Sega introduced the Master System in North America in 1986 as the international version of the Japanese Sega Mark III architecture. It used a Z80 and retained technological compatibility with the SG-1000/Mark III family, but received a new case and a commercial identity intended to compete directly with the Nintendo Entertainment System. It could use cartridges and the small Sega Cards, while its graphics hardware supported a palette of 64 colours. The platform would have an especially long life outside Japan, with a notable presence in Europe and Brazil.