Power Base Mini FM

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MN12BIRD

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Published on August 30, 2019 3:00:07 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzTFP7Z7bBA

Duration: 4:15

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Stumbled across the craziest thing on Facebook Marketplace the other day. The Power Base Mini FM made by DB Electronics (Sold by Stone Age Gamer) still sealed in the wrapper for $35 CAD (~$27 USD)

I've seen these before and know they sell for $65 USD (+ tax and shipping to Canada???) so I got a steal of a deal on this rare little converter. The guy said he was downsizing his collection and that's understandable. Probably selling his Master System games too (I didn't ask, probably should have!) but it's still crazy to find this here.

For those who don't know the Sega Master System in North America was based off of an older Japanese console called the Sega Mark III and in Japan there was an FM sound synthesizer add-on for the Mark III that could improve (or change) the way music sounded on Mark III games. There was later an updated version of the Master System released in Japan that had the FM sound chip built in. This FM sound option was never available in North America but the code is built into many of our Master System games to use the FM chip if it's there.

There have been several converters to play Master System games on the Sega Genesis including the official Power Base converter from Sega that (IIRC) launched with the Genesis in NA. This is simply an updated version that's smaller (in cartridge form factor) to play Master System games but also has this Yamaha FM sound chip from the Japanese Master System (or Mark III add-on) inside the cart to offer the FM music. The smaller form factor (compared to the Sega Power Base) allows this converter to easily work on the model 2 Genesis. Modification is needed for this (and other SMS converters) to work on the model 3 Genesis but it's possible. May work on some clone systems that aren't dumping to RAM like the Retron 5 and will not work on the Nomad or JVC X'Eye. Basically it will work on the Model 1 and 2, may work on the 3 with mods and might work on some "system on chip" style clones.