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Description
MSX-PLAYer is the only official MSX emulator. It was released in MSX magazines on CD-ROM.
It was developed by the MSX Association, which based his work on Marat Fayzullin's MSX emulator "fMSX", with some improvements (especially sound quality) and addition of MSX turbo R support (in 2003, 2004 and 2005 versions).
Contrary to other MSX emulators, you can't directly launch ROM or DSK files, and there is no any support for CAS/WAV files. Almost all versions come with several pre-loaded software configs, each time embedding the emulator with one or several programs (games or applications) in a specific format. It's not the case for the version released with the MSX Game Reader.
You can especially notice "BASIC" configs, designed to
- load programs, provided in the embedded disk images, or available on an floppy disk inserted in your PC disk drive
- use MSX-BASIC and save your programs
The interface of this emulator can be changed, just by choosing another skin.
Versions
There are 5 versions of this emulator:
- Version 1 was available on the CD-ROM provided in 2002 with the following books:
- Fun!! MSX Emulator & Games (version 1a)
- MSX Magazine Eternal Preservation Edition (version 1b)
- Version 2 was available in 2003
- installed by default in the ASCII MSXPC 20th Anniversary Model
- on the CD-ROM provided with the book MSX Magazine Eternal Preservation Edition 2
- Version 3 is a special version available on the CD-ROM provided with the MSX Game Reader in 2004 in Japan, 2005 in Europe (Sunrise version)
- Version 4 was available on the CD-ROM provided in 2005 with the book MSX Magazine Eternal Preservation Edition 3
- Version 5 was available on the CD-ROM provided in 2008 with the book MSX Magazine Special Issue for EM · ONEα
PSG, SCC and MSX-MUSIC are emulated in all versions (maybe not in 2008 version for MSX-MUSIC).
Version 1 emulates a MSX2+ while versions 2 and 4 emulate a MSX turbo R. However, version 4 has an MSX2+ mode for some options. For version 3, see below. Version 5 emulates a MSX1.
Version 1a
The version released with the Fun!! MSX Emulator & Games book 6 days before MSX Magazine Permanent Preservation Edition 1 allows to play several embedded games: Dragon Slayer IV - Hydlide 3 - Relics - Super Laydock.
A few other games were proposed as trial (game limited to 20 minutes) in their EGG version: Fantasm Soldier Valis 2 - Laydock 2 - Xak - XZR.
Version 1b
The 2002 version included the MSX-PLAYer for Windows (98, 98SE, Me, 2000, XP) and PocketPC2002. It was available with four skins each.
For each each skin you could select
- one of the following 4 pre-loaded software configs for Windows:
- Commercial games: Bokosuka Wars - Castle Excellent - Famicle Parodic 2 - Fire Hawk - Iligks Episode IV - Pai Panic - Pairs - Quinpl - Red Zone - Rise Out - Rotors - Scope On - Tawara - The Castle - Theseus - Thexder - Trial Ski
- Homebrew games: Astro Monsters - Greatest Fighter Yajiuman - Hoippuru - Magical Labyrinth Remix
- BASIC with mouse or joystick support + access to many little programs
- Graph Saurus 2.0
- one of the 9 following pre-loaded software configs for PocketPC2002: Bokosuka Wars - Hoippuru - Iligks Episode IV - Pai Panic - Pairs - Quinpl - Rotors - Tawara - Trial Ski
As bonus, a trial version (game limited to 20 minutes) of the Ys series was available for Windows in their EGG version: Ys: Ancient Ys Vanished - Ys II: Ancient Ys Vanished - The Final Chapter - Ys III: Wanderers from Ys.
Gallery Windows Edition
Gallery PocketPC2002 Edition
Version 2
The 2003 version included the MSX-PLAYer for Windows (98, 98SE, Me, 2000, XP) and PocketPC2002. It was available with three new skins each.
It supports MSX turbo R and Japanese MSX-DOS 2. X-BASIC version 2.1 is included in the Windows version. The PocketPC2002 edition had beta compatibility with PocketPC2003.
For each each skin you could select
- one of the following 2 pre-loaded software configs for Windows:
- Games and BASIC:
- Commercial games: C-So! - Dires - Dungeon Master - Fleet Commander 2 - Gulkave - Hadou no Hyouteki - Haja no Fūin - J.P. Winkle - Madō Monogatari 1-2-3 - Master of Monsters - Penguin Kun Wars 2 - Professional Mah-Jong Gokuh - Tir-nan-og - Warroid
- Homebrew games: Delvindus - Mahouno Kunino Hoippuru - Mejuusa - Zone Terra + Foreign Made with 3 options: MSX 20th Anniversary Demo - Blade Lords - Teachers Terror
- BASIC with mouse or joystick support + access to many little programs
- Demo versions: Amber Testament - Guru Logic Champ - The world is drawing to an W/end
- Adult Games : Mighty Battle Skin Panic - Super PinkSox
- Games and BASIC:
- one of the 12 following pre-loaded software configs for PocketPC2002: Amber Testament (Demo) - C-So! - Dungeon Master - Fleet Commander 2 - Guru Logic Champ (Demo) - Madō Monogatari 1-2-3 - - Mahouno Kunino Hoippuru - Mejuusa - Mighty Battle Skin PanicSuper PinkSox - The world is drawing to an W/end (Demo) - Warroid + only with the black skin: BASIC and access to little programs
Gallery Windows Edition
Gallery PocketPC2002 Edition
Version 3
In 2004 ASCII introduced the MSX Game Reader, which shipped with a special version of the MSX-PLAYer emulator, having only a simple skin.
This version however only works if the MSX Game Reader is connected and has a cartridge inserted. It would emulate an MSX1 if it detected an MSX1 cartridge inserted, and a MSX turbo R for other games. This was likely done because of the difference in color palette between MSX1 and MSX2.
For access to MSX-BASIC, you need to insert a non-executable cartridge in the slot of the MSX Game Reader.
It shipped with drivers for 32-bit Windows 2000 and Windows XP. Attempts to get the drivers working on 32-bit Windows 7 were very complicated (and unsucessful on 64-bit Windows 7).
In Europe Sunrise was allowed to ship an English language version of the MSX-PLAYer emulator with their version of the MSX Game Reader. This version was released in 2005.
Gallery
MSX1 mode
MSX turbo R mode
Version 4
The 2005 version included the MSX-PLAYer for Windows (98, 98SE, Me, 2000, XP). Support for PocketPC was abandoned.
This version of the emulator supports save state, on the fly skin switching and faster emulation. Just like versions 1 and 2, various pre-loaded software configs were available:
- Commercial games: Aleste - Casio World Open - Emmy II - Ghost House - Greatest Driver 2D Special - Iga Ninpocho - Iga Ninpocho Battle of Mangetsu Castle - Kitten Adventure - Seiken Acho
- Games with Amusement Center (ProjectEGGPlus) launcher: Harry Fox MSX Special - Planet Mephius - Princess Maker - Rune Worth
- Adult games: Chaos Angels - SM Lady
- Homebrew games: Crash Pacoche - 13 Ghost Stories - Gray Grofa - Kyokugen - Mistral Blue - Wing Revenger
- BASIC with MSX2+ mode available and access to many little programs
- MSX Magazine archives containing 4 games: Degran - Ogiss - PaRaDream - Storm II
- Game development tools:
- ASCII Development Tools with MSX2+ mode available: MSX-C - MSXC-GE - MSXC-JO - MSX-C Library - MSX-DOS 2 Tools - MSX-S BUG2
- Game Land Special
- R-System 3.4 with MSX2+ mode available
- Synth Saurus 3.0
Gallery
Version 5
The 2008 version was only for Windows Mobile 6. It came with 10 games:
- Commercial games: Bokosuka Wars - Hanafuda Koi-Koi
- Homebrew games: Gong - Gunyu Wari - In the Hunt - Interstellar Special Attack Unit - Jump Up !! - Number Alien - Oshibat - Perio Memories
Users were also invited to create new games in MSX-BASIC on this system.
Compatibility with OS versions
| Version | Windows 98 | PocketPC | WindowsMe | Windows XP/2000 | Windows Vista/7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Full | OK | OK | Full | No |
| 2 | Up to MSX2+ | OK | Up to MSX2+ | Full | No |
| 4 | Up to MSX2+ | No | Up to MSX2+ | Full | OK |
(Source)