The Cure (MSXdev'05 entry)

XL2S Entertainment has submitted its entry for MSXdev'05, called The Cure, formerly registered as VKSD. It is an amazing action/platform game with impressive graphics, sound and atmosphere, inspired by Konami's original Vampire Killer for MSX2. The 48 kB ROM game can be downloaded from the MSXdev'05 status page. The MSXdev'05 competition closes on December 20th. Many new MSX1 games are expected to be released in the mean time.

Relevant link: MSXdev'05 status page

Comments (53)

By pitpan

Prophet (2559)

11-12-2005, 17:32

I think that XL2S has pushed the good old MSX1 to its limits: only 48 KB are enough to handle such a game! Amazing. Congratulations to the team!

By Google

By Manuel

Enlighted (7235)

11-12-2005, 17:37

Amazing indeed! Wow... very impressive!

By Ivan

Scribe (8942)

11-12-2005, 18:16

Wow!

Long life to MSXdev!

MSX2 & upper are dead

By snout

Ambassador (13688)

11-12-2005, 18:21

very, very, very nice indeed! A great 'is this really MSX1'? feeling. Kudos!

By pitpan

Prophet (2559)

11-12-2005, 18:24

I would not say that MSX2 is dead, but I can assure you now that MSX1 is far from dead: this is the goal of MSXdev'05. XL2S has produced an impressive game. It is hard to believe that it is only 48 KB long and only requieres a MSX1 computer.

By BiFi

Enlighted (4348)

11-12-2005, 18:47

this is utter cool... one thing though: just one life isn't really much to go with...

By Ivan

Scribe (8942)

11-12-2005, 18:52

Yes, I've only reached the first end boss (not defeated it, though).

By mars2000you

Prophet (2644)

11-12-2005, 18:54

Bifi : I'm pretty sure that Vampier will find a 'trick' to help you

By Manuel

Enlighted (7235)

11-12-2005, 18:54

heh, I defeated the first boss (you really need hour glass) and got in stage 2. But then I died and now I hvae to start all over again

Btw, stage 2 is really cool

By KNM

Master (165)

11-12-2005, 18:59

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWW !!!!!!This is breathtaking !!!!

Incredible work!!!

By Ivan

Scribe (8942)

11-12-2005, 19:03

The games can be modified/improved before the deadline, right?

By GhostwriterP

Champion (448)

11-12-2005, 20:10

We thank you very much indeed, thanks for all the nice reactions!

By jltursan

Paragon (1340)

11-12-2005, 20:42

...and we thank you for create such a wonderful game! Great work!

By selios2000

Champion (321)

11-12-2005, 21:29

just a few words:

Big congratulations to the game developer and congratulations also to Robsy for his brilliant idea of the contest. YEAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!

By viejo_archivero

Paragon (1295)

11-12-2005, 21:40

Impressive, amazing... I have no words, I'm just puzzled!. Guys, this is huge!. Playin' and now I've reached at stage 3... stunning gfx, groovy musics and insanely smooth gameplay!. Keep on like this Xl2s guys, you've just created a classic (cries are caused by the emotion)

By viejo_archivero

Paragon (1295)

11-12-2005, 21:41

BTW, everyone noticed the cool graphical intro-story if you wait in the "The Cure" logo screen?

By Edwin

Paragon (1116)

11-12-2005, 21:51

Terrific entry! No time to look past the first level though. Have a creation to finish myself.

By iamweasel2

Master (230)

11-12-2005, 22:05

Great game!!!

Who says MSX2 is mandatory to make arcade games? This one really feels like Castlevania.

It's nice to see that MSXDev is bringing people to do this kind of work.

By Ivan

Scribe (8942)

11-12-2005, 22:13

I reached stage 2. The movements of the spiders are very realistic. Superb graphics!

By Manuel

Enlighted (7235)

11-12-2005, 22:15

so, VKSD: Vampire Killer Super Deformed? Vampire Killer Super Deluxe? What is it?

By mars2000you

Prophet (2644)

11-12-2005, 22:27

Vampire Killer SD-Snatcher ?

By GhostwriterP

Champion (448)

11-12-2005, 22:46

'SD' stands for the fire buttons.

By mars2000you

Prophet (2644)

11-12-2005, 23:40

Shoot and Die !

By Vampier

Paragon (1587)

11-12-2005, 23:45

GREAT GAME!!!

I really enjoyplaying it.... and I already trained it (I did not release the code and I want to ask anyone to wait with releasing the pokes until atleast christmas!)

I agree 1 live is not much to play with... MAKE IT MORE!!

By Maggoo

Paladin (834)

12-12-2005, 00:04

Best MSX 1 game I've seen since.... oooh very very longtime ! Brilliant.

By Vampier

Paragon (1587)

12-12-2005, 00:12

I just finished it... the end boss is VERY tricky

For MSX1

Graphics : 9
sound : 9
Playability :10
fun :11 (yes ours go to 11!)

Get ready for a suprise at the end Konami would have been proud

By Ivan

Scribe (8942)

12-12-2005, 00:18

Does Konami's Game Master work with the game?

By pitpan

Prophet (2559)

12-12-2005, 00:44

This game, IMHO, sets a milestone. Nothing will be the same after THE CURE!

By Ivan

Scribe (8942)

12-12-2005, 00:51

And it is one of the few games for MSX1 that uses very well the MSX1 colour palette (like King's Valley 2 for instance).

By BiFi

Enlighted (4348)

12-12-2005, 07:07

Does Konami's Game Master work with the game? If they've done things the Game Master way they might have... though I doubt it...

By ro

Prophet (3591)

12-12-2005, 11:17

looks very.. euh, vampire killer. but great stuff indeed.
so euh, now we'll have 2 wait for the map on msxsolutions don't we.

this msxdev is brining us some real gems!
concrats to all

By spl

Paragon (1230)

12-12-2005, 13:06

Do you know if it's possible to load the game with a rom loader? Or there will be a loader for MSX-DOS or Basic?

By spl

Paragon (1230)

12-12-2005, 13:56

Ok, simply renaming thecure.rom to thecure.com it works!

Simply great and amazing!

By Abi

Hero (562)

12-12-2005, 20:35

idd awesome game, GJ guys.
I am looking forward to The Revenge of the Last Dragon !!!

By pitpan

Prophet (2559)

12-12-2005, 20:49

And do not forget the Boulder Dash mega-version!

By BiFi

Enlighted (4348)

13-12-2005, 08:39

that's something wolf_ would go for

By Imanok

Paladin (718)

13-12-2005, 09:35

I tested the game yesterday... and it rocks!

-Excellent gameplay.
-Nice graphics (there are some extrange color mixed patterns, imho).
-Nice sound.

It's a pity the title screen doesn't make justice to the rest of the game!

Great game!!... a very probably winner... keep them coming!!

By viejo_archivero

Paragon (1295)

13-12-2005, 10:17

Imanok: agree with your comments about the logo screen. But, hey, they probably used that space for maps or gfx or musics, so it does not really matter

By Imanok

Paladin (718)

13-12-2005, 10:20

If that's the reason, there's nothing to complain about...

By Sonic_aka_T

Enlighted (4129)

13-12-2005, 13:15

Quite amazing game idd! Congrats to the team on such a great effort!

By SLotman

Paragon (1107)

13-12-2005, 14:13

Wow, this game is simply amazing! Congrats!!!

Only two things:

1- The game init was amazing, I loved the way the background were dithered to create shadows... I just fell a little down when I saw the same graphics of Vampire Killer... not that it wasnt impressive; it is, but as a "player" to see the same graphics from another game I've already played on MSX (a lot) broke the "cool new game feeling" a little.

2 - Pleeeeease, add one more life to it

Once again, congratulations to everyone on this project and to MSXDev

By SLotman

Paragon (1107)

13-12-2005, 14:15

Hmmm.... and just a question, is there space left so the game can detect an MSX2 or higher and set a palette...? Could be interesting

By pitpan

Prophet (2559)

13-12-2005, 14:50

Slotman: RTFM

Indeed it detects if it is a MSX2 or higher and then sets a colour palette identical to the MSX1 palette. Therefore it looks the same both for MSX and MSX2 or higher. I like the idea!

By zett

Champion (332)

13-12-2005, 18:41

nice!

By SLotman

Paragon (1107)

14-12-2005, 05:09

pitpan: what I had in mind was just the opposite, to try to "soften" the color differences the MSX1 version has on MSX2 (or even maybe a custom palette to each stage, fitting it better)

But anyway, it is a amazing game!

By BiFi

Enlighted (4348)

14-12-2005, 07:14

Indeed it detects if it is a MSX2 or higher and then sets a colour palette identical to the MSX1 palette. Therefore it looks the same both for MSX and MSX2 or higher. I like the idea!Okay... reality check.
Top: the MSX1 palette approximation in Palette Editor.
Middle: the MSX1 palette
Bottom: the MSX1 palette in The Cure
members.ams.chello.nl/a.beevendorp/mrc/msx1paledit.png

members.ams.chello.nl/a.beevendorp/mrc/msx1.png

members.ams.chello.nl/a.beevendorp/mrc/thecure.png

Decide for yourself which is closest to the MSX1 palette... ;)

By sjoerd

Hero (583)

14-12-2005, 13:23

the middle one

By BiFi

Enlighted (4348)

14-12-2005, 17:02

smartass... now choose between the top and bottom ones

By GhostwriterP

Champion (448)

14-12-2005, 17:16

Can I choose independant colors or do I have to choose an entire set?

By only_69

Hero (562)

14-12-2005, 18:44

Vampier or another one who finished the game,

How many stages are there in the game??

Thinking about another little update to MSX Solutions page!

By GhostwriterP

Champion (448)

21-12-2005, 22:17

11 stages and 5 bosses.

By wolf_

Ambassador (9117)

22-12-2005, 02:39

For Polka 2 I made an estimation of the msx1 palette for 9938 (that's in msx2 mode, there's also going to be a genuine msx1 mode with TMS colors).. sofar I got this:

By Yukio

Paragon (1514)

23-09-2006, 00:06

Ok, simply renaming thecure.rom to thecure.com it works!

Simply great and amazing!

So, I just needed to copy or rename the files to play the 48KB games.

 COPY THECURE.ROM CURE.COM

Played the Cure.

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