Support NeoGAF

[DeaconKnowledge]

Apparently this console released in 1991 by Fujitsu in Japan. I have never even heard of this thing in my life. I only found it because I was looking at Saturday Night Slam Masters wiki page and it said it had a port to this console.

Has anybody ever seen or owned this thing? How were the games?

 

[GotchaForce]

 

[Chris Remo]

It got a lot of surprisingly high-quality ports of LucasArts PC adventure games.

It was basically a PC in design, equivalent to a 386, but not expandable in the same way as an actual computer. It wasn't very successful.

 

[methos75]

It got a lot of surprisingly high-quality ports of LucasArts PC adventure games.

It was basically a PC in design, equivalent to a 386, but not expandable in the same way as an actual computer. It wasn't very successful.

I have one with Splatter house, yay

 

[GDGF]

I've heard of that thing but I've never seen one.

I have the same questions you have about the Konex Multi System.

 

[androvsky]

It got a lot of surprisingly high-quality ports of LucasArts PC adventure games.

It was basically a PC in design, equivalent to a 386, but not expandable in the same way as an actual computer. It wasn't very successful.

Sounds like a winner to me. Were the ports just for the Japanese market?

 

[DaCocoBrova]

I used to read EGM obsessing over this thing and its supposed power. It had a nice R-Type port IIRC.

 

[ixix]

I've heard the FM Towns described as the Japanese equivalent of the Amiga, in the sense that both were far ahead of their time technologically but never really caught on.

It's also supposed to have some sort of uber-versions of the early Ultima games.

 

[thetrin]

FM Towns had a great Zach McKraken port.

 

[Stinkles]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlXBl6y-_4g


Best street fighter port.

Color edit mode for sprites.

 

[McBacon]

PC

FM Towns

 

[jooey]

More entertaining look at FM Zak: http://www.zak-site.com/zak256.htm

 

[AstroLad]

Love the look of FM Zak; really takes me back. Any screenshots of the Ultimas?

 

[Nihilistic Monk]

PC

FM Towns

You've just blown my mind. Zac is the only lucasarts adventure I haven't played. Now I know what version I have to get... I never knew such a great looking version of Zak existed.... holy cow :lol

 

[Lumpy Onion]

Most info I ever got from this system when it was out were the six or so reviews I read in Gamefan magazine. Wikipedia says it was "the first 32bit home videogame system." I have respect for it just because it has the only home release of Tatsujin Ou (Truxton 2) It also reminds me of the X68000 for some reason.

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

If I'm not mistaken, the system had a port of one of Raizing's earlier shmups (can't remember the title), which makes it at least kinda cool... sorta.

 

[Alphahawk]

I've heard of that thing but I've never seen one.

I have the same questions you have about the Konex Multi System.

The Konex Multi System was essentially a console whose controller was a combination Driving wheel/ regular joypad. Luckily the company came to it's senses and scrapped the unit.

 

[water_wendi]

You've just blown my mind. Zac is the only lucasarts adventure I haven't played. Now I know what version I have to get... I never knew such a great looking version of Zak existed.... holy cow :lol

Well thats what happens when an 80s game is re-released a few years later :lol

edit: Also.. if you can get your hands on the FM-Towns version of Zak McKracken, i do believe it works in ScummVM.

 

[Sir Alemeth]

It's also got the only version of Ultima VI with voice acting.

 

[andymcc]

the lucasarts games are soooo much better on FM Towns.

 

[Chris Remo]

Well thats what happens when an 80s game is re-released a few years later :lol

edit: Also.. if you can get your hands on the FM-Towns version of Zak McKracken, i do believe it works in ScummVM.

Yep, ScummVM supports FM Towns versions.

 

[woodypop]

I used to read EGM obsessing over this thing and its supposed power. It had a nice R-Type port IIRC.

I remember that! EGM's how I learned about it, too! :lol

 

[water_wendi]

It's also got the only version of Ultima VI with voice acting.

Yeah.. the FM Towns got a shit ton of Ultima love. From the Ultima Trilogy (probably best versions of I/II/III) to Ultima IV, V and VI. Even got a nice version of Underworld.

 

[Noogy]

I wanted the FM Towns so bad just for R-Type when I was younger. It's sad to think I can't even bring myself to spend $15 for the recent downloadable port.

 

[FlyinJ]

Yeah.. the FM Towns got a shit ton of Ultima love. From the Ultima Trilogy (probably best versions of I/II/III) to Ultima IV, V and VI. Even got a nice version of Underworld.

Whoa wait a second. Are these all in english? Is there an emulator? Is the Underworld an actual ENHANCED version of Underworld compared to the PC one?

 

[GDGF]

The Konex Multi System was essentially a console whose controller was a combination Driving wheel/ regular joypad. Luckily the company came to it's senses and scrapped the unit.

So it was some kind of home/arcade thingy? That controller sounds like a nightmare.

 

[KnuckaWut]

are most of you guys reminscing about this console in europe ? cause i never heard of this thing being anywhere in the U.S. (or else i would have one)

 

[sfried]

What the hell is the FM Town's Marty?

The first CD-ROM based console. (Sorry Amiga)

 

[Tiktaalik]

The concept for this system always sounded really cool to me. It's also probably one of the prettiest consoles ever made.

I want one

 

[water_wendi]

Whoa wait a second. Are these all in english?

For the most part yes. Some of the games intros, iirc, are in Japanese. There is an option on all of them to play in English though. Again im going from memory here.

Is there an emulator?

Yes.

Is the Underworld an actual ENHANCED version of Underworld compared to the PC one?

i havent played it personally.. seems pretty much the same to me from what i have seen of it.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

Zak McKraken lost his sardonic smirk in the conversion to VGA. This must be the exact point in history when video games lost their mojo.

Seriously, I wasn't aware that their was a version with more detailed graphics other than Amiga being better than C64. The hardware also looks good. Like a precursor to the original XBox only not ugly or successful.

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

So it was some kind of home/arcade thingy? That controller sounds like a nightmare.

If I recall correctly, it came with a bunch of different controllers, all of which were a bit of a fucking mess. It was quite funny, really. There's an infomercial out there for the thing that was a good watch... I wonder if it's on Youtube.

 

[Vinnk]

I run an online retro games store in Japan and we have had a total of 6 FT towns systems go through our store. What is amazing is everery single one of them would sell in the first 12 hours after we put it on the shop. There seems to really be a demand for this system. Perhaps it is all the adult games?

Anway, here are the games that we have for it: http://www.risingstuff.com/store/index.php/cPath,11/

From the games I have seen they seem to come in 3 catagories:

1. Porn games
2. Ports of western PC games
3. Really good arcade ports

So I can see why the system would be popular.

And yeah a surprising amout of games are in English or have the option to switch to English despite the system never being released outside of Japan (perhaps they hoped to?). One of the games everyone always tries to order from us is a fully voiced (in English) Ultima game that haver came to any other system. The only games I have spent any time with (while testing systems) are Sim City and Splatterhouse. Both of them are excellent ports and Splatterhouse is probably the best home version ever released.

 

[BA005]

I have an FM Towns Marty for sale.

So if you're interested in buying one, please PM me.

I am located in Japan and can ship it anywhere in the world. Shipping cost will vary depending on where you are.

Regards, BA5

 

[jooey]

Shipping cost will vary depending on where you are.

Just gimme the cheapest.

 

[BA005]

Just gimme the cheapest.

Of course you would get the cheapest option by EMS insured mail

 

[GhostSeed]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlXBl6y-_4g


Best street fighter port.

Color edit mode for sprites.

That version also has some great red book audio.

 

[werewolf2000ad]

Ah, the Konix Multisystem. That takes me back. The Great White Hope for a British console system. The main unit was intended to be configurable as a steering wheel:

A flight yoke:

and as handlebars:

There was also supposed to be an optional force-feedback chair and light gun, modeled here by Jeff Minter:

Note that the lightgun could be set up as a pistol or a rifle:

There was also supposed to be a keypad and various other gubbins. It never came to market because Konix, who were a joystick manufacturer, just ran out of money before they could get it finished. Flare, the company who designed the internal hardware, later produced a second version of their technology that became... the Atari Jaguar.

 

[DJ_Tet]

I used to read EGM obsessing over this thing and its supposed power. It had a nice R-Type port IIRC.

Me too. Look at that controller plugged right into the tower...looked so sexy!


Although the one I REALLY wanted (and still do, honestly) is a SuperGrafix with CD attachment. Fully compatible with PC engine games too, and the controllers with built-in turbo :drool

 

[Jiguryo]

FM Towns had a great Zach McKraken port.

I was checking the thread to see if anyone beat me to it. That version is the best.

 

[bwahhhhh]

i remember Gamefan spooging all over "Scavenger 4" (Novastorm in the US) for the Marty many years ago, giving it insanely high reviews. (i got it for the PC the next year, and it was the best FMV shooter I ever played, but it was still just an FMV shooter)

 

[cartman414]

I run an online retro games store in Japan and we have had a total of 6 FT towns systems go through our store. What is amazing is everery single one of them would sell in the first 12 hours after we put it on the shop. There seems to really be a demand for this system. Perhaps it is all the adult games?

Anway, here are the games that we have for it: http://www.risingstuff.com/store/index.php/cPath,11/

From the games I have seen they seem to come in 3 catagories:

1. Porn games
2. Ports of western PC games
3. Really good arcade ports

So I can see why the system would be popular.

And yeah a surprising amout of games are in English or have the option to switch to English despite the system never being released outside of Japan (perhaps they hoped to?). One of the games everyone always tries to order from us is a fully voiced (in English) Ultima game that haver came to any other system. The only games I have spent any time with (while testing systems) are Sim City and Splatterhouse. Both of them are excellent ports and Splatterhouse is probably the best home version ever released.

Consider your store site bookmark'd.

 

[kazuo]

heh

The marty supposedly had a good port of Street Fighter.

And it apparently has some ports of Viper titles, so it can't be all that bad.

A brief look at the games list also shows that it had a decent library.

It even had New Zealand Story!

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

I almost bought an FM Towns Marty just for the superior Sega arcade translations, but I backed down when I found out it was about $700.

 

[GDGF]

Ah, the Konix Multisystem. That takes me back. The Great White Hope for a British console system. The main unit was intended to be configurable as a steering wheel:


There was also supposed to be a keypad and various other gubbins. It never came to market because Konix, who were a joystick manufacturer, just ran out of money before they could get it finished. Flare, the company who designed the internal hardware, later produced a second version of their technology that became... the Atari Jaguar.

Oh jesus. I don't know what to say about that.

I'd like to have one just because, I mean what the hell. I'd never pay money for it, though:lol

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

The Konex Multi System was essentially a console whose controller was a combination Driving wheel/ regular joypad. Luckily the company came to it's senses and scrapped the unit.

So it was some kind of home/arcade thingy? That controller sounds like a nightmare.

Perhaps an idea before its time.

 

[senahorse]

There was also supposed to be an optional force-feedback chair and light gun, modeled here by Jeff Minter:

:lol That's so fucked up it's awesome.

 

[djtiesto]

I remember seeing one at Videogames New York, but the asking price was something like $700... supposedly the system is extremely fragile and hard to find working, due to the 3.5" floppy drive. I remember reading about this and the port of the Manhole (Mac adventure game) in EGM as well. I think the Emerald Dragon port is supposed to be really good.

 

[DCharlie]

I remember seeing one at Videogames New York, but the asking price was something like $700

lol. when i took my complete boxed Marty to Traders in Akihabara they pleaded ignorance, didn't know what it was, and offered me 10 yen for it. lol.

 

[Vinnk]

I remember seeing one at Videogames New York, but the asking price was something like $700... supposedly the system is extremely fragile and hard to find working, due to the 3.5" floppy drive. I remember reading about this and the port of the Manhole (Mac adventure game) in EGM as well. I think the Emerald Dragon port is supposed to be really good.

That is WAY too much for one. They are pretty rare here in Japan but when they do turn up they are rarely over $200 (And the computer systems are even cheaper (though the shipping is pretty high). The nice thing about the Marty (or an FM towns computer) is that once you get the hardware the software itself is pretty cheap and many games came with tons of awesome little extras (maps, figures, posters, etc).