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Wizardry

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MSX 2 RPG Pub Edge Games 1985 1 Player 5 (0) 6

Wizardry

Wizardry Overview

Compiled by Alfred J. Hall · Editorial standards · Published June 28, 2026

This is Wizardry, the legendary dungeon-crawling RPG originally created by Sir-Tech for the Apple II in 1981. The MSX 2 version brought this landmark title to Japanese home computers, offering the same first-person dungeon exploration and turn-based combat that defined the genre. It's a straight port of the original game, not a hack or mod.

You create a party of adventurers from scratch, choosing classes like fighter, mage, thief, and priest, then diving into the dungeon of the mad overlord. Movement is tile-based, with encounters triggered randomly or by stepping on specific squares. Combat is turn-based and unforgiving - characters can die permanently if you aren't careful, and mapping on graph paper was once essential.

Today, Wizardry on MSX 2 is a must-try for historians of the RPG genre. Its brutal difficulty and minimal interface might feel dated, but its design directly inspired classics like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. If you want to see where dungeon-crawling began, this port is an authentic piece of gaming history.

How to Play Wizardry Online

Start the game and you'll be at a character creation screen. Select names, classes, and attributes for up to six characters. Use the on-screen menu commands like Move, Attack, Talk, etc. Navigating requires careful mapping. Save often.

Combat is turn-based; input commands for each character each round. Pay attention to character stats, and rest to recover HP and MP. In the original, enemies could surprise you, so keep a priest around for healing.

Wizardry Keyboard Controls

Controls

Arrow Keys: D-Pad / Movement
X: Trigger 1
S: Trigger 2
Enter: Start

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Wizardry stand out among MSX 2 titles of its era?

Wizardry helped define the computer RPG genre with its deep character customization and unforgiving dungeon design. It was one of the first games to translate tabletop Dungeons & Dragons into a coherent digital experience, setting the template that later RPGs would follow.

In what year was Wizardry originally released?

The original Wizardry was released in 1981 for the Apple II. The MSX 2 port came later, but the exact year of that port is not widely documented.

Is Wizardry exclusive to MSX 2 or did it appear on other systems?

Wizardry appeared on a wide array of platforms including Apple II, Commodore 64, NES, and various MSX computers. The MSX 2 version is one of many ports released in the 1980s.