The Sega Master System
13 days ago
- #retro-gaming
- #hardware-comparison
- #console-generations
- Consoles are traditionally divided into generations, but these divisions are not strictly based on product lineage, power, or release year.
- Sega's SG-1000, released the same day as the Famicom, is considered third-generation but shares hardware similarities with the second-generation ColecoVision.
- The Master System, Sega's successor to the SG-1000, was designed to compete with the Famicom/NES and offered significant hardware improvements.
- Technical comparisons between the SG-1000, Master System, and Famicom highlight differences in CPU memory, video memory, ROM capacity, resolution, color depth, and sprite capabilities.
- The Master System and Famicom differ in design philosophy, with Sega's approach being more straightforward and Nintendo's requiring creative use of hardware features.
- Cartridge structure for the Master System included standard sizes and a checksum, with larger cartridges using a memory mapper.
- Developing a BIOS for the Master System involved adapting SG-1000 code, with adjustments for additional I/O ports, more RAM, and VDP configuration.
- The Master System's VDP timing requirements were initially thought to be strict, but practical experiments showed more leniency.
- Future projects for the Master System include porting existing programs and exploring its hardware capabilities further.