Hopping into the PC-Engine market

[jp]

I WON!!!! HUZZAH!!!!



Just got a sex-ay PC-Engine Duo R for... 187.50... +$55 shipping...


Hollow victory...

[SheSaidDutch]

I WON!!!! HUZZAH!!!!



Just got a sex-ay PC-Engine Duo R for... 187.50... +$55 shipping...


Hollow victory...

Yeah! in your face Mr Collector

[jp]

I WON!!!! HUZZAH!!!!



Just got a sex-ay PC-Engine Duo R for... 187.50... +$55 shipping...


Hollow victory...

Yeah! in your face Mr Collector

Word!!




At any rate, this time next week I should be enjoying:
Super Star Soldier
Final Soldier
Star Parodier
Gates of Thunder/Bonk's Adventure/Bonk's Revenge
Splatterhouse
Ordyne
Summer Carnival '92: Alzadick
Nexzr Special
Cyber Core
Sidearms Special
Rayxanber II

And apparently at some point I won an Arcade Card Duo 3.0 for $17... despite the fact that I don't recall bidding on it and I don't think I'm going to be buying Sapphire in the immediate future... but hey, I've got one. Yippee!

[SheSaidDutch]

Word!!

At any rate, this time next week I should be enjoying:
Super Star Soldier
Final Soldier
Star Parodier
Gates of Thunder/Bonk's Adventure/Bonk's Revenge
Splatterhouse
Ordyne
Summer Carnival '92: Alzadick
Nexzr Special
Cyber Core
Sidearms Special
Rayxanber II

And apparently at some point I won an Arcade Card Duo 3.0 for $17... despite the fact that I don't recall bidding on it and I don't think I'm going to be buying Sapphire in the immediate future... but hey, I've got one. Yippee!

Looks like someone will be having a good time soon eh

I tried Sapphire via an ISO I didn't like it myself.

[Fighter17]

PARTY MAN!!!!

THAT'S WHAT I DID WHEN I GOT A SATURN!!!

[Specineff]

I WON!!!! HUZZAH!!!!



Just got a sex-ay PC-Engine Duo R for... 187.50... +$55 shipping...


Hollow victory...

Care to share the addy?

[Neon]

And before anyone asks, I know they're just going to display because:

"Hi There, I'm a collector looing for a mint Duo-R, does it come with instructions? is the console in excellent condition and has the box any tears or..."



Blah! I just want to play the games fucker!

No offense meant, but...aren't you a collector? Or were you making up the 400 games/20 saturns thing?

[jp]

And before anyone asks, I know they're just going to display because:

"Hi There, I'm a collector looing for a mint Duo-R, does it come with instructions? is the console in excellent condition and has the box any tears or..."



Blah! I just want to play the games fucker!

No offense meant, but...aren't you a collector? Or were you making up the 400 games/20 saturns thing?

I play my Saturn games... and I have all of my Saturns for backup purposes. *shrugs*

Yeah I'm a collector. But I'm not a jackass that just buys a sealed game/boxed console just so I can display and say "Look how big my internet penis is!!! I have THIS!"

I buy stuff so that I can enjoy it... or in some cases, not enjoy it but still have the experience (i.e. Planet Joker, Terra Cresta 3D).


Sure, I collect. But I collect because I'm a jaded gamer who has no interest in the current gaming market, and thus I'm always out looking for those "hidden" gems embedded in past console libraries.

[SheSaidDutch]

I play my Saturn games... and I have all of my Saturns for backup purposes. *shrugs*

Yeah I'm a collector. But I'm not a jackass that just buys a sealed game/boxed console just so I can display and say "Look how big my internet penis is!!! I have THIS!"

I buy stuff so that I can enjoy it... or in some cases, not enjoy it but still have the experience (i.e. Planet Joker, Terra Cresta 3D).


Sure, I collect. But I collect because I'm a jaded gamer who has no interest in the current gaming market, and thus I'm always out looking for those "hidden" gems embedded in past console libraries.

I hear ya.

[pixeljunkie]

If you must get a Duo, go for the R over the RX.

Agreed. I also here the controller with the RX blows. Only thing I know missing from the R is the headphone jack.

[captain ahar]

How bad? Gaijin has it for $65. No clue if that's an awesome deal or a ripoff since I don't go for Hucards.

this is entirely decent as far as i have seen however, i have no money at the mo. i want that choaniki as well.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Magical Chase is the rarest TTI (Turbo Technologies Incorporated) produced Hu-Card shmup that came out in the summer of 1993 in very low production numbers, hence it's very high re-sale value of $200-$250 used easily (and without the original TTI cardboard box/plastic tray insert either).

I passed up on buying a brand new TTI version of Magical Chase for a mere $19.99 at my local Toys-R-Us back in 1994 (my reason was that it was just a "kiddie's easy shmup game" but later found out that it wasn't the case) but managed to buy it used with original instructions for a mere $15.00 U.S. dollars from a local used game shop in 1995. I've never seen a brand new sealed copy of TTI version of Magical Chase appear for sale on eBay but only a used copy with original TTI box.

The USA TTI version of Magical Chase fetches a very high price in the secondary used Japanese PCE software market due to it's different usage of graphics and sprites over the original Japanese PCE version of Magical Chase.

If you're looking for a serious PC Engine Duo joystick that's good for shmups, try to find either a new or mint condition "Hori PC Fighting Stick" as it has the Duo-based input controller interface (of course, you can use the Hori PC Fighting Stick with the original PCE consoles provided that you have a reverse Duo-to-PCE game controller adapter). I have one that Matt made for me and it works without a hitch. ^_~

Also, you really need to buy a Tennoekoe Bank memory card as it's known that the PCE Duo & it's earlier PCE console brethen will lose their valuable "game saves" due to the internal capacitor losing it's "charge" if not powered up every two weeks (as stated in the instruction manual). A Tennoekoe Bank Ram-Rom Hu-Card uses flash memory and you can restore your "vanished" PCE game saves with no problem (and even has four slots to save/retrieve game saves for posterity). I've had to learn the hard way and to see all my PCE shmup high scores game saves vanish into thin air. Buy some some insurance and get a Tennoekoe Bank memory card...you'll be glad you did the best thing for your PCE Duo Rx console. The PCE Duo only has 2,000KB memory capacity but a Tennoekoe Bank memory card has 8,000KB capacity...which is more than enough space for your PCE game save needs.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[OmegaFlareX]

I'd just like to throw out that I'm disappointed with Shubibinman 3.

I got it in the mail yesterday, and slaughtered the game my first time playing it. You can slice through almost everything with 1 or 2 hits from the sword, and the charge attack is powerful enough to take the bosses down in as many hits. Unlike the Mega Man games, which I've heard is what Shubibinman was trying to imitate, there are no instant deaths whatsoever. Even if you fall in a pit, you're penalized a single life thingie and shot right back up to a safe spot. I really fucking hate that. Life bar refills are abundant. I never died. Not once.

The graphics are great, though! It's a regular CD game, but it looks on par with a lot of SuperCD stuff, and the music is very nice. But like I said, it's pitifully easy, and really short to boot. It's not often I see ending credits and exclaim, out loud, "that's it?!?!" That's not a good thing. None of the small handful of levels are particularly interesting, either, including the shmup level. There's some neat cutscenes telling the story, but since I have no idea what's being said, the point is moot to the overall package.

I'll give it a whirl on hard difficulty later, but as it stands right now, I'd give it a 2 out of 5. That falls under "for hardcore fans of the genre ONLY, all others don't bother" in my own way of reviewing things.

'Tis a real shame, since there are a lot of great reviews of this game out there, and I was expecting a lot more. Good thing I got it for a decent price (usually it's 30-40, I paid 20), 'cause I'd feel ripped off otherwise.

[pixeljunkie]

I'd just like to throw out that I'm disappointed with Shubibinman 3.

I got it in the mail yesterday, and slaughtered the game my first time playing it. You can slice through almost everything with 1 or 2 hits from the sword, and the charge attack is powerful enough to take the bosses down in as many hits. Unlike the Mega Man games, which I've heard is what Shubibinman was trying to imitate, there are no instant deaths whatsoever. Even if you fall in a pit, you're penalized a single life thingie and shot right back up to a safe spot. I really fucking hate that. Life bar refills are abundant. I never died. Not once.

The graphics are great, though! It's a regular CD game, but it looks on par with a lot of SuperCD stuff, and the music is very nice. But like I said, it's pitifully easy, and really short to boot. It's not often I see ending credits and exclaim, out loud, "that's it?!?!" That's not a good thing. None of the small handful of levels are particularly interesting, either, including the shmup level. There's some neat cutscenes telling the story, but since I have no idea what's being said, the point is moot to the overall package.

I'll give it a whirl on hard difficulty later, but as it stands right now, I'd give it a 2 out of 5. That falls under "for hardcore fans of the genre ONLY, all others don't bother" in my own way of reviewing things.

'Tis a real shame, since there are a lot of great reviews of this game out there, and I was expecting a lot more. Good thing I got it for a decent price (usually it's 30-40, I paid 20), 'cause I'd feel ripped off otherwise.

I think I paid $25 and I totally agree. Its missing something. I'm glad I have it and I'll probably play it a few more times in the future...but it did disappoint me.

[jp]

So what are some kick ass platformers for the PC-Engine?



Also, what do I need to play US hu-cards? I'm holding off on a lot of cool stuff Hu-Card wise 'til I can figure that bit out (i.e. Blazing Lasers).

[OmegaFlareX]

I've played and enjoyed these:

Ninja Spirit
Bonk's Revenge/PC Genjin 2
Dragon's Curse/Adventure Island
Legendary Axe
Momotarou Katsugeki
Legend of Hero Tonma
Liquid Kids
Dracula X

Also, what do I need to play US hu-cards?

A mod job. I don't think there are US -> JP hucard converters out there, only the opposite. Ask Matt while he's still around, he did a fantastic job modding mine. Get it RGB-ified while you're at it. Otherwise you're stuck with no better than composite.

[iatneH]

Or you could get a US Turbografx-16 system. I did, and you should be able to get them for less than what I paid for mine. Not only that, it should be even cheaper than buying a HuCARD convertor, which sell for ridiculously high prices nowadays and which is still required after doing the region mod.

I only modded my TG-16 with RCA jacks though since I have no RGB monitor. The unit has plenty of space on the side for mounting ports and I could easily add another just for RGB, although it was a bitch to get at the motherboard...

[Ganelon]

A mod job. I don't think there are US -> JP hucard converters out there, only the opposite.

There is but it'll cost you over $50 to get one and they don't pop up often.

[Specineff]

I had my TG 16 modded professionally by Matt himself, and am happy to announce I can play ANY game from the library, minus the SGX ones. But who cares about those, anyway?

[Shazzner]

Turbo Duo is one of my favorite systems, I bought one off of a friend of mine for like 100$ and he included a ton of stuff with it.

Good stuff I've played
-------------------------
Darius Plus <- Awesome but really hard
Gates of Tunder
R-Type Complete <- Just for the remixed music
Macross (I think its based on a cartoon series )
Dracula X
Ys 1&2
Ys 3 <- Side scroller, my favorite
Exile
Valis Series

And others. The holy grail for the turbo grafx is Darius Alpha, which goes for 1K+. Crazy.

I'm working on a few homebrew games for the system right now, ones a shmup.

PS: I beat the first Ys game today!

[OmegaFlareX]

Darius Plus <- Awesome but really hard

Yeah, it's a great port. The only port of the original game, I think. I got Super Darius CD along with Shubibinman 3, and found it interesting that the CD music well, isn't... sorta. It's basically just redbook recordings of the chip music from the arcade version. So it sounds like a Genesis, which is a neat idea, although I'm not a big fan of the YM2x class of sound CPUs. I should fire up the rom and see if I like the PCE chip music better. The CD version saves your score, dunno about the hucard.

In other news, I made it to stage 4 in Rayxanber II the other day. If there's anyone out there who can get past that utter BASTARD of a level, please let me know so I can worship you.

[jp]

Darius Plus <- Awesome but really hard

Yeah, it's a great port. The only port of the original game, I think. I got Super Darius CD along with Shubibinman 3, and found it interesting that the CD music well, isn't... sorta. It's basically just redbook recordings of the chip music from the arcade version. So it sounds like a Genesis, which is a neat idea, although I'm not a big fan of the YM2x class of sound CPUs. I should fire up the rom and see if I like the PCE chip music better. The CD version saves your score, dunno about the hucard.

In other news, I made it to stage 4 in Rayxanber II the other day. If there's anyone out there who can get past that utter BASTARD of a level, please let me know so I can worship you.

I'll be giving it a shot soon enough.

[jp]

Hey guys, what are some damn good horis?


I'm already drooling over Rayxanber II and III.


And please, no R-Type/Konami type stuff, I want something a bit more obscure that I haven't already played a bajillion times.

[OmegaFlareX]

Make sure you get Lords of Thunder. I don't like it as much as Gate, but it's top-tier stuff nonetheless.

As a collector, you'll probably want Coryoon, Magical Chase (US version), and Hana Taka Daka, all rare but very enjoyable games. Download, Dead Moon, Paranoia, Rabio Lepus, and Sidearms are all good PCE exclusives. The port of Chuka Taisen is much, much better than the NES/SMS versions.

And that's just Hucards. For CDs we have Macross 2036, L-Dis, the Cho-Ainikis (if you're okay with teh gayz0rz), Super Darius II, Rayxanber III, and Cotton. I personally don't care much for Cotton, it's not my cup of tea (heh). PM me if you want to buy my copy. Nevermind. I just checked - no spine card. Oh well.

[jp]

Make sure you get Lords of Thunder. I don't like it as much as Gate, but it's top-tier stuff nonetheless.

As a collector, you'll probably want Coryoon, Magical Chase (US version), and Hana Taka Daka, all rare but very enjoyable games. Download, Dead Moon, Paranoia, Rabio Lepus, and Sidearms are all good PCE exclusives. The port of Chuka Taisen is much, much better than the NES/SMS versions.

And that's just Hucards. For CDs we have Macross 2036, L-Dis, the Cho-Ainikis (if you're okay with teh gayz0rz), Super Darius II, Rayxanber III, and Cotton. I personally don't care much for Cotton, it's not my cup of tea (heh). PM me if you want to buy my copy. Nevermind. I just checked - no spine card. Oh well.

Actually Omega, I'm not worried about spines with PC-Engine games. My copies of Nexzr Special and Sidearms Special won't be having them. I'm not really "collecting" PC-Engine stuff yet, as much as I'm just trying to experience something new and add some fluff to my 1CC list (heh).


Though upon buying Sapphire, Darius Alpha, and... some other game that I don't remember, I think I would want spines and whatever (not saying I'm planning on buying Darius Alpha mind you, as I don't really like Darius to begin with).

I've got Lords of Thunder on Sega CD, is it really worth the $40 to have another copy? I mean, don't get me wrong, I lurve the game and would love to have it up here at college with me, but I dunno, I've already 1CC'd that one awhile back.


The Download games and Rayxanber III have me VERY interested, but last time I checked I couldn't find them on Ebay, and good ole Lee of VGI wants an arm and a leg for 'em.


Violent Soldier looks fun... but apparently I can't play US Hucards, so I'm holding off on buying much of anything Hu-Card related and focusing mostly on PC-Engine CD games (granted, I typically don't like 8-bit shmupping to begin with).

Air Zonk looks fun...

Aldynes looks like damn good stuff. I may look that one up.

[Specineff]

LOT on PCE CD is graphically superior to the SCD version, however, if you have played one, you have played the other. It's not a "must have", other than the sake of completing your collection.

[jp]

Well, if it looks better then it may be worth it. I love that game dearly, and I often wish I had brought my Genesis/Sega CD stuff to college with me.


So yeah, after awhile I'll buy it. Seems like I'll be getting Sapphire in 2 weeks though, so it could be a month before I do...

[OmegaFlareX]

Actually Omega, I'm not worried about spines with PC-Engine games. My copies of Nexzr Special and Sidearms Special won't be having them. I'm not really "collecting" PC-Engine stuff yet, as much as I'm just trying to experience something new and add some fluff to my 1CC list (heh).

Cool. I'll let Cotton go for $30. I'm also looking to unload Avenger (early Telenet CD helicopter shmup) and Hellfire S (Hellfire + cutscenes/CD soundtrack), for 10 and 20, respectively. For 50 you can have all three. This goes for anyone who wants them. Maybe I should make a thread in the Trading Station...

Though upon buying Sapphire, Darius Alpha, and... some other game that I don't remember, I think I would want spines and whatever

Just for future reference, Hucards don't come with spine cards. They did, however, ship with those little see-through sleeves, so you'll want that if you want a complete copy. I'm not sure if the "special" versions of the shmups (Darius Alpha, Soldier Blade SV, Gunhed SV, etc.) came with anything other than the hucards themselves.

I've got Lords of Thunder on Sega CD, is it really worth the $40 to have another copy?

Nah, I wouldn't bother. I hear the Sega CD one is pretty similar.

The Download games and Rayxanber III have me VERY interested, but last time I checked I couldn't find them on Ebay, and good ole Lee of VGI wants an arm and a leg for 'em.

You'll probably end up getting most of your PC-Engine stuff from ebay. Wolfgames used to sell a lot of PCE stuff, but they've since gone under. I've bought a lot of stuff from The West Exit. He sells on ebay too under the name "kusumida". Awesome service, great prices. Other than that, there aren't many places on the web to buy what you want. On the other hand, ebay sellers like 16-bit and Game Theory are fucking goldmines for PCE stuff.

Violent Soldier looks fun... but apparently I can't play US Hucards, so I'm holding off on buying much of anything Hu-Card related

Huh? Violent Soldier is the Japanese name. It was released in the US as Sinistron. Actually, we suggested you get a JP Duo because there are zero hucards that are US-only. The only US hus worth getting are the ones with lots of important translated text. Neutopia, Dungeon Explorer, and Dragon's Curse are good examples.

By the way, Violent Soldier/Sinistron isn't that good. The graphics are pretty lousy, and level 5 is a complete brick wall. It's honestly quite easy up until then (5 is tough, but do-able with full weapons). At least with Rayxanber I have some ideas on how to proceed. Not with Sinistron, forget that cheap fucker.

Air Zonk looks fun...

It is! It's great. I forgot to mention it in my horzie reccomendations. The Japanese title is PC Denjin. PC Genjin refers to the Bonk platformers.

Aldynes looks like damn good stuff. I may look that one up.

It's for the SuperGrafx. You're out of luck on that one.

[Specineff]

Dragon's Curse can be played in Japanese all right. You're not missing anything but the intro screen. It's actually SMS Wonder Boy 3 Dragon's Trap, which requires no in-game pointers or such.

[jp]

Wha!? What the fuck is a Supergrafx and why can't my PC-Engine Duo R with an Arcade Card Duo 3.0 play these games?


Gah. Gah gah gah. Gah I say.


As for Cotton and Hellfire and all that, I may pass for now. Like I said, in 2 weeks my gaming budget is going to Sapphire, after that I must snag Rayxanber III, Download, Download 2, and probably Lords of Thunder just because I'd like to have a copy to play at college (left the good ole Sega CD at home).


Also, if I wanted to know the story for a shmup (because I typically like them), wouldn't I need the US hucards? Or are all the shmups in engrish?