BoneSnapDeez wrote:I will admit I have not played the MSX versions, as I don't own an MSX. Maybe someday...
Can't recommend one enough. Terrific machine, essentially what the Colecovision could have been had the market not crashed. The Konami support on it is outstanding. I personally believe Konami's output on the MSX is superior to that of their output on the NES, with incredible games like Space Manbow, Snatcher, SD Snatcher, Metal Gear, Metal Gear 2, Treasure of Usas, an entire, exclusive Gradius series, Penguin Adventure, Castlevania, Contra, and so forth.
Actually, I saw someone above say that Castlevania 2 is a good sequel despite it being "different." It's not really all that different - Castlevania 2 is basically a mix of the NES Castlevania and the MSX Castlevania. The MSX version - released a few days after the NES version - is a completely different game that is exploration based, sort of like castlevania 2 or symphony of the night. It still has levels, but the goal isn't simply to get to the end of the level. There are no bottomless pits - instead each stage is open and free flowing and pits simply lead to lower parts of the level. There are shops and currencies, different weapons (the Axe, for example, is permanent), keys to collect. It was a really different game.
For those in the US, Castlevania 2 seemed to be such a drastic departure, but for those familiar with the MSX version, it seemed like a good blend of the two versions of the game.
Here's a good video on the awesomeness that is the MSX version of Castlevania (called Vampire Killer in europe):
Virtually any game which is on both the NES and MSX are very different. Contra, for example, is twice as long on the MSX, featuring levels not seen in either the NES or Arcade version. It also is much more difficult, with no continues and only 3 lives, but a long life bar. It lacks the spreader, but has a few exclusive weapons, like the shot gun. The Gradius games are the most different - only the first is an arcade port (and a pretty good one). All the other gradius games are exclusive to the system - Gradius 2 on the MSX is a completely different game from the PCE, Arcade, and NES Gradius II (note the roman numerals), and Gofer no Yabo Episode II (aka Nemesis III) is actually an MSX-exclusive sequel to the arcade Gradius 2.
Terrific system, Konami's output really makes it worth picking up. Even beyond Konami, it has excellent conversions of games like R-type, and the Aleste series was birthed on the system. It goes for quite a bit, however, but it's definitely my 2nd favorite 8-bit system. I have a Sony HitBit HB-F1 II, this model:
EDIT: I should also mention that Konami MSX games usually have much better music than the average NES game because they featured Konami's arcade SCC chip inside virtually every released. This sound chip was superior to even the VRC-3 in the japanese version of Castlevania 3. For Snatcher and SD snatcher, the chip was even expanded as the SCC+, probably the single greatest sound processor ever produced by Konami.
