Pampas & Selene in the maze of demons pre-order opened

The MSX1 game classic The Maze Of Galious (Konami) returns with a scene-made sequel. The game follows the story of Pampas and does that on MSX2 with an a SCC soundtrack. The production is about to get released, here is your opportunity of getting a copy by showing interest.

Shy over a year ago, MRC user Francisco Téllez de Meneses of Unepic Games, dropped a little bomb in the forum talking about creating a sequel to Konami's the Maze Of Galious, or MOG for short. Saying it would be an MSX2 story close to the original. Exciting news, because MOG - Knightmare 2 - has one of the biggest fan bases in MSX history; a true MSX gem which many of us spent countless hours on, wandering the castle.

The game studio shows us a glimpse into the castle, with Pampas, son of Popolon and Aphrodite, and Selena as main characters in video footage. With just 3 minutes of gameplay shown, it's already a hype. Francisco, Nenefranz, and Gryzor87 let us in on Pampas and Selena showing their skills in a wonderful MSX2 screen setting accompanied with brilliant SCC music and sound FX. The game comes complete with the MOG distinct features like revolving doors, coins, arrows, lots of items, demons, a castle, interchangeable heroes to play with, and ripple lasers. Konami would have been proud.

The game will be released on a physical MSX SCC game cartridge, boxed and all with a price tag of around €40 . To give the team an estimate on how many copies to produces, they started an inquiry on interest. You can show your appreciation and e-mail to unepicgame@gmail.com with "Pampas" as subject.

Relevant link: Pampas & Selene in the maze of demons. Gameplay footage.
Relevant link: More information on our forum

Comments (53)

By konamiman

Paragon (1210)

10-02-2022, 09:27

I was able to play an already very complete version of the game in the last MSX users meeting in Barcelona two weeks ago, and I can say that the hype is completely justified: the game is as good as it looks and a joy to play. Preorder it, you fools!

By raymond

Hero (653)

10-02-2022, 11:33

I am interested! What will it cost?

By yustmenl

Rookie (32)

10-02-2022, 12:22

raymond wrote:

I am interested! What will it cost?

same here!

By piroyan

Guardian (156)

10-02-2022, 13:15

Quote:

The game will need a large ROM, that are more expensive, so the game will cost 40€ to 45€.

It's a little old information, but his blog says this.
I wonder how much it will actually cost?

By Jorito

Mr. Ambassadors (1802)

10-02-2022, 14:04

I asked that when I did my pre-order, the expected price excluding shipping is 40 euro.

By MajorTOM

Master (235)

10-02-2022, 15:07

Does it come with a built-in SCC embebeded in the very same cart?

By hbarcellos

Hero (649)

11-02-2022, 12:22

Whats the meaning of the name Pampas?

By Francisco Tellez de Meneses

Expert (128)

11-02-2022, 16:58

raymond wrote:

I am interested! What will it cost?

40€

By Francisco Tellez de Meneses

Expert (128)

11-02-2022, 17:00

MajorTOM wrote:

Does it come with a built-in SCC embebeded in the very same cart?

It does, unless we end up being uncapable of finding them due to the chip crisi.

By Francisco Tellez de Meneses

Expert (128)

11-02-2022, 17:00

It's the name of Popolon and Aphrodite's child.

By Manuel

Ascended (19676)

11-02-2022, 19:47

I always thought it was Pamperse, but then I checked the English manual...

By Manuel

Ascended (19676)

11-02-2022, 22:09

Oh, this was already discussed: https://www.msx.org/forum/msx-talk/general-discussion/what-w...

Looks like it's actually supposed to be called Pamperse then. Can someone post a screenshot of this name as it is shown in the game? I don't remember it was ever shown. But I do remember having it seen spelled as Pamperse, for sure.

By Guillian

Prophet (3528)

11-02-2022, 22:38

In the manual the name is "Pampas"

By ren

Paragon (1947)

11-02-2022, 23:38

So it's displayed after entering a pwd (as Randam pointed out a couple of posts further in that thread). I did a check on a JP machine, it's 'Pamperse' there as well, in the JP manual it's パンパース (Panpāsu) (Pampers).

By Manuel

Ascended (19676)

12-02-2022, 00:14

Yes, as I said Guillian, I checked the manual and found that as well. But ren reminded me of the proper spelling according to the game:

By valkyre

Paladin (698)

12-02-2022, 01:14

Probably a spelling mistake!

By piroyan

Guardian (156)

12-02-2022, 02:15

There is a Japanese disposable diaper product called Pampers and I thought the name was quoted because he was a baby.
https://gogen-info.translate.goog/product/baby-goods/pampers...

I also checked the English version of the manual yesterday and found out that it is spelled "Pampas".
https://twitter.com/piroyan/status/1492110018556350466

@ren, yes, in Japan, his name is called "パンパース (Panpāsu) (Pampers)".

By ren

Paragon (1947)

12-02-2022, 10:36

My take is that 'Pamperse' is the most correct/faithful. (We shouldn't put too much faith in those English (manual) translations anyway )

My hunch is that they romanized it PAMPERSE (with extra 'e') in the game so that the name actually is a bit more ancient Greek like (Popolon, Aphrodite, Pamperse).

By gdx

Enlighted (6425)

12-02-2022, 09:34

ren wrote:

My take is that 'Pamperse' is the most correct/faithful.

Me too. The English manual is wrong because 'Pampas' is written パンパス in Katakana.

Pampas grass for example:
https://jenny.wiki.fc2.com/wiki/%E3%83%91%E3%83%B3%E3%83%91%...

By ren

Paragon (1947)

12-02-2022, 10:53

Good find! I suppose that seals the deal?

Not sure if fran would consider (if it's even feasible still) changing the name to Pamperse.

(I also think it's more 'sturdy' (for that matter).)

By Huey

Prophet (2694)

12-02-2022, 12:18

Guys,

Give the kid (Pamperse) a break. Even if my parents would call me Pamperse. I would not except that name. He has already been rediculled with his name for so many times since kindergarten.
Pampas is his, way cooler, call sign

By AxelStone

Prophet (3199)

12-02-2022, 12:44

Hello, is a digital version expected for FPGA and emulators MSX users ?

Thanks.

By gdx

Enlighted (6425)

12-02-2022, 13:31

Huey wrote:

Give the kid (Pamperse) a break. Even if my parents would call me Pamperse. I would not except that name. He has already been rediculled with his name for so many times since kindergarten.

Pampers and Pamperse are written the same way in Katakana, and yet it doesn't seem to bother them. Even though Pampas sounds better to some people, this game is claimed to be a sequel so best to leave the same character names.

By Pablibiris

Paragon (1833)

12-02-2022, 13:44

For me was and will be always Pampas

By Jorito

Mr. Ambassadors (1802)

12-02-2022, 14:07

A bit weird/rude/stupid to name your kid after a brand of diapers, especially when they don’t need them anymore in a few years

By piroyan

Guardian (156)

12-02-2022, 14:08

In my personal opinion...
If the English name is "Pampas" and everyone is familiar with it, it would be better to use "Pampas".
The Japanese name conjures up images of disposable diapers, and sounds like a toddler's name either way.

By piroyan

Guardian (156)

12-02-2022, 14:18

Japanese will continue to call him "パンパース(Pamperse?)", but it is not surprising that the name changes to suit the country.

By Manuel

Ascended (19676)

12-02-2022, 15:39

I always had "Pamperse" in mind, probably because of these end texts. I never read the manual back then, so I never noticed "Pampas". Also, I had never linked "Pamperse" with "Pampers"... but hey, I was 11 or so back then.

But yeah, I think Pampas is just a wrong interpretation of the katakana パンパース (Panpāsu) and that (as the game programmers themselves put it in the game) it should have been Pamperse.
So, the only source of "Pampas" is that English/European manual. The game itself says Pamperse (both in English and Japanese), which also fits better to the katakana in the Japanese manual. So for me it's clear that the name must be Pamperse.
I'm not sure if it's too late, but I'd personally really appreciate that the new game would use Pamperse as well.

By Francisco Tellez de Meneses

Expert (128)

12-02-2022, 15:42

ren wrote:

Not sure if fran would consider (if it's even feasible still) changing the name to Pamperse.

I'm afraid I have two issues for doing that:
1.- The name has to be a 6 letter word to suit perfectly in the top UI of the game. PAMPERSE however would invade SELENE's space.
2.- In Spain the child is known as "Pampas", and the 70% of the reservations so far are made by Spanish people. So the majority of the players would feel more comfortable with "Pampas".

AxelStone wrote:

Hello, is a digital version expected for FPGA and emulators MSX users ?
Thanks.

We haven't decided yet what to do with digital versions, sorry.

By Manuel

Ascended (19676)

12-02-2022, 19:57

So, in Spain they did read the manual, but did not enter the save code??

By Francisco Tellez de Meneses

Expert (128)

12-02-2022, 22:24

Manuel wrote:

So, in Spain they did read the manual, but did not enter the save code??

Exactly! We still don't know how the "GAME OVER" screen is. :-D

By ren

Paragon (1947)

12-02-2022, 23:32

Francisco Tellez de Meneses wrote:

The name has to be a 6 letter word to suit perfectly in the top UI of the game. PAMPERSE however would invade SELENE's space.

I figured (ps. I won't lie awake over this at night or something.. )

Manuel wrote:

So, in Spain they did read the manual [...]

And/or the back of the box

By MP83

Master (236)

13-02-2022, 20:27

As a Finnish person, Pampas sounds less rude than Pamperse. Perse is Finnish for the word "ass".

By KdL

Paragon (1485)

14-02-2022, 02:31

The correct name is clearly PAMPERSE and Pampers is also a brand of diapers in Italy.
I think PAMPAS is fine if you want to use an informal diminutive of PAMPERSE but then why not adapt SELENE to SELANE to have the same effect?

By ro

Scribe (5057)

14-02-2022, 08:32

new game, new names. works for me

By MajorTOM

Master (235)

20-02-2022, 16:08

More info here:
PAMPAS

By pitpan

Prophet (3156)

26-02-2022, 10:37

Would it be possible to have a "vs" video featuring this new game and also "Sir Dan" (2000)? Kind of a forgotten masterpiece... Check it out.

By xisqi

Expert (85)

26-02-2022, 12:31

Is the in-game text going to be multilingual?

By Briqunullus

Paladin (757)

26-02-2022, 22:23

Manuel wrote:

But yeah, I think Pampas is just a wrong interpretation of the katakana パンパース (Panpāsu) and that (as the game programmers themselves put it in the game) it should have been Pamperse.

Well, it's an ancient Greek name, isn't it? Pamperse would probably be a girl's name, like Perse. The days I had Greek at high school are long gone, so I can't really say what I'd expect for a boy. Maybe Pampos, Pampeus, or Pamperses? There are also names ending in -as, like Pythagoras. So Pampas seems valid to me.

By Manuel

Ascended (19676)

26-02-2022, 23:45

I think the text used in the game is just the definitive indication of the name the developers meant.

By ren

Paragon (1947)

27-02-2022, 09:38

I believe the gender of the baby was never disclosed? We kinda assume(d) the baby was/is a boy..?

By ro

Scribe (5057)

27-02-2022, 11:01

Let's skip the discussion, and rename the boy's name to Manuel and be done with it then

By santiontanon

Paragon (1830)

28-02-2022, 05:11

Haha, and Manuel is 6 letters, so it fits in the GUI of the game

By KdL

Paragon (1485)

01-03-2022, 14:58

I too vote Manuel.

By valkyre

Paladin (698)

06-03-2022, 11:12

Hoping you have had plenty of people signing up for this game, really looking forward to its release.

By sdsnatcher73

Enlighted (4280)

18-06-2022, 20:01

Besides needing an MSX2 is there anything known about system requirements? Will it run on 64kB machines?

By Manuel

Ascended (19676)

27-12-2022, 11:22

Is someone interested to save shipping costs? E.g. if we can ask them to ship to a visitor of the Nijmegen fair, lots of shipping costs can be saved by combining many units in one box and picking up the game there.

Who is interested??

By Manuel

Ascended (19676)

02-05-2023, 23:07

No one?

By raymond

Hero (653)

03-05-2023, 14:32

Yes, saving shipping costs is OK for me!

By Manuel

Ascended (19676)

03-05-2023, 18:14