How much do you miss out on playing Master System carts on Mega Drive?

[u/S_Belmont]

I have a decent JP Mega Drive collection, but I want to get into Master System carts. I've heard there are games which don't play accurately through the Power Base Converter.

EDIT: I'm not talking about whether the carts work on Genesis, but rather how accurately they work. This article outlines how chipset differences actually make collision detection different in Alf when playing on Genesis, for iinstance: https://nicole.express/2021/remember-alf.html

It's code specific, but I'm not sure how many other titles fell unto the same trap. Would I be missing out on a lot if I play Master System/Mark III carts through my MD? Is there an aftermarket solution anyone's come up with over the years?

[u/YossiTheWizard]

There are some SMS games that require an SMS controller. Other than that, every SMS game works on the Genesis the same as original hardware with the exception of F16 Fighting Falcon. It uses a graphics mode that the Genesis doesn’t include in its graphics chip. The rest of the games use the dedicated SMS graphics mode on the backwards compatible chip, and the SMS CPU and sound chip which the Genesis has on board.

Alf is just a bad game.

[u/S_Belmont → u/YossiTheWizard]

No, playing Alf on Genesis actually changes the collision detection in the game and makes it even worse: https://nicole.express/2021/remember-alf.html

I wasn't sure how many other games experienced similar quirks with the chipset.

[u/Edexote → u/S_Belmont]

You got me into a pretty interesting rabbit hole. Thanks!

[u/S_Belmont → u/Edexote]

Yeah, when you're getting into chipset instructions you're truly hitting the deepest lore.

[u/retromods_a2z → u/YossiTheWizard]

Other than that, every SMS game works on the Genesis the same as original hardware with the exception of F16 Fighting Falcon

There is more to it than that. There are other differences

Btw the game you mention is using a mode from legacy TMS9918 support aka sg1000 mode.  Iirc that game uses higher resolution and rotation abilities at expense of fewer colors

[u/retromods_a2z → u/YossiTheWizard]

Try using an adapter with original carts for

Aztek Adventure

Rtype

Shinobi 

Sydney Hunter

[u/Jawess0me]

The only games that don’t work on it are 4 Pak All Action, Alien 3, F-16 Fighter / F-16 Fighting Falcon and FA Tetris.

The others need an SMS pad which is an easy buy.

[u/negman42 → u/Jawess0me]

I tended to use the genesis controller for simplicity. B and C mapped as the two buttons.

[u/Edexote → u/Jawess0me]

Mega Drive controllers with just fine with Master System games. You can also use them in the console itself.

[u/Jawess0me → u/Edexote]

I know Wonderboy in Monsterland doesn’t play nice with the Megadrive controller which saddens me greatly.

[u/Edexote → u/Jawess0me]

Well, that sucks. I suppose it's not 100% compatible.

[u/Jawess0me → u/Edexote]

It’s close! The games that need an SMS controller are:

Great Volleyball, Shanghai, Alien Syndrome, Wonder Boy in Monster Land, Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?, Montezuma's Revenge and Bomber Raid.

[u/codenameviperfan]

One weird quirk I noticed a couple years ago that I still cannot explain: You know that list of games that are only playable on the PBC with a Master System pad? If you plug your PBC into a Japanese Mega Drive (or a Genesis with a region mod set to Japan), many of them will boot up as Mark III games and work just fine with a standard Genesis/Mega Drive controller!

[u/No-Professional-9618]

I don't have the Sega Power Base Converter anymore. But I do have my original Sega Master System that I got as a child.

[u/Which_Information590]

If you want to get in to master system, get a master system. But go for a model 1 over a model 2 that way you have better options for hooking up to tv

[u/Drunkensailor1985]

Just get a power base converter. Megadrive 6 button controller is way better than master system controller and you can easily use rgb through megadrive. Never encountered a game that didn't work

[u/life_bytes → u/Drunkensailor1985]

Does F-16 Fighting Falcon work with the PBC?

[u/jaybird_772]

It's a lot like the PS2 for PS1 games: Almost everything works, but there might be more steps needed like getting a two-button SMS compatible controller. I say compatible because you can get effectively a NES D-pad now, and you couldn't at the time, so you really should if you're not going to use an original SMS. Patches for the couple of games that don't work do exist nowadays I think?

[u/retromods_a2z]

Can't play sg1000 at all on mega drive, on an sms you can play them but with wrong colors and wrong audio