SEGA Master System

SEGA Japan shows off new Game Gear, Master System 3DS themes

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If last month’s 3DS themes weren’t enough to make you envy Japanese gamers, this week’s ought to do it. 3DS has received two more SEGA console themes, this time centering on the Game Gear and the Master System.  

The themes are loaded with fan service, of course. The Game Gear theme is sporting the Green Hills Zone theme from its version of Sonic 2 and folders made out of 3D Game Gear cartridges, while the Master System theme features an 8-bit rendition of the Space Harrier song and 3D gold cartridge folders (which were a line of Master System cartridges in Japan).

Though I couldn’t find a price, the themes are likely going for 200 yen/$1.50 like last month’s themes. Having a Game Gear theme on my Nintendo handheld would be oh-so perfect, so hopefully we’ll eventually see their release stateside. Fingers crossed!

Check out the Master System theme below.

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Developer Retrospective: We celebrate the legacy of SEGA AM2

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SEGA AM2 is just one of those developers that always puts a smile on my face whenever I talk about their games. Not only do they have one of the most vast libraries, but they also revolutionized gaming in general multiple times over the past decades. Let’s look at the developer that popularized sprite-scaling in the 80s, gave us modern 3D with their Virtua series and created one of the most expensive games ever as we walk through their legacy.

Don’t forget to join us all month long while we talk more about SEGA AM2 and all their legendary franchises.

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Check out SEGA of Japan’s trailer for the physical SEGA 3D Classics Nintendo 3DS release

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Not too long ago, we speculated that a physical release of SEGA’s 3DS 3D Classics was in the works, and shortly thereafter such a release was revealed to be happening! Releasing December 18th, and featuring cover art by Ken Sugimori, the compilation is to include a mix of wave 1 and wave 2 titles: 3D Space Harrier, 3D Fantasy Zone, 3D Outrun, 3D Streets of Rage, 3D Shinobi 2, and 3D Ecco the Dolphin. Also included are two bonus titles, Space Harrier 3D and Outrun 3D which originally released to the SEGA Master System and utilized the 3D glasses.

For a sampling of what to expect from the compilation, check out the trailer above. If you have a Japanese 3DS or alternate means of playing import titles, you can pre-order the game from Play-Asia. In the meantime, I’ll just sit here watching the trailer, fingers crossed for a US release. Tears running down my face.

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New to the SEGAbits store – SEGA Master System inspired shirts & VMU inspired designs

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Did you know that SEGAbits has a RedBubble shop? It’s true! Since December 2013, we’ve been uploading original designs for SEGAbits readers to purchase and wear to show their SEGA pride and to support the site. Recently, our own Liam Ashcroft aka TrackerTD of our This is Saturn video series created a Master System inspired design featuring the beloved 80’s console in a variety of styles – including one featuring Alex Kidd. We also have a VMU inspired shirt and phone case featuring a pixelated Ryo ready to fight. The design was built entirely in Photoshop and Illustrator from scratch, and the VMU icons were redrawn in the vector format. The VMU screen is a pixelated grid, allowing us to create whatever original pixelated images we can dream up. So head on over to the SEGAbits RedBubble shop today and check it out!

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Classic SEGA Ads: Did you know SEGA Master System is the best thing ever?

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Watching Master System commercials from places like the UK and Australia sometimes feels like watching something from an alternate dimension, one where the NES didn’t obliterate its competition and establish an unbreakable monopoly on the 8-bit gaming market. That’s because despite the NES’s utter dominance of the US and Japanese gaming markets, Nintendo failed to establish much of a foothold in Europe or Brazil, where SEGA dominated. Thus, we have ads like this, that act like the Master System was on top of the world. Mostly because it was…in Australia anyway.

The ad itself is pretty typical for its time, lacking the flare and attitude that would eventually become characteristic of SEGA’s marketing in the nineties. It does give us a nice window into the Australia’s 1980s games market. The After Burner music in the second half is a nice touch, too.

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My Life with SEGA ain’t afraid of Ghostbusters on the Master System

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It’s been 29 years since Ivan Reitman’s Ghostbusters graced the silver screen on June 8th 1984. Furthermore, it’s been 24 years since I’ve played Ghostbusters for the SEGA Master System. Has this relic of cross-promotional tie-ins aged just as well as the movie, or should it be cast aside along with Extreme Ghostbusters?

Find out this week on My Life with SEGA! Like this video? Subscribe to the SEGAbits YouTube channel!

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My Life with SEGA vs. Spy vs. Spy

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On this week’s 2-Man Scramble, Mickey Mac and I enjoy a Master System classic; Spy vs. Spy. Based on MAD Magazine’s infamous comic strip, created by Antonio Prohías way back in 1961….

While I have fond memories of this game, Mickey Mac has gone so far as to call this “the friendship killer”. Can our friendship survive Spy vs. Spy?

Like this video? Subscribe to the SEGAbits YouTube channel! After the break, check out the promo video for what My Life with SEGA has planned for July!

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Shigs: The Sega Master System newb

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Guess who finally got his hands on a Sega Master System this weekend after 27 years? Me! In this video featuring my fat, bearded mug, I’m gonna show you my first experience with the Master System itself (outside of a Genesis converter)along with 4 games. Snail Maze, Outrun, Space Harrier and Lord of the Sword.

Go to the comments section for a very cool Master system video I found on youtube.

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SEGA Tunes: Power Drift’s Like the Wind

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You know what’s more awesome then classic SEGA arcade music? Obscure SEGA arcade music! I’ve never played Power Drift, but its soundtrack is still pretty damn awesome. This is just the sort of incredibly catchy, upbeat tune that I would expect from a classic SEGA title. Hope you enjoy it!

Power Drift’s soundtrack was composed by Hiroshi Kawaguchi. He is one of the oldest SEGA composers still active and working within the company. You can find his website here.

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My Life with SEGA reviews the Master System

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Take a nostalgia trip this week with My Life with SEGA. This time around A.J. reviews the SEGA Master System. He also looks at some Master System games like After Burner, Alien Syndrome and Ghost House.

If you like it, what are you waiting for? Subscribe to our YouTube channel and get all the latest SEGAbits media right on your feed. As always, feedback is welcomed. What would you like to see in a future My Life with SEGA episode?

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Sit on a Master System while you play a Master System

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From gameblog.fr comes this crazy piece of fan art. French video game blogger Subby-kun and his wife Subbinette converted a couch into a Master System, complete with controller pillows. I’d make an Xzibit Yo Dawg meme image for this, but you can pretty much imagine how it would go. This isn’t their first piece of video game hardware furniture either, they’ve also created an NES bed. No clue what their next project is, but I’d love to see a Dreamcast futon. After the break, check out more images of this crazy couch!

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Check out these awesome SEGA Master System shirts

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SMS Power! forum member thoja has spotted  two SEGA Master System related shirts in his local mall. He said he found them in Bershka, a chain of Spanish stores from Spain. I have to say, I like the ideas but I don’t like white shirts all that much. I searched their site and only found a page for the Master System one, not the Alex Kidd one.

So what do you guys think of the shirts? Do you like in Europe? Maybe you should go out and check them out.

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Four Sonic the Hedgehog titles being removed from Nintendo’s Japanese Virtual Console

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Most of the retro Sonic titles are being removed from the Japanese Virtual Console service. There has ben no word if these games will also be removed from the American and European Virtual Console. Games removed from Virtual Console can’t be bought by any new users, though they can be redownloaded once bought.

The Sonic titles being removed:

  • Sonic the Hedgehog 1
  • Sonic the Hedgehog 2
  • Sonic and Knuckles
  • Sonic the Hedgehog (MS)
Reason wasn’t given for the pull.

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eBay: The complete US Master System collection

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No, I’m not going to start heckling my crap to you guys, plus this isn’t crap. If there are any girlfriends or moms reading this and saying that video games are crap, then this is crap I want. All over me. The collection includes a US Master System with 114 US Master System games. Impressive!

Happiestsellever!, you can thank me for the shout out later. Check his auction here. Yeah, the dude wants almost 5 grand for the whole thing. Is it worth it? How much would you pay?

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