Master System games arrive on Japanese Virtual Console
by Kyle Orland 
{ Feb 26th 2008 at 11:55AM }
The day Japanese Wii owners have been waiting for for, er, roughly a month is finally here. Today's marks the release of the Sega Master System's Fist of the North Star on the Japanese Virtual Console.The event marks the potential expansion of the Virtual Console library to a brave new world of Master System hits such as ... um ... hmmm. Well, the Alex Kidd games were pretty cool, we guess. And hey, Mortal Kombat made it to the system ... although the Genesis version would probably be preferable. Well ... it's still cool anyway. Trust us.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chris @ Feb 26th 2008 12:07PM
Sega had the worst box art for Master System. Everything looked like Edutainment software, with that horrible grid pattern on the back.
Alex Kidd teaches Math!
Neon Jebus @ Feb 26th 2008 12:18PM
"Mortal Kombat on Sega Genesis is the best video game ever."
DomoBraden @ Feb 26th 2008 2:02PM
I disagree. It's a very good game, but I think Donkey Kong is the best game ever.
Henry @ Feb 26th 2008 2:14PM
LOL!
+1 for the Billy Madison reference!
Zootittles @ Feb 26th 2008 1:39PM
THE GRID IS SALVATION.
Also, perhaps the Joystiq staff could educate themselves on the SMS with Zillion, Phantasy Star, and Govelius.
cuso26 @ Feb 26th 2008 1:31PM
Thank you! There are some gems in the SMS repertoire, but so few had the system that no one really knows or understands.
Zillion 1/2 were excellent, as were the Alex Kidd games, Phantasy Zone, Space Harrier, Ghostbusters... all excellent.
Can't wait for this to move to the US. Then you will ALL get to appreciate!
Garrett @ Feb 26th 2008 12:18PM
Zillion was pretty bad-ass. That and the original Phantasy Star almost tempted me to get a Master System instead of the NES back in the day. Thankfully the fear of being scorned and ridiculed by all my friends and classmates guided me towards the right decision.
Neon Jebus @ Feb 26th 2008 12:20PM
But I remember the first time playing the system at my friends house. He handed me the couple of games he had, I opened those cases and there was this little card. Not some big plastic slab like my Nintendo.
And I was so excited about something new, and the games were fun...
Moments later the games were boring and I wanted to destroy that crap controller it used. Talk about a terrible D-Pad...it was almost as bad as the one on the 360.
J-son @ Feb 26th 2008 12:51PM
Personally, I loved the D-pad on the Master System controller. It never gave me the dreaded Nintendo-thumb like my NES did, and it gave you the option of using the little screw-in joystick-nub.
SMS Games I'd like to see on VC:
Bomber Raid
Rambo, First Blood: Part 2
Ghostbusters (best version imo)
Kenseiden
Hang On
Space Harrier
darkeyez @ Feb 29th 2008 11:47AM
Omg, is that what that was for? I've always wondered what the heck that hole in my D-Pad was for.
ssuk @ Feb 26th 2008 1:05PM
I take it Alex got a bit frustrated at Solitaire...
Todd @ Feb 26th 2008 1:21PM
Time Soldiers co-op baby! : )
Mills and Boom @ Feb 26th 2008 2:00PM
Master System and Commodore games coming to Europe soon.
Mygod I can't wait. I really like the VC bringing games I'd other wise not be able to play (I'm no filthy illegal emulator person).
Donald @ Feb 26th 2008 2:07PM
Fist of the North Star?
Obligatory "FUCK YES YOU ARE THE BEST VIRTUAL CONSOLE UPDATE EVER"
Tony @ Feb 26th 2008 2:19PM
i always thought the best games on the master syster were alter beast and choplifter, but then maybe that was just me
Platy @ Feb 26th 2008 2:33PM
Needs more Zillion, Psycho Fox, Alexx Kidd in Miracle World, California Games...
And lets not forget that this is the chance of the world receiving Brazilian only ports like the Street Fighter 2, Mortal Kombat 3, Sonic Blast and Virtua Fighter xD
Ibere @ Feb 26th 2008 3:01PM
Master System is awesome. Here in Brazil it was much popular than the NES. I hope they expand this to other regions. I would love to play Wonder Boy, Alex Kidd (in Miracle World, Shinobi World and High-Tech World), Zillion, Fantasy Zone, Safari Hunt (so much better than Duck Hunt), Aztec Adventure, Black Belt, Enduro Racer, Vigilante, Kenseiden... so many good games.
Mr Khan @ Feb 26th 2008 4:19PM
Original Shinobi & Phantasy Star plz
ZombieX @ Feb 26th 2008 4:42PM
Please release Fantasy Zone and Fantasy Zone 2 Sega! Then follow it up with Super Fantasy Zone Genesis/MegaDrive!
Demaar @ Feb 27th 2008 12:41AM
Sonic 1, 2 and Chaos were released on the Master System in Europe. They were superior, IMO, to the Game Gear releases because they had a much wider field of view.
Poddie @ Feb 27th 2008 1:23PM
QUARTET!
My other favorites were Zillion and Shinobi.
AoE @ Feb 27th 2008 2:03PM
Holy Schnikes! This would make me want a wii again if I didn't still have a working master system...
Covarr @ Feb 27th 2008 3:55PM
Master System had the only home port of Rampage that didn't suck. The NES version was missing a character, and generally paled in comparison. And before anybody tries to mention it, Rampage World Tour was decidedly NOT a port of the original arcade game.
darkeyez @ Feb 29th 2008 11:51AM
I remember Master System had some game hardcoded into the system. You didn't need a cartridge to play it. It was pretty damn fun, but I forget the details, think it was a game where you played in a maze or something.
I also enjoyed another game where you play a boy and a girl in a co-op and you're like in space or something, zero gravity, shooting stuff. lol. it's been too long. wish someone could guess what i'm talking about so i can hunt these games down for nostalgia's sake.