Sega Master System

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Below are the sub-categories in the Sega Master System category.

Aaronix Mark III
Samsung GamBoy / Aladdin Boy
Sega Mark III / Master System [JP]
Sega Master System Accessory
Sega Master System Demo
Sega Master System Consoles
Sega Master System [AU]
Sega Master System [BR]
Sega Master System [EU]
Sega Master System [NA]

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Aaronix Mark III
https://vgcollect.com/browse/smstw

Aaronix sold the Sega Mark III in Taiwan under its own name.


Packaging
Game appear in a gold box with "Gold Cartridge" text and Aaronix logo. There are two known box designs for official releases, the first is very similar to the appearance of the Japanese box.


Spy vs Spy is the only known release that has the different box style.

Cartridges
The cartridges are the same type as Japanese releases but with white plastic and Chinese text. Again the exception is Spy vs Spy which uses yellow plastic.

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Sega Mark III / Master System [JP]
https://vgcollect.com/browse/segamastersystemjp/

Sega originally sold the Mark III in Japan which was later replaced by the Master System.
Games were sold as either cartridges or Sega My Card.

Items that are in this category:
- Sega Mark III My Card, Master System cartridges released in Japan
- Sega Accessories that contain games released in Japan
- Sega Master System cartridges released in Hong Kong
- bootlegs

Packaging
The primary box design has the text "Gold Cartridge" although there were to "Silver Cartridge" releases.


Sega My Card boxes are red with a clear window on the front in which you can see the game card or without a window and game art. To date there is no known instances where a game was released in both box types.


Cartridges
The cartridges use black or white plastic for the official releases. The label border should match the primary box color of the two colors, gold and silver.

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Sega Master System Accessory
https://vgcollect.com/browse/smsaccessory

What is tracked in this section
All accessories made specifically for the Sega Master System or international consoles. Any accessory that has text indicating support for additional systems besides the Master System should have their entries created in the generic Accessory category.

Release Type
Official Release
Sega and Tec Toy branded items, or items that were included with the console releases from Samsung and Aaronix. The exception to this is any accessory that has text indicating that the item was manufactured or distributed under license, such as the WKK Remote Control System.

Items that were only included with a console or game, and were not also sold individually are allowed to have loose entries sans box art in this section.

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Sega Master System Demo
https://vgcollect.com/browse/smsdemo

This section is for retail demo catridges and Sega Cards and bootlegs of those items.

North American demo cartridges and Sega Cards have no cart label, and a white label on the back with text: For Product Display-Working Unit only, not for sale

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Sega Master System Consoles
https://vgcollect.com/browse/segamastersystemhardware

What is tracked in this section:
- Official Sega, Samsung, Tec Toy, Aaronix, Irwin, Marpes console releases with working cartridge and/or card slots.
- Development consoles and computers
- Hotel/demo consoles and computers
- Third party consolized systems

What is not tracked in this section:
- Any custom modified systems
- Board or chip revisions
- Any dedicated SoC console with non-working cartridge and card slots.

Item Name
As some releases include the word Sega on the box as part of the product's name, it is not necessary to use the manufacturer's name in the item title. For example, many releases of the SMS has box text of The Sega Master System and we use an item title like Sega Master System, The instead of Sega The Sega Master System.

Co-branding of manufacturer names should only be used if both company logos (distributor and manufacturer) are present. These examples include:
- Irwin Sega Master System vs Irwin The Sega Master System
- Tec Toy Sega Master System vs Tec Toy Master System

Release Type

Official Release
Sega Master System, Master System II, Master System III, Video Game System, SegaScope 3-D System, Base System, Mark III releases in various countries
Aaronix Mark III in Taiwan
Irwin Sega Master System, Master System II in Canada
Marpes Master System in Italy
Samsung Aladdin Boy, GamBoy, GamBoy II Home Computer System in Korea
Tec Toy and Tec Toy/TecToy Sega Master System, Master System II, Master System 3, Compacts and SoC in Brazil.

Distributor and Import labels

Portugal
Sega Garantia Portugal


Saudi Arabia
Dotts

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Sega Master System [AU]
https://vgcollect.com/browse/smsau/

Packaging
In general, a lot of Master System games in Australia do not have a unique cover and functionally are using the same cover as a European release. Many differences between Australian and European releases come down to what is included inside of the case itself.



Exclusive to Australia are the Double Pack releases. Inside of the case are the carts and the manuals for the games featured on the front.


Labels
Ozisoft imported some European games complete with EU cart labels and manuals and used a Distributed by Ozisoft label.


Sega Classics labels were budget releases, however there may not be any other differences on the cover or the contents vs non-Sega Classics releases.


Sega Classics releases may also have a white Stuck? label on the back cover.


Some games have a Not Permitted for Rental label on the front cover. These are anagalous to Not for Resale releases in other countries.


Some games may have a NIAL label on the back.


Cartridges
Australia has their own unique cartridge label design that is not used in other countries. These labels have a distinct (or bright) white grid visible as opposed to EU/NA which have a black grid, or Brazil which uses a box around the game title.
Most cartridges are made of black plastic, but at least one cartridge is known to have silver or grey plastic.


Manuals
Should have Printed in Australia text on the back of the manual.


Summary
Australian releases are known to come in various combinations. Short of the releases that have the AU specific labels shown above, or the AU specific cartridge details, there are some known instances of releases in Australia that are exactly the same as an EU release but with an Australian manual. Please refrain from adding any additional entries into this section and instead make a post in the Video Game Database Discussion forum, so it can be verified that it is indeed an AU release and not a piecemealed EU release.

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Sega Master System [BR]
https://vgcollect.com/browse/smsbrazil

In this writeup, Azul = blue.

Packaging
There are three main types of boxes that games were released in, with additional subtypes. They are:
- cardboard box with 1 tab
- cardboard box with 3 tab
- plastic case

The cardboard box 1/3 tab were only released with the white grid cover.
The plastic case versions were released in the standard grid, split/half grid, Azul top, Azul spine covers


Additionally, some games had multiple releases in the plastic case where the initial version had 3 screenshots on the back and the revised version had 2 screenshots, a barcode and Modelo on the back cover.


Because there are cardboard box versions, it is common to find these cut and put into a plastic case on the secondary market. The designs of the covers were changed along with the packaging type, so it is easy to determine what the cover originally is from just by looking at the back cover in a photo.

The Sega logo is printed on the back cover of the cardboard 1 tab box.

The Produzido sob licença de Sega Enterprises Ltd Japan text is printed with 3 lines on the back cover of the cardboard 3 tab box

And in two lines on the back cover of the grid plastic case.


The PRODUZIDO NA ZONA FRANCA DE MANAUS CONHEÇA O AMAZONAS logo is printed on the back cover of the cardboard 1 tab and cardboard 3 tab box and grid plastic case.


The PRODUZIDO NO PÓLO INDUSTRIAL DE MANAUS CONHEÇA A AMAZÔNIA logo is printed on the back cover of later plastic case releases.


Also in the later releases we can find the InMetro logo printed on the front or back cover or on the spine. There are some instances where a game was originally released without this logo and then later re-released with it. This can be found either in black with white backgrounds or black on dark background.


Descriptors on Item Names
For games that were released in both a plastic case and either or both of the cardboard box types, the entry without a descriptor is the plastic case release. It should be noted in the description that it has a plastic case. The descriptors used for the two cardboard box types are:
(cardboard 1 tab)
(cardboard 3 tab)

Price Letters
The prices in Brazil are represented in the form of letters with a circle. They can be found on the front or spine of the case. This information should be put into Description. The price letters started to be used during the initial cardboard box 1 tab releases, so some can be found without a letter present. Games that were still in production were then later re-released with either a price letter printed on the cover or added later using a label. Later on in the plastic case period, price letters were often printed on the cover itself and discounts or price revisions would use a label with a new letter covering up the printed one.

Labels
Some of the games that were re-released with the InMetro logo mentioned above did not get a new cover printed, and instead may have a white label put onto the front or spine.

The Sega Special label is put onto the plastic case re-releases of earlier cardboard box games.


Cartridges
There are three main types of cartridges that were available in Brazil and their labels are unique vs carts from other countries. These types are:

- Red label with black grid around game title and TecToy hologram label: These are the original version and can be found in the cardboard box releases and sometimes in the plastic case versions of the cardboard box releases. These are never found in Sega Special releases. Note that a faded hologram label will appear white. Used cartridges may have had this label removed.
- Red label with black grid around game title: These are the common release and can be found in any of the releases besides the azul plastic case versions.
- Azul label: These are found in the azul type plastic case releases as well as some of the Sega Special label releases. These are never found in cardboard box releases.


Manuals
The manual designs vary depending upon which type of packaging or cover the game has. All will have the TecToy logo, those that do have text indicating it is a manual may vary in what the text is. In the below examples, the After Burner manual has text Manual de Vôo/Dossiê da Missão while the Azul Altered Beast manual has the more common text of Manual de Instruções.

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Sega Master System [EU]
https://vgcollect.com/browse/segamastersystemeu

Packaging
There are a few different cover styles such as grid, half-grid and middle art:


For the original grid cover, there are three different variations that can be found for many (but not all) games:
With these versions, the cart label should match the Sega logo style.
Sega logo without trade symbols on front, back and spine


Sega with registered trademark (®) symbol


Sega with registered trademark (®) symbol and "Now, there are no limits" text on the back cover.


Some games can be found with different back covers with box text between 5-8 languages.


There are three budget series: Classic (Classic Master System), Kixx and Telstar Double Value.


Rentals
In Sweden, there can be found some official Sega Rental versions that are packaged in an large VHS clamshell.


Regional Labels
Belgium/Benelux
Games imported to the Benelux Region (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) have a "Info-Sega Hot-Line" label on the front cover.


Germany
Some games in Germany may have an AriolaSoft label on the front cover

Some games have a yellow Mit Deutscher Bedienungs-Anleitung label on the front cover


Greece
Sega items sold in Greece have a Zegetron A.E. label on them with text: ΧΡΥΣΗ ΕΓΓΥΗΣΗ 90 HMEPΩN SEGA ΓΕΝΙΚΟΙ ANTI ΠPOΣΩΠOY ZEGETRON A.E.


Italy
Some games sold in Italy may have a Distribuito da Halifax label on the front cover and a white CE import label on the back cover. These labels may only be present on sealed items.



Portugal
Games sold in Portugal have the Sega Garantia Portugal label on the cover.


There may be a CE Majores de 3 Anos label and an Ecofilmes label on the back cover. The item number on the Ecofilmes label should be used in the item number field for the game entry.


Turkey
Games from Turkey may have a white SEGA label on the back cover with text
İTHALATÇI FİRMA METİN TLKSTİL SAN. A.Ş. - İST. AŞİREFENDİ CAD. NO. 89


Carts
As stated above, games can have covers with and without the registered trademark on the Sega logo, and whichever style is used on the cover will match the Sega logo on the cart label. This is also true for any games that do not have any cover variations and was only available in one vs the other.



Australian carts may be found in Italian releases where the box is from Australia. Jurassic Park is an example of this.
Brazil (TecToy) carts may be found in Portugese releases where the box is from Brazil.

Manuals
As with the covers and cart labels, the manuals included with games that have the Sega or Sega® will have a matching manual.



Some countries have regional manuals. The most common is Germany, as indicated above in the import label sections. Czech manuals are known to exist as well.

Italian releases of Australian versions may have the Australian manual. Portugese releases of the Brazillian TecToy versions may have the TecToy manual.

Packaging (cards)
Front covers can be found with text "The Sega Card" for all regions except Germany which has "Die Sega Card" instead.


Back covers have multi-lang for UK/EU, German for Germany and English for UK and Italy.


Sega Cards
The cards themselves have 3 varieties, with English, German or Italian text on the back.


Manuals
German releases may come with an EU (multi-lang) manual and a German manual.

Italian releases may have an Italian manual.

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Samsung GamBoy / Aladdin Boy
https://vgcollect.com/browse/gamboy

Packaging
There are various types of the original Samsung releases.
- GamBoy silver (blue console name)
- Aladdin Boy gold (red console name)
- Aladdin Boy silver (red console name)
- Gold Cartridge
- dot pattern clamshell
- Samsung Home
- Samsung SPC-100


The Korean text on the stripe of the gold/silver covers is:
열려라! 미래나라!
16비트 수퍼겜보이와 함께
새롭께 필쳐지는 께임의
세께를 즐기세요!

Master System imports will have the following licensing label:

And a black label with text: 화국 총판매대리점 삼성전자주식회사 (Hwaguk General Sales Agency / Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)


Cartridges
The cartridges are the same type as the Japanese Mark III/Master System but with Korean text on the label.


Cards
Some cards were released in red packaging with text Samsung GamBoy Card and Korean text.


On the card labels is the Samsung part number.

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Sega Master System [NA]
https://vgcollect.com/browse/segamastersystem

Packaging
Original release for cartridges and cards have a grid cover with simple artwork.


On the back, there are one of two lines. The original being Now there are no limits with a service mark ( ℠ ) and the newer version having a registered trademark ( ® ) symbol.



The place of manufacturer is printed on the bottom of the back cover and can be Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong or China. In addition, some games made in Hong Kong may have a Made in China label on the back cover.


The second version cover has more complicated artwork.

And on the back has Sega From Tonka


The third version has a starburst in the corner showing what type of game it is. Some games had a reprint with this cover.


Some games were re-issued from the previous cover types but with red Sega for the 90's The New Generation label on the back cover, primarily designed to cover the "Sega from Tonka" portion but this label has been found on non-Tonka releases.


Cartridges
There are two main types of cartridge labels. Most US releases have a red label and some later releases have a blue label. There are some games that were reprinted that can be found with both labels.


Games that were re-released under the Sega For the 90's campaign will have that label on the cart as well.


The cart stamps or labels on the back of the cart should match the "Made in" text from the back cover. The exception to this is the covers with the Made in China label will have the Made in Hong Kong label on the cart.


Sega Cards
Sega Card releases can have multiple different item numbers on the cards.
A suffix is found in the first No Limits® releases.
B suffix is found in the No Limits℠ releases.

Manuals
The manuals will have a "Printed in" text that matches the "Made in" text from the back cover. The exception is The Made in China (printed or label) cover will have a manual that is Printed in Hong Kong.

The Now there are no limits text on the back cover of the manual will match the back cover of the game case as to whether the Registered Trademark or Service Mark symbol is present.

Any games that have Service Mark covers will also include a Game Catalog that has the Service Mark present.

Releases in Canada
Games sold in Canada primarily consist of European and Australian games but with a UPC/Canada barcode label on the back cover.

The contents included should match the original versions, for example:
- EU imports with Sega or Sega® covers should have the matching Sega logo on the cart and EU manual.
- AU imports will have the AU manual and the white-grid cart label.
There are many EU and AU games on Canadian secondary market that do not have the barcode label. Only add Canadian releases where it can be confirmed to be a Canadian release, with either the UPC/Canada barcode label or a printed barcode that starts with 0 69044.

Releases in Mexico
There are two types of releases that can be found in Mexico.
1. US games that include Spanish manuals sealed to the back of the case and a COMERCIAL LUCAS import label on the back cover of sealed copied only

2. EU games that have a DIST. DE ARTICULOS MODERNOS import label on the back cover