When did Sega release the Master System in North America?
The Master System officially launched in September 1986 with a price tag of $200. It debuted at the Summer Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago in June 1986 before its official release.
Questions about Master System
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who designed the hardware for the Sega Mark III console?
Engineers Hideki Sato and Masami Ishikawa led the development of the next iteration known as the Mark III. They redesigned the hardware because the Texas Instruments TMS9918A graphics chip lacked power for their desired games.
How many units of the Master System were sold globally by 1992?
Sega sold only between 1.5 million and 2 million units globally before production ceased in early 1992. Sales estimates place total units between 10 million and 13 million worldwide excluding later Brazilian sales.
What was the main CPU speed of the Master System?
The main CPU was an 8-bit Zilog Z80A rated for 4 MHz but running at 3.58 MHz. Video output displayed 256 times 192 pixels using up to 32 colors from a palette of 64.
When did Tectoy begin distributing the Master System in Brazil?
Brazil saw success begin in September 1989 when Tectoy distributed the console. By 2016, Tectoy had sold 8 million units of Master System branded systems in Brazil.