MSX2

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MSX2 logo.

The MSX2 is a computer architecture standard devised by Microsoft and ASCII Corporation for the Eastern market and licensed in 1985. Like the MSX standard it was based on, the goal was to create a standard hardware architecture of off-the-shelf chips which any company could license and build and consumers could rest assured that any software written for it would work on every MSX2 computer. The MSX2 is backward compatible with the MSX.

Although the initial MSX standard saw a lot of adoption, the inability for any of the manufacturers to topple the dominance of the NEC PC-8800, along with further competition from the Sharp X1 and Fujitsu FM-7, meant that few companies profited from their venture into the MSX, so there weren't nearly as many adopters of the MSX2. The MSX2 was followed up by the MSX2+ in 1988, and finally the MSX TurboR in 1990.

Personal

As I learned more about the MSX standard, I started seeing notable differences between games which targeted the MSX versus the MSX2. Because MobyGames doesn't differentiate between the two, I assumed they were compatible, but, while playing with emulators for the different systems, I discovered they were not, and now I treat them separately on my site. However, since most of the games released for the system are in Japanese and not that impressive anyway, I haven't played much on the platform.

I do not own any MSX2 hardware, nor have I ever used any in real life.

Technical

Like the original standard, the MSX uses a Zilog Z80A processor, but it uses a superior Yamaha V9938 video chip and a slightly better Yamaha YM2149 audio chip. The new standard still supports ROM cartridges, data cassettes, and floppy diskette drives for media.

Games

See all MSX2 Games.

Links

Link-Wikipedia.png  Link-MobyGames.png  Link-VGMPF.png