The museum thread
Why this brand matters
Sega's console history illustrates rapid architectural escalation: SG-1000 and Master System stayed close to the Z80/TMS9918 lineage, Mega Drive paired a 68000 with a Z80, and Saturn and Dreamcast became increasingly complex multi-processor systems.
The Master System exhibit therefore sits at the beginning of a much larger hardware arc, not as an isolated 8-bit console.
Major machines and families
This is a historical map of the machines relevant to this museum's story, not merely a list of the models currently emulated.
| Period | Machine / family | Why it belongs in the story | Museum status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | SG-1000 | Sega's first cartridge home console, sharing broad architectural ideas with contemporary Z80/TMS9918 systems | Not yet emulated |
| 1985–1986 | Mark III / Master System | Z80 console with enhanced video hardware and FM sound options in some markets | Playable: Master System |
| 1988 | Mega Drive / Genesis | Motorola 68000 + Z80 16-bit console that became Sega's mass-market high point | Not yet emulated |
| 1990 | Game Gear | Colour handheld closely related to Master System architecture | Not yet emulated |
| 1994 | Saturn | Complex multi-processor 2D/3D console built around dual SH-2 CPUs | Not yet emulated |
| 1998 | Dreamcast | SH-4 / PowerVR console with modem and modern 3D architecture | Not yet emulated |
Continue the story
Sega in context
Brand histories overlap: CPUs, operating systems, standards, classroom adoption and software ecosystems routinely crossed manufacturer boundaries.
Technical specifications and chronology on this manufacturer page are intended to remain traceable to original documentation and established archives. See the source path for this family →