This weekend I bought a Japanese Sega Master System, so I would be able to play those games as well ^_^ It looks almost exactly like the PAL version of the first Sega Master System, but it has some differences. First of all here’s a picture of my PAL Master System:

Now the Japanese version doesn’t have a RESET button (not as far as I’ve seen anyway), the same button exists on the same place on the JP system, but it’s called RAPID (for rapid fire I suppose). The slot for the cards instead of cartridge games exist on both systems but as far as I know only the Japanese system actually released games on cards (correct me if I’m wrong..) Therefore on the Japanese system it also reads “CARD INPUT” right above the slot. It reads CARD INPUT on the right side of the card slot on the PAL system, but on the Japanese system they replaced that with “3-D GLASSES” and it has a little input for those there… Confusing.. Anyway, here’s the pictures of my Japanese Sega Master System:

I also got a few games for it. One cartridge game called Penguin Land. It’s a fun platform puzzle type game. The Japanese cartridges look a lot different from the PAL ones. They’re bigger and have a funny shape on the back.

I tried connecting the Master System up like I do with all my other systems, but it refused to let me record decent video of the gameplay. The images turned weird black and white just like my Japanese Sega Mega Drive. It’s weird, it doesn’t do that with my Famicom.. So anyway, I had to take some photos with my phone to be able to show the games, you’ll have to excuse the shitty quality >_<

First of all all the games start off with saying “Sega Mark III” which is the predecessor to Sega Master System in Japan. You can play all those games on the Master System as well, the difference of the systems is basically that the Master System has FM Sound, and they have a totally different design of the consoles. Anyway, here’s Penguin Land!



The objective is to get your egg down to the bottom safely. If it falls more than three squares it crashes, if it touches an enemy the enemy breaks it and things can fall on your egg if you don’t watch out. You can dig holes in the ground and push your egg. It’s a fun game, and it’s not as easy as it looks. You have to find the right path or your egg won’t survive the trip.


You only have 3 eggs (lives), but if you reach a higher stage you can always choose which stage you want to start from, thereby starting from where you were.

Another couple of games I got were Astro Flash and Satellite 7. These two were both card games in really beautiful paper cases! :D

These are both great shooters! Satellite 7 is above view scrolling upwards while Astro Flash is side scrolling ^^

Sorry again for the shitty image quality >_<

I think the Sega Mark III logo is really cool ^^ It’s like I know it’s SEGA but I don’t recognize it since I grew up with the traditional later blue SEGA logo. It’s retro! ;D


In Astro Flash your ship can also transform into a robot ^_^ Cool!

That’s it for today, I’ll be back soon with some PC Engine and other cool stuff! :D