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The MSX was a Japanese home-computer standard that never took off in the West, which is exactly why its library is such a treasure. This is where Metal Gear began, where Konami made some of its finest games, and where dozens of unique titles still wait to be discovered. Emulation is very light, so any handheld runs an MSX perfectly. Most games used a joystick with one or two buttons, which maps cleanly to a modern D-pad. There is no dedicated MSX setup guide on the site yet, but the standard RetroArch cores handle it well.
We frame all of this around games you already own and want to preserve.
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Konami's MSX Golden Age
Metal Gear (MSX2) — The original stealth game, and the true starting point of the series. Sharp, tense, and far better than the NES port. A landmark.
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (MSX2) — A remarkable sequel that predates the PlayStation games in tone and design. Essential for series fans.
Nemesis / Gradius (MSX) — Konami's horizontal shooter with exclusive MSX levels and secrets. A superb portable shooter.
Nemesis 2 (MSX) — An MSX-original follow-up with a story mode and hidden stages. One of the best shooters on the platform.
Salamander (MSX) — A vertical-and-horizontal shooter with distinct MSX content. Fast and challenging.
The Maze of Galious (MSX) — A sprawling action-adventure and a clear ancestor of the Metroidvania. Deep and ahead of its time.
Vampire Killer (MSX) — The MSX cousin of Castlevania, with a key-based exploration twist. Fascinating for genre fans.
King Kong 2 (MSX) — An action-RPG hybrid with surprising depth. A cult Konami title.
Action and Platformers
Aleste (MSX) — A gorgeous vertical shooter that became the Zanac and Robo Aleste series. A technical high point.
Zanac (MSX) — A fast shooter with an adaptive difficulty system. Smart and endlessly replayable.
Knightmare (MSX) — A vertical shoot-and-explore action game from Konami. Bright, tough, and fun.
Penguin Adventure (MSX) — An early Hideo Kojima credit. A charming action-platformer with multiple endings.
Eggerland / Adventures of Lolo roots (MSX) — The puzzle series that became Lolo on the NES. Clever, room-based brain teasers.
RPG and Adventure
Ys (MSX2) — The action-RPG classic in one of its original homes. Fast bump combat and a great soundtrack.
Xanadu / Dragon Slayer II (MSX) — A deep, influential action-RPG from Falcom. A key ancestor of the genre.
SD Snatcher (MSX2) — A cyberpunk RPG take on Kojima's Snatcher. A cult classic with a complete, free English fan translation (Project Melancholia).
Golvellius (MSX) — A Zelda-like action-adventure with open exploration. Charming and underrated.
Aleste cousin Relics (MSX) — An unusual body-hopping action game. Strange and memorable.
Puzzle and Deep Cuts
Bomberman (MSX) — An early home version of the maze-bombing classic. Great for quick sessions.
Zombie Hunter (MSX) — A top-down action-RPG with a moody tone. A deep cut worth trying.
A Note on MSX Models and Setup
The MSX came in several revisions. Many of the best games, especially the Konami classics and Metal Gear, are MSX2 titles, so set your emulator to an MSX2 system for the widest compatibility. RetroArch's blueMSX and fMSX cores both handle this, and you must supply the MSX system BIOS yourself for games to boot.
Best Handhelds for MSX Emulation
The MSX runs on anything, so comfort and a good D-pad are all you need. Joystick-style controls map perfectly to a modern handheld.
The
is an affordable, comfortable pick with an accurate D-pad. On the tightest budget, the handles the MSX with ease. For flexible control mapping on the odd keyboard game, an Android device like the works well.Related Guides
- Best Commodore 64 Games for Handheld Emulation — another great 8-bit library
- Best ZX Spectrum Games for Handheld Emulation — the British home-computer classics
- 25 Best JRPGs for Handhelds — where the Ys and Xanadu bloodline leads
- Best Shmups for Handhelds — for the Nemesis and Aleste fans
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