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How Does the Sega Master System Compare to the NES? - Retro Bird
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- Опубликовано: 9 ноя 2023
- In this video, I compare the Sega Master System to the Nintendo Entertainment System. Is one better than the other and should you consider just getting... both?
How Does the Sega Master System Compare to the NES?
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Bonus points for anyone who can name the song played in the voicemail from the Saturn at the end of the video :) Games played: The Lucky Dime Caper Starring Donald Duck (0:01), DuckTales (0:20), Master of Darkness (0:43), Contra (1:08), Castle of Illusion for Sega Master System (1:25), Mega Man 2 (1:31), Kenseiden (2:14), Ninja Gaiden for NES (3:00), Castle of Illusion for Sega Genesis (6:07), Hang-On (7:20), Ninja Gaiden for Sega Master System (7:50)
I’m here for my bonus points! The song the Saturn left for you was Sky High from Daytona USA. Great video as usual!
I see that you use a model 1 Genesis. Will I still be able to use the Power Base Converter if my Genesis is a model 2?
Loved this episode looking forward to it since you announced the topic! I personally love SMS since I got mine in 86. Other kids came over for sum Shinobi action and I would be over at their house for Ninja Gaiden and Castlevania. I had the best of both worlds since everybody else had an Nintendo great times.......😊
@nealdavis7276 They do not. However, you can always get something like one of the mini power base converters that they sell nowadays. It looks like they might be sold out as of right now, but here's what I'm referring to: stoneagegamer.com/powerbase-mini.html
@@RetroBirdGaming thank you for the explanation. I think I’ll just wait until I get a model 1 then, before getting a Power Base. I was planning to eventually get a model 1 anyway, since I want to eventually have both models in my collection. I think that the model 1 looks better by itself, while the model 2 looks better with the CD add on. This gives me another reason to add that model 1 to my collection sooner rather than later!
Ironically, this channel has the most goofy and silly dry humor but also a very chill and mature takes about the hobby. Keep up the good content, dude.
Thank you!
I was just about to comment on how Retro Bird wields irony like a master: That Buttons-on-the-console Gag was sweet and sharp all at once.
The Bird trapped under a CRT TV unable to reach his bananas is my happy place on the internet still. 😂
I describe him as “Scott the Woz, just not annoying” 😅🤪
I was a Famicom (clone) guy in the late 80s, but the Master System (that outlive the Mega Drive here in Brazil... as it's still being manufactured since 1989 and the MD was discontinued this year) had created two huge landmarks in my infancy as a gamer:
1) It had the first RPG full translated to Portuguese-BR (Phantasy Star), what made me a insta-fan of the genre (that still one of my favorites)
2) Summer Games (here called Jogos de Verão) was the only game with a multiplayer that could handle all my friends together. It has 8 players slot and at my street we were about a dozen kids playing it all together. And here I want to thank Mr and Ms Jara, that had the patience to tolerate us all in their living room lol
The Master System is an amazing videogame. A lot of kids in Brazil still play it as their main video game machine. We have the tendency to compare and I was a fortunate kid that have access to a Famicon-Clone right in the 80 and could raise my bar very high, but the Master System delivered a huge and diverse gaming library with great games in almost every genre back that time. There aren't that much consoles that weren't the top of their time that still could deliver that level of quality... it's in the same level of a N64 or a Dreamcast in their generations.
PS: The MS gamepad was really bad and used to fck the thumbs of the small siblings of some friends when playing games as the skate and surf stages of Summer Games and Double Dragon (some movements required more "dpadcraft"). This kind of sht didn't happen even with some of the worst Famicom clones around.
Thank you for this video. Brought me only good memories. Cheers!
I've always thought the Mega Drive and Master System's long run in Brazil was so cool. Wish the same could be said for the US!
Always been fascinated by the Master System's popularity in Brazil. Great to hear a fan's personal perspective.
What is sold today (I checked) is called "Master System Evolution", that is a pretty chassis holding a emulation machine with 132 games in memory and two Mega Drive Six Button gamepads (that I don't know if work with the original MD and MS consoles, but if it does, maybe buying this console is the cheapest way - U$80 for a MSE - to get new gamepads for your old consoles collections lol).
Tec Toy did an amazing job back in the day. I remember that some MD games were launched here before be in US or even Japan (in this case, NA games that took some time to be released in Japan) and they give us a huge quantity of titles, what made our catalogs very complete. I don't know if it is unfortunate that Nintendo never did the same, because legally it created space for our "gray market", with a lot of clones, some assembled with an amazing quality (I had one called Phantom System, that was a NES with better components build inside an Atari 7200 chassis and using a version of the Mega Drive gamepad... so, I played a console that was better than both the NES and Famicom, and Nintendo of America, admitted that the Brazilian made components were better than the original ones, as Gradiente was a big electronics manufacturer. I really recommend this console to collectors). And the best part is that piracy and cloning (both were liberated for the Nintendo games due to that context) we had access to all the three big catalogs (Japan/USA/Europe) for very fair prices. Not doing an apology against official support (that is better overall... and the right thing), just telling the good side of the story lol. I was gifted with a Phantom System in 1989 and then a Japanese Mega Drive (it was a little cheaper than the Tec Toy one because a friend of my parents bought one direct in Japan) in early 1991... one of my great regrets as a gamer is to have traded that PS with twelve cartridges (none were Nintendo official, but still...) for five original MD ones... seemed like a good deal back then, maybe it was, but today, if I could choose, I give the games away and get that console/games back lol
Cheers!
@@RTPJuPhantom System foi muito brabo. Agora eu vi esse Master System clone ai à venda nesse sabado no freaking Shopping Higienopolis, um dos mais elitizados do Brasil. E tem muito pai/avô desavisado que ainda compra pra criança que curte videogame hahahaha
@@vitorkk328 Mano... lá nesse shopping ai deve ser aqueles neo-ricos emocionados com mais de 40 anos de idade que compram pra matar a saudades, ai o doido joga duas horinhas, esquece embaixo do sofá e daqui um ano da de presente pro filho da faxineira dele, mas esse moleque já deve ter um XBox e o Master System acaba virando cama pro cachorro lá no quintal da Brasilândia rs. Mas, sem zoeira, eu sei que em regiões mais afastadas das capitais, especialmente lá pro Norte e Nordeste, ainda tem muito moleque tendo esses videogames como principal... mas em Higienópolis não faz sentido algum... é tipo aqueles badulaques que pessoal compra quando vai viajar pra lugar pobre, tipo réplica de vaso na África ou aqueles barquinhos de madeira que vendem em algumas praias e só turista bunda branca compra kkkkkkkk
I've really come to like all the retro systems equally.. there's always at least a handful of really good titles on every system worth playing.
ALL of them? Or just the most known ones? I can think of probably a few retro consoles you've likely never played before and probably never will (not that I have either)
@@elgatofelix8917 - I love my Amstrad GX4000.
@@elgatofelix8917 Name them off? I was obsessed with playing every retro console years ago that I literally tried tracking them all down haha! I'm talking computers too! Of course I haven't played every single one but probably like, I don't know...30 or so different systems pre-Playstation era.
The Sega Master System doesn't get enough love.
Here in Brazil, they have!😂
In Europe it does, luckily.
The master system had great games. My favorite part of the model 1 master system was the jingle they would play when you booted up a game.
Booooooop! Da daaaaaaaaaa!
Sadly I've never played one....
I’ve never even played a Sega Master System but watching him run through a couple of these games got me really interested! Although I assume collecting genuine physicals of the great games these days is prolly really expensive 😣
I was one of the lucky few to own both systems back in the day. Loved both for different reasons
Nice! I had that advantage for the 4th gen. My older brother had a Sega Genesis while i had a Super Nintendo.. so I never even realized there was a console war at the time. I was too busy playing Sonic and Knuckles and Chrono Trigger in the same day 😅
@@trufreedom my friends at school would always ask me for my opinion since I owned both systems. I would tell them my unbiased opinions and still, they would never agree with me.😂
Mastersystem was really popular here in the UK. Had some really quality titles. Best version of Rampage nothing comes close. Also two player double dragon. Nice to see more of are Amercan friends starting to enjoy the system.
If you didn't point it out, I was gonna point out Master Of Darkness. What a cool game. It captures that Castlevania feel so well.
I never even knew the master system existed until I started game collecting a few years ago. Honestly one of the most fun thing I have done with the hobby is research and learn all the old consoles/games I never even knew where around. Playing phantasy star on an emulator because of discovering the master system.
i never got collecting just for collectings sake, it seems abit materialistic specially witth those who get alot of games wich they dont play or barley play and just driving prices, the joy should be in the game itself however you play. I grew up with the master system and i can tell you we thouught the phantasy star "cut scenes" were like a cartoon thats how impressed we were with the graphics.
Last year I offered you my childhood 32X so you can make content with it and you gently refused. Well, my complete in box 32X has gone nearly 28 years unused now and it sure would be great if it could receive some love again. I’ve received three years of very entertaining content from you and would sure love to offer recompense with the 32X. I’ve tried giving it to my son, but the only retro-games he plays are on the NES, SNES, and original GameBoy. Please give this unloved console a home!
Ghouls and Ghosts is interesting on the SMS in that you have hit points, spells, and a bunch of different upgrades to your speed and stuff. It's not just a stepped down arcade port, it adds stuff!
It's also easier, which is great but because that whole series of games is way too hard for me!!! 🙂
Yeah, I was actually thinking about that port when talking about the Master System arcade ports that differed the most.
@@RetroBirdGaming Well you did mention the Ninja Gaiden port, so God's work has been done. 🙂
I feel like the Game Gear gets more attention, given that it has most of the Master System's best games, more of a global audience, and a lot of great exclusives of its own, but you'll typically have a better time with the Master System versions (especially if you're using original hardware). The higher resolution versions can feel like a real luxury if you've only known the Game Gear versions.
You can play the higher resolution versions on the Game Gear using the Master Gear converter, though they are poorly scaled for the Game Gear's smaller screen.
The Gane Gear doesn't have most of the Master System's best games! 😄 It has _some_ (probably about 20%) of the best games.
You can play most of the MS library using the converter, although it's an inferior MS experience due to the tiny screen.
GG versions of MS games are optimised for the GG so they're zoomed in with cropped play areas. MS games played through the converter retain their original scale so the sprites are tiny.
Both are great systems by the way; but if you're playing on a GG, you're not playing the MS, you're playing the GG.
I’m glad more people like the master system now but I kinda miss the days where i thought I was the only one in the universe that knew about it and loved it.
It seems like a lot of fans of the console still feel that way haha.
Understatement - after all these years I still feel that way 🥺
In many parts of the world it's the NES that was the obscure console, so you were never alone really. Fortunately as they wouldn't have made so many SMS games otherwise!
Well, I wasn't happy being the only one with a Saturn until much late in my life XD
You weren't. 😂
Excellent.
I would love to see a video that focuses on regional differences between releases in the East vs. releases in the West. If you already have a video like this, I’d love to check it out.
Thank you for making these videos! I have been watching your videos for years now and every week I'm looking forward to your awesome videos :D
I really appreciate you watching and am glad you're enjoying them!
In my country the MS had almost non-existent distribution. I found out recently, thanks to Spanish friends, that it is a wonderful system. Of course it lacks some of the best 8bit franchises of the time, but it has several games with an outstanding playability and beautiful graphics.
What a nice video. I'm brazilian, so you already know that I love the Master System, such good memories. More people should give these games a try, lots of hidden gems for retro gamers.
I was an arcade kid so I ended up with an SMS. No regrets , and so glad I held onto it and my games. I will say that in 2023, the PSG sound is grating to my ears unless the devs really knew how to make it sing (WB3, Streets of Rage, Sonic). Too bad we didn't get FM built in. For a treat, the Japanese SMS Bios version of the Space Harrier theme is incredible though
I've had both the NES and Master System for decades. I'm glad you didn't spark up some silly console war debate here. They may be of the same generation, but the Master System is best looked at as a fun counterpart to the NES these days instead of a rival. The NES certainly has the larger, stronger library, but games like those listed here are very worthwhile, and light gun games like Gangster Town, Rambo III, and Rescue Mission honestly outclass any other home console gun games of the era.
Oddly, I really enjoy the Carmen Sandiego Master System game. Nobody really talks about it, but it's pretty different from other versions, and has a little action sequence when it's time to make the arrest. It's also pretty easy to find with the mini-encyclopedia included for the full experience.
I often find myself enjoying less technically advanced ports of games too, not sure why. Like outrun on master system is pretty fun. And ive been playing donkey kong land on game boy
Great video as always! I have a Master System myself but I only have Outrun for it at the moment, though I still love it. My main deterrent for collecting it though is that I still want to collect more for other systems. I’d like to collect a little more for the other Sega consoles and the NES before I start collecting more Master System games. A couple that stand out to me are Phantasy Star, R-Type, and the 8- bit Sonic. Though I might be more inclined to pick up a couple of those Disney games you showcased as well as the Master System version of Ninja Gaiden. They seem pretty fun!
With Phantasy Star in particular there is another way to play it that is actually the way I would recommend it provided of course you have the means to. It was ported to the Gameboy Advance but it also included P.S 2 and 3 with it. Even CIB it's cheaper and cart only is a fraction of the Master System version cart only.
I grew up with the Master System , and I still remember many games who were ( and are still ) so good.
I still love Asterix , Tazmania, Alex Kidd, Shinobi & Castle of Illusion.
No mention on the bread clips vs bread ties but yet this was an amazing video
Hot dog, I was able to stay up late enough for a RetroBird video.
For myself I just never heard of it, I had a NES once but that's the only one from that era and I only had a few games so I watch these videos to see what's fun that I could try out now
I just picked up my first Master System, but yeah it was my “one more / last console” purchase. It does also have the coolest appearance in my display.
If all you have is a Master System, there are some great games. The problem is, outside of a few exclusives that Retro Bird mostly mentions, most of the SMS games have better versions on Arcade or Genesis.
My two cousins always got a system when it came out, so he had the Nintendo, and the Master System. Playing the Sega just felt more grown up,more mature.we cracked out on Phantasy Star for a couple days,it brought us into maturity.
Really good video. The Master System is pretty cool and with Sega basically being the sole publisher the library is pretty impressive with a lot of variety. I was unaware of the Master System until a few years ago similar to the Turbo16 and I keep my fingers crossed that maybe Sega will give us a Master System Mini as an official way for so many of us to experience the console.
Sega was far from the sole publisher in other parts of the world - many great games from many publishers that were never released in the USA.
I remember when I was little my big brother had the Sega Master System from grandma and my mom bought the family a New Nintendo System. We were lucky to play both. Fun times.
One other thing about The Power Base Converter is it works on a Retron 5. That's how I play mine. Master System games in glorious HD!
Growing up in the 80s the kid down the street from me had a Master System and I had the NES. Our Moms worked at the local corner store and when one worked the other would babysit the other's kids. So my friend and I spent a lot of time experiencing both systems. It wasn't until later in life I realized how uncommon that was here in America.
I always saw the Master System as the other half of 8-bit gaming philosophy. Games like Phantasy Star and YS 1 were awesome but also completely different from Dragon Warrior and Zelda. Then you had games like Rastan that was a fantasy bloody hack n slash side scroller that was nothing like say Rygar or anything on NES and there was no Rygar equivalent on Master System either. Then even games that were on NES but were different like Double Dragon. It felt like if you were only experiencing only one system you were only getting half of the story not the full one.
New subscriber to the channel and i've been playing catch-up and I gotta say! NOT BAD NOT BAD!
Love the authenticity that comes from every video, caught myself laighing too often and stopped and said to myself awe yes, now this is the very type of retro video game reviews I needed! Not gonna say its bad no sir! Cause that would be a lie and why lie when you could tell the truth I say!
Just give those Strawberry lovers the old Retro Bird finger! They'll know what's good for'em! 😛😏🤪
Welcome to the channel and glad to hear you're enjoying the videos! :)
Great points all around. There were some exceptions for the arcade ports like Shinobi which added a life bar and new weapons. Wonder Boy 1 added the hidden dolls and bonus levels. After Burner had added bosses and Space Harrier a new boss and music track.
I had a pretty unique experience with the Master System when I was a kid. When I was about 8, I didn't have a console at all and desperately wanted an NES. About that time my much older brother got out of the Army and moved in with us briefly. Some of his thing were put in my room temporarily and one of those things was an old milk crate with a Master System and several games. I had no idea what it was but I was excited because I knew a video game console when I saw one. So I asked him what it was, and if I could please play it. Unfortunately he said he lost all the cords for it, so there it sat in my room taunting me for weeks. And that was that, that was my whole experience with the Master System as a kid. I never knew anyone else with one and have yet to get one myself. But from all the video's I've seen, it's terribly underrated. Hopefully I'll be adding one to my collection soon.
I just went over to check if the RetroBird vid was up and... Boom! There it was.
Alright, I’ll admit, I legit blew air outta my nose at the “Daytona Voicemail”😂
I never really saw the NES and Sega Master System as the bitterest of foes, and even if I did, "Nintendo DS vs. PlayStation Portable" is _my_ preferred cockfight.
I don’t know much about Sega in general and often wondered about the NES equivalent. Super intriguing! Thanks for making this
Great point about the Arcade ports on the Master System vs NES.
I've noticed that too, and in fact Sega did this on the Genesis as well. It's a noble effort.
I don't think the games are bad, but there's just no way an 8 or 16-Bit port of Hang-On, After Burner, or Virtua Fighter 2 can compare to something like Punch-Out!! on the NES. It's an all-time classic, even better than the Arcade game.
Ahhh... you only say they can't compare because you never played them as a kid. Hang On, After Burner, Space Harrier, Golden Axe, R-type (just to name a few) all killed anything the NES could try to do as far as an arcade conversion was concerned. Yes, that even includes punch out.
So excited when I got the notification, I’ve officially binged every video of yours!
Do you use the master system converter on your game gear?
Great to see a MS video highlighting a few key differences and some excellent games.
For people interested in some new or different games to play on the MS i'd recommend Submarine Attack, Prince of Persia, Ghouls n' Ghosts, Sonic & Sonic 2, Psycho Fox, Golvellius, Wonder Boy III, Krusty's Fun House, and The New Zealand Story.
Cheers.
The most important question is, how is you bred clip collection going?
Phantasy Star was so much fun, crazy how good it looked.
Superb! 100% agree with you about the library comparison and why I always wanted a Nintendo too. Master System is my first passion for 8 bits but Nintendo 's libraries were what made me wonder if I should had sold my sms for a Nintendo. Thank God I didn't 😅
Europe had 6 years of releases after the US. The Library was double what Americans think it was.
There were some games on the SMS that were absolutely great, some like the arcade ports that were worth playing back then like the arcade ports or maybe some of the sports games if you enjoyed them but you wouldn't want to bother with now, and sadly there were other games that had great ideas but were limited by the baffling choice to only have 2 buttons on the controller and a pause button on the system. Zillion is a prime example of a game where the design of the game itself was fantastic but having to hit a button on the system itself every time you wanted to open the menu was a real drag. Honestly, that decision alone is probably why the SMS got far fewer RPGs and Action Adventure games than the NES.
But the system also had more than its fair share of games that were mediocre or just downright stunk. And that really stung when the library was so much smaller than what the NES had to offer.
The genesis/master system face cuts were terrifying my man. 😅
The Master System is such a great console. So many brilliant games. Was much more popular and successful in Europe (particularly in the UK) and obviously in Brazil it was an absolute behemoth. Always feels like Japan (with the Famicom) and the US (with the NES) never gave it a look in probably due to Nintendo's aggressive tactics with regards to licencing & with retail etc however it was supported for many years in Europe (and even more in Brazil) and has some utterly fantastic games.
The question you ask is the one more games should ask about more systems i.e. not which one is better but "If I like this system will I also like this other system" as it opens up the opportunity to play more games that you like. Especially in the 8-bit and 16-bit days when consoles would have far more exclusive titles or different versions of the same licence etc
Another great video!
In the UK the Master System was everywhere and had loads of games. I only saw a few Nes in the 80s.
I was about to comment the same thing 😂 it's ashame video game history is so dominated by the US lense.. to the point you have people in the UK getting second hand nostalgia for the NES when hardly anyone had one here master system games were always £10 cheaper which was a big difference then we might not have had Zelda or castlevania, but Govellius and Master of darkness filled in that gap nicely and were both great games :D
Yeah, I've mentioned this a few times on the channel. When making this video, I was considering the library released worldwide and not just in the US.
@@RetroBirdGaminggood to know :D as there were a lot more games for the SMS released here thanks to its popularity as well as in Brazil
Keep up the great content bird :) oh and keep eating plenty of Bananas 🍌 😁
@@RetroBirdGaming I just heard the end bit where you said you have been ordering games from outside the US!
I wonder how many were produced worldwide?
@@HollowRickI don't think its the "us lense" as much as it was "A wild Gameboy appeared!" Which led to (well the few people I've known from the uk) going back and checking out the NES. Id rather had the master system myself.
You know what Sega did with the Master System that Nintendo didn't? 3D.
Aleste 1 is a prequel to MUSHA on the Master System. It's really difficult but very fun. It's kinda insane how some power ups are clearly way more powerful than others, but that's part of the charm and fun of the game is figuring that stuff out.
Oh, I LOVED my master system back in the early 90s. Before MD and SNES it was a blast! Sonic, the Disney games, Alex Kidd in Miracle World (!), Outrun, R-Type, ALF (just kidding 😂)...
The controller was cool and the MS1 Power base itself looked REALLY cool.
I even bought the power base converter and the 3D glasses (and its games) recently - just because I never had it as a child (I know, I know, old men trying to get back childhood memories 😅).
Fladly the suppurt in Germany/Europe for the system was really good!
The Sega Master System was my first console and I live in the US. My older cousins had it first so I was lucky to get all their games when they got the genesis in 89. Double dragon, Alex Kidd in shinobi world, r type and phantasy star are all fantastic games.
Nintendo was gaming in the US. So much so that my friend who moved over from America still said "can we play Nintendo" when he wanted to play on my Master System 😁
NESRGB might be my favorite video mod. The jump from composite to RGB on a crt feels so sublime
And the fact that the master system had that in 1986 is insane to me haha
I grew up an NES kid but I did have a classmate that owned a Master System. When I went over his house, we played Safari Hunt and Transbot. When I was in my 20s, my cousin bought me a Master System CIB for Christmas. As I grew older, I started buying more games for the system and have gained an appreciation for what it is. I also own Kensiden and that is an amazing Master System game. You can also see where they got some of the assets for Revenge of Shinobi when you play that game.
A month ago, I just picked up Ys: The Vanished Omens on the system. Most games for it are still quite affordable but Ys cost a little more (spent close to $70 at the end of the day but it was worth it)
Other games I love are Rastan, Wonder Boy III, Shinobi, Lord of the Sword, Double Dragon and many others. I'm looking at picking up Ninja Gaiden soon.
Another system that will give you a solid NES-like experience is the PC Engine and Turbo Graphics 16. In fact, a lot of the games developed on there were created by top NES developers of the time. One example being Ninja Spirit (created by the same folks that made Kung Fu on the NES)
Awww, you care about us!!😊 Thanks, buddy! We care about you too!!❤ On a side note, yeah , Disney games on retro systems are awesome 👏
Great video! I never knew about the Genesis Power Converter attachment, so I appreciate you mentioning it for those wanting to dive into the Master System. My only technical experience with Master System games was actually through the Game Gear (which is essentially a portable Master System with lower resolution). I actually owned Donald Duck Lucky Dime Caper and the Illusion games. The Disney games were every bit as good as the NES Capcom games!
I didn't know about some of the other gems like Ninja Gaiden, Kenseiden, or Master of Darkness, so may need to check those out! The Master System seems like a great companion piece to the NES looking for more 8-bit goodness!
6:43 I think we could all benefit from more comparisons like this.
Yeah, people don't have to choose and they can always enjoy what's available now.
One thing people that grew up with the NES/GB and don't know much about the SMS is how it's library not only holds up on its own, it has unique games. With the Game Gear included, which is basically a portable Master System which finally received Japanese software along its longer lifespan, you have a lot to explore.
the master system games on the game gear are so zoomed in its kinda annoying specially if you played them on the master system
@@kefkahkefkah yes they are and it's annoying at this day and age, I agree. But focusing on the titles, rather than technicalities is mostly what the original comment was about. With that, it's interesting that almost all GG exclusives were converted to the SMS by fans, while many shows a bit of garbage graphics in the expanded screen, a bunch plays flawlessly, so at least we get a zoomed out version, the GG Shinobi games and many others were properly converted, well, mostly.
How does the MS library not hold up? 300 games - the majority of which are great quality and often far superior to the NES equivalent.
"If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice."--RUSH (and others). :)
As a lover of their music, I dig that reference!!👍 I think the song is called Free Will, not entirely sure though.
@@brianhatcher2799 Yep! That's the song! :)
I’ve posted this before but I grew up with an NES and my uncle had a Sega Master System. I loved the NES but always enjoyed playing the SMS. He had After Burner, Ghostbusters, a few Wonder Boy games (including Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap) and maybe one or two others. Wonder Boy III got most of the attention but it always seemed like a really great system with games completely different from the ones I had on the NES. Thanks for doing a SMS video!!
One thing that gets overlooked, if you have a CRT, SMS has about a dozen light gun games which is pretty robust given the overall library I think
Gangster Town is probably the best 8 bit gun game ever.
Yeah, and the light phaser is fairly affordable too.
I grew up playing the NES and had never heard of The Master System until sometime in the 2000s. Ever since then, I've always wanted to try one out. This video makes me want to try it out even more.
Wow that Power Base Converter is the coolest thing, this is the first time I've heard of it but now i think im in love
They have gotten pretty expensive (of course), about $100 now I think
My favourite consoles now (in my 40’s) are the ones I never got to play as a kid. The master system, TG16 and NeoGeo were all things of legend in my schoolyard and thanks to the MiSter project I now wholeheartedly enjoy. Thank you for bringing this one forward bird!
I used to (or rather my mom) had an 8088 and a trs-80 before I had an NES there were some really compelling games on those systems. I wish I had (or my mom had) C-64 in that era
My SMS controllers had a nub in the center of the d-pad which, when removed, would reveal a tiny hole where a thumbstick attachment could be screwed in.
I ended up using that more often than the regular pad.
I never even heard of the Sega Master System for the longest time. I always thought the Genesis was the first Sega system. Crazy how overlooked it was.
Man, I love the Sega Game Gear. What's Retro Bird talking about today?
I tried to play the Sega Master System once, back in 1994, but I couldn't get past the opening screen.
That's Daytona USA at the end, right? Thanks for the video, Master System was super popular in Portugal and I played it a lot at my friends' place. Good times. Shinobi, Streets of Rage and Sonic 1, 2 and Chaos were great at the time
Yes, the Saturn version of Daytona USA.
When I was a young boy with my Nintendo, I didn't even know the Sega master system existed. Hell, I didn't even know it existed until the PS2 era.
I'll never understand the issue that some people have with the NES controller and how it supposedly digs into your hands. How hard are you gripping the controller? 200 pounds of pressure?
My best guess would be that people grip it really tightly when they get tense during difficult parts of games.
@@RetroBirdGaming And NES games definitely have tense moments.
I like both, in fact I like all consoles, the games are the only important thing. Doesn't matter who makes the system.
I don't own an American master system, I own the Master System MK-2000 which is a Japanese only variant with the FM chip built in as well as the 3D glasses port (it doesn't use up the card slot)
“What have been your reservations of getting into the system?” It’s mainly because I didn’t know it existed for a long time. It has lived in the shadow of the NES for generations.
Where can I buy this retro bird song ??! I can see myself driving on the i95 with that !
Can you make a Video on the GBA vs SNES or the NDS vs the N64 or the 3DS vs the gamecube/ps2?
I never got into Master System until 2009 when I jailbroke my Wii. Great videos as per usual.
Funny! I love when you say “dirty dog” lol. Great video and good insight and comparisons.
Nintendo’s strict licensing policy with third party developers/publishers is what allowed them to keep an iron clad grip on the video game market at least in North America. Unfair? Maybe, but they took a huge risk that ultimately revitalized the video game market in North America just a couple years after the video game crash. The Master System had good specs but we’ll never know what Nintendo’s third party developers could have done with its power and color pallet. Regardless the NES had the goods and we got some incredible games and memories that may not have been there had Nintendo not taken those risks
It was illegal and anti consumer.
I love your goofy face :D But also your videos are informative and accurate. The poor kid on the block, when I was a kid, that had a Master System was mostly picked on unfairly. I had a NES but loved playing his console! Poor kid though. He just wanted a NES but didn't understand his console was better in a lot of ways.
First time I see a video from you but I like the dry humour. Cheers from Germany 🇩🇪
I modded my Master System a few years ago for FM sound. One of the best gaming decisions I ever made. Rastan, Rampage, and Double Dragon sound really awesome.
Nice! I've heard of people doing this. What a satisfying mod to do!
Great vid, it's really awesome to see the SMS getting some love. I enjoyed the SMS back in the day and finally started adding that 8-bit Sega goodness to my collection this year.
Damn, I don't remember that Genesis converter. I knew there was one but I don't think I've ever seen it. My younger brother's got a Master system with a few things for it, but it's kinda just a novelty to have. And speaking of power supplies and novelty, he's also got a Sega branded power strip that's spaced far apart enough for all the bricks.
I wish I got voice mail like that. It's unfortunate that Bomber Raid is one game that absolutely doesn't work with the Genesis pad. I only had a model 1 Genesis for years, and could never truly play it on the Power Base Converter until I got the SMS pad. Fun game.
You missed showing the other 2 Wonder Boy games. Which I highly recommend. Especially Wonder Boy in Monster Land. When I was a kid the Sega Master System is the 1st system that I got. This was the 80's so gaming wasn't huge at all. Most kids like me, if they bought you 1 system that was it, you weren't getting a 2nd console. I did want a NES though.
How would I compare the Master system to the Nes? I would say the top tier games on Master system were as good or better than the top tier games on the NES. I didn't play like 100 games on each system. I played maybe like 10-15 games each at the time for both systems. Maybe way lesser Nes games because I never owned it & played it at friends houses where they would have maybe 5 games for it.
When Nes & Master system were the standard I loved both systems. As a kid these games were really hard. Now as an adult they are super easy to play & beat. Again in the 80's, you don't have save states so if you died in games you would have to replay them over by the start in 1 sitting in most of these games. These are games I play over & over.
Yep! The Wonder Boy games are all great!
The Power Base Converter is still my favorite Genesis add-on.
I used my paper route $$ as a kid to get the master system! I will always go back to play Shinobi and R Type! Thanks for the great video!
I’m from Australia, the Master System was huge down here! I had two friends that owned one on my street, with one other friend who owned the NES. We would take turns going back and forth to each of their houses playing everything from Wonder Boy III: Dragon’s Trap, to Super Mario Bros. I had the Mega-Drive so we used to all cram into my house to play some Sonic and Streets of Rage!
Good times, and actually, no one ever used to complain or compare the consoles back then, we were just happy to have something to game on.
I totally forgot that the Master System used the NES controller design, though the D-pad is very different.
Very fair assessment of the Master System. More videos about the master system would be welcomed :)
I love my Master System! :)
Love the video, great job.
Apart from the third party licensing issue created by Nintendo for SMS, it's kind of hard to overlook the issue that first party dev games by Nintendo on the NES are generally pretty well received. So, I think from that perspective having third party developers is not quite as important as people would necessarily think. There's certainly a wide range of quality software on the SMS, from real stinkers to excellent.
I do kinda wonder if the NES benefitted a lot from the fact that by the time it hit store shelves in the west, the Famicom had already been out for a couple of years, and so programmers had time to learn and hone their skills for a good 3-4 years before the SMS came out.
Wonder Boy in Monsterland was my fav game as a kid.
Brazil loves The Sega Master System like how the US loves the NES. SEGA was still pumping out new games for Brazil on the Sega Master System way after SEGA's crash in the late 90s.
Ninja Gaiden was my 1st experience playing it on the Sega Master System when I was younger & I like that game over the NES version. Shinobi was another I played all the time as well.
Loved the video & I'm still looking for Master of Darkness for my collection.
Great video. Now, in 2023, I have to agree it would be cool to have different versions of Afterburner, Shinobi, Space Harrier etc.. on the SMS but back in the mid 80's when I was playing SMS and my friends NES it was incredible that I could play Afterburner at home. The great thing about SMS back then was that everybody and their dog had an NES so it was easy to trade consoles with a buddy and get the best of both worlds. I never thought about how I would judge them 40 years into the future.. but here I am.. still thinking about both in 2023. Strange world.
My only regret about the Master System is that I didn’t get into collecting for it sooner as some of the games are kinda expensive now… I bought an untested console years ago and only had to reflow solder on the cartridge connector and it worked just fine!
I later added the FM soundboard mod and it is a very cool and simple modification. There is a guy (who’s name escapes me) in Australia who makes the board kits. Some of my favorite games are Double Dragon, Jurassic Park, and the port of R-Type is excellent!
Hooray! The first Master System video of many more to come :P Zillion is another good Master System exclusive to check out. A little like Metroid. Also definitely try Power Strike/Aleste 1&2. If you play Power Strike 2 though you need to make sure you are playing it at 50hz because it was a PAL exclusive and running it on a US Master System will run the game too fast and totally throw everything off
Just beat Power Strike 2 on a 60hz console and it play's fine. That game came out in Brazil too and all the Brazilian consoles run on 60hz. If anything watching 50hz gameplay makes the game seem too slow.
Phantasy Star was Amazing! In it's Sega Ages version. I would never want to go dungeoneering without having a map to see where the fake walls are...