Master System:Game Incompatibilites
The Master System unfortunately has some incompatibilities with various games depending on the model at hand.
Original lists by Tycho on smspower.org
Non-Japanese Games on Japanese Console
Japanese Master System/Mark III games are both narrower and thicker than non-Japanese cartridges in addition to having a different pinout. Therefore, the cart slot on Japanese systems can not physically accommodate non-Japanese games. However, third-party adapters exist that allow you to play non-Japanese games on a Mark III or Japanese SMS.
Games Incompatible with SMS Model 1 BIOS Versions 1.3 and 2.0
Snail Maze-only BIOSes are incompatible with the following games:
- 4 Pak All Action (selecting any game goes back to the main menu)
- Street Fighter II (crashes when a match starts)
Games Incompatible with 315-5124 VDP
The 315-5246 VDP used in the Master System II and VA3 model 1 consoles has additional extra-height (256 x 224 pixels NTSC, 256 x 240 pixels PAL) graphics modes which a handful of games make use of. These modes are also supported by the Game Gear VDP. The following games are incompatible with consoles that use the older 315-5124 VDP, such as most model 1s (including all NTSC model 1s) and Japanese consoles. They are also incompatible with the Genesis/Mega Drive as its VDP does not incorporate the extra-height modes:
- Cosmic Spacehead
- Fantastic Dizzy
- Micro Machines
Games Incompatible with Power Base Converter
The following games are incompatible with the original model Sega Genesis/Mega Drive with a Power Base Converter.
- 4 Pak All Action (selecting any game goes back to the main menu)
- Alien 3
- F-16 Fighter/F-16 Fighting Falcon (this is due to the game using a legacy SG-1000 video mode which is not supported on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware)
- Street Fighter II (automatically selects two-player mode, game is playable otherwise)
Games Incompatible with HES Converter
The following games are incompatible with the Australian HES-branded Sega Genesis adapter. The 3D feature of games that use 3D glasses also will not work.
- After Burner (black screen)
- Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars (pink screen)
- Assault City (7034; 7040 unknown)
- Aztec Adventure (black screen)
- Golfamania (animated garbage)
- Golvellius (buzz w/ flickering screen)
- Parlour Games (garbage screen)
- Shinobi (black screen)
- Card games (physical incompatibility)
Games Incompatible with Genesis/Mega Drive Controller
The following games are incompatible with a Sega Genesis/Mega Drive controller. You can patch these games to fix this or play them on a Japanese Master System or Mark III via a cartridge adapter. They will also play normally on a Japanese Mega Drive or region modded console set to Japanese mode.
- Alien Syndrome
- Bomber Raid
- Great Volleyball
- Montezuma's Revenge
- Penguin Land
- Shanghai
- Tennis Ace
- Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
- Wonder Boy in Monster Land
Games Incompatible with Sega Master System II
Because the Master System II lacks a card slot, it is not compatible with Sega Card games. Also, since the adapter for the 3-D glasses uses the card slot, games which make use of the glasses cannot be played properly (unless the game has a 2-D mode).
Games Incompatible with the Tototek SMS-Mark III Adapter on SMS
- Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap (blank screen; reports of some working)
- Wanted (red screen, this is due to the game locking up when it detects the FM sound hardware)
- Missile Defense 3D (works, doesn't recognize the Light Phaser)
- Rescue Mission (works, doesn't recognize the Light Phaser)
- GP Rider
PAL Games with Issues on NTSC Master System
Note that these issues also apply to a Mark III or Japanese Master System. Testing was performed on a US model 1 SMS and a French SMS II modified with a 50/60 Hz switch, both using an original Master EverDrive. This list also applies to the Game Gear, which permanently runs at 60 Hz.
Game Title | Issue | Severity |
---|---|---|
Alien 3 | Minor graphical glitching when in air vents | Minor |
Andre Agassi Tennis | Plays too fast | Minor |
Arcade Smash Hits | Plays too fast | Minor |
Back to the Future Part III | Displays a yellow screen, does not boot | Unplayable |
Battlemaniacs | Minor graphical glitching at top of screen | Minor |
Bram Stoker's Dracula | Plays too fast, occasional glitched graphics | Minor |
California Games II | Boots to a black screen | Unplayable |
Cosmic Spacehead | Plays too fast, flashing colors | Moderate, unplayable on all consoles with 315-5124 VDP |
Desert Strike | Plays too fast, major graphical glitching | Severe |
Fantastic Dizzy | Plays too fast, garbage pixels in status bar | Minor, unplayable on all consoles with 315-5124 VDP |
Global Gladiators | Minor graphical glitching at the bottom of the screen | Minor |
Home Alone | Plays too fast, major graphical glitching, Kevin can fall through the floor, Harry and Marv sometimes stop moving | Unplayable |
Krusty's Fun House | Plays too fast | Minor |
Micro Machines | Plays too fast, flashing tiles on top of screen | Minor, unplayable on all consoles with 315-5124 VDP |
NBA Jam | Plays too fast, graphical glitching | Moderate |
Operation Wolf | Cannot shoot at enemies | Unplayable |
Out Run Europa | Plays too fast | Minor |
PGA Tour Golf | Plays too fast | Minor |
Power Strike II | Plays too fast[1] | Minor |
Predator 2 | Plays too fast, graphical glitching when scrolling | Moderate |
Prince of Persia | Plays too fast | Minor |
RoboCop 3 | Plays too fast | Moderate |
RoboCop vs. The Terminator | Plays too fast | Minor |
Sensible Soccer | Plays too fast | Minor |
Shadow of the Beast | Plays too fast | Moderate |
Smash TV | Plays too fast | Moderate |
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Occasional glitched graphics on top of screen | Minor, game actually plays at proper speed on 60 Hz |
Space Harrier (European release) | Space Harrier's legs are glitched, flickering transparencies on large sprites | Moderate |
Star Wars | Plays too fast, some slowdown | Minor |
Super Kick Off | Plays too fast | Minor |
Superman | Plays too fast | Minor |
Taito Chase H.Q. | Plays too fast, glitched road graphics on turns | Severe |
The Addams Family | Graphical glitching at top of screen | Moderate |
The Flash | Plays too fast | Minor |
The Flintstones | Plays too fast | Minor |
The Jungle Book | Plays too fast, minor graphical glitching | Minor |
The Lion King | Plays too fast | Minor |
The Newzealand Story | Plays too fast, severe graphical glitching and flickering sprites | Severe |
The Ottifants | Plays too fast | Minor |
The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants | Plays too fast, Bart's legs are glitched | Minor |
The Simpsons: Bart vs. the World | Plays too fast | Minor |
The Smurfs | Plays too fast | Minor |
The Terminator | Plays too fast | Minor |
Trivial Pursuit | Plays too fast | Minor |
Ultimate Soccer | Plays too fast, garbage pixels on top of main menu | Minor |
Winter Olympics: Lillehammer '94 | Plays too fast, minor graphical glitching | Minor |
Wimbledon II | Plays too fast | Minor |
World Cup USA '94 | Plays too fast | Minor |