Sega-16 interviews former SoA president Tom Kalinkse

[NeoZeedeater]

And NeoZeedeater wonders why almost no one here ever owned a Master System.

Well, I highly doubt the SMS had only a 2% market share although it certainly got its ass kicked.

The SMS was available in stores in North America for over five years so it surprises me that a lot of people who are big into gaming(and Sega in general) don't recall playing it back in the day. It must be an age thing as I'm sure everyone here remembers the Saturn and Dreamcast even though they had shorter lifespans than the SMS here.

[BonusKun]

Read this from start to finish. Very nice read Melf. Thank you for posting it.

[Josh]

Read this from start to finish. Very nice read Melf. Thank you for posting it.

[RoleTroll]

Awesome read. Thanks a million.

[Dolemite]

It must be an age thing as I'm sure everyone here remembers the Saturn and Dreamcast

The who and the what?

[kingoffighters]

Well, I highly doubt the SMS had only a 2% market share although it certainly got its ass kicked.

The SMS was available in stores in North America for over five years so it surprises me that a lot of people who are big into gaming(and Sega in general) don't recall playing it back in the day. It must be an age thing as I'm sure everyone here remembers the Saturn and Dreamcast even though they had shorter lifespans than the SMS here.

Didn't Tonka took over distribution rights to the SMS for awhile there? That is when things really tanked for the SMS (prior to that I could still find SMS games in most stores). Maybe I am wrong tho, it has been so long.

[NeoZeedeater]

Didn't Tonka took over distribution rights to the SMS for awhile there? That is when things really tanked for the SMS (prior to that I could still find SMS games in most stores). Maybe I am wrong tho, it has been so long.

Yeah, Tonka was responsible for the distribution and marketing for the main part of the system's life. I read somewhere they took over in August of 1987 which was about a year after launch. Once the Genesis arrived, SoA took over the SMS distribution again although pretty much all the 1990/1991 releases were in limited quantities anyway.

[Advocate]

I think Tonka was the first to distribute the system. Then Sega took the reigns after they established themselves.

I believe.

Reason I think this is, because I had the Sega 3-D MS; with Space Harrier packed in and I remember seeing Tonka on the box.

[kingoffighters]

I think Sega marketed the SMS first, then handed it over to Tonka.

[NeoZeedeater]

I think Tonka was the first to distribute the system. Then Sega took the reigns after they established themselves.

I believe.

Reason I think this is, because I had the Sega 3-D MS; with Space Harrier packed in and I remember seeing Tonka on the box.

That's not a launch bundle though. I'm pretty sure it has been mentioned in a few history books(probably Phoenix and Ultimate History) that Sega initially distributed it in the US. In Canada it was Irwin.