Legacy & History
Released in 1985, the Master System was technically superior to the NES but lacked its third-party library. It found a second life in Brazil where it remains popular today.
Cultural Impact
While a footnote in US history, the Master System is a cultural icon in Brazil (distributed by Tectoy) and Europe. It showed that regional markets could sustain a console even if it "failed" in Japan or the US.
Modern Legacy
Phantasy Star, released on the Master System, was one of the first console RPGs to feature a sci-fi setting and a female protagonist, paving the way for the genre's expansion.
Under the Hood
The Master System used a Zilog Z80 CPU, the same chip found in the Game Boy and Game Gear (and Pac-Man arcade cabinets). It had a superior color palette to the NES, capable of displaying 32 colors simultaneously from a palette of 64, compared to the NES's more limited restrictions.