30 MSX Hits (1988, MSX, Premium III Software Distribution)

Rating: (6 votes)

Sound: PSG
Kind: Game
Input Devices Supported: Keyboard
Genre: Variety
Licence: Commercial

Note: These are all slightly modified versions compared to the original: the copyright notices (mostly (C) Bytebusters, but also others) have been removed and some saving options are missing (no password in Break-In, no options in Life in the Fast Lane). Also, sometimes the title screens are missing (Robot Wars).

Here is the manual:

30 MSX Hits
Loading instructions cassette: RUN"CAS:" <RETURN>

Tape 1 A: Star Fighter, Speedboat Racer
B: Oh Shit!, The Heist, Spy Story
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Star Fighter
------------
Controls: Use either cursor keys or joystick to control Cruise Shuttle manoeuvring
sights (see: Meteorites), flashing on-screen cursors (Galactic chart),
entry of digits (Secret code) and dummy directing
(Grid): Left = left Right = right
Up = up Down = down

The Action
Galactic chart: Move flashing cursor to desired position and press fire to engage warp.
The coloured diamond-shaped figure indicates a refueling depot. Squares indicate enemy
space stations.
Warp: Hold the vibrating sight above the static computer navigator in order to warp to
the correct quadrant in space.
Refueling: Once at the refueling station, automatic computer control takes over and gives
you a little breather.
Meteorites: Fire your laser (fire button or space bar), using cursor
keys or joystick to aim your sight. If a meteorite hits your vessel your
defence shield is weakened. Should your shield be nulified completely
and any new impact is sustained, Starfighter will be terminated, ending
your mission.
Fighters: Wipe out the Urnuth fighters in the same way you blasted the
meteorites. But be careful: they fire back!
Secret code: Decipher the encrypted sequence of digits to crack the
code. Mode your cursor keys or joystick up or down to increment or
decrement digits, and left or right for next digit. The higher your
CRO-display is, the closer to the correct entry code you are. When
countdown reaches zero, one of the three sabotage crew is lost. If at
any time all members are lost, your quest is over.

Speedboat Racer
---------------
Object of the game: Cover the section, which is outlined with 2 buoys on
a lake, as fast as you can. Pay attention to the strength and direction
of the wind, you can read this on the "WIND" indicator; when you sail at
high speed you take the risk of flying up in the air. Also reckon with
the wash of the waves, visible on the "WATER" indicator; adjust your
speed if necessary. Avoid crashes with competitors.
Joystick/cursor keys: Left = left, Right = right, Upwards = accelerate,
Downwards = brake.

Oh Shit!
--------
Controls: Joystick controls correspond with cursor key controls.
Left = left, Right = right, Up = up, Down = down.
The one and only arcade game classic. Run, run run... for the ghosts.
Eat, eat, eat... the vitamins you find in the labyrinth, as you gobble
your way through the maze faster, faster and... OH SHIT!!! Music and
speech add to the enjoyment!

The Heist
---------
Controls: During the game you can make use of the following keys:
<M> music on/off
<S> sound on/off
<R> start game again
To get onto the escalator press the cursor "right" and "up"
simultaneously. By using the elevator you can also change from one floor
to the next. Place Graham in the elevator and press <1>, <2> or <3>.

Spy Story
---------
Controls: Determine the direction you want to go, using the following
keys:
<N> = North
<E> = East
<S> = South
<W> = West
In addition the program will respond to the following commands:
INV = Inventory, to see which objects you are carrying with you.
LOOK = To take a close look at various situations.
HELP = Will provide you with helpful hints.
STOP = to quit or to pause.
After you enter "STOP", the program will ask you if you want to save the
adventure so far: <Y> = YES
Hit any other key, if you do not want to save.
NOTE: Do not forget to give <RETURN> after each text or command you
entered.

Tape 2 A: Beach Head, MuSiX
B: Skooter, Mazes Unlimited, Hard Boiled
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beach Head
----------
Option Menu: Options can be selected only by using space-bar and cursor
keys. After "commence battle" type your name and press <RETURN>.
Controls: Joystick controls correspond with cursorkeys.
Firebutton/space-bar = fire

The Game
Aerial Reconnaissance: The overview shows a clear image of the
battlefield. Top left: the secret passage, flashing white. Top right:
the main channel. If we move to engage the enemy head-on, move the fleet
-the four white dots at the top- directly through the main channel, in
the direction of the flashing beach. Howeverm we can also opt for a
surprise attack: manoeuver your fleet to the secret passage. The
advantage of this tactic is that the enemy will be caught off-guard. The
disadvantage: the passage is studded with mines and automatically
launched torpedoes.

MuSiX
-----
Play
<STOP> = Switch between play and edit mode
Up = play faster
Down = play slower
Right = play louder
Left = play softer

Edit
Left = move keyboard pointer left
Right = move keyboard pointer right

Moving through Memory
Up = move up
Down = move down
<HOME> = to start
<SELECT>Up = move up, fast
<SELECT>Down = move down, fast
<STOP> = play backwards
<SELECT>Y = synchronise stepping
<SELECT>U = undo synchronisation
<SELECT>E = last melody note = end of memory
<SELECT>. = Green lines = end of memory
<SELECT>R = reserve all of memory

Making changes
<INS> = insert note pointed at
<DEL> = delete note pointed at
<CTRL><DEL> = delete all notes between lines
<ESC> = delete melody between lines
<BS> = delete drum between lines
<CTRL><ESC> = delete rest of melody
<CTRL><BS> = delete rest of drumsounds
<CTRL><HOME> = delete rest of music
<SELECT><INS> = make room by shifting upwards
<SELECT><DEL> = delete forwards by shifting
<SELECT><BS> = delete backwards by shifting
<F1> to <F10> = insert prefixed rhytms
<SELECT>X = transpose

Keyboard feature
<SELECT>KB = activate keyboard feature
<SELECT>K = deactivate keyboard
<SELECT><ESC> = set keyboard 2 octaves higher
<SELECT><TAB> = set keyboard 1 octave higher
<SELECT><CTRL> = set keyboard 1 octave lower
<SELECT><SHIFT> = set keyboard 2 octaves lower

Subdivision
<SELECT>n (n=<2>,<3>...<9>)
= multiply subdivision by n.
<SELECT>0 = undo subdivision
<SELECT>1 = invert background colour
<SELECT>+ = add 1 to subdivisor
<SELECT>- = substract 1 from subdivisor

Loading and saving
<SELECT>L = load music file from tape
<SELECT>S = save music file to tape

Mazes Unlimited
---------------
Controls: Cursor keys correspond with joystick movements. Left = left,
Right = right, Up = up, Down = down.
To fire use either fire button or space bar.

Skooter
-------
Control: Joystick movements correspond to control with the cursor keys.
Fire button/space bar = blast bricks.
<F1> = Music on/off
<F2> = Sound effects on/off
<F3> = Pause
<F4> = Unpause
<F5> = Self-destruct
Use the bricks also to close your unpleasant and persevering pursuers
in. At least until you find the heart to destry them. The heart is
hidden in certain bricks. Green bricks can be blasted.

Hard Boiled
-----------
Object of the game: the world of HardBoiled consists of a planet surface
and 4 sectors: alpha, beta, gamma and delta. Object: to reach the end of
the long corridor in sector delta, where a surprise is waiting for you;
each sector consists of 50 rooms. There are a number of doors between
the rooms. Look for keys with which you can open the doors: behind each
door there will be an object which can help you in the maze (e.g. a new
key). There is a symbol on the keys; you can only use the keys at doors
with the same symbol; you can only reach the admittance of a new sector
by way of the planet surface, you must make use of the key card, where
you are looking for in each sector; there are many enemies in all
sectors. Destroy them or avoid them.
Objects: you can carry only 2 objects at one time; as soon as you pick
up a third one you will lose one of the two you had. Note: not all
objects are usefull: by pressing key O you can get information about the
object.
Joystick/cursor keys: left = left; right = right; upwards = upwards;
downwards = pick up object/float. To go down: set free the control;
firebutton/spacebar = fire.
Keys: 1=use object 1; 2=use object 2; O=information about the object you
picked up and the ones you carry. By pressing the <P> key, the game will
continue.

Tape 3 A: Break In, Mastervoice, Chopper 1
B: Pico Pico, Sorcery, Traingame
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Break In
--------
Controls: joystick/cursorkeys & space bar.
Bonus pills appear and give bonusses when the bat is moved over the
pills. Results can be:
- a shooting Bat
- an enlarged Bat
- a sticky Bat (release ball with firebutton/spacebar)
- 2 extra balls
- extra life
When a ball hits the alarm-chime, the alarm goes off; and the Private
Eye will start to hunt you down. Points are collected by hitting bricks
and converted into money when you hit a credit-card.

Mastervoice
-----------
Sound sources: Microphone, connected via amplifier to cassette in port
on your computer.
Cassetteplayer, connected to the cassette port on your
computer.
Control: Joystick

Upon loading, the control MENU will appear:

MENU RECORD JOYSTICK UP/DOWN
CREATE MVFILE AND THEN RIGHT
PLAY BACK TO EXECUTE COMMAND

RECORD:
Stores sounds to user RAM (32K max.). Sounds can be stored as blocks. A
RECORDing start when the firebutton is pressed and end when the
firebutton is released. After USER RAM area is filled-up the program
returns to the MENU.

CREATE MVFILE:
This option stores digital data to tape; select the option, press
record/play on the tape player, then press the fire button. Escape from
this option by moving joystick to the left.

PLAY BACK:
Play in USER RAM stored SOUND DATA.
To use MVFiles into user's Basic programs:
MVFile data is loaded into BASIC program by using BLOAD"CAS:",R
Once a file is loaded, it can be played by executing the basic program
line A=USR(n%), where N is a numeric value indicating the Nth recorded
Data Block. 0 for N plays all blocks.

Chopper 1
---------
Controls: Joystick/Cursorkeys & Space Bar to go Left/Right or Up/Down
Firebutton/spacebar+Up = increase speed in northerly direction
Firebutton/spacebar+Down = increase speed in southerly direction
Firebutton/spacebar = fire guns

Pico Pico
---------
Controls: Joystick/Cursorkeys & Space Bar
SELECT = Filler Block
Build a place for your princess by killing the giant Spiders and moving
blocks around. Put extra blocks in by using SELECT, but don't forget the
entrance.

Sorcery
-------
Game controls: keyboard joystick action
Z left move left
X right move right
enter up rise
shift fire use/swap object & spell's

to pause, press <DEL>, to restart press fire/space bar.

The Traingame
-------------
DUTCH fast Passenger Train simulator; SPRINTER 2.
Controls: joystick/cursorkeys & keyboard

DRIVE/BRAKE CONTROLLER:
handle forward: ok to change speed
handle middle pos.: neutral brak/speedsettings; ok to change
speedsetting.
handle 1/2 back: brakes on lightly
handle back full: full brake pressure

SPEED SECTOR:
Push keyboardbuttons 0 to 9 to select speedsetting; 4=40 km/h;
0=100 km/h; 1 = 110 km/h, etc...

CENTRAL PASSENGER DOORS CONTROL:
To close doors, push <D>
To open doors, push <O>

AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL (ATC):
Dictates desired save driving status.
ATC is indicated by bells and chimes soundings.
green ok to drive 120 km/h
green+8 ok to drive 80 km/h
green+6 ok to drive 60 km/h
yellow slow down to 40 km/h, next signal may be red;
yellow+8 slow down to 80 km/h, next signal may be red;
yellow+6 slow down to 60 km/h, next signal may be red;
red full stop

ATTENTION SIGNAL < 40 km/h:
Below 40 km/h with drive controller in neutral or forward position, a
signal will sound. Push <Q> to acknowledge.

*STOPPING AT STATIONS:
Bring the Train to a full stop as close as possible to the red signal at
the end of the platform.

Tape 4 A: Boulderdash 1, Life In The Fast Lane
B: Robot Wars, Police Academy 1, Miner Machine
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Boulderdash 1
-------------
Collect as many jewels as you possibly can as you move from one cave to
another, and always avoid and remove the threat of danger and obstacles.
Rockford can move through 16 caves (A to P) and each cave has 5 levels.
You can start with 3 lives but each cave succesfully conquered will give
an extra life.
Controls: Choose the number of joysticks with <J>, and the number of
players with <P>. Choose a cave (A,B,E,I or M) with left/right. Choose a
level by moving joystick up/down. Confirm choice and start game by
pressing fire-button/spacebar. Use the fire-button and joystick or
spacebar and cursorkeys to make Rockford remove a rock or take a jewel
lying under a rock.

Life In The Fast Lane
---------------------
Race on the road, through underwater passages and space tunnels as fast
as you can. Avoid all obstacles on your way, destroy enemies and collect
bonus to obtain your highest possible score. Left = left; right = right;
upwards = accelerate; downwards = brake; firebutton/spacebar = jump. If
you fall into a black hole you will arrive at an Underwater passage. Hit
the white bonus balls in the Space tunnel. Avoid bats and projectiles
they fire off or shoot them. Firebutton/spacebar = shoot. If FIRE and
JUMP is 0 you cannot shoot or jump anymore.

Robot Wars
----------
Shoot down the droids. Using a joystick simply point in the direction
you want to go. To move diagonally using the keyboard, you have to hold
down two cursorkeys simultaneously. F.i., if you want to move to your
upper right, press both <UP> and <RIGHT>. To fire use either firebutton
or spacebar.

Police Academy 1
----------------
Controls: left = to move gun left
right = to move gun right
up = to move gun up
down = to move gun down
Use either firebutton or spacebar to fire. Aim your six-shooter and
blast the bad guys into oblivion! But be careful not to waste the
innocent kids smiling at the Arm of the Law: the higher ups would not
quite agree, costing you points and status.

Miner Machine
-------------
Objective: collect all the square lumps of gold before your time (shown
in the upper right corner of the screen) runs out. Watch out for the
bats!
Controls: After loading the game press the firing button or space bar to
start play. The question 'which cave?' then appears on the screen. Press
key <1> or <2> to start play in an existing cave, or key <0> if you wish
to create a screen yourself. Joystick/cursorkeys: left = left; right =
right; up = up; down = down; <STOP> = suicide; <ESC> = pause.

Tape 5 A: Spy Versus Spy, Jet Bomber
B: Boulderdash 2, Polar Star, Happy Fret
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spy Versus Spy
--------------
Controls: Cursorkeys/joystick: left/right/up/down/
<F5> = Return to optionscreen.

Jet Bomber
----------
Controls: Cursorkeys/Joystick left/right and up/down.
Press firebutton or spacebar to drop bombs or to launch projectiles.

Boulderdash 2
-------------
Controls: Cursorkeys/Joystick left/right and up/down
Press firebutton or spacebar to push, dig or take without moving your
position.
<ESC> = To commit suicide.
<RETURN> = To pause. To go on; press <RETURN>.
<P> = change number of players
<J> = to alter number of joysticks.
Goal = To collect as many jewels to open the secret exit for the
next cave.
Ennemies = Falling boulder, the firefly, the butterfly and the amoeba.

Polar Star
----------
Controls: Cursorkeys/Joystick left/right and up/down. Press firebutton
or spacebar to fire.

Happy Fret
----------
Controls: Cursorkeys/Joystick left/right and up/down
Press firebutton or spacebar to jump.
Functionkeys: Confirm you choice with <RETURN>
F1 Pick up tools
F2 Use tools
F3 Open doors
F4 Overview aquired objects
F5 Save or Load (S) or (L)
Hint: It is absolutely necessary to find out the exact location and
content of the secret password.

Tape 6 A: Sky Vision, Boardello
B: Oil's Well, Confused?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sky Vision
----------
Controls: left = left, right = right, firebutton/spacebar = fire
Hall of Fame: Use cursor keys left/right to select letter, firebutton or
spacebar to enter letter. All positions must be filled to continue.

Boardello
---------
The well-known board game of Othello on your computer. After loading
select from the option screen the desired options.
To play: move the piece from the bottom of the screen to the desired
position with the cursor or the joystick. Press firebutton/spacebar to
release. Pressing <M> will always return you to the main menu.

Oil's Well
----------
Drill for oil, but avoid dangerous objects like land mines.
Controls: joystick left = left etc. Firebutton = retract. Select playing
speed.
= Drill Bit: get 3 to start with, one extra for every 10.000 points.
life span of 990 ticks.
= Oil Pellets: Get them all to advance to the next field.
= Oozies: Will destroy your pipe, but your drill bit will get them.
= Petromins: Slow down the oozies.
= Super-rich oil pellets.

Confused?
---------
Solve the puzzle. Pick up a piece by putting the cursor arrow on top of
it and hitting the spacebar. Move the cursor to where you think the
piece should be and hit space bar again.
Options: First put your cursor on the desired option and hit spacebar to
select or activate. Choose the number of pieces, which puzzle (file) and
which competition mode. Then activate play.
During the game: in invert mode selecting a piece will invert the
movement of that piece.

Mentioned in

MSX Club Magazine 20 on page 24 (review)
MSX-DOS Computer Magazine 23 on page 78 (review)
MSX-DOS Computer Magazine 24 on page 2 (ad)
MSX Mozaïk 1988-3/4 on page 15 (news)
MSX Info 04-02 on page 2 (ad)
Syntax Argang 5 Nr. 9 on page 32 (ad)
Syntax Argang 5 Nr. 10 on page 32 (ad)

Added on: 22-11-2004
Last updated on: 24-09-2023

Compilation exists out of the following 30 software titles

30 MSX Hits

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