Reasons Why you Should Have Owned: The TurboGrafx-16

cherryghost

Hi and sorry for an exceptionally late thread :P

This week we're looking at the Turbografx-16, a console fated to the attic early in its shelf life. But is it still worth a look at?

TurboGrafx-16, fully titled as TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem and known in Japan as the PC Engine (PCエンジン Pī Shī Enjin?), is a video game console developed by Hudson Soft and NEC, released in Japan on October 30, 1987, and in North America on August 29, 1989.

The TurboGrafx-16 has an 8-bit CPU and a dual 16-bit GPU; and is capable of displaying 482 colors simultaneously, out of 512. With dimensions of 14 cm × 14 cm × 3.8 cm (5.5in × 5.5in × 1.5in), the NEC PC Engine holds the record for the world's smallest game console ever made. (Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition (2008))

In the United Kingdom, Telegames released a slightly altered version of the US model simply as the TurboGrafx around 1990 in extremely limited quantities. Although there was no full-scale PAL region release of the system, imported PC Engine consoles were largely available in France and Benelux through major retailers thanks to the unlicensed importer Sodipeng (Société de Distribution de la PC Engine, a subsidiary of Guillemot International).

In 2009, the TurboGrafx-16 was ranked as the 13th greatest video game console of all time by IGN, citing a lack of third party support and the absence of a second controller port, and calling the console "straight-up underpowered".

I've only ever had a brief encounter with this machine, whilst I was in Tokyo. Raiden was on it and while it was good, I later discovered that the console only had 3 console exclusive games to its name through its life. Truly disappointing but novelty of a large amount of add-ons for the console is quite cool, albeit expensive, another downfall of the machine.

Thoughts?

Kiith

I've never even heard of this machine...

cherryghost

Kiith wrote: »

I've never even heard of this machine...

PC Engine?

Zero-Cool

Sounds like you'd have more reason to own a pair of Handerpants...

Retr0gamer

It was only ever popular in Japan, known there as the PC Engine, where for a time it was selling better than the NES before the SNES arrived. When it launched in the US Sega absolutely destroyed it with the Megadrive marketing machine. It got a very limited release in the UK.

It's a really fantastic console with a great selection of games. It had way more than 3 console exclusives as well, don't know where you got that from.

It only had an 8-bit processor, something Sega used to destroy it in the US. However it was an extemely fast 8-bit processor with 16-bit graphics hardware that meant it could pretty much match the Megadrive and had incredible sprite pushing capabilities which made it great for arcade conversions. It's got a better version of street fighter 2 than the megadrive and snes. If you like shoot'em ups then it's an amazing console with some great exclusives and some of the best arcade ports. Since most of the games are fast paced arcade affairs with no japanese requirement it's very import friendly.

It was also the first console with a CD based add on and some of its best games came out on CD. Wonderful (and usually very expensive now) shoot'em ups like Spriggan, Lords of Thunder, Sapphire etc. It was also home to some great RPGs although only a few made it to the west like Ys Book 1 and 2. It's also home to Castelvania Rondo of Blood, considered by many Vania fans as the best in the series. There was also an arcade card expansion later in it's life that added more RAM through the Hu-card slot and made some very accurate Neo-Geo ports possible.

Also of note is the japanese consoles asthetics. It's the smallest console ever made and looks gorgeous. The US version was made bigger to make it seem more supstantial but it looks awful. The games also came on Hu-cards which are like mini credit cards. Here's the japanese console:



So you may not have heard of this machine but it's a fantastic piece of kit with a massive library of excellent games. You can try it out via emulators like Hugo, which run both Hu-card games and CD-rom games. If you want to go the whole hog and import then do so and get a japanese model. Japanese ebay sellers are very fair when it comes to postage and it's so small and light that it won't cost much. You can get a great collection of games for it very cheaply. If you want to go made and get a CD system you are better off getting a Turbo Duo which is a PC engine with the CD addon built in. However you'll have to be prepared to pay through the nose for both a working or refurbished machine and the games.

Retr0gamer

Also forgot to add that it's got the best version of Bomberman, bomberman '93, other than the insane 10 player saturn version.

Some of the best games:

CD based

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2-8B-JROQw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Otz8kIUqN38

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG4oA-ic9C0

Hu card based

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2lLPji4KyQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWUtXVjatDc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6QoQQyCki0

Sephiroth_dude

I never heard of console,looks interesting though.

Retr0gamer

There's plenty of TG-16 games available on the virtual console including CD based games.

Kinski

Retr0gamer wrote: »

It's got a better version of street fighter 2 than the megadrive and snes.

With that controller? Or could you get other ones?

Retr0gamer

Plenty of other controllers, most come with auto-fire and later ones had 6 buttons.

Duggy747

I heard of this machine growing up, known as the PC Engine on this side of the world. Never playedit nor did I know anyone who did, let alone have heard of it.

My only knowledge of it was through gaming magazines like Mean Machines amongst the reviews & news for the SNES & Mega Drive. From what I know it did have some excellent ports on it, albeit they were supposedly few and far between.

Retr0gamer

Duggy747 wrote: »

My only knowledge of it was through gaming magazines like Mean Machines amongst the reviews & news for the SNES & Mega Drive. From what I know it did have some excellent ports on it, albeit they were supposedly few and far between.

In the UK there was only a handful of games released. It was well supported in the US and has a vast library in japan.

Kinski

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Plenty of other controllers, most come with auto-fire and later ones had 6 buttons.

I still vividly remember Sega fanboys arguing that SFII was just as good with three buttons...it was like a preview of what games discussions on the internet were going to be like:p

o1s1n

PC Engine was HUGE in Japan. Shame it never really took off in the west. I love Hu cards.

Duggy747

Retr0gamer wrote: »

In the UK there was only a handful of games released. It was well supported in the US and has a vast library in japan.

Yea, I remember I used to read the ads on the back of Mean Machines and see huge lists of US import games for sale as opposed to the small UK selection.

K.O.Kiki

You can connect a Capcom Power Stick Fighter to the PC engine... in a very convoluted manner.

That's a XHE-3 adapter, into the X68000 (MSX) adapter that came with the X68000 port of SFIICE (SFII').

Alternatively, you could solder up a Multi-Console Cthulhu with a PC-Engine cable.
Or buy a 6-button pad.
From what I remember, the best are the Hori Fighting Commander PC:

*edit* and the NEC Arcade 6/ Duo RXpad:


There's also the NEC Avenue 6 pad, though from reading it's EITHER so-so, or actually really good:

Doctor DooM

Despite having never seen or played on a PC Engine I have hugely fond memories of it from reading all about how awesome it was at the time.

For a while, I recall EGM pushing Bonk as a mascot at the same kind of level as Mario and Sonic. I remember the graphics being really sumptuous looking in the pre SNES era, however I am quite happy I ended up with a Megadrive instead of one


By all accounts, a system that died too soon.

Retr0gamer

When Bonk failed as a mascot they used Johnny Turbo comics to replace him:

corcaigh07

Kinski wrote: »

I still vividly remember Sega fanboys arguing that SFII was just as good with three buttons...it was like a preview of what games discussions on the internet were going to be like:p

no it wasn't, thats why the 6 button joypads were released at the time, and they were amazing. I had the official wireless 6 button pads, amazing provided you pointed it at the receiver and nobody walked in front of it!

Adyx

Doctor DooM wrote: »

Despite having never seen or played on a PC Engine I have hugely fond memories of it from reading all about how awesome it was at the time.

For a while, I recall EGM pushing Bonk as a mascot at the same kind of level as Mario and Sonic. I remember the graphics being really sumptuous looking in the pre SNES era, however I am quite happy I ended up with a Megadrive instead of one


By all accounts, a system that died too soon.

Hmm, I only ever played Super BC Kid on the SNES but who would something as batshit crazy as that as a mascot? :eek:

megaten

I played a couple of games on the VC and I think it was a nice system. The bonk games were great and the Neutopia games a very nice Zelda clones.

Doctor DooM

Adyx wrote: »

Hmm, I only ever played Super BC Kid on the SNES but who would something as batshit crazy as that as a mascot? :eek:

As opposed to a magic mushroom eating dimension hopping plumber and a blue hedgehog who could traverse the sound barrier?