to allow the color registers to be set by either the | + | The Game Gear was probably designed to allow the color registers to be set by either the 64 color method (for downward compatibility), or the 4096 color method, whereas the SMS was created before the GG, so it would not support a GG-specific game's method of setting colors. |
The possible problems resulting from this incongruety -alone- might be: | The possible problems resulting from this incongruety -alone- might be: | ||
Revision as of 02:25, 16 August 2008
For information on the earlier Japanese version of the console, see SG-1000 Mark III.
Contents
History
The SG-1000 Mark III came after the SG-1000 Mark I and SG-1000 Mark II. It was released in Japan on October 20, 1985. The mascot of the system was Alex Kidd.
The system was redesigned and was sold in the United States under the name Sega Master System in June 1986, one year after the Nintendo Entertainment System was released. The console sold for $200. The Master System was then released in other places, including a second release in Japan in 1987 under its new name.
Though the Master System was more technically advanced in some ways than the NES, it did not attain the same level of popularity among consumers in the United States. Its lack of success in the U.S. has been attributed to various causes, among them the difference in game titles available for each platform, and the slightly later release date of the Master System. The licensing agreement that Nintendo had with its third-party game developers may have had an impact as well; the agreement stated, in effect, that developers would produce games for the NES only. The Master System sold 125,000 consoles in the first four months. In the same period, the NES would net 2,000,000.
Nintendo had 90% of the North American Market at the time. Hayao Nakayama, then CEO of Sega, decided not to use too much effort to market the said console in the NES-dominated market. In 1988, the rights to the Master System in North America were sold to Tonka, but its popularity continued to decline. The move was considered a very bad one, since Tonka had never marketed a console and had no idea on earth what to do about it.
In 1990, Sega was having success with its Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, and they took back the rights from Tonka for the SMS. They designed the Sega Master System II, a newer console which was smaller and sleeker but which, to keep production costs low, lacked the the reset button and card slot of the original. Sega did everything in its power to market the system, but nothing came out of it.
By 1992, the Master System's sales were virtually nonexistent in North America, and production ceased. The SMS didn't do too well in Japan either, since the Famicom, which the Japanese Master System competed with, dominated the Japanese market.
In Europe, the Sega Master System was marketed by Sega in many different countries, including a few which Nintendo wasn't even selling consoles to. The Europeans garnered lots of third party support for the SMS, and it outdid the NES in that market. Nintendo was forced to get licensing for some popular SMS titles in that market. The Master System was supported until 1996 in that market. It was finally discontinued so Sega could concentrate on the Sega Saturn.
The SMS didn't do as well as the NES in Australia, but the defeat wasn't as crushing as it was in North America.
Brazil was one of the SMS' most successful markets. It was marketed in that country by Tec Toy, Sega's Brazilian distributor. A Sega Master System III (and even a semi-portable SMS VI) had been released in that market, and several games had been translated for the Brazilians. The characters in the said games had been modified so that they appealed to Brazilian audiences (for example, Wonder Boy in Monster Land featured Turma da Mônica, the main character from a popular children's comic-book in Brazil).
Later in its life in Brazil, Game Gear games had been ported to the Master System, and several original Brazilian titles were made for the system. Tectoy also produced a licensed version of the wildly popul ar fighting game Street Fighter II for the Master System. Despite the limitations of the console, the game turned out to be pretty good. The console production was familiar to the Brazilians, which explains the success in that market. During the Master System's final days in Brazil, games had been marketed for small children.
The Sega Master System is still being produced in Brazil. The latest version is the "Master System III Collection". It uses the same design as the North American Master System II (Master System III in Brazil), but is white and comes with 74 games built-in on an internal ROM.
Overall, the SMS was mildly successful worldwide, but failed to capture the Japanese and North American markets. Sega learned from its mistakes and made the Sega Megadrive wildly popular in Europe and Latin America, and the North American equivalent, the Sega Genesis, popular in that said market. The failure of the SMS meant the success of the Megadrive and Genesis.
About the Console
Sega Master System I
The SMS I is a large, tech-looking system measuring 14 3/8" W - 6 5/8" D - 2 3/4" H, with sharp corners (unlike the Genesis or SMS II) and black plastic casing. In comparison, the NES looks like a Cessna single-engine compared to the SMS' SR-71 design. After a one-inch base, the machine is formed upward and inward to form the cartridge slot plateau.
The SMS has an introduction screen which appears each time you turn on your SMS (with or without a game inserted). The Sega logo slowly "slides" into view mid-screen (with accompanying sound effect), and the text "Master System" appears underneath. A two-tone intro tune is played during this sequence, which is best compared to the opening tune in the 16-bit Genesis version of Sonic the Hedgehog (though, in the SMS' case, the singing choir is replaced by the simple tones).
Unlike the NES, the SMS has an instructional screen that appears if you turn on your system without having a cart or card inserted (the instructional screen appears after the introduction screen). Later on, Sega switched to built-in software, which automatically loads if you turn on your machine without a game present.
Sega Master System II
In what seems to be a tradition with game systems, Sega of America released the Sega Master System II in 1990 in order to increase its current user base via inexpensive (though downscaled) hardware. This "2nd generation" SMS (comparable to the Atari 2600 Jr. and remodeled NES) measures _ x _ x _. Very much the opposite of the original model, the SMS II looks similar to the remodeled 16-bit Genesis system. Smooth curves, rounded corners, variable degrees of black and gray colored plastic, plus an enlarged, white Pause button for those "dive for the system" type of action games. As an incentive, Sega included Alex Kidd in Miracle World as a built-in freebie.
Unlike the SMS I, however, the SMS II lacks the following features (they were dropped in order to reduce the price of manufacture):
- Card port (resulting in the inability to play card based games and 3-D carts (since the 3-D glasses use the card slot))
- Swinging, hinged cartridge slot doors (the SMS II cart port operates via a sliding cover)
- Opening logo music tune and text "Master System", when powered up
- Reset button
- Power-on light
- A/V output
- Extension port
In France, the SMS 1 (and the SMS 2, which had the A/V port instead of RF jack) were sold with an RGB lead (model 3085). One end plugs into the SMS, the other into the SCART/Peritel socket on a TV, via a small box in the lead. It gives a clear picture. The box contains a small PCB, the purpose of which is to provide the blanking and function switching signals. (So my TV switches to RGB mode automatically when I turn on the console, and back again when I switch it off.) On the box it says: 'Adapteur R.V.B.'.
Pack-Ins
U.S. SMS I Pack-Ins
When released, U.S. SMS I pack-ins included (product # shown):
- 3000 — Hang On/Safari Hunt ("Master" package; including base unit, 2 joypads, combo cart, light phaser and hook-ups; original retail price of approx. $200)
- 3005 — Hang On/Astro Warrior ("Base" package; including base unit, 2 joypads, combo cart and hook-ups; original retail price of approx. $120)
- 3001 — Missile Defense 3-D ("SegaScope" package; including base unit, 2 joypads, cart, 3-D Glasses, light phaser and hook-ups; original retail price of approx. $???)
There are also 3 (possibly 4) different built-in software variations of the SMS I. They are:
- Hang On/Safari Hunt
- Missile Defense 3-D
- Hang On/Astro Warrior (exist? I have yet to encounter one)
- Hang On
U.S. SMS II Pack-Ins
The SMS II was released with Alex Kidd in Miracle World built in, one joypad and necessary hook-ups.
Sega of America had a short-lived special offer with the Power Base Converter, offering Golden Axe Warrior as a free pack-in.
Europe SMS Pack-Ins
In Europe, players were given the same pack-ins as those in the states -- concerning the original "Sega Master System." They also received the following:
- 3010 — Sega Master System Power Base, Hang-On cart, 2 controllers, hook-ups
- Sega Master System II, w/Alex Kidd in Miracle World built-in; Sonic the Hedgehog cart pack-in, joypad(s?), hook-ups
- Sega Master System II, w/Sonic the Hedgehog built-in, joypad, hook-ups
- "Sega Master System Plus", a SMS I with light gun and Operation Wolf cart (?), joypad(s?), hook-ups
- "Sega Super System", SMS I with 3D glasses (game?), joypad(s?), hook-ups
- "Sega Super System Plus", SMS I with light gun, 3D glasses, Missile Defense 3D and Operation Wolf carts, joypad(s?), hook-ups
- SMS II, Sonic 1, Sonic 2 (assuming Sonic 1 built-in, Sonic 2 as cart), joypad, hook-ups
- SMS II, Sonic 1, Columns, Super Monaco Grand Prix, 3rd game (title?), (Sonic built in, other three as a three game cart (Master Games 1)), joypad(s?), hook-ups
- SMS II, Lion King, controller, hook-ups
Australia SMS Pack-Ins
In Australia, at least 6 pack-ins exist:
- The SMS I with Alex Kidd in Miracle World built-in, joypad(s?), and hook-ups.
- The SMS II with Alex Kidd in Miracle World built-in, two joypads, hook-ups, and a Double Dragon pack-in cart.
- The SMS II with Alex Kidd in Miracle World built-in, hook-ups, joypad(s?), and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 pack-in cart.
- The SMS II with Sonic the Hedgehog built-in, all necessary hook-ups and one joypad.
- "Sega Master System Plus"; SMS I, two joypads, light phaser, and Hang On/Safari Hunt built-in
- "Sega Super System Plus"; SMS I, two joypads, light phaser, 3D Glasses, Hang On/Safari Hunt built-in, 3D Outrun (cart?)
Specifications
CPU
Graphics
- VDP (Video Display Processor) derived from Texas Instruments TMS9918
- Up to 32 simultaneous colors (16 for sprites, 16 for background) available from a palette of 64 (can also show 64 simultaneous colors using programming tricks)
- Screen resolutions 256x192 and 256x224. PAL/SECAM also supports 256x240
- 8x8 pixel characters, max 488 (due to VRAM space limitation)
- 8x8 or 8x16 pixel sprites, max 64
- Horizontal, diagonal, vertical, and partial screen scrolling
Sound
- Sound (PSG): Texas Instruments SN76489
- 4 channel mono sound
- 3 sound generators, 4 octaves each, 1 white noise generator
- Sound (FM): Yamaha YM-2413
- 9 channel mono FM sound
- built into Japanese Master System
- available as plug-in module for Mark III
- supported by certain games only
ROM/RAM
- ROM: 64 Kbits (8KB) to 2048 Kbits (256KB), depending on built-in game
- Main RAM: 64 Kbits (8KB)
- Video RAM: 128 Kbits (16KB)
Game Slot
- Game Card slot (Mark III and Master System 1 only)
- Game Cartridge slot
- Japanese consoles use 44-pin cartridges, same shape as Mark I and Mark II
- Non-Japanese consoles use 50-pin cartridges with a different shape
- The difference in cartridge style is a form of regional lockout
- Expansion slot
Peripherals
- StuntMaster helmet
- Pro Action Replay
- Sports Pad
- Light Phaser
- 3-D Glasses
- Control Stick
- Rapid Fire Unit
- SMS Control Pad
Guts
RF Converter: MGB3-VU3401, 8E388 PCB Component Side Markings: (c) SEGA 1988 : SEGA (R) M4 POWERBASE / NTSC 171-5533-01 : 837-6629 19 AUG 1988 CON2: 35 Pin Card Slot 209-5020 K16R CON3: 50 Pin Cartridge Slot PSB4D255-4R1 M18R CON4: 50 Pin Card Edge IC1: Zilog Z0840004PSC Z80CPU 8828 SL0965 IC2: 0821EX SEGA MPR-11460 W46 IC3: NEC JAPAN D4168C-20 8829P5007 IC4: SEGA (R) 315-5216 120U 8820 Z79 IC5: SEGA 315-5124 2602B 84 18 89 B IC6: NEC JAPAN D4168C-15-SG 8828XX215 IC7: NEC JAPAN D4168C-15-SG 8828XX215 IC9: SONY 8M09 CXA1145
SMS Control Pad Information:
- female plug on end view:
5 4 3 2 1 9 8 7 6
- pin 1: Up
- pin 2: Down
- pin 3: Left
- pin 4: Right
- pin 5: No Connection
- pin 6: Button 1 (Start)
- pin 7: No Connection
- pin 8: Common (Ground?)
- pin 9: Button 2
Sonic Games for the Sega Master System
- Sonic the Hedgehog (integrated into one version of the console)
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- Sonic Chaos
- Sonic Spinball
- Sonic Blast (published by Tec Toy)
Miscellaneous
Can Game Gear games be played on the SMS?
The Game Gear can run SMS carts, of course, but that may very well be due to intentional downward compatibility of the GG to the SMS, and such may not work in reverse. The only hardware difference known between the two on a chip level is that the GG can define 4096 possible colors, while the SMS can only define 64 colors, but that may be enough. If the GG has more colors, than it must have a different method of setting each of the color registers than the SMS did: The SMS color can be determined by one byte, so probably only needed one register, whereas a number from 0 to 4095 needs two bytes, and therefore the GG chips probably have two color registers, or one register with a special system which allows both bytes to be written one half at a time.
The Game Gear was probably designed to allow the color registers to be set by either the 64 color method (for downward compatibility), or the 4096 color method, whereas the SMS was created before the GG, so it would not support a GG-specific game's method of setting colors.
The possible problems resulting from this incongruety -alone- might be:
- A complete crash (if the GG game tried to set registers that did not exist or had nothing to do with color)
- Completely scrambled colors (if the GG uses the same registers to write the colors, but in a different way)
- No picture at all (if the GG writes colors using registers that had no function in the SMS, so no SMS color reg would ever be written to, and all would default to black, so no picture)
It may still be possible that the two are still compatible, but only if Sega intentionally created the GG to set colors in a matter that would cause the SMS to use it's nearest approximation, or if each cart were programmed to be SMS-compatible.