A "new"addition to my other hobby, video games: Sega Mark III

I'm one of those guys that has more than one hobby.  At times I wish I could just focus on one thing (Transformers), but my interests are varied and I find myself at times needing a "break".  Video games have always been that nice distraction or break.  I often go months without playing a video game, only to play them non-stop a day later.

I tend to call myself a video gamer over a video game collector, but that line often gets blurred when I discover something new.  The new in this case is the Sega Mark III.  What is that you may ask?  Well it's essentially the Japanese version of the Sega Master System.  It's not quite the same as there are some major differences.  When I first read about this in a import magazine I bought at the mall a few months back, I could feel that collecting itch coming on.  After doing a lot of research I decided to keep my eyes open for what I deemed a good deal.  Little did I know that deal would land in my lap only a few weeks later.

If I'm going to import a video game console from overseas, I might as well get one that is complete w/ it's original packaging.  Pretty cool, huh?  I consider myself lucky to have found a complete set up for what I paid, however once the package arrived I had a better idea of why I got it on the cheap end.  The console itself is white...or used to be.  Like a lot of white plastic, it has yellowed overtime.  I kinda thought that would be the case by the pictures the seller had, but I still thought "why not".  While I would have preferred a white console, I wasn't about to drop $300+ that a lot of the better cosmetic looking ones bring.

If you are video game hardware savy you may have noticed Sega took a cue from Nintendo's Famicom system in the fact that the controllers are stored on each side of the console.  Unlike the Famicom however, the controllers are not hardwired into the console itself.  You can also easily see just how yellowed the console as compared to the controllers.

Speaking of the controllers, they are small, but fit comfortably in my large adult hands.  I'd say they are comparable w/ an NES controller, but I prefer the rounded edges.  The controller wire comes out the side of the controller as opposed to the top on most traditional joy pad type controllers.  For the most part this isn't a big issue, however I prefer the cord to be positioned in the top as to not obstruct anything.  The plugs on these controllers feature the same shape and pin configuration as the Sega Master System and Sega Genesis / Mega Drive.  These pads unlike the Master System's, feature a small joystick ball that can screw into the center of the directional pad.  I don't care for that feature, but it's a nice option for those that do.

 

Located on the back of the console you'll find the power switch, AC Adapter outlet and A/V cord input.  I find out odd Sega put the power switch on the rear of the console, especially with so much room available on the front.  The other input is for the FM Sound Adapter.  The system does not have an FM sound chip inside, but an adapter was sold separately to take advantage of certain games' extra sound chip.  There was also a wireless adapter accessory sold to hook up the console to your TV.  I find that very impressive for 1980's technology!

The Mark III accepts cartridges and Sega Cards.  The pin configuration for the cartridges is sadly NOT the same as the U.S. Master System.  However I believe the U.S. card based games are compatible, though I have not tried that myself.  The Mark III is backwards compatible with earlier versions of the 8-bit Sega hardware, such as the Sega SG-3000.

On the top of the console you'll find a small black door that covers the cartridge port and a yellow pause button.  Beside the pause button is a red LED power light.  See, there is plenty of room here for a on/off switch!

The Mark III cartridges remind me of Atari cartridges, just on steroids.  They are large and hang out the top of the console a good bit.

  

Games come in two varieties.  The Mark III / SG-3000 games come in white cardboard boxes and the cartridges feature an off white plastic shell.  The Mark III / Master System games come in gold boxes and feature a black plastic shell.

This game is called Akai Koudan Triformation, or Zillion II in the U.S..  It's plays a lot like Metroid in my opinion.  If you notice in the bottom left corner of the box, you'll see a blue FM logo.  This is to signify that the game takes advantage of the FM sound chip for improved audio...if you have the adapter.  The Japanese version of the Master System however has the FM sound chip pre-installed.  Had I known that I might have held out for a JPN Master System instead.

The cartridge does have a top label.  This comes in handy for all those loose carts you may have on your shelves.  Unlike the Master System games, at least you can see what game you have without having to pull it out and off your shelf.

My favorite aspect of these carts are the big, bright and colorful labels.  I'm a huge fan of the artwork a lot of these games feature and was a huge selling point for me.  The included instructions are printed in a monochrome red ink.

Above are some good comparison shots of a U.S. Master System case and game along w/ the Mark III game.  While I love the clam shell cases U.S. SMS games come in, I prefer the smaller size of the Mark III boxes and of course the cartridge labels.

At this point in time I only have a few games, but I have made a wish list of titles for the future.  There are several exclusive games for the console, however many are the same titles that were released in the West.  I said earlier I was riding the fence between gamer and collector here and I think w/ the Mark III, this is definitely more for the collector.  That's not to say this won't be played.  Oh no, it's already hooked up and sitting next to my model 1 Sega Genesis.  In fact I'm waiting for another game to come from Japan as we speak.

Part of the draw for me w/ this system is simple.  I snubbed Sega in those early years.  I was a Nintendo fanboy.  It wasn't until I was introduced to the Dreamcast did I really become a fan of Sega.  Ever since I've been looking backwards at all the cool stuff I missed out on.  Just when I thought I knew everything there was about Sega, I discovered the SMS pre-cursor hardware and software.  I doubt I'll go back any further, but I do look forward to expanding my Mark III library at some point in the near future.

Walt Disney World Bound!

It's been close to 4 years since my last real vacation.  I mean taking a full week off from work and having the weekend to bookend the time off.  By the time this posts, I'll be on the road w/ my family heading down to Orlando, FL to spend the next 6 days. 

At breakfast this morning I came to the realization that it's been close to 20 years since I've been to Disney World.  I'm sure a lot has changed at the parks since I last visited, so I'm eager to see what is new.  Of course I'm more eager to see how my two daughters react to everything.

Olivia just turned 4 last week and Winnie is now approaching 2 1/2.  They both adore the Disney Princesses, especially Ariel (the Little Mermaid).  They will absolutely FREAK out tomorrow when we check into our Little Mermaid themed room on the Disney grounds.

I mention all of this here, 1) because I'm super excited myself and 2) it'll be a little quite here on the blog front until I return.  I was hoping to have a few posts to schedule while I was gone, but I just got too carried away in photographing toys for future posts.  Just the other day before I left, I uploaded nearly 250 pictures!  Kre-O, Web Diver, G1 and even a Mugenbine set I've had sitting around for a few years.

So, I hope everyone has a GREAT week and I'll catch you later.

Transformers 2009 Botcon: Razorclaw

It seems a recent trend I've started is to document items I longer desire to keep and plan on selling in the near future.  This is one of those items, 2009 Botcon exclusive Razorclaw.

When this mold was first released in the Galaxy Force series in Japan I loved it.  Looking back I have no idea why as this toy is seriously flawed.  Leave out the "savage arm" mode and Force Chip gimmick and perhaps it could salvage this toy.  Maybe.

I didn't attended Botcon in 2009 so this was a toy I had to obtain via the secondary market.  I wanted this figure so bad I made a very stupid trade...one that I still take frying pan to my head.  I traded away a MIB, complete Robot Masters exclusive black LioConvoy.  Yeah, I know...I'm stupid.

Razorclaw is a redeco Ligerjack/Leobreaker from Galaxy Force/Cybertron done up in a G1 Predacon Razorclaw homage.  A lot of people thought this mold would be repainted into Razorclaw when it was first released, but without the rest of his Predacon crew and the ability to combine, what's the point?

If you'll notice this version of Razorclaw really isn't a Decepticon.  See the Predacon faction symbols?  With these symbols and the cyber key included I believe this character has been worked into the 2006 Dawn of Future's Past Botcon theme.

The included cyber key is the same key that came with the majority of the toys in the 2006 Botcon box set.  It's essentially the key that came with Master Megatron, repainted like one of the golden disks from Beast Wars.

Plug the key into either port on the side of Razorclaw's forearms and it will unlock and flip down a set of claws.  Silly gimmick, but I guess the kids fall for them so the toy manufacturers keep relying on stuff like this.

While Fun Publication may have done a good job with the coloring of the figure and new head sculpt, not much can really save this figure.  Both gimmicks I already eluded to really hinder this figure.  And yes, you can transform Razorclaw into his "savage arm" mode and attach to either Optimus Prime or Megatron from Galaxy Force/Cybertron series'.  Why you would want to though is beyond me.

I can't recommend this figure unless you must have every iteration of the character or you're just a Botcon exclusive completionist.  This was one figure I was so glad to part ways with a few months ago at Charticon.  Farewell...you piece of garbage.

Transformers Car Robots: Super Indy Heat (Jusco exclusive)

Ah, Car Robots (or Robots in Disguise in the west). The line that brought many back into the Transformers fold that were turned off by the "beast series". I sure can remember my excitement when I first saw the first few figures solicited online. In fact I'm pretty sure I screamed like a little girl.

One aspect of the series I enjoyed so much was the diversity of the toys. Of course you had vehicular Cybertrons (Autobots) versus the beast Destrons (Decepticons), but the toys themselves didn't share the same aesthetics. You had new molds like Speedbreaker and the train combiner, JRX, and then we had a few molds that were familiar. The Spychangers, a personal favorite of mine, had already been used in the U.S. Generation 2 line. The spring loaded "flip changers" from the Machine Wars series also made an appearance. The indy car as Indy Heat and the tow truck as Wrecker Hook. I embraced these molds originally so I importing these two new decos were a no brainer for myself. It was years later that I discovered their store exclusive variations.

Super Indy Heat is a translucent blue and white release offered exclusively at Jusco stores in August of 2000 in Japan. He actually was a freebie given away w/ the purchase of the JRX giftset. Never have I paid so much for a free toy before! Super Indy Heat comes packaged in a clear bag w/ lots of text that I can't read. At the top are 4 small and simple transformation steps. Well actually steps 2-4 just show where the gun pieces are stored and how to assemble them.

Out of the bag, this toy is really nice looking. I don't always care for translucent Transformers, so I'm glad Takara added some white paint apps to go along w/ the white plastic bits. The mold itself hasn't been altered at all, so if you are familiar with any of the other versions of this mold, then you know what you're getting here.

  

The blue and white color scheme, combined with the blue translucent plastic just scream Mirage. Wonder if the choice of blue translucent plastic was meant to homage Mirage?

One observation I wanted to make is that there were clear rubber bands around the middle of the toy. I'm sure these were put into place to safeguard the spring mechanism from popping loose. When I cut the bands off, I noticed one arm / side of the car didn't want to line up properly. I eventually got it back into place and in line with the rest of the car (I think). I also noticed the spoiler didn't want to pop loose from the back of the car for the transformation very easily. I guess those are the risks of buying 13 year old toys.

And so not to ever forget when this exclusive toy was released, Takara was kind enough to place the year right on Indy Heat's spoiler. Cheesy? Doesn't bother me much.

Lift the rear spoiler and the car basically unfolds and transforms into robot mode in one easy step. You can unpeg the legs and re-position the arms to your liking. Articulation is decent for a late 90's mold. He actually has two joints in the legs, but because the front of the car hangs over so far it limits the legs range of motion. The elbows are ball joints, but the car parts again kind of get in the way here. Just like all the other versions of this mold, his weapon is stored in two parts in the inner portion of his legs.

I always thought of this weapon being more of a pistol w/ an optional silencer the both pieces forming one larger gun. As you can see his face is a bright orange to match his '20' on his chest. The head does feature light piping which is always a welcomed touch.

Not counting this release, this mold has been 5 other times. Machine Wars Mirage & Prowl, RID Skid-Z, Robot Masters Ligier and of course the regular Car Robots release. Super Indy Heat completed the set for me. He wasn't an easy find either. Or let's say a cheap find. He would show up from time to time, but he'd always been way overpriced. Let's just say he was on my radar for the last 6-8 years and I finally found a sealed specimen with a price I was comfortable paying via a Yahoo! Japan auction some time ago. This isn't the best Car Robots toy in the series by far, but it's one I've always enjoyed and the thrill of the hunt was exciting to say the least.

Transformers Suntory Boss Coffee: Megatron

A few months back I shared a sort of oddity in my Transformers collection, a Suntory Boss Coffee PVC figure of Astrotrain. What good is a Decepticon without his leader?

Megatron features a fairly accurate on screen look, lacking of course paint apps.  Made of a soft PVC plastic, this little guy fits nicely into my miscellaneous items.  While it's no Myclone figure, I still really dig these.

I loved how the Nemesis ship sat at the bottom of the ocean in the old G1 cartoon, so I was excited to see this image from the show on one side of the paper insert.

I originally had the entire series of these PVCs, but for whatever reason these are the only two that I can put my hands on.  Guess that's the problem of having so many dang toys!

Reorganizing

By now you've probably noticed or even used the category links at the top of the blog.  I'm kind of anal when it comes to organizing stuff, so I just had to move some things around.

First you may notice a new tab exclusively for Third Party Transformers.  While I haven't reviewed many at this point in time, I have a lot that I haven't typed a review for yet, or simply haven't even opened!  Yes, I have 4 of the FansProject Stunticons, FP's Assaulter, Mastermind Creations' Hexatron and all 5 of TFC's Uranos figures that I haven't even touched!

Next I moved some things around on the Transformers tab.  I broke up the multi categories (like Energon/Superlink or Classics/Generations/Henkei!/United) and gave them each their own listing.  You'll also notice most sections now have their respective toy logo!

A few new categories were added such as Alternity and Robot Masters as I hope to eventually grab some items off the shelf to review.  I've been sitting on an Alternity Goldbug that I can't wait to open up!

Lastly I added a section for Battle Beasts under the 80's/90's tab.  I picked up several while at Charticon a few months ago and I want to show those off at some point too.

That's about it for now.  As I continue to sell unwanted items that are in my way and free up some clutter at home, I'll be able to get to more toy reviews.  In the mean time, thank you all who regularly stop by and read and comment.  Make sure to Like us on Facebook and engage there as well in the conversation.

Transformers Prime Beast Hunters: Bumblebee

So are you as sick of Bumblebee as I? Then you may be asking why did I buy this? Well the answer is easy...it was on sale so it was more of a impulse buy...and one I regret. Thankfully however I made some kid's day in August when I sold him at Charticon.

 

The premise here (at least for the toy line) is that the Autobots bulk themselves up to ready for battle against the Predacons. Now had these upgrades appeared in season 3 of Transformers Prime, I'm sure myself and possibly others would have been more interested. However that is not the case and these toys just feel unneeded. If Hasbro can release another version of Bumblebee however, it seems as if they'll pull all stops to do so.

This is just a retooled Prime RID mold. Throw on some spikes, missiles on the doors of the car and you have a "new" Bumblebee. Blah. Plastic feels cheap and the toy looks goofy. Argh! Major buyer's remorse!

The packaging calls his weapon Eagleshot Bow. While I do find this new weapon remotely cool, attaching it to the top of the car just doesn't do anything for me.

Transformation is exactly the same as the base BB toy. I guess this is just one of those love it or hate it figures. I'll go w/ the latter. I still have a hard time picturing this character as anything other than a little yellow Volkswagon Beetle, much less an armored gladiator.

And just for kicks here are a few comparison shots with Arms Micron Bumblebee that I just happened to have finished stickering prior to opening Beast Hunters Bee.

Air Raiders: Battle Squad figure pack

With the main focus of the Air Raiders toy line being that of the vehicles, Hasbro did release two different figure packs for those who wanted to bolster their ranks with additional figures. Both sides had their own respective 5 pack with each pack containing 4 generic soldiers and one named character. Here we have the Battle Squad.

While the figures are OK, I myself love the artwork used on the packaging. Had the card been in better condition and it didn't have the clearance price tag, I might've kept him and hung it on my wall.

More awesome art can be found on the back of the blister card, but unfortunately it's nothing new as this art work has been used before.

Here is a close up of the 4 generic figures as well as Lt. Noble on the far right. At least Hasbro opted for a few paint apps on the named character as the generic guys are void of any paint.

In the spirit of Transformers, Hasbro gave the Air Raider toys individual bio cards. This card in particular is more for the Air Raiders themselves as opposed to spotlighting the one unique character included. Seems a little odd to me, but hey, this was 1987! If a kid had one of the larger playsets, then I could see why they may want these extra figures. With the vehicles coming with their own exclusive figures these just seem unnecessary.

G.I. Joe 30th Anniversary: Steel Brigade

If a Cobra Viper is the next step up from a rank & file trooper, then I imagine the Steel Brigade is a step up from a Joe green shirt trooper.  I don't know if that is in the official G.I. Joe cannon or not, but that's how I always envisioned it at least.

For army builders, I'm sure this new Steel Brigade was a welcomed sight.  I only remember the "character" as a mail away figure during the original A Real American Hero line as a pseudo-customize able toy.  I originally passed on buying this new 30th Anniversary version, but then I saw how much in demand he was online and how everyone said the figure was hard to find.  It's a cool figure, but I'm more of a Cobra kind of guy.

Like with most of the post-Rise of Cobra figures, Steel Brigade comes loaded with accessories.  Rifles, missile launcher, tripod, back packs and a removable helmet = win.

On the original ARAH Steel Brigade toy, the figure was a frankenstein of existing parts with the exception of the head sculpt.  The figure did feature a new exclusive head, but the helmet was not removable.

Now you have a removable helmet with a non-descript head sculpt underneath...but with the olive green paint all I see here is Beachhead.  Don't get me wrong, this is a great figure and something much needed in the Joe ranks, but I find the figure a little boring and underwhelming.  I know that sounds crazy, but again...I'm more of a Cobra fan.

Why I collect

Last week I received an e-mail from Maz who contributes to the awesome articles found at TFsource's blog.  The toicp he chose was meant to be on a brighter note after his last two topics were about sacrifice and selling off collections.  The morning I received his e-mail request for help w/ the topic I just happened to have a little insomnia, so I jumped out of bed and hit the reply button.  The published article was very well written (of course), but a lot of different collectors contributed to the piece and the comments were all mixed around.  So I thought why not post my original response in the form of a blog post?

I'd like this to be somewhat conversational, so if you read this and something comes to your mind I'd like to hear it.  Post a comment and tell me and everyone else why you collect.  Even if you aren't a hardcore Transformer collector, I'd like to hear why and what you collect.  Have fun with it!

While it's inevitable at some point in our lives that we will/must part with our collections (or part of them), this is a hobby that we all love or else that decision to let things go at times wouldn't be so painful. I'm asked all the time why I collect.  My wife, family, friends and even the local new station that did an interview January 2012.  My response is usually the same.  As an adult, married w/ kids, there are certain responsibilities thrust upon me that without some sort of escape, it can really weigh you down.  For me that escape is Transformers.  It reminds me of a simpler time in my life when I didn't have all this responsibilities.  I could just be a kid...kinda like the old Toys R Us song "where a kid can be a kid". 

A part of Transformers taking me back to my childhood are all the fond memories I have of my late father.  Growing up, every summer after school let out my dad would take my brother or myself by ourselves on a trip he called "Father Son trip".  On that trip we could pick (within reason) where we wanted to go or travel to for an extended weekend and just hang out together.  Or course being a kid the place I would choose usually resulted in a trip to Toys R Us, Lionel Toy Warehouse or KB Toys along the way.  This is how I obtained several of my vintage G1 toys, sadly only a few I still own from my childhood. 

Today as an adult, I can grab G1 Bonecrusher off my shelf and the vivid memories of time spent w/ my father come rushing back.  It's a nice little way of remembering and honoring my father.  He was a fan of all model Corvettes, so in turn I sought out to get as many Transformer Corvettes as possible.  Granted a lot of what is in my collection today isn't tied to memories of my childhood or my father, but now I get to make new memories as a husband and father.  Touring the Hasbro facilities in Providence, RI in 2007 w/ my wife as a part of Botcon, helping create and run Charticon 2013 w/ my friends and of course buying that first Transformer Rescue Bots toy for my daughter's birthday last year.

A big part of why I started my own toy blog, randomtoyreviews.blogspot.com a few years ago was to have another way to enjoy my Transformers and other toys.  I often sell toys I no longer desire to keep in order to buy something else that I want.  This makes the wife happy (since the bank account isn't touched) and it helps me from getting overwhelmed.  At any time I can go back to my own account and read and view the pictures of items no longer in my collection.  It's just another way of enjoying what I'm so blessed to have.

At some point I may stop collecting.  I don't see that in my near future, but whenever that day comes I will still be able to take a step back and take it all in and have some wonderful memories.