This prototype version of Madou Monogatari II was released in Disc Station's 1989 Special Christmas Edition to promote the then-upcoming Madou Monogatari 123, and is thus the first entry in the Madou Monogatari series.
The game takes place in the year 2039, two decades after the super computer DIA51 attacked and decimated the Earth. After the long restoration period, Earth is invaded by a race of alien plant-like humanoids called the Vagand, intent on finding a new food source on Earth. In their first attack on Earth, the Vagand destroys an Earth space cruiser commanded by the previous Earth hero, Ray Waizen. Their plan to invade Earth is challenged by the newest version of the Aleste piloted by the daughter of Ray and Yuri Waizen, Ellinor, who has vowed to avenge her father's death and to personally kill the Vagand leader Gaizel.
Adol Christin's long-time friend, Dogi, wishes to return to his home town of Redmont after hearing about strange disturbances that are happening there. Always looking for an adventure, Adol joins him and soon finds out the cause of this new evil.
Ys: Wanderers from Ys breaks away from the "bumping into enemies" battle system of the first two games, allowing Adol to control his sword in a variety of directions. Beside changing the battle system, the game's perspective switches to a side-scrolling view, as opposed to the top-down one of the previous games. Adol also has the ability to jump now. New to the series is the use of magical rings, which give Adol different powering-up abilities such as healing and shielding. The game also uses various key items found along the way to solve minor puzzles and progress the story.
Aleste Gaiden is a vertical shoot 'em up video game developed by Compile in 1989. It was released onto MSX2 in Japan only. It was originally released as part of the Disc Station Special Vol. 4. As it's title implies, it is a spin-off which retells the story of the first game in a different setting.
Mr. Ghost is a side, and vertical (the game alternates between the two), scrolling shoot-‘em-up where you play a buck-toothed ghost who’s being bullied by other ghosts, jumping spiders, and crows, probably about his prominent teeth. Mr. Ghost plays remarkably close to Irem’s Mr Heli, so much so that they could, in fact, be related. Both games let your character move in eight directions, both allow you to deform parts of the environment, and both have a super-deformed look to them. What sets this game aside, though, is its combat system. Mr Ghost dispatches a little sperm looking ghost at enemies and can only redeploy him after he’s returned. Mr Ghost can also perform a bum rush to destroy enemies sneaking up behind him or break bricks.
Pac-Mania is a variation on the game Pac-Man. You need to guide Pac-Man around a maze and eat all of the dots on the board to proceed on to the next round. Numerous, multi-colored ghosts also roam the maze trying to stop you. If you eat one of the power pellets in the maze, the ghosts will temporarily turn blue and run from you. Pac-Man can earn bonus points by eating the ghosts when they are in this state. The maze is now shown in isometric perspective and is larger than the screen which will scroll to follow the action. To help get out of tight spots, Pac-Man can now jump. But be careful, because some of the ghosts have learned this trick as well and you could end up in a mid-air collision!
Yoshida Koumuten a.k.a. Yoshida Builder is the first in the line of 3 shoot'em up editors and the only one only able to make vertical levels. Developed and published by MSX Magazine. Yoshida Koumuten Data Library All 3 Volumes are game collections that hold several different shoot-em-up games.
In year 691 of the celestial calendar, the dimensional control computer "Laxis" ran amok under the influence of an unknown interdimensional energy, striking out against mankind. Using its dimensional powers, Laxis escaped to another era. Using your dimensional controller-equipped power suit, the Arouza, you must hunt down and destroy Laxis.
Starting out in space, you control Arouza, which bears an uncanny resemblance to the metal knights in Herzog, as it flies towards the enemy. In the Space Harrier vein, you see your character from behind while enemies appear from the horizon. On later stages, set above the planet surface, the resemblance is stronger, especially since you can run on the ground. You have two weapon systems, consisting of a gun and target-seeking missiles, which have a limited supply. Arouza can be upgraded using powerups released when killing certain enemies. Upgrading is a good precaution before you encounter the end-of-level bosses, since you only have one life (with a power bar, mind you) to wa