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FM Towns Marty
Type |
Console |
Developer |
The Fujitsu Co. |
Release Date |
1993-Feb-20 |
Region(s) |
Japan |
Initial Price |
$699 USD |
Games Released |
73 |
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DW FACTS
by Dark Watcher |
A brief glance at this system, and you might mistake it for a white Turbo Duo, but on closer inspection, you'll notice that the slot
on the front isn't for a HuCard, but instead for an actual 3.5" floppy.
The Fujitsu Company decided to make an attempt to penetrate the console games market by taking their popular FM Towns line of
computers and adding in some special components to create a stand alone video game console. The plan was for the software designed
for the FM Towns computers to be modified slightly so that the games would work on both the computer and the console. The FM Towns
Marty has the distinction of being the first 32-bit video game console.
This system was compatible with most of the Fujitsu line of computers, so it could use the 3.5" slot to play many of computer games. The 32-bit system's CD reader was used mainly to play games made specifically for this system, although some computer software at the
time also came in CD format. The system was released in 1991 with a 386SX. Since the system can play games designed for the FM Towns PC, its library is
larger then what you might expect.
It came with a two button controller and had a port for a second controller as well. A mouse and keyboard were also available to play
compatible PC games. If ever there was a system made to play "hentai" games, this was it. While it may not have been its main
purpose, there were many adult anime games available. Fujitsu supported the units for many years, with many third party
developers supporting
the systems as late as 1999. Fujitsu wisely discontinued the console line with the arrival of the more powerful 32-bit
Sony PlayStation
and Sega Saturn. |
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MODELS
Officially licensed releases |
FM Towns Marty |
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FM Towns Marty 2 |
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FM Towns Car Marty MVP-1 |
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FM Towns Car Marty MVP-10 |
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CLONES
Non-licensed hardware releases |
No clones were released for this system.
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CONSOLE RATINGS
by Marriott_Guy |
Consoles are rated based upon the available technology at the time of its release. A 10 point scale is utilized, with 10 being
excellent. |
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CRITERIA |
RATING |
NOTES & COMMENTS |
Console Design |
08 |
The sleek, minimalistic
design of the FM Towns Marty reminds just screams of class. Ports and buttons are all easy to access, including the
side-mounted floppy drive. |
Console Durability |
05 |
Like most belt-driven
drives, the console is prone to breakage after time. These are easier to replace than the Famicom Disk System, but
you need to be aware that these will crap out on you at some point. |
Controllers |
05 |
The standard controller is
comfortable enough, but the action buttons are not located well. Those with small hands will have difficulty
wielding this controller. |
Graphics |
08 |
The FM Towns Marty was
basically the best the industry had to offer in terms of graphical capabilities of the era. |
Audio |
07 |
Overall the audio effects
are top notch, but the sound is somewhat 'tinny' at times. I am not sure if this is common, but nonetheless is worth
mentioning. |
Media |
09 |
Fujitsu was the first
company to incorporate a CD-ROM drive into a home console, which boosts this score considerably. To top that off,
the addition of the 3.5" HD FDD enabled the system to play a huge number of games from their existing line of personal
computers. |
Gamer Value |
07 |
The FM Towns Marty has a
large library with many excellent exclusives. Due to the high price tag of the system, gamers may want to snag a FM
Towns computer which would provide the same experience at a lower investment. |
Collector Value |
08 |
Though readily available,
the FM Towns Marty still commands top dollar on the open market. The first release is more desirable from a
collectors standpoint (due to the short run), but the FM Towns Marty 2 is the best bet from a gaming perspective
(additional Math Co-Processor chip). |
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FORMAT, PACKAGING & GENERAL INFO
Interesting facts on software for this system |
Software for the FM Towns Marty was distributed on CD-ROMS. Most games were packaged in large PC-style boxes which featured
large colorful graphics. |
applemctom's Games that
Defined Compiliation
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Compatibility information (FM Towns versus FM Towns Marty) was usually listed on the front of
carton as well. See some examples below, provided courtesy of our friends at
GamesCollection. |
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FM Towns Marty Game Boxes
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SCREENSHOTS
Captured in-game images |
Amaranth III
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Bubble Bobber
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Chase HQ
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Emerald Dragon
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Flashback
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Genocide II
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Gunship
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Loom
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Mega Morph
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Microcosm
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Rayxanber
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Shadow of the Beast
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Splatterhouse
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Tatsujin-Oh
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Wing Commander II
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EMULATION
First and third party system emulators |
UNZ
This is a Windows based emulator capable of running FM Towns Marty games
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SPECS & MANUALS
For the hardware enthusiasts out there - all the detail you\we love. |
Processor Type |
Processor
Speed |
Other
Processor Information |
RAM \ Video RAM |
AMD 386SX (32-bit) |
16 MHz |
None |
2 MB |
Screen Resolution
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Color Palette
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Polygons \ Sprites
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Audio |
352x232 to 640x480 |
32,768 colors \ 256 on
screen |
1024 sprites (max) |
6 channel FM, 8 channel PCM |
Media Format
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Media Capacity
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Games Released
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Other Supported Formats
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CD-ROM (1x), 3.5" HD FDD |
640 MB \ 1.2 MB |
73 (specifically for the Marty) |
FM Towns (most) |
Internal Storage
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External \ Removable Storage
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Game Controllers
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Other Game \ Peripheral Devices
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None |
Floppy disk (1.2 MB) |
D-Pad, 2 action buttons,
Select and Run, shoulder button |
Keyboard, Mouse, Modem |
Controller Ports |
Network Ports |
Other Ports
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Audio \ Video
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Two (2) |
None |
PCMCIA Type 1 slot,
Headphone jack, Microphone jack |
Composite, S-Video |
Power Supply - Internal
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Other Outputs
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Other Details \ Notes
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AC 100V, 50\60Hz |
None |
Volume
control for headphones; Soft \ Normal picture switch |
Manuals |
Not available. Can you help us out? You will
definitely receive full credit for your contribution. Email
MG@videogameconsolelibrary.com. |
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OTHER
MEDIA
Peripherals, Promotions, Commercials, Brochures, Etc. |
FM Towns Television Commercials (Japan) |
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FM Towns Marty Advertisements |
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WEB RESOURCES
Highly recommended websites for this system |
NFG Games
Disassembly of the FM Towns Marty 2 |
GamesCollection
List of FM Towns games that are Marty compatible
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