Forums

Sega Master System / Mark III / Game Gear
SG-1000 / SC-3000 / SF-7000 / OMV
Home - Forums - Games - Scans - Maps - Cheats - Credits
Music - Videos - Development - Hacks - Translations - Homebrew

View topic - Questions from a soon-to-be Sega Master System owner

Reply to topic
Author Message
  • Joined: 10 May 2016
  • Posts: 130
  • Location: Canada
Reply with quote
Questions from a soon-to-be Sega Master System owner
Post Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 7:51 pm
I've had a Sega Game Gear for 3 years now and I love it. It's my favorite handheld, and I'm collecting for it as much as possible. Recently, I got a Gear-To-Gear Cable so I can play multiplayer games, but no one I know has a Game Gear. I'm going to get another Game Gear soon, but I'm seriously considering buying a Master System first. I just have a few questions.

1, Since I'll be buying an NTSC Master System, I'm wondering how it'll handle PAL games. I know the SMS is region free like the Game Gear, but I've heard of frame-rate issues when playing PAL games on an NTSC SMS. Is this only certain games that have this issue, and if so, which ones?

2, Are there any common hardware issues to watch out for like on the Game Gear? I'm going for a Model 1 SMS, and I'm hoping to simply buy one "as is" at a flea market and expect it to work fine (I'll test it before I buy, but I wondering if there's any issues I wouldn't notice until later).

3, How much should I be willing to spend on the console? I hear of people in the U.S. selling Dreamcasts for $20-$40, but here in Canada, the cheapest I've seen for one with 2 controllers is $65. The Canadian dollar is different, but people in Canada are still overpricing retro consoles and games. The cheapest I've seen a Master System is $75. That's the console and two controllers. Recently, I've seen one for $110, and a boxed one for $125. I'd prefer to buy one locally, so do you think I can get these people to considerably drop their prices?

Thank you for any advice you have. I greatly appreciate it.

Congratulations on 20 years, SMS Power!
  View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
  • Joined: 10 Aug 2016
  • Posts: 16
  • Location: Brasil
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 7:57 pm
I know there are better opinions, and they'll be shown soon. So to help:
1. PAL games on NTSC console can have framerate issues because PAL runs on 50FPS while NTSC uses 60FPS. If I'm wrong someone please tell me!
2. I don't know of it, but you could try and get Model 1 because of that card entry, I'd get one if I could.
3. About pricing, it varies from country to country, here in Brazil I've seen Genesis (Mega Drive) selling around R$200 (~US$68) so maybe a Master System would cost around the same... I'd suggest you to bargain, but expect to pay full price, and yes, retro consoles are getting slowly expensive.
  View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
  • Site Admin
  • Joined: 19 Oct 1999
  • Posts: 14690
  • Location: London
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2017 10:11 am
PAL at 50Hz runs at 20% lower frame rate so it has 20% more CPU per frame (roughly), so that reduces slowdown. However, many games were made for 60Hz (whether for Game Gear or just because they were developed elsewhere; or even because early UK devkits were NTSC only) so they arguably play better at that frame rate. It depends on the game.

There's no model specific issues, they are all rock solid, but suffer the same issues with age - cart slots dirty/bent, joystick port connectors bad, components (usually capacitors) worn out. Just test and you'll be fine. Arguably the best one to get is an SMS1 because it has the card port for 3D glasses, but some (Codemasters) games are not compatible.

Spend what you dare, it's not a liquid market. I haven't bought one since the 90s :)
  View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
  • Joined: 10 May 2016
  • Posts: 130
  • Location: Canada
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2017 12:13 pm
I've had a little set back with having to buy another Guinea Pig since my previous one (and my best friend) died on Sunday. I currently have about $60, but the cheapest I've seen at the moment is $110. I'll keep looking.
  View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
  • Joined: 27 Feb 2017
  • Posts: 145
  • Location: Northern Ireland
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2017 3:44 pm
I would get a master system 2 instead where you won't have to worry about games being compatible and forget about the card games glasses n stuff is no big deal. Plus you'll probably save more .
I got a pal master 2 and some games still have slowdown and flickering when there's more than 2 to 3 sprites over the same line , weird that sometimes there's only 2 and still does it but its an old hardware flaw nothing to worry about.
Just make sure you grab one in good condition with good joystick ports and stuff , about the capacitors you never know when these things will give in considering they have 30 years or more now , but with good care it's all good and they were built pretty good too but in any problem ask here in forum there's many people that can help you. I got my master 2 for 50 quid with all cables joystick and original ac adapter. They are getting more expensive by the day and the first model is way more expensive because of all the extra peripherals as maxim pointed. Make your choice and good luck!
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 05 Sep 2013
  • Posts: 3763
  • Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2017 7:44 pm
A few years ago I saw a working (they said) Master System II at a flea market for 5 Euros (!!!) - light gun included. I thought I didn't need a second system just like the one I already owned. I regretted not buying it... but the point is: keep looking at yard sales, flea markets and such, one might be there for you for just a few bucks.
  View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
  • Joined: 27 Feb 2017
  • Posts: 145
  • Location: Northern Ireland
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2017 8:36 pm
sverx wrote
A few years ago I saw a working (they said) Master System II at a flea market for 5 Euros (!!!) - light gun included. I thought I didn't need a second system just like the one I already owned. I regretted not buying it... but the point is: keep looking at yard sales, flea markets and such, one might be there for you for just a few bucks.


5 euros you should've bought it , what a bargain lol
Yeah boot sales or charity shops can be found over here , the thing is they can be found in a pretty bad state or not , it's only a matter of luck. There's a shop over here called Cex and they sell 2nd hand stuff , mostly all ps , Xbox but recently some retro games are coming to the surface ,maybe retro s coming back(?) . It's twice now that I found battle toads nes for 50quid ... They must be getting their prices from Eboink.
  View user's profile Send private message
Reply to topic



Back to the top of this page

Back to SMS Power!