Tokihiro Naito, creator of the seminal Hydlide series, has produced a new game for the MSX2 computer system.
XeGrader is a "fantasy shooting game," which Naito says "might be easiest to describe as a puzzle-solving adventure shooter." Unlike traditional shmups, power-up items aren't present; instead, upgrades are earned by solving puzzles.
"The game starts in a grassland and shifts through forests, ruins, a graveyard, and a dungeon as the scenes change," explains Naito. "While enemy attacks grow more intense, you also power up as you progress. The screen is filled with characters and bullets, yet there’s no slowdown at all. I don’t quite recall an MSX2 game with such high-speed performance… or at least, that’s how it feels."
You can order XeGrader here. The standard version costs 5,800 Yen (around £30 / $38), while a special edition with various extras is 7,800 Yen (£40 / $52). "If the number of pre-orders exceeds the planned initial batch, I will proceed with additional production," says Naito. "The reproduction process will take more than two months."
Naito points out that a MSX2 / MSX2+ "or compatible" is required to run the game. "The media provided is a 1 Mbit Mega ROM. Requires 128KB VRAM A joypad connected to Port 1 or A of the main unit If the joypad follows the TOWNS specification, it also supports the START button."
Naito is currently working at M2, the company behind titles such as Aleste Collection, Haunted Castle Revisited and Castlevania Dominus Collection.