Editing Master System (section)

==Reception and legacy==
Due to the continued release of new variants in Brazil, the Master System is considered by many video gaming publications to be the longest lived gaming console in video games history, a title it took from the [[Atari 2600]].<ref>{{cite web|date=2020-01-11|title=5 Consoles That Lasted The Longest (& 5 That Lasted The Shortest)|url=https://gamerant.com/consoles-lasted-longest-shortest-time-most-least-popular/| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20210930/https://gamerant.com/consoles-lasted-longest-shortest-time-most-least-popular/| archive-date=2021-09-30|access-date=2020-09-22|website=Game Rant|language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=2014-01-17|title=The 5 longest console lifespans|url=https://za.ign.com/ps4/64636/feature/the-5-longest-console-lifespans| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20210930/https://za.ign.com/ps4/64636/feature/the-5-longest-console-lifespans| archive-date=2021-09-30|access-date=2020-09-22|website=IGN Africa|language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Adams|first=Kara Jane|date=2020-07-26|title=Sega Master System|url=https://medium.com/@KaraJaneAdams/sega-master-system-7e769af3f444| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20210930/https://medium.com/@KaraJaneAdams/sega-master-system-7e769af3f444| archive-date=2021-09-30|access-date=2020-09-22|website=Medium|language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Sales of the Master System have been estimated between 10&nbsp;million and 13&nbsp;million units, not including later Brazil sales.<ref name="encyclopedia"/><ref name="GENSNES">{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/03/20/genesis-vs-snes-by-the-numbers|title=Genesis vs. SNES: By the Numbers|last=Buchanan|first=Levi|date=March 20, 2009|website=[[IGN]]|publisher=Ziff Davis|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302144504/http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/03/20/genesis-vs-snes-by-the-numbers|archive-date=March 2, 2014|url-status=live|access-date=March 31, 2014}}</ref> It saw much more continued success in Europe and Brazil than it did in Japan and North America.<ref name="Retroinspection"/> In 1989, the Master System was listed in the top 20 products of [[NPD Group]]'s Toy Retail Sales Tracking Service.<ref name="retailers">{{cite magazine|last=Leccesse|first=Donna|title=Retailers say video is a dream come true; Nintendo is leading the way to better sales.|magazine=Playthings|publisher=Sandow Media LLC.|date=May 5, 1989|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-7613047.html|url-access=|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140921211908/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-7613047.html|archive-date=September 21, 2014|access-date=September 13, 2014}}</ref> However, the ''[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]'' 1992 Buyer's Guide indicated a souring interest in the console. Four reviewers scored it 5, 4, 5, and 5 out of a possible 10 points each, focusing on the better value of the Genesis and lack of quality games for the Master System.<ref name="egmbuyersguide1992">{{cite magazine|author1=Steve|author2=Ed|author3=Martin|author4=Sushi-X|date=January 1992 |title=EGM Rates The Systems Of 1992!!! |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |publisher=Sendai Publishing |pages=74|url= https://archive.org/stream/Electronic_Gaming_Monthlys_1992_Video_Game_Buyers_Guide/electronic_gaming_monthlys_1992_video_game_buyers_guide_-_1991_unk#page/n73/mode/2up}}</ref> In 1993, reviewers scored it 2, 2, 3, and 3 out of 10, noting its abandonment by Sega in North America and lack of new releases.<ref name="egmbuyersguide1993">{{cite magazine|author1=Steve|author2=Ed|author3=Martin|author4=Sushi-X|date=January 1993|title=Electronic Gaming Monthly's Buyer's Guide |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |publisher=Sendai Publishing |pages=32}}</ref> By contrast, over 34&nbsp;million NES units were sold in North America alone, outselling the Master System's life time units globally nearly three times over.<ref> [https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/historical_data/pdf/consolidated_sales_e1603.pdf "Consolidated Sales Transition by Region"] (PDF). Nintendo. March 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 27, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2022.</ref><ref name="GENSNES" /> According to Bill Pearse of ''Playthings'', the NES gained an advantage through better software and more recognizable characters.<ref name="playthings">{{cite magazine|last=Pearse|first=Bill|title=Nintendo and Sega gear up for battle. (Nintendo of America Inc. and Sega Inc. compete for 16-bit video game market; includes related articles) (Industry Overview)|magazine=Playthings|publisher=Sandow Media LLC.|date=January 1, 1992|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-11866263.html|url-access=|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028104226/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-11866263.html|archive-date=October 28, 2014|access-date=September 13, 2014}}</ref> Sega closed the gap with Nintendo in the [[Fourth generation of video game consoles|next generation]] with the release of the Genesis, which sold 30.75&nbsp;million consoles compared with the 49&nbsp;million [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] consoles.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Zackariasson|first1=Peter|last2=Wilson|first2=Timothy L.|last3=Ernkvist|first3=Mirko|title=The Video Game Industry: Formation, Present State, and Future|chapter=Console Hardware: The Development of Nintendo Wii|publisher=Routledge|year=2012|isbn=978-1-138-80383-1|page=158}}</ref><ref name="RetroSonic2">{{cite journal|journal=Retro Gamer — the Mega Drive Book|title=Sonic Boom: The Success Story of Sonic the Hedgehog|page=31|publisher=Imagine Publishing |location=London, UK|year=2013|issn=1742-3155}}</ref>

Retrospective feedback of the Master System praises its support toward development of the Sega Genesis, but has been critical of its small game library. Writing for ''[[AllGame]]'', Dave Beuscher noted that the Master System "was doomed by the lack of third-party software support and all but disappeared from the American market by 1992."<ref name="Allgame" /> ''[[Retro Gamer]]'' writer Adam Buchanan praised the larger PAL library as a "superb library of interesting ports and excellent exclusives".<ref name="Retro117" /> Damien McFerran, also of ''Retro Gamer,'' recognized its importance to the success of the Genesis, stating, "Without this criminally undervalued machine, Sega would not have enjoyed the considerable success it had with the Mega Drive. The Master System allowed Sega to experiment with arcade conversions, original IP and even create a mascot in the form of the lovable monkey-boy Alex Kidd."<ref name="Retroinspection" /> In 2009, the Master System was named the 20th best console of all time by ''[[IGN]]'', behind the [[Atari 7800]] (17th) and the NES (1st). ''IGN'' cited the Master System's small and uneven NTSC library as the major problems: "Months could go by between major releases and that made a dud on the Master System feel even more painful."<ref name="top25">{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/top-25-consoles/20.html|title=Top 25 Videogame Consoles of All Time: SEGA Master System is Number 20|year=2009|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222061903/http://www.ign.com/top-25-consoles/20.html|archive-date=February 22, 2014|url-status=live|access-date=March 31, 2014}}</ref>