"Mooting" the Sega SG-1000

[+thegoldenband]

I've been checking the Sega SG-1000 out via emulation for a while now. Its game library is small (about 75 titles) but has a distinctive charm and some intriguing titles, though it's also got quite a few subpar ports from other consoles. Its hardware is very similar to the ColecoVision and the MSX, and a good chunk of its catalog has been transferred to those consoles with very little modification. (More on that below.)

 

Now, I don't mean to take anything away from the SG-1000, and I know there's no substitute for having original hardware, manuals, controllers, and so forth. If you had the software, you could buy a SMS to play the My Card releases (assuming an American SMS will play Japanese My Cards), and a Dina 2-in-1 to play the SG-1000 carts (which I've read don't fit in the SMS). Both of those were sold in the U.S., or you could just import a Japanese Mark III or SC-3000, which are supposed to be 100% compatible with the SG-1000 library. Some have said that owning a SG-1000 is "totally pointless" if you can get a Mark III or SC-3000.

 

That's all hardware. But I think the SG-1000 is also on its way to being a "moot console" on a software level. By moot console, I mean one whose library can be experienced in its entirety through either (a) superior versions on other systems, or (b) basically identical copies ported to other, more common hardware that's either easier to get in the United States (CV), or has a much bigger software library (MSX).

 

That might sound like a diss, but it's actually nice from a practical point of view if you've got limited space and funds. So I've been trying to make a list of:

 

- which games have been ported to other systems like the CV and MSX;

- which ones are just second-rate ports of common games, or have been superseded by other, better versions that are more fun;

- and which games are still unique and unduplicated.

 

I'll post in this thread as I work things out, but I'd welcome help. Here's the SG-1000 game list, or if you prefer you can look at translated Japanese with screenshots.

 

To start the ball rolling, here are the cases I know of where SG-1000 code was directly ported to other hardware.

 

Black Onyx - Bruce Tomlin not only ported this to CV, but translated it as well

Penguin Land aka Dokidoki Penguin Land - ported to CV by Steve Begin, available for pre-order here

Lode Runner - also ported to CV by Steve Begin; a rerelease is planned

Pacar - unfinished CV port by Steve Begin; the CV ROM was around at one point

Gulkave - unfinished CV port by Time-Bandit, no ROM publicly available; there's also an MSX version of Gulkave that's similar, but not identical

Soukoban - unfinished CV port by Daniel B. (Of course, this game is available on nearly every system!)

Bomb Jack, Dragon Wang, Orguss, Star Jacker, Shinnyushain Tooru Kun aka Mikie - all fan-ported to MSX

Girl's Garden, N-Sub - both fan-ported to MSX

Edited September 21, 2009 by thegoldenband

[+thegoldenband]

Also see here and here for AtariAge threads about SG-1000 to CV conversions.

 

Here's another one:

 

Hustle Chumy - This is also on the MSX, but from a totally different codebase, I think; to my eyes, the SG-1000 version seems a bit better, but I need to play the MSX version more.

 

By the way, both versions seem far too easy -- I got to level 16 on the SG-1000 version today with little effort, and quit out of boredom! If someone were to port either version to the CV, maybe the mouse (rat?) should only have limited projectiles. Are the MSX and SG-1000 versions the only ones that exist on any platform?

Edited September 21, 2009 by thegoldenband

[+thegoldenband]

And one more for tonight:

 

Chack'n Pop - This precursor to Bubble Bobble was ported from the arcade to the SG-1000, MSX, Famicom/NES, and PC-8801. I haven't tried the PC-8801 or arcade versions, but the SG-1000 version seems much more playable and appealing than the MSX and NES versions, which are pretty similar to each other. The control and music are much nicer in the SG-1000, whereas the MSX and NES have annoying two-note music and feel very "slippery" in a bad way.

 

Definitely a strong candidate for a fresh port to the CV or MSX, even though Pixelboy hates it!

Edited September 21, 2009 by thegoldenband

[+thegoldenband]

Actually, it looks like Gulkave will be coming out under the Team Pixelboy label, though I don't know whether that's the SG-1000 or MSX version (I suspect the latter?).

Edited September 21, 2009 by thegoldenband

[Pixelboy]

Actually, it looks like Gulkave will be coming out under the Team Pixelboy label, though I don't know whether that's the SG-1000 or MSX version (I suspect the latter?).

It's a SG-1000 port.

[chrisbid]

i dont buy that the sg1000 is a moot console on the software side of things

 

i enjoy playing ports of games on various systems and noting the differences. i do not have any japanese master system variants (im looking to buy a mark iii or master system in the next year or so), but i did watch some gameplay video on youtube. the ports of choplifter, pitfall ii, and H.E.R.O. look great. for instance, in choplifter, the home base has a japanese flag flying over it.