Got my hands on a PC Engine!!!

[retro junkie]

I have been wanting the Japan counterpart to the Turbo Grafx 16 for years. I finally got my hands on one a couple of weeks ago. I am one happy gamer. 

It is a great addition to my HuCard gaming addiction.

The one thing that throws a monkey wrench into the whole retro gaming aspect of the older systems is the RF connection that you have to deal with. I am going to need to do some mods to my older systems. As we more and more become more entrenched into the HD tech, the older rf connection looks ugly on the HD sets.
I am glad I still have a tube to play my retro gaming sets on. I have a twenty something 19" Sanyo color set beside my desktop computer. I always have my Turbo Grafx 16 hooked and ready for a quicky. 

[Grindspine]

You must find a copy of Castlevania (Dracula X) Rondo of Blood to play on that!

I am really glad that I bought a Sony Trinitron WEGA right at the end of the TV tube era.  It really captures the best of standard definition display quality, but still is capable of looking great for modern streaming.  Granted, it is full screen instead of wide screen, but SNES, PS2, and DVDs still look awesome on it!

[retro junkie]

Dracula X is on CD. I have a Turbo Duo that it would run on. But the game is a bit pricey and can run over $100. I keep a watch on eBay for a lot of my HuCards and such. If I do find a good catch on the Dracula X game, I will grab it up.

[targetrasp]

Is that what the call a turbo booster on the back of your tg 16 in that picture? I remember having one a long time ago and it seems like you purchased something separately to give s-video or rca video out? My memory is hazy, turbo wasn't my most favorite at the time (but oh how I do miss the shooters).

and as far as the pc engine Ive always thought that'd be cool except not knowing Japanese would drive me crazy.

[retro junkie]

No, that is just the plastic cover that sits where the booster would install. It just makes it look good instead of seeing that ugly protrusion out the back. Wished they'd of kept the sleek look of the PC Engine when they released it here in the US. I tried to purchase the CD Rom attachment at the time, It has the same features as the Turbo Booster, early nineties. They were sold out so as a supplement they gave me a Turbo Duo instead.  It was a mail order place. At the time I don't think they knew exactly what it was. 

I really stick to shooters and action platform stuff, so not knowing Japanese doesn’t bother me. I might pick up a racer or two. The PC Engine had three times as many games released for it in Japan in comparison to the Turbo here in the US. For example W-Wing and Rabio Lepus, two excellent shooters which I own.

[CreepinDeth]

You guys should read this awesome story on the Turbografx/PC Engine from Gamasutra. It reveals why they changed the look and all kinds of reasons why it just didn't take off in the US.

Stalled Engine: The TurboGrafx-16 turns 25

[retro junkie]

Good read, but sad. I was aware of some of the history but that was more detailed. I have worked for a Japanese company for the last 14 years. I believe that information in that article. It sounds so much like the internal workings of the company that I work for. It seems to be the business mindset.

My main desire of having the PC Engine is to acquire some of the games that never made it to the US. There are three times as many Hucards games for the PC Engine. There are those that I will never pick-up due to the Japanese dialogue would make it impossible for me to play. But the platform, arcade, puzzle, and shooters games should be not so difficult to figure out. At least that is what I am thinking. There are the CD games too which will play on my Turbo Duo.

For the PC Engine, I found someone on eBay selling a home-made RF converter to composite mod that mounts to the back of the unit in the expansion area. It should be here in a few days as it is in transit now to my address.

[retro junkie]

You must find a copy of Castlevania (Dracula X) Rondo of Blood to play on that!

I finally got a copy of Dracula X. It is hard to believe that I am actually playing a game like this on my Turbo Duo.  One awesome game!

[targetrasp]

what an awesome Castlevania game.

[Grindspine]

I finally got a copy of Dracula X. It is hard to believe that I am actually playing a game like this on my Turbo Duo.  One awesome game!

I really need to play the version of it that was released on the PSP a few years back!

[retro junkie]

The 30 year anniversary of the NEC PC Engine is coming up next month. I plan on focusing my gaming toward that console to celebrate the tech. I'm talking about arcade shooter madness. The way that system entered my gaming heart and stayed. As I took the Turbo Grafx 16 off the shelf at a Toys-R-Us many many years ago, I never imagined that I held in my hands what would become my favorite gaming system of all time.

[targetrasp]

If NEC / Hudson had a better handle on the American market in the late 80's they could have given Nintendo a run for their money. NEC, for all their innovations in everything from video games to smart phones, sucked at the global market. At one point the tg was ahead of Nintendo and sega, but only in Japan. Their computers made up for 20% of the market, but only in Japan. Last I head they were being bought out and quietly changed to some other name that we'll probably never heard from again. RIP!

[retro junkie]

That is so sad.
If you could list the things to do wrong in introducing a gaming system to the US market, they would be a good example to look at and learn. They knew their own turf, but was totally baffled when it came to the US market.

[targetrasp]

I'm wondering if  they can still be freely found in Japan. My brother in law is about to deploy in Japan and I'm considering asking him to keep an eye out for neo geo and nec stuff.

Do you know anything about availability, pricing, etc? I know a lot of old famicon games are pennies on the dollar as compared to their Nintendo counter parts, I'm wondering if similar is true... and if things are readily available over there.

[retro junkie]

They seem to be plentiful over ebay with the source being Japan. I still purchase one occasionally. The PC Engine counterpart to the Turbo Grafx game is usually much cheaper. Of course there are those with tremendously inflated prices. Not sure how the market is actually in Japan, but ebay stays busy.

[targetrasp]

I'll send him with a few hundred and see what he brings back...

sake too, I love sake

[retro junkie]

Be sure to send a wish list.

[targetrasp]

I'm thinking almost anything that says sega Saturn, nec, or neo geo

[retro junkie]

That's a good list.