Sega Master System prototypes

Ever since I got my Master System back in 86 or 87, I've been a huge fan... probably my all time favorite system. I still buy games for it on occasion and it gets played more than my Xbox still. One thing I haven't really heard much about though is the existance of prototypes for it. Does anyone on here know much about this or ones that are known to exist?

 

There is quite a few actully, Sonic 1 prototype, Global Defence, I can point you in the direction to get ROM images of them, but carts? I can't help.

 

I have a quick question to kinda go with this. Was Sonic the Hedghog ever released for the Master System in the US?

 

I don't believe it was released in the US. I have both 1 & 2 for Master System, but I think I imported them a couple years back. The SMS Sonic games were just conversions of the Game Gear versions, since the two systems were essentially the same thing.

 

Um no. The SMS games came out BEFORE the Game Gear versions, iirc

 

master systems are way cool, i have 2 mark 1's and sonc 2 and sonic chaos anmd other games

but yeah seems sonic 2 is port from GG and not a slim down version from mega drive which would have been nice hehe

but how many sonic games were there for the master system ??

 

Well then I guess I was mistaken. I never remember seeing the Sonic games for SMS until the Game Gear versions had been out already, but thats just from what I have seen, I don't know any of the official release dates or anything.

 

There is a US release of Sonic for SMS...it's just ludicriously rare. It's identical to the European version...except I **believe** it has a UPC sticker over top the European one.

 

That I know of there is Sonic 1, Sonic 2, Sonic Chaos, Sonic Blast (Brazil only as far as I know, don't quote me on it though), Sonic Spinball, Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (not technically a Sonic game per se). If anyone knows of anymore in existance, feel free to add to the list.

 

You are right there, I just did some looking in to it and both 1 & 2 were apparently released in the US. By this time though, the Master System was pretty much dead, and I don't remember ever seeing it in stores. I think by this point, most stores around me had pulled their SMS stock and relegated it to the bargain bin.

 

For master system prototypes, you should go on http://www.smspower.org

 

As Blur2040 said above, the US version of Sonic 1 is basically a European copy with an extra UPC sticker on the back. It's the same story for "US versions" of Spider-man & Strider. The last such-stickered copy of Sonic 1 on eBay made a ludicrous $300, which is just crazy given that the 99.98% identical Euro version can be had for less than $2.

Sonic 2 was never released for the Master System in the US.

And for SMS protos etc, SMS Power is the place to look - there's tons of stuff in the archives there. Also, quite a few interesting bits & bobs were shown in this recent thread at sega8bit.com: http://shinobiman.proboards15.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1129824794

 

Sonic Blast is a direct port from the GG version, by TecToy. And like you said, only released in Brazil.



PD

 

k next question slight of topc sorry

is brazil pal or ntsc ?

if thats dum im sorry

 

Brazil uses a standard known as "PAL M"

However, from experience, most all PAL games will play on a US SMS without a hitch. Certain ones suffer from flicker or inablilty to play, but this is only on a few such as Back to the Future II and PAL version of Prince of Persia (only ones that come to mind, there are others though). If you want to play the few PAL games that don't work properly on a NTSC SMS, you can fairly easily wire a switch in that will let you switch your SMS back and forth between PAL and NTSC. I personally wouldn't do this, I really wouldn't want to go drilling holes in my Master System that I've owned for almost 20 years.

 

Some quick links:

http://www.smspower.org/misc/sms_sample_or_prototype_cartridges-01.jpg
http://www.smspower.org/misc/sms_sample_or_prototype_cartridges-02.jpg
http://www.smspower.org/misc/sms_sample_or_prototype_cartridges-03.jpg
http://www.smspower.org/misc/super_basketball.jpg
http://www.smspower.org/misc/sms_choplifter_jp-01.jpg
http://www.smspower.org/misc/sms3_promo_brazil_01.jpg
http://www.smspower.org/misc/sms_donald_duck_prototype-01.jpg
http://www.smspower.org/misc/sms_japanese_prototype_cartridges-01.jpg
http://www.smspower.org/misc/sms_prototype_01.jpg

 

Omar, thanks for the links, definitely something worth checking out. I love how devoted the ASSEMbler forums are and that they aren't filled with a bunch of kids screaming "PS2 ownzzz joo! Xbox sux!" and crap like that. Everyone here is extremely helpful and mature unike 98% of the video game sites out there. Keep up the good work everyone, and thanks ASSEMbler for running a quality website, this is truely a gem of the internet.

 

ok so if brazil usues PAL M, would that run on your out of the box PAL english sms or would it throw up its arms in protest

either way i think ill still get hehe

 

From looking at the specs of various standards, PAL M looks to actually be much closer (if not the same thing) to NTSC than it is to the PAL I that you use over in the UK. I'd say that most games will play on your English PAL SMS due to the fact that most games produced seem to have the code for both PAL and NTSC built in, it just defaults to which ever system your SMS is native to. Although seeing as there are quite a few Brazilian exclusives, they may not have retained this ability to work on multiple standards. I don't personally own any Brazilian games, but I see them on eBay fairly frequently and they aren't really that expensive (for the most part) so it might be worth giving a try. Worst thing that happens is it doesn't work then you just repost it on eBay again.

 

yep ur right or just keep it for the collection