Master System
third-generation home video game console developed by Sega
The Master System is an 8-bit home video game console manufactured and developed by Sega. It was originally a remodeled export version of the Sega Mark III, the third iteration of the SG-1000 series of consoles, released in Japan on October 20, 1985. The Master System was launched in North America in September 1986, followed by Europe in August 1987, South Korea in April 1989, and Brazil in September 1989. A Japanese version was launched on October 23, 1987, with additions including a built-in FM audio chip, a rapid-fire switch, and a dedicated port for the 3D glasses. The Master System II, a cheaper model, was released in 1990 in North America, Australasia, and Europe.
The original Master System models use both cartridges and a credit card-sized format, Sega Cards. Accessories include a light gun and 3D glasses that work with specially designed games. The later Master System II redesign removed the card slot, turning it into a strictly cartridge-only system, and is incompatible with the 3D glasses.
As a third-generation console, the Master System was released in competition with the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Its library is smaller and with fewer well-reviewed games than the NES, due in part to Nintendo licensing policies requiring platform exclusivity.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Master System” is third-generation home video game console developed by Sega. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Master, System and third-generation, not as a finished interpretation.
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The citation trail is more important than the brevity of the summary: it shows where individual claims can be examined in context. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 19, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q209868. 2 of 4 selected statements include explicit references; 4 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1000, 1985, 1986 and 1987.
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This entry incorporates text from “Master System” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.