Sega Master System

For retro gamers or older people (over 15) who want to discover the art of gaming this console is great. I have had mine since new - 1988- and it is still going strong, even to the point where it has been passed down through the generations! this really is a fun console for beginners and those looking for some retro gaming but do remember not to expect too much as it is 20 years old!

In 1985 Nintendo release the NES or Nintendo Entertainment System. It was an immediate success and helped pull the game industry out of its doldrums caused by the Video Games Crash of 1983. While the NES was top dog for the remainder of the 80s, the Sega Master System was stuck behind its glory. Created and released not long after the NES, the Sega Master System was a much overlooked console. It is a sad fact really: the Master System had some great games and innovative gadgets at the time and I do feel that after all these years, it really does deserve its dues. So, as a tribute to Sega's first video games console, here is my review of the Sega Master System.

Firstly, I have to comment to the designs of the Master System. There are three main different ones. There's the keyboard styled first version, the oval shaped Master System II and the only slightly different Sega Master System III (Which was only released in Brazil). I have to say that all three versions, especially the original actually look really good. They aren't sleek or sexy like the PS3 but they have that unique quality, like the Vectrex that makes them nice to watch.

The games aren't half-bad either. The majority of the games I've played on the Master System (Sonic The Hedgehog, Alex Kidd, After Burner) have decent graphics that look bright and colorful. There are some rubbish looking games as well (Prince of Persia springs to mind) but on the whole, the Sega Master System is very good in terms of the games graphics.

Sound quality from the games on the Master System can be a bit... tinny. It's not grating or especially annoying but it could have been improved slightly. Some games though don't have this problem at all so that proves that it can be done.

The quality of the games on the Master System is, like all consoles, a hit and miss affair. The classic titles on the console are those that have proven to be great: After Burner, Alex Kidd, Shinobi, Space Harriers and so many others! If you want to get a Master System, get the games that are the best quality. Easiest way to check that is to use the internet and especially Wikipedia. The quality of these games is brilliant and helps make the purchase of a MS a worthwhile decision.

There are also some innovative gadgets available for the console as well. The most interesting I can think of is the 3D glasses, which, as it sounds, is a pair of glasses that you wear that make certain games 3D! This is years before Mode 7 on the SNES so technically, this could be considered the first console to provide true 3D gaming.

Overall, if you want a Sega console, this isn't a bad place to start. It has great games, good graphics, bearable sound and that hint of genius amid it all. Savor it everyone because for all we know, there could be no more Master Systems left in the near future.