@@Dangic23 Do remember that these old systems can be repaired when need be. You probably know already, but I'm saying that in a "just in case" notion. Capacitors sometimes need replaced.
SMS is quite an impressive system. Especially when you get to later titles. Some games didn't have any business on an 8 bit system, yet the SMS pulls it off.
You're absolutely right about the impressiveness of the later titles. Often when you see someone's list of best SMS games they don't include the last few years of games released in Europe which really pushed the system to its limits. I owned a SMS right until its end and some of these final games made the NES look like a 4-bit console :)
At first glance I thought the Paperboy on the right was the Master System version. I thought there would be no way the sprites were animated better and more colourful on the Master System, but there we have it.
Master System had a faster CPU than the NES. The Master System had the same speed CPU as the SNES: 3.58 megahertz. It was capable, but third parties treated their MS ports like a red-headed stepchild because they wouldn't sell as well as the NES version.
Great idea for an episode. Whenever there was both a 16-bit and an 8-bit version of a game I always loved it when Sega made 2 separate games from the license catering to the strengths of the hardware like in the Sonic games and Castle of Illusion games. That gave players the incentive to buy both. Sad that Sega did not do this more often.
I remember wanting Chuck Rock on the Genesis so bad. Not sure what the hell was wrong with me back then. To me, Dick Tracy on the Genesis feels like the arcade version of the Master System game, especially when you play the SMS version first.
@@SegaLordX Did my research find sms did 2 Million in united states alone...so technically it really wasn't a failure though yesssss it lost the war but still won in it's own way.
I think it's safe to say that the 8-Bit Sega versions of Aladdin and Lion King are definitely better experiences than the Game Boy and the official NES versions.
Technically speaking, i do have Master System, albeit not in the original console version. However, i do have the official converters for both Mega Drive and Game Gear.
I love your videos man, and I'm from Brazil, and yes, here, the Master System lived up to 1995 at least, and was super popular, with many many games officially translated to brazilian portuguese, that will only happens again a few years ago with the PS4. The Mega Drive was the most successful game console at that time, the second one was the SNES. Back in 1990 it was really common to see, in a store, the Atari 2600, the Master System and the Mega Drive, together, competing, head to head (kinda) on sales. Thinking now, it was a crazy time. Thank you.
I had a master system: aztec adventure, formula 1 and alex kidd and the stars. Dunno, bittersweet experience. Still think that aztec adventure has something. Back then videogames felt like a portal to something greater. Buen video, excelentes juegos amigo.
Love the list...I only ever had a Master System (still going strong too) and we had all these releases here in Australia too. Last games I purchased in a store were ECCO and Populous. ECCO was....terrible.....but was surprised how much I played populous, haha....how'd they get 5000 world's on that?! Haha...love it
Yeah I'm in New Zealand and Populous was a game I constantly rented from the video store as a kid in the 90s, looovved it. They missed out on the good stuff in the U.S.
I had the master system as a kid, used to rent games alot and i think i played the majority of the library here in Australia. Alien storm was one of my favorite games and it was really strange playing the mega drive version years later and discovering there was a third character cut entirely from the master system version. 😂
Man... I freaking love Forgotten Worlds on the Genesis. The requirement of a 1 credit clear really tweaked the difficulty and made beating it very satisfying. I need to try that Master System version. It looks good.
I really like the SMS version of Gauntlet. Really bright and colorful and a massive improvement over the NES version. I don’t understand why Sega was trying to make 1:1 graphical conversions of Golden Axe and Altered beast on the SMS. The Double Dragon, Shinobi, and Streets of Rage ports are good because they shrunk the graphics and adjusted the gameplay to work with the SMS hardware.
I rented Gauntlet SMS when I was about 12, I was really into RPG's, and that's what I thought I was going to be playing. I was so so so disappointed when I got home and found its really a shooter with life-metre constantly depleating. Anyway nearly 20 years later I started playing it on emulation and I was so addicted to it, it was like crack, I'd get so far sometimes, 70 levels, game over, and start again and again, it's such a good game! different every time you play as well. I watched videos of the NES one and it looks awful in comparison.
Nice comparison video. These were the days when you could easily tell which console each version was for, unlike these days when the PS4 version looks nearly graphically identical to the PS5 version, for the cross gen ports. Cool the SMS made so many ports.
The Master System punched WAY above its weight. I'll always prefer the NES because I grew up with it, but if you look at games like R-Type, I have no doubt that the SMS was the better hardware.
Well, it is at least two years newer hardware and definitely did better graphics. Not sure if I would call in better hardware overall though. The NES custom sound chip was arguably much better than SMS' "off the shelf" TI PSG and almost made up for the NES' graphics deficiencies. There's the FM add-on module for the SMS, which makes comparing the sound a lot more interesting, but it was only released in Japan. Also, the NES controllers were less janky, had a much better d-pad (mostly thank to Nintendo silly patent on cross d-pad) and had two more buttons on the controller itself, which was a rather significant advantage. Expanded capabilities via cart mappers is another one of NES' advantages.
Wanna know something really interesting? When Desert Strike was released in Spain, it was fully localized into Spanish, but only on the Master System version. It is the first console game I remember translated in there, where translation in games were only happening for PC games.
Best thing about the US Master System is all those Euro PAL games play on it natively, and run normally! And they're not always all that expensive, either.
The girl that lived behind me had one of these. Being a girl she really wasn't interested in it so they only had three games for it. The Alex Kidd game, a lightgun game where you shot spiders and other creatures, and a tennis game. I wasn't impressed with any of them. I feel like I would have enjoyed Alex Kidd but I could never figure out how to consistently beat that first boss where you played paper rock scissors, and she never wanted to play so I didn't get much practice. Besides that, even though I was only ten she was alot more interesting than the game. I wish the system had done better though as let's be honest, from a hardware perspective it was better than the NES. Just look at Ninja Gaiden on both systems and maybe it wasn't night and day but Sega's version clearly looks better. Nintendo just had the magic back then. They knew how to market to us and they seemed to break new ground with every game I got my hands on. Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior were two of my favorites, but had I known Phantasy Star was a thing back then I would have found a way to get an SMS for that game alone.
I am a Sega fanboy and grew up with the master system, and I think it was a far better system, I come from a Sega country as well, it was the more dominant force. BUT Nintendo did have much more better games. I'm playing a lot lately on emulators and whilst the Master System had its fair share of good games, there are just more of them on NES. Fire Emblem for example blew me away when I played it, nothing like this on Master System. The FF games may be a step behind Phantasy Star, but there's 3 of them. Tecmo Super Bowl is a game i've been playing for 4 years now and not tired of, Master System had Joe Montana football which was nowhere near as good. The reason for this though is Nintendos practices of not letting developers make games for other systems. I feel they knew Master System would have beaten them had they not done this.
Had both consoles back in the day and love them both. I actually prefer Ghouls n' Ghosts on the SMS due to the upgrade systems despite the technical limitations.
Totally agree, love the SMS version. The upgrade system made the game easier, especially if you "cheat" and constantly die early in the game to build up to the full gold armour. It was one of the first games I got for it back in 1990-whatever it was.
Excellent bit of nostalgia. The SMS might have had the graphical edge over the NES but not enough great games, sadly. A lot of below average arcade ports and some forgettable attempts at estbalishing it’s own franchises. Plus the music was where the NES had the edge. And if you look at the second Batman game, that’s an impressive bit of programming. I still have a soft spot for the Master System, but it was no contest. Now the Genesis is an all time GOAT, and boy did it give the SNES a beating early on.
Master System was a little before me but damn all the games on it look awesome, compared to the NES. SEGA's success seems to using exclusively benign neglect.
In the UK the master system continued for many years after the megadrive was released.some cracking games on it. Guessing u will show road rash in ep 2 as master system version is extremely good.even manages the hills and dips
Boy talk about a blast from the past... I played most of those games back then, some are better than the others but it's very impressive that the SMS really doesn't fall too far. Please keep up with the great content, man... gotta LUV those comparison videos!!!
I grew up with both systems, but just recently got back into both when I dove into the retro gaming scene. I’m restarting my collection, and particularly with the SMS, I’m just now coming to realize how many titles there were that I never played. Pretty cool I get to rediscover them all these years later.
Awesome new intro!! What a beautiful 3D sequence. Great idea to feature your OLD intro in the background, so no one can complain that they miss the old intro, because it's still there. Sweet 3D characters, especially I love Ecco's cameo, with lovely underwater shimmering, on the Game Gear. (At first, I was surprised that Saturn doesn't feature NiGHTS above it, and then I noticed the one screen of NiGHTS instead.)
This is one of the greatest channels on RUclips for a forty five year old such as myself. I honestly look forward for these videos and watch them on the way to work. I don't hit like on any of them because I refuse to feed algorithms but I do tell people that these videos exist. Well done mate, you mate great videos.
Watching videos feeds algorithms just the same. The only way you're guaranteed to not feed algorithms is by buying an old Motorola phone capable of SMS messaging and no more beyond making calls. Other than that, you're a product just like me and everyone else here 😛
My best friend had the master system growing up (I had the NES). I always enjoyed the differences. The d pad was super comfortable but that little joystick you could screw into it was useless.
Another great video!! I never had a Master system growing up but got one ten years ago and really enjoyed checking out some of it's library. Very underrated system!
Ah, the memories. Wanted a Megadrive (Euro guy here) as a kid but when I finally scraped enough cash together, my parents brought back a Master System ("don't complain it's a Sega!"). Disappointed at first, but I've grown to love the MS. For example, I prefer the MS version of Castle of Illusion (silly, I know, it's nostalgia). Still collecting, even the new releases like Flight of Pigarus. Great vid SLX, and cool new intro. Thanks!
I love your system comparison videos. I learn so much from you that I missed out on because I never owed a Master System. There are even some Genesis games I wasn't aware of that would be fun to play. BTW, the new intro is great. Glad to see you improving that every few years.
@@the_fat_ghost Skip the Gameboy version, you have to go to the subscreen to switch weapons. The GG and Mastersystem use either holding a button, or a tap. It works beautifully.
As an adult I see how much better the master system was technically than the nes. Had Nintendo not employed development bans and sneaky tactics and had marketing been better in north America the master system should have wiped the floor with the nes
I would argue that the NES was largely successful due to Nintendos' first party games. Even if it hadn't banned third party developers from developing for a competing system the Master System still wouldn't have had games like the Legend of Zelda, Metroid, or Super Mario Bros. 3. Sega needed a killer app like Sonic to compete in Japan and North America and they didn't have one yet.
@@58jharris you make good points. I just think the master system would of been a lot more popular and alot more development would of happened if Nintendo played fair
I think that the Master System was indeed pushed to its limits, since games were released from the mid-80s to the mid-90s, at least in Europe and Brazil. Developers sometimes even tried too hard, like with the Mortal Kombat ports. 32X and Saturn is another story.
Making games for a console way after its release doesn't mean it was pushed to its limits, the NES has incredible third party titles much more impressive than what Nintendo themselves made for their console, specially since third parties used special chips to enhance audio, storage and visual way beyond what the console itself could do, Sunsoft is a fine example of mastering the console and making the best or more impressive games for it, Nintendo just didn't come close in this regard.
I loved my SMS, I went from the Atari 2600 to that, it was a huge jumped. I have so many fantastic memories but its was when I saw sonic on the megadrive at my mates place, i was in shock in the difference to SMS! That game changed my life and I knew I had to get MD. As always great video. 👍
I recently passed on a Master System copy of Aladdin, but I'll probably get one if I see it again (likely as I live in England). Definitely that and Cool Spot to add to my collection. Have you considered doing a video on how Dreamcast compared when ported to other systems (usually after the end of the Dreamcast's run) or on previous generation games enhanced on the Dreamcast. Rayman 2 and Soul Reaver come to mind straight away for them. Love the new intro by the way, would fit in well with the Sega Megadrive and Genesis Classics game room aesthetic.
Moonwalker on the Master System was the only time I played the Master System growing up, over at a friend's house. Only person I ever knew who had a Master System. Too bad, really. It had its share of good titles beyond the highly praised (with good reason) Phantasy Star. I've also wanted to try out Road Rash and Outrun on it.
I love these kinds of videos. You easily provide some of the best and most consistent retro content out there. I'm glad you've stuck with it despite the hard times. Thanks for what you do!
Been playing Phantasy Star. I'm very impressed with the the graphics, definitely not possible on the NES. Much more than the NES, the Master System feels like a poor-man's 4th gen console rather than a gen 3. While there's clearly a massive step up between the NES and the SNES or Genesis, the Master System feels like just a small step back from something like the base TruboGrafx-16. If you showed someone unfamiliar with gaming the Atari 7800, NES, Master System, TurboGrafx, Genesis, and SNES and asked them where the cutoff between the 3rd and 4th generations was, I wonder how many would put it between the Master System and the Turbo.
Alien 3 on the MS is so impressive, I wouldn't be surprised if the design document was specifically made to work on both systems without any major changes. On another note, the rotation effects on that tree in Chuck Rock 2 really impressed me. The rough result of tile based rotation gets camouflaged by the lava and kinda looks like a heat wobble effect. Genius!
@Dean Satan No idea about MSX, it pretty much wasn't a thing here in the US. But C64 was pretty big AND if I remember right C64 got ports of castlevania and contra too. Albeit lazy ports. The audio in those sucked quite hard, sounded like they tried to emulate NES audio on the C64 rather than actually utilize the SID chip.
@deansatan9573 Then alot of people back then wouldn't have seen much of a reason to buy an NES back then if that were the case. So, the more exclusives on NES back then, the better things were. If only Europe had the same crash, things could've been better for them too with Nintendo being at the helm of everything!
1st, Love the New intro. 2nd, I didn't really get to grow up with these games, But I still enjoy hearing all about them. I hope I get to enjoy them myself one day.
The original Gauntlet had no music during the game (it only played during the intro), so it wasn't "missing" in the Master System port. That was one of the many elements added to the Genesis version that was not in the arcade to begin with.
I'm from Brazil and lived that time. Those good translation used to give me the wish of working doing downgrades for SMS! lol! It was so great to see them when the translations were well done that you realized the passion of programmers.
The Master system truly was an impressive little console. It didn't get nearly the attention it deserved in the US as most of that was stolen by the NES but it truly was incredible and even now it gets my respect.
It was mad to see both Master System and Mega Drive enduring at the same time. At one point I did see the Master Sytem and Mega Drive being sold alongside the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation, but that was for a very short time.
I'd like to point out that a lot of the games that we didn't get as SMS games, we did get as Gamegear games. Alladin, chuckrock, and The Lionking all had us releases for the gamegear, which were basically 1:1 ports of the SMS games or vice versa.
You really deserve the subscribers man, I been here since 50,000 and I've watched you grow. You're so consistent and I love your style. I rarely comment but man you truly deserve it. Congratulations!
I still remember the day where my father bought me Golden Axe for the Master System,....despite the impressive graphics of the main protagonist in the title screen, the game itself was absolutely horrible! I've convinced him to send it back. In the italian landscapes of the mid '90s, the Master System was even more common among kids than the Mega Drive. It was a budget console with decent graphics, some masterpieces (Sonic 1 & 2, Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Master of Darkness and many others) and good arcade conversions: it was a huge success back in those days.
Yeah same in New Zealand. 1991 saw Master System II come out and it was budget, so everyone got one and it dominated, not many people had consoles before that. It lasted till around 1995 before Mega Drive (and soon playstation) started to take over, so we also got many of the best Master System titles that came out late in the early-mid 90s Golden Axe though... was my favourite arcade game, and I saw that on Master System I wanted it so bad. fortunately I only borrowed it off a friend a year or so later, I didn't own it. I was so disappointed. Where's the Dwarf? Finished the game in a day or 2.... so sad 😆
Great work as per usual-I love the idea of comparing these two systems. I honestly did the same thing back in the day as I perused the Sears Wishbook catalog. The Master System is an under appreciated system, at least in the US. Looking forward to part 2! The intro is shaping up pretty slick-keep up the great work!
Really diggin that new intro, and a great video as well. It's quite impressive what the master system was able to do, I need to spend some more time with some of these titles. Thanks for the vid and have a great weekend!
Great video, brings back memories of playing the SMS. Favourite games were Master of Darkness, Sonic Chaos (which also had the better Gigapolis soundtrack too imo), Streets of Rage and Shadow Dancer (which I thought looked better than the Genesis/MD version.) I once read a brilliant book many, many years that compared master system and genesis games but can't remember the title of it.
I really missed Shadow Dancer in the video. That game was so awesome back in time for the SMS. Even not being comparable with the Genesis version, as It's a totally different game, It's such a great conversion of arcade version that IMHO it was a game at least on the same quality that Genesis version.
As an artist I learned so much from the color usage on the sega systems. I think working with a limited color palette is a good tool to force you to use design skills. Easy to muck something up with too many colors or get lazy about design .
The Genesis Gauntlet soundtrack is a work of art. When I first heard it, I couldn't believe it was being done with the Genesis sound chip. It sounded like a film score. It's just as well the Master System version didn't try to copy it; unless the tracks are from Yuzo Koshiro or Matt Furniss, most Master System stuff sounds like it's coming out of an ice cream van.
The Master System was a pretty cool machine, Sega's commercial strategy in Europe with it was great, everyone could play Sega's games, they were cut down, sure, but nobody expected 16 bit quality, it was priced very affordable, and that was the key element. I'm still thinking from time how a standalone 32X console would've worked in Europe alongside the Saturn, had it had a similar strategy in terms of price it could've been very interesting.
I had a Master System II in Europe when I was a kid and, while I was able to have a 16bits system it was awesome. Not forget specific versions of Sonic, Sonic 2, Asterix... etc that were great adapted versions to an 8bit machine.
The Master was my first system because everyone I knew from family or friends had gotten an NES with many games that didn’t want to work because of that goofy poor game loading problems. I didn’t care for the color pallet offered with NES either. I was proud the day I paid $86 of my hard earned money for it at K-B toys way back in 1986. I still play many of the games now days when I have time, also of course my Genesis. However emulation has allowed me to try every title available for all home systems now and most arcade games as well thankfully for pennies a game. It’s amazing how many titles were available. Yes next video you need to bring up the difference between Sonic games on both systems, definitely some differences. Great Video and comparison!
Great intro! While the Master System's graphics look aesthetically superior to those of the NES, going from the Genesis to the Master System is like choosing Taco Bell over authentic Mexican food. Only two action buttons? WHY? And more importantly, WHY IS THE PAUSE BUTTON RIGHT ON THE CONSOLE? Why couldn't Sega put it on the controller? What did they think was going to happen? Keep in mind that my only experience with the Master System library is through emulators and re-releases. Technically, I have a Master System via the Genesis. I'm just missing the Power Base Converter and MS games.
The pause button on the console was dumb, but the NES and PC Engine also only had two action buttons, which was just the expected standard for controllers at that time.
At that time (mid 80s), to put the pause button on the console was a regular practice on many systems. Technically, was easier (and seemed much logical) to pause the system using the system itself, because the pad's connections were strictly limited in potential functions.
@@rael_gc Aren't they still making Master System consoles and games for the Brazilian market after all these years? I'm surprised that an 8-bit console managed to last so long.
@@DarDarBinks1986 Kind of. The company that made SMS and Genesis here in the 90s still have the same name (TecToy), but it's a totally different company now. They produce a version of Master System, but using a chinese all-in-one chip, no cartridge or any other slot, very different look, with a ton of crap games (a lot of ugly puzzle games, no real 8 bit games). Even the few ones that were good (I think they lost the license for most of the good games) runs with different clock. Really a shame. So, yes, still produced, but not the real SMS. Around 3 years ago, they started to produce Genesis again, same idea (a chinese all-in-one chip), but at least this one with a cartridge slot and a SD slot.
A few of these games did come to the US via the GameGear. The Lion King for GG instance was the first game I ever beat! Looks like a lot of games that look about the same were 8-bit games to begin with (Paper boy, Gauntlet, Marble Madness). Alien looks amazing though, I would have loved that for GG
Love the new intro SLX
Good to hear.
It's awesome! Looks so professional 👌🏽
I agree but I'm glad the music hasn't been altered.
@@Sum_Yousah Yes I would really miss the current music if it were changed.
I like the old intro, specially the 2d animation
I still have these 2 consoles from when I got them as a kid for Christmas.
Both still shiny and in great condition s.
Can I have one?
@@upfront864
Sentimental value is too great, lol.
Will pass them on to my kids, with all my other old consoles that also still work.
Lucky
@@Dangic23 Do remember that these old systems can be repaired when need be. You probably know already, but I'm saying that in a "just in case" notion. Capacitors sometimes need replaced.
@@101Volts
Thankfully they work great.
But thanks for the info.
Hopefully they don’t break down.
Man, you've been on an absolute tear lately, just pumping out the content. Much appreciated!
One of the very few e-beggars who actually uploads a lot of quality videos.
@@arioca It always tells a ton about a person when they decide to be an ass for no reason.
SMS is quite an impressive system. Especially when you get to later titles. Some games didn't have any business on an 8 bit system, yet the SMS pulls it off.
Absolutely! It blows away NES graphically. I was an outcast for not getting an NES, but I didn’t care. The same scenario happened with the TG16. 😂
@@MrCumstein yes it blows the NES graphically but it's library of games are pretty forgettable definitely not as good as NES library.
@@eskanda3434 Far from forgettable my friend. You're probably saying that through an american point of view.
@@eskanda3434 I have to disagree with you on that.
You're absolutely right about the impressiveness of the later titles. Often when you see someone's list of best SMS games they don't include the last few years of games released in Europe which really pushed the system to its limits. I owned a SMS right until its end and some of these final games made the NES look like a 4-bit console :)
At first glance I thought the Paperboy on the right was the Master System version. I thought there would be no way the sprites were animated better and more colourful on the Master System, but there we have it.
Master System had a faster CPU than the NES.
The Master System had the same speed CPU as the SNES: 3.58 megahertz.
It was capable, but third parties treated their MS ports like a red-headed stepchild because they wouldn't sell as well as the NES version.
Great idea for an episode. Whenever there was both a 16-bit and an 8-bit version of a game I always loved it when Sega made 2 separate games from the license catering to the strengths of the hardware like in the Sonic games and Castle of Illusion games. That gave players the incentive to buy both. Sad that Sega did not do this more often.
I remember wanting Chuck Rock on the Genesis so bad. Not sure what the hell was wrong with me back then. To me, Dick Tracy on the Genesis feels like the arcade version of the Master System game, especially when you play the SMS version first.
Oh, it's Joe. The Sega Royalty comes together.
Me too. Chuck Rock sucked. Disappointed
I had a US Master System as a kid and I would have been amazed to know about all the other games that existed in other regions.
Me parece que el último juego en salir de forma oficial en Estados Unidos fue el Sonic
You were the only one in the states who had one. Hahaha
Although I’ll miss the old Intro, the new updated one is also really AWESOME! I admire your honest yet fair take on the games you discuss!! 👍🏻
I agree
Thanks for the kind words.
@@SegaLordX thank you for inspiring me as a small aspiring content creator here on the platform. Can’t wait to see what you tackle next!
He's the best!
@@SegaLordX Did my research find sms did 2 Million in united states alone...so technically it really wasn't a failure though yesssss it lost the war but still won in it's own way.
I think it's safe to say that the 8-Bit Sega versions of Aladdin and Lion King are definitely better experiences than the Game Boy and the official NES versions.
so youd buy one just to play 2 games better?
I would never buy a Master System. But I wouldn't mind emulating the entire library for free.
Technically speaking, i do have Master System, albeit not in the original console version. However, i do have the official converters for both Mega Drive and Game Gear.
@@NewportBox100s You don't have to. 20 dollar genesis. Then buy a 20 dollar converter. Works good enough.
Rambo was better on Sega Master System than Nes
I love your videos man, and I'm from Brazil, and yes, here, the Master System lived up to 1995 at least, and was super popular, with many many games officially translated to brazilian portuguese, that will only happens again a few years ago with the PS4. The Mega Drive was the most successful game console at that time, the second one was the SNES. Back in 1990 it was really common to see, in a store, the Atari 2600, the Master System and the Mega Drive, together, competing, head to head (kinda) on sales. Thinking now, it was a crazy time. Thank you.
I had a master system: aztec adventure, formula 1 and alex kidd and the stars. Dunno, bittersweet experience. Still think that aztec adventure has something. Back then videogames felt like a portal to something greater. Buen video, excelentes juegos amigo.
The Aztec Adventure song is forever burned into my brain. Love it✌️
@@retrovin9269 yup, really catchy tune. I also remember it.
I remember Aztec Adventure being really difficult. I like difficult games now, not so much as an 11 year old.
@@JaimieRain Yeah, difficulty builds up pretty quick in that game. Nowadays yo coul pair it with dark souls in a gaming session. XD.
Love the list...I only ever had a Master System (still going strong too) and we had all these releases here in Australia too. Last games I purchased in a store were ECCO and Populous. ECCO was....terrible.....but was surprised how much I played populous, haha....how'd they get 5000 world's on that?! Haha...love it
Yeah I'm in New Zealand and Populous was a game I constantly rented from the video store as a kid in the 90s, looovved it. They missed out on the good stuff in the U.S.
I had the master system as a kid, used to rent games alot and i think i played the majority of the library here in Australia. Alien storm was one of my favorite games and it was really strange playing the mega drive version years later and discovering there was a third character cut entirely from the master system version. 😂
Man... I freaking love Forgotten Worlds on the Genesis. The requirement of a 1 credit clear really tweaked the difficulty and made beating it very satisfying. I need to try that Master System version. It looks good.
*GREAT TIMING! Love watching your videos in the morning with my cuppa tea or coffee! cheers* 💻👍
I really like the SMS version of Gauntlet. Really bright and colorful and a massive improvement over the NES version.
I don’t understand why Sega was trying to make 1:1 graphical conversions of Golden Axe and Altered beast on the SMS. The Double Dragon, Shinobi, and Streets of Rage ports are good because they shrunk the graphics and adjusted the gameplay to work with the SMS hardware.
💥
I rented Gauntlet SMS when I was about 12, I was really into RPG's, and that's what I thought I was going to be playing. I was so so so disappointed when I got home and found its really a shooter with life-metre constantly depleating.
Anyway nearly 20 years later I started playing it on emulation and I was so addicted to it, it was like crack, I'd get so far sometimes, 70 levels, game over, and start again and again, it's such a good game! different every time you play as well. I watched videos of the NES one and it looks awful in comparison.
Nice comparison video. These were the days when you could easily tell which console each version was for, unlike these days when the PS4 version looks nearly graphically identical to the PS5 version, for the cross gen ports. Cool the SMS made so many ports.
The Master System punched WAY above its weight. I'll always prefer the NES because I grew up with it, but if you look at games like R-Type, I have no doubt that the SMS was the better hardware.
Agreed, I grew up with the Master System
My only complaint about it is the pause button on the console
Well, it is at least two years newer hardware and definitely did better graphics. Not sure if I would call in better hardware overall though. The NES custom sound chip was arguably much better than SMS' "off the shelf" TI PSG and almost made up for the NES' graphics deficiencies. There's the FM add-on module for the SMS, which makes comparing the sound a lot more interesting, but it was only released in Japan. Also, the NES controllers were less janky, had a much better d-pad (mostly thank to Nintendo silly patent on cross d-pad) and had two more buttons on the controller itself, which was a rather significant advantage. Expanded capabilities via cart mappers is another one of NES' advantages.
the mapper chips ultimately put the nes ahead
Wanna know something really interesting?
When Desert Strike was released in Spain, it was fully localized into Spanish, but only on the Master System version.
It is the first console game I remember translated in there, where translation in games were only happening for PC games.
Best thing about the US Master System is all those Euro PAL games play on it natively, and run normally! And they're not always all that expensive, either.
ooh new intro, I like it. I like that this is a "Part 1" so it gives me more to look forward to.
Yeah seeing it was only 'part 1' got me all excited too
The girl that lived behind me had one of these. Being a girl she really wasn't interested in it so they only had three games for it. The Alex Kidd game, a lightgun game where you shot spiders and other creatures, and a tennis game. I wasn't impressed with any of them. I feel like I would have enjoyed Alex Kidd but I could never figure out how to consistently beat that first boss where you played paper rock scissors, and she never wanted to play so I didn't get much practice. Besides that, even though I was only ten she was alot more interesting than the game.
I wish the system had done better though as let's be honest, from a hardware perspective it was better than the NES. Just look at Ninja Gaiden on both systems and maybe it wasn't night and day but Sega's version clearly looks better. Nintendo just had the magic back then. They knew how to market to us and they seemed to break new ground with every game I got my hands on. Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior were two of my favorites, but had I known Phantasy Star was a thing back then I would have found a way to get an SMS for that game alone.
Did you end up marrying the girl? That would make your story even better.
@@lonewolf8667 It's not always the case of course, but back then it did seem much more boy thing to play video games.
I am a Sega fanboy and grew up with the master system, and I think it was a far better system, I come from a Sega country as well, it was the more dominant force. BUT Nintendo did have much more better games. I'm playing a lot lately on emulators and whilst the Master System had its fair share of good games, there are just more of them on NES. Fire Emblem for example blew me away when I played it, nothing like this on Master System. The FF games may be a step behind Phantasy Star, but there's 3 of them. Tecmo Super Bowl is a game i've been playing for 4 years now and not tired of, Master System had Joe Montana football which was nowhere near as good.
The reason for this though is Nintendos practices of not letting developers make games for other systems. I feel they knew Master System would have beaten them had they not done this.
Had both consoles back in the day and love them both. I actually prefer Ghouls n' Ghosts on the SMS due to the upgrade systems despite the technical limitations.
Totally agree, love the SMS version. The upgrade system made the game easier, especially if you "cheat" and constantly die early in the game to build up to the full gold armour. It was one of the first games I got for it back in 1990-whatever it was.
Excellent bit of nostalgia. The SMS might have had the graphical edge over the NES but not enough great games, sadly. A lot of below average arcade ports and some forgettable attempts at estbalishing it’s own franchises. Plus the music was where the NES had the edge. And if you look at the second Batman game, that’s an impressive bit of programming. I still have a soft spot for the Master System, but it was no contest. Now the Genesis is an all time GOAT, and boy did it give the SNES a beating early on.
Love the master system videos. Keep them coming
Total respect for the work you put into this video. Your general knowledge of these games and systems is honestly impressive. Kudos 👍
Master System was a little before me but damn all the games on it look awesome, compared to the NES. SEGA's success seems to using exclusively benign neglect.
Keep these quality videos pumping...thank you!
In the UK the master system continued for many years after the megadrive was released.some cracking games on it. Guessing u will show road rash in ep 2 as master system version is extremely good.even manages the hills and dips
Chuck 2 looks freaking amazing. I should have picked it up back in the day. Thanks, man.
Boy talk about a blast from the past...
I played most of those games back then, some are better than the others but it's very impressive that the SMS really doesn't fall too far.
Please keep up with the great content, man... gotta LUV those comparison videos!!!
I grew up with both systems, but just recently got back into both when I dove into the retro gaming scene. I’m restarting my collection, and particularly with the SMS, I’m just now coming to realize how many titles there were that I never played. Pretty cool I get to rediscover them all these years later.
Awesome new intro!! What a beautiful 3D sequence. Great idea to feature your OLD intro in the background, so no one can complain that they miss the old intro, because it's still there. Sweet 3D characters, especially I love Ecco's cameo, with lovely underwater shimmering, on the Game Gear. (At first, I was surprised that Saturn doesn't feature NiGHTS above it, and then I noticed the one screen of NiGHTS instead.)
This is one of the greatest channels on RUclips for a forty five year old such as myself. I honestly look forward for these videos and watch them on the way to work. I don't hit like on any of them because I refuse to feed algorithms but I do tell people that these videos exist. Well done mate, you mate great videos.
Watching videos feeds algorithms just the same. The only way you're guaranteed to not feed algorithms is by buying an old Motorola phone capable of SMS messaging and no more beyond making calls. Other than that, you're a product just like me and everyone else here 😛
My best friend had the master system growing up (I had the NES). I always enjoyed the differences. The d pad was super comfortable but that little joystick you could screw into it was useless.
*and hurt like hell but the newer pads were better*
Greatest channel of all time. Not a clue how you do it but the content is consistently excellent and fascinating. SEGA
Another great video!! I never had a Master system growing up but got one ten years ago and really enjoyed checking out some of it's library. Very underrated system!
Ah, the memories. Wanted a Megadrive (Euro guy here) as a kid but when I finally scraped enough cash together, my parents brought back a Master System ("don't complain it's a Sega!"). Disappointed at first, but I've grown to love the MS. For example, I prefer the MS version of Castle of Illusion (silly, I know, it's nostalgia). Still collecting, even the new releases like Flight of Pigarus. Great vid SLX, and cool new intro. Thanks!
Because of you SLX, I appreciate the Sega MS now more than ever. Thank you for all the awesome content. 👌
This is an excellent video! Very good to show so many side by sides and direct comparisons!
I love your system comparison videos. I learn so much from you that I missed out on because I never owed a Master System. There are even some Genesis games I wasn't aware of that would be fun to play. BTW, the new intro is great. Glad to see you improving that every few years.
I actually find myself prefering the SMS versions of a lot of these!
It’s what made these choices so interesting. The Genesis wasn’t always the clear cut winner.
8 bit is too primitive.
The GG version of Desert Strike was massively impressive, I loved the controls of it
I love the 2d Strike trilogy. I’ll have to check out the 8 bit version of Desert Strike.
@@the_fat_ghost Skip the Gameboy version, you have to go to the subscreen to switch weapons. The GG and Mastersystem use either holding a button, or a tap. It works beautifully.
@@shabmaster7128 8 bit road rash is underrated too.
As an adult I see how much better the master system was technically than the nes. Had Nintendo not employed development bans and sneaky tactics and had marketing been better in north America the master system should have wiped the floor with the nes
I would argue that the NES was largely successful due to Nintendos' first party games. Even if it hadn't banned third party developers from developing for a competing system the Master System still wouldn't have had games like the Legend of Zelda, Metroid, or Super Mario Bros. 3. Sega needed a killer app like Sonic to compete in Japan and North America and they didn't have one yet.
@@58jharris you make good points. I just think the master system would of been a lot more popular and alot more development would of happened if Nintendo played fair
sms needed special mappers like nes
I did love the master system. There was something special about it... I guess that's why it somehow is still around in Brazil
Man, the MS had so much potential, just like the Saturn and 32x. Would've been cool to see them pushed to their limits
Imagine if the SMS had been supported by Capcom, Konami, Sunsoft, Data East and others.
Check out the Brazilian community. They kept the Master System going well past its prime.
I think that the Master System was indeed pushed to its limits, since games were released from the mid-80s to the mid-90s, at least in Europe and Brazil. Developers sometimes even tried too hard, like with the Mortal Kombat ports. 32X and Saturn is another story.
I think the MS was pushed to its limits, you can see that in many of the games in this episode. It kept getting games in Europe, all the way to 1994.
Making games for a console way after its release doesn't mean it was pushed to its limits, the NES has incredible third party titles much more impressive than what Nintendo themselves made for their console, specially since third parties used special chips to enhance audio, storage and visual way beyond what the console itself could do, Sunsoft is a fine example of mastering the console and making the best or more impressive games for it, Nintendo just didn't come close in this regard.
Great video. Would love to see a video on master system rpgs if you haven't already
Damn, makes me REALLY miss my old system. Cursed House fire..
@starblazers1969 nah. They go for too much. I can always swing by my uncle's if I want though
New intro is legit!
Glad you like it.
Awesome channel and and Awesome new intro. Every time you upload its like a christmas present! Well done sir
That new intro is great! I've been enjoying your videos on lunch breaks
I loved my SMS, I went from the Atari 2600 to that, it was a huge jumped. I have so many fantastic memories but its was when I saw sonic on the megadrive at my mates place, i was in shock in the difference to SMS! That game changed my life and I knew I had to get MD. As always great video. 👍
I recently passed on a Master System copy of Aladdin, but I'll probably get one if I see it again (likely as I live in England). Definitely that and Cool Spot to add to my collection.
Have you considered doing a video on how Dreamcast compared when ported to other systems (usually after the end of the Dreamcast's run) or on previous generation games enhanced on the Dreamcast. Rayman 2 and Soul Reaver come to mind straight away for them.
Love the new intro by the way, would fit in well with the Sega Megadrive and Genesis Classics game room aesthetic.
That intro is badass, top notch stuff
Moonwalker on the Master System was the only time I played the Master System growing up, over at a friend's house. Only person I ever knew who had a Master System.
Too bad, really. It had its share of good titles beyond the highly praised (with good reason) Phantasy Star. I've also wanted to try out Road Rash and Outrun on it.
Got outrun, really really want road rash for it.
Forgotten worlds, that game I played consecutively on the SMS even after completion.
Great videos bro, wish games were as good as they were back then when we were kids. I still dust off my good old Sega from time to time.
I love these kinds of videos. You easily provide some of the best and most consistent retro content out there. I'm glad you've stuck with it despite the hard times. Thanks for what you do!
Been playing Phantasy Star. I'm very impressed with the the graphics, definitely not possible on the NES. Much more than the NES, the Master System feels like a poor-man's 4th gen console rather than a gen 3. While there's clearly a massive step up between the NES and the SNES or Genesis, the Master System feels like just a small step back from something like the base TruboGrafx-16.
If you showed someone unfamiliar with gaming the Atari 7800, NES, Master System, TurboGrafx, Genesis, and SNES and asked them where the cutoff between the 3rd and 4th generations was, I wonder how many would put it between the Master System and the Turbo.
Awesome new intro! ❤️
Alien 3 on the MS is so impressive, I wouldn't be surprised if the design document was specifically made to work on both systems without any major changes. On another note, the rotation effects on that tree in Chuck Rock 2 really impressed me. The rough result of tile based rotation gets camouflaged by the lava and kinda looks like a heat wobble effect. Genius!
The Master System was a very capable machine. It's such a shame Nintendo's illegal practices kept a ton of games from the platform.
@Dean Satan We still had 8 bit computers that nintendo couldn't touch.
@Dean Satan No idea about MSX, it pretty much wasn't a thing here in the US. But C64 was pretty big AND if I remember right C64 got ports of castlevania and contra too. Albeit lazy ports. The audio in those sucked quite hard, sounded like they tried to emulate NES audio on the C64 rather than actually utilize the SID chip.
@Dean Satan There was Castlevania and Contra (under different name, Gryzor) on C64.
@deansatan9573 Then alot of people back then wouldn't have seen much of a reason to buy an NES back then if that were the case. So, the more exclusives on NES back then, the better things were. If only Europe had the same crash, things could've been better for them too with Nintendo being at the helm of everything!
U mean like sony is doing right now to xbox? Paying to keep time exclusives or simply not appear on any other system? Is call BUSINESS.. not illegal.
1st, Love the New intro.
2nd, I didn't really get to grow up with these games, But I still enjoy hearing all about them.
I hope I get to enjoy them myself one day.
The original Gauntlet had no music during the game (it only played during the intro), so it wasn't "missing" in the Master System port. That was one of the many elements added to the Genesis version that was not in the arcade to begin with.
I'm from Brazil and lived that time. Those good translation used to give me the wish of working doing downgrades for SMS! lol! It was so great to see them when the translations were well done that you realized the passion of programmers.
What an excellent video, the side by side comparisons really work - thank you!
The Master system truly was an impressive little console.
It didn't get nearly the attention it deserved in the US as most of that was stolen by the NES but it truly was incredible and even now it gets my respect.
Great vid! Would be cool to throw in the arcade comparison as well
Great video! Talking about two of my favorite systems, specially the SMS which is one of my favs to collect for. Thanks for doing this!
The new intro looks really professional SLX.
It was mad to see both Master System and Mega Drive enduring at the same time. At one point I did see the Master Sytem and Mega Drive being sold alongside the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation, but that was for a very short time.
I'd like to point out that a lot of the games that we didn't get as SMS games, we did get as Gamegear games. Alladin, chuckrock, and The Lionking all had us releases for the gamegear, which were basically 1:1 ports of the SMS games or vice versa.
You really deserve the subscribers man, I been here since 50,000 and I've watched you grow. You're so consistent and I love your style. I rarely comment but man you truly deserve it. Congratulations!
I still remember the day where my father bought me Golden Axe for the Master System,....despite the impressive graphics of the main protagonist in the title screen, the game itself was absolutely horrible! I've convinced him to send it back.
In the italian landscapes of the mid '90s, the Master System was even more common among kids than the Mega Drive.
It was a budget console with decent graphics, some masterpieces (Sonic 1 & 2, Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Master of Darkness and many others) and good arcade conversions: it was a huge success back in those days.
Yeah same in New Zealand. 1991 saw Master System II come out and it was budget, so everyone got one and it dominated, not many people had consoles before that. It lasted till around 1995 before Mega Drive (and soon playstation) started to take over, so we also got many of the best Master System titles that came out late in the early-mid 90s
Golden Axe though... was my favourite arcade game, and I saw that on Master System I wanted it so bad. fortunately I only borrowed it off a friend a year or so later, I didn't own it. I was so disappointed. Where's the Dwarf? Finished the game in a day or 2.... so sad 😆
Great work as per usual-I love the idea of comparing these two systems. I honestly did the same thing back in the day as I perused the Sears Wishbook catalog. The Master System is an under appreciated system, at least in the US. Looking forward to part 2! The intro is shaping up pretty slick-keep up the great work!
The new intro is fantastic! As always, great video. Love your channel!
Dude, SWEET new intro!
This was awesome! Great comparison episode!
And the crowd goes wild with the intro! And rightfully so, it's really cool! =)
Really diggin that new intro, and a great video as well. It's quite impressive what the master system was able to do, I need to spend some more time with some of these titles.
Thanks for the vid and have a great weekend!
Great video, brings back memories of playing the SMS.
Favourite games were Master of Darkness, Sonic Chaos (which also had the better Gigapolis soundtrack too imo), Streets of Rage and Shadow Dancer (which I thought looked better than the Genesis/MD version.)
I once read a brilliant book many, many years that compared master system and genesis games but can't remember the title of it.
I really missed Shadow Dancer in the video. That game was so awesome back in time for the SMS. Even not being comparable with the Genesis version, as It's a totally different game, It's such a great conversion of arcade version that IMHO it was a game at least on the same quality that Genesis version.
As an artist I learned so much from the color usage on the sega systems. I think working with a limited color palette is a good tool to force you to use design skills. Easy to muck something up with too many colors or get lazy about design .
The Genesis Gauntlet soundtrack is a work of art. When I first heard it, I couldn't believe it was being done with the Genesis sound chip. It sounded like a film score. It's just as well the Master System version didn't try to copy it; unless the tracks are from Yuzo Koshiro or Matt Furniss, most Master System stuff sounds like it's coming out of an ice cream van.
This is one channel I'm so glad to be subscribed to.
The SMS version of the first Streets of Rage is amazing
The Master System was a pretty cool machine, Sega's commercial strategy in Europe with it was great, everyone could play Sega's games, they were cut down, sure, but nobody expected 16 bit quality, it was priced very affordable, and that was the key element. I'm still thinking from time how a standalone 32X console would've worked in Europe alongside the Saturn, had it had a similar strategy in terms of price it could've been very interesting.
I love that you used the Gauntlet 4 music for this video bruh! God I love that game...
That backgroundmusic. Gotta love it. Thats Music from Gauntlet4 on the Genesis called Sortie. The whole Gauntlet4 soundtrack is great btw!
I had a Master System II in Europe when I was a kid and, while I was able to have a 16bits system it was awesome. Not forget specific versions of Sonic, Sonic 2, Asterix... etc that were great adapted versions to an 8bit machine.
Awesome comparison video man! I love the new intro too.
The Master was my first system because everyone I knew from family or friends had gotten an NES with many games that didn’t want to work because of that goofy poor game loading problems. I didn’t care for the color pallet offered with NES either. I was proud the day I paid $86 of my hard earned money for it at K-B toys way back in 1986. I still play many of the games now days when I have time, also of course my Genesis. However emulation has allowed me to try every title available for all home systems now and most arcade games as well thankfully for pennies a game. It’s amazing how many titles were available. Yes next video you need to bring up the difference between Sonic games on both systems, definitely some differences. Great Video and comparison!
New intro is awesome!
Its great to hear from a subject matter expert. Keep up the good work
Really amazing video SLX!
Awesome intro and great video!
awesome video as always! I had Moonwalker on SMS as a kid and really liked it. Never could beat it though. That final boss was brutal!
Great intro!
While the Master System's graphics look aesthetically superior to those of the NES, going from the Genesis to the Master System is like choosing Taco Bell over authentic Mexican food. Only two action buttons? WHY? And more importantly, WHY IS THE PAUSE BUTTON RIGHT ON THE CONSOLE? Why couldn't Sega put it on the controller? What did they think was going to happen?
Keep in mind that my only experience with the Master System library is through emulators and re-releases. Technically, I have a Master System via the Genesis. I'm just missing the Power Base Converter and MS games.
The pause button on the console was dumb, but the NES and PC Engine also only had two action buttons, which was just the expected standard for controllers at that time.
At that time (mid 80s), to put the pause button on the console was a regular practice on many systems. Technically, was easier (and seemed much logical) to pause the system using the system itself, because the pad's connections were strictly limited in potential functions.
But you're considering the wrong experience. I'm Brazilian, so SMS was popular here. I had an Atari, when SMS arrived.
@@rael_gc Aren't they still making Master System consoles and games for the Brazilian market after all these years? I'm surprised that an 8-bit console managed to last so long.
@@DarDarBinks1986 Kind of. The company that made SMS and Genesis here in the 90s still have the same name (TecToy), but it's a totally different company now. They produce a version of Master System, but using a chinese all-in-one chip, no cartridge or any other slot, very different look, with a ton of crap games (a lot of ugly puzzle games, no real 8 bit games). Even the few ones that were good (I think they lost the license for most of the good games) runs with different clock. Really a shame. So, yes, still produced, but not the real SMS. Around 3 years ago, they started to produce Genesis again, same idea (a chinese all-in-one chip), but at least this one with a cartridge slot and a SD slot.
A few of these games did come to the US via the GameGear. The Lion King for GG instance was the first game I ever beat!
Looks like a lot of games that look about the same were 8-bit games to begin with (Paper boy, Gauntlet, Marble Madness).
Alien looks amazing though, I would have loved that for GG
I was gonna say, I remember some of these on the Game Gear, and thinking for a smaller system when compared to the Genesis, this wasn’t bad