The Black Onyx
Encyclopedia
The Black Onyx is a 1984 computer role-playing game released in Japan
by Bullet-Proof Software, and written by Henk Rogers
. It was one of the first Japanese-language RPGs ever made, and helped familiarize the Japanese public with RPGs. It was originally released for the NEC PC-8801
, and ported to several other platforms. A version of the game was released for the Nintendo Family Computer in Japan. It featured completely redesigned gameplay, a new map, and was retitled Super Black Onyx.
Because of memory limitations, another part of the game were released separately on some platforms as (which added a magic system). Two other parts were announced, (which allowed the party to explore the wilderness), and (which allowed the party to take part in Arena battles).
The combat system has no concept of distance, so there are no bows or similar missile weapons. There are melee weapons, shields, and armor, however. The hospital in town can offer "examinations" which display the PCs' stats.
There is a bank in town where the heroes can deposit money. This protects money from thieves; but there is no interest on the deposits, since there is no time system.
The labyrinth under the town has several entrances, each hidden in one of the locations of the town. The labyrinth has six floors corresponding to the six colors the computer can display. These must be solved in the proper order (which depends on the platform
) in order to create the stairway to the Black Tower, where the Onyx resides.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
by Bullet-Proof Software, and written by Henk Rogers
Henk Rogers
Henk Rogers is a video game designer and entrepreneur. He is known for producing Japan's first major turn-based role-playing video game The Black Onyx, securing the rights to distribute Tetris on video game consoles where the game found popularity, and as the founder of The Tetris Company which...
. It was one of the first Japanese-language RPGs ever made, and helped familiarize the Japanese public with RPGs. It was originally released for the NEC PC-8801
NEC PC-8801
The NEC PC-8801 was an early Zilog Z80-based computer exclusively released in Japan, where it became very popular, by NEC Corporation in 1981. It was informally called the "PC-88"....
, and ported to several other platforms. A version of the game was released for the Nintendo Family Computer in Japan. It featured completely redesigned gameplay, a new map, and was retitled Super Black Onyx.
Because of memory limitations, another part of the game were released separately on some platforms as (which added a magic system). Two other parts were announced, (which allowed the party to explore the wilderness), and (which allowed the party to take part in Arena battles).
Gameplay
The player can create a five-member party (4 members on GBC), or can ask friendly encounters to join the party to fill empty slots. The party will explore the dungeons under the town of Utsuro (ウツロ) to obtain the legendary Black Onyx. Doing so will break the curse which binds the town in eternal night.The combat system has no concept of distance, so there are no bows or similar missile weapons. There are melee weapons, shields, and armor, however. The hospital in town can offer "examinations" which display the PCs' stats.
There is a bank in town where the heroes can deposit money. This protects money from thieves; but there is no interest on the deposits, since there is no time system.
The labyrinth under the town has several entrances, each hidden in one of the locations of the town. The labyrinth has six floors corresponding to the six colors the computer can display. These must be solved in the proper order (which depends on the platform
Platform (computing)
A computing platform includes some sort of hardware architecture and a software framework , where the combination allows software, particularly application software, to run...
) in order to create the stairway to the Black Tower, where the Onyx resides.
External links
- The Making Of article from Edge Magazine