CartridgeBlower
Member
Not to put a damper on anyone's alternate history, but that MK story sounds like a stretch. What would Midway gain from making it exclusive to the last place system? No moneyhat could have been worth that, could it?
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PC Engine/TG Appreciation and Collecting Thread, Because who needs a 2nd controller?
- Thread starter gryz
- Start date
A Black Falcon
Member
Like a lot of people, I mostly knew Brandstetter as the face of the comically bad Johnny Turbo ad campaign... that debacle didn't help the system, that's for sure. 
1) Release the system in 1988, not 1989, with the Japanese design (not because I dislike the US TG16 design, I actually quite like it, but because it delayed things unnecessarily). Have it out for Christmas. The PCE released a year before the Megadrive, make use of that time advantage!
2) Maybe start in a few markets, but release it nationwide by mid '89. NEC US did a super--slow rollout campaign that never really got OUT out the few target cities. This was a really bad idea.
3) R-Type as the packin game. That would sell to the primary audience who'd want a new console already in the late '80s, the hardcore and arcade fans. The mention of JJ & Jeff as the packin is an interesting one too... that is a fun game, maybe better than Keith Courage. I can see why they'd pass on it... but maybe it could have worked, even if it'd caused some controversy. R-Type would be the best overall choice though I think.
The number has some critics (on PCEFX), mostly from people who want to believe that the system sold better... but I don't see any reason to question them, unfortunately. The only question is how many Turbo Duos were manufactured but not sold until after early/mid '94 when the system disappeared from shelves, but did sell over the years from TZD and stuff.
Either that interview, or that guy, surely has to have been one of the sources this article uses. Maybe Gamasutra doesn't mention the "exclusive" part because they're skeptical about it? It IS hard to believe!
But yeah, seriously, if you're going to pay EA, get them to make the game! It'd surely have been better than Hudson's mediocre effort.
What NEC/Hudson really needed to do was:
1) Release the system in 1988, not 1989, with the Japanese design (not because I dislike the US TG16 design, I actually quite like it, but because it delayed things unnecessarily). Have it out for Christmas. The PCE released a year before the Megadrive, make use of that time advantage!
2) Maybe start in a few markets, but release it nationwide by mid '89. NEC US did a super--slow rollout campaign that never really got OUT out the few target cities. This was a really bad idea.
3) R-Type as the packin game. That would sell to the primary audience who'd want a new console already in the late '80s, the hardcore and arcade fans. The mention of JJ & Jeff as the packin is an interesting one too... that is a fun game, maybe better than Keith Courage. I can see why they'd pass on it... but maybe it could have worked, even if it'd caused some controversy. R-Type would be the best overall choice though I think.
The PC-FX was a system designed by Hudson in '92 as "Ironman", with the idea of it being their answer to the FMV craze of the time, mostly. NEC took it off the shelf and shipped it a couple years later when the PS1 and Saturn released, somehow thinking that an anime-centric console with all 2d games, almost all of which have anime cutscenes, was somehow the right system to sell in 1995 and beyond. It wasn't, but NEC stuck with the concept to the end anyway. I've read stories about NEC not allowing many shooters on the system because they wanted more anime RPGs and adventure games and stuff, I believe... yeah, that worked out just great. NEC crashed out of the industry becuase they made so many terrible decisions that they make Sega look sane.
That quote comes from a Vic Ireland post on GAF like 5 years ago, so that isn't new information; he said that he thought the Turbo CD and Duo each sold about 20,000, and that CF2 sold to like half of the people with either system. He said htat the attach rate for his four Turbo CD games was higher than for any other games he's ever published.
The number has some critics (on PCEFX), mostly from people who want to believe that the system sold better... but I don't see any reason to question them, unfortunately. The only question is how many Turbo Duos were manufactured but not sold until after early/mid '94 when the system disappeared from shelves, but did sell over the years from TZD and stuff.
No, I don't think that proves that people were paying attention. Just that the very small userbase that had bought a Turbo CD or Duo were interested in those kinds of games. It wasn't a nearly large enough one to sustain the platform or the company.
The quote comes from this interview: http://pcenginefx.com/main/tzd__the_interview.html
Either that interview, or that guy, surely has to have been one of the sources this article uses. Maybe Gamasutra doesn't mention the "exclusive" part because they're skeptical about it? It IS hard to believe!
Oh, that's another thing the article gets wrong -- the Madden game was actually developed by Hudson, in Japan. It was not an American-made game. The video clips in the game are apparently of some amateur Japanese football team... :lol:
But yeah, seriously, if you're going to pay EA, get them to make the game! It'd surely have been better than Hudson's mediocre effort.
D.Lo
Member
Yeah seems impossible. It was a huge arcade game (if a pretty crap one).
It's weird how the Turbografx case is basically a PCE with the case extended on the left, but why did they redesign the board? Why not put the PCE PCB inside the bigger shell (add a counterweight if necessary to the left). That would have saved manufacturing change problems surely.
On a semi-related note, Korean PCE is cool:
IrishNinja
Member
first time seeing that one, but it looks awesome!
It really happened the way it's presented.
Much of the excess was crushed at a disposal facility, so I doubt it.
IrishNinja
Member
it's my fault for not revisiting the scene in like the decade between there, but still
They actually found tons of unsold PAL consoles in a warehouse in Spain a few years ago. I think you can buy them on Ebay now.
No idea about Europe. I was talking about the chances of a find like that in the US.
it's my fault for not revisiting the scene in like the decade between there, but still
John Brandstetter was at the facility to see some of it crushed (along with new TVs, stereo equipment, etc, etc from other major manufacturers). As a technophile, I can't imagine how awful that would be to watch!
IrishNinja
Member
ugh...how long ago we talking? i know ebay/etc weren't nearly the venues for that sort've thing that they are now, but i can only imagine calling up like everyone i know saying "YOU SHOULD GET DOWN HERE NOW"
Long time ago. Wouldn't work anyway to try to intercept the stuff. It was a certified destruction facility, where they video the destruction and certify that what was supposed to be destroyed was actually obliterated.
IrishNinja
Member
...there is no god
Agent Unknown
Member
Wow, Jedi Master Vic coming to tell us sad tales of forsaken game acquisitions and system purges. Sad to say I never got around to getting Cosmic Fantasy 2, that will finally be taken care of whenever I finally get a modded Duo-R to replace my dead U.S. TurboDuo.
Sad to say I never got around to getting Cosmic Fantasy 2, that will finally be taken care of whenever I finally get a modded Duo-R to replace my dead U.S. TurboDuo.God damn thats heartbreaking, wish there was someway to have saves that stuff
foobarry81
Member
There was! You could have bought the Turbo's in stead of your Genesis's and SNES's, America!
;-)
Azzurri
Member
I've been wanting to get one for some time, but I'm finally part of the Gang. Got one of the DoujinDance RGB/Region free modded TurboDuo R's this morning. Recommend me some relatively cheaper US games and some cheaper PC engine games that don't require knowledge of the language.
Canadian Psycho
Banned
Victor, why couldn't Working Designs publish Spriggan again? Skimming through my old EGM mags, I noticed in the magazine's "coming soon" list that you guys were supposed to release it.
Azzurri
Member
I'd say like 80% of the Jp games are all in English besides the RPGs.
As for games none are cheap even the common ones run you around 25, besides Keith courage or some sport titles.
Also a lot of those eBay prices are inflated but you can still find some good deals if you're patient.
I assume that means Neutopia isn't in english? I think I'll go in for Street Fighter 2, Blazing Lazers, Legendary Axe and Ys Book 1 and 2 to start me off...This is as bad as collecting for the Saturn. The prices are pretty insane.
Azzurri
Member
That's a good start. The shoot em ups and platformers are really fun and don't require much reading.
How much do you want to spend? That's the problem when you want to collect for an obscure console.
... Some great Saturn games (jp) are really cheap.
On PCE Shmups aren t cheap but some other games are.
Check Shubibinman 3, Pomping World, Momotaro Katsugeki, Last Alert...
Thanks guys. I'm not looking to spend much more for now after I picked up some of the ones aboves (though some of those games Celine listed have piqued my interest.) Right now I think I've got a good base and I'll work from there, it's good to be part of the Turbo community finally.
Meddling from either Hudson Japan or TTi (to this day I'm not 100% sure) killed that deal (and Shubibinman 3 and a few others, too).
L-DIS and Coryoon are great, too.
IrishNinja
Member
my neighbor had a turbo CD (it's how we played Cosmic Fantasy 2 in the day! man, that ending...)
i couldn't, though. as a sega fan i had to deal with limited (and then none) shelf space for my master system at the local TRU, and turbo interested me but totally looked like it was in that same direction, so i just picked up stuff with my buddy where we could...i remember he got a cheap copy of Air Zonk and was let down it wasn't another Bonk game, but i loved it!
man, looking at the prices on Spriggan now...this is truly a tragedy.
So pretty and yet so disappointing.
I would replace Coryoon with Psychic Storm (albeit it s an easy game) because Coryoon isn t exactly cheap.
I was just going off game quality, until last year I was oblivious to how crazy the TG market had gone on prices.
Coryoon is the better game. Fun fact: I almost brought over Psychic Storm at WD.
And if you want the first (only?) shooter with full frontal male nudity, Download 2.
Agent Unknown
Member
Vic, was Star Parodier ever due to be localized? I heard it was originally going to be brought over at some point and renamed "Fantasy Star Soldier," is that true?
Azzurri
Member
Hey guys I'm trying to play some CD games like YS and Dragon layer, but it says I can't save unless I reformat my cabinet? DO I need a system card for my Duo? IS there something I need to do to play these RPGs?
Both games it can't save because it needed reformat. It tells me file cabinet has not been formatted and to enter the system card.
Both games it can't save because it needed reformat. It tells me file cabinet has not been formatted and to enter the system card.
foobarry81
Member
I was just going off game quality, until last year I was oblivious to how crazy the TG market had gone on prices.
Coryoon is the better game. Fun fact: I almost brought over Psychic Storm at WD.
And if you want the first (only?) shooter with full frontal male nudity, Download 2.
Is there no male nudity in the Aniki games? (I haven't played any yet)
sixteen-bit
Member
There's lots of tongue-in-cheek innuendo, but no legitimate nudity
The system card is built into the Duo. Neither of those games are Super CDs. No, wait, DS is a Super CD. You don't need it anyway.
The Duo's amazing cache of 192k for game saves is full.
Hit select from the boot-up screen for CD games.
There's lots of banana hammocks in Cho Aniki, but no legit full frontal as far as I remember. Download 2 was a legit *surprise* when the cutscene let that rip.
Mmmm...I seem to vaguely remember something like that, but I can't authoritatively say yes or no on that one.
I managed to find one of the Gates of Thunder 4-in-1 compilations for $50! Yay
Oh hey I have a few more questions that I hope some people might be able to answer.
I've seen 3 button PC engine controllers online, does Street Fighter 2 work with them at all? I mean, 6 button would be ideal, but they're very pricey, and a 3 button would be an ok alternative for me if it actually used the third button.
Speaking of which, does the 6 button controller function as a 3 button controller for games that support the 3 button layout? I presume it at least functions as a 2 button controller, but it'd be nice just for clarification.
Since I ordered a TurboDuo R, am I going to need to replace the capacitors? I remember hearing horror stories, and what are the tell tale signs I need them replaced?
Oh hey I have a few more questions that I hope some people might be able to answer.
I've seen 3 button PC engine controllers online, does Street Fighter 2 work with them at all? I mean, 6 button would be ideal, but they're very pricey, and a 3 button would be an ok alternative for me if it actually used the third button.
Speaking of which, does the 6 button controller function as a 3 button controller for games that support the 3 button layout? I presume it at least functions as a 2 button controller, but it'd be nice just for clarification.
Since I ordered a TurboDuo R, am I going to need to replace the capacitors? I remember hearing horror stories, and what are the tell tale signs I need them replaced?
IrishNinja
Member
^congrats on the 4-in-1 for that price, man! good collection of games there too.
Yes and yes...and no...the R/RX have better quality caps, only the OG duo has the bad caps
Thank you! I really appreciate all the help I've got from this thread, you guys are great.
IrishNinja
Member
yes if that happens you just need to buy another xrgb mini & pc monitor
also possibly a pic, and an upscaler for your upscaler of course
also possibly a pic, and an upscaler for your upscaler of course
Azzurri
Member
Well I did a youtube burn in screen fix and that seems to fix the dead pixels.
Just wondering if there some options I need to use so it won't burn in? Does aspect ration matter? I have it on 4:3 not 16:10.
A Black Falcon
Member
Fantasy Star Soldier actually leaked out years ago. It's a port of the Japanese game, but with a new title screen and some stuff cut out. Amusingly you still have a PC Engine as a ship, they didn't redraw it as a Turbografx...
Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lcrx5xWGnSw