Editing Master System (section)

==Game library==
{{See|List of Master System games}}
{{See also|List of TecToy Master System 131 games}}
[[File:PhantasyStarBattle2.png|thumb|right|''[[Phantasy Star (video game)|Phantasy Star]]'' for the Master System became one of Sega's successful franchises.|alt=A gameplay image from Phantasy Star]]

Master System games came in two formats: [[ROM cartridge]]s held up to 4 [[megabit|Mbit]] (512 KB) of code and data, while [[Sega Card]]s held up to 256 Kbit (32 KB). Cartridges were marketed by their storage size: One Mega (1 Mbit), Two Mega (2 Mbit), and Four Mega (4 Mbit). Cards, cheaper to manufacture than the cartridges, included ''[[Spy vs. Spy (1984 video game)|Spy vs. Spy]]'' and ''[[Super Tennis (Master System)|Super Tennis]]'',<ref name="Retroinspection"/><ref name="Allgame"/> but were eventually dropped due to their small memory size.<ref name=":02" /> The size of the release library varies based on region; North America received just over 100 games, with Japan receiving less. Europe, by contrast, received over 300 licensed games, including 8-bit ports of Genesis games and [[PAL]]-exclusive releases.<ref name="Retro117">{{Cite magazine|last=Buchanan|first=Adam|date=July 2013|title=The Collector's Guide: Sega Master System|magazine=[[Retro Gamer]]|pages=20–31}}</ref> The first Mark III-specific cartridge was ''[[Fantasy Zone]]'', released on June 15, 1986,<ref name="Sega titles - Sega JP">{{cite web |title=Software List |url=https://sega.jp/history/hard/segamark3/software.html |website=Sega Hard Encyclopedia |publisher=[[Sega|Sega Corporation]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190621034428/https://sega.jp/history/hard/segamark3/software.html |access-date=May 15, 2023 |archive-date=2019-06-21 |language=ja}}</ref> and ''Bomber Raid'' was the final release on February 4, 1989, a few months after the launch of the Mega Drive.<ref name="Sega titles - Sega JP" /> The final North American release was ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' in October 1991.<ref name="Retroinspection" /><ref name="RGamerMaster">{{cite journal|last1=Thorpe|first1=Nick|date=March 22, 2014|title=The History of Sonic on the Master System|url=https://archive.org/stream/retro_gamer/RetroGamer_179#page/46/mode/2up|journal=[[Retro Gamer]]|issue=179|pages=46–51}}</ref> Games for PAL regions continued to be released until the mid-1990s.<ref name="Retroinspection" /><ref name="Retro117" />

The Sega Mark III and the Japanese Master System are [[Backward compatibility|backwards-compatible]] with SC-3000/SG-1000 cartridges, and can play Sega Card games without the Card Catcher peripheral.<ref name="MK3" /><ref name="MS" /> However, educational and programming cartridges for the SC-3000 require the SK-1100 keyboard peripheral, which is compatible with the Mark III but not the Japanese Master System.<ref name=SK>{{cite web|title=SK-1100|website=Sega Hard Encyclopedia|publisher=[[Sega|Sega Corporation]]|url=http://sega.jp/fb/segahard/sg1000/sk1100.html|language=ja|access-date=February 12, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222070731/http://sega.jp/fb/segahard/sg1000/sk1100.html|archive-date=February 22, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Mark III-specific games were initially available in card format (labelled My Card Mark III to distinguish themselves from games designed for the SC-3000/SG-1000), starting with ''[[Teddy Boy Blues]]'' and ''[[Hang-On]]'', both released on October 20, 1985.<ref name="Sega titles - Sega JP" />

Of the games released for the Master System, ''[[Phantasy Star (video game)|Phantasy Star]]'' is considered a benchmark [[role-playing game]] (RPG), and became a [[Phantasy Star|successful franchise]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Semrad|first=Steve|date=February 2, 2006|title=The Greatest 200 Videogames of Their Time, Page 8|url=http://www.1up.com/features/egm-200-greatest-videogames?pager.offset=8|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140118230906/http://www.1up.com/features/egm-200-greatest-videogames?pager.offset=8|archive-date=January 18, 2014|access-date=December 11, 2016|website=[[1UP.com]]}}</ref> Sega's flagship character at the time, [[Alex Kidd]], was featured in games including ''[[Alex Kidd in Miracle World]]''. ''[[Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap]]'' was influential for its blend of platform gameplay with RPG elements.<ref>{{cite book|last=Mott|first=Tony|title=[[1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die]]|publisher=Universe Publishing|year=2013|isbn=978-0-7893-2090-2|location=New York, New York|page=177}}</ref> Different Master System consoles included built-in games, including ''[[Snail Maze]],'' ''Hang-On''/''Safari Hunt'', ''Alex Kidd in Miracle World'' and ''Sonic the Hedgehog''.<ref name="Retroinspection" /> Battery-backup save game support was included in eight cartridges, including ''[[Penguin Land]]'', ''Phantasy Star'', ''[[Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished|Ys]]'', and ''[[Miracle Warriors: Seal of the Dark Lord|Miracle Warriors]]''.<ref name="Sega titles - Sega JP" />

The more extensive PAL region library includes 8-bit entries in Genesis franchises such as ''[[Streets of Rage]]'',<ref name="Retro117" /> a number of additional ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' games,<ref name="RGamerMaster" /> and dozens of PAL exclusives such as ''[[The Lucky Dime Caper Starring Donald Duck]]'', ''[[Asterix (1991 video game)|Asterix]]'', ''[[Ninja Gaiden (1992 video game)|Ninja Gaiden]]'', ''[[Master of Darkness]]'', and ''[[Power Strike II (Master System video game)|Power Strike II]]''.<ref name="Retro117" /> ''[[Retro Gamer]]''<nowiki/>'s Damien McFerran praised the "superb" PAL library of "interesting ports and excellent exclusives", which was richer than the North American library and provided a "drip-feed of quality titles".<ref name="Retroinspection" />

After the Master System was discontinued in other markets, additional games were released in Brazil by Tectoy, including ports of ''[[Street Fighter II: Champion Edition]]'' and ''[[Dynamite Headdy]]''.<ref name="Retroinspection" /> Tectoy created Portuguese translations of games exclusive to the region. Some of these would tie in to popular Brazilian entertainment franchises; for example, ''Teddy Boy'' became ''Geraldinho'', certain ''[[Wonder Boy]]'' titles became ''[[Monica's Gang]]'' games, and ''[[Ghost House (video game)|Ghost House]]'' became ''Chapolim vs. Dracula: Um Duelo Assutador'', based on the Mexican TV series ''[[El Chapulín Colorado]]''. Tectoy also ported games to the Master System, including various games from the Genesis and Game Gear.<ref name=":03">{{Cite web|last=Sponsel|first=Sebastian|date=November 16, 2015|title=Interview: Stefano Arnhold (Tectoy)|url=http://www.sega-16.com/2015/11/interview-stefano-arnhold-tectoy/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151122012118/http://www.sega-16.com/2015/11/interview-stefano-arnhold-tectoy/|archive-date=November 22, 2015|access-date=November 30, 2015|website=Sega-16|publisher=Ken Horowitz}}</ref><ref name=":1"/> Aside from porting, the company developed ''[[Férias Frustradas do Pica-Pau]]'' after finding out that [[Woody Woodpecker]] (named Pica-Pau in Portuguese) was the most popular cartoon on Brazilian television,<ref name=":03" /> along with at least twenty additional exclusives.<ref name="Retro117" /> These titles were developed in-house by Tectoy in Brazil.<ref name=":03" />

Due in part to Nintendo's licensing practices, which stipulated that third-party NES developers could not release games on other platforms, few third-party developers released games for the Master System.<ref name="Retroinspection" /> According to Sato, Sega was focused on porting its arcade games instead of building relationships with third parties.<ref name=":02" /> According to Sega designer [[Mark Cerny]], most of Sega's early Master System games were developed within a strict three-month deadline, which affected their quality.<ref name="Cerny">{{cite web |last=Horowitz |first=Ken |date=December 5, 2006 |title=Interview: Mark Cerny |url=http://www.sega-16.com/2006/12/interview-mark-cerny/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141017130701/http://www.sega-16.com/2006/12/interview-mark-cerny/ |archive-date=October 17, 2014 |access-date=April 16, 2014 |website=Sega-16 |publisher=Ken Horowitz}}</ref><ref name="Guardian Sonic">{{cite web|last=Parkin|first=Simon|date=September 13, 2013|title=Sonic the Hedgehog: past, present and future|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/sep/13/sonic-the-hedgehog-sonic-lost-world|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140625195411/http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/sep/13/sonic-the-hedgehog-sonic-lost-world|archive-date=June 25, 2014|access-date=June 6, 2014|website=[[The Guardian]]|quote=They made 40 games in this way&nbsp;...But by my judgment only two were really worth playing.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Totilo|first=Stephen|date=March 10, 2014|title=A Candid Talk With Mark Cerny, Who Designed The PS4, Among Other Things|url=http://kotaku.com/a-candid-talk-with-mark-cerny-who-designed-the-ps4-am-1540179832|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140604101656/http://kotaku.com/a-candid-talk-with-mark-cerny-who-designed-the-ps4-am-1540179832|archive-date=June 4, 2014|access-date=June 6, 2014|website=[[Kotaku]]|publisher=[[Gizmodo Media Group]]}}</ref> ''[[Computer Gaming World]]'' compared new Sega games to "drops of water in the desert".<ref name="cgw198811">{{Cite magazine|last1=Kunkel|first1=Bill|last2=Worley|first2=Joyce|last3=Katz|first3=Arnie|date=November 1988|title=Video Gaming World|url=https://archive.org/stream/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_53#page/n53/mode/2up|url-status=live|magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]]|page=54|issn=0744-6667|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160405041224/http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1988&pub=2&id=53|archive-date=April 5, 2016}}</ref> Games for the Master System took advantage of more advanced hardware compared to the NES; ''Alex Kidd in Miracle World'', for example, showcases "blistering colors and more detailed sprites" than NES games.<ref name="AKinMW">{{cite web|last=Buchanan|first=Levi|date=January 25, 2008|title=Alex Kidd in Miracle World Review|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/01/25/alex-kidd-in-miracle-world-review-2|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311222135/http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/01/25/alex-kidd-in-miracle-world-review-2|archive-date=March 11, 2014|access-date=March 31, 2014|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Mott|first=Tony|title=1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die|publisher=Universe Publishing|year=2013|isbn=978-0-7893-2090-2|location=New York, New York|page=108}}</ref> The Master System version of ''[[R-Type]]'' was praised for its visuals, comparable to those of the TurboGrafx-16 port.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=October 2002|title=Retro Reviews: R-Type|magazine=Game Informer|publisher=GameStop|volume=12|issue=114|page=114}}</ref>

In 2005, Sega reached a deal with the company [[AtGames]] to release emulated Master System software in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China.<ref name="AtGames">{{cite journal|date=March 1, 2005|title=Sega expands distribution in Greater China.|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-133132727.html|url-status=dead|journal=Screen Digest|publisher=Screen Digest Ltd.|url-access=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140921211913/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-133132727.html|archive-date=September 21, 2014|access-date=September 13, 2014}}</ref> Several Master System games were released for download on Nintendo's [[Wii]] [[Virtual Console]], beginning with ''[[Black Belt (1986 video game)|Hokuto no Ken]]'' in 2008 in Japan and ''[[Wonder Boy (video game)|Wonder Boy]]'' in North America.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cruis'n USA and Wonder Boy Now Available on Wii Shop Channel!|url=https://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/4uQJLEZJ2G__3IJq5TXii66HmIjir-lJ|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723150857/http://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/4uQJLEZJ2G__3IJq5TXii66HmIjir-lJ|archive-date=July 23, 2008|access-date=March 15, 2010|publisher=[[Nintendo]]}}</ref> Master System games were also released via the [[GameTap]] online service.<ref name="game tap">{{cite news|last=Leupold|first=Tom|date=February 3, 2006|title=Games on tap, or 'History of the Gaming World, Part I'|newspaper=[[Oakland Tribune]]|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-7039983.html|url-status=dead|url-access=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924050610/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-7039983.html|archive-date=September 24, 2014}}</ref>