The Sega Game 1000, more commonly known as the SG-1000, was Segas first home video games console. It was famously released for ¥15,000 in Japan on July 15, 1983. Unfortunately, the Nintendo Famicom was released the same day for ¥14,800; Talk about bad luck!!
Not only was the Famicom released with amazing games like the arcade port Donkey Kong, it was also vastly superior from a technical point of view. The console did enjoy some success though and was sold in Australia, New Zealand and various parts of Europe. It was never released in North America though.
The original SG-1000, known as the Mark I, had a good looking, refreshing design. It was pretty simplistic with a cartridge slot on the top and a power button on the front. A hard-wired controller was connected to the back of the console.
The controller had a joystick in the middle and a button at either side. Most people remember this controller as being tough to move and unresponsive.
A year after launch (1984), Sega released a redesigned version of the SG-1000 called the SG-1000 II (known as the Mark II). It was practically the same as the Mark I console from a functionality point of view except there was a connection port which allowed you to connect to a SK-1100 keyboard.
The controller was no longer hard-wired and there was an additional port to accommodate a second controller. The joystick was replaced by controllers which were very similar to the Famicoms.
A computer version of the SG-1000 with a built in keyboard was released around the same time as the Mark II. It was known as the SC-3000 and managed to outsell both SG-1000 consoles. Games from the SC-3000 could be played on the SG-1000 except from certain music and programming applications.
Sega also released an accessory called the Card Catcher around the same time they released their redesigned SG-1000. The Card Catcher would allow users to play Sega Game Card software. This add on was included in the Mark III, which was later known worldwide as the Sega Master System.
The release of the Mark III signalled the end of Segas first home games console.
Specifications
The SG-1000 used a clone of the popular Zilog Z80 CPU (NEC 780C), which was clocked around 3.58 Mhz. It had 16kb of RAM and 128kb of VRAM.
It used a Texas Instruments TMS9928A graphics chip to display up to 16 colours in it’s 256×192 pixel resolution. It also had a Texas Instruments SN76489 to produce 4 channels of mono sound. The whole system was technically identical to the ColecoVision, which was released in North America in 1982.
The Mark 1 system had one controller hard wired to it. The Mark II had two ports for detachable controllers to be connected.
Complete Game List
007 James Bond – Tsukuda Original
3-nin Mahjong – Tsukuda Original
Bank Panic – Sega –
Bank Panic – John Sands
Basic Level II – Sega
Basic Level II – Sega
Basic Level IIB – Sega
Basic Level IIIA – Sega
Basic Level IIIA – Grandstand
Basic Level IIIB – Grandstand
Basic Level IIIB – John Sands
Basic Level IIIB – Sega
Basic SK-III – Sega
Black Onyx, The – Sega
Bomb Jack – Sega
Borderline – Sega
Borderline – Grandstand
Borderline – John Sands
Butsuri (Energy-hen)
Butsuri (Undou to Chikara-hen)
C_So! – Sega
Castle, The – Sega
Chack’n Pop – Sega
Challenge Derby – Tsukuda Original
Champion Baseball – Grandstand
Champion Baseball – John Sands
Champion Baseball – Sega
Champion Billiards – Sega
Champion Boxing – Sega
Champion Boxing – Grandstand
Champion Boxing (My Card) – Sega
Champion Golf – Sega
Champion Golf – Grandstand
Champion Golf – John Sands
Champion Golf (My Card) – Sega
Champion Ice Hockey – Sega
Champion Kendo – Sega
Champion Pro Wrestling – Sega
Champion Soccer – Sega
Champion Tennis – Sega
Champion Tennis – John Sands
Champion Tennis – Grandstand
Championship Lode Runner – Sega
Choplifter – Sega
Chuugaku Hisshuu Ei Bunpou (Chuugaku 1 Nensei You) – Sega
Chuugaku Hisshuu Ei Bunpou (Chuugaku 2 Nensei You) – Sega
Chuugaku Hisshuu Ei Sakubun (Chuugaku 1 Nensei You) – Sega
Chuugaku Hisshuu Ei Sakubun (Chuugaku 2 Nensei You) – Sega
Chuugaku Hisshuu Ei Tango (Chuugaku 1 Nensei You) – Sega
Chuugaku Hisshuu Ei Tango (Chuugaku 2 Nensei You) – Sega
Congo Bongo – Grandstand
Congo Bongo – John Sands
Congo Bongo – Sega
Dokidoki Penguin Land – Sega
Dorooru – Sega
Dragon Wang – Sega
Elevator Action – Sega
Exerion – Grandstand
Exerion – John Sands
Exerion – Sega
Flicky – Sega
Flicky – Grandstand
Girl’s Garden – Sega
Golgo 13 – Sega
GP World – Sega
Gulkave – Sega
Guzzler -Tsukuda Original
Hang On II – Sega
Hero – Sega –
Home Basic – Sega
Home Basic Level IIB – Sega
Home Mahjong – Sega
Home Mahjong (Black Package) – Sega
Hustle Chumy – Sega
Kagaku (Genso Kigou Master) – Sega
Konami no Hyper Sports – Sega – 1985
Konami no Shinnyuu Shain Toorukun – Sega
Lode Runner – Grandstand
Lode Runner – Sega
Mahjong – Sega
Monaco GP – Sega
Monaco GP – Grandstand
Monaco GP – John Sands
Monaco GP (My Card) – Sega
Music – Sega
Music – Grandstand
Music – Sega
N-Sub – Sega
N-Sub – Grandstand
N-Sub – John Sands
Nihonshi Nenpyou – Sega
Ninja Princess Sega
Okamoto Ayako no Match Play Golf – Tsukuda Original
Orguss – Grandstand
Orguss – John Sands
Orguss – Sega
Othello – Sega
Pacar – Sega
Pacar – Grandstand
Pacar – John Sands
Pachinko – Sega
Pachinko II – Sega
Pitfall II – Sega
Pop Flamer – Grandstand
Pop Flamer – John Sands
Pop Flamer – Sega
Q*bert – Tsukuda Original
Rock’n Bolt – Sega
Safari Hunting – Sega
Safari Hunting – Grandstand
Safari Hunting – John Sands
Safari Race – John Sands
Safari Race – Grandstand
Safari Race – Sega
Sega Flipper – Sega
Sega Flipper – John Sands
Sega Galaga – Sega
Sekaishi Nenpyou – Sega
Serizawa Hachidan no Tsume Shougi – Sega
Sindbad Mystery – Sega
Sindbad Mystery – John Sands
Sindbad Mystery – Grandstand
Soukoban – Sega
Space Armor – Tsukuda Original
Space Invader – Sega
Space Mountain – Tsukuda Original
Space Slalom – Sega
Star Force – Sega
Star Force (My Card) – Sega
Star Jacker – Sega
Star Jacker – Grandstand
Star Jacker – John Sands
Super Tank – Sega
Tanoshii Sansuu (Shougaku 4 Nensei Shita) – Sega
Tanoshii Sansuu (Shougaku 4 Nensei Ue) – Sega
Tanoshii Sansuu (Shougaku 5 Nensei Shita) – Sega
Tanoshii Sansuu (Shougaku 5 Nensei Ue) – Sega
Tanoshii Sansuu (Shougaku 6 Nensei Shita) – Sega
Tanoshii Sansuu (Shougaku 6 Nensei Ue) – Sega
Terebi Oekaki – Sega
Uranai Angel Cutie – Sega
Video Flipper – Grandstand
Wonder Boy – Sega
Yamato – Grandstand
Yamato – John Sands
Yamato – Sega
Zaxxon – Sega
Zippy Race – Sega
Zippy Race (My Card) – Sega
Zoom 909 – Sega
Videos
A Sega SG-1000 Mark II commercial from Japan.
Another SG-1000 commercial from 80s Japan.
A review of the Sega SG-1000 Mark II.
Monaco GP
Hustle Chumy
