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Thrhere's a well-known adage that winners write the history books, and that's as true in video games as it is in other domains. Today, it's easy to assume that the Nintendo Entertainment System was the sole gaming system in the 1980s era. For those raised in Nintendo's primary regions of North America and Japan, this chunky contraption essentially represented the dominant choice – Mario was their flagship character, and its strong influence over game creators established dominance for popular games of the time. However, across Europe, where microcomputers were king, the Nintendo system was outperformed by a superior technical alternative.

Technical Superiority

The Master System was initially introduced in Japan in the latter part of 1985 as the Mark III. Utilizing the celebrated Z80 central processing unit (used in microcomputers such as the TRS-80, Spectrum and Amstrad) and a advanced graphics chip created by Sega, it included 8kb of RAM, a 64-colour palette and the capability to produce 32 simultaneous sprites at the same time – causing the competing console (using the antiquated 6502 CPU) look like an ancient relic.

Development and Relaunch

Originally, it was sold in its home market as a successor to the SG-1000 line, which were resembling inexpensive microcomputers than gaming platforms, with their peripheral keyboards and printers. As the competing system gained popularity in both the United States and Japan, the company reconsidered its strategy, removed some computing features and reintroduced the system in the mid-80s as the new Master System – an unapologetic games machine with a modern, compact, sharp appearance, contrasting the beige Betamax visage of the NES.

The games are visually superior to other Z80 based systems as a result of Sega's graphics hardware.

Advanced Add-ons

The system included a light weapon, and Sega even released a set of three-dimensional viewers for the system and a range of compatible games. “I must highlight the 3D version of OutRun,” comments programmer Chris White, who wrote a Master System emulator later used by Sega on its digital service. “Sure it made your head hurt and the rapid lens alternation was enough to trigger a mild seizure, but it's representative of a period when the company embraced innovation.”

European Distribution Approach

The company managed distribution of the platform in the United States (in the beginning), but looked to local companies to address the divided European landscape. In Britain and France (subsequently Spain), the assignment was given to the Virgin-associated company. “Sega's partners had better marketing positioning in Europe,” explains executive Nick Alexander, who was Virgin Mastertronic's managing director at the era. “Stronger distribution networks were established than rival companies maintained. Industry periodical the specialized magazine had a continuous gag that Nintendo saw Europe as where the dragons lived – comprehension was lacking, they were nervous of it. Consequently, resources were concentrated stateside.”

Teen-Centric Advertising

The executive, previously leading Virgin Games since that period, embraced that company's edgy, youth-conscious approach. “I sought to imagine the gaming version of musical touring,” he explains. “So we bought a double-decker bus and toured the nation. Destinations contained educational institutions and shopping centres. It got an awful lot of coverage. Rivals consistently advertised their games as family entertainment, but success was limited to specific regions was the German market. Our target was adolescents and recognizing that securing their interest would mean brothers and sisters would request a Sega console as well. This strategy defeated competitors.”

Coin-Op Roots

Although Mario belonged to competitors, Sega possessed its own advantages: their amusement center background. The company set out to bring multiple beloved amusement machine games to the console including Space Harrier, OutRun, Golden Axe and After Burner, promoting their platform in the Western markets as an personal entertainment venue. Although hardly perfect ports of the original titles, performance was superior and visually enhanced than earlier microcomputer versions. For young gaming enthusiasts at the period, it felt wildly futuristic.

Creation Benefits

For European developers, the console architecture was ideal. “We'd been working on the Spectrum and Amstrad and titles were adapted for Commodore,” explains developer Andrew Oliver, who collaborating with family was creating the Dizzy series for the game company. “Attendance at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and I remember seeing the Sega stand. It was massive, and adjacent to rival companies – and the marketing emphasized: ‘Performance is paramount.’ In those times, computers really were all about what was visually appealing and rapid. So Codemasters cut a licensing deal, programming tools were obtained – existing knowledge accelerated creation, but graphical power paralleled advanced computers. Execution was rapid and you had all the nice parallax scrolling and graphical objects. Programming was accessible.”

Supportive Environment

UK developers also found superior support from Sega. Mike Simpson was a coder at the English studio, later owned by Mirrorsoft. “A small team was established in the Midlands location, limited personnel, and multiple conversions were undertaken,” he says. “Assignment involved converting the advanced game, a graphically intensive computer game, to the Sega platform. Success appeared unlikely, so attempts were made! Travel to Japan was arranged to understand system architecture: Duration involved headquarters visit being taught by Mark Cerny [eventually creating contemporary systems]. I remember rows and rows of tightly packed desks, and the meeting room chairs were all being used to sleep on!”

Continuing Influence

Following the Genesis launch, the Master System's popularity in Europe (subsequently in Brazil), guaranteed continued software with simplified versions of Mega Drive games such as the iconic hedgehog. The spin-off title Sonic Chaos, created for multiple platforms and mobile Sega console (sharing technical foundations as the original console), was {one of the highlights of the series|among the franchise's best|notable