Gaming News — MSX

We're capping off the month with some epic action pack reveals involving a few classics we know you've heard of! While the idea of a sequel does cross everyone's mind in the retro gaming sphere, getting a dedicated port, a remake, or even a fan re-imagining is great news. And this week, that's exactly what we got. All three, more or less, you'll see!

GRIND

Going straight to the Amiga, we're getting a fan-made retro creation. This time, we're getting another Doom-like from  John Tsakiris, who aims to bring that same gritty, ultraviolet experience to one of the best retro consoles out there. 

Grind is a Doom-like that draws much inspiration from steampunk and Lovecraftian themes, as well as the classic game Chaos Engine. It's safe to say there's gonna be a lot of supernatural ass-kickings, just like the old game but with a different flavor. So far,  John Tsakiris has been hard at work making sure the game has all the necessary features to bring all the brutality that grind demands. This includes the game's interface, weapons, terrifying enemies, and more.

If your idea of a good time involves portraying a hardened bloodthirsty brute past his prime, who just wants to rid the world of evil, and on the weekend, then you might wanna get on that Grind.

SONIC GX

Now let's look at a new fast-paced port to the Amstrad GX 4000 and Amstrad Plus. When we say fast-paced, we mean really fast. Sonic the Hedgehog was a staple in both the Sega Mega Drive and Sega Master system that featured a blue speed demon that could spin, run, jump and roll around various stages collecting gold rings. It sounds simple enough, but veterans know that wasn't the case. 

Well, the ones who remember and those who are curious can experience that speed in the modern 2020s. Thanks to Sonic GX, the development team of NoRecess are looking to recreate the classic Sonic experience on the new Amstrad consoles, and it's been a work in progress since 2019. Info says the game will feature full-screen gameplay at a full frame rate with approximately 52 colors on screen and a special stage.

All this is set to come out in 2024, so yes, if you have a GX 4000 or Plus, it's about time to go fast yet again with Sonic GX. 

PRINCE OF PERSIA

Lastly, we've caught wind that the all-time classic platformer Prince of Persia may be getting a ColecoVision and MSX port, all thanks to Under4Mhz. There's no info on whether this will be a fully featured experience or just a piece of a bigger puzzle, but the mere idea of such a classic game getting a conversion for more popular retro console nowadays is great news Indeed.

Currently, we have a simple technical demo of the first level of Prince of Persia that runs on the ColecoVision, MSX and SG 1000 consoles. It's worth noting that these consoles never got a port of the title, so the aim was to see if it was possible to implement the game for these platformers and to see if there is any interest in it. That's pretty much of a no-brainer at this point, as the game is well beloved until today.

The demo is bare as can be and doesn't even have any enemies. So you can tell this was Under4Mhz, just testing the waters. Hopefully, more people show interest so this new port could finally get off the ground, and we can all join the Prince on yet another classic journey. 

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Now, if you've been following us this past month, you've noticed how we've dialled down the action just a teensy bit. We know it's a bit unusual, but worry not because we're back, and we're going all out this week. Kicking down the door and bringing you retro action gaming at its finest. This week we're looking at a few games featuring some awesome sword-slashing, magic plastic action on this side of your old-school consoles. So stick around because things are about to get intense. 

DEATHFLOOD: DUNGEON OF DOOM

Now if you want some side-scrolling action that puts you into the boots of a badass barbarian, then you might wanna check out Windigo Productions awesome looking Commodore64 game, Deathflood: Dungeon of Doom. Take note, there's a whole lot of emphasis on the “death flood”. Deathflood: Dungeon of Doom takes place in a large vertical dungeon full of enemies, traps, and, you guessed it, a constantly rising flood.

Your objective is to escape the dungeon by rising up while keeping your head above water, just like in real life. Of course, things aren't that simple. You also get bonus objectives, hidden secrets, and some decisions to make in advancing the story. With 3 unique worlds and 19 individual levels, there's a lot to do and quite a distance to swim.

So if you're looking for a survival side scroller with unique graphics, challenging gameplay, and a cool soundtrack, you might wanna prep for the Deathflood: Dungeon of Doom. 

RASTAN

It's time to take a look at an arcade to Amiga port that's equally action-packed, and equally barbaric, but in a good way. We just caught the wind that Basementape is an Amiga Port of Rastan, a side-scrolling hack-and-slash video game released by the absolute legends and Trito for arcades in 1987. Due to its popularity and legendary status, many titles followed in its footstep. Just taking a look at it brings back good old memories. 

Rastan brings five action-packed levels of satisfying hack-and-slash gameplay with your obligatory boss battle at the end of each. On your journey, you'll be ploughing through flying demons, chimaeras, valkyries, piranhas, undead, and many more to save a land of log graph from certain doom. However, things won't get boring as the game features a whole arsenal of badass weapons. You got axes, maces, and fire swords. Each with badass attributes like extended range or attack power.

It's an action game with a bit of RPG, as you can deck out your character with armour and accessories to make sure the enemies go down faster. When you become the last man standing. It's true, classic, badassery retro style. So if you have a spare Amiga 500 lying around, you might wanna give Rastan a good old spin.

SPELLBOUND

So we're shifting from Barbarian Brawlers to knights in shining armor. While this game might not be as gritty and hardcore as the first two, it's still a nice challenge that features your classic epic action fantasy elements. I'm talking about the MSX release for Spellbound, the iconic 1980s Classic by David Jones.

Now this classic came out in 1985 for the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC home computers, and since then, it had quite the following. Even though it was the second game in the classic Magic Night series. Spellbound never came out on the MSX system back in 1985, but thanks to Mastropiero itch.io, things were about to change.

This MSX Port started development this year with the sole intention of bringing the entire Magic Night series to the MSX. Truly a heroic and much appreciated effort. However, this is an exclusive for itch.io with David Jones’ blessing. So if you want this classic for your MSX, make sure not to go anywhere else; otherwise, happy trails.

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We’re always out for an adventure, especially the old-school kind. We love a good story. We enjoy a bit of action, and now and then, we like to be challenged by a few puzzles. In that department, nothing beats the classic feeling you get from the 80s' and 90s', and luckily we got a couple of games that fit the bill to a T, so let’s check ’em out.

TOWER OF DAMNATION

Checking back into the MSXDev competition, we got the news in a downloadable version of Tower of Damnation, A challenging Platformer by Marcelo “BigFive” Correia. The game has you exploring several levels as you rescue hostages and kick some criminal. Sounds like my idea of a fun weekend. It’s a pretty straightforward game, downloadable and playable on the MSX1.

That being said, BigFive added a bit of a twist to the game’s mechanics. In this platformer, enemies can disappear for good, like forever. However, these pesky enemies are powered by AI and can provide quite a challenge. Long story short, they won’t go down so easy. Tower of Damnation offers a lot of excitement, giving players the chance to run and jump around, fight some bad guys, and eventually save the day. All for the sake of fun. And if this sounds good to you, then the tower, you must go.

BUBBLE QUEST

Now if you’re in the market for a pretty looking good feeling game for the Amstrad Plus and GX4000, then you might wanna check out Praline Software’s upcoming title of Bubble Quest. It’s a game feast for the eyes and the gamer’s brain. It plays simply enough. Having you guide as a bubble around a maze as you avoid getting popped by just about everything. Make no mistake, though, as this game is picturesque.

From the full-length animated intro to the skillfully crafted maps, getting distracted will be easy. Lucky for us, the game is nearing its completion, and we will all be able to enjoy this beauty. Praline Software is gunning for a physical edition that’ll fit into a cartridge but with much greater capacity. Besides that, we’ll keep our eyes and ears open for more. If all goes well, they’re looking at a 2023 release. Sounds good. And hey, it looks even better.

HAUNTED LANDS: BURIAL GROUNDS

We’re moving into more action territory with Alevgor’s Action Platformer, Haunted Lands: Burial Grounds. At first glance, it may seem like a simple PC homage to classic action-packed DOS games, but you’ll soon realize how it cranks up the action and gore just a teensy bit more.

The mission is clear. Survive the night as demons and ghouls try to rip off your face. Thankfully, you won’t be alone. You have the most trustworthy partner around. A powerful shotgun haunted grounds hit the ground running as you blast into the night. Currently, the game features 2 difficulty modes, 4 playable characters, and multiple levels swarming with supernatural horrors, all lining up perfectly with your iron sights.

All this, coupled with a kick-ass soundtrack created that sets the tone throughout the game, and you’ll have the time of your life as you fight for your life. From all the horror and action fans out there, lock and load because this might be your life's longest, most action-packed night.

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