There is another reason why the PC Engine CD sold so well in Japan vs here. It worked with a popular Japanese computer at the time the NEC PC-8801. The model of the machine at the time, NEC PC-8801MC, had an expansion port right on top of the tower specifically made for the PC Engine CD. The older 8801 models used an adapter to use it, but it was still compatible. Granted it couldn't play PC-Engine CD games, but it could play CD games made for the PC-8801 computers (granted there were only a small handful), but more importantly video game companies made CD soundtracks for their games. When you put the soundtrack in the unit you'd get that soundtrack instead of whatever was programmed on the Floppy Disk. So instead of having to purchase a new computer with a CD Rom built into it you could just buy the PC Engine CD and use it for both the PC Engine AND your Floppy Disk Computer. Two birds, one stone. We never had anything like that here. It would be like if the Sega CD was compatible with Windows Computers of the era. Play CD-Rom DOS games on a computer running Windows 3.1, or even Windows 2.8 on it, and Play Doom with a CD quality soundtrack like the 3DO version got. Play games you couldn't play on a PC with only a Disk Drive like Wing Commander 2, X-Wing, Dune, Loom, Kings Quest 5 and 6, and 7th Guest without needing to buy a whole new PC in the process. It would have incentivized people to buy a Sega CD along with a Genesis since it would have had duel purposes. But, like I said, we never had anything at all like that here whereas in Japan with the PC Engine CD they did.

I had the TurboGrafx. Had Keith Courage, Legendary Axe, World Class Baseball, Vigilante, Blazing Lazers, and Devil’s Crush.

@hi_tech_reptiles

Жыл бұрын

Blazing Lazers is what had me fall in love with the console (30 years after it's release, but still lol)

@jojoagogo

Жыл бұрын

I was the only kid with a tg16 too. I also had Splatter House and Bonk's Adventure. I thought I was the absolute SHYT

I got a chance to play TG16 games when they arrived on the Wii Virtual Console. Those games are fun. Bonk, Zonk, Gate of Thunder, Bomberman 93, Rondo of Blood. A pity NEC and later TTI dropped the ball with the console.

I used the CD player alone from my TG-16 all the time back in the the early 90s. It was small and convenient. I bought mine right after the price dropped, a forget how low, but it was like $150 or $99 and they offered a free game voucher... I picked Ys which is my favorite game (and soundtrack).

PC Engine has some serious hidden gems, of course a ridiculous amount of shmups but platformers, puzzlers, pretty much everything with amazing music and clear crisp graphics. It was the hardcore console of the time in Japan picking up the most ports from PC98 where the adults had fun.

Still have my TurboGrafx!!! Such great memories with Bomberman '93, Bonk's Revenge, Military Madness, Blazing Lazers, Super Star Soldier, etc. :)

I think Pat should publish a Turbografx-16 book.

I bought my first PCE in 2018 and then a TG16 in 2020 and I’ve really loved diving in their libraries; a lot of weird but good games unique to the system

@ProductionsFromBeyon

Жыл бұрын

Oh and the Analogue Pocket adapter on pre-order. Really looking forward to that.

TG16 has the best space shooters, hands down!!! Seen my cousins playing 'Splatterhouse' when I was a kid, and I was sold!!! Great system, great memories!! 💯💯💯

@marcellachine5718

Жыл бұрын

I had no idea splatter house was a space shooter.

@opaljk4835

Жыл бұрын

@@marcellachine5718we learn something new every day

I still can't figure out why Bonk was never the pack in game at later points...or at least Legendary Axe... something besides Keith Courage!!!

@chaospoet

Жыл бұрын

Legendary Axe, Dungeon Explorer, or Blazing Lasers should have been the Pack In, if they were unable to get Bonk ready by then. Though I will admit, when I saw Keith Courage back then when he transforms into the Mech Suit I was very impressed. That was where my being impressed by that game started and ended however.

I loved my TG16 in the early 90’s. I had Splatterhouse, Bloody Wolf, and Dungeon Explorer. Oh and if it matters to anybody Hu Card is pronounced like “hoo” or “who” according to the Japanese spelling. Pat pronounced it like “hyew” which is incorrect.

It was packed in with not a bad game just like the Genesis was packed in with not a bad game at first. By the time Sega thought to pack in Sonic, I think NEC figured out Bonk’s Revenge would help sales but honestly Bonk’s Adventure is a better game in my opinion.

Wii Sports actually was sold separately. It was republished late in the systems life under the Nintendo Selects Branding

_Wii Sports_ was released separately as well.

I lived in the Lehigh Valley, PA which is between NYC and Philly. I saw the commercials for the TG-16 but no one ever had it. I always thought it looked cool, and years later learned a lot of details about it. I would have LOVED to play Military Maddness as s kid.

First time I ever really became aware of the TG16 was the Wii's virtual console and youtube. It's a system that was a bit ahead of it's time in terms of marketing. It tried for a teen audience in the US in an age where the only people playing games were kids. Sony was the one who reaped the benefits of being the right console at the right time to advertise primarily at teens who'd grown up on the nes/snes/genesis.

The Turbografx was similar to the Saturn where there were a staggering # of games for it that were never brought to the west. And it's not as if they were a lot of text heavy games that would require a lot of translation work.

Really happy I was able to snag a TG16 mini. I play it far more than the other mini consoles I own, what a great library

@donaldsmith5667

Жыл бұрын

i’m fortunate enough to have the original console and my HuCard library and a TG mini. It’s by far one of the best consoles ever created IMO. Nothing but love for Turbo and PCE.

A console I really want to explore. Looks wicked cool. Happy bday.

Blazing Lazers was such a fun shooter. Splatterhouse, Legendary axe, Ninja spirit, he'll even J.J. & Jeff I liked!

I always wanted one and I still do, I’ve even considered ordering the mini but in that case I would probably get the Core Graphx due to the better pricing. I think my next hardware purchase will be the adaptive controller for my Xbox series X! The fact that they even make this controller and offer it at such a price is just unbelievable, I think it’s the most underrated and forgotten gaming controller ever made. If you ever get to go buy a Microsoft store try to playtest one 🎮🏆

@bryanobrien2726

Жыл бұрын

The adaptive controller is an amazing offering by Microsoft .

I got my PCE CD back from the shop. Works awesome! Took 10 years to find a suitcase in the USA. I woke up one day, and it was on FB Marketplace. My collection is about complete. If I find a 3do, or Neo Geo cheap...I don't expect it though.

PC Engine is the most underrated retro console imo, also the LT is the sweetest piece of retro tec ever conceived.

Wow I haven't listened to a CU podcast in forever, just kind of got away from gaming as work got more hectic. Thanks for KZread algorithm gods recommending this. I love TG 16 and I missed you guys

Just imagine if Konami made an original Contra game or a TMNT game(s) for the PC Engine (most likely for the Super CD) in the earlier 1990's

@unstoppableExodia

Жыл бұрын

It b possess me off more than it b should that they took the name Super CD before Nintendo could copyright it for the Super Nintendo CD rom addon that never made it out of development hell

@marcellachine5718

Жыл бұрын

Imagine if they had had a double dragon port for it.

@xboyindahouse

Жыл бұрын

@@marcellachine5718 There's a remake port of Double Dragon II based from the NES version but it was only released in Japan

I’ll never get rid of my TurboGrafx collection. I’ve got 15 HuCards and the Mini. Still have my original console from probably 1989. Somewhere in there. Absolutely correct about the missed opportunity with Bonk not being the pack-in.

yeah never even knew about this till I got older it is always fascinating to hear about it

Wii Sports was available stand alone in the US under the Nintendo Selects line for $20, it's a bit of a more rare version these days because no one needed to buy it, but it is available and was sold stand alone.

Happy Birthday PCE! Great discussion! Another point many people don't understand is that the PC Engine was meant to compete with the aging Famicom, and it did very well. There are tons of arcade ports for this system that never made it to these shore either.

it's such a fascinating system, and always wished it did better. But yeah, the whole shooter scene "seems neat" but even by early 90s, it was a wide range of different type of games trying to get attention in the market place.

I remember vividly that Air Zonk was on a kiosk in my Toys r us in 1993. By 94 all turbo was on a steep clearance.

@4:27 Ian getting annoyed by Pat never gets old...

I was 17 when I got the SNES for Christmas. I remember SNES and Genesis competing. I also remember hearing about the Atari Jaguar. I never heard of the PC Engine or Turbo Grafx 16 until about 5-10 years ago. Then again, I live in Iowa. lol

My cousins got the TG-16 for Xmas in 1990, and I have fond memories of playing Keith Courage, Splatterhouse and Bonk's Adventure on the system. I got the SNES in the fall of '91, and they got it in '92 and I think they gave away their TG-16 not long after that, so unfortunately I haven't played the console outside of emulation since then. The biggest flaw of the TG-16 IMO is that it missed out on all the big 3rd party support during the height of the 16-bit era, so by 92/93 it was all SNES / Genesis here in the US.

Happy Birthday PCE! Against my better judgement I started collecting for both the PCE and TG16 this year. And been having a blast! Unlike it's TG16 brother, it's actually cheap to collect for now if you know where to look. The weaker Japanese Yen is beneficial atm. Awesome machine! It's praise is well deserved.

Bonk looked cool when I was a kid, but I forgot all about it when I saw Sonic

I don't remember any of the game magazines I read at the time doing reviews of TG-16 games. Only knew about it because i saw the games in a rental store

I have a working PCE and a broken (I think I may be able to get it working but idk) TG16. I have like 1 TG16 game, but I love the design of the PCE and it's one of my favorite console designs ever. I prob should import a Duo but it'd probably cost the same to get a SSDS3 lol. Then I'd just be done and have it *all*

Never had one but always wanted to pick one up. Just not crazy about adding another system to collect for especially since the games are expensive. I would just collect Splatter house and the shmups anyhow. Very cool system.

When my granddaughter was 3 to 4 and I would fire up my TurboGrafx Mini the games she would want to play were the 2 Disney games, Adventure Island, Bonk, Toe Jam & Earl and friggin JJ and Jeff a game that makes absolutely no sense if you aren't familiar with its background of being based on a Japanese tv show that used Terrence and Phillip type humor. Even if you did the American version of course was sanitized and removed all the fart and pee jokes from the game. But they did leave in one thing, the birds in the game would drop brown piles of turds on you in bombing runs. If there's one thing that 3- to- 4- year-old children like it's any form of doody in a game. So, because of the one thing they left in the North American game I was forced to sit through JJ & Jeff whenever we used the TuroGrafx Mini.

You mentioned the ps vita memory card issue. I specifically was holding a ps vita in my hands at the register at GameStop ready to buy and when I found out I needed a memory card that was going to make it cost over 300 dollars I walked out of the store. This was not when it was brand new, it was when it was missing sales projections but getting a lot of good press. I had never bought of wanted a regular psp, I would have been a brand new buyer. By the time I had the kind of money they were asking for the system was basically off the shelves and I bought a 3ds.

Still need to pick up one of these systems one day.

Pat, Radio Shack always carried and could order the system and all games. Well into the tti lifespan of the system.

I really love the PC Engine was my most favorite japanese game console that my first PC Engine HuCard game I play was Volfied after I watch Pat's Review of Turbografx-16 Christmas Special on KZread when I was 13 years old since 6th Grade in 2014

Wii Sports was sold separately in the Nintendo Selects series...

I remember trading my Genesis with a co worker for his Turbo Grafx 16 and I loved it. I played the heck out of Double Dungeon I remember and it had amazing top down shooters as well. What’s the main difference between it and PC Engine? Is it just the library? I didn’t know there were so many games as you guys mentioned 400+ with CD attachment.

I was the only kid I know to have a turbografx. I loved adventure island and bonk

I bought a PC engine to play the Japanese version of splatter house but ended up finding a lot more great games for it.

Turbo CD was $399 here in the US upon release.

The PCE is a story of what might've been. Saw pictures of the system and games back in the day and thought "wow that looks cool" but never got to own or play one, and so for me there is little emotional attachment to it.

At some point they went from Keith courage to blazing lasers as the pack in title I believe.

Fun fact: The Hucard format is designed to help keep the PC ENGINE/ TURBOGRAFX-16 cool from over heating up the 16-Bit Hybrid system. This allows longer hours of gaming from overheating

I've given up on Analogue releasing their Duo in 2022 like the website claims. Unsurprisingly they never responded to my inquiry. Fortunately my pce duo works just fine!

Caught Pat slippin' on this one multiple times 😂

I am still upset and furious due to the fact I always wanted one growing up and when the mini was announced I preordered it about 2 years in advance but was still lost the chance to achieve one due to scalpers and A-Holes who wanted to get a 300% increase of funds from profit so I never had a chance nor wanted to pay over 300/400$ for a used reseller so I lost out big. I am stuck emulating the system because screw these people. It is so sad because I knew years ahead but online sellers bought them all out before they hit the states...

Fives and zeroes my friends.

PAT PLEAAAAASE STOP TELLING ME HOW OLD STUFF IS I COULD NOT BUY DECADES AGO! You make me feel old 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢

People bought megacd as a cd player and that was in the uk years later

Wasn't Bonk a pack in on the DUO on that 5 in 1 disc? To little to late...

If the the TurboGrafx 16 had a cartridge like the Sega Genesis and two controller ports would it have sold better.

Master Pat

Wii U turns 10 in less than a week.

The genesis was a bit slower with fewer enemies on-screen and overall less challenging stage layouts than the TG-16/PC Engine version. The PCE version is also the only one with any kind of ending , and the music was better on the tg16 closer the arcade

Exactly 1 dozen randomly placed top hat drinking birds in your studio would be good, but only if you don’t ever mention it.

80 dollars for a controller? Did someone say Amico?

So many TG games blatantly hid their Japanese origins (Keith Courage, JJ & Jeff, etc). It also had pointless accessories like TurboBooster and TurboBooster-Plus (supposedly able to save games, though what HuCard game used it?). Also, for a console having upgradeable ram isn't really a selling point. I'm still amazed to this day the N64 got away with it (well, it got away with a launch library of two games but this is going off-track).

Wii sports was available players choice later on

Nintendo of Japan hated the idea to give Wii Sports for free….Reggie had hard times to convince the Japanese higher ups to bundle it with the Wii. The same goes for Sega Japan vs. Sega US in the case of bundling Sonic, Sega Japan hated the idea…..and I think that that Japanese feeling about giving something really good for free, was the reason why the Turbografx got such a bad bundled game. They know they had to bundle it with something for the US Market, but they had no interest to bundle it with something so good you would buy it anyway.

What about Kato and Ken Chan? Mature audiences?

Interesting how you didn't mention how Nintendo was controlling the American market and licensing so that was a major issue as well.

How about them bills Ian

the problem was the deal with hudson , nec didnt make any money on games only the hardware and the CD, any game made on the hucards was hudsons money and thats why nec was nickel and diming the hardware .

Castlevania Rondo of Blood was a bit Anime

Pat is really salty about Bonks Adventure lmaoooo.

R-TYPE!!!

are yall canadian or something? Isn't it called the TurboGrafx-16?

@tadeusticeghostal

Жыл бұрын

PC-Engine was what it was called in Japan where it came out 3 years earlier and the majority of games were released. It's a must pretty much if you want to see what the console has to offer you get the PC-Engine.

It wasn't that unique. The Smegma Master System had games on cards too

Not related at all but are people seriously grading pops now? I just want my pops I don't want any grading s#!t.

@unstoppableExodia

Жыл бұрын

Ok popop

You don't look a day over TG16! 🍅 🍅🥬🍅 😳🥬🍅

To what Pat was saying at the end: I got Fire Pro 3 with my PC Engine when I bought it. Still can't figure out the moves, and there's nowhere online that seems to have documented that.