State of the union: Enduro Racer & Master System ’87 overview | Segaiden #045

Master System has been a pretty wild ride so far, huh? Unfortunately, the software and tech highs that Sega brought to the table failed to make the headway you might expect (and that they deserved to) against Nintendo's head start with the NES, and this episode opens with a comparative look at the two consoles in summer 1987. And it's all tied to a less-than-wild ride: A very underwhelming reinvention of Super Scaler dirtbike coin-op Enduro Racer for console, which became even less whelming in its transition from Mark III to Master System. Of course, this one mediocre racer didn't cause Master System to slip so far behind NES's American market share. It's just one of those things. Production notes: Why watch when you can read? Check out the massive hardcover print editions of NES Works, Super NES Works, and Virtual Boy works, available now at Limited Run Games (https://limitedrungames.com/collections/books)! Look forward to SG-1000 Works: Segaiden Vol. I, due July 2023. Video Works is funded via Patreon (http://www.patreon.com/gamespite) — support the show and get access to every episode up to two weeks in advance of its YouTube debut! Plus, exclusive podcasts, eBooks, and more! Master System footage captured from U.S. carts running through a cart adapter on Sega Mark III hardware with FM Sound Unit and RGB bypass modification by iFixRetro. Most arcade and Light Phaser footage captured from MiSTer, with thanks to MiSTerAddOns. Video upscaled to 720 with xRGB Mini Framemeister. RGB cables courtesy of StoneAgeGamer.com and Allie Bellrose.