SG-1000

The SG-1000 (Sega Game 1000) was a cartridge-based video game console and Sega's first entry into the home video game hardware business. Release to a test market in Japan in 1981 and the rest of the country in 1983, the system reached only minor success, although it sold well in the rest of Asia (particularly Taiwan) until it was withdrawn in1985. The console was also sold in Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Spain and South Africa, but was never released in North America. Popular games included Pitfall II, DokiDoki Penguin Land and 007.

In July 1984, Sega released an updated version of the unit called the SG-1000 Mark II, which featured a connector for an optional plug-in SK-1100 keyboard. The console also featured an optional game card reader add-on (the Card Catcher) that enabled the use of Sega game card software. The SG-1000 Mark III, a Japanese version with improved video hardware and an increased amount of RAM was also released, and would later go on to be redesigned to become the Sega Master System. Taiwan, among a few countries, also received a Mark IV version of the console, which was similar to a modified Sega Master System II.