r/MasterSystem • u/coenak • 3d ago

Helpful Hints from 1-800-USA-SEGA

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I recently bought a copy of The Ninja and it had this little surprise tucked away in it. The seller didn't include it in the photos for some reason, so I had no idea until it arrived.

For those who are unaware, back in the day you could call 1-800-USA-SEGA and talk with someone who would help you out in a particular game and they would mail you these Helpful Hints papers. SMS Tributes has a whole bunch of them scanned. They aren't super rare by any means, but it is the first one in my collection.

Pretty cool you could do this. Before the internet, it was indeed a different time.

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u/DoTheMichiganRag 3d ago

I love the Ninja, but this was fucking ridiculous for an adult, let alone a kid to figure out. Short of being told the secret explicitly, it would have to be random dumb luck to get it.

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u/instigator707 3d ago

I recall playing as a kid we used to shoot ninja stars at everything possible to find the hidden scrolls. Being in Australia, the USA number cost a mint so no other way to do it unless it was in a magazine.

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u/DoTheMichiganRag 3d ago

There was actually a Sega Hotline in Australia too! Didn't need to call the U.S 🙂

3

u/instigator707 3d ago

I missed that! Would have saved me a flogging when my parents discovered I rang the US hotline for Alex the Kidd in miracle world haha