FM-TOWNS MARTY

A fantastic system made by Fujitsu some years ago. This system was based on the best-selling FM-Towns computer system made at the end of the '80 by Fujitsu itself. Basically an Intel PC (at the beginning with a 386 processor then with a 486 processor) FM-Towns had several graphics and sound custom chips that let the system have exceptional features not found in comparable Intel-based computers. It is interesting to note that FM-Towns computers were the first to have a CD-Rom reader built-in in every model made: many well known CD-based games were born on this system!
After some years Fujitsu tried to enter in the console market making a videogame system using the same technology: the Marty was born! And it was completely compatible with almost every FM-Towns game made.
Many good conversions are available for the system and a lot of them are exclusively available on it. The system enjoyed a limited success for some years and actually some new games are produced for it in Japan. It was never distributed outside this country.
At least three different versions of the system were made: the technology inside was the same but they featured few cosmetic differences (the most important one was the color: light gray, dark gray and black). It seems that the three versions were also called differently: Marty, Marty 2 and Marty 3. I suspect the three versions were based on three different revisions of the motherboard made to cut prices.
Some gray importers distributed limited quantities of the system in USA and Europe but since it had a very very high price tag, only few and precious units were shipped.

Fujitsu Japanese Home Page

Fujitsu of America Home Page