SG-1000
Sega's first home console, released alongside the Famicom in Japan.
The SG-1000 was Sega’s first home video game console, built after the arcade market began to slump in 1982. Hayao Nakayama, who ran Sega’s Japanese division, pushed for the company to use its hardware know-how to enter the home console business. The SG-1000 launched in Japan on July 15, 1983—the very same day Nintendo released the Famicom—and saw limited distribution in Australia and New Zealand.
Sega released several versions of the SG-1000, including the SC-3000 computer and a redesigned model called the SG-1000 II in 1984. The original console and the SC-3000 both work with 51 ROM cartridge games and 29 Sega My Card games. A third version, the Mark III, arrived in 1985 with an improved video display processor; it later became the basis for the Master System, Sega’s first console sold internationally. All SG-1000 games are fully compatible with the Mark III and the Japanese Master System.
In the early 1980s, Sega was a top-five arcade manufacturer in the U.S., with revenues reaching $214 million. But the arcade downturn after 1982 hit hard, and parent company Gulf and Western sold off its North American arcade operations and licensing rights to Bally Manufacturing. Sega kept its U.S. R&D and its Japanese subsidiary. Nakayama convinced management to let him move into the home market. The first model developed was the SC-3000, a keyboard-equipped computer, but when Sega learned Nintendo was making a games-only console, it developed the SG-1000 alongside it. “SG” stands for “Sega Game,” and the console is sometimes called the “Mark I.” To keep costs low and ensure the hardware would last, Sega used common off-the-shelf components.
The SG-1000 launched in Japan at ¥15,000, alongside the SC-3000 and the upgraded SC-3000H. Sega itself only sold the SG-1000 in Japan, but rebranded versions appeared elsewhere. In November 1983, John Sands Electronics released the SC-3000 in Australia, and Grandstand Leisure did the same in New Zealand. The console also reached France, Italy, and Spain, but skipped the U.S., U.K., and Germany. An unauthorized clone called the Telegames Personal Arcade appeared in the U.S. and Taiwan, able to play both SG-1000 and ColecoVision games. Aaronix also released the SG-1000 in Taiwan, where it enjoyed brief popularity before cheaper Famicom clones took over.
Quick Facts
- Manufacturer
- Sega
- Generation
- Third
- Release Date
- SG-1000/SC-3000JP · July 15, 1983 · AUS · November 1983SG-1000 IIJP · July 31, 1984 · TW · 1986
- Discontinued
- SG-1000JP · July 1984SG-1000 IIJP · October 1985
- Media
- ROM cartridge, compact cassette, Sega My Card
- Cpu
- Zilog Z80A
- Cpu Speed
- 3.58 MHz
- Memory
- 1 KB RAM (SG-1000) / 2 KB RAM (SC-3000) / 16 KB VRAM
- Display
- 256 × 192, 16 colors, 32 sprites
- Graphics
- Texas Instruments TMS9918A
- Sound
- Texas Instruments SN76489AN
- Successor
- Master System
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
In the early 1980s, Sega was a top arcade manufacturer until a downturn in the arcade business starting in 1982 seriously hurt the company. Gulf and Western sold Sega's North American arcade manufacturing but retained the Japanese subsidiary. Sega Enterprises, Ltd. president Hayao Nakayama advocated moving into the home console market, and received permission to proceed. The first model developed was the SC-3000 computer, but when Sega learned of Nintendo's plans for a games-only console, they developed the SG-1000 alongside it. The "SG" stands for "Sega Game", and the console is sometimes called the "Mark I". Sega used popular off-the-shelf components to keep costs down.
The SG-1000 was released in several forms, including the SC-3000 computer and the redesigned SG-1000 II released in 1984. The SG-1000 II replaced the hardwired joystick with two detachable joypads. A third iteration, the Mark III, was released in 1985 with an improved video display processor and served as the basis for the Master System in 1986. All SG-1000 games are fully compatible with the Mark III and the Japanese Master System. The console saw releases in France, Italy, and Spain, but not in the United States, United Kingdom, or Germany. An unauthorized clone, the Telegames Personal Arcade, was produced in the US and Taiwan.
Reader's Guide
The SG-1000 holds significance as Sega's first home console, marking the company's transition from arcade manufacturing to the home market. Its release on the same day as Nintendo's Famicom set the stage for a rivalry that would define the industry. The console sold 160,000 units in 1983, far exceeding Sega's projection of 50,000, which led the company to become more invested in console development. However, the Famicom's superior hardware and third-party support eventually outpaced the SG-1000. The console's legacy includes the SG-1000 II and the Mark III, which evolved into the Master System, Sega's first internationally released console. The system's library of 51 cartridge games and 29 My Card titles included early work by Yuji Naka, who later created Sonic the Hedgehog. The SG-1000 also saw licensed clones like the Othello Multivision and the Telegames Personal Arcade, extending its reach beyond official markets.
Did You Know?
- The SG-1000 was released on the same day as Nintendo's Family Computer in Japan.
- The console's name 'SG' stands for 'Sega Game'.
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