The MSX version of John Van Ryzin‘s H.E.R.O. was ported by The Softworks and published by Activision in 1984.

The graphics are similar to the ColecoVision version, with multi-coloured cave walls and destructible pillars that have some texture to them.

The game plays pretty much the same as the original, which is: excellently. As you take your helicopter backpack-wearing rescue dude ever deeper into the dangerous caves you begin to appreciate the subtle control system and the tricky layout of the environments.

Dropping dynamite, and running away from the resulting explosion, becomes very tense in confined spaces. And you never know what you’re going to drop into when you enter a new room. Hitting a light will make a room go dark, and snakes, bats and other creatures will kill you with one touch. And when you reach the higher levels and have to skim over the top of deadly water, the tension rises to another level.

H.E.R.O. is a classic game, still worth playing today, and the MSX version is a decent, fast-moving port.

More: H.E.R.O. on Wikipedia