One year ago,
Passion MSX started a contest that could be seen as the MSX2 version of MSXdev. With games to be delivered in ROM format, with manual and ROM label, it was almost identical to the recent
MSXdev specifications. It was however a contest for MSX2, with 512KB ROM as a maximum. Following frequent discussions of the time, about the limitations of the MSXdev contest, this contest could've been the answer to all that, with dozens of developers finally being able to escape the MSX1 limits while still competing in a contest that looks quite similar.
One year has passed since then, without much attention being given to this contest, other than reminders in forums by people who try to redirect developers to this contest instead of boasting the specifications of MSXdev once more. While a few rumored entries passed the train station of Gossiptown, the contest eventually ended with only two entries. The first one was published soon after the deadline, the second entry was announced only hours after the first entry.
The first entry is called Shift, by contest-regulars
Infinite. Shift is a variation of Bejeweled, one of the many match-3 games that roam the world of indie-gamedevelopers (and these games are in fact quite popular among middle-aged woman, according to statistics!). On the positive side: Infinite has made a deadline again(!), although a slight update of Shift is to be expected in the near future.
The second entry has come from
TNI. A modest shooter with some elements from Aleste and a funny erotic theme around it. Music has been made for PSG, but uses extra FM voices when an FM-PAC/MSX-MUSIC is available.
Despite the low entry count, a second edition of this contest is knocking the door already. More on this when that announcement is official! Until then, have fun with the results of this edition: shifting Infinite's shiny balls and shooting with TNI's flying cock!
Relevant link:
Passion MSX - Shift
Relevant link:
Passion MSX - Equivocal 
