This page showcases some of the rarer items that are available for Master System collectors. You'll find here some harder to find and unique games and accessories, as well as other tidbits like mailaway promotions and such. Thus far we are basing selection of these items based on general rarity, especially in cases of special releases in contest or mail-away form, in addition to production trinkets. If you have anything you don't see here, let us know!

Hardware and Official Goods

Games and Miscellaneous

Asian Master System Asian Master System II Blue Light Phaser Set The Handle Controller Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Shirt Korean Master Sytem (Gam*Boy) Korean SMSII (Gam*Boy II) Magazines Master Girl Out Run Promotional Sweater Portugese Master System III Pro Action Replay Rapid Fire Mail Away Version Retail Cabinet Sega Collector Cards The Sega Control Pad (Sealed) Sega Kiosk Sega Product Display Module Sega Promotional Folder Sega Sales Rep Case SG Commander Pad Store Cabinet (Europe) Sugar Puffs Challenge Cards Super Futebol II Limited Edition Set

Air Rescue Variant Asterix and the Great Rescue Gift Set Australian Double Packs Autralian Silver Releases Cool Spot Summer Pack Daffy Duck in Hollywood Variant Demo Carts and Cards Disney Gift Set Foreign Variants Hang On Red Release Korean Releases The Lucky Dime Caper Gift Set Moonwalker Gift Set NTSC Rereleases Pirated Titles Portugese Releases Prototypes Rental Games Sapo Xulé Figure Sealed Games Sega Hotline Games Smurfs Gift Set Sonic 2 "Master System II" Variant Tec Toy Exclusives Telstar Double Value Packs Tokio Marine Mark III Cartridge TV Colosso Figures

Hardware and Official Goods:

Asian Master System

Contributor : Kenneth Rarity rating : Unique Few Master System collectors are aware that Sega made a short attempt at marketing the SMS in Asia, mainly Hong Kong. Obviously, should you see one, it won't be hard to miss, but they're incredibly rare. Other than an odd looking adaptor, there's really no way to tell what it is loose, so complete is really the only option. It seems Sega quickly realized that any attempts at throwing the system into pirate heaven would be a disaster, since Nintendo had tried it a bit earlier and failed. Instead of losing money, they chose the best option and gave up. However, in the short time they did try, they released this system, a Master System II (just as easily noticed because the writing is in Mandarin) and a few games, most notably Mah-Jong, which is listed here as well. Other titles have popped up so far, such as Alex Kidd, and they're certainly rare, but have yet to cause the sensation that Mah-Jong does. However, should you see any, post away at the forum so we can keep track. Expect any Asian variants to be from the firs-run titles, not anything later.

Asian Master System II

Contributor : Bock Rarity rating : Unique Along with the usual first-run Master System unit that was released in Asia, for some even stranger reason Sega released the Master System II there as well. This is unusual because of the assumed power of piracy in the country and Sega's refusal to move further with game releases after Mah-Jong hit the stands. This is certainly much more difficult to find than even the regular version, so if you get a chance at it don't miss it, it won't happen again. It's easy to pick out from the box, as you can see.

Blue Light Phaser Set (Brazil)

Contributor : Stan Rarity rating : Very Rare No one is quite sure why this was released. Tec Toy manufactured a few different SMS III 'Compact' models, which were merely SMS II's with different games. Presumably, with the release of the Master Girl, they wanted to boost sales for boys a bit with this one. Thus, they packaged it with a 'Bart' title and made the phaser blue. Not sure what the need for it was if that's the case, the male element has always made up about 90% of the market, so it's kind of odd. At any rate, it's not easy to find, so if you really want a blue phaser it's better to get them loose because they're not as hard to find, otherwise good luck finding this complete, it's about as rare as Master Girl. It was also released with Global Gladiators as a pack-in.

The Handle Controller

Contributor : Onyx Rarity rating : Very Rare Again, only released in Europe - these handle controllers very rare these days, mainly because very few were sold and the accessory was also very easy to break! The accessory was designed for playing both flight simulators and driving games. It tends to pop up loose now and then missing components, but hardly ever complete. The instructions were printed directly on the box, in case you were wondering. As far as use, it's actually quite fun to play driving titles using it, but though possibly, anything else is pointless.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Shirt

Contributor : rupert Rarity rating : Very Rare Another weird premium that forum member rupert located is this sweet, though of lesser-quality, promotional shirt for US Gold's game Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. It's Master System specific and as you can see based on the system's box art for this particular game and even mentions the system in the design, so it's a clear collectible and not something that was meant for multi-system advertising. Appears to be mainly an iron-on style design, but still pretty damn cool. Good luck finding one!

Korean Master System (Gam*Boy)

Contributor : rupert Rarity rating : Very Rare Another strange venture for Sega was the South Korean market. They licensed Samsung to distribute the Master System much like Tec Toy in Brazil. Here you have a loose unit with several Korean titles, including a few that were only released in South Korea. Notice anything strange? That's right, the one you see hiding in there is a pirated version of Super Mario Bros. Not sure why Sega let them keep going after that, but I guess they figured screw it so long as they were getting a cut. What is it about the Asian market being generally untouchable when piracy is involved, seriously? Anyway, all the games tend to be rare, though it's obvious those specific to Korea are more desirable. There's a fighting game and several unique titles out there, but good luck finding anything but a loose cart. Luckily, as seen here, they're easy to spot. It should be noted that Samsung also released an Gam*Boy II as well as what you see here. If you can't find anything, don't worry, HES' 4 Pak All Action actually includes Korean games on it, so it's a nice glimpse into what else is out there, should you dare.

Korean SMSII (Gam*Boy II)

Contributor : schlingel Rarity rating : Unique As found in Asia, but with much more success, Sega's buddy Samsung released a second model of the Master System in South Korea. Known as the Gam*Boy II, you can clearly see the original design implemented, but with very different looking control pads. As with any Korean item, it's quite rare, and as far as systems go in general from Korea, you can expect that the second model is much more difficult to find than the first, but it plays Korean titles just the same. For hardcore collectors only!

Out Run Promotional Sweater

Contributor : rupert Rarity rating : Unique This is a real rarity here and one of the only discovered clothing items related to the Master System that have popped up from the depths of time. As you can see, this was a promotional sweater for the SMS game Out Run, apparently found in European stores. This particular example has Swedish on the back. The back has simple, blue text with the usual Sega logo. It says "TV-Spelet med Arkadgrafik", which translates as "Video game with arcade graphics". And guess what, even us older, geeky types can fit in it!

Magazines

Contributor : rupert Rarity rating : Rare We purposesly used a very general title for a good reason. Obviously, 'magazines' means any particular magazine for the Master System, regardless of content. The point is that in spite of even its popularity overseas, magazines that focused on the Master System are quite rare. Some are almost impossible to find, making them a highly-sought after collectible for SMS fans. Certain magazines include Genesis/Mega Drive info as well, and they're usually pretty common. SMS specific magazines are a different story. In addition, most countries in Europe had some sort of newsletter in country-specific languages. The one pictured here is 'S Mag,' released in the UK. Lots of cool little things it came with as you see in the picture, but they're almost impossible to find. In addition to S Mag, the Sega of America 'Sega Team Challenge' newsletters tend to be very difficult to locate with the exception of the final issue. At any rate, this is by no means a concise list of sorts, merely a mention that Master System magazines are far and few between, should you find one, go to the forum and let us know what it is! If you have scans, send them!

Master Girl

Contributor : Stan Rarity rating : Very Rare This is probably the most interesting Super Compact variation TecToy released, and almost the rarest. Basically, TecToy decided that they wanted to tackle the female element, the same idea as Namco creating Ms. Pac-Man. This little beauty, not intentional there, was made for little girls to carry around playing their favorite little girl game, Mônica no Castelo do Dragao (see database). What's interesting is how cutesy they tried to make it, taking the popular cartoon character, putting her on the box and making everything pink and pretty. In truth, it's nothing more than another Super Compact, perhaps TecToy was hoping girls liked cute things, and were stupid. It appears they weren't because though it's somewhat easy to find loose and missing pretty much everything, even with only the box it's almost impossible to find.

Portugese Master System III

Contributor : rupert Rarity rating : Very Rare With the release of several games in distinct packaging, Portugal also saw the release of a special Master System III unit with purple/white lined packaging, as well as a few accessories such as the WKK Wireless Controller tagged with Portugese 'seals of approval'. They're easy to spot, but tend to not be as rare as the system itself, which has yet to appear again on auction sites. Excuse the poor picture, but until we receive a new one this is the only image we have, the system is, obviously, at the top. An interesting thing to note is that, apparently due to the language, Portugal got a few releases that were only found in Brazil, this included.

Pro Action Replay

Contributor : Onyx Rarity rating : Uncommon This interesting item lets you enter codes into your favorite Sega Master System games that gives you new weapons, lives, infinite fuel, no time limits etc. In addition, you have the ability to 'train' the unit to make new codes for games that have none on record. These are uncommon to find nowadays but the variant shown here is generally not that rare. Two other variants are a bit more difficult to find, a red version with different artwork and the German version. The latter comes with the same artwork in a clamshell case. Collectors should be aware that this variant seems to have problems functioning in NTSC systems.

Rapid Fire Mail Away Version

Contributor : rupert Rarity rating : Very Rare Last year, within an auction with an extremely rare controller, this interesting item was found. The rapid fire unit itself is nothing special, but the box is another story. Back in the era of the SMS in America, Sega released a newsletter called Sega Team Challenge, which only ran for a handful of issues. In all of these was featured a small section with an order form that enabled you to order various games and even shirts. Of these items was the eventually added the rapid fire unit you see here. This is the only way this box could be acquired, so the chances of finding someone else who actually; 1. subscribed to the magazine and 2. bought the rapid fire unit from the back is highly unlikely. Thus far, only a handful have been located.

Retail Cabinet

Contributor : Skeletor Rarity rating : Unique As our kind friend Skeletor is showing us here, this is quite an awesome piece of furniture. Though they don't have an official title per se, what you have here is simply a retail cabinet that was used to display Master System titles as well as systems and periphreals in stores. Using pegs you could set it up in any way you so please, so it would make a wonderful addition to any collector's horde. The only problem is finding one, this puppy was located in a pawnshop and was actually the same cabinet Skele used to buy his games from as a kid. Nice story, but don't expect to be so lucky. If any of these remain they're going to be impossible to find, pricey to ship and possibly in poor condition. Don't expect to fit many variants in it either if you're into that.

Sega Collector Cards

Contributor : rupert Rarity rating : Very Rare Here's a cool collectible that isn't easy to find either (what is in this section). These cards feature a variety of Sega characters with tips and such on the backs. They came in packs as you see here in boxes as any other collecting card. Not easy to find a complete set, and there's even a collecting binder for them.

The Sega Control Pad (Sealed)

Contributor : Onyx Rarity rating : Uncommon This is the standard replacement Sega Control Pad. This accessory is very common loose, but the reason this version is on the site is because it is rare to find one in its original, sealed packaging. They seem to be more common in America, but still aren't easy to find.

Sega Kiosk

Contributor : ShadowAngel Rarity rating : Very Rare This is the original Sega display unit that some stores used to run demo games, most of which were common titles unless the store owner switched them. Inside the unit you can fit 16 cartridges and Control Pads or Light Phasers. The user selects the game they want to preview by using the panel on the front. Nice, pity there is a time-limit on play, but some people are trying to figure out how to sidestep this issue. They are usually found with the basic run of early SMS titles, but some have been located with different games in place, replaced by store owners. Collectors should be aware that in some cases the cartridges found inside may in fact be prototypes, so if you come across one check it out and talk to Bock!

Sega Product Display Module

Contributor : Stan Rarity rating : Unique If anyone ever finds one of these they'll forever be the envy of every Master System collector the world over. What you see here was only pictured in the promotional folder you can see below. This beauty includes the kiosk pictured on this same page, as well as a beautiful, drool-worthy, ring-bound product manual and large stand that even includes a glass case for displaying products below the kiosk. The kiosk goes on top of all this, crowned with a television, which, based on the picture at least, was not specific to the unit (thank the gods). According to John Sauer, who actually put together this folder, these things were actually made, so there's a chance there may be one out there, somewhere...

Sega Promotional Folder

Contributor : Stan Rarity rating : Unique Here is a totally rare item, good luck finding this one. A fellow collector was lucky enough to jump on this after spotting it in an auction. What you see here is the promotional flyer Sega used in the United States to promote the Master System. This flyer/folder combo was given to various stores and company headquarters, showing off various items, games, and store displays. The back includes a slot where a piece of paper for ordering the items was located. Inside is a huge game list including a variety of titles that never saw the light of day, as well as all the controllers and such we know. Only one of these has been located thus far, with good reason, after ordering and setting up a regular service with Sega, the majority of stores would have pitched this thing.

Sega Sales Rep Case

Contributor : schlingel Rarity rating : Unique Only two of these babies have been located thus far. The so-called Sega Sales Rep case was used by representatives of the company (apparently only in Europe), to cart around a sample Master System with a few games for trade shows and to show different companies who would potentially carry the system for sale. It's similar to other cases you can find, with the exception that it comes straight from Sega, has the cool logo on it you see in the picture, is giant (about the size of a suitcase), and has awesome padding in the interior to protect the system, controllers, and whatever else you put in there. It's a really cool way to cart around your Master System, and a wonderful addition to any collection.

SG Commander Pad

Contributor : Onyx Rarity rating : Very Rare These beauties were only ever released in Europe, which is a shame since they're more suited to our hands and the Directional Pad is a little more natural. They're essentially a control pad with a built in rapid fire unit and a sleeker design. Notice similarities between this pad and another 8-bit console's controller. The rapid fire feature also has an adjustable switch to alter the speed at which the button functions operate. It occasionally appears loose but tends to be extremely rare complete. In addition, they're sort-of notorious for losing function after a few years of use, so better keep one for play and one for display. Store Cabinet (Europe) Contributor : psychofox Rarity rating : Unique Recently discovered by a forum member on Craigslist, this is the store display used in most of Europe to show off the Master System and various titles. There's a space for a television and the unit and parts go inside the cabinet itself. Nice and solid, and not an easy find. This is probably only one of a handful (if that) in existence. Talk about lucky! Sugar Puffs Challenge Cards Contributor : Stan Rarity rating : Very Rare This is one of the few examples of an outside company getting in on the Master System. As part of a promotional deal, Sugar Puffs in the UK teamed up with Sega to have a contest. You could enter and win a Master System II. In addition, as part of this promotion, Sugar Puffs released a series of eight different scratch-and-play cards featuring characters from various Master System games. Pictured here is the back of the actual cereal box showing all the cards. They are, in alphabetical order: Alex Kidd, Bonanza Bros., Chuck Rock, Dynamite Dux, Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Marble Madness, Psycho Fox, and Wonder Boy. After finding these prizes in the box, the player scratches off special circles to 'play' the games. You can't scratch them all and have to be careful to win. Very few of these have appeared unscratched and unopened, so nab them if you get the chance! Super Futebol II Limited Edition Set Contributor : Stan Rarity rating : Unique I guess they never stopped in Brazil, did they? This was simply yet another Super Compact. However, unlike the regular Super Compact (both versions) and the Master Girl, this one took the regular Super Compact and packed it with Super Futebol II in commemoration of a really important Soccer game involving Brazil at the time. Thus, this version is much harder to find than even the Master Girl or regular Super Compact, for that matter. However, you have to judge for yourself if it's worth it really, there's nothing too unique other than the packaging.

Games and Various:

Air Rescue Variant

Contributor : rupert Rarity rating : Unknown Though little is known about this variant, it's possibly the rarest of all the Euro releases. As you can clearly see in the picture, it's simply Air Rescue, but in totally different packaging. The differences are so striking it's easy to pick out, but as for the reason of its existence, no one knows. Only one copy exists, leading collectors to believe it's either a demo or perhaps electronics show display from back in the day.

Asterix and the Great Rescue Gift Set

Contributor : Onyx Rarity rating : Unknown This item has thus far been a complete mystery and only recently was a fellow member able to find a picture from a magazine displaying it. Thus far, only a single copy of the special VHS has been located and it may be doubtful any exist in sealed form anymore. The gift set for this particular Asterix game was released in Spain and consisted of Asterix and the Great Rescue as well as a VHS tape of an Asterix episode, sealed on a special backing. Due to the fact that the set did not come in a box as we see with the Lucky Dime Caper, if any ever appear in complete form or at least with all the pieces shown in the image, it will be perhaps a once in a millenia occurence.

Australian Double Packs

Contributor : ddevilfingers Rarity rating : Rare Here's another example of a dual-game release meant to save money and to use up old stock as the Master System's life came to an end. Several of these have already been located with different games. Two variations of this packaging have been found. The one pictured here is in a standard VHS style case with a cardboard insert for both catridges, whereas the other version is actually designed with two cartridge slots in the inside like regular boxes and also slots to hold both manuals. The latter may have been released early and scrapped to save money, leading to the former. Either way, they tend to be fairly rare and only appear in Australia, so that's really your only chance of locating one.

Australian Silver Releases

Contributor : ddevilfingers Rarity rating : Rare Yet another interesting release from Australia. The so-called 'silver' releases are a strange example of Master System variants. No one is really sure the purpose of them or why they were created. It's possible it may have been some issue with the plastic company Ozisoft was using, but then again only the games you see pictured here were released in this format. Mortal Kombat II tends to appear now and then, but the others are much harder to find and a complete set like this is quite an undertaking.

Cool Spot Summer Pack

Contributor : barney Rarity rating : Very Rare Yet again, we've been recently treated to a find that previously unheard of. Forum member barney recently revealed the Cool Spot Summer Pack. Similar to the Lucky Dime Caper Gift Set, this pack comes with Cool Spot sealed, a Cool Spot pin, extra large Cool Spot shirt (marked clearly with Sega on it, mind you), and even a set of sunglasses just like Spot himself wore. This is so far the first time one of these has appeared, though recently a Game Gear version was also located. Not very likely there are many of these floating around, as we can already judge from the single appearance of the Michale Jackson Gift Set and the perhaps once-per-year appearance of the Lucky Dime Caper Gift Set. Definitely a nice find. Comes, as you can see, in a clear plastic case with a special 'Sega' logo on the inside.

Daffy Duck in Hollywood Variant

Contributor : ruper Rarity rating : Rare Here is a recent find, one of those items that's sort-of been out there for awhile but no one really noticed until recently. This variant of Daffy Duck in Hollywood is not well understood yet. It appears to be a later-run Australian rerelease of the original(it may have appeared in Europe as well). It's easily recognized by the large letter 'G' you see at various points on the insert, but is the same otherwise. Also notable is the fact that a larger 'Sega Hotline' box is included on the back of the insert. This is one of the few examples of a Master System title with a rating attached to it.

Demo Carts and Cards

Contributor : smscollect Rarity rating : Scarce Here's a nice piece of SMS history that's relatively easy to accquire in terms of rarer items. Demo cartridges and cards were placed inside of demo units (see above) and in some cases store owners would simply order them to use in Master System units they'd have sitting on a shelf. Most of the time, they're the first run games that were released for the console, just with no label and a paper sticker on the back stating the game's title and that it's not for sale. In some cases, these have been found to be prototypes, but this isn't usual. Recently, sellers have been trying to sell these for large amounts of money in hopes of snagging new collectors, so if you are you should be aware that waiting is the best option in this case because normally one will appear within an auction from time to time. Otherwise, you can easily find one for a decent trade or price from a fellow collector.

Disney Gift Set

Contributor : rupert Rarity rating : Uncommon Though not as desirable to collectors as the Lucky Dime Caper Gift Set, the Disney Gift Set is still well-known and sought after. This special set only includes two games and nothing else, but is packaged in its own special box, as you see pictured here. Includes two of the greatest Disney titles released for the Master System: Castle of Illusion and The Lucky Dime Caper.

Foreign Variants

Contributor : motopaolo Rarity rating : Scarce This listing is general for a reason. It's well-known to most collectors that Master System titles, especially earlier ones, were often released with country-specific packaging, differing primarily in insert design and manuals. All of them aren't necessarily difficult to find, but a few, especially some Italian releases and the German Bank Panic card, are tricky. Variants exist for a variety of games and currently don't fetch high prices because of their interest to mainly variant collectors. The example you see here is an Italian version of The Lion King, clearly displaying differences in the insert language. This one caused a bit of a stir at first because no one had noticed it before, but since it's first appearance it's stepped down in rarity a bit. It's not easy to find, but not as difficult as first assumed. Earlier run titles with language adjustments to the inserts seem to be harder to find in general.

Hang On Red Release

Contributor : sega_australia Rarity rating : Unique As for card variants and oddities, this is by far the rarest of all. The so-called 'red' Hang On card was simply an older version of the regular card, which itself is fairly hard to find. This one, however, was essentially a demo version to show how the product would have looked in stores. The other is simply the regular release of the card. Because of this, there is currently only one red release. If you get a chance and happen to see another, grab it because that's probably the only other time it's going to appear.

Korean Releases

Contributor : schlingel Rarity rating : Very Rare This picture, as many other Korean images you see here, is brought to us by our resident, Korean-releases-master schlingel. Don't ask him for any! Anyway, this picture is just one example of the many Korean titles that have been located and collected over the past few years. They're easy to spot, and a number of them are regular releases seen throughout the rest of the world. However, there are a number that are unique to Korea, MSX hacks, or even pirates. One of them is even a pirated version of Super Mario Bros. for the Master System! Needless to say, for reasons like this they're highly sought after, but usually impossible to find in any condition but loose. If you should happen upon any in the condition you see in this picture, GRAB 'EM.

The Lucky Dime Caper Limited Edition Gift Set

Contributor : Onyx Rarity rating : Very Rare This is a very rare and sought after item. The limited edition boxed set of this game includes an audio music cassette, the game itself and a limited edition Donald duck T-shirt with the cover art from the game. The cassette features Disney tunes from some of their movies and cartoons, but the shirt itself is unique, there is no way to piece this set together separately since it was not printed in any other form. The same goes for the cassette, so if you happen upon this for a decent price, nab it, because it's been quite some time since one appeared on auctions sites.

Moonwalker Gift Set

Contributor : ninjabearhug Rarity rating : Unique This baby just goes to show you that you never know what may pop up in the SMS collecting scene. Discovered only recently, the Moonwalker set you see here is a sight to behold. Until now, no one was even aware of its existence until a fellow member nabbed one for hardly anything. A few different 'gift sets' were released, this one in particular including a VHS tape of the movie. The movie is, of course, in PAL format, but it's interesting to note that the game itself is the NTSC release, and not the Euro. The likelihood of someone not opening the package to get to the video and game is scant, and truth be told only two of these have appeared thus far.

NTSC Rereleases

Contributor : grolt Rarity rating : Rare One of the most painful experiences for any Master System collector out there who cares about variants are the dreaded NTSC releases. Seen as a way to increase the band name of "Sega" while the company prepared the release of the Genesis for the American market, they decided to repackage (including inserts, manuals, and game labels in some cases) several games that sold well or had some sort of market potential. The picture here shows all of them, in alphabetical order, but for a full list and story about these beauties, you can read about there on the site right here. Thanks to forum member grolt for the complete lay out. Some of them are quite rare in comparison to others, with Rambo and Out Run at the current head of a forum track record. Make sure you learn all about them before you dare to gather the horde.

Pirated Titles

Contributor : grolt Rarity rating : Unique We've already touched a little bit on the issue of pirates in Korea above, but there are known to be random appearances of these things in other countries. So far, they seem to only be located in Brazil, China (other parts of Asia as well), and Korea, areas known for being pirate heavens. There is no complete list of these things, but you can generally bet that most games could and may have been pirated in some form. The picture you see here is a Chinese pirate of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. As most pirates, they are easily recognizable by the often odd looking art or poor design. Sometimes they only appear loose with labels that have nothing to do with anything tagged on them. Either way, it's not easy to find them, but so far, other than the Korean version of Super Mario Bros. and Dr. Mario, the majority are well-known games that were just stolen.

Portugese Releases

Contributor : rupert Rarity rating : Scarce Along with a special Master System III unit sold in similar packaging, a set of sixteen games were released in Portugal with special designs. They are all easily recognizable by their distinct, purple/white-lined design and sometimes totally different artwork. My Hero and Transbot were released in a form totally unlike anything else in Europe, as you can see. It should also be noted that Sapo Xulé: S.O.S. Lagoa Poluida and Taz in Escape from Mars were also released, the only Tec Toy exclusives released outside of Brazil. Finding all of these games is not easy, but My Hero tends to pop up now and then so if you're looking for one that's easier to find it's your best bet. Here are pictured only a few, the complete list is as follows: Asterix and the Great Rescue, Bart vs the Space Mutants, Cheese Cat-Astrophe, Desert Speedtrap, Gamebox, Indiana Jones e a Ultima Crusada, The Jungle Book, Jurassic Park, The Lion King, My Hero, Road Rash, Sapo Xule S.O.S. Lagoa Poluida, Sonic Spinball, Spider-Man and the Return of the Sinister Six, Taz in Escape from Mars and Transbot.

Prototypes

Contributor : Benne Rarity rating : Very Rare Prototypes are simply early versions of games that were used for testing before actual production began. In most cases, there will be little difference between them and the actual games released in stores, but collectors should be aware that there may be slight differences or bugs in early versions. Prototypes can generally be said to be cheap for SMS fans if they were officially released, but if not, as a recent auction shows, they can catch quite a bit of money. Be aware that almost any game on the unreleased list on our site is a potential prototype just waiting to be discovered, so keep your eyes open. Some recent finds include the legendary Dinobasher prototype shown here, as well as an NTSC Super Racing.

Rental Games

Contributor : rupert Rarity rating : Scarce These aren't exactly the rarest thing in the world, but they're a nice little addition to a collection and usually fetch fairly low prices because of the current lack of interest. Rental games can be found in a variety of areas, but most usually Australian or Europe because of the Master System's higher level of popularity there. NTSC version are not unknown, but are certainly more difficult to find. This one pictured has its own special box, so it's notable for this. As most collectors probably know, rental games are usually chopped up versions of the original with printed manuals, but sometimes, as you see here, they can have their own unique packaging.

Sapo Xulé Figure

Contributor : Stan Rarity rating : Very Rare Here we have one of the few examples of toys that Tec Toy released in conjunction with different games (see TV Colosso entry below this for another example). Sapo Xulé was a well-known Brazilian cartoon character, who appeared in three different games for the Master System, all hacks of regular releases. This figure was released as well, and is roughly the size of a softball, with removable shoes and movable arms. It is currently unknown if he was sold in any sort of packaging or just loose as you see in the picture.

Sealed Games

Contributor : Andy Allison Rarity rating : Uncommon Please keep in mind that the picture here is for only one example of a sealed SMS title. Several games have been discovered thus far in this format and prices tend to be higher if the game itself is somewhat rare. Numerous examples have appeared in France, so if you're looking to pick one up for a decent price, start there. They were fairly rare a short while ago, but have become more common as time goes on and at least one sealed game appears on auction sites every two months. Interestingly, only certain games seem to appear in this form, and all of them have been later releases. It's likely this had something to do with eliminating older stock.

Sega Hotline Games

Contributor : psychofox Rarity rating : Uncommon Another cool item for collectors, and also not too difficult to find, are Sega Hotline games. These were the games held by Sega employees who ran hotlines for game tips and strategies. You'd call in, and they'd answer your questions. They had a library of games to refer to if they needed to, and they were usually cataloged and clearly marked with labels that say 'Sega Hotline' somewhere right on there. This is one of the many examples you can find, the majority of which come from Europe. The labels tend to always be on the cartridge and the back of the game insert. As with the rental games, a general lack of interest in collecting hotline games means you can usually get them for pretty cheap when they appear.

Smurfs Gift Set

Contributor : Stan Rarity rating : Rare Here is another example of a 'gift set'. The Smurfs gift set wasn't really a special release per se, just a rarer example of the typical, sealed game you see pictured above. However, for the Smurfs pack, a special figure was included that seems to be unique to this particular release. Only a few have been located thus far.

Sonic 2 "Master System II" Variant

Contributor : Bock Rarity rating : Very Rare One of the rarer European variants is the well-known, to us anyway, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 "Master System II" variant. This game is the same as the regular release with the exception of the insert, which you see here. What's different? As you can see near the top on the front, it clearly states 'Master System II' and features a bold 'Action' triangle at the top left, which you won't find on any other version, as well as "Master System II" near the back top of the insert. This particular title was a pack-in on a few European Master System II units, and for this reason it's very hard to come by. Very few copies are known to exist, primarily because the only different is the insert itself, the game is the same otherwise.

Tec Toy Exclusives

Contributor : rupert Rarity rating : Very Rare Though not all of these titles are rare, most hardcore Master System collectors know it's not easy at all to gather a complete collection of Tec Toy exclusives, not including the ever elusive hacks they also released, which don't really count. The games you see here were only released in Brazil for the Master System, and a number of them were late-run, making them difficult to find today, even loose. Most Brazilians tend to throw everything away but the game, much to the chagrin of the rest of us, so finding complete copies of these games because more ridiculous by the week. One of them., Mickey's Ultimate Challenge, is arguably one of the rarest Master System games of all. The games are, in alphabetical order; Ariel the Little Mermaid, Baku Baku, Battlemaniacs, Bonker's Wax Up, Castelo Ra Tim Bum, Dynamite Headdy, Earthworm Jim, Ecco: The Tides of Time, FIFA International Soccer, Fire and Ice, Legend of Illusion, Mickey's Ultimate Challenge, Mortal Kombat 3, Ren and Stimpy: Quest for the Shaven Yak, Sitio Do Pico Armarillo, Sonic Blast, Street Fighter II, Taz in Escape From Mars, Virtua Fighter Animation, and X-Men Mojo World. Good luck!

Telstar Double Value Packs

Contributor : rupert Rarity rating : Rare This item only recently popped up, though some collectors could remember seeing them. Telstar released these in the latter period of the Master System's life in the UK and advertised them on television. Two variants for the Master System have been found thus far. The one, pictured here, features The Lucky Dime Caper and The New Zealand Story. The other features Speedball 2 and The Terminator. These are similar to the Australian Double Packs (see separate entry above), but come in one large plastic case with a larger insert covering the two games, whereas the Australian version comes in its own special box.

Tokio Marine Mark III Cartridge

Contributor : Bock Rarity rating : Unique A very little known collectible for those of you out there with a fetish for the Mark III, the Tokio Marine cartridge it the rarest release for the system. Only one copy is known to exist, which sold in online auction for over 6500 Euros (auction was in Yen). Essentially, it contains little practice games for correct driving and such. A similar cartridge was released for the Famicom in Russia, but this was much more involved judging by pictures of it. It was released by Tokio Marine in the hopes of spreading good driving skills among Japan. Obviously it didn't work too well because there's only a single copy in a private collection at the moment. You can read more about this interesting cartridge. TV Colosso Figures Contributor : Stan Rarity rating : Very Rare Due to the fact that Tec Toy was also in the toy business, they released a few items in conjunction with different Master System releases. With the release of As Adventurs da TV Colosso, they released this set of four, small figures, based on the four main characters from the show. It is currently uncertain what they looked like in complete form. Pictured here are only the figures and what appears to be the label from the box or bag them came in.