Questions about buying a PCEngine OR Tgrafx
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kidneythief
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Questions about buying a PCEngine OR Tgrafx
Im leaning towards the turbo grafx since they seem to go for way cheaper... but is there a way to modify the region to play the much larger japanese game library? rather pay 40 bucks for a turbo grafx than 2 bills for the PC engine especially for such an old console.
Thou shalt not Dumb
From what I understand, Japanese and US HuCARDs have a different pinout, so you need to buy a convertor in order to play JP HuCARDs on a US system.
To play US HuCARDs on a JP system, you need to mod the system in addition to using the convertor.
The convertor is EXPENSIVE.
The cheaper way to play games from both libraries is to buy both a TG-16 and a PCE. Yes, the convertor is THAT expensive.
To play US HuCARDs on a JP system, you need to mod the system in addition to using the convertor.
The convertor is EXPENSIVE.
The cheaper way to play games from both libraries is to buy both a TG-16 and a PCE. Yes, the convertor is THAT expensive.
And if you're buying it mainly for shmups you might as well pick up just a PCE (or a Duo, preferrably) for the entire library.
No matter how good a game is, somebody will always hate it. No matter how bad a game is, somebody will always love it.
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captain ahar
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Re: Questions about buying a PCEngine OR Tgrafx
The complicated region mod will cost you about $80. The very rare converters will cost you about $100. Buying separate consoles is actually the cheapest way to go.kidneythief wrote:rather pay 40 bucks for a turbo grafx than 2 bills for the PC engine especially for such an old console.
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kidneythief
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PC Engine Fan X!
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Here's my TG-16, Turbo Duo, Turbo Express setup...
I've got both a USA Turbografx-16, a Turbo Duo & a Turbo Express with cool TurboVision TV Turner adapter accessory.
I also have a 3rd party TG-16 white colored "boxy" Hu-Card convertor to play those cool Japanese Hu-Card games. Please keep in mind, if you were to buy a Kisado or "boxy" PCE/TG-16 Hu-Card convertor -- they'll set you back at $100+ USD or more.
The most expensive USA released Turbo Duo Hu-Card from TTI is Magical Chase...since a very limited number were produced in late Summer of 1993, the going price for a used USA Hu-Card of Magical Chase is $250.00 USD (complete with original instruction manual but no original TTI box nor Hu-Card plastic tray insert). Back in the entire year of 1994 (and into the 1995 year timeline), one could buy a brand new USA TTI produced Magical Chase for a mere $20.00 USD from USA based Toys-R-Us stores. I have never seen anyone sell a "brand new boxed & sealed" USA TTI produced Magical Chase on eBay or any other on-line auction site since then. The TTI version of Magical Chase is the very last USA TG-16/Turbo Duo Hu-Card to be released...hence the hefty $$$ it commands on the secondary used video game collector's market since it is so rare nowdays. The original Japanese PCE version of Magical Chase nowdays will set you back at the going rate of $135.00-$150.00 USD on eBay. Japanese PCE gamers are willing to pay some serious $$$ for a USA TTI produced Magical Chase Hu-Card as it features different graphics over it's original Japanese PCE version...other than that, they are both considered the same game, gameplay-wise.
If you want to use TG-16 game controllers on the PCE Duo/Turbo Duo setup, then you'd need a TG-16 to Duo controller adapter. However if you want to use PCE Duo/Turbo Duo game controllers on a PCE or TG-16 console, you will then need a "reverse" Duo to TG-16/PCE controller adapter. I have both controller adapters...so it's nice to mix 'n' match different game controllers for each respective NEC TG-16 or Turbo Duo console.
Let's say that you want to use a Hori Fighting PC Stick (that's been built primarily for use with a PCE Duo/Turbo Duo console) on your TG-16 console setup, you will need the aforementioned "reverse" Duo to TG-16 adapter to use that particular joystick with a TG-16.
Or say if you want to use an NEC TurboStick controller on a PCE Duo/Turbo Duo setup, then a TG-16 to Duo controller adapter would be needed to them with said console.
NEC and later TTI (Turbo Technologies Incorporated) didn't release a Tennokoe Bank Rom-Ram Hu-Card "memory card" for the TG-16 nor the Turbo Duo. NEC did, however, release for the USA market, a TurboBooster Plus that had built-in memory save functionality...you just had to power-up the TG-16 from time to time to recharge the internal capacitor in order to keep your precious Hu-Card game saves or else lose them forever! I learned the "hard" way when all my Turbo Duo "Backup Ram" game saves were lost due to not recharging the internal capacitor that supplies power to save your Hu-Card game saves in a timely fashion. The remedy is to buy a Tennokoe Bank Hu-Card and a Hu-Card convertor (if you already have a TG-16 or Turbo Duo console setup) and then save your Hu-Card game saves for posterity.
If you want to play the cool Japanese PCE Duo Arcade CD-Rom2 games, then you'd need to buy an Arcade Card Duo upgrade Hu-Card that gives the PCE Duo/Turbo Duo a 16 megabit upgrade boost for the ACD based game titles that took advantage of the extra memory boost. Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire is the only shmup-based Arcade CD-Rom2 title for the PCE Duo/Turbo Duo consoles.
PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
I also have a 3rd party TG-16 white colored "boxy" Hu-Card convertor to play those cool Japanese Hu-Card games. Please keep in mind, if you were to buy a Kisado or "boxy" PCE/TG-16 Hu-Card convertor -- they'll set you back at $100+ USD or more.
The most expensive USA released Turbo Duo Hu-Card from TTI is Magical Chase...since a very limited number were produced in late Summer of 1993, the going price for a used USA Hu-Card of Magical Chase is $250.00 USD (complete with original instruction manual but no original TTI box nor Hu-Card plastic tray insert). Back in the entire year of 1994 (and into the 1995 year timeline), one could buy a brand new USA TTI produced Magical Chase for a mere $20.00 USD from USA based Toys-R-Us stores. I have never seen anyone sell a "brand new boxed & sealed" USA TTI produced Magical Chase on eBay or any other on-line auction site since then. The TTI version of Magical Chase is the very last USA TG-16/Turbo Duo Hu-Card to be released...hence the hefty $$$ it commands on the secondary used video game collector's market since it is so rare nowdays. The original Japanese PCE version of Magical Chase nowdays will set you back at the going rate of $135.00-$150.00 USD on eBay. Japanese PCE gamers are willing to pay some serious $$$ for a USA TTI produced Magical Chase Hu-Card as it features different graphics over it's original Japanese PCE version...other than that, they are both considered the same game, gameplay-wise.
If you want to use TG-16 game controllers on the PCE Duo/Turbo Duo setup, then you'd need a TG-16 to Duo controller adapter. However if you want to use PCE Duo/Turbo Duo game controllers on a PCE or TG-16 console, you will then need a "reverse" Duo to TG-16/PCE controller adapter. I have both controller adapters...so it's nice to mix 'n' match different game controllers for each respective NEC TG-16 or Turbo Duo console.
Let's say that you want to use a Hori Fighting PC Stick (that's been built primarily for use with a PCE Duo/Turbo Duo console) on your TG-16 console setup, you will need the aforementioned "reverse" Duo to TG-16 adapter to use that particular joystick with a TG-16.
Or say if you want to use an NEC TurboStick controller on a PCE Duo/Turbo Duo setup, then a TG-16 to Duo controller adapter would be needed to them with said console.
NEC and later TTI (Turbo Technologies Incorporated) didn't release a Tennokoe Bank Rom-Ram Hu-Card "memory card" for the TG-16 nor the Turbo Duo. NEC did, however, release for the USA market, a TurboBooster Plus that had built-in memory save functionality...you just had to power-up the TG-16 from time to time to recharge the internal capacitor in order to keep your precious Hu-Card game saves or else lose them forever! I learned the "hard" way when all my Turbo Duo "Backup Ram" game saves were lost due to not recharging the internal capacitor that supplies power to save your Hu-Card game saves in a timely fashion. The remedy is to buy a Tennokoe Bank Hu-Card and a Hu-Card convertor (if you already have a TG-16 or Turbo Duo console setup) and then save your Hu-Card game saves for posterity.
If you want to play the cool Japanese PCE Duo Arcade CD-Rom2 games, then you'd need to buy an Arcade Card Duo upgrade Hu-Card that gives the PCE Duo/Turbo Duo a 16 megabit upgrade boost for the ACD based game titles that took advantage of the extra memory boost. Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire is the only shmup-based Arcade CD-Rom2 title for the PCE Duo/Turbo Duo consoles.
PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
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kidneythief
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so what you're saying is........ the CD system isn't useful? not sure if I follow... my interest in the console is limited and I'm not really desperate to buy one 
however, revisiting soldier blade and some other games on magicengine made me sort of pine for one. I'm gonna hang on for a bit though until my more immediate want list is filled out.
however, revisiting soldier blade and some other games on magicengine made me sort of pine for one. I'm gonna hang on for a bit though until my more immediate want list is filled out.Thou shalt not Dumb
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bigbadboaz
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PC Engine consoles aren't that expensive, especially for a loose console or one with no box. Getting both US and Japanese systems might be easier than you think.
I used to do the region mods (for far less than $80), but these days I no longer have the time! It's not particularly complicated, just extremely tedious.
I used to do the region mods (for far less than $80), but these days I no longer have the time! It's not particularly complicated, just extremely tedious.
nonono.
to play jap stuff on a us you need the adapter. to play us on ajap you will need not only the adapter, you will ALSO need the region mod!
so if you arew getting the adapter, the us ystem is the way to go.
but it's cheaper to just get a US turbo Duo, jp pc engine, and the arcade card. that's the cheapest way to go to get everything.
well except a few cds which require the older system cards. but who cares about THOSE games? (laugh) i believe altere dbeast cd version was one of them..
to play jap stuff on a us you need the adapter. to play us on ajap you will need not only the adapter, you will ALSO need the region mod!
so if you arew getting the adapter, the us ystem is the way to go.
but it's cheaper to just get a US turbo Duo, jp pc engine, and the arcade card. that's the cheapest way to go to get everything.
well except a few cds which require the older system cards. but who cares about THOSE games? (laugh) i believe altere dbeast cd version was one of them..
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kidneythief
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Good choice.
The money that you would save from buying US versions of shooters would be nullified by the cost of the TG-16. For the same price, you could just buy the JP versions (I can only think of 3 or 4 games that you'd want for a US system anyway, all with only slightly pricier JP counterparts)
The money that you would save from buying US versions of shooters would be nullified by the cost of the TG-16. For the same price, you could just buy the JP versions (I can only think of 3 or 4 games that you'd want for a US system anyway, all with only slightly pricier JP counterparts)