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PC Engine/TG Appreciation and Collecting Thread, Because who needs a 2nd controller?

S

Shadowman16

Member
Teknoman said:
I think im gonna wait till next year to get my PC engine Duo modded (just got my NES done)...but man if its not mind blowing everytime you see a system with RGB for the first time.
Click to expand...

Agreed, I think I'll need to do the same with my PCE Duo. After seeing my Famicom in RGB, I don't ever want to go back! Plus I want to start collecting more for my PC Engine, I've neglected it quite a bit lately.
 
M

Mercutio

Member
Teknoman said:
I think im gonna wait till next year to get my PC engine Duo modded (just got my NES done)...but man if its not mind blowing everytime you see a system with RGB for the first time.
Click to expand...

Baphomet did mine and it is excellent. He does great work and his prices are quite reasonable.
 
4

4444244

Member
Just sent off my duo rx off for the rgb mod.

Looking forward to finding some cool cd games. For some reason I just seem to play Hu cards all the time.
 
D.Lo

D.Lo

Member
IrishNinja said:
man, Turbo composhit really isn't bad, but RGB is such a damn treat with that color palette
Click to expand...
And most models don't even need a mod at all, just a cable with an amplifier in them.

I made an external amplified cable for a white PCE, the only difficult part is getting a plug to fit the external port.
 
4

4444244

Member
I got one of those EXT socket RGB thingies for my Core Grafx and my Gawd it looked amazing, brought me right back into the PC Engine again.

Has anyone ordered Sunteam's TG16 book?

http://www.sunteam.co.uk/pixellence.html

Pixellence-page-banner.png

Pixellence1cover.png


Finally, can anyone recommend some cool PCE CD platformers?
 
A Black Falcon

A Black Falcon

Member
4444244 said:
Finally, can anyone recommend some cool PCE CD platformers?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, the Turbo/PCE CD's platformer library is thin. The HuCard system has a decent little library of mostly NES-like platformers, but on CD platformers were few and far between. Here's the complete list of both platformers and related titles.


Note that unless noted, games released only in Japan.


TCD Platformers, Platform-Action games, and Run & Guns:

-Addams Family, The (US only release) - Very average Western platformer from Icom, based on the movie. You play as... the family's lawyer, of course, and have to explore the house looking for stuff and fighting enemies.
-Akumajou Dracula X: Chi no Rondo - Everyone knows this awesome classic. It has saving. Super CD game.
-Baby Jo: The Super Hero - Western computer game port by Loriciel. Average at best. I find it amusing despite its mediocrity. It has password save. Super CD game.
-Bakushou Yoshimoto Shingeki - Short and easy platformer from Hudson. It's moderately amusing (this game stars a real Japanese comedian), but the game itself is absurdly easy and bland. Super CD game.
-Bonanza Bros. - Solid port of the Sega game. Super CD game.
-Bonk 3: Bonk's Big Adventure CD (US only) - From Hudson. This is a good game, as usual from Bonk, but it's basically the HuCard but with CD audio.
Camp California (US only release) - Another average-at-best Western platformer from Icom. This game stars the Beach Boys kids' music group's bear mascot. It is better than the other Turbo game starring that bear, though, Yo'Bro for HuCard... Super CD game.
-Buster Bros. (aka Pomping World in Japan) - Single-screen shooter where you control guys on the ground. Two player co-op play is fun, but I think the series in general (it's also sometimes known as Pang) is only okay. This really is more single-screen shmup than it is platform-action.
-Chiki Chiki Boys - Port of the Capcom sidescrolling action-platformer. Fun but short and easy. No parallax, unlike the Genesis version. Super CD game.
-Doraemon Nobita No Dorabian Night - Fun platformer from Hudson. It's basically the same as the HuCard version except for some VERY minor upgrades, but it is a good game. Super CD game.
-Faussete Amour - Good but not great sidescrolling action/platformer from Naxat. You've got a nice grappling hook-like weapon. Pricey. Super CD game.
-Fiend Hunter - Japanese game that plays a lot like Prince of Persia. The long, unskippable cutscenes are annoying, but gameplay is good if you like this kind of game. I don't, all that much. It does have saving, though, which is nice. Super CD game.
-Hihou Densetsu: Chris no Bouken - This is an okay, if basic, platformer by Arc Co (now Arc System Works). Expect a simple little adventure with a slightly amusing story and you might have fun. I did a review of this game a while back.
-Horror Story - Sidescrolling run & gun. Looks like average stuff. It does have two player co-op, though. Super CD game.
-Iga Ninden Gaoh - Decent to good side-scrolling action-platformer. You play as a ninja. Some dislike this game, but I do think it's fun. It is tough, though. The game saves your progress after each level, which is nice. Super CD game.
-Jim Power - A solid port of the Amiga version of Loriciel's tough platform-action game Jim Power. If you want to try Jim Power but are intimidated by the insane challenge of the SNES game, this one's the one for you -- it's far easier, and has password save too! This isn't SNES Jim Power, it has the 5 Amiga levels and not the 7 SNES levels, and doesn't have parallax scrolling in the platformer levels at all, but I do like it. Great soundtrack, too.
-Juuouki (Altered Beast) - I haven't played this port, but it's supposed to be not great, not that Altered Beast is all that good anywhere. CD System Card 1.0 required.
-Mirai Shounen Conan (Future Boy Conan) - Telenet platformer based on the Miyazaki TV series. It's okay, but as always from Telenet could be better. It's obscure and might be worth a look, though. The game is short, easy, and has lots of unskippable cutscenes, but the graphics are good and the game is fun to play. It does save your progress, which is nice.
-Pop'n Magic - Single-screen platformer, sort of Bubble Bobble-inspired, but with an anime theme. Fun stuff, though it's not quite at Taito's level of quality. Super CD game.
-Prince of Persia (US/JP release) - Decent port of a classic I've never liked much on any format. Super CD game.
-Rainbow Islands - I haven't played it, but it looks like a solid port of this Taito sequel to Bubble Bobble, though NEC actually published this and not Taito. Super CD game.
-Shadow of the Beast (US/JP release) - A fine port of this Euro-platformer classic I've never played and might not want to, with how frustrating and mazelike it apparently is. Super CD game.
-Slime World (aka Todd's Adventures in Slime World) - TCD port of this exploration-heavy side-view shooter/platformer that we got in the US on Lynx and Genesis. The original Lynx version is probably the most popular. This is a solid version of an okay game, but it's one player only -- the Genesis one is two player splitscreen, and on Lynx you can play with even more via link cables. Super CD game.
-Strider Hiryu - Okay port of the Capcom classic with a level added but some downgrades -- there is no parallax and a low-ish framerate. Arcade Card required to play.
-Valis II (US/JP release) - The first game in the TCD's best-known, but deeply flawed, platformer series from Telenet. Telenet rarely released a game that didn't have significant issues, and this one has more than its sequels -- Valis II is the weakest of these four games.
-Valis III (US/JP release) - Better than part II. I like the three characters you can switch between. It's still annoying Valis divebombing-enemies irritation, though. It has saving.
-Valis IV - The TCD Valis game I've played the most. It's okay I guess but it's still Valis so I don't like it all that much. It does save your progress, still.
-Valis - The last and, by most accounts, best TCD Valis game is this remake of the original Valis. This is the only one of the four with no saving, though, and it's still a Valis game so it's probably annoying to play, but it is supposed to be improved over the others. Super CD game.

Partially:
-It Came from the Desert - This super-cheesy FMV/minigame title from Icom has some side-scrolling action segments where you shoot giant ants. (US only release)
-Monster Lair - Monster Lair is one part autoscrolling run & gun platform-action game, and one part shmup. I like this game a lot, it's really good! (US/JP release)

Sidescrolling beat 'em ups or action-platformers focused mostly on punching, not platforming:

-Browning - Mediocre at best sidescrolling giant robot action/beat 'em up game. Hard and frustrating, but I kind of like it anyway. The story is fully voiced in English, amusingly enough. Super CD game.
-Galaxy Keiji Gayvan - Don't know much about this one, but it looks okay. Super CD game.
-Genocide - Another average-looking side-view slash-'em-up with mecha. I don't have it. Super CD game.
-Kaizou Chounin Shubibinman 3: Ikai no Princess - Cool-looking and varied, but this side-scrolling action game (mostly about beating people up, though you can also shoot and there are a few short platforming segments) is absurdly short and easy. Expect no challenge here at all, but it's fun to play through anyway.
-Mad Stalker: Full Metal Force - And here's a third of them, yet another mech sideview slash-em-up game. Haven't tried this one. Arcade Card required.
-Ranma 1/2 - Sidescrolling beat 'em up slash fighting game based on the anime. If you like the first season of the Ranma anime this is well worth playing, even though the game is below average. It's fun for fans, as I am. Otherwise probably don't bother. It has password save. Super CD enhanced, but it'll play on regular CD too.
-Renny Blaster - I've heard this somewhat uncommon late release isn't great but haven't played it. Super CD game.


Sidescrolling action-RPGs are a strength on the system, and we got a bunch of them in English (US) too:

(Note, all of these games save to the system.)

-Auleria (Gensou Tairiku Auleria) - Taito sidescrolling action-RPG. May be okay? Haven't played it myself.
-Blood Gear - Good sidescrolling mecha action-RPG game by Westone, the Monster World people. Super CD game.
-The Dynastic Hero - Good game, aka Wonder Boy in Monster World on Genesis. The Genesis version is great, so this is surely good as well. US release is expensive. (US/JP release)
-Exile - Good game, and the better port versus the Genesis release.Super CD game. (US/JP release)
-Exile: Wicked Phenomenon - The second Exile game. It's good, probably, but nearly broken in the US thanks to Working Designs making the US version almost impossibly hard. Super CD game. (US/JP release)
-Popful Mail - NEC did this port of the original computer versions of this Falcom game better known for its US Sega CD release. The SCD version is probably better (this has much smaller ingame graphics than the nice SCD visuals), and is in English, but this is interesting too -- it's got that classic Ys ram-enemies-to-attack system, instead of a sword button like you get on SCD. Arcade CD enhanced Super CD game; with the ACD you get better cutscene visuals and less loading.
-Shape Shifter - Interesting but flawed Western-made game. This is sort of a Metroid-ish game in design, with a large open world to explore, but with difficult controls and limited lives, beating it is a test of patience and memorization. Super CD game. (US/JP release)
-Sorcerian - Solid port of the game, though the language barrier will be a problem if you want to play it. Sorcerian is okay but not great. Super CD game.
-Ys III - Good but short game, total grindfest. (US/JP release)

Partially:
-Legend of Xanadu - This game is mostly a topdown, Ys-sytle action-RPG, but it has side-view stages at the end of each act, cumulating in boss fights. This game is somewhat impenetrably confusing for the non Japanese speaker, so hopefully the translation path some people are working on comes to fruition! It looks like a fantastic game. Super CD game.
-Legend of Xanadu II - The sequel has beautiful graphics and is simpler and more approachable for non-Japanese speakers, but for this list, it's a downgrade -- this time only boss fights are side-view, there are no stages before them now. It's a must-play game for any genre fan, though. Super CD game.
 
4

4444244

Member
sixteen-bit said:
Where can I buy one of those? If it works for the Core Grafx, will it work on the old white PCE, too?
Click to expand...

I got mine from a guy off a forum who was making a few batches, he's done with it now.

T'was similar to the one in the link from D.Lo.

- - -

A Black Falcon said:
Unfortunately, the Turbo/PCE CD's platformer library is thin. The HuCard system has a decent little library of mostly NES-like platformers, but on CD platformers were few and far between. Here's the complete list of both platformers and related titles.
...
Click to expand...

Many thanks for this, I will be consulting this and checking out lots of stuff! Like I say, despite having 2 CD systems I have mainly concentrated on Hu Card stuff, although I do have a few CDs like Drac X, Sapphire etc.
 
A Black Falcon

A Black Falcon

Member
4444244 said:
Many thanks for this, I will be consulting this and checking out lots of stuff! Like I say, despite having 2 CD systems I have mainly concentrated on Hu Card stuff, although I do have a few CDs like Drac X, Sapphire etc.
Click to expand...

A couple of corrections to that list: I forgot about Popful Mail somehow so that's been added to the sidescrolling action-RPGs section; I also didn't think of including Monster Lair, even though it's at least half autoscrolling platformer / run & gun, so that also has been added; Camp California didn't have its own line so now it does; I added in the missing format listings in the sidescrolling action-RPGs part; and I added a few more details to some game listings.

As for the platformer library, though, really, the problem with saying 'aside from Dracula X THIS is the TCD platformer to play' is that none really stand out as amazing, so the question more is, what kind of platformers or platform-action games do you like? I'd probably put Monster Lair second on the list after Dracula X, myself, but I'm not sure what would be third. The TG16+TCD does not have a platformer library anywhere near as deep or varied as the SNES or Genesis plus their addons do; PCE Duos didn't really sell for platformers but for other genres, and even Hudson gave up eventually -- almost all of Hudson's platformers released in '94 and '95 are on the SNES.
 
L

Lettuce

Member
sixteen-bit said:
Haha, nice. Are you going to sell any of them?
Click to expand...

Probably, i guess ill keep one of each and give one to my bro

Apart from the Core systems removing the RF unit in favour of a AV din socket and the obvious colour difference, what other minor differences are they (if any)?...just seems odd to have 3 revisions for a system that look identical (design wise) if not much has changed, epically considering it wasnt a massively popular system??
 
P

piggychan

Member
The wait is becoming excruciating for these pc engine games to arrive in the post... I hope they will turn up and not get lost otherwise I am gonna CRY!!!! !_!

I don't want to order anymore games from japan till the new year and especially after Christmas when the postal service dies down from Christmas delivery overload!
I also so want to order an everdrive since they are hinting at Black Friday deals. But again I don't want stuff to go missing/crushed because of the postal service around Christmas period. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....

Untitled-2.jpg
 
4

4444244

Member
So I ended up getting a Namco Arcade stick in the end, as I can use that (via adapters) on PS3, X360, Saturn, Neo Geo, my supergun and the PCE.

The only down side so far is that the tototek adapter for PCE does not allow full 6 button support for SF II ... doh! Mind you I have SF in various varieties on my cabs anyway.

Hopefully I will get my Duo back shortly, like the previous poster I am imagining that bizarre happenings will affect my delivery. Speaking of which I got a parcel today that looked like it had been booted around and sat on. Lucky the contents were ok.
 
P

piggychan

Member
4444244 said:
Pretty Sweet, what are the games apart from Drac X and the Golf game? That samurai one looks nice.
Click to expand...


The other games are:

fray CD xak gaiden
Popful Mail
pop'n magic
Tenchi wo kurau aka dynasty warriors. another Capcom port by NEC Avenue and the thing about NEC Avenue is their arcade ports are a hit or miss. Based around a japanese manga of the same name the game is basically a beat em' up /hack n' slash set in ancient China during the yellow turban/scarves rebellion and you take control of one of 4 chinese generals: Zhang Fei, Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhao yun.

Gameplay is simple, you have 3 buttons, forward attack, back attack, special and a power up attack and this should support the avenue 3 button pad.

As for this pc engine game itself few things annoy me is the constant pausing every few seconds and there is lot of sprite flickering. Also there is not a lot of CD audio tracks played throughout the game save for character select screen, game overs. Most of the in-game music is generated by chip and it sounds like an early pc engine game. Whether or not you will enjoy it well I can't say these things are subjective. I've seen people place this game in their current top 10 pc engine games list. As a port in itself it's hard to compare because I've never played the original arcade game and apart from home computers like Commodore 64, Amiga, spectrum etc this the pc engine is the only home console to house it.

There is no fancy anime cut scene, you are just getting the bare game with perhaps some added voice samples during general confrontations. There is a charm to this game but it also feels a little unfinished and for a game released in 1994 you'd think NEC Avenue was able to draw out better usage of the PCE's abilities by now. Still there is some limited enjoyment in this.

9620db80-3267-43e4-b2b2-a854d3d40b52.jpg


1699121c-657c-4ed5-88eb-0d8434fb5a5f.jpg


a1c5a3dc-f681-41d6-a1dd-83a9334abdaa.jpg


5dc66e72-e124-40ba-947c-1e8336010802.jpg


67c818d2-cd64-4b0d-87f5-2487bb2878b4.jpg
 
M

Mercutio

Member
masq said:
Does he do TurboDuo repairs ?
Click to expand...

I don't think he does cap replacement repairs per se, he didn't do region switches when I checked last. I've had Duos and my Turbo Express recapped / modded by a great guy by the name of Keith Courage over at the PCE forums, though.
 
M

Mercutio

Member
foobarry81 said:
Added these three to the collection:

Hana Taaka Daka?!, Kiki Kaikai and Mr. Heli no Daibouken.
Click to expand...

What's your take on Hana Taaka Daka? I can't really get into it... every auction I see for it throws "MAGICAL CHASE" into the search terms to get the big bucks, but I really don't like the maze-like structure of the levels. Seems like I always end up going a way that isn't fun...
 
F

foobarry81

Member
Mercutio said:
What's your take on Hana Taaka Daka? I can't really get into it... every auction I see for it throws "MAGICAL CHASE" into the search terms to get the big bucks, but I really don't like the maze-like structure of the levels. Seems like I always end up going a way that isn't fun...
Click to expand...

Only received it this morning, have yet to try it and it will be my first time playing it. It looks silly and fun though. :)
 
M

Mercutio

Member
foobarry81 said:
Only received it this morning, have yet to try it and it will be my first time playing it. It looks silly and fun though. :)
Click to expand...

It's definitely silly and the cutscenes are awesome. I'm struggling to find the fun though, the environmental stuff it has going on really gets me down.
 
M

masq

Neo Member
Mercutio said:
I don't think he does cap replacement repairs per se, he didn't do region switches when I checked last. I've had Duos and my Turbo Express recapped / modded by a great guy by the name of Keith Courage over at the PCE forums, though.
Click to expand...

thanks, I will search him out
 
F

foobarry81

Member
So I gave Hana Taaka Daka?! a try.

It's such a weird game. :)

- There's some dude who mocks you when you die. A bit like the dog in Duck Hunt.
- Like Mario (with mushrooms) your character grows and shrinks when he powers up or down. But sometimes you actually want to be smaller to make your life a bit easier.
- There are "options" (like in Gradius series games) and in the first level, there is one of those offered to you, literally on a domed silver serving tray. I'm not going to spoil what happens if you take it. But it's... odd. :)
- The levels are branched. In the first level one way leads to the level boss, and another way loads to what looks to be a bonus level or something. But the bonus level is like an endless loop...? Not sure yet how to get out of it, lol.

And this is just my experience from playing the first level. :p

Anyway, it's unlike anything else I've played yet, I think, so for that alone it's totally worth it. Probably not for everyone though.
 
P

piggychan

Member
foobarry81 said:
So I gave Hana Taaka Daka?! a try.

It's such a weird game. :)

- There's some dude who mocks you when you die. A bit like the dog in Duck Hunt.
- Like Mario (with mushrooms) your character grows and shrinks when he powers up or down. But sometimes you actually want to be smaller to make your life a bit easier.
- There are "options" (like in Gradius series games) and in the first level, there is one of those offered to you, literally on a domed silver serving tray. I'm not going to spoil what happens if you take it. But it's... odd. :)
- The levels are branched. In the first level one way leads to the level boss, and another way loads to what looks to be a bonus level or something. But the bonus level is like an endless loop...? Not sure yet how to get out of it, lol.

And this is just my experience from playing the first level. :p

Anyway, it's unlike anything else I've played yet, I think, so for that alone it's totally worth it. Probably not for everyone though.
Click to expand...

It's been a while since I fired this up properly but if I recall correctly I think those guys are Tanukis who kidnap the yellow fox's sister so he comes to ask you for help.

In the bonus round you have to look for a golden treasure chest, shoot it and a Tanuki will give up a piece of what appears to be part of a missing puzzle. The level will just loop until you find it.

I think the music in that is great as I love the use of sampled voices and drums on the pc engine.

4444244 said:
Thanks for that. :eek:)

-

I just got my Sunteam book!
82s03fY.jpg


Also I should get my RGB modded Duo back next week!
Click to expand...

I hope there will be a few more left cause I want to order a copy sometime in the new year..

EDIT

Also just got these in the post but I am waaay to busy with Xenogears C.X so that Sim Earth might stay in it's shrink wrap till the new year...
E9EDDC67-0CD8-48D0-A96A-9E97E39DD79B_2.jpg
 
T

thomasos

Member
Hey, Turbografx GAF! I finally decided to join in the fun (the hard way).

sGJEYmW.jpg


That's a Pioneer Laseractive with the imaginatively named PAC-N10 installed, which allows it to play TurboChip, Turbo CD, Super CD, and LD-ROM (Laserdisc) games. And here's my burgeoning collection for the system.

9kj9biB.jpg


I'm really digging Neutopia and Ys Book I & II especially. I've also got two of the three LD-ROM titles that were released in the US.

mRVXM7g.jpg


Quiz Ecnosaurus is an edutainment title that came included with the PAC-N10, but Manhattan Requiem seems kind of promising.

I did have one question for anyone who might have experience with the Laseractive. I've got the Sega PAC-S10, as well, and the picture for both it and the Turbografx PAC have pretty significant ghosting. I know these things have issues with leaky capicitors, but I'd be surprised if that's what's causing the exact same issue (and no others) for both PACs. Does anyone know if this is just an issue with the Laseractive video output?

Anyway, I'm both excited and terrified to start collecting for this system. Stuff's not cheap, but there sure seems to be a lot of great software for the platform.
 
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