The lost Might and Magic : the Nec PC-Engine version
The lost Might and Magic : the Nec PC-Engine version
Hi all,
Recently I discovered a version of Might and Magic 1 : Secret of the Inner Sanctum that was made for the NEC PC-Engine console (known as Turbografx in the US) This version of MM1 was released in 1991 for the Super CD (a Cd-Rom add-on for the PC-Engine). Unfortunately it was released in Japan (and in japanese) only...
Not only the graphics of the game were entirely remade, but it also featured a lot of changes from the original title :
• Character Design by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, a renowned japanese artist who is best known for his work on a movie called "Arion". So Ubisoft was not the first company to try to link a famous cartoonist to the Might and Magic name.
• CD quality music apparently composed by none other than Joe Hisaishi (composer of Hayao Miyazaki films scores ! Well the music he did for MM1 is cheap 80s muzak, but still better than PC Speaker...)
• Voices ! The game is "full talkie" (in japanese)
• A whole introduction sequence telling you about the Ancients and the creation of Varn, and how the adventurers find themselves in Sorpigal in the beginning of the game (More on that later)
• In this version you don't create your team but must use the pregenerated characters : Amuru Norzan the Paladin, Lance Worker (!) the Knight, Lia the Archer, Asura Frost the Wizard, Walt Warren the Robber and Doga Elas the Cleric.
The full packaging
Box art by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
Manual cover
Characters, from left to right : Amuru Norzan, Lance Worker, Lia
Characters, from top to bottom : Asura Frost, Walt Warren, Doga Elas
The good old map of Varn, with japanese names for key locations
Some pictures of the game itself :
Intro sequence :
The story of the Ancients. How they tamed the raging elements to create the lands of Varn...
The characters : Walt Warren, Lia, Asura and Doga
Lance Worker and Main Title
Amuru Norzan arrives on boat
Unfortunately, some nasty centaurs attack the boat. "You stupid fanboys, I'll teach you once and for all what 'manga look' really means !"
Asura Frost finds the unconscious Amuru and brings him to Sorpigal (whar can't I help thinking about MM6 and Falagar taking the heroes to New Sorpigal to escape the demons ?)
The actual game :
Exploring Sorpigal and meeting the cute innkeeper and the blacksmith.
It's too early to go outside so let's keep on exploring the town and fighting some goblins.
Fighting snakes (on a plane ?), gathering rumours at the tavern, and examining a statue of a blue dragon
Fighting skeletons (nice scythe, man !) and venturing in the wilderness.
And just for fun, a little comparison between the PC-Engine version of MM1 and the DOS version : this is the same monster...
Recently I discovered a version of Might and Magic 1 : Secret of the Inner Sanctum that was made for the NEC PC-Engine console (known as Turbografx in the US) This version of MM1 was released in 1991 for the Super CD (a Cd-Rom add-on for the PC-Engine). Unfortunately it was released in Japan (and in japanese) only...
Not only the graphics of the game were entirely remade, but it also featured a lot of changes from the original title :
• Character Design by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, a renowned japanese artist who is best known for his work on a movie called "Arion". So Ubisoft was not the first company to try to link a famous cartoonist to the Might and Magic name.
• CD quality music apparently composed by none other than Joe Hisaishi (composer of Hayao Miyazaki films scores ! Well the music he did for MM1 is cheap 80s muzak, but still better than PC Speaker...)
• Voices ! The game is "full talkie" (in japanese)
• A whole introduction sequence telling you about the Ancients and the creation of Varn, and how the adventurers find themselves in Sorpigal in the beginning of the game (More on that later)
• In this version you don't create your team but must use the pregenerated characters : Amuru Norzan the Paladin, Lance Worker (!) the Knight, Lia the Archer, Asura Frost the Wizard, Walt Warren the Robber and Doga Elas the Cleric.
The full packaging
Box art by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
Manual cover
Characters, from left to right : Amuru Norzan, Lance Worker, Lia
Characters, from top to bottom : Asura Frost, Walt Warren, Doga Elas
The good old map of Varn, with japanese names for key locations
Some pictures of the game itself :
Intro sequence :
The story of the Ancients. How they tamed the raging elements to create the lands of Varn...
The characters : Walt Warren, Lia, Asura and Doga
Lance Worker and Main Title
Amuru Norzan arrives on boat
Unfortunately, some nasty centaurs attack the boat. "You stupid fanboys, I'll teach you once and for all what 'manga look' really means !"
Asura Frost finds the unconscious Amuru and brings him to Sorpigal (whar can't I help thinking about MM6 and Falagar taking the heroes to New Sorpigal to escape the demons ?)
The actual game :
Exploring Sorpigal and meeting the cute innkeeper and the blacksmith.
It's too early to go outside so let's keep on exploring the town and fighting some goblins.
Fighting snakes (on a plane ?), gathering rumours at the tavern, and examining a statue of a blue dragon
Fighting skeletons (nice scythe, man !) and venturing in the wilderness.
And just for fun, a little comparison between the PC-Engine version of MM1 and the DOS version : this is the same monster...
- Omega_Destroyer
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- Talin_Trollbane
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I wish I could go back and play one of these MMI versions with tolerable graphics. I find my original version just way too dated to enjoy.
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One year after, I'm true to my promise : I found a copy of the PC-Engine version of Might and Magic III - Isles of Terra
This one is a bit better known than the PCE version of Might and Magic, because it was also released in North America. Nowadays however, the japanese version is easier to find (and cheaper too) so here it is.
• Just like the first one had designs from a renowned japanese artist, MM3 featured a nice illustration by Yamada Akihiro. Yamada Akihiro, often referred to as "the Japanese Frazetta", is very very famous for illustrating fantasy novels, notably Juuni Kokki ("the Twelve Kingdoms") and Records of Lodoss War. He also did covers for the Wizardry games in Japan.
If you know the game you'll notice the symbols of the Forces of the Dome are part of his illustration I'm trying to see if a full version of the artwork can be found in the guy's various artbooks.
• CD quality music strikes back. I don't know who is the composer, but he did a great and unique soundtrack with a very strange atmosphere well fitting the M&M universe.
• Apart from that, the game is very similar to the computer version so it features the classic heroes like Sir Caneghem, Crag Hack, etc.
And now the pictures...
The front and back covers :
The manual cover :
The map of Terra with japanese text :
I didn't have time to make in-game screenshots but I will in the coming days
This one is a bit better known than the PCE version of Might and Magic, because it was also released in North America. Nowadays however, the japanese version is easier to find (and cheaper too) so here it is.
• Just like the first one had designs from a renowned japanese artist, MM3 featured a nice illustration by Yamada Akihiro. Yamada Akihiro, often referred to as "the Japanese Frazetta", is very very famous for illustrating fantasy novels, notably Juuni Kokki ("the Twelve Kingdoms") and Records of Lodoss War. He also did covers for the Wizardry games in Japan.
If you know the game you'll notice the symbols of the Forces of the Dome are part of his illustration I'm trying to see if a full version of the artwork can be found in the guy's various artbooks.
• CD quality music strikes back. I don't know who is the composer, but he did a great and unique soundtrack with a very strange atmosphere well fitting the M&M universe.
• Apart from that, the game is very similar to the computer version so it features the classic heroes like Sir Caneghem, Crag Hack, etc.
And now the pictures...
The front and back covers :
The manual cover :
The map of Terra with japanese text :
I didn't have time to make in-game screenshots but I will in the coming days
I've seen this!
I've seen this and aloot of german versions on ebay lately! I've also seen a Might and Magic VIII for playstation 2 in japanese at ebay!! Anyone know something about that?
Re: I've seen this!
Well console versions Wizardry and Might and Magic have been quite popular in Japan in the 90s (to this day, there are still Wizardry titles that are released in Japan). So 3DO did a PS2 port of MM8 aimed to that market. I don't know if it was successful, though.HeroOfPunk wrote:I've seen this and aloot of german versions on ebay lately! I've also seen a Might and Magic VIII for playstation 2 in japanese at ebay!! Anyone know something about that?
Back to the PC-Engine version of Might and Magic III, here are some screenshots of the american version :
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holy crap. That is one impressive collection. I don't own MMIX for obvious reasons, but otherwise I own all the M&M games, and Heroes II and III. I also have a copy of heroes IV somewhere. Although it wouldn't be a huge loss if I lost it.
I do not have the bragging rights of the colossal amount of boxes ether. It would consist entirely of MMVI special edition (which has M&M 1-5 as a bonus) a jewel case for MMVII, and one of those weird re release boxes of MMVIII that is from some european distributor.
I do not have the bragging rights of the colossal amount of boxes ether. It would consist entirely of MMVI special edition (which has M&M 1-5 as a bonus) a jewel case for MMVII, and one of those weird re release boxes of MMVIII that is from some european distributor.
Back from the dead? Maybe.
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