Let's talk about: PC Engine stuff

Just got my arcade card pro today (thanks, PaCrappa), so my PC Engine is finally fully up and running. There are a few things I never knew about the PC engine untill I actually got my hands on one. First of all, I had no idea how small and compleatly baddass the design of this thing is. Yes, the PC Engine did "cute" way before either the Cube or the PS one.:) It really is a monument to great console design. Second, it appears I have found the elusive "shortest thing in the world". It's the PC Engine controller cord. Honestly, If you are using a 32 inch TV you will almost not be able to sit far enough away for the actual picture to emerge out of the pixels and scanlines. I mean, you are right up against the screen. The cords look like they are between 2 and 3 feet long. I guess its off to TZD for extension cords.

So, games: I just got Fire Pro Wrestling (the very first one). Talk about humble beginnings! It looks almost exactly like the original NES Pro Wrestling aside from the isometric perspective ring. I swear the "rolling kick" animation is 95% pixel for pixel exact. Still, the game appears to be much deeper than that NES classic with many more moves and characters. I can't figure out how to play yet, however. It doesn't appear to be a button masher, but it is also missing the "grapple animation" the newer Fire Pro games have that give you the timing cue to hit your button. I have no clue what the propper timing is or what I should be basing it off of. Someone in internet land must know....

I also just got Lords of Thunder. I've only played about 2 minutes so far, but the soundtrack is as "rockin'" as legend has made it out to be. :)

Congrats!

There's so much PC-Engine goodness around that I'm sure you know what games you need to get. Just get 'em all!

Chibi, does PA sell Kisado converters or a reasonable facsimile thereof?

It has always amazed me how many people will drop $300 (now $200) on a PS2 or Xbox who have never owned the vastly superior PC Engine and/or Neo Geo. Both of those systems have more great games than the PS2 and Xbox combined, yet they are are ignored by the slobbering, kuckle-dragging masses.

Congrats on your PC Engine setup, Chibi. You're now one of the enlightened ones.

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Originally posted by Yoshi
It has always amazed me how many people will drop $300 (now $200) on a PS2 or Xbox who have never owned the vastly superior PC Engine and/or Neo Geo.

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The funny thing is that my friends saw me drop $400 on a Neo Geo setup, $230 on Metal Slug 3, and now about $220 on a PC Engine with CD and arcade card, and they're looking at me like I'm a slobbering knuckle dragger for not getting a PS2 instead each time.:) It's always "why would you buy that when you still don't have a PS2"?

PS2- Open up a library of mabey a dozen great $50 games

PC Engine w/arcade card- Open up a library of hundreds of great $5-$25 dollar games

Seems like an easy choice to me!:)

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Originally posted by Chibi Nappa
PS2- Open up a library of mabey a dozen great $50 games

PC Engine w/arcade card- Open up a library of hundreds of great $5-$25 dollar games

Seems like an easy choice to me!:)

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That is an amazingly accurate summary.

Thanks for starting this thread, Chibi Nappa. I was just about to start one myself, seeing as I just got my PC Engine Duo-R in the mail yesterday along with a few games.

First off, the white Duos get my vote for "sexiest console ever." They just look so sleek and elegant, I feel like I should be playing them on a matching Bang and Olufsen home theater set. Setup was a breeze; luckily NEC learned its lesson with later PCE releases, because the AV cable length is just fine.

For my first games, I decided to check out the 4-1 Gate of Thunder/Bonk's Adventure/Bonk's Revenge/Bomberman disc and a little-known HuCard shmup called The Lost Sunheart I first learned about at TFP. Gate of Thunder is absolutely fantastic. It plays just like Thunderforce III with even better music. So far the levels aren't quite as imaginative as TF3, which this game obviously borrows heavily from, but I've only made it to level 4 so far. Both Bonks are a lot of fun, especially Bonk's Revenge. I've never before had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with the Bonk/PC Kid series, so I'm really enjoying these. Bomberman is good, but having played Saturn Bomberman it's a little bit of a letdown.

I knew The Lost Sunheart would be the wild card of the bunch, since so little information has been posted on it on the web (it's not even in the PCECP database). So far it's decent, but nothing spectacular. It has a very unique Saturday morning serial/anime/chibi look to it, and I would compare the feel of the gameplay to Aeroblasters/Air Buster. I've only reached the 2nd level so far though, so things may really take off. I really like the airplane designs.

Chibi, you'll have to come back here and post your impressions of Kunio Soccer once you get it -- I never knew there were so many Downtown Nekketsu titles on PCE until recently.

Also, did you see that copy of Dracula X that sold for $56 this morning on eBay? The booklet was water-damaged and the disc was scratched, so I decided to pass on it. All the same, it was quite tempting...

COngrats Chibi :) Hope you will enjoy it :)

As for me, the only PC Engine game that I want to play, is Dracula X, but I kind of resist the idea to get the system just to play that. Maybe sometime later.

We should start a gate of thunder thread over at the book of records. I've been playing it a lot the past week.

$56!!!!! And I missed it?!! Gaaarrrrr!!! It would have been a simple copy over to CDR to fix that scratch as well.... *Sigh*, I guess I just better remember to keep my eyes open.

Yeah, there are alot of Kunio games on the PC Engine. I need to track down the River City Ransom re-make. I'll give a full report on Kunio Soccer as soon as it arrives. Where'd you dissapear to in that auction anyway? I was all set up with my sniper rifle waiting for you to arrive. :)

If you've never played Bonk, I'd devote a ton of time to it and learn it inside and out. One of the greatest games on the system. I'm talking the first, not the second. Set your "Bonk" turbo to it's highest setting and master the game's air juggle system. Jump, spin into someone, and then just keep following their carcass. Every hit propells you higher into the air, and once you have bonked all of the points out of the critter, the final hit yeilds a free life. It's amazingly fun to do, and never gets old. It's just a shame the second Bonk took that fast air spin out.

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Originally posted by Kinopio
We should start a gate of thunder thread over at the book of records.

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You're on! :)

Make sure you guys get the import HuCards Son Son 2 and Download.

Hey! No one's answered my initial question! :(

I think Son Son 2 is on ebay right now.... I was thinking of getting it but heard nothing about it. What kind of game is Download?

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Originally posted by Melf
Chibi, does PA sell Kisado converters or a reasonable facsimile thereof?

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Doh! Sorry, didn't see that there. Ummm... I don't know. He has a page on the Game Trading Zone site that lists his entire inventory. I'm assuming this is a converter to play HuCards on a TG16?

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Originally posted by Melf
Hey! No one's answered my initial question! :(

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PaCrappa had a convertor when I was looking for one, but that was awhile ago. You'd have to ask him.

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Originally posted by Chibi Nappa
Where'd you dissapear to in that auction anyway? I was all set up with my sniper rifle waiting for you to arrive. :)

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Heh, heh...just thought I'd screw with you.

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I'm talking the first, not the second ... It's just a shame the second Bonk took that fast air spin out.

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So I take it you prefer the first Bonk, eh? I didn't really notice a difference in the fast air-spin; i just had the II button set to turbo in both cases.

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We should start a gate of thunder thread over at the book of records. I've been playing it a lot the past week.

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Done.

Son Son 2 is a cute platform/adventure game and Download is a great horizontal shooter. Download also has a sequel on CD but I haven't played that one.

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Originally posted by Chibi Nappa
I think Son Son 2 is on ebay right now.... I was thinking of getting it but heard nothing about it.

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Noooo! I saw it first!

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Originally posted by Chibi Nappa
Doh! Sorry, didn't see that there. Ummm... I don't know. He has a page on the Game Trading Zone site that lists his entire inventory.

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BM'ed the page. Thanks!

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I'm assuming this is a converter to play HuCards on a TG16?

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Yeah. I have a US Duo and need the converter. I'm going crazy thinking about all the HuCards I'm missing out on!

For Hu cards, make sure to get:

Alien Crush
Devils Crash
Soldier Blade
Super Star Soldier
Legendary Axe

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Originally posted by Yoshi
It has always amazed me how many people will drop $300 (now $200) on a PS2 or Xbox who have never owned the vastly superior PC Engine and/or Neo Geo.

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it always amazes me why ppl didnt just buy them when they were still in production.

anyway, treat your pc engine right and make sweet love to it from time to time. they like that kind of stuff.

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Originally posted by Yoshi
It has always amazed me how many people will drop $300 (now $200) on a PS2 or Xbox who have never owned the vastly superior PC Engine and/or Neo Geo.

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dude, you are so hardcore. will you be my friend?

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Originally posted by NeoZeedeater
Son Son 2 is a cute platform/adventure game and Download is a great horizontal shooter. Download also has a sequel on CD but I haven't played that one.

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i bought Download 2 back in the day (the cinemas are awesome - gameplay is blah), and recently sold it on eBay for 67 bucks....bad decision on my behalf.

on a related note, make sure to pick up the following PCE shmups:::

- Psycho Chaser
- Armed F
- Final Blaster
- Final Soldier
- Metal Stoker

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dont forget Devils Crush & Military Madness while your at it.

imo, those are the top selections. have fun.:D

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Originally posted by sleeveboy
So I take it you prefer the first Bonk, eh? I didn't really notice a difference in the fast air-spin; i just had the II button set to turbo in both cases.

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If you notice there is a slight "hitch" in the air spin in Bonk 2. Because of this you lose the infinate air juggle that was so much fun in the first. Don't get me wrong, the second is still a great game, it's just not as deep as the first due to the missing spin juggle. Once you get good and that move in Bonk 1 you start seeing if you can do stuff like get out of the first section with more than 10 lives or seeing if you can juggle the smaller animals etc...

Bonk 1 also has that classic stage where you are swimming through the innards of a giant dino and when you finally get to the back end it is blocked up with what the back ends of animals are usually backed up with. I almost fell over the first time I saw that (uncensored and on an American console no less:)). Of course, you Bonk your way out and exit the way things exit from the innards of most animals.

Yoshi is hardcore and correct. He and Chibi just expressed the best summing up of going retro vs. going mainstream I have probably ever read. After having an import and domestic PS2 since their respective launches, I have finally reached twenty games that I like/seem good(haven't played yet). I have only two GCN games and I have not yet found that magical reason to drop coin on an XBOX.

On the other hand my PCE gets mad play, especially if I make the mistake of popping in Don Doko Don. JAPJAC and 60hz aren't the only guys with an almost unhealthy fascination for this one. If I put in the game I will be screaming and yelling at my TV in no time. Yet I can't quit.

Here are all of my favorites that I own currently(Son Son 2 is on the slow boat from Japan).

Blazing Lazers TG16 wicked vert shmup
Magical Chase TG16 best hu shooter on the system IMO
Legendary Axe TG16 purchased by my brother in 1990
Bonk's Adventure TG16 see above, could be my favorite game ever
Splatterhouse TG16 again, see above. THE reason my brother bought the system that I still play now, in 1989
Ordyne TG16 obviously not as good as the PCB but fun and hyper cute anyway
Legend of Hero Tonma TG16 platformer by Irem I love it!
Turrican TG16 exactly what you'd expect in the first chapter of the Turrican series
Dead Moon TG16 a shooter bland enough that I needed to check the manual because I couln't remember if it was vert or horizontal. Horizontal.
Neutopia 2 TG16 Humorous action RPG that I need to get busy and finish
JJ and Jeff TG16 standard platformer with excellent humor
Alien Crush TG16 one of the best pinball sims ever created
Keith Courage TG16 came packed with my brother's TG16 back in the day I always loved it.
Dungeon Explorer TG16 yet another of my brother's purchasees from "the day"
Veigues Tactical Gladiator TG16 lovely action shooter/platformer. I have not played it enough yet

Monster Lair TurboCD just scratched the surface. Platformer.
Lords of Thunder TurboCD probably my favorite "16bit" shooter
Splash Lake TurboCD strange and enjoyable puzzle game that I just picked up.
Gate of Thunder etc TurboCD we all know what's up with this.
Y's 1&2 TurboCD I have not yet played what some consider to be the best thing ever.

Jackie Chan Action Kung Fu PCE hilarious platform game, very common and inexpensive
Super Star Soldier PCE Good game but mostly it makes me want to try Soldier Blade
Cyber Core PCE vert shooter with morphing ship. Super cool.
Bikkuriman World PCE another that I just acquired. Appears to be action/RPG.
Sidearms PCE decent horizontal shooter
Drop Rock PCE expanding on the Arkanoid thang. Seems nice, haven't played much yet.
Don Doko Don PCE slow at first, madness inducing later. ROCK hard.

The Dynastic Hero PCE Super CD very nice action RPG
Spriggan PCE Super CD one of my top shooters for the Duo
Sidearmes Special PCE Super CD okay, it's not that special but it was cheap and plays nice
Dracula X PCE Super CD believe the hype.
Y's 4 PCE Super CD have not yet begun to think about playing this one.

I've been thinking of going on an exclusively retro kick, but really my tastes are all over the map so it's pointless to try.

In case anyone cares, I use the TG16 my brother bought for the US hu cards and a PC Engine Duo RX(I HATE the six button pad tho) to play the Japanese hus and the CDs. I sold my ACP to Chibi Nappa because I didn't like any of the games that required it. The only games I thought I would like for it were the two Fatal Furys and Sapphire. Sapphire is decidedly NOT all that and Fatal Fury games need to be played on Neo Geo or perhaps Saturn. Even the mighty ACP can't cut the cake for quality fighting games.

Melf, I have no hucard converters at the moment. I just sold the last one a few days ago so I don't know if I've updated my page to reflect that.

Have fun guys. Mr. Nappa, thank you for marking this thread with an easy to understand, concise(non time wasting) title.

Pa

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Originally posted by PaCrappa
(Son Son 2 is on the slow boat from Japan).

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I thought that boat goes to China, not from Japan.

:p

So...I needs to gets me a PC Engine. Anyone care to tell me where I can get one? e-Bay doesn't count.

He Pa, you recommend Don Doko Don, eh? I'm very interested in this one. From the screens I've seen it appears to be a single screen platformer. Is that correct? Any game you could comare it to?

And yes, I played a bit of Dracula X once and the hype is well deserved. I really need that game, I just can't afford it for another month or so...

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Originally posted by Captain Vegetable
So...I needs to gets me a PC Engine. Anyone care to tell me where I can get one? e-Bay doesn't count.

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You can get one on Ebay. :p

Without a CD unit, they can be had for under $50.

How rare is Don Doko Don, anyway? I'd love to play it (JAPJAC and 60hz have slowly but surely got to me), and it's up on eBay right now, but I'm not sure I feel like ponying up $50 for it now if I can find it cheaper later. I did try the PCB rev on MAME though and it seemed quite deep and fun.

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Originally posted by Chibi Nappa
You can get one on Ebay. :p

Without a CD unit, they can be had for under $50.

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And with a CD unit? *flinch*

I paid $130 for mine w/CD, but that was with a near useless system card.

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Originally posted by Captain Vegetable
So...I needs to gets me a PC Engine. Anyone care to tell me where I can get one? e-Bay doesn't count.

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Well, the guys at the Turbo List and www.tzd.com sell new, boxed domestic Turbo Duos at $180 and $200 respectively, but eBay is probably your best bet for PC Engines. Personally I'd recommend a PCE because you can play Jap HuCards, of which there are gazillions, without an expensive converter. Plus you can get a complete PC Engine Duo or combo unit on eBay for less than the domestic Turbo Duos if 1) you're willing to buy used and 2) you're patient enough to find a good deal.

Look at it this way: for the price of a GameCube you could pick up one of the greatest systems ever made, with a library of great games that the GCN will probably never match. And the games are dirt cheap.

nothing like the fervor and insanity of PCE collectors...

ouch!!!

why would people drop 400 dollars on an overated 8 bit CD ROM game, when they could purchase a JAMMA cabby and a decent game for that price?

As far as I'm concerned Sapphire bites the big weenie. Four dollars sure, four hundred.... you're smoking crack sir. Not you kasual, you know what I mean.

DDD is a single screener. If I compare it to Bubble Bobble JAPJAC'll ban me from TFP, but I shouldn't anyway. It's certainly much different from BB and any other SSP really. I, like many, was a tad disappointed by it at first. Potions must be acquired to speed up Jim and since I had no manual I thought I'd be stuck creeping along like that throughout the game. Basically you flatten enemies with your hammer and then carry them and throw them at each other to yield fruits, potions and those ghastly poison apples. There are a multitude of different enemies in a classic Taito vein and some of the levels are just sweet. I mean that literally too, one level is a lovely strawberry cake. Delicious!

Cap'n V! I expect some boxed PCE Duos to be on that same slow boat. Japan's boats are the slowest out and it usually takes about four or five weeks to go from there to here. I think they're stopping for extended layovers in China or something.... Anyway, as some astute NEC fan stated a PCE duo is the way to go. There isn't a single hu card available in the states that wasn't available in Japan and as long as you make sure that you're getting Super system software(for the Super CD Roms- all the good CDs basically) you really can't go wrong. Find yourself a used TG16 at a flea market or thrift shop for under $50 for use with all the random US hu cards you'll be noticing once you own some NEC goodness.

Two random hucards I've never played but wish to very badly:
Soldier Blade
Ninja Spirit

Pa

*edit!* Don't pay no fifty bucks for DDD! You should be able to find it complete for half that.

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Originally posted by PaCrappa
Two random hucards I've never played but wish to very badly:
Soldier Blade
Ninja Spirit

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first, you MUST play Ninja Spirit if you consider yourself any type of self respecting PCE fan...it ROCKS...i had the US copy and sold it during a drug induced eBay selling frenzy in a quest to complete my Saturn shmupping collection (i was unemployed at the time)...during that frenzy I lost amongst others, US Vasteel, Jap Exile, US Military Madness, and the all ruling Ninja Spirit....


what the hell is Soldier Blade, a rare shooter, i saw like four copies all starting bid $250 or higher, wtf???

btw, i just scooped SideArms special for 28 bucks:D

Dude and I just know you're right too! That's one of those games that you can just tell rocks. Those screens can't lie. It's funny. JM showed me some screens of it and then like three weeks later it was in the Game Informer I found in my mailbox. I need it.

That seems pretty fair for Sidearms Special. I'm going to play both later so I can determine once and for all what makes it "Special". I know it has nicer sound but I'm not clear as to what else. It's been ages since I played either Sidearms though.

The Super CD Rom I most covet: Star Parodier(sp?) Some day.

Pa

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Originally posted by MrKasualUltra2000
what the hell is Soldier Blade, a rare shooter, i saw like four copies all starting bid $250 or higher, wtf???

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That was the "Special Version." There's a regular version that sells for much cheaper, if I'm not mistaken.

Also, I believe that seller is French, which provides an explanation in itself.

I have 2 TurboGraphx 16's. One is boxed, the other is working, but has an loose solder joint in the controller. It sometimes does'nt respond and a shake of the controller cord corrects the problem. I've had both systems since the early 90's and have the turbo booster, so I can hook it up to composite video.


My list of games is small.


Military Madness - One of the best turn based strategy games ever. I enjoyed it more than Iron Storm, on the Saturn. The Playstation version did'nt do the game justice, with it's smaller sprites and blurry graphics. Any one who owns the PC Engine, should get the sequel: Nectaris 2.


Legendary Axe
Dungeon Explorer
Side Arms
Keith Courage in Alpha Zones
Bonk's Adventure
Alien Crush
Devil's Crush


I'd love to get the Cd add-on or better yet, a PC-Engine with CD. This console is very good, for it's time.

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Originally posted by PaCrappa
I'm going to play both later so I can determine once and for all what makes it "Special". I know it has nicer sound but I'm not clear as to what else. It's been ages since I played either Sidearms though.

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i believe in addition to the music, there are some cinemas...anyone remeber the Radiance Software domestic release? as for the game, it rocks, its the sequel to Formation Z and the prequel to Forgotten Worlds, i think...

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Originally posted by gamevet
Military Madness - The Playstation version did'nt do the game justice, with it's smaller sprites and blurry graphics.

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If I recall it's actually polygonal and only 30 FPS. In any case, all visual appeal the game had on PCE is lost.

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Originally posted by Sleeveboy
Also, I believe that seller is French, which provides an explanation in itself.

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Haha! Sad but seemingly accurate.

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Originally posted by PaCrappa
The Super CD Rom I most covet: Star Parodier(sp?) Some day.

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Yeah. Great game, great music. (I usually spell it Star Parodia -- may be inaccurate, but think it sounds better in English.)

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Make sure you guys get the import HuCards Son Son 2 and Download.

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I have to second that, Son Son II is the best thing since little monkeys holding sticks.
PC Kid 2 has better graphics, PC Kid 1 has better gameplay. I love being able to spin around so fast and juggle all the enemies.
Don Doko Don is great too, once you get a few levels in it really starts to get more impressive. I just wish I had two controller ports so I could check out the 2P mode! I need a multitap type device. I think a score competition is in order...

Also, Hani on the road is a pretty unique little scrolling platformer. The further you get the more impressive the levels and enemies are. I've yet to play the first (Hani in the Sky) but I'll be trying it when I get the chance since it's a shooter of sorts.

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Originally posted by PaCrappa

The Super CD Rom I most covet: Star Parodier(sp?) Some day.

Pa

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I just let that game slip away. It closed for $50 when I wasn't paying attention. Doh! Yeah, I want it too.....

Nice work Chibi!

I plan on doing the very same thing, probably before the end of the year. I still cannot justify buying a PS2/XB/GXN yet, because there are not enough good games on those systems. At least not ones that appeal to me...

So I have decided to do the same thing. I am going to by a PC Engine (instead of a Turbo because PCE looks so much cooler) and also work on my Saturn collection. :)

I can't wait to finally get a PC Engine. I have wanted one for years.

As for why I never got one back in the day. I could only really afford one system, so I had a Genny and a lot of games, which was just fine for me because there were too many great games for that system too. :)

Anyway, I am looking forward to following your lead. :)

I took the PCE-plunge about a month ago. However, I did what most of you will bash me for... I went to TZD and bought one of their Duos. Before you guys throw little yellow smiley faces at me (sorry, lame Bonk reference ^_^), my rationale is that if I had a choice between paying more for a brand-new system and less for a used system, I'll definitely pick the brand-new one. That's just the way my brain operates. There's a guy over at shmups.com that can do territory switch-mods for PC-Engines and Duos, so once I get some spare cash and he's able to do so, I'll take that route instead of a converter. Yes, I *could* just buy a seperate PC-Engine but I don't have a whole lot of room for yet another console (even if it is wee-tiny) nor would I feel like switching connections in my A/V box every time I want to play a Jap HuCard.

At first I thought this sucked, but now I'm happy about it: TZD is out of Duo Pads. Instead, they put in TurboPads hacked with a Duo-compatible cord. The pads are brand-new (the protective plastic peel-off covering was still on mine), and the cord they used for the hacking is nearly as long as my other Duo Pad PLUS the rather short extension cord I bought from TZD. I also like the D-pad on the hacked TurboPad better than my Duo Pad (which I found brand-new for $12 at gexpress.com. They still have some in stock, too, if anyone's interested). Anyway, there's a rather small insentive to buy one of TZD's Duos.

The games I have for it and my personal opinions:

Gate of Thunder - awesome shmup. My only gripe is that it's too easy on "Normal". I cranked the difficulty up to "hard" after I beat it and now it's just right (I'm not the most skillful shmupper, so "Devil" mode will probably kick my ass in stage 1).

Bonk's Adventure & Bonk's Revenge - fun games, but again, a little too easy. I was able to beat both the first time I played them through. I perfer Bonk 2 because the control seems to be a bit less "tight".

Bomberman - one-player mode is pretty dull, but once I get a Duo tap, my girlfriend and I will probably have fun with the 2p battle. REally nice cutesy graphics. That push-button-II-to-detonate-bombs powerup rocks. Too bad you don't get to keep it if you die.

Dungeon Explorer - Too damn hard with one player. Again, once I get a Duo tap, my girlfriend and I can explore those dungeons together.

Keith Courage - Nothing extraordinary, but considering it's a pack-in, it's pretty impressive. Add to that it can be had for DIRT cheap. What's with those kitties with the golden loaves of bread? Someone on one of my other forums has an avatar of a gold-loaf kitty.

Ordyne - as someone stated above, fun little cute-em-up. Unlike Magical Chase (which I can only dream to own someday), the shop-bought power-ups fade fairly quickly.

Legendary Axe - hard as nails (stage 3 was my undoing), but a great platform/action title. Makes great use of the Turbo's color capabilities (512 pallette, 254 colors on-screen, correct me if I'm wrong).

Ys Book I-II - Okay, I know some people rate this game as one of the greatest RPGs ever to grace the earth, and maybe it's because I'm only about an hour into it, but it hasn't blown me away to justify the way people rave about it. The "battle system" isn't very interactive (run into enemies, damage enemies, repeat), the scrolling isn't 100% smooth (I'm really anal when it comes to scrolling), and the music isn't as good so far as it is in Ys III. I'm not giving up on this title, though. I'll probably change my tune once I finish it.

Ys III - What's with the Ys games and jerky scrolling? It's just terrible in this game. If it weren't for the AWESOME CD-quality soundtrack, I'd much rather play the SNES version if I had to play this game again at all. I paid $3 for it, so I shouldn't even complain, should I?

Exile - I suck at this game. The first boss (that huge insect with pinchers that pops up out of the ground) has killed me every time I try to fight it. I've finally figured out that I need to down-stab it. Anyway, it seems like a cool game, but I'm putting it on hold until I finish the Ys games I have.

That's it right now. I don't have any Jap games yet. Super Raiden, Star Parodia, Appare Gateball (I emulate this game to death), Final Soldier, and Nexyr are some of the games on my want list.

Sorry about the super-long post. In summation, the Turbo/PCE just has this appeal to it that I can't describe. It's one of retro gaming's finest hours, and I encourage anyone who can to give it a try.

Just put in some quality Lords of Thunder time..... Anyone on this board a Dream Theater fan? My roomate and I think the LoT music sounds an awful lot like john Petrucci, Dream Theater's guitar player. Anybody know if it is?

No doubt the Turbo has a great library of games, I have 130 titles and still have a list of games I'm looking for (Doki for example). Simplicity, that's what I love about Turbo, two action buttons and turbo switches, not 17 different buttons to be pressed in conjunction to raise a gun.

About Bonk 1 and 2, both fine games. Enjoy Bonk 1 as a straightforward action title and take the time to explore Bonk 2's levels so you can collect all the smilies.

If I may here's a few suggested titles:

Override- Star Soldier/Blazing Lasers gameplay and speed, simple looking but a fine shooter (and cheap).

W-Ring- Fun little side scroll shooter that is largely ignored. Great weapon system and great use of color though a bit simple too.

Gain Ground SX (SCD)- What a difference a CD soundtrack makes :) . No two player but still very good.

Super Raiden (SCD)- Take Hucard Raiden, add two exclusive levels to the Turbo version, and a great CD soundtrack and you have a fine shooter. Other Raiden ports look better but this is a well done game.

Sidearms Special (CD) GODDAMN THIS GAME IS FAST

Mr. Heli- Irem take on a Robo Kid style action shooter, very tough (as in I've never beat the second boss).

Sylphia (SCD)- Ancient Mythology vertical shooter. Not the best on Turbo but a solid game with detailed graphics and great sound. It's fairly unknown too and can be had cheaply if you're lucky.

Cho Aniki- Ignore the ass PSX and Saturn versions.


Enjoy the system! *-neo

I hope you're talking about Matt, OFX. That guy's a genius and he does no wrong.

And I say good call on the Duo too! Of course brand new product is the best way to go.

Magical Chase being released in America means that you will own it some day and I predict you don't spend much money on it. I just got mine a month ago for $10. Complete even!

Pa

I'm a big fan of Dream Theater and Lords of Thunder. I like the guitar playing in Lords but it doesn't sound like Petrucci to me. I'm no music expert but Petrucci sounds a lot more complex and refined than that.

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Originally posted by PaCrappa

Magical Chase being released in America means that you will own it some day and I predict you don't spend much money on it. I just got mine a month ago for $10. Complete even!

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??? WHERE?? Everywhere I've seen it, it goes for upwards of $100.

Damn, the only imports I have are Dracula X and Dynastic Hero. DH pissed me off because I was drooling at the prospect of having the wonderful Wonder Boy in Monster World soundtrack on CD. Lo and behold, they changed the soundtrack...:mad:

They also omitted the game's parallax! Cool intro though...

hey guys, just noticed the PCE talk and couldn't resist butting in.

PaCrappa- Soldier bladeis freakin' awesome! Get it as soon as possible, I swear you'll love it as it is probably my favorite non-manic shmup ever. Star Parodia is cool, but its soooo easy I hardly even play it.

I happened to get Liqiud Kids today in the mail and it seems pretty cool, but not anything to get overly excited about. Some other cool games I can reccomend:

Spriggan
Nexzyr(this one is suprisingly awesome)
Dracula X
Rayxanber 3
Cotton
Final Lap Twin(not a very good game, but its an RPG which replaces random battles with... random races!A good idea at least.)
Super Air Zonk (tres cool)
By the way, not to offend anyone, am I alone in thinking that Keith Courage really sucks?

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Just put in some quality Lords of Thunder time..... Anyone on this board a Dream Theater fan? My roomate and I think the LoT music sounds an awful lot like john Petrucci, Dream Theater's guitar player. Anybody know if it is?

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Nope. GameGo interviewed the musicians who did its music.
Dream Theatre's drummer is a bad, bad man, though...

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Originally posted by Dragonmaster Dyne


it always amazes me why ppl didnt just buy them when they were still in production.

anyway, treat your pc engine right and make sweet love to it from time to time. they like that kind of stuff.

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For starters, not everyone wanted to spent 300$ on a single Neo-Geo cartridge. Especially when they could get a Super NES or a Genesis for that price.

As for the TurboGrafx, you could always blame everything on Sega.

I don't a TG16 (nor a Duo for that matter), but I do have a few Super CD games (all Technos/Naxat stuff) that I occasionally play on Magic Engine (I use the freeware DOS version). I don't have plans to get a Duo, but maybe I'll consider it when I have more games.

God, I remember when I worked for Babbage's back in '96-97...everyday I worked, a brand-new copy of Magical Chase for Duo stared me in the face for only $19.99...and even after the store bloody closed down I never bought it. Still kicking myself in the ass for that one. :(

The original PCE design is extremely bitchin'.

http://members.shaw.ca/johnbroughton/pce.jpg

I still need to sell off my TG16 stuff, I'll let you guys know when I put Bonk 3 up on Ebay.

Cosmic Fantasy 2 is a must also...

How is Circus Lido remember this was a game that was going for big $ on Ebay until someone realized that Japan's Amazon site was selling them brand new. Also this game was HTF cause it was sold at Japanese Bookstores. Any impressions?

Korian, Circus Lido is pretty universally panned. "Okay but far from great" is the best I've heard. I've never played it though so I'm just relaying other peoples' opinions.

Johnny, you know at least a couple dozen gamers on these boards that you call home who would do backflips for the opportunity to buy a reasonably priced Bonk 3. But you're putting it on epay instead. Respect.

Pa

*Backflips like a trained monkey*

I offered it up before but noone wanted it. I think the lack of instructions and case put you guys off.

Even without the instructions and case I'd be doing backflips. Even if it's not like a well trained monkey, it would at least be like a monkey in training.

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Originally posted by Melf
Damn, the only imports I have are Dracula X and Dynastic Hero. DH pissed me off because I was drooling at the prospect of having the wonderful Wonder Boy in Monster World soundtrack on CD. Lo and behold, they changed the soundtrack...:mad:

They also omitted the game's parallax! Cool intro though...

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Is Dynastic Hero worth it anyway? Is it straight ahead action like Monster Lair or is there RPG stuff thrown in too?

I remember reading a brief review on DH, and it said the gameplay basically resembled Dragon's Curse (platform with a little RPG a-la Castlevania II). There's also a US version of Dynastic Hero, but just like all the other titles produced at the end of the Turbo's life, I'm assuming it's quite rare and expensive.

It would appear that Dynastic Hero has very little RPG stuff. Apart from upgrading your weapons and the possibility of hearts being added to your heart bar anyway.

I was just breaking balls Johnny. Looks like you have a taker or two now! If those guys opt out I'd probably take it too.

Pa

Dynastic Hero is what we know as Wonder Boy in Monster World on Genesis, minus the parallax and awesome soundtrack. The music in DH is cool, but falls far short of the audio majesty that is WBiMW (ok maybe I'm exaggerating just a bit).

I see them a lot on ebay, so I don't know how rare they are. If you haven't played WBiMW on Genesis or can't find it, DH is a good purchase. Just be prepared to pull out your hair when you reach the desert sphinx...

Well, I've put some time into Kunio Soccer, and I'm a little confused. You controll the captian of the team the whole time, and give instructions to everybody else. The problem is the instructions are in Japanese. The actuall play is fun even though my team is standing around braindead waiting for instructions they're not going to recieve. I think I learned how to make them pass, I just don't have it down very consistantly. Anyway, I figured out a few trick shots very similar to the ones seen in the dodgeball series. I really need to find a faq for the translations. Gamefaqs didn't have one.... Either that or I need to track down the US version released on the NES as World Cup Soccer. Hmmmm.... World cup Soccer, compleat with "serious" soccer picture on the front of the box.... Is that a missunderstanding in the marketing department or what? :)

Just starting looking into this PC-Engine Duo and I came along this thread...

What is the going rate for one of these SOBs nowadays? Around $100 or so?

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Don Doko Don is great too, once you get a few levels in it really starts to get more impressive. I just wish I had two controller ports so I could check out the 2P mode! I need a multitap type device. I think a score competition is in order...

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Good idea. Did this score competition ever happen?

*cough*

Nope. I'm game if you are.

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Originally posted by Click_Stick
Just starting looking into this PC-Engine Duo and I came along this thread...

What is the going rate for one of these SOBs nowadays? Around $100 or so?

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Anywhere from $100 to $200, depending on the condition. www.mad-gear.com had a loose Duo-R for $120 last time I checked.

Nice site, thanks sleevage.

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Originally posted by cigsthecat
*cough*

Nope. I'm game if you are.

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Excellent, excellent.

[PCE still lingering in back of head]

Would anyone like to give a list of say, 5 games that you think would be great first-time PCE purchasers?

I'm very interested in PCE shooters and action games. Maybe a few actiony platformers here or there, too.

Dracula X is essential if you are willing to pay what it goes for.

As for shmups, the Star Soldier series is great, as is Lords of Thunder and Gate of Thunder. Magical Chase is amazing, but another costly purchase.

Thank you for the suggestions. All I need to do now is find a sack of cash...

And good lord, how could no one point out the Don Doko Don cover art?! Amazing!

http://www.wolfgames.com/pcedondoko.jpg

Go to the TFP Features Board and read the PCE threads, especially JAPJAC's PCE collection history.. cigsthecat's Star Soldier history is also excellent.

You should start with a couple cheapies like Legendary Axe, Dragon Spirit, Ordyne, Vigilante, Sidearms, the 4-1 CD with Gates of Thunder/Bonk's Adventure/Bonk's Revenge/Bomberman, and then maybe a Star Soldier game or two. Don Doko Don and Son Son II cost slightly more, but not too much, about $20-30. PaCrappa has many PCE titles to choose from at his store.

A word about PCE collecting: don't expect the games to knock your socks off. Many of the games are excellent, but many are either dated or obsolete. Expect to have a fun time, but don't expect your worldview to be permanently altered or anything.

Thanks for those handy links, sleeve. Very informative.

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Originally posted by Despair
COngrats Chibi :) Hope you will enjoy it :)

As for me, the only PC Engine game that I want to play, is Dracula X, but I kind of resist the idea to get the system just to play that. Maybe sometime later.

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Despair: get the magic engine emulator if you only want to play Dracula X. It costs about $40.

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Originally posted by Click_Stick
Would anyone like to give a list of say, 5 games that you think would be great first-time PCE purchasers?

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PARASOL STARS, Legendary Axe, Blazing Lazers, Alien or Devil's Crush, and... Ninja Spirit.

CD: Ys I & II first, everything else later.

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Originally posted by xS

Despair: get the magic engine emulator if you only want to play Dracula X. It costs about $40.

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It costs $16US, actually. You'll need to download and use the Super System Card rom if you want to get correct sound emulation.

I think Ill have to get a duo ..........Y's books 1 and 2 doesnt work on my computer.

I've recently become obsessed with this system, and it's become the #1 motivation for me to improve my somewhat lacking Japanese...I hope this recent bout of TNL PCE love doesn't go away any time soon.

But as for Y's, as much as I love it, if I hadn't played it yet I'd definitely wait to see how the redone PC version turns out later this year. It's supposed to have redone cinemas and graphics (and presumably scrolling, heh).

The duo isnt dead......there was some puzzle game released last year and Y's 4 is being transalated .(its a hacked ROM)

Been playing lots of Turbo stuff lately in fact just Turbo stuff for the time being. I wish I had gotten into this system when it first came out, but I never could afford the stuff.

Ys 4 - Finished this with a walkthru and had a great time, odd cause I enjoyed the chip music more than the cd tracks, at least in the way they were composed. Probally some of the best charcater designs, and some well animated bosses, well worth the $30 I spent.

Brandsih - Haven't spent too much time, but the way things rotate is confusing and quite disorienting. Great music though. I don't have the Arcade card but it is enhanced somehow by using it.

Ign Ninden Gaou - Amazing ninja platfomer, finished it in one sitting need to give it another run thru sometime.

Horror Story - Well I'm not too sure if I like it. Hard game, but some nice bosses, and ok visuals. Not the biggest fan of forced scrolling. I was wondering why your charcter could barely jump, but figured out how to do the double jump thingy. Too bad it doesn't seem to work as well as it should. I think this game could be really fun with 2 players, but since I'm playing myself it is quite tough.

Ahh yes...the PCE/Duo. I had a lot of fun with it back in the early 90's...back then Dracula X was going for $35...those were the days. I had a huge Duo collection then, since games were so cheap and nobody seemed to want them...this was before obscure Japanese game collecting became "l33t".

My Duo is sitting in storage now, but it will always hold a fond place in my heart.

BTW have any of you tried playing Solider Blade in 600x240 mode?...it's pretty amazing...are there any other PCE games with a high-res mode?

The PCengine was a nice console, but I'd take the Genesis or SNES over it. The thing is, a lot of the stuff isn't all that great to those who didn't play it way back then. Y's, Gate and Lords of Thunder, Star Soldier and and various others are over rated in my opinion.

Still it plays stuff like Drac X, Blazing Lazers, Parasol Stars, DDD, Monster World, Neutopia, Chew Man Few, and Bonks Adventures so it's still a great system to own.

Btw, is there a working PCE emulator for the Xbox? If there was one, I'd sell all of my stuff off.;)

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Originally Posted by Chibi Nappa

Is Dynastic Hero worth it anyway? Is it straight ahead action like Monster Lair or is there RPG stuff thrown in too?

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Dynastic Hero is one of the best games evar. Wonderboy3/MW2/DC is better though.

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Originally Posted by Gutsman

Ahh yes...the PCE/Duo. I had a lot of fun with it back in the early 90's...back then Dracula X was going for $35...those were the days. I had a huge Duo collection then, since games were so cheap and nobody seemed to want them...this was before obscure Japanese game collecting became "l33t".

My Duo is sitting in storage now, but it will always hold a fond place in my heart.

BTW have any of you tried playing Solider Blade in 600x240 mode?...it's pretty amazing...are there any other PCE games with a high-res mode?

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*sigh*

Soldier Blade: my favorite/most hated TG-16 game. Does anyone know where I can find another copy considering my original broke apart INSIDE my TG-16 and destroyed the system?

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Y's, Gate and Lords of Thunder, Star Soldier and and various others are over rated in my opinion.

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Gates of Thunder - somewhat overrated
Lords of Thunder - overrated
Y's 1&2 - underrated
Super Star Soldier - VERY underrated

SSS is all right, Soldier Blade is the one I have a problem against. On hand it seems extremely polished and has a great feel to it, but I almost beat without continuing the first time I played it.

I love the Turbo's shooters. Blazing, Super Star Soldier, Final Soldier, Star Parodier, Gate, Lords, Soldier Blade are all awesome. I enjoy these games much more than modern shooters.

While I do prefer the Genesis and SNES overall, the Turbo invokes greater nostalgia in me although I'm not sure why.

I have never quite understood the fascination with Ys though. My friends were crazy over the game when the SMS version first came out. Only the music impressed me. Then when Ys I and II for Turbo CD came out, I was blown away by the use of CD technology but the games still didn't do much for me.

I think the great thing about Y's is the playability...it's so easy to get into since the game mechanics are pretty simple...it's one of those games you start playing and end up beating in one sitting or one day...

The only games I play on PCE are Soldier Blade and Parasol Stars. They're all I need to be happy. Personally Son Son 2 and PC Genjin/Bonk are bollocks, I cannot derive any enjoyment from these.

xS I use Hugo on Xbox, great emulator with about 10 different screen filters. It works great and has killed any motivation I used to have to get the actual machine. It even runs the CD based games perfectly. I too think that the MD and SFC dick all over the PCE so Hugo should be right up your alley.

Since you're playing Bonk through an emulator Sidez, I hope you have the Turbo switch set on maximum for the spin attack. It's the only way to fully enjoy the game and it's the reason Bonk 1 is better than its sequels.

If you already did this then never mind. Many people playing Bonk years later don't like it much.

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Originally Posted by NeoZeedeater

If you already did this then never mind. Many people playing Bonk years later don't like it much.

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That's probably it. Personally i'm a huge Ristar, Sonic and Mario fan because those were the platformers I played religiously all those years ago. Playing Bonk 1-3 for the first time in 2003 was simply not fun and made me wonder why they are so revered. I guess it's the nostalgia factor, personally I think that Mario and Sonic are still awesome games but then I grew up with them so maybe I have no sense of perspective.

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Originally Posted by xS

The PCengine was a nice console, but I'd take the Genesis or SNES over it.

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I love the SNES, but I personally think the Duo beats the Genesis. Actually, I plan to sell my Genesis and all the games I have (except my mint/complete Lightening Force) to raise some more money for Duo stuff.

Ys Book I-II is waaaaaaay overrated garbage, in my opinion, but I've had a lot of fun with the other games I own. Gate of Thunder and Soldier Blade are freakin' awesome, worth getting a Duo for.

I agree that Soldier Blade is somewhat overrated and too easy. Nice music though. But I'll take Super Star Soldier over it any day.

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Originally Posted by Dragonmaster Dyne

it always amazes me why ppl didnt just buy them when they were still in production.

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I know I didn't have $500 for the Neo Geo system and another $150 - $200 per game when it came out, I could barely afford to get a Genesis back then :p

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Originally Posted by Captain Vegetable

So...I needs to gets me a PC Engine. Anyone care to tell me where I can get one? e-Bay doesn't count.

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I might be selling mine sometime soon if your interested, I have one of the PC Engines with the CD-ROM attachment that looks like a suitcase, it's pretty neat looking and in good shape if your interested let me know :)

PC Engine was a great system, it's to bad TurboGrafx's library of software wasn't nearly as impressive as the PC Engines :\

Does anyone recognize this PCE game? :p

Legendary Axe is another good game, I actually liked part 2 better. Seemed quicker and music was good too.

Any fans of the Valis games?

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Originally Posted by Korian

Any fans of the Valis games?

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I like the Valis games, there were four of them and that Syd of Valis game for Genesis :)

The Valis games were the benchmark side-scrolling action-adventure games of the 16bit era...Valis 3 is one of the best games I've ever played.

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Originally Posted by Gutsman

Does anyone recognize this PCE game? :p

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Order of the Griffon?