The new website, MRC2k10 (previously known as MRC2k9, also known as MRC2k8, initially planned as MRC2k7) is on its way. But until its release, we're stuck with MRC2k2. We won't spend too much time on tweaking old code, but a desperate howl from the Spanish section touched Jorito (our website maintainer and 2k10 builder) deeply. And so, as of today, the Spanish forum has four sections instead of one. The new sections are General, Software and Gaming, Hardware and Trading and Collecting. The latter was the primary reason for these sub sections. It turns out the Spanish are vivid MSX traders! For everyone who speaks the language: have fun with these new forums!

Relevant link: MRC forum

If you hadn't noticed yet, we've enriched our frontpage with the five most recent threads in the trading & collecting forum. Last week the MRC crew had a debate about bumping such trading threads. While we decided that endless bumping wasn't the thing we wanted to have, we also recognized the benefits of having exposure on the frontpage. We have decided to meet those demands and have added this section at the frontpage, your thread will be in the picture much longer now. Happy trading!

Relevant link: Trading & Collecting forum

In summer 2004, djh1697 managed to arrange an interview with Dennis, a retired PR manager from Konami. The questions came from users of our forum back then! After more than five years we added the interview to our articles section.

If you have any interesting articles to share, like tutorials, fair reports or anything else remotely interesting for MSX users, please consider our article section.

Relevant link: Konami PR Manager - interview

Tsk Tsk! A week over due, but what can you do.. It's time to put the most popular downloads into the spotlight again. So, without further ado, the statistics from February and a week from March!

MSX downloads Top 10 - February

1. 666 The Haunted House (81 downloads)
   
2. PCM Encoder (73 downloads)
   
3. Protracker (59 downloads)
   
4. Default General MIDI soundbank (56 downloads)
   
5. Rick Dangerous (51 downloads)
   
6. SymbOS MSX (47 downloads)
   
7. Megadoom (47 downloads)
   
8. DSKPro (42 downloads)
   
9. MSX1EMU (40 downloads)
   
10. Final Future character 1 (39 downloads)
    

MSX Related downloads Top 10 - February

1. Metal Gear 1 (134 downloads)
   
2. Kings Valley 2 (91 downloads)
   
3. Maze of Galious - Castle (53 downloads)
   
4. Metal Gear - Red Alert (52 downloads)
   
5. Descending Theme from Deep Dungeon Adventure (51 downloads)
   
6. Metal Gear 2 - Solid Snake intro 2008 (48 downloads)
   
7. Penguin Killer (46 downloads)
   
8. Solid Snake 2007 (43 downloads)
   
9. Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake introdemo (40 downloads)
   
10. F1-Spirit - Ending theme (39 downloads)
    

Our download database contains over 1000 entries of freeware MSX downloads. If you feel that your software should be in this list, make sure to send us your entries. And maybe next month your entry will grace the top 10 charts!

Relevant link: MSX downloads database

Source: MSX Forum

Readers of our active forums could have known for quite a little while already that CEZ Game Studios have decided to call it a day. In this forum topic one can read that the news probably is not as bad as it seems, as the developers will individually remain active in developing retrogames and there are still a few releases planned.

Relevant link: Computer Emuzone Game Studios

In an effort to keep our links section up to date we did a little cleaning today. In total 23 links were removed due to 404s, unreachable servers or removed content while 10 links were updated to their new location or labeled "under construction". With that, our links section should be up to date again.

The MRC links section now contains slightly less than 250 links to MSX (related) websites from all over the world. Do you know of any MSX related websites that are not listed yet (or anymore)? Is yours listed? Let us know by registering an account and then submit your MSX links here. Thanks!

Relevant link: MRC links section

And so, with the first month of the new year behind us already, it's high time to look at the monthly downloads statistics. DemonSeed's Descending Theme from Deep Dungeon Adventure proved to be a popular download, as well as the usual Metal Gear franchise. If only Konami would know.. Would they actually know? Without further ado: the downloads statistics of January 2010!

MSX downloads Top 10 - January 2010

1. Descending Theme from Deep Dungeon Adventure (114 downloads)
   
2. 666 The Haunted House (66 downloads)
   
3. PCM Encoder (65 downloads)
   
4. Default General MIDI soundbank (53 downloads)
   
5. Protracker (49 downloads)
   
6. Pyramid Quest (43 downloads)
   
7. SymbOS MSX (41 downloads)
   
8. Rick Dangerous (39 downloads)
   
9. Deltree (39 downloads)
   
10. Blue Warrior (34 downloads)
    

MSX Related downloads Top 10 - January 2010

1. Metal Gear 1 (126 downloads)
   
2. Kings Valley 2 (56 downloads)
   
3. Aleste 2 - Area 1 (52 downloads)
   
4. Metal Gear - Red Alert (50 downloads)
   
5. Maze of Galious - Castle (49 downloads)
   
6. Metal Gear 2 - Solid Snake intro 2008 (48 downloads)
   
7. Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake introdemo (46 downloads)
   
8. Penguin Killer (36 downloads)
   
9. Metal Gear 2007 (29 downloads)
   
10. Solid Snake 2007 (29 downloads)
    

Our download database contains over 1000 entries of freeware MSX downloads. If you feel that your software should be in this list, make sure to send us your entries. And maybe next month your entry will grace the top 10 charts!

Relevant link: MSX downloads database

Today, we have updated our review of Manbow 2, the Space Manbow-inspired shooter game that was released by Sunrise during Bussum 2007.

Our initial review gave the impression that re-used cartridges were used, whereas in fact brand new cartridge cases were produced and used for this game's release. As soon as Sunrise gets the cartridge labels and game manuals to their customers the end-product will look as sparkling-new as it actually is.

Relevant link: Manbow 2 review

Due to quite a stupid mistake (snout: 'I goofed!') the trackers in the freeware MSX downloads corner have been offline for quite a while. As of today, they are all back available - including screen shots and, when appropriate, DSK downloads. It concerns the following trackers:

• C-Qensr
• Koustracker promo
• Meridian 3.0 beta3
• Oracle 1.10
• PSG Tracker
• Sample Box 4.4 macro
• SCC Blaffer
• SCC Blaffer NT
• SEE (Sound Effect Editor) 3.0
• TraxPlayer

Happy downloading and tracking!

Relevant link: MSX Downloads - Music trackers

A new year, a new month, a new downloads top 10! Which files proved to be the most popular ones in December 2009? Let's have a look!

MSX downloads Top 10 - December 2009

1. Aleste 2 - Area 1 (63 downloads)
   
2. 666 The Haunted House (59 downloads)
   
3. SD-Snatcher - Church (56 downloads)
   
4. Protracker (46 downloads)
   
5. SymbOS MSX (44 downloads)
   
6. PCM Encoder (44 downloads)
   
7. Rick Dangerous (40 downloads)
   
8. Default General MIDI soundbank (36 downloads)
   
9. Car II (35 downloads)
   
10. Randar 3 (31 downloads)
    

MSX Related downloads Top 10 - December 2009

1. Metal Gear 1 (121 downloads)
   
2. Kings Valley 2 (53 downloads)
   
3. Metal Gear 2 - Solid Snake intro 2008 (40 downloads)
   
4. Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake introdemo (37 downloads)
   
5. Maze of Galious - Castle (36 downloads)
   
6. 17. Monster Hunter 2 (36 downloads)
   
7. Metal Gear - Red Alert (34 downloads)
   
8. Aleste Dia52 (34 downloads)
   
9. Metal Gear 2007 (31 downloads)
   
10. Penguin Killer (23 downloads)
    

Our download database contains over 1000 entries of freeware MSX downloads. If you feel that your software should be in this list, make sure to send us your entries. And maybe next month your entry will grace the top 10 charts!

Relevant link: MSX downloads database