Sega Master - PAL vs. NTSC (USA)

[corporate_lackey]

I have several Sega Master games that I am considering putting up for auction (on Ebay), including Golden Axe Warrior, Gain Ground, and others. The thing is I live in Canada, and some of these games could be PAL format. My understanding is that certain European-release Sega Master games were also released in Canada (I assume these would be therefore PAL format).

Some have other (European) languages on the back as well as English. Some have only English. This leads me to suspect the ones with multiple language are "PAL" versions. They all work fine on my Sega Master. Though I realize most Sega Master games, whether USA release or PAL probably would probably work OK, the Sega Master was not "region locked". Probably would work fine for an American (if I sold them to an American, with an "American" Sega Master system too).

Is there a definitive way to tell whether the games I have are in PAL format or not?

[j_factor]

If they work in Canada, they'll work in America. While a few games were released in Canada and not the United States, there's no difference between a Canadian SMS and a US SMS.

I don't know what you mean by "PAL format". Are you asking if they run in 50hz? Canada, like the US, uses NTSC, and any game that was released in Canada is going to be NTSC friendly.

[anagrama]

Is there a definitive way to tell whether the games I have are in PAL format or not?

Generally, all the multi-language games will be Euro versions, though most Euro RPG's also have just English on the box.
Check the barcode to be 100% sure - US releases begin 01008... while Euro releases are 49743...

[Sweater Fish Deluxe]

I don't know what you mean by "PAL format". Are you asking if they run in 50hz? Canada, like the US, uses NTSC, and any game that was released in Canada is going to be NTSC friendly.
I think he's just using "PAL" to mean "European." A lot of people do that for all different systems, even handhelds. I wouldn't advise using that terminology in your eBay auctions, though, since a lot of potential buyers may not understand that so-called "PAL" games will play fine on an NTSC Master System or vice versa.


...word is bondage...

[7th lutz]

There is a way to tell if they are pal or not. From my past experience of owning sms games like Sonic 2, klax, star wars and Gauntlet as an american gamer. Pal games have multiple languages on the back of box and have multiple languages in the instruction booklets and that the sign to know they are pal.

All sms pal games you claim they work on your system, does work in the United States.

[anagrama]

Pal games have multiple languages on the back of box and have multiple languages in the instruction booklets and that the sign to know they are pal.


Not always - as I said above, most of the Euro RPGs have English-only boxes, and some early Euro releases have either English-only or German-only boxes.
And the "US versions" of Sonic, Strider & Spider-man all have multi-language boxes too.