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 - How do YOU play Master System games?

Reply to topic

How do YOU play Master System games?

Master System via RF 2% 2%
Master System via AV cable (RGB or composite) 27% 27%
Master System II via RF 5% 5%
Master System II with AV mod (ou un câble Péritel) 7% 7%
Game Gear with Master Gear (or equivalent) 4% 4%
Mega Drive/Genesis with Power Base Converter (or equivalent) 9% 9%
Emulator on a computer 27% 27%
Emulator on a gaming device 6% 6%
Modern hardware (e.g. Mega SG, MiSTer) 10% 10%
Author Message
  • Joined: 30 Jun 2016
  • Posts: 194
  • Location: Melbourne, Australia
Reply with quote
How do YOU play Master System games?
Post Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2022 12:49 pm
Okay, this's been bugging me for a while now, but I'm actually incredibly curious.
How do people inside this community play Master System games?

This is something that comes to my mind, because from where I am from, the most common method on hardware was people using Master System II's... which were all RF-only. And the RF units are notorious for just dying, nevermind finding TVs to use them on anymore.

Meanwhile the original Master System model is more rare, much more expensive. And a lot of people probably just use Mega Drives with the Power Base Converter...

And I suspect the vast majority of people just play on emulation. For old and new releases.
Even those with their old consoles from the 80s and 90s.

Anyway! I'd love to know, and find out!
  View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
  • Joined: 12 Dec 2010
  • Posts: 77
  • Location: Sheffield, England
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2022 1:03 pm
I have UK and Japanese SMS consoles that I hook up to a Trinitron via RGB SCART, but for convenience I generally play SMS on a Model 1 Japanese Mega Drive hooked up the same way with a Mega EverDrive Pro.

I also have a RetroPie (3B+) that gets used a lot over HDMI to a flat panel.

I'm considering an RGB modded SMS2 as the originals are too wide for my console shelves.

I avoid RF and Composite where possible.
  View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
  • Joined: 08 Apr 2021
  • Posts: 48
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2022 2:00 pm
Mostly emulators (gen plus gx via bizhawk if I just want to play a game, meka if I'm studying / reverse engineering), but for real hardware I use an everdrive on a Mega Drive (II sadly) with RGB scart cable plugged into an old flat screen.
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 25 Jul 2007
  • Posts: 716
  • Location: Melbourne, Australia
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2022 2:03 pm
Game Gear
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 14 Aug 2000
  • Posts: 740
  • Location: Adelaide, Australia
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2022 2:24 pm
SMS1 into a Commodore 1084 monitor via RGB SCART cable.
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 12 Aug 2021
  • Posts: 73
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2022 5:54 pm
Ideally I'd have my SMS II with AV Cable with me, but currently, it's in storage elsewhere. So I'm using my Game Gear for real hardware.

For playing casually or development, I mainly use emulators on PC. On bus trips, I use my GBA with an everdrive who can run some SMS games via emulation.
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 01 Apr 2008
  • Posts: 197
  • Location: Spain
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2022 10:03 pm
Although I own two SMS II, and once or twice a year use one of them for playing on a TV, I usually play their games via Raspberry Pi.
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 01 Feb 2014
  • Posts: 844
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2022 7:21 am
Master System I, hooked up to a modern flat screen TV through RGB cable and OSSC. Sometimes I play on the Mega SG instead, but I usually prefer the original.
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 05 Nov 2014
  • Posts: 435
  • Location: Auckland - NZ
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2022 7:58 am
I mainly used a master system 1 via rgb on a sony pvm. Lately ive use a lcd modded game gear for testing as its much more compact but also battery powered so much easier to use at my desk.
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 05 Sep 2013
  • Posts: 3758
  • Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2022 8:15 am
Last edited by sverx on Fri Nov 04, 2022 9:35 am; edited 1 time in total
SMS II with shitty RF

oh, and Emulicious or MEKA
  View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
  • Joined: 04 Jul 2010
  • Posts: 539
  • Location: Angers, France
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2022 9:04 am
SMS I, II, Mark III > official Sega RGB scart > Bandridge automatic switch > Retrotink 2X > HDMI (on my 2nd computer screen).
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 29 Mar 2012
  • Posts: 879
  • Location: Spain
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2022 9:15 am
Master System I connected to a 14" CRT using SCART RGB.
Also Emulicious when testing something quickly
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 23 Jan 2013
  • Posts: 20
  • Location: Scotland
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2022 10:26 am
I’ve gone completely over to using the MegaSG for playing Master System games. I’ve even packed my original hardware away. Systems like the MegaSG and MiSTer project will hopefully bring the Master System to a wider audience.
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 01 Apr 2016
  • Posts: 45
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2022 12:57 pm
I haven't used a real Master System since the early nineties, and until recently used a Mega Drive with a flashcart for SMS (i use a MiSTer now).
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 01 Apr 2005
  • Posts: 250
  • Location: Almere, The Netherlands
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2022 2:26 pm
Japanese Master System via RGB scart AV cable directly to a Pioneer 60" plasma, no in between processing. For digital controlled games I primarily use a 6button megadrive controller.
  View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
  • Joined: 01 Feb 2014
  • Posts: 844
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2022 2:49 pm
CMcK wrote
I’ve gone completely over to using the MegaSG for playing Master System games. I’ve even packed my original hardware away. Systems like the MegaSG and MiSTer project will hopefully bring the Master System to a wider audience.


Unfortunately, Master System FM sound is still broken on the Mega SG. It’s just randomly dropping notes, turning any FM soundtrack into a total mess. The bug has been known literally for years now, with no sign from Analogue of even trying to fix it.
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 23 Jan 2013
  • Posts: 20
  • Location: Scotland
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2022 11:35 pm
Kagesan wrote


Unfortunately, Master System FM sound is still broken on the Mega SG. It’s just randomly dropping notes, turning any FM soundtrack into a total mess. The bug has been known literally for years now, with no sign from Analogue of even trying to fix it.


Must admit I haven’t noticed that. Shame as the FM audio on the MegaDrive core used in the SG sounds wonderful. Given how good games look on this system on a modern display, an OLED TV in my case, I think I’ll stick with it. I could always try my MiSTer for a comparison I suppose.
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 15 Aug 2019
  • Posts: 258
  • Location: Lancashire UK
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2022 8:46 am
have to say since buying a Mega SG I haven't looked back. It's awesome
  View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
  • Joined: 16 Aug 2005
  • Posts: 102
  • Location: Brazil
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2022 4:38 pm
As I'm writing this, a Tec Toy's Master System III with A/V mod on a 14" Philips CRT (running ichigobankai's Heroes Against Demons) -- which would be my main setup, so I guess that qualifies as a "II with A/V mod" for the poll purposes.

Depending on the occasion, that mix may contain a Tec Toy's Master System II for the 3D games, a Tec Toy's Master System III 112-in-1 for the odd Game Gear conversion or a 21" Sony WEGA CRT for the awesomeness.
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 23 Mar 2013
  • Posts: 611
  • Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2022 6:01 pm
8BitBoy wrote
have to say since buying a Mega SG I haven't looked back. It's awesome

I feel the same way. I have some SMS I and II consoles, and a CRT tucked away in the garage, but I play my games on the Mega Sg with an Everdrive in the living room. I have turned off the FM emulation anyway.
  View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
  • Joined: 06 Mar 2022
  • Posts: 594
  • Location: London, UK
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2022 10:42 pm
I feel like there should have been a "Hardware I built myself" option on the survey, but anyway I checked "Modern hardware"!! :-p
retcon.jpg (83.88 KB)
retcon.jpg

  View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
  • Joined: 09 Jun 2014
  • Posts: 362
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2022 2:32 pm
In order of most used to barely used:
- mekaw and emulicious on pc (for hacking)
- raspberry 3 with retropie on oled tv (for testing/playing)
- sms 2 on small crt tv (no everdrive unfortunately)
- xbox with emulator on bigger crt with component 480p
  View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
  • Joined: 12 Jul 1999
  • Posts: 891
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2022 11:48 am
I occasionally fire up my MegaSG on my 65" TV, but honestly, I get the most fun out of playing older games on my Retroid Pocket 3 handheld. It's basically all I ever wanted!
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 11 Mar 2018
  • Posts: 56
  • Location: New Zealand
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2022 10:09 pm
For me, I've been working on making my own Master System emulator (Snepulator).

So I've been jumping between playing on that and a variety of real hardware (PAL SMS1, NTSC Megadrive 1, and Game Gear) to check for any noticeable differences in behaviour
  View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
  • Joined: 01 Jul 2015
  • Posts: 152
  • Location: Berlin
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2022 11:29 am
Nowadays I mostly play via MiSTer on a CRT, but sometimes I still setup my SMS2 with RGB mod or a japanese SMS with a SCART cable, also on a CRT.
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 14 Sep 2018
  • Posts: 50
  • Location: Earth
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2022 5:05 pm
Family Pocket FC3000

Its a dirt-cheap retro gaming SBC with some basic firmware and decent emulation for what its worth. These things are everywhere on aliexpress and they support SG1K, SMS, GG and even the SMD. FM sound for SMS is also supported too. Sadly traditional sram saving isn't supported but thankfully save-states are. Games are also stored in a hidden micro-sd slot in most models so you can easily customize your game library.

The firmware & emus are stored in a separate nand chip somewhere on the motherboard. This makes things a little more reliable so you don't have to worry about potentially bricking the device from sudden power loss unlike some of the other cheap retro gaming SBCs out there that base everything on the sd card, effectively making the card a single point of failure.

They can also be easily hacked to update their firmware and there is already a small hacking community that has been making improvements for them.

The funniest thing about it is that it boasts "FULL SPEED 70 FRAMES".

Playing GG games on it is really fun.
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 23 Jan 2013
  • Posts: 20
  • Location: Scotland
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2022 9:21 pm
Received my Analogue Pocket last week. Definitely the best way to play GG games at the moment. The screen is outstanding a lot better than the McWill modded GG I normally use.
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 05 Aug 2009
  • Posts: 14
  • Location: Staten Island, New York
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2022 8:38 pm
On a Genesis with the Power Base Convertor, on a Sony PVM with full RGB SCART.
  View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
  • Joined: 04 Oct 2019
  • Posts: 74
  • Location: Brazil
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2022 10:33 pm
Normally I use either Emulicious on PC or play straight from original hardware ( Tectoy SMS 1 with AV composite, for the sake of dithering!) on a Toshiba crt. ^^
For my FM needs, I use Krikz Mega ED Pro on a Tectoy Mega Drive.
I also have an Analogue Mega Sg, but seldom use it.
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 02 Mar 2024
  • Posts: 11
  • Location: Dullsville
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2024 8:36 pm
personally i first played master system games at my grandfathers house, issue is a lot of the finest games on SMS that i'd like to play are not NTSC compatable, which really sucks. But emulation lets me play them at home and play those sweet PAL games!

but i am interested in the game gear so hopefully i could someday get some adapters to play SMS games on the GG, would probably be a battery drainer but eh, aint that the charm?
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 15 Mar 2010
  • Posts: 49
  • Location: Florida
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2024 6:53 pm
I have master system but honestly Emulation is just easier. I has been a while since i played on the actual thing.
  View user's profile Send private message
  • Joined: 07 Apr 2021
  • Posts: 20
Reply with quote
Post Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2024 1:35 am
I'm in Canada. I have a model 1 I was alternating playing on RF on a modern display (not great) and emulation. However, I've recently picked up a Sony PVM with RGB inputs. I have a SCART cable for it, but it's the stereo one for the Genesis/MegaDrive model 1. So I need to either order another one, since that one doesn't output sound through the output port, or modify a female headphone jack into the console.
  View user's profile Send private message
Reply to topic



Back to the top of this page

Back to SMS Power!