Difference between revisions of "FM Sound Unit"
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==Hardware== | ==Hardware== | ||
| − | The FM Sound Unit contains a [[YM2413]] FM chip that acts | + | The FM Sound Unit contains a [[YM2413]] FM synthesizer chip that acts in lieu of the built-in [[SN76489]] PSG chip, featuring nine mono sound channels. When the redesigned [[Sega Master System]] hit the Japanese market, the FM Sound Unit was built-in to the console (though it is absent from international releases). |
Unfortunately not all Mark III or Sega Master System games made use of this feature. The unit was not built into the [[Sega Mega Drive]] or [[Power Base Converter]], so these extra features cannot be activated when playing Master System games on Sega's 16-bit console. | Unfortunately not all Mark III or Sega Master System games made use of this feature. The unit was not built into the [[Sega Mega Drive]] or [[Power Base Converter]], so these extra features cannot be activated when playing Master System games on Sega's 16-bit console. | ||
Revision as of 15:39, 6 December 2023
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| FM Sound Unit | ||||||||||
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| Made for: Sega Mark III | ||||||||||
| Manufacturer: Sega | ||||||||||
| Type: Add-on | ||||||||||
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FM Sound Unit (FMサウンドユニット) is an add-on for the Sega Mark III used to enhance the sound output of certain Mark III games. It was sold in Japan from 1987 for ¥6,800.
Contents
Hardware
The FM Sound Unit contains a YM2413 FM synthesizer chip that acts in lieu of the built-in SN76489 PSG chip, featuring nine mono sound channels. When the redesigned Sega Master System hit the Japanese market, the FM Sound Unit was built-in to the console (though it is absent from international releases).
Unfortunately not all Mark III or Sega Master System games made use of this feature. The unit was not built into the Sega Mega Drive or Power Base Converter, so these extra features cannot be activated when playing Master System games on Sega's 16-bit console.
Compatibility
- After Burner (1987)
- Alex Kidd BMX Trial (1987)
- Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars (1986)
- Alien Syndrome (1987)
- Aztec Adventure: The Golden Road to Paradise (1987)
- Blade Eagle (1988)
- Bomber Raid (1989)
- Captain Silver (1988)
- Chouon Senshi Borgman (1988)
- Double Dragon (1988)
- Fantasy Zone II: The Tears of Opa-Opa (1987)
- Fantasy Zone: The Maze (1987)
- Galactic Protector (1988)
- Game de Check! Koutsuu Anzen (1988)
- Golvellius (1988)
- Great Golf (1987)
- Hoshi o Sagashite... (1988)
- Kenseiden (1988)
- Kujaku Ou (1988)
- Lord of the Sword (1988)
- Mahjong Sengoku Jidai (1987)
- Maze Hunter 3D (1988)
- Megumi Rescue (1988)
- Miracle Warriors: Seal of the Dark Lord (1987)
- Nekkyuu Koushien (1988)
- OutRun (1986)
- Parlour Games (1987)
- Penguin Land (1987)
- Phantasy Star (1987)
- Power Strike (1988)
- R-Type (1988)
- SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative (1987)
- Shinobi (1987)
- Solomon no Kagi: Oujo Rihita no Namida (1988)
- Space Harrier 3D (1988)
- Super Racing (1988)
- Tensai Bakabon (1988)
- Thunder Blade (1987)
- Wonder Boy in Monster Land (1987)
- Ys: Ancient Ys Vanished Omen (1988)
- Zaxxon 3D (1987)
- Zillion II: The Tri Formation (1987)
Note: Only the Japanese versions of Phantasy Star and Ys: The Vanished Omens have FM Sound Unit support.
The following games have FM soundtracks but were not released in Japan:
- Altered Beast (1988)
- California Games (1989)
- Casino Games (1989)
- Cloud Master (1989)
- Galaxy Force (1988)
- Golfamania (1990)
- OutRun 3D (1989)
- Poseidon Wars 3D (1989)
- Rampage (1988)
- Rastan (1989)
- Rescue Mission (1988)
- Scramble Spirits (1988)
- Shanghai (1988)
- Tennis Ace (1989)
- Time Soldiers (1989)
- Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar (1990)
- Vigilante (1989)
- Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap (1989)
Out of these, only Wonder Boy III is known to have been released in South Korea. However, the FM audio in Wonder Boy III will only function with a Japanese system equipped with FM audio capabilities; Western consoles modified with FM audio use PSG due to the game's region detection code. However, the Wii Virtual Console version allows using the FM audio.
Great Baseball (1985), Pit Pot and Teddy Boy Blues have control issues when the FM Sound Unit is connected, and Sega included a special notice with the add-on to let owners know of these compatibility issues.
Physical scans
| Master System, JP |
|---|
 Cover
|
 Manual |
Production credits
- Concept: Yuji Naka
- Sound Driver: Kazuhiko Nagai
External links
- Sega of Japan catalogue pages (Japanese): Master System
References
- ↑ http://sega.jp/fb/segahard/mk3/fmsound.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-11-22 09:44)
- ↑ OutRun 20th Anniversary Box, Booklet pg. 44
- ↑ https://sbtransr02.wixsite.com/kazuhiko-nagai/my-works-1
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