1993 · FM · Japan · console
FM Towns Marty
Arguably the first 32-bit home console — expensive, Japan-only, short-lived.
Mixed Some setup ▶ Watch on YouTube ↗
Image: Evan-Amos · Public domain
Fujitsu's 1993 attempt to shrink its FM Towns computer into a living-room console — arguably the earliest 32-bit home console, CD-based and Japan-only. It was expensive, underpowered against what was coming, and short-lived.
Its library was largely straight ports of FM Towns games, from Ys III to After Burner III.
What it cost
about half a month’s pay in 1993 · about $1,915 today
| Japan launch list price (¥98,000 / ~$890 USD) |
¥98,000 (1993)
World’s first 32-bit CD-ROM home console, based on 386SX FM Towns architecture. |
|---|---|
| Typical street price | — No verified mass-market street price recorded yet. |
| Units sold | ≈45,000 estimate Approximately 45,000 units sold. |
Why it mattered
The Marty marks an early, expensive stab at a 32-bit CD console — a glimpse of the coming generation that Japan's giants would deliver more cheaply a couple of years later.
Emulating it today
| Emulators | UNZ, Tsugaru, MAME |
|---|---|
| Setup effort | Some setup (4 on this site's scale) |
| Controls | A standard modern controller covers the ordinary controls, though unusual accessories may need custom mapping. |
| Runs on a handheld | Yes |
The emulator names above are starting points, not a promise that every title or accessory behaves identically. Computer platforms usually add model selection, disk handling and keyboard setup even when CPU emulation itself is mature.
Marty System & Font ROMs (FMT_SYS.ROM, FMT_FNT.ROM)
The FM Towns Marty console requires dumps of the internal Towns system BIOS and Kanji character generator ROMs to boot CD-ROM and floppy games.
How many files you need: 2. Two core files: system BIOS (FMT_SYS.ROM) and font ROM (FMT_FNT.ROM).
Where it stands legally: Copyrighted by Fujitsu; dumped from physical FM Towns Marty hardware.
Firmware details checked 2026-08. Emulator requirements change — see Tsugaru FM Towns / Marty Documentation for the current list.
Where the software is
Preservation catalogues describe verified dumps; they do not grant permission to download commercial software. A curated, correctly matched set is easier to use than an undifferentiated archive.
Copyright: Commercial software remains copyrighted unless its owner explicitly released or relicensed it. Homebrew, public-domain programs and current reissues should be treated separately from abandoned commercial titles.
This site names preservation projects and explains what they are. It does not link to ROM downloads.
Where to start
- Ys III: Wanderers from Ys 1993 action RPG
- After Burner III 1993 combat flight
- Splatterhouse 1993 beat 'em up
- Super Street Fighter II 1994 fighting
The verdict
Of interest for its place in console history and a few CD ports; a niche machine.
Its library is largely FM Towns ports and it was outclassed almost immediately — one for the curious.
- Worth it if
- Players curious about sharp, fujitsu and msx and willing to learn how the original machine worked.
- Not for
- Anyone who wants a large, instantly accessible library and no model, firmware or control decisions.
Scored 3/5 for fun today and 3/5 for historical importance. Those two scores decide the label at the top — a machine can matter enormously and still be no fun.
Read more & watch
This page is 50% complete against the facts we try to record for every system. Gaps are shown as gaps.