Sega Master System

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum


1st Logo (1985-1988)

Visuals: On a black background, a Sega logo (whose front side is white and reverse side is teal) floats up to the center of the screen. Once it reaches its position, it switches into a rotating palette consisting of several shades of blue, teal, and white. The words "MASTER SYSTEM", in yellow, slide in from the right, with the Sega logo overlapping it, before the Master System name switches to white. Both the Sega logo and the Master System name slide apart, with the Sega logo above and the Master System name below. A copyright for Sega (with the Sega name in the logo's font) appears below the Sega Master System name.

Technique: Sprite-based animation.

Audio: None.

Availability: It can only be seen on M404 prototype BIOS.

2nd Logo (October 20, 1985-1996)


Visuals: On a black background, the letters in the Sega logo slide in. When they stop, "MASTER SYSTEM" appears below, along with a copyright date.

Variant: On v2.4, The copyright date is changed to "1988".

Technique: Sprite-based animation.

Audio: A rising synth note, then the two-note "SEGA!" jingle.

Availability:

  • Seen when you turn on a Sega Master System, which was a modest hit in Japan (known as the SG-1000 Mark III during the first two years) and North America, but a big hit in Europe, Latin America (particularly Brazil), and Australia, where it was more successful than its competitor, the NES.
  • However, this logo does not appear when starting up an SMS game on the Wii Virtual Console.

3rd Logo (October 1987-1991; February 18, 2015)


Visuals: On a starfield background, a checkerboard floor moves towards the viewer, giving a 3D effect, while changing color. Above the floor is the Sega logo with the words "MASTER SYSTEM" underneath. Below that is the following sentence, colored white and centered horizontally but left-aligned:

電源をOFFにして,
ソフトを入れてください。

In English, the text translates to: "Turn off the power, please put in software."

Below that sentence is the text "© SEGA 1987" in blue, and "V 2.1" to the right of the copyright date, also in blue.

Variant: The Japanese version of the Master System Nintendo 3DS Home Menu theme features this screen, but it is still (the floor doesn't move, remains blue and the stars do not shine), and the 1987 copyright date was replaced with a 2015 copyright date, the version number depends on the most recent version the 3DS system is set to, and the Japanese text now reads: "アイコンを選択して, ソフトを起動してください。"

Technique: Sprite-based animation.

Audio: A rearrangement of the main theme to Space Harrier that demonstrates the capabilities of the FM Sound Unit that was built-in into the Japanese Sega Master System console.

Availability:

  • Seen when turning on a Japanese Sega Master System without a cartridge inserted.
  • It also appears if you have the Japanese version of the Sega Master System Nintendo 3DS Home Menu theme.
Sega Mark III
Sega Master System
Sega Mega Drive/Genesis
Sega CD/Mega-CD
Cookies help us deliver our services. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies.