MSX - Review - Game Sack

Episode 216 - The MSX line of home computers were popular between 1983 and 1995. In this episode we focus solely on many of the games that were released for the computer. From some of the more popular ones to some of the obscure ones, there's lots of great stuff to play!

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[GameSack]

What are some of your favorite MSX games? TELL US!!!!

[Wrestlelamia]

You guys really do some outstanding work.

[cashnelson]

"In this lava level you'll die if you fall into it, so watch out!"

Thanks for the protip Dave

[realradiodasantigas]

MSX computers were very popular in South America and Europe. They were the best 8-bit machines ever released!

[wintermute]

Translations for the Japanese Portions of the Video:


Hey y'all, one of the hardest parts about enjoying the MSX is that a lot of its library is in Japanese. To help out with this im going to translate the Japanese sense in this episode to, perhaps, further entice you into picking up this really interesting computer.


3:55 : 魂斗羅 (Contra)


5:51: 夢大陸アドベンチャー


Literal translation: "Dream Continental Adventure" (The Penguin does actually go to different continents in the game)


Western Translation: "Penguin Adventure"


9:46: なまえをいれてください（１０もじまで）


Literal / Western Translation: Please enter a (your) name (Up to 10 characters)


9:49: あたまとふくをえらんでください


Literal Translation: Select a head and some clothes please.


Western Translation: Choose a Head and Some clothes.


10:13 どうしますか？


Literal Translation: What would you do?


Western Translation: Select an action.


10:15 Undead B が　GameSack に　９　の　ダメージをあたえた!


Literal Translation: Undead B gives damage of 9 to GameSack!


Western Translation: Zombie B deals 9 damage points to GameSack!


10:17 GameSack が　Undead A に　7　の　ダメージをあたえた!


Literal Translation: GameSack gives damage of 9 to Undead A!


Western Translation: GameSack deals 9 damage points to Zombie A!


10:20 すすめません!!


Literal Translation: (You) Don't advance!! (There's a wall there)


Western Translation: You cant move forward!! (There's a wall there)


10:26 Grem F が　GameSack に　3　の　ダメージをあたえた!

Literal Translation: Grem F gives damage of 3 to GameSack!

Western Translation: Gremlin F deals 9 damage points to GameSack!


10:28 どれをこうげきしますか　GameSack?


Literal Translation: Which are you going to attack, GameSack?


Western Translation: Which enemy do you wish to strike, GameSack?


10:31 GameSack が　Grem A をしとめた！


Literal/Western Translation: GameSack killed Gremlin A!

[skjnlegon]

Ah, MSX. It is most nostalgic 80's PC system in Japan and Korea. It was released in Korea as Zemmix, which is only one console version of MSX in the world. My favorite games are Knightmare(魔城伝説), Cabbage Patch Kids, King's Valley(王家の谷), Magical Tree, ZANAC, THEXDER(テグザー), Yokai Yashiki(妖怪屋敷).

[strafefox]

The MSX was a fantastic system and I'm really happy I grew up with its amazing library of games back in the 80s.

Maze of Galious is probably my favorite MSX game it was basically our Zelda: great action adventure gameplay, tons of worlds, items and secrets.
And Vampire Killer MSX > Castlevania NES ha! Just saying :)

Some of my other favs: Usas, Kings Valley 2, the 2 Metal Gears, King Kong 2, F1-Spirit, Knightmare, Nemesis 2, Penguin Adventure, Pippols, Androgenius, Feud, Jack the Nipper 2, Scooter, Auf Wiedersehen Monty, Dragon Slayer IV... aww too many awesome MSX games :)

And don't forget the cartridge combo! For example if you insert Nemesis 2 and Penguin Adventure you can play Nemesis 2 as Pentaro the penguin, how awesome is that!?
Lastly without the MSX there would be no La Mulana! Just imagine a world without Elder Xelpud, Catball and Surprise Fish... :( The thought alone makes my stomach hurt! ;)

[electricadventures]

Great video guys, very well covered, especially as you said it was virtually unknown in the US. We were lucky here in Australia as we saw about six MSX 1 models from various companies, including from Spectravideo which was used as the basis of the MSX standard. An important point as they were two Hong Kong based Americans. Spectravideo and Microsoft programmers created the original Spectravideo Basic that became MSX Basic for the standard.
There is also a vibrant home brew development scene, with some absolutely amazing titles being published on a regular basis.
MSX added hardware vertical scrolling, with horizontal scrolling being done in software, but with a lot more video ram allowing page flipping to do it much better than MSX 1.
MSX 2+ added hardware horizontal scrolling as well as more high resolution modes and colours. Space Manbow detects if you have a MSX 2+ and uses the hardware scrolling and runs faster.
MSX is the System I released all my original game titles for back in the day, and I still love working on home brew titles for it.
I have one of largest MSX collections in the world (not the largest though).

[pacpacfujishima]

Many people like me grew up with the MSX in the 8-bit era instead of the NES. It's a country-related thing I guess. Excellent episode as always and thanks for the positive take in this important platform.

[Megaspartan]

"This shop owner gets really mad, when you stop buying things"
Nice to know Konami would behave the same way, years later

[Jenovi]

I think the MSX is something most gamers know about but have never seen in person. Heck, I'm sure few people will have seen gameplay from the system before watching this. I'm glad to see the MSX episode come together and it's impressive knowing just how long you've been working on it. I look forward to finishing it in the morning.

[fernandocollazo]

There are so many great msx games. You guys need to play: Firehawk, Undealine, Psycho World, Hinotori, Quarth, Columns, Puyo Puyo, Dragon Slayer series, Xak series, Fray, and so many others...
Thanks the episode was simply amazing!

[EsotericArcade]

Those MSX scene transitions are amazing, Joe. Added a lot!

[apie]

I am glad that MSX was populair in the Netherlands in the 80s and i got to know all those great Konami games that were not in this video. Like Knightmare, Maze of Galious (best MSX-1 game), F1-Spirit, Kings Valley II, Usas, Salamander, etc.

[jokerjur]

Grew up with an MSX2 in the Netherlands and still love the system! I have a small collection of originals including my favourite: Penguin Adventure. Konami was king in this era.

[Rowri]

The MSX was huge where I'm from! It was almost in every home just like how the US is with the NES. This system had amazing games

[doctorhandsome]

Who should we send to infiltrate Outer Heaven? You guessed it: Frank Stallone.

[AngeloCoelho]

The favorite computer if my childhood.
It was very popular in Brazil.
Today I'm in the US, and still love it.
I have 50 msx computers and counting!

[D_Vice]

...the penguin game looks legit. inviting character, different, creative, slight addictive alluring factor, light RPGish items giving depth. thats a classic formula if i ever heard one.

I want more games with penguins. I don't care how. good ones. with penguins.

[ImperatorGrausam]

I love the MSX. It's my favorite home computer of all time. Where I'm from, Dubai, the MSX was really popular. It was named "Sakhr" ("Boulder" in Arabic) and was marketed as an educational computer, with some games too. There were numerous edutainment games on it, like, (I'm translating these titles), "Who?", "Avicenna", and "Journey to Mecca". There was even a Quran on the MSX!


My mother told me she had an AX170 MSX when she was younger which my gramps bought her so that she can learn to read the Quran using the Quran program. Also, I heard that it was the very first Quran to be on a home computer.


I didn't live during the time of the MSX, (I'm 15), but I do have a fondness for how my parents lived in the 80s. I have a fondness for old computers in general.