Master System

The  is a home video game console made in 1985. It was not very popular in North America and Japan but was very popular in Brazil. One of the most popular games of the Master System was _Sonic the Hedgehog_.

, the Master System was still in production in Brazil by Tectoy. This would make it the world's longest-lived console.

### Launch

In October 1985, the Sega Mark III was released in Japan for ¥15,000.

The console was redesigned as the "Master System", and it was released in North America in 1986 at a price of $200 (). It included a multicart of the games _Hang-On_ and _Safari Hunt_. By the end of 1986, 125,000 Master System consoles had been sold. This was more than the Atari 7800's 100,000, but it was less than the NES's 1.1 million.

The console was re-released as the Master System in Japan in October 1987 for ¥16,800. It still sold poorly as did the Mark III.  Neither model posed a serious challenge to Nintendo in Japan.

### Transition to Genesis and decline

Sega released the Mega Drive, a 16-bit video game console, in Japan on October 29, 1988. The last game released for the Mark III/Master System in Japan was _Bomber Raid_ in 1989.

By early 1992, Master System production stopped in North America. By that time, between 1.5 million and 2 million units had been sold in the United States.

The Master System later became a success in Europe. In Europe, it sold more than the NES by a lot. As late as 1993, the Master System's active installed user base in Europe was 6.25 million units. That was larger than that of the Mega Drive's 5.73 million base that year.  Combined with the Mega Drive, Sega had the majority of the console user base in Europe that year.

### Continued success in Brazil

The Master System has had the most success in Brazil. In Brazil, new versions have continued to be released. Tectoy has been manufacturing Master Systems since 1989. These versions include the Master System Compact and the Master System 3. In 2015, it was reported that the Master System sells around 150,000 units per year in Brazil. By 2016, the Master System had sold 8 million units in Brazil. Because Tectoy continued to produce the Master System years for so long, the Master System is considered the longest-lived in the history of video game consoles.

## Reception and legacy

It is estimated that 13 million Master Systems were sold. This does not include recent Brazil sales.

## Infobox (information appliance)

- **title**: Master System
- **logo**: Sega-master-system-logo.png
- **image**: <div style="white-space: nowrap; border: #dadada solid 1px;"></div>
- **caption**: Top: North American/European Master System
Middle: Japanese Sega Mark III
Bottom: PAL region, PAL Master System II
- **manufacturer**: Sega
- **type**: Home video game console
- **generation**: Third generation of video game consoles, Third generation
- **price**: JP¥16,800
US$200
GB£99
- **unitssold**: Worldwide: 13 million <small>(as of 2009)</small> (not including recent Brazil figures)
Japan: 1 million <small>(as of 1986)</small>
United States: 2 million <small>()</small>
Europe:  <small></small>
Brazil:  <small>(as of 2016)</small>
- **media**: ROM cartridge, Sega Card
- **cpu**: Zilog Z80A
- **cpuspeed**: 4 MHz
- **memory**: 8 kB RAM, 16 kB VRAM
- **display**: 256 × 192 resolution, 32 colors on-screen
- **graphics**: Yamaha YM2602B Video display controller, VDP
- **sound**: Yamaha VDP Programmable Sound Generator, PSG(SN76489), Yamaha YM2413
- **compatibility**: SG-1000
- **predecessor**: SG-1000
- **successor**: Sega Genesis
- **related**: Game Gear