6 replies to this topic

[ApolloBoy]

http://www.smspower.org/dev/docs/

Look at the Sound section. It should be the last file on the list.

[Ze_ro]

So, uh... what's the point of doing this? I mean, it gets some nerd points for technical prowess, but would any games take advantage of this and produce better sound? Are future homebrew games going to use this?

--Zero

[Bratwurst]

Lots of SMS games (Zillion, Wonderboy III) take advantage of the FM sound chip, which was only available for the Mark III in Japan. What makes this so great (from a technical standpoint) is that even the US and European games still have the FM information encoded in the rom sets, they're just normally never used.

You can sample how FM music sounds compared to the regular soundtracks of certain games by checking out the VGM archive at SMSpower.org. Oddly enough I find that I prefer the non-FM audio, but I suppose that's because I grew up with it.

[ApolloBoy]

Here's the games that use the FM chip...

Outrun (the first one to use it)
R-Type
Thunder Blade
Double Dragon
Alien Syndrome
Cyborg Hunter
Bomber Raid
Zillion II
Wonder Boy II
Wonder Boy III
Power Strike
Maze Hunter 3-D
Shinobi
Rastan
Galaxy Force
Altered Beast
Golvellius
Kenseiden
Global Defense
Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars
Aztec Adventure
Blade Eagle 3-D
Alex Kidd BMX Trial (only in Japan)
Fantasy Zone II
Fantasy Zone: The Maze
Outrun 3-D
Miracle Warriors
Rescue Mission
Space Harrier 3-D
Time Soldiers
Lord of the Sword
Cloud Master
Penguin Land

I think that's it.

[Raijin Z]

Too bad I've never had a working SMS.... and I know full well this information means quite little to me, only having a Powerbase Converter.

[Tempest]

I thought Phantasy Star used it as well.

Tempest

[ApolloBoy]

Tempest said:

I thought Phantasy Star used it as well.

Tempest

Only the Japanese version does. The US/European version doesn't.