Gaming enthusiasts probably already know that the SEGA Genesis / Mega Drive is a 16-bit home video game console first released during 1988 in Japan, followed by North America in 1989. However, did you know that it boasted several add-ons, including a Power Base Converter to play Master System games? That’s right, while it may not have any exterior Master System components, the Power Base Converter acted as a pass-through port, complete with two slots; a top slot for cartridge-based titles and a front slot for card-based games and accessories.
To ensure backwards compatibility, the original Master System central processor (Z80) and sound chip (SN76489) were integrated directly into the Genesis / Mega Drive. Plus, its new Video Display Processor is capable of the Master System VDP’s mode 4, so once a game is inserted, the system’s bus controller chip puts the Z80 in control, leaving the Genesis Motorola 68000 CISC idle.
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Not everything ran smoothly because there were slight differences in how the Genesis / Mega Drive control pads operate, so a few Master System games inadvertently caused the wrong set of inputs to be selected, thus preventing the input from working properly. In these rare cases, players must use a Master System controller, which weren’t exactly easy to find, or at least in North America at the time, since sales of the peripheral had ceased.
