My Generation: Sega Steps Up

GAME Features

My Generation: Sega Steps Up
The evolution of the console series continues.

There was something about the appearance of Sega’s Master System. If the NES looked like a filing cabinet then the Master System was Vader in Episode IV. Sleeker than its Japanese counterpart, Sega’s contribution to the third generation of home entertainment consoles had superior graphics and sound.

   The 8-bit platform was unique. It featured ports for two different types of media that played both cartridges and small credit card-sized 32k ‘Sega Cards’ that were cheaper to buy, but contained less code. Its controllers had only two buttons and a directional pad. The pause button was located on the console itself.

   After witnessing the Nintendo sales explosion in the US, Sega took the Mark III, a console already established in Japan, gave it an cosmetic makeover and set out to gain a foothold in the American market. Tonka toys are renowned for there indestructible construction, but when Sega sold the Master System US rights to the company, this infallible reputation failed to stretch to its marketing department. Poorly marketed, the SMS struggled to compete with Nintendo’s 90 percent monopoly.

   The console enjoyed greater success and longevity in Europe, even outselling the NES in some countries and was popular with gamers here in Australia. Supported with an abundance of third-party software, Sega even implemented a Master System mark 2 – a smaller, suave looking model with no card slot or reset button.
Succeeded by the Mega Drive, the Master System witnessed a decade-long lifespan in Europe and even longer in Brazil, where they even introduced a pink version for female gamers.

Although the powerful Master System delivered unrivaled graphic capabilities, it still needed quality gaming titles to substantiate the claim. It didn’t. There were notable exceptions of course, but the lack of titles restricted the SMS’s impact on the profitable US market.

   Nintendo’s headlock game development policy restricted their developers from porting titles on to other formats. Developers were more predisposed to create games for the infinitely more popular NES, and this also blunted the effectiveness of Sega’s potential line-up.

   Whilst Sega predominately leaned towards sports and action-themed titles, one of the software highlights from the company was actually an RPG. Phantasy Star, like Metroid, had a female protagonist. This was the definitive 8-bit generation RPG with fully detailed onscreen display, excellent character graphics and great audio for its time. It still remains a superb game to play.

   Golden Axe Warrior was Sega’s answer to the graphically inferior Legend of Zelda. What this solid title lacked in sound and music it made up with a strong plotline and gameplay. Other titles worthy of mention are Zillion, Golvellius and the original Sega mascot, Alex Kidd in Miracle World.

   The Master System also came with its own set of quirky peripherals. A standard light gun, the Light Phaser, was produced for the console supported with shooting- based titles. And Sega’s 3D glasses were relatively innovative for the time. They slotted into the card port and produced a strobe effect in each eye providing an immersive 3D effect. But they were only compatible with six games and as they operated by fitting into the Sega Card slot, they couldn’t be used in the Master System mark 2.