The MSX turbo R is the last generation of the MSX standard, published in 1990. Where the MSX 1, MSX 2 and MSX 2+ all relied on a Zilog Z80, the turbo R introduces a new processor, the R800 designed by ASCII: compatible with the Z80 instruction set but far faster, it runs the huge existing MSX library at unprecedented speed. The machines actually carry both processors, the Z80 remaining available for software too sensitive to timing.
Only two turbo R machines were ever sold, both by Panasonic and only in Japan: the FS-A1ST in 1990, then the FS-A1GT in 1991, which adds a MIDI interface. They ship with MSX-DOS2, a Japanese word processor in ROM, a PCM sampler and a built-in microphone. Their high price, on a market already largely taken by consoles, kept sales low.
The turbo R catalogue proper is therefore very small — a handful of titles making use of the R800 and of PCM sound. Most of the system's interest lies in backwards compatibility: MSX 2 and MSX 2+ games run on it, often faster and with richer sound. For the earlier generations, Recalbox offers dedicated systems, MSX 1 and MSX 2.
| Manufacturer | Microsoft / ASCII standard, machines built by Panasonic |
| Year | 1990 |
| Type | Computer |
| Keyboard | Recommended |
| Controller | Recommended |
| Mouse | Optional |
📷 Screenshot coming soon:
system-msxturbor.png
The MSX turbo R is emulated by a single core, available on every board:
Recalbox automatically sets the core to the MSXturboR machine type: there is nothing to configure to get the right model. Netplay is not available on this system, but RetroAchievements are supported, as on the other MSX systems. CRT output is handled, including region switching.
A keyboard is recommended on this system. Many MSX games can be played entirely with a controller, but the machine boots into its system menu and a good number of titles ask for a specific key (
SPACE,F1,ESC, entering a name). Without a USB or Bluetooth keyboard, part of the library stays out of reach.
The blueMSX core will not start without its set of machine ROMs. These files all come from the official blueMSX v2.8.2 (full version) package: get it, then copy its Machines folder as-is into /recalbox/share/bios/, keeping folder and file names exactly as they are, spaces included.
/recalbox/share/bios/
└── Machines/
├── Forte II Games - Pesadelo/
├── MSX - C-BIOS/
├── MSX2 - C-BIOS/
├── MSX2+ - C-BIOS/
├── MSX2+ - European/
├── SEGA - SF-7000/
└── Shared Roms/
This
Machinesfolder is shared by every system that uses blueMSX: MSX 1, MSX 2, MSX turbo R, Spectravideo, ColecoVision and SG-1000. It only needs to be installed once.
The files specific to the turbo R are these:
| File name | Description | MD5 |
|---|---|---|
Machines/Shared Roms/MSXTR.ROM |
turbo R main BIOS | fd9513736823e470965949f2a3ec6a43 |
Machines/Shared Roms/MSXTREXT.ROM |
turbo R extension BIOS | 824b1c4475a3bd3b91c5ae81ea940aa2 |
Machines/Shared Roms/MSXTRMUS.ROM |
turbo R music ROM | c688a229f834f95f8c64df7d33188cd8 |
Machines/Shared Roms/MSXTROPT.ROM |
turbo R optional ROM | 2cba0d812ec445cfe63ffa2cac8d42c2 |
The complete list of files expected by blueMSX, identical for every MSX system, is on the MSX 1 page. The BIOS checker shows what is present and what is missing.
Put your games in:
/recalbox/share/roms/msxturbor/
Accepted extensions: .cas .dsk .m3u .mx1 .mx2 .rom .zip .7z
A few pointers on these formats:
.rom, .mx1 and .mx2 are cartridge images, .mx1 for MSX 1 cartridges and .mx2 for MSX 2 ones;.dsk is a 3.5" floppy image, the main medium on the turbo R;.cas is a tape image;.zip and .7z archives run without being uncompressed.For a game spread over several floppies, create an
.m3ufile listing the images in order, one per line, and launch that.m3u: disk swapping is then done from the emulator menu, without leaving the game. See the Multi-disc management with m3u page.