!!!!Happy 30th, TG 16!!!!

[Naniyue]

My God! My favorite system is THAT old now?!?!? Sheesh.

Technically an 80's system (1987), it's heyday was in the early 90's, with the CD portion available since 1989!

My Turbo DUO, captured with a terrible camera:

https://imgur.com/gallery/cEYgw

along with some great games!

There's some really cool stuff to celebrate with over at: http://www.pcengine.co.uk/
I especially like HuTown! The game is more than one screen, so (Dungeon) Explore(r)!

While the TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine didn't do well here in the US, just like
with the Saturn, it was at least in part due to most of the good games
never making it here. And I know, since I was in Japan at the time, and
had multiple field days buying all of them! I even had a store specially transfer a couple to
the closest location I could pick them up. Anyway, the cartridges were more like thick
credit cards, with great titles like Blazing Lazers and the Crush pinball games,
but the best magic is on the CDs! With the CD attachment and proper system card,
or later, the lovely all-in-one DUO, you had Redbook audio with great music and
voice acting (except most US titles), and larger, more ambitious games.

And all of this well before Playstation and even Sega CD!

Japanese cards/chips require an adapter for foreign systems. The CDs, however, are region free!!!

Most Japanese games are cheap, while most US releases are expensive. But, whether by emulation:

http://www.magicengine.com

http://www.ouma.jp/ootake/ootake.html

and/or reproduced discs:

https://pceworks.wordpress.com/

one can still join in on the fun without breaking the bank!


Not convinced? Check out these You Tube goodies!

Ys I & II review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUUUI8mtf6s

(One of the BEST video game music soundtracks EVER!!! And I never say

"ever" lightly!)

Street Fighter II Championship Edition review (All this on a HuCard/Turbochip?!?!?):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ER4f2-DZHGc

Psycho Chaser Longplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfAb08DqvwU

Dracula X review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsVHqoS1Y58

Dungeon Explorer II review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXpaLcy-0Rw

Blazing Lazers Longplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OquO7XKHDT4

YS IV English Teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQxusqqY5Kw


Pretty good for a system with an 8 bit CPU!

Well ... yeah . . . the 16 bit GPU and stuff kinda helped. . .

!!!!! OMAKE !!!!!

1) The BEST TG16 reviewer is . . . Spida1a!

Site: http://www.turboviews.com/

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/spida1a#p/ ... AC0D21A523

2) Emerald Dragon opening cinemas and gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2keSXtL0jXo

3) These discs were made in Mixed Mode. The track containing data, usually track 2 but sometimes more, could damage one's speakers if played in a regular CD player. The first track served as warning about this, and later on was often done comically. Here's one of my favorites, naturally, from Working Designs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PMsNtj6S7Q

4) Not one of most people's favorite games, but is one for me! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ubQLjVNG3Q

5) My PC Engine pages:
http://netrunnerneo.bravesites.com/exile

http://netrunnerneo.bravesites.com/pcengine

6) DUO commercials:

Jap - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uW3L2r3ikY
Eng - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSj3gByJyV8

!!!!VIVA LA PCE!!!! (France got it, too!) - http://nekofan.free.fr/history.htm

[Kinsie]

Most Japanese games are cheap, while most US releases are expensive. But, whether by emulation:

http://www.magicengine.com

http://www.ouma.jp/ootake/ootake.html

Bizhawk is probably a better option, as it supports SuperGrafx and CD games and doesn't cost money.

Here's a thing you may enjoy reading.

[wildweasel]

I simply can't let a TG/PCE thread go by without any mention whatsoever of Devil's Crush and its amazing soundtrack. There's a reason it is my absolute favorite TG game.

[Naniyue]

Always looking for new PCE stuff!!!

Kinsie - Thanks for the emulator link and interviews! I'd never heard, or read, of these before!
Do you know of any interviews with people from Telenet Japan and their divisions?

WildWeasel - You're damn right! One of the greatest chiptunes for the system!

[YukesVonFaust]

Never owned a TG16 (or PC Engine in japanese), but Soldier Blade and Castlevania: Rondo of Blood are the most favorites.

[Naniyue]

Soldier Blade was a great shooter! I rank it right up there with Blazing Lazers and Super Star Soldier!

I've never been a fan of Castlevania, but even I recommend Dracula X! You can get it in English on the PSP, or even for the Turbo via a project that uses the PSP voice acting.

I've always been obsessed with the CDs, but getting back to some of the chip games recently (Psycho Chaser, Override, etc.) has been a very pleasant experience! I used to play Dungeon Explorer II to death, but I think I need to revisit the original! It's been a looong time!

I wonder how many RPGs would have been translated if the system had had more love here in the US back in the day! If you loved Cosmic Fantasy 2, you MUST play Cosmic Fantasy 4 Chapter II !!!!! The gang is back!!

Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwymlF3FY2E

Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I_c-Vgy_HQ

I know the combat starts out slow, but as you level up, your action gauges will fill much faster!

Actually, there's a neat, though some would say superfluous, digital comic section in the beginning of both chapters. Sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vu_QkoLo6Q

And here's only one spoiler:

---

EXPLORE! Any more specific, and I'll be giving it away! Send me a PM if you discover what I'm writing about!

Speaking of digital comics, 3X3 Eyes is superb, both in the storytelling and especially the graphics! I'd also recommend the second Ranma 1/2 game, as it uses the old CD ROM setup (vs. Super CD) surprisingly well!

[Kinsie]

Kinsie - Thanks for the emulator link and interviews! I'd never heard, or read, of these before!
Do you know of any interviews with people from Telenet Japan and their divisions?

The site I linked has a translation of a 1992 interview with a Telenet staffer on the topic of their obscure Cosmic Fantasy series. You should really delve through that site, there's some pretty amazing stuff there.

[Naniyue]

You're right! There's a ton of cool stuff there! And I got to find out a bit about CF's creator! Thanks!

[Naniyue]

The original Dungeon Explorer definitely holds up, though the enhancements made for the second one prove that a proper sequel for a game can be made! Of course, if you haven't played them before, do so in order. After that, one can try the Sega CD game, though that one is even closer to Gauntlet than DE, not that that's a bad thing. There's also one for the SNES, and a translation is available, but I'd play that last if you want to do things in chronological order.

Both the PSP and DS got Dungeon Explorer games, but they are more like Diablo. Again, that's definitely not a bad thing, but they aren't really DE.

[R4L]

First game I played was Devil's Crush. Great soundtrack. Splatterhouse was next, and closest you could get to the arcade version.

[Naniyue]

Just watched this. For those interested in collecting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dlw0DA51qUI

[Dr_Cosmobyte]

It's kinda late to quote wildweasel and R4L, but, if you liked Devil's Crush, i suggest taking a look at Jaki Crush, third entry on the "Crush" pinball series, which has a Youkai theme, along with many bosses (and a ending!) Came out for the Super Nintendo, though.

Really good games. The TG-16 has a great catalogue of avaiable choices. Maybe except for Darkwing Duck =p

[Naniyue]

It's Darkwing Suck.

I wonder how Jaki Crush, or any of them, would have been on a Super CD. I know they remade Alien Crush for the Wii, and updated Devil's Crush for the Genesis, but some sort of remasters or remakes for the original system would be neat!

I think Splatterhouse could have been even closer to the arcade, but it was still a good port for the time.

I liked Dungeons & Dragons - Order of the Griffon. A hard game, as is any that uses strict (A)D&D rules, but fun nonetheless. Too bad there was no sequel, as the ending is underwhelming. I'd also recommend Warriors of the Eternal Sun for the Genesis. Again, could have used a sequel. Both have interesting music as well.

OOTG
http://www.pcengine.co.uk/HTML_Games/Du ... ragons.htm

WOTES
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-toQlGnd7Y