GameNexus Hardware Review Sega Power Base Converter (Master System on Genesis) (HDU)

[shadygreatone]

Good review man..

[cakestalker]

this game and the other 8-bit sonic the hedgehog games was not designed (as claimed in this video) for a portable, they were released first on master system, then on game gear which has similar hardware, just lower resolution, though some more colors.

[cakestalker]

the intro screen is not full screen either, it's just that the background is black so it blends with the borders.

[Creaturepresentation]

dont care

[andrewmystery23]

I believe that the border is there because certain televisions wouldn't center the picture properly. I've noticed the border playing certain genesis games.

Does anyone know if the PBC use FM synth or the standard SMS sound?

[EyeAmTom]

dos the power converter work on moddle 2 sega mega drive as i know genesis is the same game console more or less just 1 is european the other usa

[gamemaster14neo]

@EyeAmTom I know if works with model 2 genesis, but you would need to modify the genesis or converter since it physically doesnt fit but once you get it plugged in it works fine from what I heard. I would imagine it would work the same with the md.

[EyeAmTom]

@EyeAmTom soon after i posted this i found a master system device just like this 1 but for module 2 mega drive at least thats what it said on ebay thanks tho for the help

[Gavin66627]

@EyeAmTom You can get the megadrive 2 version

[TransformAutobot01]

Does it work with CDX AKA Sega muti mega?

[gamemaster14neo]

@TransformAutobot01 I honestly do not know since I do not have one, but it works with the model 2 with a slight case mod so I dont see why not.

[saiiad737]

@pandapirate7 no it dont fit but mybe if jou cut it the bag of mybe it will

[hburke7799]

solution plug a game genie into ot ant then plug it into the genesis sure its a bit flimsy BUT IT WORKS

[gamemaster14neo]

@pandapirate7 Not without major modification of either the genesis or powerbase. I believe they did release a Power Base Converter 2 in europe that worked with the genesis 2 but it never came out in the usa since the master system was never too popular here.

[CommanderPro100]

That game was the first sonic game I ever played

[idGamesRules]

Misinformation. the Sega SG-1000 was the first.

[gamemaster14neo]

@idGamesRules I was referring to the North American market since we did not get the SG-1000, I have added an annotation to clear up the confusion.

[TerporFIN]

Well i bought the Master System Converter for 13€ + shipping and it works really well on Sonic 1, 2, Wonder Boy 3 : Dragon's Trap, Moonwalke. But some of the game "according to Wikipedia" doesn't work at all with the converter.

[EnglishIdiot1]

I used to have one of these until my dad sold my Mega Drive and all its stuff for next to nothing at a car boot!

Never knew anyone else with one of these =/

[Tdak1128]

will the sega sg series of games work with this thing?

[gamemaster14neo]

@Tdak1128 If they work on a regular master system then they should work on this.

[FamicomMario1]

The Master System never did well in Japan. In fact, it completely flopped, even worse than in the US. However, you are right about the fact that it did well in Europe.

[kcchiefsfan1981]

so european master system games will work on an american power base converter?

[gamemaster14neo]

@kcchiefsfan1981 Yes, European games will work on an American power base converter.

[YoshiFan501]

i want one

[Caztro72]

Nice review! I have a Genny, but I also have an original SMS. I would love to find the Power Base Converter as a collection piece. (Which is very RARE around where I live - Chicago). But I feel I'd end up using an actual SMS to ply my games rather than the converter. Great review!

[prime20]

im sorry good sir the sg-1000 was the first home console sega released to the public

[gamemaster14neo]

@prime20 When I said the sega master system was the first console released I was referring to the American market as I state in my description.

[DevilBird91]

sg 1000 was the first

[gamemaster14neo]

@DevilBird91 But sega master system was the first in the usa.

[MaximumRD]

Great review for a great add on! Thanks.

[001freestyle]

clean your video sistem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bildo1977]

The Sega Power Base Converter works on a Sega CDX.

[esheep4]

I have the manuel for that ant the adapter and it says that there is 7 cart that will not work with it BUT they will if you just put the master system controller in. F-16 will not work no matter what though.

[LeeMan00]

Is there a way to emulate the Power Base Converter on a Genesis emulator without it being an all-in-one emulator?

[gamemaster14neo]

Not that I know of, but you could just use a sega master system emulator.

[LeeMan00]

I was afraid of that, oh well. Thanks.

[gamemaster14neo]

The reason the powerbase can not be emulated is its a pure hardware piece which changes the pins in the system and allows certain cpus in the genesis to do run the master system games. It has no special software which could be emulated.

[tray99998]

kega fusion

[intellivisionman]

The SG-1000 was the first system released by sega

[gamemaster14neo]

Yes but my statement was focused at the american market and the SG-1000 never made it here.

[sayastra]

that looks LIKE A FAR SUPERIOR add on for a sega (as in superior to 32X in particular which had alot of hook ups)

[gamemaster14neo]

It is a great addon considering it has a much larger library then the 32x. Although dont get me wrong I do like the 32x.

[sayastra]

don't mind the last question- i scrolled down and got the answer :(

[JMein13074]

Can the games work without the converter (i.e. take the Genesis' top casing off)?

[gamemaster14neo]

Nope, its kinda the same problem with playing famicom games on a nes. The pins simply do not match, a master system game will not fit on a genesis.

[vitorbarbosa]

Imagine if you put the 32X and then the Power Base Converter!!! You could play Master System games with MORE POWER! :D

[DrAquafreshness]

sega released hue cards for the power base converter. F-16 Fighting Falcon is one.

[gamemaster14neo]

Yes there are a few games on cards for the mastersystem which also work in the powerbase converter.

[SEGAFANBOY7]

the first sega system was the SG-1000

[gamemaster14neo]

First Sega System to hit us shores was the Master System.

[SEGAFANBOY7]

that sucks i live in AUSTRALIA and there are quiet a few more sega systems from here and in japan

[trivia202003]

Here's a good question, can it work for a model 2 Genesis?

[gamemaster14neo]

It will not fit unless you modify either the plastic shell of the genesis 2 or power base. I believe once you manage to get the converter into the genesis it should work fine.

[MN12BIRD]

Awesome I have a SMS but still want to eventually pick one of these up for the Genesis. Too bad it didn't have a Genesis cart passthrouth port on it too so you could still put in Genesis games and not take off the Power Base converter. The blue area around the screen is the overscan area that the SMS and Genesis had lots of overscan. You might not see that on all TV's but you will see it all on a TV Tuner. Great review. Makes me really wanna pick one up now!

[jtech1000]

sega's first console was the SG-1000 not the master system.

[gamemaster14neo]

The SG-1000 never came out in America. So here the Master System was the first Sega Console.

[theimporter]

But the way you included Japan in there right after you said it was the first system makes it seem like it was the first system they ever released worldwide. Also, you should have stated it was the first one that they released in NA because SEGA is a Japanese company and therefore, Japan is more important when addressing such subjects.

[GamerBoyGU82]

Sega actually started out as an american company making coin-op games (not video games..) for service men in hawaii in the 1950's under the name SErvice GAmes. It eventually got sold off to japan though..

[theimporter]

Yes, I've read Wikipedia as well, but fact remains that the SEGA who made the game consoles and Arcade machines was a Japanese company (using a pass tense because the SEGA we knew is dead now).

[SpokenCoken]

Holy, I never knew anything like that existed. This is really interesting. I thought I knew a lot about sega.

[nfisgreat]

but you can plug a master system controller in it still uses a 9 pin connector. so for alien syndrome just use the master system controller with the power base converter.

[gamemaster14neo]

Yep, thats the good thing, you can use all master system accessories. I currently do not have any ms controllers though.

[Kullen64]

Awsome video, you are really intelligent in terms of games you know.

[n8great321]

I would totally want one of these, but for the price I can just get a real Sega Master System lol.

[Leohuizar]

so the powerbase controller, goes on top on the 32x, which is on top of the genesis, connected to the segaCd and run by 3 AC adapters... and they wonder why the Nintendo, and SNES out sold them.

[gamemaster14neo]

The powerbase converter and 32x can not be used at the same time. Its either one or the other.

[Firebomber7]

The Master System was not the first game system that Sega released. It was the 5th system that Sega released.

1. SG-1000

2. SG-3000

3. SG-1000 Mark II

4. SG-1000 Mark III (first version of the Master System)

5. Master System (actually the second version; the one that this guy is talking about)

[gamemaster14neo]

I was speaking about the North American market when I was saying that the Master System was the first console.

[Firebomber7]

Ahhh...

[scarmulletpart2]

The Master System was the first, the SG series were arcade systems.

[Firebomber7]

Um, no.... you're wrong. The SG-1000 was the first home Sega system. How do I know? I OWN ONE!!!! It's sitting about 2 feel away from me. If you're going to make dogmatic comments like that, at least know what you're talking about....

There was also an SG-1000 Mark II, an SG-3000, and the Mark III is the first version of the Master System. The black Master System in this guy's video is actually the second version. The first was white and wasn't released in the western market.

[scarmulletpart2]

I am talking in the North American Market. The SG series is based off of arcade boards (Well, I guess all Sega consoles were), but was never released in North America as a home console, the games on the SG-1000 were released as third party games on Atari and its competitors.

[xBADxGAMESx]

I thought those were only released in Japan, correct me if I'm wrong. I love learning new things about SEGA.

[TheDevilBurning]

still need to pick up a power base converter for my collection

[caz016]

i dont know if u no about this but swagshow is reviewing peoples review and i think you shoul ask him to review urs

[SplatterTrigger]

Very informative!

Holy cords!

[gamemaster14neo]

Yeah, what you see are cords for like 5 or so systems.

[pepsiru1es92]

Awesome. I've been waiting for this video, and you didn't dissapoint. I'd give you 6 stars if I could. And about that game not working with the controller, have you tried any Atari Controllers? I should get one of these.

[GlockNinja]

This was also a Game Gear game which looked and played ten times better than ny Gameboy game. Never understood why Gameboy won over Game Gear.

[gamemaster14neo]

Like with the master system, sega was late to the party once more with the Game Gear. Everyone already had a gameboy plus the Game Gear was expensive and ate batteries for breakfast.

[GlockNinja]

Yeah, you were screwed if you didn't have a car adapter or a outlet.