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Thhere's a common saying that winners write the history books, and that's just as relevant in the world of video games as it is in other domains. One might easily believe that the Nintendo Entertainment System was the sole gaming system in the latter half of the 80s. If you were brought up in Nintendo's target markets of North America and Japan, this bulky device essentially became the only game in town – the company had Mario after all, and its vice-like hold on third-party developers created a monopoly for key releases from that period. But in Europe, where microcomputers were king, the Nintendo system was outperformed by a technologically superior rival.

Technical Superiority

The Master System was originally released in Japan in the fall of 1985 as the Mark III. Built upon the renowned Z80 processor (used in home computers such as the Amstrad, Spectrum and TRS-80) and a powerful Sega-designed video display processor, it boasted 8 kilobytes of memory, a palette of 64 colors and the capability to produce 32 graphical objects at one time – making the NES (based on the older 6502 processor) seem dated.

Transformation and Marketing

Originally, it was sold domestically as a evolution of Sega's earlier systems, which were more similar to budget computers than gaming platforms, with their peripheral keyboards and printers. As the competing system gained popularity in both the United States and Japan, Sega revised its approach, removed some computing features and re-released the Mark III in that year as the Sega Master System – an dedicated gaming platform with a streamlined, slender, geometric design, differing from the beige VCR-like aesthetic of the NES.

The games are visually superior to other Z80 based systems as a result of Sega's graphics hardware.

Advanced Add-ons

It also came with a light phaser, and the company also introduced a stereoscopic eyewear for the system and a selection of supported titles. “I must highlight the three-dimensional OutRun,” notes coder Chris White, who wrote a Master System emulator eventually utilized by the company on its digital service. “While it induced headaches and the sequential lens switching was sufficient to cause visual distress, but it's representative of a period when the company embraced innovation.”

European Market Strategy

Sega oversaw the distribution of the platform in the United States (at least initially), but engaged domestic firms to navigate the segmented continental market. Across British and French territories (eventually including Spain), the assignment was given to the Virgin-associated company. “Sega's partners had better marketing positioning in Europe,” says Nick Alexander, who was the company's lead executive at the period. “Stronger distribution networks were established than rival companies maintained. Industry periodical the trade journal had a continuous gag that Nintendo saw Europe as where the dragons lived – the market puzzled them, apprehension prevailed. Therefore, focus shifted to America.”

Youth-Focused Marketing

Alexander, overseeing the gaming division since the early 80s, adopted their rebellious, youth-oriented strategy. “I was trying to think of the interactive entertainment parallel to concert tours,” he explains. “Therefore, we purchased a red bus and toured the nation. Destinations contained educational institutions and shopping centres. Substantial media attention resulted. Nintendo had always marketed their games as family entertainment, but the only market in Europe where that worked was Germany. We focused on youth and we knew if we got them would mean their younger siblings would want a gaming platform likewise. This approach secured European dominance.”

Arcade Legacy

Although Mario belonged to competitors, Sega had a valuable asset of its own: their coin-operated history. Teams endeavored to port many of its hugely popular coin-op hits to the console including classics like Space Harrier and Golden Axe, marketing its new machine in the west as an personal entertainment venue. Although hardly perfect ports of the original titles, these were much faster and more colourful than earlier microcomputer versions. Among dedicated players at the era, it seemed incredibly advanced.

Developer Experience

For European developers, the console architecture was ideal. “Previous experience involved microcomputers and our games were being ported to the C64,” explains Andrew Oliver, who alongside his sibling was creating the Dizzy series for the game company. “We went to the CES show in Las Vegas and recall observing the Sega booth. The presence was substantial, and adjacent to rival companies – and the marketing emphasized: ‘It's all about speed.’ During that period, computers really were all about what was graphically rich and speedy. Therefore, an agreement was secured, development equipment was acquired – familiar architecture simplified development, but the graphics chip is like a C64. Execution was rapid and advanced graphical techniques were available and graphical objects. Programming was accessible.”

Technical Backing

European creators learned Sega to be more helpful than Nintendo. Programmer Mike Simpson at the British publisher Personal Software Services, later owned by Mirrorsoft. “A small team was established in the English city, limited personnel, and we were doing a variety of ports,” he notes. “A request was made to adapt Xenon 2, a really high-end 16bit Amiga game, to the Sega platform. The task seemed unachievable, so attempts were made! I was actually invited to Japan to master development techniques: Time was spent at Japanese offices learning from future architect [eventually creating contemporary systems]. Memory contains organized development areas, and improvised sleeping arrangements existed!”

Lasting Legacy

Even when the Mega Drive arrived, the Master System's popularity in Europe (subsequently in Brazil), ensured ongoing development with streamlined successor ports such as Sonic the Hedgehog. Derivative game Sonic Chaos, produced for various systems and mobile Sega console (sharing technical foundations as the Master System), was {one of the highlights of the series|among the franchise's best|notable