Today we're covering Psycho World, released for the MSX in 1988 and localized as Psychic World for the Sega Master System and Game Gear in 1991. The original MSX release was developed and published by Hertz, a short-lived Japanese game developer that also worked on number of ports with their final game being Vay for the Mega CD. The SMS and Game Gear ports of Psychic World were done through a partnership with SIMS and published by Sega.

Psycho World is an action platformer with a unique if somewhat unusual sprinting mechanic, that takes design cues from contemporary games like Metroid, Mega Man and Phantasy Star. The original MSX game features 8 lengthy stages, with the SMS and Game Gear getting scaled down ports with fewer stages, although each version has its merits.

The short and catchy MSX soundtrack was composed by Kenji Yamazaki and Yuko Yamazaki, who despite being listed by name in the credits have very little other info available. Kenji Yamazaki's other sole music credit was Hertz's RPG Sword of Legend Lenam. We couldn't find any other music credits for Yuko Yamazaki. The Game Gear and Master System ports were handled by Izuho Takeuchi aka "Ippo", a Sega veteran that also composed music for Phantasy Star III on the Mega Drive.

We focus mostly on the FM version of the soundtrack, with a few departures and comparisons to the other two. Join us as we listen and chat about the game in this lighthearted show.

 

Track List:

All tracks originally composed by Kenji Yamazaki and Yuko Yamazaki

SMS/GG arrangements by Izuho Takeuchi aka "Ippo"

3 Versions MSX FM, MSX PSG, SMS/GG PSG

00:00 Opening + Title - MSX FM

08:42 Stage 1 / Prairie - MSX PSG, SMS PSG, MSX FM

12:50 Stage 2 / Volcanic Area - MSX FM

21:40 Stage 3 / Ice Field - MSX PSG

24:48 Stage 4 / Ruins - SMS PSG, MSX PSG

33:53 Stage 5 - MSX FM

35:50 Boss 1 - MSX FM, SMS PSG

38:50 Demo (Cutscene) - MSX FM

41:49 Stage 6 - MSX PSG

43:14 Stage 7 -  MSX FM

44:43 Stage 8 / Fortress - MSX FM, SMS PSG

49:20 Demo 2 / The Revelation - MSX FM

52:58 Boss 3 - MSX FM

1:00:02 Ending - MSX FM