[recommended] Best games on MSX

[Bosbeetle]

On the GP32x forums there were some recommendation threads for specific systems. It would be nice to have these list here also for us newbies however I propose a bit different way, instead of just posting list mention a bit about said games (maybe a rating, youtube link or screenshot as well) so we at least know the type of game. Also mention if it runs well on the pandora I dont know much about other platforms so please create threads about those if you do


So I'll start out for the MSX a system I love


- Knightmare


A vertical scrolling shooter that deals with a knight, its a pretty challenging game there is a vast array of enemies and the music is especially hypnotizing. As a child I used to have a version with 99 lives and I find the original with 3 lives very! challenging.

- Eggerland


A puzzle game in where you have to get to a door and cross specific challenges. It also has an editor to make your own puzzles. There is a code based system to remember where you are (no save games in this era).

- Kingsvalley


Collect all gems in a pyramid and don't get eaten by the mummies. When all gems are collected the exit (or entrance) will appear find your way through the valley of kings. This game has a very nice mixture between speed, reflexes and puzzles.

- metal gear


Yes the metal gear the original was a MSX game. This is in my knowledge the first stealth game around, its pretty tough though.

All these games run very well on the pandora (however I have to find a manual for solid snake since I dont know all the key combination by hart)


Basically there are a lot of great konami games on the msx, remember this is pre-NES

 

[GunPei2X]

Knightmare is a fantastic game, I was playing that the other day on Dingoo.

 

[Yannick]

Maybe include some info about the system itself, I never heard of MSX before reading about it on GP32X a year ago


quote wikipedia: "MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan"


*Microsoft Japan in the 1980s* that must be some crazy shit B)

 

[Prometheus]

Knightmare, eh? I don't suppose that's any relation to the ZX Spectrum game that was licensed from the UK kids' TV game-show, is it? Looks like fun.


(Unfortunately, I can't suggest anything, as I'm not at all familiar with the MSX. )

 

[fuji99]

Please tell me more about this system, Eggerland looks like the predecessor to some of my favorite games on the NES (Adventures of Lolo 1-3).

 

[Bosbeetle]

Please tell me more about this system, Eggerland looks like the predecessor to some of my favorite games on the NES (Adventures of Lolo 1-3).

yes it is The first 2 eggerlands were released on the MSX there were 3 more on the NES http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggerland_%28series%29


The MSX was a sort of unified homecomputer system. It was made by many different hardware companies. (toshiba, sony, philips, etc. )


From wiki:

MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation. It is said that Microsoft led the project as an attempt to create unified standards among hardware makers. Despite Microsoft's involvement, MSX-based machines were seldom seen in the United States and Britain (although heavily advertised by Toshiba in the UK), but they were popular in other markets. Eventually 5 million MSX-based units were sold worldwide. It's unclear why this attempt would be based in Japan rather than in the US or why Microsoft would not mention this involvement in its history while giving well known coverage to IBM-PC[1] and Apple's Macintosh[2]. This home computer was released in Japan, Europe and Brazil.

It was the starting ground for the konami company, thats why a lot of games are familiar I think there is even a konami oldschool pack on wiiware that has a lot of games in there that were originally for the MSX.


MSX1 was released in 1983


MSX2 was released in 1986


after that there were the MSX2+ and the MSX turbo R

 

[Bosbeetle]

Knightmare, eh? I don't suppose that's any relation to the ZX Spectrum game that was licensed from the UK kids' TV game-show, is it? Looks like fun.


(Unfortunately, I can't suggest anything, as I'm not at all familiar with the MSX. )

nope this game was released earlier and has nothing to do with the television show or the zx spectrum


quite some game series started on the msx


Nemesis for instance to many known as gradius a sidescrolling fighter game

Zanac


A vertical shooter

Even Bomberman debuted on the MSX

As you see there is quite some history on this platform

 

[fuji99]

Thanks for the info bosbeetle, looks like a lot of fun series got their start here. I'll definitely have to investigate further once my Pandora arrives.

 

[Bosbeetle]

Nice one alerino i also love goonies

 

[GunPei2X]

MSX is/was an amazing machine - it's like all the best bits of a ZX and NES rolled into one! Definitely worth checking out, especially on Pandora with its keyboard (a lot of games have fiddly menus etc).

 

[Tickles]

goonies - my absolute favorite platform game - great music, sometimes it would take ages to run it run through a datacorder (games in cassettes), good old 1990

I played this once briefly on NES, but didn't think much of it. Is this completely different or did I just not give it a chance? I'm a big fan of the movie, does it follow the storyline? Or is it one of those games that really has nothing to do with its namesake but is good anyway?

 

[WizardStan]

I played this once briefly on NES, but didn't think much of it. Is this completely different or did I just not give it a chance?

Looking it up on Wiki, there does appear to be differences between the NES and MSX versions, most notably the NES (or Famicom) was not officially released outside of Japan. You may be thinking of Goonies 2, which was the sequel to the Famicom version that was actually released in Europe and the US.


Incidentally, there appears to be a remake of the MSX version that may be worth checking out.

 

[Tickles]

Looking it up on Wiki, there does appear to be differences between the NES and MSX versions, most notably the NES (or Famicom) was not officially released outside of Japan. You may be thinking of Goonies 2, which was the sequel to the Famicom version that was actually released in Europe and the US.


Incidentally, there appears to be a remake of the MSX version that may be worth checking out.

Wiki..? What is this you speak of? :blink: I should've checked, just got a bit excited when someone said the words "Goonies" and "favourite platform game" in the same sentence


I think you're right: it probably was Goonies 2 I played. I'll have to download the MSX remake. I also notice there was a Spectrum game which sounds good; I don't know how I missed that one. Thanks!

 

[maplesugarlover]

How could you people not mention


Antarctic Adventure ?

https://www.youtube.com/embed/RSzQI1Raf0s?feature=oembed
It has penguins : )

 

[Timstertoo]

Ooh Knightmare! I played that so much on my MSX! Goonies too! And Antartic Adventure of course.


Konami was pretty much the software house you watched closely then.


I also like the Gremlin (Gremlin Interactive?) games back then. They had some weird stuff but very playable.


There was also this platform game where you were flying around a spaceship of sorts and you had to pick up fuel all the time. Very hard to manouvre at first but once you got good at it it was a great game. I can remember having to pick up keys, or maybe creditcards to get through doors etc etc. Something like an Arkanoidish name? (I know Arkanoid is a completely different game but I believe it sounded like it, give me a break it's over 25 years ago )


I also liked the Dambuster game. And I think the Konami basketball game was fun too especially since your players got better if you played longer so they started to be able to hit shots from further etc.

 

[drohan]

All of you thath lije Knightmare must test both:


- Maze of Galiuos: direct sequel but as an Adventure/rpg twist


- Firebirth (hinotori): same playability as Knightmare but all improved

 

[pokitfoxx]

Ooh Knightmare! I played that so much on my MSX! Goonies too! And Antartic Adventure of course.


Konami was pretty much the software house you watched closely then.


I also like the Gremlin (Gremlin Interactive?) games back then. They had some weird stuff but very playable.


There was also this platform game where you were flying around a spaceship of sorts and you had to pick up fuel all the time. Very hard to manouvre at first but once you got good at it it was a great game. I can remember having to pick up keys, or maybe creditcards to get through doors etc etc. Something like an Arkanoidish name? (I know Arkanoid is a completely different game but I believe it sounded like it, give me a break it's over 25 years ago )


I also liked the Dambuster game. And I think the Konami basketball game was fun too especially since your players got better if you played longer so they started to be able to hit shots from further etc.

could be wrong but first thing that popped into my head when u said flying spaceship was skyroads?

 

[drohan]

How could you people not mention


Antarctic Adventure ?

https://www.youtube.com/embed/35x_b1AjQ_M?feature=oembed

More penguins

 

[Zucadragon]

I grew up with the MSX, so here's some of the videogames I would love to play again . I could of course grab my MSX2 and play em, I still have all of the equipment XD ((And two joysticks that magically survived years of Olympics game abuse))

https://www.youtube.com/embed/gdXngZXt8Ss?feature=oembed

That's the only one I got a video of.


When you guys say "Knightmare" I say "Leonidas"


And I also say "Time Trax" for its awesome music : D

 

[mindlord]

Re: Guardic - So it's a prequel to Guardian Legend? Nice. I guess it's a shooter only though right?