Is the Sega Master System Region Free???

[itobandito]

I have been playing some Sega Master System Roms and think its a pretty cool little system. I was wondering if the games/system were region free. I really want to get Ninja Gaiden for the system if I buy it but that game only came out in the U.K. I believe. Also can anyone recommend some other games??

[MegaDrive20XX]

yes, SMS is region free between US and UK games :)

One UK game I strongly recommend, is Sonic Chaos

[itobandito]

yes, SMS is region free between US and UK games :)

One UK game I strongly recommend, is Sonic Chaos

Awesome, I think I am going to try and get a complete boxed system now. If any one is selling one or knows if some one is selling one let me know. I will post something about it in the buying selling later. In the mean time, any one recommend any games? Going to try Sonic Chaos as well. Thanks for the info.

[anagrama]

There's a few European games that have issues on a US system due to the 50/60Hz issue, but they're in a tiny minority.

Compatibility list here: http://sg1000.emucamp.com/sgr/smscompat.txt

[itobandito]

There's a few European games that have issues on a US system due to the 50/60Hz issue, but they're in a tiny minority.

Compatibility list here: http://sg1000.emucamp.com/sgr/smscompat.txt

Awesome. Thanks for the heads up!

[Zadoc]

What about Brazilian games? Those published by TecToy?

[Scream And Fly]

Ah, the SMS. I love that system :)

[GarrettCRW]

What about Brazilian games? Those published by TecToy?

anagrama's link says:


Tectoy Games
----------
Some games may not work on early NTSC SMS I units (with Snail Maze game
built-in) (Stepanic)

[Kamisama]

Funny I wondered myself last evening. I wanted to know if Japanese Games rum on PAL systems though. Anyone know?
(no the link does not work for me, 404)

[Kamisama]

heh, ok, i should have seen that myself :P
Then I guess the Master System has to wait because i want a Famicom first ^^

[anagrama]

You can get adaptors to play Western games on a JP system (from Bock at SMS Power or Tototek) but not the other way around (afaik).

Some of the 8-meg TecToy games (like Sonic Blast & StreetFighter II) have issues on some US SMS1 units, but it's pretty hit & miss - they will happily play on other US systems :/ A US SMS2 will play all of them.

[Nebagram]

Sadly no, Japanese games are a completely different size (having originally been based on sg-1000 carts). Dunno if any adaptors exist but I'd be surprised if they don't... even more surprised if they're cheap.

[rbudrick]

Sadly no, Japanese games are a completely different size (having originally been based on sg-1000 carts). Dunno if any adaptors exist but I'd be surprised if they don't... even more surprised if they're cheap.


The Japanese roms will run just fine on a US system with a flash cart, though. However, any JP games with FM sound won't have the FM sound work on US or Euro systems, unless you manages to find and insert the FM chip in there as a mod. The SMS and Mark III games, alonge ith the Sg1000 and SC3000 games (Mark 1 and 2) have the same pinout as the Mark 3 and should work with an adapter in a US system, iirc. I think that's right, but I suppose you may have keyboard issues with some games, since the SMS doesn't have one. Can anyone shed light on that?

-Rob

[colicub]

To actually answer the question asked in the first post, the version of The New Zealand Story on the SMS is awesome. As is Rainbow Islands.

The first Asterix game is one of my all time fave 8-bit platformers. Impossible Mission freaking rocks, and Out Run 3D is entertaining, and you can pick it up really cheaply if you shop around.