MSX General Election: Game Edition 3 - Masterpieces that Colored the Dawn Era

Concluding our MSX General Election special are the masterpieces that supported the dawn of the MSX1 era. Now, on the 40th anniversary of the MSX, I would like to pursue their charm.

1. Hydlide (T&E Soft) March 1985

This can be called the first killer title for the MSX. Many users were captivated by the appearance of a completely new type of game, and it became a monster software that dominated the top of computer magazine rankings for over a year. The MSX version was a later port, but its level of perfection was higher due to improvements in programming technology. The fact that the ROM version implemented the world's first password save system shows the high level of technical skill and research attitude of T&E Soft.

Despite being a pioneer of action RPGs, it was a game that boasted astonishing perfection. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that the ARPG genre, which is played all over the world today, all started from here. Hydlide doesn't seem to be as well-known overseas as it is in Japan, but when I explained to a US gamer that it was the ancestor of The Legend of Zelda, they were very convinced.

At the time, I was desperate for a port of The Tower of Druaga, but my MSX mentor recommended it to me, saying,
“This is even more amazing than Druaga as an RPG!”
and I became obsessed with playing it. The Tower of Druaga is also a masterpiece, but Hydlide left behind something like a "blank space" for the player to imagine, rather than a forced story. However, as I introduced with Ys last time, subsequent Japanese RPGs became focused on visual-centered direction, and the Hydlide series could not resist that wave. Even so, I believe the glory of this work will never fade. Thank you, Hydlide!

Cyborg MSX's recommendation mark, here you go!
Graphics: ★★★★
Game System: ★★★★★
Operability: ★★★★★
BGM: ★★★
Ranking King Status: ★★★★★

Trivia 😲 At speed 5 in the ROM version, it becomes a completely different game.

2. Butamaru Pants (HAL Laboratory) December 1983

HAL Laboratory is a long-established company from the microcomputer era, known for its serious image with peripherals and software like HALNOTE for MSX. However, for some reason, their early games included many suspicious titles, and this "Butamaru Pants-kun" has become semi-legendary. It is such a masterpiece (or perhaps a 'weird-piece') that some MSX users even assert it is HAL Laboratory's representative work.

The story, according to the manual, is: "The protagonist is the piglet Butamaru!? Catch the eggs dropped by the mean 'Lightning Pants-kun' one after another, and if it's a red egg, throw it back to defeat him!"Writing this makes me feel like I'm losing my mind too 🤣

The game is a typical single-screen clear action game from the dawn era. Once you get brainwashed by the lethargic sound and the protagonist Butamaru's crazy actions, for some reason, your excitement starts to build.
In the second half, a giant, evil-looking black Pac-Man-like creature starts attacking. If you can dodge this guy with ease, you've joined the ranks of top-tier players.

This Pac-Man-like creature is officially called"Dustpan Old Man", but he is a character who could be called the secret protagonist with not even a millimeter of 'old man' elements. Anyway, it's easier to just see this madness for yourself, so if you haven't played it, please watch the video in the second half!

Actually, Butamaru Pants is a worldwide game released all over the globe. According to a collector's collection, there was even one released in Egypt. The blue cartridge in the center, 'BUTAMARU PANTS', is apparently the Egyptian version. It's amazing that someone collected that.

Cyborg MSX's Recommended Mark, hooray!
Graphics: ★★
Game System: ★★★
Controls: ★★★★★
BGM: ★★★
Trippiness: ★★★★★

A word 😁 The author is unknown, but I hope it was Satoru Iwata.

3. Bosconian (Namco) July 1984

Namco's arcade games of the past were an absolute brand. Among them, the MSX titles that were not ported to the Famicom were Rally-X and this Bosconian.

It implements amazing 8-way arbitrary scrolling. There is no BGM, but eerie artificial voices heighten the atmosphere. It seems the legendary programmer Shoichi Fukaya was in charge of the port.
It is a stage-clearing shooter and falls into the understated category without power-ups, but it is packed with creative gimmicks like enemy spy ships, alert modes, and giant radars. It has evolved from Galaxian into a more sci-fi world.

Namco's MSX1 titles aren't exactly mind-blowing like Konami's works, but I think there are many solid, well-ported games (excluding The Tower of Druaga 😁).

Bosconian was released for the X68000 in 1988, featuring BGM by Yuzo Koshiro. I was envious of that grand sound that captured the image of the vast universe. I remember being disappointed that it wasn't adopted for the MSX reprint disk NG.

Here is Cyborg MSX's recommendation mark!
Graphics: ★★★
Game System: ★★★★
Controls: ★★★★★
BGM: ★★★
Blast-off Level: ★★★★

Trivia 😉 Having a rapid-fire controller makes the game easier to beat.

4. Zyzolog (Taito) 1984

Taito's MSX1 works were mainly arcade ports, but among them, this Zyzolog is a unique MSX original game.
The rule is simple and clear: operate your ball to pass over orange squares, but the key is that the ground has different elevations. It might be easier to understand if I call it a 2D perspective version of Marble Madness. Self-destructing is the only way to attack enemies, and gaining an extra life when clearing a stage adds a layer of strategy.

I was convinced when I later learned that the development was handled by Compile. Compile developed the MSX versions of Lode Runner and Thexder under other companies' names. They also produced other hidden original masterpieces like Aqua Polis SOS and Crusader.

Zyzolog is a hidden masterpiece that combines inorganic, unified futuristic graphics and BGM with a highly strategic game system. It is said that one reason this game is not very well known is that there were few advertisements for it in magazines like MSX Magazine. Now is the time for more people to know about this work. However, it would have been even better if it had an edit mode.

Here is Cyborg MSX's recommendation mark!
Graphics: ★★★★
Game System: ★★★★
Controls: ★★★★★
BGM: ★★★★
Self-Destruction Satisfaction: ★★★★

A word 😁 When Namco's Motos came out, I thought it was a sequel to this.

5. Ganbare Truck Boy: Payload (Sony) November 1985

Sony was a manufacturer that supplied both hardware and software. Their early titles were highlighted by ports from the US, such as Apple's Lode Runner, but among them, this Payload was a unique MSX original game.

The game has an extremely original premise: "You are a wandering trucker delivering cargo across the country while traveling the length of Japan." It features a massive map that recreates all of Japan's prefectures, allowing you to fully enjoy the feeling of a trucker's journey.
There is a strange sense of realism where all cars drive on the left, obey traffic lights, and travel at the legal speed of 60 km/h. By the way, traffic jams also occur, and sometimes you can't move at all until they clear. In the midst of this, if you are speeding at 100 km/h while driving against traffic, you'll get the classic police car... It's strangely detailed, with different point deductions and fine amounts depending on the speed of the violation.

What makes Payload so memorable is"a dangerous scent that makes you feel like an adult."

One of the driver's power-up items is "sake" (alcohol).
According to the manual, the protagonist, Tetsu, is "a bit hot-headed, but he drives safely and has good manners." However...
Speed traps are only in the city. Or rather, there aren't even traffic lights in the countryside.
An MSX user from Akita was angry, saying, "Aomori is a city, but Akita is the countryside, I can't forgive this." By the way, you can avoid "speed traps" with a radar.
If you equip two turbos, your top speed is 252 km/h, and you won't get caught at all on the highway.In fact, you won't get caught by police cars unless they are right behind you. Mastering this technique is the key to the game. Is this really okay?!

The strategy for this game is to earn a lot by overloading, and instantly eliminate fatigue with "nemukezamashi" (a mysterious medicine sold at drive-ins). It's a dangerous style of speeding everywhere with turbo modifications and gracefully avoiding speed traps with radar... Isn't it the greatness of the MSX that a global company like Sony released this title? You could never release this at Nintendo!

Cyborg MSX's recommended mark, hooray!
Graphics ★★★★
Game System ★★★★
Controls ★★★
BGM ★★★
Scent of Crime ★★★★

Trivia 😁 "A cup of coffee gives you a moment of rest." That's a lie. Coffee is almost useless. After all, it's wake-up pills, instant relief with nemukezamashi!

⑥ Ski Command (Casio) 1984

Casio was also a manufacturer that supplied both hardware and software. Both had a B-grade atmosphere, but I think Ski Command is a good work with originality.
The content is a pseudo-3D shooter. You ski down, avoiding obstacles while sniping enemy soldiers with a single-shot rifle. In the second half, helicopters appear, and it's satisfying to jump and shoot them down. When you clear it, a bonus stage appears where you destroy an enemy base by parachuting. This animation is worth seeing.

Casio games might have been called 'kusoge' (crap games) by many back in the day. However, it's not that their controls were terrible or that they were broken as games. They had a unique flavor that made you want to keep playing them. Casio's MSX titles had a mysterious charm, like suddenly getting the urge to eat snacks from a candy store.

By the way, it seems the original was for a Casio hobby computer with the same performance as the MSX, called the PV-2000. The MSX version appears to be a 3D-style remake of that vertical scrolling STG. The content includes unique 3D stages and cool BGM, and the bonus stages are the same as the MSX version. I wish they had released this one too, maybe calling it 'Ski Command: Revenge'.

Cyborg MSX's recommendation mark, here you go!
Graphics: ★★★
Game System: ★★★
Controls: ★★★★
BGM: ★★★
Pepopopo♪ Level: ★★★

A word 😁 When I saw Cyclops from X-MEN, I thought, 'That's a rip-off of Ski Command!'

⑦ Alcazar (Pony) 1985

Pony Canyon also supplied many MSX1 games from the dawn era. I was happy that they ported Western games through a different route than Sony. In particular, the high-quality action games from Activision were all masterpieces. Among them, Alcazar is one of the hidden gems of the MSX, possessing game design and polish that shouldn't be underestimated.

The game system, roughly speaking, feels like the stealth elements of Metal Gear boiled down to the extreme. Metal Gear created a unique atmosphere for infiltration missions by having you avoid enemy soldiers rather than slaughtering them. However, what makes Alcazar unique is that it pushes the 'not being discovered by enemies' game system to the forefront, rather than just using it for atmosphere.
It's the same as Metal Gear in that enemies react to the sound of gunfire and chase the protagonist, but the key is that they also come from adjacent rooms that the player cannot see. Conversely, enemies also make noise and leave footprints when they move. Because of this, you can deduce the enemies' situation and enjoy the game more strategically.

The difficulty changes depending on the level. At the highest level, 4, most monsters become faster than the protagonist and chase you relentlessly. Your health is also at its minimum, so you are often killed instantly right after starting.
If you play at the highest level while wearing headphones, you can experience the ultimate tension of, literally,'If you're found, you're dead'.BGM? Such things are just for show. Basically, it's more efficient to run around and shake them off, but just when you do that, the whole room might be a pitfall, leading to instant death (it's also possible to make enemies fall into them).
You can be sure the game designer had a considerable sadistic streak. But I guarantee you'll be frustrated enough to play it again.

I played for 16 hours straight and cleared level 4. I played during a gap when my parents were away for a Buddhist memorial service, and apparently, my younger brother was too scared to come near me because I was wearing headphones and letting out strange cries.

A recommended strategy page. Full of Alcazar's charm.

Cyborg MSX's recommendation mark, here you go!
Graphics: ★★★
Game System: ★★★★★
Controls: ★★★★★
BGM: ★★★
Jailer's Strength: ★★★★

A word 😁 The 'tiriri' sound of the jailer's footsteps is so terrifying that it won't leave my ears.

⑧ Rise Out (ASCII) 1984

As one of the founders of MSX, ASCII released many titles immediately after the announcement of the MSX1. At the time, ASCII had a team of talented individuals who would go on to become central figures in the PC game industry, which is why they sometimes produced unexpected masterpieces. This Rise Out is a work by Hibiki Godai, who later went on to work at Game Arts.

In a word, the game feels like Lode Runner where you can shoot left and right. It has a good tempo and the exhilarating feeling of digging through walls, so many people actually like it more than Lode Runner. There is a rumor that this game became obscure because the release of the MSX version of Lode Runner caused this game to be discontinued. It seems it was indeed difficult to find.

However, for some reason, Rise Out, which was obscure in Japan, was very popular in the Soviet Union. It was ported to quite a few models. It seems this strange phenomenon was unique to the Soviet Union and not Europe or the United States, so I researched this and wrote a report. If you are interested, please take a look.

Cyborg MSX's Recommendation Mark!
Graphics: ★★★
Game System: ★★★★
Operability: ★★★★★
BGM: ★★★★
Popularity in the Soviet Union: ★★★★

Trivia: Actually, the setting is the underground of Osaka Castle.

9. Wizard Wiz (Sony) May 21, 1986

This is an MSX1 masterpiece released just before the rise of MegaROMs and MSX2 software. Despite its small 32KB capacity, it is finished with a stage structure that never gets boring. Fun magic effects and challenging boss characters unfold with a good tempo, making it a work that I think can be enjoyed for a long time.

The icon, Wiz, is a special existence for me; it was the first software I bought after saving up my pocket money.
Wiz-kun is an inexperienced wizard, but he was synchronized with me, who was an MSX apprentice at the time. In the end, I remained a mediocre MSX user, but it is a game that fulfilled my longing that 'I might be able to become a great wizard'.
For that reason, I explained it thoroughly last time. I actually managed to reach the creator of Wizard Wiz after 38 years!

Cyborg MSX's Recommendation Mark!
Graphics: ★★★★
Game System: ★★★★
Operability: ★★★★
BGM: ★★★★
Nostalgia Level: ★★★★★

Trivia: The strongest enemy is the Rocket Punch.

10. Outroid (Magical Zoo) 1985

An ARPG set in a devastated near-future world 'dominated by robots.' It created an outstanding, hardcore sci-fi atmosphere. The inorganic map, which contrasts with Hydlide, is impressive.
The menu screen was displayed like a computer monitor, and the effect of displaying text one character at a time while the cursor moved at high speed was cool. The climax is the scene where, after collecting the transformation devices, you transform into flight mode and storm the enemy base's core.
The game has a system similar to Hydlide, but shooting and power-ups through part replacements added to the atmosphere of robot battles.
The catchphrase of the Armored Suit XX-85 is 'Ok'. Cool!

Among the many games for children on the MSX, Outroid was quite unusual. The player's robot, which looked just like a Votoms unit, became a hot topic, but I think the atmosphere is closer to Neo-Human Casshern. As a fan of both works, I played it obsessively. I will excerpt the story from the manual so you can get a feel for the atmosphere.

Story

In the year 2108, the second Earth, Quorn, was destroyed. This was because the central control computers of both the Eastern and Western blocs suddenly began to fight.

The war, which destroyed the surface over five weeks, was won by the Western central control computer, 'C.C.C.'

C.C.C created 'Outroid,' a society of robots it had been managing, and like a queen bee, it produced robots in factories and came to rule Quorn.

It then issued an order to exterminate the enemy it deemed most dangerous to itself—that is, the handful of humans who had survived the war.

Ramon Okudaira, one of the human survivors, was no exception and found himself being hunted by robots.

He hid alone in his hideout and bravely stood up to the robot army with the only weapon left, the Armored Suit XX-85.

To save the humans of Quorn, there was no choice but to destroy C.C.C.

However, this cold-hearted devil, which even possessed emotions, hunted the hiding humans and attacked them one after another without mercy.

Whether humans win or machines win, it all depends on his courage and wisdom...

Cyborg MSX's Recommended Mark, here you go!
Graphics ★★★★
Game System ★★★★
Controls ★★★★
BGM ★★★
End-of-the-Century Level ★★★★★

Trivia 🥶The final decisive weapon is an anti-proton bomb.It says 'explodes 30 seconds after placement,' but in reality, it explodes in 3 seconds. If you get caught in the explosion, you die instantly.

Finally...

How was it? While writing these reviews, I found myself wanting to play every single one of these games. I believe games from the dawn era are packed with a charm that you just cannot experience in other games.
I was also able to reaffirm that the fresh sensibilities I had when I first played them come rushing back. I feel once again that encountering so many games during my childhood was a great treasure.