27 replies to this topic

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

In a recent post you may of noticed a pretty nice lot I picked up, I actually got it a couple years ago but really have not done
much else as far as my SMS collecting goes (OK NOTHING ELSE LOL) and I would like your input.

I am really digging on the system overall. I think because I never owned it back in the day, I know it was not as popular
and lost the race to the NES (though I have heard it was equally popular if not more so outside US / Canada?) I would certainly
like to entertaining expanding my knowledge and possibly expand more on it. I hope some of you fans / experts (and by experts
I mean any who know more than I) can answer some questions as well as make suggests, comments and share your experiences?

Thanks so much in advance!  

I will start with what I THINK I already know so those more knowledgeable can either confirm, correct or clarify:

1. My Master System is a NTSC model and I am in Canada. Can I plug in and play Euro / PAL games and play with
no issues? I am pretty sure I can use any games besides JAPANESE titles because they will not fit properly?

2. IF I can NOT play Japanese games directly is there another way I can with my original Master System or will it
require a Japanese model and if so is it REALLY worth it ?

3. Is sound improved in ALL Japanese titles or just certain ones?

4. Either way, are there any must get Japanese exclusives? Meaning good, fun and playable titles that do NOT require
use of the Japanese language?

5. Other than the default pads I have, were there any others controller options (BESIDES the SEGA CONTROL STICK? I HATE THAT THING!)

6. Looking at the picture below, is there any other recommended games / controllers/ peripherals?
(IN THIS PICTURE: SEGA MASTER SYSTEM WITH 2 CONTROL PADS, ALL CONNECTORS, 3-D GLASSES, GLASSES HAVE CLIP ON ONE ARM BROKEN BUT THEY WORK FINE,GUN AND STICK CONTROL. 9 GAMES AS FOLLOWS. PRO WRESTLING / WONDER BOY III THE DRAGON'S TRAP / ZAXXON 3-D / VIGIALANTE. / SPACE HARRIER 3-D / ALEX KIDD HIGH TECH WORLD. / RESCUE MISSION / THUNDER BLACK /WONDER BOY.




7. Since I am getting into this system now any other advice, comments, stories, memories etc , you would like to share is greatly appeciated!

[VicViper]

You are correct, any Euro cart as far as I can tell will work fine. I picked up a UK copy of Sonic for .99 GBP a little while back. The only thing from japan that interests me is the early SG 1000 games, but investment is steep since you either have to find a SG 3000, Dina 2-in-1, or an SG 1000 (HA!) Also, if you find a working light gun, KEEP IT. I've gone through three so far, and NONE of them work right. and NO, I am not using an LCD TV.

[Armonigann]

The SEGA Master System is a fantastic 8-bit system.
US titles are really good but, then the PAL games are almost the reason to own a Master System.
Most titles are never that expensive, especially if you buy overseas.
There are a few though that glitch on a ntsc system, I remember starting an official list over there at Sega 8bit a while back, The only ones I remember not booting at all were.
Codemaster titles and few others.

[Austin]

Here are some games I really enjoy on the system:

Wonder Boy - It's arcade-style platforming action versus the more adventure/light-rpg nature of part III that you have.

Gangster Town - Best light gun game on the system, IMO. Fast-paced gameplay with TONS of action on-screen at once. So much so you will probably be surprised by it, considering how old it is.

Alex Kidd in Miracle World - The system's signature platformer. Still holds up great today!

Alex Kidd: the Lost Stars - Far more colorful with larger sprites than the original. Focused much more heavily on straight-forward platforming as well. It's not very difficult, but for some reason I have the most fun with this one out of the rest of the Alex Kidd games.

Time Soldiers - Top-down run 'n gun gameplay similar to stuff like Commando and Ikari Warriors. Really it's not all that great, but I have a soft spot for it because it's the only console version that I know of (it was originally an arcade game).

Sonic the Hedgehog - Probably best off buying the UK release, but it should be cheap. It's the Game Gear version (a great game in its own right), but now you can play it on your TV. Sonic 2 is excellent as well (and again, it's the Game Gear version).

[akator]

VicViper, on Thu Mar 8, 2012 5:31 PM, said:

Also, if you find a working light gun, KEEP IT. I've gone through three so far, and NONE of them work right. and NO, I am not using an LCD TV.

I've had that problem with NES light guns (1/10 working) but every SMS light gun I own functions perfectly, even the ones that look like they went through WWIII.  I haven't had any trouble with the consoles or carts, either.

On the other hand, I haven't had much luck with games on Sega Cards.  Easily 3/4 of mine (even the minty ones) don't work on any of the 4 SMS consoles I've tried them on.  Thanks to the Master Everdrive, that's not really an issue anymore

[FireStar]

On reigonal lockout: there is nothing in software that keeps foreign games from running, so all cards and US and European cartridges are interchangeable. As for Japanese cartridges, in theory an adapter would work, but I don't think any have been made, although there have been adapters for US/European games for Japanese SMS's. (Interestingly enough, the pinout for the US/Euro cart slot is the same as the expansion port on all SMS models, just reverse gender, so all you need is a gender adapter for the Japanese SMS)
Also, the improved sound (FM) is only in Japanese SMS's, hence the want for an adapter for Japanese SMS. (Some games that weren't released in japan even have FM music, oddly enough)

As for games, I'd reccomend the Light-gun titles, like Rescue mission and Gangster town.

Edit:
Remebered this discussion on SMS power http://www.smspower....ight=japan+card
Apparently the "Western" SMS's BIOS do have a reigon check and won't tun Japanese cards. So your only way to play any Japanese SMS games is a Japanese SMS.
On another note, I'd check out SMSpower, they are a really good SMS community, although their message board is somewhat inactive. There's a guy there that sells the FM chip to mod "Western" SMS's  for FM sound, but he's out of chips at the moment.

Edited by FireStar, Thu Mar 8, 2012 8:24 PM.

[Torr]

1. There are some games, mainly 3rd party from the end of it's lifespan that will glitch badly on an NTSC model. Plus many, being European were progrsmmed with a 50Hz refresh, resulting in a sped up game when played on an NTSC (60Hz). (Inversely that also mean in Europe the American and Japanese titles they got were being slowed down on there sets!)

2. I know there's SOME way...

3. Only certain games, and 'Improved" is a matter for debate...

4. Not really, but that's just my opinion...

5. Anything with that plug end, I prefer to use a Sega Genesis 6 Button pad. Heck for a game like Sonic where you only need button 1 you can use a VCS joystick! Or sarfice a move is a game requires a second button...

[Sonic R]

I'm going to answer one question and it's in regard to alternative controllers…

I am a huge fan of the original SMS controller but there are many folks who feel otherwise…

for an alternative, and an official Sega Master System alternative, there is the SG Commander control pad… it feature a NES style dpad as well as rapid fire!



and for an arcade stick, there is the Beeshu Ultimate arcade stick… the stick is a bit tall, but has a nice click feel and the buttons are nice, BUT, buttons 1 and 2 are reversed, at least on the right hand side…

Edited by Sonic R, Thu Mar 8, 2012 9:26 PM.

[Skarrj]

I remember when i was a kid and accidently discovered snail maze....it was like finding buried treasure


A few other gems you might try are global defense, spy vs spy, rtype, golVellious and Golden axe wArrior

Edited by Skarrj, Thu Mar 8, 2012 10:16 PM.

[Seob]

VicViper, on Thu Mar 8, 2012 5:31 PM, said:

You are correct, any Euro cart as far as I can tell will work fine. I picked up a UK copy of Sonic for .99 GBP a little while back. The only thing from japan that interests me is the early SG 1000 games, but investment is steep since you either have to find a SG 3000, Dina 2-in-1, or an SG 1000 (HA!) Also, if you find a working light gun, KEEP IT. I've gone through three so far, and NONE of them work right. and NO, I am not using an LCD TV.

Is you're tv a 100hz tv? Since i have some light guns that act strange after i changed to a 100hz tv. If i use my 50hz tv i don't have a problem.

[VicViper]

Seob, on Fri Mar 9, 2012 4:45 AM, said:

VicViper, on Thu Mar 8, 2012 5:31 PM, said:

You are correct, any Euro cart as far as I can tell will work fine. I picked up a UK copy of Sonic for .99 GBP a little while back. The only thing from japan that interests me is the early SG 1000 games, but investment is steep since you either have to find a SG 3000, Dina 2-in-1, or an SG 1000 (HA!) Also, if you find a working light gun, KEEP IT. I've gone through three so far, and NONE of them work right. and NO, I am not using an LCD TV.

Is you're tv a 100hz tv? Since i have some light guns that act strange after i changed to a 100hz tv. If i use my 50hz tv i don't have a problem.

No, it's nothing like that. Two of the light guns I had were loose and would'nt even register 90% of the time, the last one I got didn't even fire. Just on a losing streak .

[Underball]

Spy vs. Spy, Ghostbusters, Impossible Mission(Euro only) all excellent ports.

And since you have the 3-D glasses, you HAVE TO get Maze Hunter 3-D!

Also, there are other, better alternatives to the original glasses if you find them to be uncomfortable. Specifically search for Asus VR-100G glasses. They work with the SMS perfectly (dare I say better than the originals) have much larger viewing windows and no reflective dark outer layer. They're also adult sized so they don't squeeze your head.

[Classic Pac]

One game I can highly recommend is Double Dragon, btw I know what you mean about some games not being all that good. But keep in mind there are some gems out there.

[Skarrj]

i think zillion was a good one..fanatasy zones were awsome, as said before, ghostbusters was one of the better versions.

[thegamezmaster]

Another plus is with a Mastergear convertor you can play almost any sms game on a game gear. They're on ebay alot for $15. I love mine. Love Alexx Kidd In Miracle World and Wonder Boy!

[zylon]

http://shinobiman.pr....com/index.cgi?

Join us. All will be answered inside.

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

zylon, on Sun Mar 11, 2012 11:07 PM, said:

http://shinobiman.pr....com/index.cgi?

Join us. All will be answered inside.

Appreciated and I already joined recently! You will know me there as MaximumRD (the same as my Youtube channel and just about everywhere else) THANKS!

[NinjaWarrior]

The Jungle Book it has background sprites in some places...

[BillyHW]

Phantasy Star.

[pboland]

BillyHW, on Mon Mar 12, 2012 12:34 AM, said:

Phantasy Star.

Well, I did have a SMS back in the day. All my buddies had the NES. Still have my original system and games. I second the Phantasy Star. I would also add Rambo II, Alien Syndrome, Choplifter, Space Harrier, Thunder Blade, Shinobi, Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Cyborg Hunter, and Time Soldiers. Rampage isn't bad either. Make sure you get a composite cable as well. The SMS does output composite, you just need a cable.

[BillyHW]

pboland, on Mon Mar 12, 2012 8:02 AM, said:

BillyHW, on Mon Mar 12, 2012 12:34 AM, said:

Phantasy Star.

Well, I did have a SMS back in the day. All my buddies had the NES. Still have my original system and games. I second the Phantasy Star. I would also add Rambo II, Alien Syndrome, Choplifter, Space Harrier, Thunder Blade, Shinobi, Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Cyborg Hunter, and Time Soldiers. Rampage isn't bad either. Make sure you get a composite cable as well. The SMS does output composite, you just need a cable.

Definitely agree with Shinobi.

[frankodragon]

Erhm...an old thread but I might as well update with the FM expansion board I bought from a guy in Australia.   I have the 1988 SMS board and I had to do some minor soldering; remove a capacitor and wire to where the cap was on the board.  One other thing is there is (was) a coating on the SMS board expansion contacts that had to be scraped off.  You do have to check which board you have such as the 1986, 1988 or the SMS 2 as there are different caps you need to remove.  The FM board comes with a switch so you can either play with the FM sound or not.  You just need to drill, or in my case, take a Dremel and make a cavity in to hot glue in the switch.

Games that support the FM option do sound a lot better- only games I wish that had the FM option but don't are Space Harrier and Phantasy Star even though the Japan versions do have it.  

[YAGRS]

frankodragon, on Tue Apr 23, 2013 4:16 AM, said:

Games that support the FM option do sound a lot better- only games I wish that had the FM option but don't are Space Harrier and Phantasy Star even though the Japan versions do have it.  

If you have a flash cart like the Master Everdrive, you can download an English patch for the Japanese version of Phantasy Star and play it with FM sound. Some other things have been changed, such as de-Westernizing some of the names (e.g., "Noah" is changed to "Lutz").

I have one of the FM boards from viletim, and I can't imagine not having the option for FM sound now. I also have his Game Gear TV out board. He does great work!

To the OP, just in case you come back to visit this thread, I would also recommend Spellcaster, Wonder Boy in Monster Land, Black Belt, and Rastan. Spellcaster was the first game that got me interested in RPGs (though it is mostly an action game). Wonder Boy is similar to Wonder Boy III, though not quite as good (I always enjoyed it, though I could never beat the final boss). Black Belt was actually a Fist of the North Star game in Japan, I think. The sprites are small (except for the end level bosses) and it's repetitive, but I spent a lot of time playing it as a kid. Rastan is probably my favorite game on the system. It's just a really fun hack-and-slash game that is obviously patterned after Conan. I did a review of it for Defunct Games a few years ago, if you ever visit that site.

[Satoshi Matrix]

OldSchoolRetroGamer, on Thu Mar 8, 2012 5:21 PM, said:

1. My Master System is a NTSC model and I am in Canada. Can I plug in and play Euro / PAL games and play with
no issues? I am pretty sure I can use any games besides JAPANESE titles because they will not fit properly?

The Master System is 99% region free. Almost all European and Brazilian Master System games will play no problem at all on a US Master System. The only games that don't run in NTSC are Back to the Future and a couple others. Japanese Mark III and late Japanese Master System games won't play due to having a different physical shape. You can rig up an adapter though.

OldSchoolRetroGamer, on Thu Mar 8, 2012 5:21 PM, said:

2. IF I can NOT play Japanese games directly is there another way I can with my original Master System or will it
require a Japanese model and if so is it REALLY worth it ?

I honestly can't think of a single Japanese Mark III/Master System that's worth playing that didn't make it to Europe at the very least, but if you must get your Japanese Phantasy Star on a US system, buy yourself a Master EverDrive. Here's my video review of that.

OldSchoolRetroGamer, on Thu Mar 8, 2012 5:21 PM, said:

3. Is sound improved in ALL Japanese titles or just certain ones?

You must be referring to FM sound via the optional YM2413. This optional sound chip can be installed into a North American or European Master System as well, and domestic versions of games that support it will take advantage of it too, no need for the Japanese builds. Overall, about 50 out the Master System's 330 games use it. This is because the Master System died in Japan in 1988, YEARS before it did anywhere else. Since the FM module was only available in Japan, foreign game devs didn't bother using it. It's a shame, but it's understandable.

OldSchoolRetroGamer, on Thu Mar 8, 2012 5:21 PM, said:

4. Either way, are there any must get Japanese exclusives? Meaning good, fun and playable titles that do NOT require
use of the Japanese language?

N/A. The Mark III was not a success in Japan. The Master System was only popular in PAL countries including Europe, Australia and Brazil. There are no Japanese Master System games worth owning other than for collecting purposes.

OldSchoolRetroGamer, on Thu Mar 8, 2012 5:21 PM, said:

5. Other than the default pads I have, were there any others controller options (BESIDES the SEGA CONTROL STICK? I HATE THAT THING!)

The Master System controllers are 'brain dead' - they don't actually contain any sort of control chip. They're merely signals going to wiring going back to the system. Therefore, if you're skilled with modding, you can rig up whatever you want. Get an NES controller to work, build your own arcade stick, whatever. You can use Atari 7800 controllers. Also, you can use any Sega Genesis controller with the Master System.

I actually built an NES to Genesis controller that lets me use it on either Genesis games or Master System games due to the way I built it. Check it out.


Or, simply buy this:

OldSchoolRetroGamer, on Thu Mar 8, 2012 5:21 PM, said:

6. Looking at the picture below, is there any other recommended games / controllers/ peripherals?

Buy yourself a Master EverDrive and a game you don't want, like Great Golf. Put the Master Everdrive PCB in the Great Golf shell, cut a hole for the SD card and download the Master System, Mark III and SG-1000 library. Then, try out each of the games. If you like them on the Everdrive, buy the original cart.

OldSchoolRetroGamer, on Thu Mar 8, 2012 5:21 PM, said:

7. Since I am getting into this system now any other advice, comments, stories, memories etc , you would like to share is greatly appeciated!

S-Video your system or get someone to do it for you. It's fairly simple to do on the SMS, and S-Video will make the already good looking games even better. In my uncommon game showcase web series, I've already covered several Master System games, so check out my channel for details.

[ApolloBoy]

Satoshi Matrix, on Tue Apr 23, 2013 10:53 AM, said:

N/A. The Mark III was not a success in Japan. The Master System was only popular in PAL countries including Europe, Australia and Brazil. There are no Japanese Master System games worth owning other than for collecting purposes.

Really? The paddle controller games are worth it, and there's also great ports of Rygar and Solomon's Key. Not to mention that Japanese carts are awesome to collect, gotta love the full color labels and tiny boxes (even if they are a little flimsy).

Edited by ApolloBoy, Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:33 PM.