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Post by ryochan on Jul 20, 2009 16:59:38 GMT -5
Well, this is the best place I can think to put this... If it needs to be moved, mods please do so.
Anyway, I promised a convention I attend/staff that I'd do a "History of Console RPGs" this year. Originally I'd hoped to get quite a few done, but they take time, so I'm limiting myself between certain years (1986-1990). I've made what, so far as I can tell, is a pretty comprehensive list, but just in case I missed some, I defer to you guys for help. Here's what I have found, plus whether they seem to have an English translation (fan or otherwise). Am I missing anything/Have bad details?
1986
- Dragon Quest (Released 1989 in US)
- Hydlide (Released 1989 in US)
- Aigiina no Yogen (No US Release, Partial Fan Translation)
- Ganso Saiyuuki: Super Monkey Daibouken (No US Release, No Fan Translation)
1987
- Dragon Quest 2 (Released 1990 in US)
- Magic of Schereazade (? Not sure on the origins of this, must research)
- Digital Devil Monogatari: Megami Tensei (No Us Release, No Fan Translation)
- Faxanadu
- Final Fantasy (Need to research original or US dates)
- Getsu Fuuma Den (No US Release, Fan Translation Available)
- Ginga no Sannin (No Us Release, No Fan Translation)
- Herakles no Eiko (No Us Release, No Fan Translation)
- Indora no Hikari (No Us Release, No Fan Translation)
- Minelvaton Saga (No Us Release, No Fan Translation)
- Momotaro Densetsu (No Us Release, No Fan Translation)
- Haja no Fuuin (No Us Release, No Fan Translation)
- Romancia (No US Release, Fan Translation Available)
- Ultima
- Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord
- Deadly Towers (Also has 1986 listed)
- Miracle Warriors: Seal of the Dark Lord
- Hoshi no Miru Hito (Unsure of translation)
- Phantasy Star
1988
- Dragon Quest 3 (Released 1991 in US)
1990
- Doraemon - Giga Zombie no Gyakushuu (No US Release, Fan Translation Available)
Btw, remember my time comment in another post? Yeah, this explains it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2009 17:25:39 GMT -5
For starters, the original Final Fantasy saw a US release in 1990. It was a very big year for NES games.
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jp
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Post by jp on Jul 20, 2009 17:27:02 GMT -5
Some quick research indicates that The Black Onyx -- Henk Rogers's Wizardry-style RPG designed specifically for Japan -- was released for MSX in 1985. Since you're counting those ports of Ultima: Exodus and Wizardry, The Black Onyx should definitely go on that list. It predates Dragon Quest by two years on PCs and by one on consoles.
Dragon Slayer was also on MSX in 1985. Not sure if you're counting Dragon Slayer as an RPG, but if something like Hydlide makes the cut I'd say it's worth a mention.
I guess this assumes you consider the MSX a console, but I'd say it falls closer to the console side of the spectrum for gaming than the PC side.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2009 17:30:19 GMT -5
A few other things - Final Fantasy II came out only a year after the original, in 1988. Phantasy Star II was in 1989 for Japan and 1990 for the US. My memory is a little hazy about when Wizardry first came to the NES, but I want to say that the second one was in 1991.
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Post by ryochan on Jul 20, 2009 17:40:56 GMT -5
Jason X: Awesome. I'll add that in
jp: Let me research the MSX a bit, then we'll see. I unfortunately am still doing a lot of research.
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Post by Ganelon on Jul 20, 2009 17:54:56 GMT -5
MSX is a full-fledged computer with usable applications, even if it focused almost entirely on games. There would be quite a few 1985 picks in that case.
Anyway, Zelda II and Drasle Family were released in 1987. Ys was released in 1988. Fire Emblem was in 1990. There are quite a few other console RPGs in this time period but they didn't really bring anything new (Crystalis being a prime example).
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Post by insertnoun on Jul 20, 2009 17:59:59 GMT -5
Destiny of an Emperor/Tenchi o Kurau (NES) - 1989 in Japan, 1990 in US. It's a traditional RPG by Capcom of all people, based on a manga based on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms novel. One of my favourites, as I am a ROT3K fanboy. 5 battle active member party size/7 walk around the world size. Notable that the vast majority of the enemy officers in the game can be recruited, so technically the possible character pool is 100+? Though I haven't really counted.
Legend of the Ghost Lion/White Lion Densetsu (NES) - 1989 in Japan, 1992 in US. It's a Dragon Quest clone by Kemco. The main character's a girl and gimmicks include: you summon your allies in battle using up your... dream or hope (instead of being called Level, HP, and MP, it's hope, courage, and dream...or dream, courage, and hope, whatever, I don't remember!); your allies only have HP, and when they attack/do stuff, they use up some of their HP to attack (just resummon them if they die and you need them again); you don't actually equip your gear, you just use them from your inventory; and you don't gain exp in levels, your Level-equivalent goes up by finding pieces of hope/dream/whatever around the world.
Musashi no Bouken (NES) - 1990 in Japan, did not come out in America. There is a fan translation. It's by..Sigma, apparently. It's basically a Dragon Quest I clone with Sengoku-era-ish setting in Japan (pre-Sengoku technically? No guns). You actually play as the son of the famous Miyamoto Musashi, IIRC. But regardless, it boils down to Musashi vs undead Sasaki Kojirou. As I said, it's a DQ I clone, so it's mainly 1 on 1. Though there is a tanuki NPC who randomly does random things during battle, like deal minor damage, distract opponent (make enemy lose turn), or restore minor amount of HP or MP.
Actually, forget Musashi no Bouken; it added nothing new.
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Post by shelverton on Jul 20, 2009 18:59:02 GMT -5
Willow for NES. It was basically Zelda with EXP, but since you have Faxanadu in that list I figured you mean action-RPGs too. Willow was released 1991 in Europe, and I'm guessing it had already been out in Japan for at least 2-3 years (It was very common back in those days...). Wikipedia says 1989. That's all I know.
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Post by Haz on Jul 20, 2009 19:02:02 GMT -5
If you're doing the obscure, add in GeGeGe no Kitarou 2 (of course it wasn't released here, fan translation available) released in 1987 by Bandai. Battles are played from 3rd person view, haven't played it for more than 15 minutes so far.
Also, Hoshi no Miru Hito is translated, with a hack to make it at least somewhat bearable.
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Post by ryochan on Jul 20, 2009 19:18:52 GMT -5
Yeah, I'm including basically ALL console RPGs, which includes Action RPGs and things never released stateside (Where I am) or in any English format (such as Europe).  And awesome, now my backlog grows larger lol. *Writes everything down* |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2009 19:37:22 GMT -5
I'm pretty sure Willow hit the US in 1990.
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Post by shelverton on Jul 20, 2009 19:48:46 GMT -5
Alright! I also remember the extremely annoying dungeon crawler that is Swords & Serpents (NES). It was released in 1990 (US version). Also, you might wanna take a look at Buck Rogers for the Genesis/Mega Drive too. It was released for multiple platforms, including DOS (which was probably the earliest version). Again, wikipedia says 1990 but it doesn't specify which version it is. There are actually quite a few computer RPGs that found their way onto consoles during that period, such as the godawful Might & Magic for the Genesis. I'm not sure the exact year however  |
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Post by ryochan on Jul 20, 2009 20:19:29 GMT -5
Not surprised. And I'll save actual Computer versions for another panel  I think the consoles should keep me busy enough. Later tonight I'll try to do a bit more research on all these games and see if I can't clear up some of the timeline confusions for you guys, just so you have the information on hand. |
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Post by wyrdwad on Jul 20, 2009 21:24:04 GMT -5
Is this just for U.S. releases? Because if not, there's one very glaring omission here: Ys!! Ys I was first released in 1987, and Ys II in 1988.
Also, Xanadu was first released in 1985, with its MSX port released in 1987.
I think Ys III was 1989, then, as was Sorcerian, but I might be wrong about them.
EDIT: ... Except I guess the Ys games aren't technically "console RPGs" until after this. But still, the MSX versions *had* to have been released before 1990, didn't they?
-Tom
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Post by Dais on Jul 20, 2009 21:48:31 GMT -5
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And awesome, now my backlog grows larger lol. *Writes everything down*
I think the consoles should keep me busy enough. Later tonight I'll try to do a bit more research on all these games and see if I can't clear up some of the timeline confusions for you guys, just so you have the information on hand.
