The Sega Master System Discussion Thread

[TrekMD]

Cool info, thanks. 

[TL]

[align=center:277h2vz4]Kung Fu Kid - Sega Master System[/align:277h2vz4]

[TrekMD]

[align=center:imovswmw]290 Sega Master System Box Art Scans[/align:imovswmw]

[TL]

That video really reminds me just how bad a lot of the SMS art is! 

[TrekMD]

That video really reminds me just how bad a lot of the SMS art is!  :21:

[Ben]

I thought I would mention, I rediscovered the game Dragon Crystal for the Master System.  I only had it on the Game Gear back in the day, as it never saw U.S. release for the Master System that I know of.  Well, I finally picked up an import copy, and remembered how much I liked it.  It's a hard game to describe, a combo of RPG and puzzle elements, definitely an underrated title for the console.  Sega Master System - Dragon Crystal

[Lorfarius]

I had an MS as a kid after a ZX Spectrum +2 so the oomph in graphics was mind blowing.  The one game that really sticks in my mind (but seems terrible now) is Alex Kid in High Tec World.  I played that thing to death mainly because I couldn't afford more than a few games over its life.  I can remember being able to speed run that thing and used to complete it on a monthly basis. Kids are crazy or maybe it was just me? 

[bogstandard]

I thought I would mention, I rediscovered the game Dragon Crystal for the Master System.  I only had it on the Game Gear back in the day, as it never saw U.S. release for the Master System that I know of.  Well, I finally picked up an import copy, and remembered how much I liked it.  It's a hard game to describe, a combo of RPG and puzzle elements, definitely an underrated title for the console.  Sega Master System - Dragon Crystal

It's a "Rogue-like" to the bone.  Somehow the Japanese keep ancient gaming genres alive better than us!

[Shadowrunner]

I thought I would mention, I rediscovered the game Dragon Crystal for the Master System.  I only had it on the Game Gear back in the day, as it never saw U.S. release for the Master System that I know of.  Well, I finally picked up an import copy, and remembered how much I liked it.  It's a hard game to describe, a combo of RPG and puzzle elements, definitely an underrated title for the console.  Sega Master System - Dragon Crystal

It's a "Rogue-like" to the bone.  Somehow the Japanese keep ancient gaming genres alive better than us!

This is one of the Game Gear games that is available for download on the 3DS, which is what I did a while ago. As a big fan of RPG's I really wanted to like it, but Rouge-Like games just aren't for me! The genre seems to be making a comeback though with lots of IOS/Android and indie games being made in that style.

[Ben]

I'm going to be honest and admit I completely forgot the term "Rogue-like" existed, I wasn't aware that genre made a comeback, either.     

[onthinice]

I forgot how good the Sega Master Systems graphics were, holds up very well even today.

[Ben]

I've been playing my Master System a lot lately, for whatever reason, trying to go back and look at some of the more obscure games I've forgotten.  One  I've had for years, but hadn't played since the 90's, is Quartet.  This one is a port of a 2D platformer from the arcade, I believe the arcade version was 4 players (hence the name Quartet), but the MS version is only two player.  Looking back at it now, the gampley is somewhat generic, but the music is fantastic.  Not an all time great, but worth checking out if you get the chance.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1cG1WlC8I0

[TrekMD]

Looks interesting.  May need to check it out.

[Ben]

Looks interesting.  May need to check it out.

I've been reading up on this game, apparently the Master System version was heavily modified: 

  Quartet is a 1986 arcade game by Sega. Quartet allows one to four players to guide a set of characters through a base taken over by an army of robots. Players control either Joe (yellow), Mary (red), Lee (blue) or Edgar (green) across a number of sideways-scrolling levels. The object of the game is to advance through the level, fighting opponents that come out of portals in the walls, and eventually defeat a boss that carries the door key used to open the "exit door" for the level.

Players can find various power-ups during play, such as a jet pack that allowed characters to stay airborne, springs to jump higher, speed boots, and point bonuses. Each character has a separate characteristic weapon type, which can be upgraded by picking up a coloured bouncing orb that bounced across the screen occasionally. Picking up the orb when it is a player's colour gives a weapon power up, while picking up the orb when it is another player's color gives a point bonus (but deprives the other player the chance to upgrade).

Available in arcades in the same timeframe as Gauntlet, Quartet provided another option for more than two players.

The game was ported to the Sega Master System. However, only Mary and Edgar (whose name is spelled "Edger" and given a lighter skin tone) were playable, with the title confusingly referring to a four-person band that doesn't exist in the game. Because of this, in Japan the game was retitled Double Target. Mary's character design was also altered between regional versions. In the Japanese version Mary had more Asian-like features (including black hair), whereas in the western versions she has Caucasian features instead (which resembles Sigourney Weaver's character Ellen Ripley from the movie Aliens).

The game was also ported to home computers Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC and Sinclair ZX Spectrum.

The tunes "Oki Rap" and "FM Funk" were later recycled for 1991's Spider-Man: The Video Game.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartet_%28video_game%29

I had no idea they recycled music from this game for Spider-Man, but it makes a lot of sense considering how good it was.  I also realize why they put so much effort into it, given the music theme.  Also, the name makes much more sense, as they were a quartet of musicians.  I'm going to fire up MAME later and really check out the difference between the arcade and home console version.

[TrekMD]

Good info!  Most definitely checking it out.