Jump to content
IGNORED

The Official Sega Master System Thread


Recommended Posts

2 hours ago, shane857 said:

Does the Japanese SMS console play all region games without modification, US/PAL? I have a modified SMS mark 2 which only outputs composite and obviously no FM sound capability so was thinking of purchasing one..

You need an adapter as mentioned, but remember that some games will play in Japanese...even if they are USA carts.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

39 minutes ago, shane857 said:

I'll probably stay with my SMS mark 2 minus FM sound for now. Loving that 8 bit sound 🎵

 

If you have no nostalgia for the FM sound (like me, living in the USA) then it just sounds weird. I grew up with the SMS and PSG sound and it is very memorable to me. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/8/2024 at 8:19 AM, shane857 said:

Does the Japanese SMS console play all region games without modification, US/PAL? I have a modified SMS mark 2 which only outputs composite and obviously no FM sound capability so was thinking of purchasing one..

Well, there are a few games only playable on SMS mark 2 due to the usage of a newer vdp that supports extra height ( https://www.smspower.org/Tags/Extra-Height ).

It’s very few but there is that.

 

I ended up with 3 sms, one JP, one US + fm mod and the pal mark2 … because fomo … wasn’t really worth but it was at least cheap, my first was the JP unit bought while on a trip in Asia, the other 2 bought for less than 30us$ each (the US needed cart port resoldering, cracked joints, the pal SMS2 was not sought after due to being RF only [except the French one but that’s not what I have]).

Edited by phoenixdownita
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, phoenixdownita said:

Well, there are a few games only playable on SMS mark 2 due to the usage of a newer vdp that supports extra height ( https://www.smspower.org/Tags/Extra-Height ).

It’s very few but there is that.

 

I

Nothing to worry about as they're all crappy Code Masters games.  Yeah, I said it.  Being a brit I'm meant to love code masters but nope, they sucked as a console game maker back in the 8bit days. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Yakumo1975 said:

Nothing to worry about as they're all crappy Code Masters games.  Yeah, I said it.  Being a brit I'm meant to love code masters but nope, they sucked as a console game maker back in the 8bit days. 

Okay, why do you have a grudge against CodeMasters? 🧐 Micro Machines is very highly regarded and features some cool technical tricks, like a parallax background technique that uses a clever color palette shifting technique. I haven't tried Cosmic Spacehead or Fantastic Dizzy (frankly I don't understand the appeal of an egg character on any platform, but he seems to enjoy iconic status in England), but they did get pretty high review scores back in the day.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Zoyous said:

Okay, why do you have a grudge against CodeMasters? 🧐 Micro Machines is very highly regarded and features some cool technical tricks, like a parallax background technique that uses a clever color palette shifting technique. I haven't tried Cosmic Spacehead or Fantastic Dizzy (frankly I don't understand the appeal of an egg character on any platform, but he seems to enjoy iconic status in England), but they did get pretty high review scores back in the day.

Cosmic Spacehead and Fantastic Dizzy are both great adventure games for the SMS, in my opinion. Worth adding to the collection.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I heard the sms 2 vdp+ was found also in some late sms 1 but I know of no way to check, vs pretty much a guarantee in v2 (I think). There was one vdp setting bitfield combo left unused in the vdp of sms1 and that’s what the vdp+ uses for the extra height mode.

 

Wrt the games themselves I wonder if codemasters even realized they would cut out the sms1 audience .. or did they have a fallback mode?
If mem serves on my JP and US sms the top portion of the screen glitches but that could be 50/60hz thing … the only sms with a 50/60hz switch I have is the pal sms2, not sure I ever tested those at 60hz … the MegaSg sms mode works fine for those afaik.

 

Anyhow, there’s that extra height mode unique to the vdp+ …. so no a JP sms is not the best way even modded (a couple of non JP games trip on the fm detection and lock on the JP sms), for a single sms the best would be the pal sms 2 with fm mod + rgb/composite mod + 50/60hz switch … mine only has composite and 50/60hz switch as they were easy and cheap for me to perform.

Edited by phoenixdownita
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, phoenixdownita said:

I heard the sms 2 vdp+ was found also in some late sms 1 but I know of no way to check, vs pretty much a guarantee in v2 (I think). There was one vdp setting bitfield combo left unused in the vdp of sms1 and that’s what the vdp+ uses for the extra height mode.

 

Wrt the games themselves I wonder if codemasters even realized they would cut out the sms1 audience .. or did they have a fallback mode?
If mem serves on my JP and US sms the top portion of the screen glitches but that could be 50/60hz thing … the only sms with a 50/60hz switch I have is the pal sms2, not sure I ever tested those at 60hz … the MegaSg sms mode works fine for those afaik.

 

Anyhow, there’s that extra height mode unique to the vdp+ …. so no a JP sms is not the best way even modded (a couple of non JP games trip on the fm detection and lock on the JP sms), for a single sms the best would be the pal sms 2 with fm mod + rgb/composite mod + 50/60hz switch … mine only has composite and 50/60hz switch as they were easy and cheap for me to perform.

My SMS is a PAL console modded with composite out and a 50/60hz switch. I connect it through a retrotink 2x pro and an Mclassic to a 26" old Samsung TV pre usb inputs. Picture looks great.

Some games glitch obviously in 60hz mode for games like Chase HQ, Submarine attack etc. Handy to have the switch thou.

Games play faster in 60hz, thou sometimes I prefer the PAL resolution. Sometimes games just look better thou play slower.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, Zoyous said:

Okay, why do you have a grudge against CodeMasters? 🧐 Micro Machines is very highly regarded and features some cool technical tricks, like a parallax background technique that uses a clever color palette shifting technique. I haven't tried Cosmic Spacehead or Fantastic Dizzy (frankly I don't understand the appeal of an egg character on any platform, but he seems to enjoy iconic status in England), but they did get pretty high review scores back in the day.

I simply think their games are overrated because on 8bit micros where they came from they probably were better than most but on a console they aren't appealing compared to what longtime console developers were producing. 

I'm British and I think all Dizzy games are crap.  But maybe that's because I was very fortunate to have access to Japanese MSX and PC Engine titles back when my mates were playing on their ZX Specturm.  I also think the art style is lacking style in early code masters games.  Yep, I was brought up surrounded with this stuff but never found it appealing. 

Of course these are just my opinions.  People should check out these early code masters games themselves to see what they think. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmm... just going to go with the first ones that come to mind, and maybe the next time someone asks I'll have a slightly different list... but right now I would say: The Ninja, Space Harrier, R-Type, Wonder Boy in Monster Land, and Kenseiden.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, shane857 said:

What's everybody's favourite 5 Master System games, any genre?

For me, no particular order.. Y's The vanished Omens, Golden Axe Warrior, Phantasy Star, Golvellious Valley of doom and Ultima IV.

Great choices!  Have you played Miracle Warriors?  It's a bit weird, but a worthy RPG once you figure out its quirks.

 

---

 

My list:

  1. Phantasy Star: Truly the killer app of the system, and arguably the best game in the series.
  2. Ultima IV: A excellent and very faithful port of the legendary PC RPG.
  3. Miracle Warriors: Plays like no other JRPG, and the sense of exploration and adventure (while tracking your position on the giant physical map included in the box) is amazing.
  4. R-Type: An excellent port considering the hardware, and still plays and looks great today.  A fun, somewhat easier alternative to the arcade original.
  5. Shinobi: Much like R-Type, an excellent port considering the hardware.  It's not a strict port though, as it adds a life bar and some new power ups, making it a unique version of this classic that's still worth playing even with the Shinobi arcade ROM sitting on your hard drive.
Edited by newtmonkey
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

First five games to me that come to mind on the SMS would be in no particular order except the first -- Phantasy Star, Wonderboy III, Golden Axe Warrior, Alex Kidd in Shinobi World, and Ys.

 

Ys is on the edge though, I can think of others too but they also were put on the Genesis in the US like Wonderboy in Monster Land, Strider, the mickey and donald titles, etc.  And yes I'm aware in limited numbers PS1 was released on Megadrive in Japan as Fukkokuban Phantasy Star, just bought a US patched up version of that from this very site using a modern board even, but being above board for legit english releases, it counts. ;)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, newtmonkey said:

Great choices!  Have you played Miracle Warriors?  It's a bit weird, but a worthy RPG once you figure out its quirks.

 

---

 

My list:

  1. Phantasy Star: Truly the killer app of the system, and arguably the best game in the series.
  2. Ultima IV: A excellent and very faithful port of the legendary PC RPG.
  3. Miracle Warriors: Plays like no other JRPG, and the sense of exploration and adventure (while tracking your position on the giant physical map included in the box) is amazing.
  4. R-Type: An excellent port considering the hardware, and still plays and looks great today.  A fun, somewhat easier alternative to the arcade original.
  5. Shinobi: Much like R-Type, an excellent port considering the hardware.  It's not a strict port though, as it adds a life bar and some new power ups, making it a unique version of this classic that's still worth playing even with the Shinobi arcade ROM sitting on your hard drive.

Thanks for reminding me about Miracle Warriors. I have it in my collection, haven't played it in a while thou.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Tanooki said:

First five games to me that come to mind on the SMS would be in no particular order except the first -- Phantasy Star, Wonderboy III, Golden Axe Warrior, Alex Kidd in Shinobi World, and Ys.

 

Ys is on the edge though, I can think of others too but they also were put on the Genesis in the US like Wonderboy in Monster Land, Strider, the mickey and donald titles, etc.  And yes I'm aware in limited numbers PS1 was released on Megadrive in Japan as Fukkokuban Phantasy Star, just bought a US patched up version of that from this very site using a modern board even, but being above board for legit english releases, it counts. ;)

Love Phantasy Star. My favourite one of the series, and still looks and plays great today.

I've tried playing the others on the Megadrive/Genesis, didn't enjoy them as much as the original thou.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To me the Master System has really distinct eras. Some of those earliest '85-86 games appear simplistic at first (and to be fair, some are), but some have a lot of hidden depth if you spend some time with them. Then the '87-89 era really got going with a lot of classic titles, many of which are mentioned here. After that, that was just about it in North America, but then the European era really gets going with a lot of third party support that we didn't get to see much of in the States. I didn't get to experience that part first hand, so I don't really have any sense of any sub-eras within that time frame. And then lastly of course, Brazil carried on with some interesting conversions and a handful of originals.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Lord Innit said:

Wonder Boy,  Choplifter, Secret Command, World Grand Prix and Spy vs Spy.

Wonder Boy is an excellent arcade port for the Master System and also Choplifter. 

I have not played Secret Command or Rambo as it's known in the US. Looks like a decent Ikari warriors/Commando clone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, shane857 said:

Wonder Boy is an excellent arcade port for the Master System and also Choplifter. 

I have not played Secret Command or Rambo as it's known in the US. Looks like a decent Ikari warriors/Commando clone.

Secret Command is a bit slower paced when compared to Ikari Warriors and Commando, but it's a neat game. 

The Master System version of Wonder Boy is my all time fave game. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...