Machine of the Month: MSX2 (1985)
THIS MONTH, WE HEAD back to Japan to revisit the MSX standard with its 1985 sequel, the MSX2. While the original MSX machines were fairly middle-of-the-road 8-bit microcomputers, the second-generation version gained a big jump in performance. The MSX2 introduced key improvements to the base RAM (64K to 512K), video memory (64K to 128K, with higher resolution, more color, and support for vertical scrolling), and sound chip specifications. For fans of the Sega Master System and Nintendo Famicom (NES), MSX2 computers provide a genuine alternative that will make any Japanese game geek salivate. –JOHN KNIGHT
YOU’LL NEED THIS
AN INTERNET CONNECTION
A DECENT BROWSER
Get openMSX at openmsx.org or WebMSX at https://webmsx.org/
1
A POWERFUL UPDATE
The MSX was a standard for 8-bit microcomputers developed by Microsoft Japan in cooperation with the ASCII Corporation. If every MSX computer had a set of standardized components, software written for one should, in theory, work on any other.
>> In May 1985, the MSX2 standard was announced, bringing a substantial performance, but remaining backward compatible with the MSX.
>> While the new MSX2 standard was designed by the ASCII Corporation, Microsoft continued their software support for the system with MSX-DOS 2.0, which came on a separate cartridge and closely resembles MS-DOS 3.3.
>> Curiously, the MSX2 uses the same 3.58MHz Zilog Z80A CPU found in the original MSX—its substantial power gains come from its other components.
>> Where the old MSX usually had between 32-64KB of RAM (8KB minimum), the MSX2 starts at 64KB, with other models ranging from 128KB to 512KB.
>> Video processing was enhanced with its new Yamaha V9938 VDP. This 21MHz powerhouse was usually coupled with 128 KB of VRAM, allowing 16 colors from a 512 color palette @ 512 x 212, or 256 colors @ 256 x 212. Sprite handling is especially improved with a maximum of 32 sprites on-screen using 16 colors.
>> Sound received a minor upgrade with the Yamaha YM2149 sound chip, a clone of the General Instruments chip found in the MSX with small improvements. However, in 1986 Konami, in collaboration with Toshiba, released the SCC “Sound Creative Chip”—a much more advanced chipset. Although it was originally used only in game cartridges, clever workarounds spawned a new scene of demos, music disks, and sound utilities.
2
GAMING
On the whole, MSX2 gaming is an impressive experience, with graphics, sound, and gameplay that often exceeds the kind of gaming found on the Master System or NES.
>> However, MSX2 machines have a strange Achilles’ heel: they don’t have hardware-assisted four-way scrolling, which was essential for the kind of 2D platformers and RPGs that eventually ruled in the 1980s.
>> This often resulted in a strange gaming experience, where graphics were often sharper and more detailed than anything from Sega or Nintendo, but many games used simple flickscreen designs, as found on an Amstrad or ZX Spectrum.
>> Nevertheless, the MSX2 provides some brilliant gaming, especially for Konami fans. Of particular note are the first two MetalGear games, which are the real first two installments, not the games released by Nintendo.
>> Some other famous Konami titles include Vampire Killer (1987), a variant on Castlevania; an enhanced version of King’sValleyII (1988); and SpaceManbow (1989), a sophisticated scrolling shooter with impressive story animations.
>> Beyond Konami’s range, other noteworthy titles include ShinMaou Golvellius (1988), PsychoWorld (1988), Aleste (1988), and Aleste2 (1989).
3
LEGACY
Although Japanese sales went well, the concept did not become the worldwide standard Microsoft had planned. Microsoft pulled out of the MSX project in 1986, leaving the ASCII Corporation to continue alone.
>> With all the different manufacturers worldwide, researching MSX sales numbers produces wildly varying figures, from estimates of 5 million sales worldwide to 9 million in Japan alone. Write in if you know the answer.
>> In 1988, ASCII updated the standard with the MSX2+, which upgraded the video processing, allowing 19,268 colors instead of 512. An FM-PAC cartridge was also included, with better audio and more sound channels. The MSX2+ was only available in Japan and Korea.
>> The series ended with the TurboR in 1990: a 16-bit machine that wasn’t fully backward-compatible with the previous generation, and only produced by Panasonic.
4
EMULATION
When we covered the original MSX, we chose openMSX as our preferred emulator, but we’d now recommend WebMSX. Although we wouldn’t normally choose browser-based emulators, WebMSX is solid and doesn’t require system ROMs.
>> If you would still prefer an offline application, see our March 2021 issue, which has instructions for openMSX. Both WebMSX and openMSX have MSX2 support, but WebMSX is easier to use.
>> To get started, just visit webmsx.org and WebMSX will load a BASIC prompt, ready to run anything you like. (If a file is compressed in ZIP format, you can open it without extracting it).
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LOADING CARTRIDGES
Cartridges are the easiest format to use. To load a cartridge file, either click the “load files” link or drag and drop a file onto the browser window. Or load the cartridge manually by clicking one of the icons at the bottom of the WebMSX window, and choosing ‘Load ROM Image’ from the pop-up menu.
>> The emulator will reset and load straight from the cartridge. If you’re finished with your cartridge and want to perform other tasks, use the cartridge menu to remove the image.
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LOADING DISKS
It’s worth browsing the disk menu. Other than “Load Disk Images”, you can “Add Boot Disk” or “Import Files to Disk”. >> Unlike cartridges, simply loading a disk won’t do anything, but don’t panic. Most disks have an MS-DOS style autoexec.bat (or .bas) file. Reset the virtual MSX by clicking the Power icon, followed by Reset, and most disks will boot automatically.