I want to buy a sega master system, is it any good?

[insideinfo]

Last weekend, I bought a pal copy of bubble bobble for the sms. So now I need a console.
I know almost nothing about it.
Should I buy an original or a clone? I want av output.
Should I buy 50 or 60hz?
Is there region lock?
Are there controllers with a pause button?
And there's probably some other stuff I need to know but I forget

[Soundwave]

I've been looking at this lately & have been seriously considering getting back into it.

From my research you want a Mk1 system as they already had RGB (Mk2 dropped this although you can mod it for RGB)
60hz comes from a simple mod from what I gather

I'm not 100% sure on region locking tbh

I have no idea regarding the pause button lol

Neil

[thetrooper]

Master System games are fully playable on any Megadrive/Genesis when you have an Everdrive; it means you can take advantage of the rgb output (plus you can toggle between 50/60hz as appropriate if your machine is switched) and you can play with a much better choice of controllers.

[thetrooper]

I'll check the pause issue out when I get home.

[Cepp]

SMS 1 with 50/60hz/FM mod? There is no region lock as far as I'm aware. You could also go for the Power base converter if you have a Megadrive.

Why did Sega go with the pause button on the system anyway? It's such a weird choice.

[Asura]

SMS 1 with 50/60hz/FM mod? There is no region lock as far as I'm aware. You could also go for the Power base converter if you have a Megadrive.

Why did Sega go with the pause button on the system anyway? It's such a weird choice.

Weren't many previous machines like that? Stuff by Atari, etc?

[Cepp]

The Atari 7800 seems to but I think that's it. I'm not sure about other earlier systems.

[Yakumo]

I'm an original Master System owner from back in 1987. The PAL Master System will play all wester Master System games but not Asian ones such as those from China, Japan and Korea. This is because the actual cartridge size and board size is different.

The Japanese system has much better audio due to the built in FM sound chip. However not all games use this. The odd thing is that the wester Master System doesn't have FM sound but many western on releases support it. You can mod a PAL master System for FM audio and MUST do a 60htz mod as PAL is awful.

By the way, the Master System and the Saturn are the only systems to ever have a trully accurate light gun. Even the Dreamcast gun was cack compared to them and don't even get me started on the poor NES zapper or PlayStation guns.

[Nu-Eclipse]

I'm an original Master System owner from back in 1987. The PAL Master System will play all wester Master System games but not Asian ones such as those from China, Japan and Korea. This is because the actual cartridge size and board size is different.

The Japanese system has much better audio due to the built in FM sound chip. However not all games use this. The odd thing is that the wester Master System doesn't have FM sound but many western on releases support it. You can mod a PAL master System for FM audio and MUST do a 60htz mod as PAL is awful.

By the way, the Master System and the Saturn are the only systems to ever have a trully accurate light gun. Even the Dreamcast gun was cack compared to them and don't even get me started on the poor NES zapper or PlayStation guns.

The GunCons were poor? Not sure I can abide by that Yakumo. You'll have to explain further.

[tokyochojin]

I never had any problem with the Dreamcast one either....it was poor?

[Solar]

You could also go for the Power base converter if you have a Megadrive.

That is the reason I bought a MD, so I can collect games for both consoles, and you can use MS pads on the MD also.

[Yakumo]

The DC gun was off target by 2 or 3mm or so plus it wasn't that nice to hold. The GunCon I can't comment on but the other PSX guns were turd.

[Asura]

The GunCon 1 was fine to use; the only problem with the entire line is that they all needed extra stuff, like to be plugged into the video cable of the PS1/2 (the GCon 3 worked essentially just like the Wiimote).

The Virtua Gun could just be plugged in to the controller port and would work straight off.

[CMcK]

Last weekend, I bought a pal copy of bubble bobble for the sms. So now I need a console.
I know almost nothing about it.
Should I buy an original or a clone? I want av output.
Should I buy 50 or 60hz?
Is there region lock?
Are there controllers with a pause button?
And there's probably some other stuff I need to know but I forget

The best option is to buy a Japanese Master System and a Gender adaptor from SMS Power. http://www.smspower.org/forums/8714-...UnheardFMMusic
That combo will let you play Mark III / Japanese MS games plus European, US and Brazilian games with RGB output and FM sound.

Or get a Megadrive and the db elec FM Powerbase Converter http://www.db-elec.com/home/products/pbcfm
He also has a Mark III compatible version coming out soon.

[speedlolita]

The GunCon 1 was fine to use; the only problem with the entire line is that they all needed extra stuff, like to be plugged into the video cable of the PS1/2 (the GCon 3 worked essentially just like the Wiimote).

The Virtua Gun could just be plugged in to the controller port and would work straight off.

The GunCon is like, the coolest gun ever though. Especially the NTSC-J black one.

Just need to make sure you have one of these so you can still use your RGB cable.