How Does the Sega Master System Compare to the NES? - Retro Bird

In this video, I compare the Sega Master System to the Nintendo Entertainment System. Is one better than the other and should you consider just getting... both?
How Does the Sega Master System Compare to the NES?
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[@RetroBirdGaming]

Bonus points for anyone who can name the song played in the voicemail from the Saturn at the end of the video :) Games played: The Lucky Dime Caper Starring Donald Duck (0:01), DuckTales (0:20), Master of Darkness (0:43), Contra (1:08), Castle of Illusion for Sega Master System (1:25), Mega Man 2 (1:31), Kenseiden (2:14), Ninja Gaiden for NES (3:00), Castle of Illusion for Sega Genesis (6:07), Hang-On (7:20), Ninja Gaiden for Sega Master System (7:50)

[@neilinacarmichael9518]

I’m here for my bonus points! The song the Saturn left for you was Sky High from Daytona USA. Great video as usual!

[@nealdavis7276]

I see that you use a model 1 Genesis. Will I still be able to use the Power Base Converter if my Genesis is a model 2?

[@matthewyoungquist5418]

Loved this episode looking forward to it since you announced the topic! I personally love SMS since I got mine in 86. Other kids came over for sum Shinobi action and I would be over at their house for Ninja Gaiden and Castlevania. I had the best of both worlds since everybody else had an Nintendo great times.......😊

[@RetroBirdGaming]

@nealdavis7276 They do not. However, you can always get something like one of the mini power base converters that they sell nowadays. It looks like they might be sold out as of right now, but here's what I'm referring to: stoneagegamer.com/powerbase-mini.html

[@nealdavis7276]

@@RetroBirdGaming thank you for the explanation. I think I’ll just wait until I get a model 1 then, before getting a Power Base. I was planning to eventually get a model 1 anyway, since I want to eventually have both models in my collection. I think that the model 1 looks better by itself, while the model 2 looks better with the CD add on. This gives me another reason to add that model 1 to my collection sooner rather than later!

[@laughingseal2282]

Ironically, this channel has the most goofy and silly dry humor but also a very chill and mature takes about the hobby. Keep up the good content, dude.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Thank you!

[@toddthechimeralinguist]

I was just about to comment on how Retro Bird wields irony like a master: That Buttons-on-the-console Gag was sweet and sharp all at once.

[@alch3mi5t.]

The Bird trapped under a CRT TV unable to reach his bananas is my happy place on the internet still. 😂

[@Bored_Barbarian]

I describe him as “Scott the Woz, just not annoying” 😅🤪

[@HiNRGboy]

I've really come to like all the retro systems equally.. there's always at least a handful of really good titles on every system worth playing.

[@elgatofelix8917]

ALL of them? Or just the most known ones? I can think of probably a few retro consoles you've likely never played before and probably never will (not that I have either)

[@AnthonyFlack]

@@elgatofelix8917 - I love my Amstrad GX4000.

[@HiNRGboy]

@@elgatofelix8917 Name them off? I was obsessed with playing every retro console years ago that I literally tried tracking them all down haha! I'm talking computers too! Of course I haven't played every single one but probably like, I don't know...30 or so different systems pre-Playstation era.

[@itsdeonlol]

The Sega Master System doesn't get enough love.

[@SergioPL]

Here in Brazil, they have!😂

[@SUB1KOIRA]

In Europe it does, luckily.

[@marccaselle8108]

The master system had great games. My favorite part of the model 1 master system was the jingle they would play when you booted up a game. Booooooop! Da daaaaaaaaaa!

[@Dreeza68955]

Sadly I've never played one....

[@Ichabod_Jericho]

I’ve never even played a Sega Master System but watching him run through a couple of these games got me really interested! Although I assume collecting genuine physicals of the great games these days is prolly really expensive 😣

[@luliby2309]

If you didn't point it out, I was gonna point out Master Of Darkness. What a cool game. It captures that Castlevania feel so well.

[@grgmj1980]

I was one of the lucky few to own both systems back in the day. Loved both for different reasons

[@trufreedom]

Nice! I had that advantage for the 4th gen. My older brother had a Sega Genesis while i had a Super Nintendo.. so I never even realized there was a console war at the time. I was too busy playing Sonic and Knuckles and Chrono Trigger in the same day 😅

[@grgmj1980]

@@trufreedom my friends at school would always ask me for my opinion since I owned both systems. I would tell them my unbiased opinions and still, they would never agree with me.😂

[@rotallyPumpered]

I feel like the Game Gear gets more attention, given that it has most of the Master System's best games, more of a global audience, and a lot of great exclusives of its own, but you'll typically have a better time with the Master System versions (especially if you're using original hardware). The higher resolution versions can feel like a real luxury if you've only known the Game Gear versions.

[@Nikku4211]

You can play the higher resolution versions on the Game Gear using the Master Gear converter, though they are poorly scaled for the Game Gear's smaller screen.

[@markchambers3833]

The Gane Gear doesn't have most of the Master System's best games! 😄 It has _some_ (probably about 20%) of the best games. You can play most of the MS library using the converter, although it's an inferior MS experience due to the tiny screen. GG versions of MS games are optimised for the GG so they're zoomed in with cropped play areas. MS games played through the converter retain their original scale so the sprites are tiny. Both are great systems by the way; but if you're playing on a GG, you're not playing the MS, you're playing the GG.

[@bombfog1]

Last year I offered you my childhood 32X so you can make content with it and you gently refused. Well, my complete in box 32X has gone nearly 28 years unused now and it sure would be great if it could receive some love again. I’ve received three years of very entertaining content from you and would sure love to offer recompense with the 32X. I’ve tried giving it to my son, but the only retro-games he plays are on the NES, SNES, and original GameBoy. Please give this unloved console a home!

[@ShinryuZensen]

I grew up with the Master System , and I still remember many games who were ( and are still ) so good. I still love Asterix , Tazmania, Alex Kidd, Shinobi & Castle of Illusion.

[@segasdreamer]

You know what Sega did with the Master System that Nintendo didn't? 3D.

[@MichaelBecx]

Thank you for making these videos! I have been watching your videos for years now and every week I'm looking forward to your awesome videos :D

[@RetroBirdGaming]

I really appreciate you watching and am glad you're enjoying them!

[@bananonymouslastname5693]

I've had both the NES and Master System for decades. I'm glad you didn't spark up some silly console war debate here. They may be of the same generation, but the Master System is best looked at as a fun counterpart to the NES these days instead of a rival. The NES certainly has the larger, stronger library, but games like those listed here are very worthwhile, and light gun games like Gangster Town, Rambo III, and Rescue Mission honestly outclass any other home console gun games of the era. Oddly, I really enjoy the Carmen Sandiego Master System game. Nobody really talks about it, but it's pretty different from other versions, and has a little action sequence when it's time to make the arrest. It's also pretty easy to find with the mini-encyclopedia included for the full experience.

[@Thollis1987]

I remember when I was little my big brother had the Sega Master System from grandma and my mom bought the family a New Nintendo System. We were lucky to play both. Fun times.

[@Autotrope]

I often find myself enjoying less technically advanced ports of games too, not sure why. Like outrun on master system is pretty fun. And ive been playing donkey kong land on game boy

[@itsjustagamechannel]

I just picked up my first Master System, but yeah it was my “one more / last console” purchase. It does also have the coolest appearance in my display.

[@jonzo22]

For myself I just never heard of it, I had a NES once but that's the only one from that era and I only had a few games so I watch these videos to see what's fun that I could try out now

[@chaospoet]

One other thing about The Power Base Converter is it works on a Retron 5. That's how I play mine. Master System games in glorious HD! Growing up in the 80s the kid down the street from me had a Master System and I had the NES. Our Moms worked at the local corner store and when one worked the other would babysit the other's kids. So my friend and I spent a lot of time experiencing both systems. It wasn't until later in life I realized how uncommon that was here in America. I always saw the Master System as the other half of 8-bit gaming philosophy. Games like Phantasy Star and YS 1 were awesome but also completely different from Dragon Warrior and Zelda. Then you had games like Rastan that was a fantasy bloody hack n slash side scroller that was nothing like say Rygar or anything on NES and there was no Rygar equivalent on Master System either. Then even games that were on NES but were different like Double Dragon. It felt like if you were only experiencing only one system you were only getting half of the story not the full one.

[@matthewheupel8960]

I had a pretty unique experience with the Master System when I was a kid. When I was about 8, I didn't have a console at all and desperately wanted an NES. About that time my much older brother got out of the Army and moved in with us briefly. Some of his thing were put in my room temporarily and one of those things was an old milk crate with a Master System and several games. I had no idea what it was but I was excited because I knew a video game console when I saw one. So I asked him what it was, and if I could please play it. Unfortunately he said he lost all the cords for it, so there it sat in my room taunting me for weeks. And that was that, that was my whole experience with the Master System as a kid. I never knew anyone else with one and have yet to get one myself. But from all the video's I've seen, it's terribly underrated. Hopefully I'll be adding one to my collection soon.

[@SaturmornCarvilli]

I just went over to check if the RetroBird vid was up and... Boom! There it was.

[@francescosmith7859]

Really good video. The Master System is pretty cool and with Sega basically being the sole publisher the library is pretty impressive with a lot of variety. I was unaware of the Master System until a few years ago similar to the Turbo16 and I keep my fingers crossed that maybe Sega will give us a Master System Mini as an official way for so many of us to experience the console.

[@rogerwhitman4123]

Sega was far from the sole publisher in other parts of the world - many great games from many publishers that were never released in the USA.

[@josephbradshaw6985]

If all you have is a Master System, there are some great games. The problem is, outside of a few exclusives that Retro Bird mostly mentions, most of the SMS games have better versions on Arcade or Genesis.

[@SuperFang1]

Phantasy Star was so much fun, crazy how good it looked.

[@videogryphon]

Hot dog, I was able to stay up late enough for a RetroBird video.

[@TumoFiji]

6:43 I think we could all benefit from more comparisons like this.

[@justsayin4632]

Alright, I’ll admit, I legit blew air outta my nose at the “Daytona Voicemail”😂

[@GamingPlus10]

The Sega Master System was my first console and I live in the US. My older cousins had it first so I was lucky to get all their games when they got the genesis in 89. Double dragon, Alex Kidd in shinobi world, r type and phantasy star are all fantastic games.

[@creativefreedom9143]

“What have been your reservations of getting into the system?” It’s mainly because I didn’t know it existed for a long time. It has lived in the shadow of the NES for generations.

[@CasepbX]

I never even heard of the Sega Master System for the longest time. I always thought the Genesis was the first Sega system. Crazy how overlooked it was.

[@hackerx7329]

There were some games on the SMS that were absolutely great, some like the arcade ports that were worth playing back then like the arcade ports or maybe some of the sports games if you enjoyed them but you wouldn't want to bother with now, and sadly there were other games that had great ideas but were limited by the baffling choice to only have 2 buttons on the controller and a pause button on the system. Zillion is a prime example of a game where the design of the game itself was fantastic but having to hit a button on the system itself every time you wanted to open the menu was a real drag. Honestly, that decision alone is probably why the SMS got far fewer RPGs and Action Adventure games than the NES. But the system also had more than its fair share of games that were mediocre or just downright stunk. And that really stung when the library was so much smaller than what the NES had to offer.

[@wibbiddywoo]

Nintendo was gaming in the US. So much so that my friend who moved over from America still said "can we play Nintendo" when he wanted to play on my Master System 😁

[@CassiDS]

I never really saw the NES and Sega Master System as the bitterest of foes, and even if I did, "Nintendo DS vs. PlayStation Portable" is _my_ preferred cockfight.

[@davidrin3566]

I grew up an NES kid but I did have a classmate that owned a Master System. When I went over his house, we played Safari Hunt and Transbot. When I was in my 20s, my cousin bought me a Master System CIB for Christmas. As I grew older, I started buying more games for the system and have gained an appreciation for what it is. I also own Kensiden and that is an amazing Master System game. You can also see where they got some of the assets for Revenge of Shinobi when you play that game. A month ago, I just picked up Ys: The Vanished Omens on the system. Most games for it are still quite affordable but Ys cost a little more (spent close to $70 at the end of the day but it was worth it) Other games I love are Rastan, Wonder Boy III, Shinobi, Lord of the Sword, Double Dragon and many others. I'm looking at picking up Ninja Gaiden soon. Another system that will give you a solid NES-like experience is the PC Engine and Turbo Graphics 16. In fact, a lot of the games developed on there were created by top NES developers of the time. One example being Ninja Spirit (created by the same folks that made Kung Fu on the NES)

[@BreakMan333]

NESRGB might be my favorite video mod. The jump from composite to RGB on a crt feels so sublime

[@HollowRick]

And the fact that the master system had that in 1986 is insane to me haha

[@dont_panic_de]

Oh, I LOVED my master system back in the early 90s. Before MD and SNES it was a blast! Sonic, the Disney games, Alex Kidd in Miracle World (!), Outrun, R-Type, ALF (just kidding 😂)... The controller was cool and the MS1 Power base itself looked REALLY cool. I even bought the power base converter and the 3D glasses (and its games) recently - just because I never had it as a child (I know, I know, old men trying to get back childhood memories 😅). Fladly the suppurt in Germany/Europe for the system was really good!

[@DontCallMeScooterrr]

One thing that gets overlooked, if you have a CRT, SMS has about a dozen light gun games which is pretty robust given the overall library I think

[@GamingPlus10]

Gangster Town is probably the best 8 bit gun game ever.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Yeah, and the light phaser is fairly affordable too.

[@Simoss13]

The most important question is, how is you bred clip collection going?

[@inlovewithi]

I tried to play the Sega Master System once, back in 1994, but I couldn't get past the opening screen.

[@greyfox1127]

The Master System is such a great console. So many brilliant games. Was much more popular and successful in Europe (particularly in the UK) and obviously in Brazil it was an absolute behemoth. Always feels like Japan (with the Famicom) and the US (with the NES) never gave it a look in probably due to Nintendo's aggressive tactics with regards to licencing & with retail etc however it was supported for many years in Europe (and even more in Brazil) and has some utterly fantastic games. The question you ask is the one more games should ask about more systems i.e. not which one is better but "If I like this system will I also like this other system" as it opens up the opportunity to play more games that you like. Especially in the 8-bit and 16-bit days when consoles would have far more exclusive titles or different versions of the same licence etc Another great video!

[@Peeps7468]

I’ve posted this before but I grew up with an NES and my uncle had a Sega Master System. I loved the NES but always enjoyed playing the SMS. He had After Burner, Ghostbusters, a few Wonder Boy games (including Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap) and maybe one or two others. Wonder Boy III got most of the attention but it always seemed like a really great system with games completely different from the ones I had on the NES. Thanks for doing a SMS video!!

[@wibbiddywoo]

In the UK the Master System was everywhere and had loads of games. I only saw a few Nes in the 80s.

[@HollowRick]

I was about to comment the same thing 😂 it's ashame video game history is so dominated by the US lense.. to the point you have people in the UK getting second hand nostalgia for the NES when hardly anyone had one here master system games were always £10 cheaper which was a big difference then we might not have had Zelda or castlevania, but Govellius and Master of darkness filled in that gap nicely and were both great games :D

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Yeah, I've mentioned this a few times on the channel. When making this video, I was considering the library released worldwide and not just in the US.

[@HollowRick]

​@@RetroBirdGaminggood to know :D as there were a lot more games for the SMS released here thanks to its popularity as well as in Brazil Keep up the great content bird :) oh and keep eating plenty of Bananas 🍌 😁

[@wibbiddywoo]

@@RetroBirdGaming I just heard the end bit where you said you have been ordering games from outside the US! I wonder how many were produced worldwide?

[@thedeadpoolwhochuckles.6852]

​@@HollowRickI don't think its the "us lense" as much as it was "A wild Gameboy appeared!" Which led to (well the few people I've known from the uk) going back and checking out the NES. Id rather had the master system myself.

[@andrij.demianczuk]

My favourite consoles now (in my 40’s) are the ones I never got to play as a kid. The master system, TG16 and NeoGeo were all things of legend in my schoolyard and thanks to the MiSter project I now wholeheartedly enjoy. Thank you for bringing this one forward bird!

[@taylormonnett1370]

So excited when I got the notification, I’ve officially binged every video of yours! Do you use the master system converter on your game gear?

[@mattb6522]

Great video! I never knew about the Genesis Power Converter attachment, so I appreciate you mentioning it for those wanting to dive into the Master System. My only technical experience with Master System games was actually through the Game Gear (which is essentially a portable Master System with lower resolution). I actually owned Donald Duck Lucky Dime Caper and the Illusion games. The Disney games were every bit as good as the NES Capcom games! I didn't know about some of the other gems like Ninja Gaiden, Kenseiden, or Master of Darkness, so may need to check those out! The Master System seems like a great companion piece to the NES looking for more 8-bit goodness!

[@raycerx87]

I never got into Master System until 2009 when I jailbroke my Wii. Great videos as per usual.

[@dwightdixon8508]

Nintendo’s strict licensing policy with third party developers/publishers is what allowed them to keep an iron clad grip on the video game market at least in North America. Unfair? Maybe, but they took a huge risk that ultimately revitalized the video game market in North America just a couple years after the video game crash. The Master System had good specs but we’ll never know what Nintendo’s third party developers could have done with its power and color pallet. Regardless the NES had the goods and we got some incredible games and memories that may not have been there had Nintendo not taken those risks

[@GamingPlus10]

It was illegal and anti consumer.

[@michaels4610]

I used my paper route $$ as a kid to get the master system! I will always go back to play Shinobi and R Type! Thanks for the great video!

[@josephbradshaw6985]

For Zelda/Crystalis fans SMS has Golden Axe Warrior and Golvellius. Solid top down adventures exclusive to the SMS.

[@chaospoet]

And it had the original console port of YS 1 too!

[@josephbradshaw6985]

@@chaospoet I haven't played much of that one, is it any good? Beyond nostalgia?

[@chaospoet]

@@josephbradshaw6985 It's a faithful conversation of the PC-88 original that plays better on Master System (the best of the original versions) and it is the entire game so gameplay wise it holds up. Though it is a little slower as it takes longer to level up and presentation is quite basic compared to later releases. For it's time it's was great. Honestly, these days, I'd only recommend it for YS fans curious how it was originally. Otherwise Turbografx is still the best version (and the most expensive, sadly) but the Chronicles remake on PSP/Steam is also great and the most affordable way to go.

[@daedalus547]

I like both, in fact I like all consoles, the games are the only important thing. Doesn't matter who makes the system. I don't own an American master system, I own the Master System MK-2000 which is a Japanese only variant with the FM chip built in as well as the 3D glasses port (it doesn't use up the card slot)

[@realguitarthur]

I love my Master System! :)

[@MKF30]

I totally forgot that the Master System used the NES controller design, though the D-pad is very different.

[@danbauer3669]

Man, I love the Sega Game Gear. What's Retro Bird talking about today?

[@DrAndyShick]

Throughout 1987, I told my parents that I wanted an NES for Christmas. Apparently my pediatrician told my parents that it would be better to get me something that I didn't specifically want and so got me the [then-more expensive because it was newer] Master System, which came with a dual cartridge of Safari Hunt and Super Hang-On. I gave it away within a month. They told me that I would have to save up the money myself and buy it (similar to what happened in 8-Bit Christmas), which I did right before Christmas 1988. As a result, my parents got me some NES games for Christmas a couple weeks later. My mom later said that if she had known how much I would be opposed to the Master System, she wouldn't have done that.

[@Darko1226]

Very fair assessment of the Master System. More videos about the master system would be welcomed :)

[@SpaceGamblerJR]

it's so weird I didn't even know the master system existed when I was a kid. it wasn't until Sega Genisis that I found out about Sega besides arcades.

[@cd5sircoupe]

Damn, I don't remember that Genesis converter. I knew there was one but I don't think I've ever seen it. My younger brother's got a Master system with a few things for it, but it's kinda just a novelty to have. And speaking of power supplies and novelty, he's also got a Sega branded power strip that's spaced far apart enough for all the bricks.

[@zinh3d]

I love your goofy face :D But also your videos are informative and accurate. The poor kid on the block, when I was a kid, that had a Master System was mostly picked on unfairly. I had a NES but loved playing his console! Poor kid though. He just wanted a NES but didn't understand his console was better in a lot of ways.

[@GameBoyGuru]

I wish I got voice mail like that. It's unfortunate that Bomber Raid is one game that absolutely doesn't work with the Genesis pad. I only had a model 1 Genesis for years, and could never truly play it on the Power Base Converter until I got the SMS pad. Fun game.

[@army103]

I've been a gamer since the 80's, but I can honestly say I'd never even heard of the Sega Master System until about 5 years ago. It seems like a cool enough system; I just never knew anyone who had one/talked about it.

[@rogerwhitman4123]

You truly missed out as a kid! The master system was amazing, and playing the NES felt kinda empty once you experienced the MS (the full Euro library).

[@jeffhauser8031]

First time I see a video from you but I like the dry humour. Cheers from Germany 🇩🇪

[@GuillaumeLevasseur]

I had a master system as a kid, and spent hours watching my father play Phantasy Star. Great memories. Also, to this day, Space Harrier, Hang-On and other arcade games are my favorite because I’ve exposed to them early on.

[@compacta_d]

My Gramma had master system growing up. She played it for probably 10-20 years being her only game system. I played every time I visited her. I feel like ppl don't even know it exists. Alex Kidd, Psychofox, and Outrun were probably my favorites. She also had Gangster town, space harrier 3d, and her favorite-Shanghai. Very nostalgic for me. Thanks for the video!

[@PlumbDrumb]

My SMS controllers had a nub in the center of the d-pad which, when removed, would reveal a tiny hole where a thumbstick attachment could be screwed in. I ended up using that more often than the regular pad.

[@tomwarman]

Growing up, I thought genesis was segas first system. I've never heard of master system until I started emulation

[@erneststackhouse1133]

Brazil loves The Sega Master System like how the US loves the NES. SEGA was still pumping out new games for Brazil on the Sega Master System way after SEGA's crash in the late 90s. Ninja Gaiden was my 1st experience playing it on the Sega Master System when I was younger & I like that game over the NES version. Shinobi was another I played all the time as well. Loved the video & I'm still looking for Master of Darkness for my collection.

[@fossil-bit8439]

My only regret about the Master System is that I didn’t get into collecting for it sooner as some of the games are kinda expensive now… I bought an untested console years ago and only had to reflow solder on the cartridge connector and it worked just fine! I later added the FM soundboard mod and it is a very cool and simple modification. There is a guy (who’s name escapes me) in Australia who makes the board kits. Some of my favorite games are Double Dragon, Jurassic Park, and the port of R-Type is excellent!

[@Epic_C]

The Master System I just don't really remember seeing anywhere around I live as a kid (in the mid to late 80s), at least from what I can remember, it was all Nintendo. I don't remember hearing much about Sega until the Genesis came out.

[@nathangraves1069]

i have never own a master system, always played on NES then i bought a game gear to play castle of illusion, after that i realized there's an accessory for the game gear called ''master gear'' and i can play my master system cartridges portable. now with the ips screen installed on my game gear + master gear + gg everdrive i'm having a lots of fun with GG and master system games. thank you for this video retro bird.

[@sdzurek5980]

Why have one when you can have both is one of my top philosophies in life. Why deprive yourself of joy if you don't have to.

[@jeffb.6642]

I don't believe I knew the Master System existed when I was a kid. I don't remember seeing it, or any games for it, in any store. NES and Genesis stuff was everywhere though. Maybe it wasn't sold here in Canada. I don't know.

[@zedoardo]

That's Daytona USA at the end, right? Thanks for the video, Master System was super popular in Portugal and I played it a lot at my friends' place. Good times. Shinobi, Streets of Rage and Sonic 1, 2 and Chaos were great at the time

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Yes, the Saturn version of Daytona USA.

[@stonerdemon]

Your goofy faces are the stars of your channel, they crack me up every time. Oh and your narration is really good as well.

[@expsharevideogames]

Hooray! The first Master System video of many more to come :P Zillion is another good Master System exclusive to check out. A little like Metroid. Also definitely try Power Strike/Aleste 1&2. If you play Power Strike 2 though you need to make sure you are playing it at 50hz because it was a PAL exclusive and running it on a US Master System will run the game too fast and totally throw everything off

[@MAGAIVER]

Just beat Power Strike 2 on a 60hz console and it play's fine. That game came out in Brazil too and all the Brazilian consoles run on 60hz. If anything watching 50hz gameplay makes the game seem too slow.

[@Diablokiller999]

Know what you mean by other consoles wanting your attention. Segata Sanshiro came over and beat me up regularly until I bought a Sega Saturn. That were some hard 20 years, I tell ya....

[@ryanfulton8421]

Seriously though, everyone and their grandma released a console in the 90's. It didn't make much sense to prefer one over the other because you never knew who was going to stay in business long enough for it to matter.

[@madmax2069]

The SMS was capable of some really good graphics at the time when compared to the NES, BUT the sound of the SMS is like someone scratching a chalk board.

[@taaappp]

I loved the Master System when I was a kid. Also, Rocket Knight Adventures ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@markjames5535]

Lucky Dime Caper still looks good I tell you.

[@tonyp9313]

You missed showing the other 2 Wonder Boy games. Which I highly recommend. Especially Wonder Boy in Monster Land. When I was a kid the Sega Master System is the 1st system that I got. This was the 80's so gaming wasn't huge at all. Most kids like me, if they bought you 1 system that was it, you weren't getting a 2nd console. I did want a NES though. How would I compare the Master system to the Nes? I would say the top tier games on Master system were as good or better than the top tier games on the NES. I didn't play like 100 games on each system. I played maybe like 10-15 games each at the time for both systems. Maybe way lesser Nes games because I never owned it & played it at friends houses where they would have maybe 5 games for it. When Nes & Master system were the standard I loved both systems. As a kid these games were really hard. Now as an adult they are super easy to play & beat. Again in the 80's, you don't have save states so if you died in games you would have to replay them over by the start in 1 sitting in most of these games. These are games I play over & over.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Yep! The Wonder Boy games are all great!

[@Minmaximus]

The console wars were never about which is actually better. It was about the fact that us kids were lucky to have one system, let alone both (not even Biggie could picture that.) So we just had to argue that the one we had was better no matter what.

[@iwanttocomplain]

I think this is basically all console wars. That and the fact that at that point they were actually different so you could make a valid argument.

[@sarah11737]

Another great video. Thank you and please keep them coming 🙏

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Thank you! Will do :)

[@TenOfZero1]

Interesting, Where I lived it was pretty much 100% NES, I never saw a Sega Master System

[@video-luver769]

Master System is on my list of consoles I want to buy someday.

[@andrewparke1764]

Master System + FM sound = best 8-bit home console hardware. It's a shame that the overseas versions got crap sound.

[@ajsido3352]

Mordecai and Rigby would absolutely love this shit.

[@andrewdowell6474]

As much as I'd love to give the Master System a chance, I'd say I am indeed maxed out. If Sega ever does a Master System Mini, I'll definitely pick it up. I do hope mini consoles come back in style.

[@xenos_n.]

I love the Sega Master System. Very underrated in the USA. It's too bad not many people had it back in the day. I think it looks and sounds better than the NES.

[@jonesy7650]

Back in like 92 or 93 a friend of mine gave me his Master System because he had gotten a Genesis. But the master system didn't work, and i had a SNES by then, so i threw it in the closet. MANY years later, in 2020 during the lock-down, i was cleaning up my retro game closet, and found the old Master System in a box of extra controllers, had totally forgot i even had it. I had learned how to do minor repairs on consoles in the years since, so i took it out, took it apart and started scanning the mother board for problems, noticed the fuse on the board was blown, so put in a new one, and boom, after all these years the Master System came to life.. So im currently, slowly, collecting for the Master System now.. Really great system, with some great games. Still have the original controllers and the light gun, although i always just use a Genesis controller because the "D-pads" on those Master System controllers are terrible, lol. Unfortunately the version i have has the Snail Maze game as the built in, wasn't lucky enough to get one with Alex Kid, lol.. But so far for games iv got, Rastan, Double Dragon, Choplifter, Shinobi, Kenseiden, Alien3, and Rambo. It's a pretty fun system to collect for as the games, so far at least, aren't crazy expensive, other than a select few super rare games. I guess not a lot of people collect for it.

[@mikester1290]

It's fair (as a first video on the MS) that you didn't mention R Type, but seriously look it up dude, that title is a Master System gem.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Yeah, I've played it! I still prefer the PS1 and PC Engine releases more, but I appreciate the additional content added to the Master System version!

[@HugoBonami]

Regarding Kenseiden, don't backtrack or take steps back. The game will punish you for that with the enemy respawns. You have to move carefully - well, at least don't zoom by - to see your enemy and then plan your attack based on its movement and attack pattern. It was my first Master System game! :D

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Thanks for the tip!

[@SerpentineDeity]

Don't make me choose between my kids.

[@DirtyFrigginHarry]

Honestly, Master system was never really on my radar. I had nintendo systems and the only thing it didn't have that sega did that I cared about at the time was sonic. I don't even think I knew what the master system was until 2003 when I started emulating. It and it's games certainly weren't in stores or the rental shelves in 92 when I first got my NES, or in 95 when I got my SNES. I don't have any fond memories of the master system and these days I don't really play much 8 bit at all compared to 16 or 32.

[@mamoruisamu1]

I traded my Atari XE to a friend for his Master System back in high school, traded it in for something else, then bought another one (and Power Base Converter) a few years ago. I still love my NES, but the Master System looks cool. The 3D Glasses are a fun accessory. The Master Gear Converter to play MS games on the Game Gear is one I don’t have but want to get. My only complaint is that it feels like most retro game stores have the same titles - Real Baseball, Real Basketball, etc. Thanks for sharing - this made me want to pick it up and play some Choplifter.

[@parcirecords]

i only started seeing sega around the Genesis .. i knew about the NES .. but wanted a SNES.. kind of regretted it when playing genesis with friends... but all in all now i play PC..

[@geoffreyoltmans4356]

Love the video, great job. Apart from the third party licensing issue created by Nintendo for SMS, it's kind of hard to overlook the issue that first party dev games by Nintendo on the NES are generally pretty well received. So, I think from that perspective having third party developers is not quite as important as people would necessarily think. There's certainly a wide range of quality software on the SMS, from real stinkers to excellent. I do kinda wonder if the NES benefitted a lot from the fact that by the time it hit store shelves in the west, the Famicom had already been out for a couple of years, and so programmers had time to learn and hone their skills for a good 3-4 years before the SMS came out.

[@iwanttocomplain]

It's weird, there aren't any real stinkers on the SMS. Alf is crap obvs, but nothing like as bad as the worst the NES had to offer and it still has it's charms. Back to the Future: Part 2 is probably the worst one. Otherwise, all the games are all serviceable to pretty good!

[@unclebob7755]

You didn’t sway me … you swooned me 😍

[@Ultradude604]

1988-89 Age 11-12 Many a time I tried to pause the game, I end up resetting the game on the SMS. Still remember the frustration to this day.

[@jaredalbin5658]

Dude...why are like ALL your videos so good??

[@Backintoons8515]

Where can I buy this retro bird song ??! I can see myself driving on the i95 with that !

[@abatter]

I had Game Gear and loved the Master System adapter for it. A cool way to increase the library of games available at the time.

[@MrBen2177]

I have approx 100 master system games and love the system. Most games honestly are quite mediocre, a handful of hidden gems but some are pure great. Wonderboy 3 made me want the MS back in the day. Fortunately my parents gave me an NES. In hindsight the games on the NES were far better overall. Nevertheless the SMS is still one of my favorite consoles around because of the unique games, sound and feel.

[@GamingPlus10]

The nes has more terrible games in its library than the master system has games total.

[@MrBen2177]

True, but also more better games overall.