Sega Master System

1st Logo (October 20, 1985-1996)
Logo: On a black background, the letters in the Sega logo slide in. When they stop, "MASTER SYSTEM" appears below, along with a copyright date.

FX/SFX: The letters sliding, "Master System" appearing.

Music/Sounds: A rising synth note, then the two-note "SEGA!" jingle.

Availability: Rare. 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. In these regions, the logo is uncommon, as retro game stalls and markets are likely to have Master Systems going cheap. However, you do not see this logo when starting up an SMS game on the Wii Virtual Console.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo (1987, 2015)
Logo: 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 (which means "Turn off the power, please put in software." in Japanese), 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.

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

Variant: Japanese versions of the Master System Nintendo 3DS Home Menu theme features this intro, but it is still (the floor doesn't move, remains and the stars do not shine), and the 1987 copyright date was replaced with a 2015 copyright date, the version number is different and the top section of the Japanese text has been changed.

FX/SFX: The floor moving, the fluorescent floor, the stars shining, and occasionally, a shooting star will be shown.

Music/Sounds: A rearrangement of the main theme to Space Harrier, which can be heard in 8-bit format or in prototype 16-bit form where Sega was experimenting with the newly developed FM Sound Unit.

Availability: Extremely rare. 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.

Editor's Note: None.