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[camineet]

For those that don't know what an FM Towns is: this was a Japan-only 32-Bit computer by Fujitsu first released in 1989 powered by an Intel 386 processor. It was DOS & Windows compatible but FM Towns went beyond normal IBM PCs of the time, with a completely custom graphics & audio chipset, providing audio/visual capabilities closer to that of arcade machines, much like the 16-Bit Sharp X68000, yet even more powerful.

The FM Towns computer was the basis for the world's first 32-bit home video game console, the FM Towns Marty, released in early 1993, many months before the other early 32-bit systems, Commodore CD32 or 3DO. The Marty was compatible with most FM Towns games. It's the same sort of relationship that the Amiga A1200 and CD32 shared.

Many great games were released for FM Towns, including the only home version of Truxton II.


Tatsujin Ou / Tatsujin II / Truxton II
- probably the most sought-after FM Towns game:

For those that ever wondered what happened to the first game in the PC-Engine CD-ROM² & Super CD-ROM² RAYXANBER series, it started on FM Towns.

 

[d+pad]

I remember salivating over the FM Towns back in the day (thanks to Die Hard Game Fan, of course). Wasn't there a version of R-Type on this, too?

 

[itxaka]

Lucasarts adventure games FM-Towns > Any other version

So awesome

 

[Tiktaalik]

That is an unbelievably sexy looking console.

 

[VAIL]

I always wanted one of these.

 

[Shadow780]

Wasn't this a light gun game? I loved it.

 

[camineet]

I remember salivating over the FM Towns back in the day (thanks to Die Hard Game Fan, of course). Wasn't there a version of R-Type on this, too?

Oh yeah, I remember Game Fan's review of Truxton / Tatsujin II and Galaxy Force II for the FM Towns Marty in 1993.

Back in 1989 in EGM's first preview of the FM Towns computer they showed a screenshot of R-Type, saying it looked nearly identical to the arcade. Perhaps a version of R-Type was in the works, I don't know, but there was no release. I've looked all over the net for any trace of FM Towns R-Type, but it seems it did not happen.

Now maybe EGM saw the X68000 version that was released in 1989, or just used a screenshot from the Arcade or PC-Engine version. It's also weird that EGM never covered the X68000. I don't remember EGM ever mentioning its existance. Neither did Game Fan.
Some people I've chatted with over the years believe EGM saw the X68000 R-Type and used that, or confused it, for FM Towns version.



From EGM Number 4

That pic of R-Type is too poor to be able to tell if it's Arcade, PC-Engine or X68000.

 

[magicalsoundshower]

Holy crap, Rayxanber! (I. e. the shmup with the oddest name ever). I take it the FM Towns version is something like a turbocharged version of the PC Engine game?

 

[Serph]

Lucasarts adventure games FM-Towns > Any other version

So awesome

holy shit zak. I've never seen you look so good!

 

[camineet]

Holy crap, Rayxanber! (I. e. the shmup with the oddest name ever). I take it the FM Towns version is something like a turbocharged version of the PC Engine game?

Nope, Rayxanber on FM Towns is the first game in the series, released in 1990.

PC-Engine got II on CD-ROM² in 1991, and III on Super CD-ROM² in 1992.

 

[Zhuk]

I have dreams about owning this PC, I would love to get one of them one day and try out the awesomeness.

 

[Bluemercury]

Most Lucas arts games looked the best in this. Special mentions being zack mackracken, indy3(with cd audio tracks), and i think Loom....

 

[magicalsoundshower]

Nope, Rayxanber on FM Towns is the first game in the series.

The PC-Engine got II on CD-ROM² and III on Super CD-ROM².

Hmmm, I just checked out a couple Youtubes and the FM Towns Rayxanber doesn't look that much more impressive than the PC Engine sequels, I guess Data West (a brother company to Data East, I take it? ) didn't really know how to work the FM Towns's hardware yet. Would you say the FM-Towns was as good for arcade games as the X68000 or maybe even better?

By the way, someone needs to make a thread about the Acorn Archimedes. Other than that it tried to do something similar as the FM-Towns and the X68000, but was mainly popular in the UK, I know next to nothing about it.

 

[A Black Falcon]

That is an unbelievably sexy looking console.

The most amazing thing is, the FM Towns Marty is just a 16Mhz 386 PC with 2MB of RAM, just with really good sound and graphics chips and a CD-ROM drive...

Anyway, Truxton II is amazing, it's too bad it wasn't released on anything else as well, console-wise. I mean, it's ridiculously hard, but amazing anyway... I've heard that this version is even harder than the arcade (quite a feat) thanks to the shorter view distance with the horizontal monitor, but even so, if I did have an FM Towns, the game would definitely be a must-have for sure...

Oh, do the Lucasarts games have an English option ingame, or not? I know I heard recently that Ultima V and Ultima VI on FM Towns evidently have full English options (with full voice acting) in addition to Japanese...

 

[Dr. Zoidberg]

Back in 1989 in EGM's first preview of the FM Towns computer they showed a screenshot of R-Type, saying it looked nearly identical to the arcade. Perhaps a version of R-Type was in the works, I don't know, but there was no release. I've looked all over the net for any trace of FM Towns R-Type, but it seems it did not happen.

I seem to remember another article in EGM about the system where they showed a fancy sim-type chair with a joystick and such. Did that ever come out?

 

[d+pad]

That pic of R-Type is too poor to be able to tell if it's Arcade, PC-Engine or X68000.

Ah, that's the exact shot I was talking about! I never knew the game never made it out (if it was even in the works).

I similarly salivated over the SuperGrafx back in the day. Finally bought one a few years ago, and though I liked Ghouls 'n Ghosts and one of the shooters (can't remember the name), I eventually got rid of it (sold it on eBay).

 

[teepo]

i got a boner.

 

[epmode]

Most Lucas arts games looked the best in this. Special mentions being zack mackracken, indy3(with cd audio tracks), and i think Loom....

Yep, definitely Loom. It's the best version of the game.

 

[plagiarize]

Yep, definitely Loom. It's the best version of the game.

it's the best voiceless version of the game.

i'd love a version that combined the solid voice acting of the VGA CD release with the VGA graphics (complete with character closeups) of the FM-Towns release.

who cares if the close ups don't lipsync?

this

Spoiler

cover

is awful though.

still i feel a bit better about the megaman cover now.

for anyone that doesn't know what the original looked like...

Steve Purcell AM GOD

 

[camineet]

Hmmm, I just checked out a couple Youtubes and the FM Towns Rayxanber doesn't look that much more impressive than the PC Engine sequels, I guess Data West (a brother company to Data East, I take it? ) didn't really know how to work the FM Towns's hardware yet. Would you say the FM-Towns was as good for arcade games as the X68000 or maybe even better?

FM Towns was more powerful, but the X68000 got more arcade ports. I'd say the FM Towns had more potential with 1024 sprites, compared to 128 sprites the X68000 could do.
After Burner on X68000 is like a somewhat better Megadrive version with greatly reduced background detail, while FM Towns version looked more like the arcade, although it was really choppy. Both systems got a port of Image Fight, and both look like the arcade.

I'd say it depends on what kind of an arcade game you're talking about, and who's porting it. I'd say for more simple side or vert scrolling games, they were about equal. For the more complex games with scaling, the FM Towns was better, although they both lacked true hardware scaling.

Yeah I agree with you about FM Towns Rayxanber, it doesn't look much more impressive the PC-Engine sequels. I think that part III was actually more impressive, I really loved that game.

By the way, someone needs to make a thread about the Acorn Archimedes. Other than that it tried to do something similar as the FM-Towns and the X68000, but was mainly popular in the UK, I know next to nothing about it.

I've never looked into that machine so I don't have anything to say about it, other than I wanna know more about it.

 

[Tiktaalik]

How much was this when it was released? The wikipedia page makes vague references to an FM Towns Marty 2 released in '94 which was "cheaper" than the first iteration at 66,000 yen.

There doesn't seem to be much info out there. Where are the FM Towns Marty fan sites?!

 

[epmode]

it's the best voiceless version of the game.

i'd love a version that combined the solid voice acting of the VGA CD release with the VGA graphics (complete with character closeups) of the FM-Towns release.

who cares if the close ups don't lipsync?

The CD version of Loom is missing a lot of dialogue from the disk-based versions. The audio is entirely uncompressed so they could only stuff in about 70 minutes worth. FM Towns is the way to go.

 

[plagiarize]

FM Towns was more powerful, but the X68000 got more arcade ports. I'd say the FM Towns had more potential with 1024 sprites, compared to 128 sprites the X68000 could do.
After Burner on X68000 is like a somewhat better Megadrive version with greatly reduced background detail, while FM Towns version looked more like the arcade, although it was really choppy. Both systems got a port of Image Fight, and both look like the arcade.

I'd say it depends on what kind of an arcade game you're talking about, and who's porting it. I'd say for more simple side or vert scrolling games, they were about equal. For the more complex games with scaling, the FM Towns was better, although they both lacked true hardware scaling.

Yeah I agree with you about FM Towns Rayxanber, it doesn't look much more impressive the PC-Engine sequels. I think that part III was actually more impressive, I really loved that game.




I've never looked into that machine so I don't have anything to say about it, other than I wanna know more about it.

i had one for years. there was a whole bunch of different models with varying capabilities.

i played Cannon Fodder, Lemmings and Wolf 3D extensively on the system. as well as some 3D free roaming star fox esque kind of thing i forget the name of. i believe we had an A4000. those games ran with great sound and Lemmings and Cannon fodder matched the Amiga versions most definately. Wolf 3D was identical to the PC version, to my memory.

 

[plagiarize]

The CD version of Loom is missing a lot of dialogue from the disk-based versions. The audio is entirely uncompressed so they could only stuff in about 70 minutes worth. FM Towns is the way to go.

direct me somewhere to legally buy it... cause the CD version is much more readily available (on steam for $5). i do like the voice work though. thought it was very well done and matched the tone of the game. ditto for the FM-Towns version of Zak. would love to own both.

 

[CiSTM]

Lucasarts adventure games FM-Towns > Any other version

Ugly.

Orginal is way better.

 

[magicalsoundshower]

...about that FM-Towns port of Zak McKracken: didn't the Japanese version contain modified sprites with bigger eyes? I remember seeing screenshots that proved this on some website but lost the link ages ago. I mean it kind of does make sense given how used the Japanese are to manga-styled character designs but it still always struck me as a tad bizarre.

 

[A Black Falcon]

By the way, someone needs to make a thread about the Acorn Archimedes. Other than that it tried to do something similar as the FM-Towns and the X68000, but was mainly popular in the UK, I know next to nothing about it.

I do know that the Acorn Archimedes is RISC-based, so it's not much like the IBM PC clone hardware of the FM Towns... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorn_Archimedes

Here's Star Fighter 3000, original Acorn version. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueae6bfPYaM

Not quite as good looking as the stunning 3DO port that came next, but still pretty good looking I think... (oh, the audio in the 3DO video is indeed the game's music.)

 

[camineet]

Ah, that's the exact shot I was talking about! I never knew the game never made it out (if it was even in the works).

I knew it would be, it's probably the only time anyone ever said & showed R-Type for FM Towns.

I similarly salivated over the SuperGrafx back in the day. Finally bought one a few years ago, and though I liked Ghouls 'n Ghosts and one of the shooters (can't remember the name), I eventually got rid of it (sold it on eBay).[/QUOTE]


Ghouls 'n Ghosts was amazing for SuperGrafx for the time.

Is the shooter you're trying to remember Aldynes ? I felt it was really good in gameplay, althought a little drab looking in the first level.

 

[plagiarize]

I do know that the Acorn Archimedes is RISC-based, so it's not much like the IBM PC clone hardware of the FM Towns... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorn_Archimedes

Here's Star Fighter 3000, original Acorn version. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueae6bfPYaM

Not quite as good looking as the stunning 3DO port that came next, but still pretty good looking I think... (oh, the audio in the 3DO video is indeed the game's music.)

aha! that was the other game i was talking about.

that music takes me back.

 

[epmode]

direct me somewhere to legally buy it...

I wish I knew. I was hoping that Lucasarts would release the FM Towns version on Steam but it looks like they were more interested in releasing a talkie version than the full game.

There's a good compairson here (TONS OF SPOILERS): http://home.comcast.net/~ervind/loomscreens1.html

 

[Mermandala]

This thread needs the music from Truxton II - the happiest and most awesome space-shooting tune ever. I hear it all the time in my head, walking down the street, making a sandwich - whatever it accompanies makes you feel awesome. like a high-five from a robot god.

 

[magicalsoundshower]

I do know that the Acorn Archimedes is RISC-based, so it's not much like the IBM PC clone hardware of the FM Towns... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorn_Archimedes

Here's Star Fighter 3000, original Acorn version. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueae6bfPYaM

Not quite as good looking as the stunning 3DO port that came next, but still pretty good looking I think... (oh, the audio in the 3DO video is indeed the game's music.)

Holy crap, they also made an Archimedes port of Alone in the Dark and it looks pretty rad. But then again, I'm not too sure if AitD is a particularly demanding game with its low-poly characters.

 

[MadFuzzy]

I do know that the Acorn Archimedes is RISC-based, so it's not much like the IBM PC clone hardware of the FM Towns...

It's the computer that the ARM processor was originally designed for. Now ARMs are used in pretty much every mobile phone that you can imagine as well as the GBA and DS.

 

[dacuk]

Wasn't this computer a haven for hentai games? I remember reading about it some days ago.

 

[jooey]

Wasn't this computer a haven for hentai games?

Uh, lots of computers are?

 

[itxaka]

Ugly.

Orginal is way better.

<-----

Really?

for anyone that doesn't know what the original looked like...

Cleaned version at 4724x6299

http://www.rulax.es/gallery2/d/124-1/Zak+McKracken+-+Poster+B.jpg

 

[magicalsoundshower]

Uh, lots of computers are?

Yeah, as far as I know hentai games were pretty much all that was available for the PC-FX, the ill-fated successor to the PC Engine.

The animu hate in this thread is strong.

At least we can all agree the Japan's pixel handiwork is far superior.

I'm pretty sure the FM-Towns version and the upgraded graphics were made by Lucasarts themselves. If you check the box art and the Youtube videos, there's no mention of another developer who might have been responsible for the conversion.

 

[CO_Andy]

The animu hate in this thread is strong.

At least we can all agree the Japan's pixel handiwork is far superior.

 

[camineet]

This thread needs the music from Truxton II - the happiest and most awesome space-shooting tune ever. I hear it all the time in my head, walking down the street, making a sandwich - whatever it accompanies makes you feel awesome. like a high-five from a robot god.

I never thought about Truxton II music in that light, but, you're right