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MSXdev23 #01 - Pentacorn Quest

MSXdev23 #01 - Pentacorn Quest

by MSXdev Team on 21-02-2023, 10:39
Topic: Challenges
Tags: msxdev23, Robosoft, MSXdev
Languages:

Well, just when MSXdev23 opened its gates, the first entry dropped on the doorstep already. How awesome is that? Robosoft, a regular on MSXdev, delivers another solid MSX1 game.

In this multiscreen platform-adventure game, you'll have to find your way though trapdoor infested screens to collect the 5 lost acorns. The game started its life as a ZX Spectrum game, but got a thorough overhaul to fit MSX standards, which works out brilliantly.

You can submit your own work here. Donating to the contest can be done here.

Relevant link: Pentacorn Quest
Relevant link: Play online

Comments (26)

By Wlcracks

Hero (536)

Wlcracks's picture

21-02-2023, 11:35

wow this looks great, cannot wait to play it. The gfx style reminds me a bit of jack the nipper II. Very nice.

By aoineko

Paladin (888)

aoineko's picture

21-02-2023, 11:43

Wow. I have rarely seen such a beautiful Screen 1 game. Great job!

By Wlcracks

Hero (536)

Wlcracks's picture

21-02-2023, 12:22

Found a bug. When entering the game, goto right. Jump from this scene to the left and at some points its possible to float in scene 1.
pic float

By SKiLLa

Expert (115)

SKiLLa's picture

21-02-2023, 13:13

Wow, love the music as well ... and it controls very smoothly; a must for long-term playability imho !
Great visual style too; although the main-character sprite looks familiar ?

By ToriHino

Paladin (826)

ToriHino's picture

21-02-2023, 14:27

Thanks for the bug report Wlcracks, will look into it. Regarding the main-character, looking back it indeed kinda looks like the character of Kings Valley 2 Smile.
I also noticed the intro text mentions 7 acorns, but actually it's only 5, hence the game title Wink

By ro

Scribe (4914)

ro's picture

21-02-2023, 14:28

ToriHino wrote:

I also noticed the intro text mentions 7 acorns, but actually it's only 5, hence the game title Wink

oooohw, ofcourse. Penta meaning 5. Some slip up, which I'll fix Smile

By fregarni

Resident (39)

fregarni's picture

21-02-2023, 16:38

Great job @ToriHino. It looks like awesome, pretty cool.

By valkyre

Hero (647)

valkyre's picture

21-02-2023, 17:54

Great opening game. Congrats

By roolandoo

Resident (52)

roolandoo's picture

21-02-2023, 18:46

Great game by NightWolf and Jarlaxe for ZX Spectrum and very good conversion to MSX !!
It would be convenient to correct some small details that did not occur in the original, such as that the character remains in the air in certain places and that to pick up the objects you have to be at a point that is too exact.

Otherwise all great!! Congratulations to @ToriHino .

By Bengalack

Paladin (721)

Bengalack's picture

21-02-2023, 18:49

Wow. Fast Smile Game looks smooth. Audio is smooth as well. And a cute main char Smile

By ToriHino

Paladin (826)

ToriHino's picture

21-02-2023, 19:51

roolandoo wrote:

Great game by NightWolf and Jarlaxe for ZX Spectrum and very good conversion to MSX !!
It would be convenient to correct some small details that did not occur in the original, such as that the character remains in the air in certain places and that to pick up the objects you have to be at a point that is too exact.

Thanks for the feedback, i'll look into it!

By bverhage

Supporter (5)

bverhage's picture

21-02-2023, 20:36

Amazing game! I love the gameplay, graphics and sounds.
I did found a small bug though. I am able to jump and land on the edge of a mine without beging hurt and stay there:

By aoineko

Paladin (888)

aoineko's picture

22-02-2023, 13:51

Finished!
Well OK, not in a legit way as I used the QuickSave/QuickLoad feature of the emulator (I didn't have time to restart the game every time).
But I still enjoyed the game a lot.
The puzzles are well thought out and the gameplay works very well (except indeed for the interactions where the character must be almost positioned pixel accurate).
Congratulations to the creator and Robosoft for porting it to MSX.

By pitpan

Prophet (3155)

pitpan's picture

22-02-2023, 17:54

Love it! Classical platform with more modern puzzle elements and upgraded graphics and sound. All in all, very fun to play, that is all I ask from any videogame.

Congratulations!

By MYKSelf

Supporter (9)

MYKSelf's picture

22-02-2023, 21:04

Usually I'm not a great fan of the ZX Spectrum aesthetics graphics, but this one is quite good on playability, and the hero's sprite is just lovely Smile. Sound in quite good for PSG and, for a MSX1, graphics are quite good, in particular the intro screen is quite good. Good color treatment (ZXspectrum like). Good work!

Congratulations and good luck on the contest!

By N.I

Master (175)

N.I's picture

23-02-2023, 09:34

This game is very nice. It reminds me of the classic pitfall game. It is so much fun that it has tricks that require a little thinking. I like the crab enemies.

By thalin

Resident (39)

thalin's picture

24-02-2023, 11:19

Nice game!
The msxdev link is broken.

By tfh

Prophet (3315)

tfh's picture

24-02-2023, 11:28

thalin wrote:

Nice game!
The msxdev link is broken.

Yep... there are some problems with the MSXDev site. Let's hope they fix it soon. They are aware of the situation.

By ray2day

Paladin (731)

ray2day's picture

25-02-2023, 13:59

Beautiful graphics and smooth gameplay - Robosoft my congrats! Like it very much! Cool

By shalafi

Master (131)

shalafi's picture

26-02-2023, 11:51

I took a look at the original game. This is a great example of a good port.

And it's the type of game I enjoy, so I'm twice as happy.

Controls are a bit finiky and not very intuitive, nothing is perfect :-)

By ToriHino

Paladin (826)

ToriHino's picture

26-02-2023, 20:21

I just submitted an update of Pentacorn Quest to version 1.1, resolving a couple of issues:

  • Golden acorns are now picked up automatically
  • Picking up a golden acorn restores all lives again (now that's a magic acorn).
  • Picking up items is a bit less picky on the exact location
  • Resolved some player 'floating' problems: standing on the edge will drop you off

By ro

Scribe (4914)

ro's picture

26-02-2023, 20:41

https://www.msxdev.org/2023/02/21/msxdev23-01-pentacorn-quest/
v1.1 is online

By tfh

Prophet (3315)

tfh's picture

26-02-2023, 21:12

Good to see the MSXDev site is up and running again Smile
Updated Pentacorn to v1.1 on my site as well Smile

By J.M.F

Resident (59)

J.M.F's picture

04-03-2023, 19:37

Hello, when I place the dynamite it doesn't explode. I play on a real msx. I have seen that they have finished the game. I don't know if I do something wrong. Greetings.

By J.M.F

Resident (59)

J.M.F's picture

04-03-2023, 20:25

Fixed.

By tono4

Rookie (21)

tono4's picture

07-03-2023, 14:41

I have also finished the game! (Yep, with a little bit of save/load emulator Tongue).
Graphics are really beatiful and character control very smooth and precise. And I would say, difficulty is perfect.

A pity enemies have still clash. But the game is really enjoyable and conversion to MSX really nice!

BTW: music is nice also, but it would great an option to disable it.