General Terminology

IIGS – Released by Apple in 1986, the “GS” stood for Graphics and Sound. Ys I was released for the system in 1989.

DOS – Short for Disk Operating System, this was an inclusive term for several software versions with the same functionality that ran IBM PC compatibles during the eighties and the nineties. MS-DOS, for example, was the Microsoft flavored DOS juggernaut that eventually dominated the market. Ys I was released for DOS in 1988.

DOSBox – This is an emulator that mimics MS-DOS and is freeware. Very useful for running older games on newer OSes. You know, other games thans Ys II Special.

Emulation (software) – The means by which certain programs can be run on hardware that they were not specifically designed for. For example, certain PS3 models utilized emulation software to enable backwards compatibility with PS2.

Famicom – Also known as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) outside of Japan, Ys I was released for it in 1988.

Master System – Also known as the Sega Master System (SMS), Ys I was released for it in 1988.

FM-7 – This was the Fujitsu Micro 7 and Fujitsu's first foray into the PC market in Japan. It was among the five initial platforms that Ys I was released for in 1987.

Microsoft Windows – A generic term used to encapsulate Microsoft's Windows platform releases. If you're running XP, for example, you've got Microsoft Windows. Ys I & II Complete (2001), Ys VI: Ark of Napishtim (2003), Ys: The Oath in Felghana (2005), and Ys Origin (2006) would all see Japan-only releases (with the exception of Napishtim's port by Konami) on Windows. Interestingly, all of these releases were handled exclusively by Falcom, hearkening back to their PC roots. Ys Online: The Call of Solum was also released for the platform in 2007, but was not developed exclusively by Falcom and instead by CJ Internet, a South Korean company focused on online gaming.

MSX – An early attempt at providing a standardized home computer architecture released in 1983, it proved to be a fairly popular PC in Japan and Europe. The MSX2, the second generation of the hardware, was among the five initial platforms that Ys I was released for in 1987.

Nintendo DS – A handheld console released in 2004 by Nintendo. Ys: The Vanished Omen and Ys II: Ancient Ys Vanished DS were Japan-only releases that appeared it in 2008. Ys Strategy also saw a Japan-only release for the handheld in 2006.

PC-8801 – Otherwise known as the PC-88, it was a developed and released by the NEC Corporation exclusively for Japan where it proved to be quite popular. It was among the five initial platforms that Ys I was released for in 1987.

PC-9801 – Also known as the PC-98, the first model was released in 1982 by the NEC Corporation. It was among the five initial platforms that Ys I was released for in 1987.

Playstation 2 – Otherwise abbreviated as the PS2, it was released in 2000 by Sony and would be the home of Taito's licensed remakes of Ys III: Wanderers from Ys – Ys V: Mask of the Sun, A New Theory. Konami's port of Ys VI: Ark of Napishtim would also be released for the platform. Ys I & II Eternal Story would also see a Japan-only release for the PS2 in 2003.

PSP – The Playstation Portable by Sony. It would become the recipient of Ys I & II Chronicles (2009) and the exclusive home of Ys Seven (2009). Ys vs. Sora no Kiseki – Alternative Saga is also slated for release on it in 2010.

RPG – Short for “rocket propelled grenade”, the most widely used version of which was developed by the former Soviet Union as the RPG-7. It and variants of the weapon are often referred to as a noob weapon in online matches. Can also stand for role-playing game.

Sharp X68000 – A Japan-only home PC released in 1987. It was among the three initial systems that Ys III: Wanderers from Ys would be released for 1989.

Sega Genesis – A 16-bit system known as the Sega Mega Drive in Japan. It was released in Japan in 1988 and came over to the States in 1989. Ys III: Wanderers from Ys would be released for it in 1991.

Super Famicom – A 16-bit system known as the Super Nintendo System (SNES) outside of Japan, YS III: Wanderers form Ys would be released for it in 1991.

TurboGrafx-16 – A game console released by the NEC Corporation for Japan in 1987 and the United States in 1989. It was known in Japan as the PC Engine. It utilized memory cards instead of cartridges which were the dominant form of console media at the time. It would eventually have a CD add-on  which Ys Book I & II was eventually released for in 1992, Ys III in 1991, and Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys in 1994.

X1 – Developed by Sharp and initially released in 1982, it wasn't as popular as NEC's PCs or the MSX. It was among the five initial platforms that Ys I was released for in 1987.