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Post by spenoza on Apr 17, 2018 16:43:17 GMT
I am hopeful that new fans will continue to flock to our little Engine that could, and in that light, I'd like us to put our heads together to talk about some great starter games for the system. What are some titles that are accessible to western players and affordable enough that a new player can build a small library without having to sell their organs on the black market?
And not even just games? What's the most affordable/best starting hardware package? What are the must-have accessories for the money for a new player? How does someone with an interest but a weak grasp of the current market become a PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 fan without breaking the bank?
Despite being a long-time fan, I'm pretty clueless on the software side these days, but for hardware, I'm going to guess that the best starting console for a HuCard-only library is a Core or Core II. For a CD library, the best is probably a re-capped, region modded Duo. There are enough folks doing these two procedures and that, while pricey, the console cost won't totally destroy you. If you're patient you can find a good deal.
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Post by sunteam_paul on Apr 17, 2018 16:48:40 GMT
I don't really follow prices but game-wise, things like: PC Genjin 2 - A great introduction to the Engine's mascot. Super Star Soldier - The shooter that made me like shooters, and a gateway to the other great ones on the system (Gunhed is a bit plodding in the early stages for my taste). Dungeon Explorer - Dem tunes.
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Post by toymachine78 on Apr 17, 2018 17:02:35 GMT
That's tough... Loose core grafx and loose turbos are similar in price now, but I think you can still find CG under $100. If the prices are close, I'd choose a TG16. Region Mod it. Then pick up Dungeon Explorer, alien crush, side arms, dragon spirit.
Alternative is to pick up the cheapest console you can find,an everdrive, and be done.
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Post by spenoza on Apr 17, 2018 17:07:31 GMT
I think the main reason I would choose a Core over a TG is the controller port. You can get more controller accessories more affordably with a JPN controller connector.
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Post by toymachine78 on Apr 17, 2018 17:12:10 GMT
I think the main reason I would choose a Core over a TG is the controller port. You can get more controller accessories more affordably with a JPN controller connector. Great point! I personally just prefer the aesthetics of the turbo. It's the higher energy game system!
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Post by lukester on Apr 17, 2018 17:23:27 GMT
I don't know about affordability. Might be best to recommend stuff in general, that other "retro gamers" could recognize. A few of these are affordable, others are pricey.
Bomberman 94 Rondo of Blood Wonder Boy III Dragon Trap New Adventure Island Gradius Salamander (similar to Lifeforce) Parasol Stars: Bubble Bobble 3 River City Ransom Fatal Fury Special
Bonk, Soldier Blade and Dungeon Explorer are good starter exclusives
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wildfruit
Punkic Cyborg
Posts: 138
Fave PCE Shooter: Gunhed
Fave PCE Platformer: Dracula X
Fave PCE Game Overall: Maybe cratermaze!
Fave PCE RPG: Ys IV
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Post by wildfruit on Apr 17, 2018 17:26:40 GMT
Go duo from the start. There are so many great games in both formats it makes sense to not lay out twice by getting a hu only first. I would recommend all the ys series, dungeon explorer, cratermaze. They're all still pretty affordable? I haven't been looking at prices too much lately.
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Post by Black_Tiger on Apr 17, 2018 23:09:25 GMT
No one should waste any money on HuCards until they have a TED. Then make informed purchases.
Best value for an overall setup is Core Grafx + Super SD System 3.
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Post by spenoza on Apr 23, 2018 20:05:07 GMT
Well, some folks will slowly want to accrue actual games, and since the most well-known ones are the high profile rares, everyone steps in looking for Magical Chase and Akumajou Dracula X. I think if we, as a community, had a series of recommendations for folks new to the scene as to which games they should be focusing on starting out, we could maybe steer them away from the crazy.
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Post by soop on Apr 23, 2018 20:32:07 GMT
I think the main reason I would choose a Core over a TG is the controller port. You can get more controller accessories more affordably with a JPN controller connector. Great point! I personally just prefer the aesthetics of the turbo. It's the higher energy game system! Ugh, do you even have eyes I always suggest puzznic, PC Kid and Super Star Soldier. h
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Post by Black_Tiger on Apr 25, 2018 3:00:42 GMT
Well, some folks will slowly want to accrue actual games, and since the most well-known ones are the high profile rares, everyone steps in looking for Magical Chase and Akumajou Dracula X. I think if we, as a community, had a series of recommendations for folks new to the scene as to which games they should be focusing on starting out, we could maybe steer them away from the crazy. It's still better to try a game before you buy. Most recommendation lists feature polarizing games and blindly buying several games you end up not enjoying is what most people say is the reason they gave up early on a particular console. If a list were put together, it should include a description of each game and they should be sorted by genre as much as PCE games can be. Personal tastes vary much more than accessibility and lots of classic game fans do not enjoy shooters. Also "affordable" has a radically different meaning for each person and we are now living in the age where people pay several times the price of Dracula X... for some of the mid-range to lower end Turbo games and classic gaming forums are full of haul brags of "I got these four Turbochips for only $200!" When a TED is within the range of what is now considered affordable and when it opens up many translated roms of great games which would otherwise be inaccessible, it's the only honestly helpful suggestion besides emulation. So many people over the years have talked about not trying Bikkuriman World because of the "language barrier". It's also the only way to play many homebrew games. Games are still the games they are independent of what their collectible values are. A list should be prefaced with the disclaimer "try before you buy". Here are some examples: Shooters:Aeroblasters HuCard: celebrated 2-player co-op horizontal shooter with memorable aesthetics. Gradius II SCD: "arcade perfect" port by the standards bitd, includes a new exclusive stage. Download 2 CD2: authentic Moebius style cyberpunk cinematics in a very unique horizontal shooter loaded with parallax backed by a 1980-era Black Sabbath style soundtrack. War Sims:Military Madness/Nectaris HuCard: atmospheric Famicom Wars style game in a lunar setting. Neo Nectaris SCD: atmospheric Famicom Wars style game in a lunar and martian setting. Includes the original Nectaris game! Solid Force SCD: mecha themed straightforward Shining Force style game with top quality aesthetics. Sword Master SCD: fantasy themed straightforward Shining Force style game with top quality aesthetics. Lords of the Rising Sun CD2: Dragon Force style game set in feudal Japan. Action/Platforming:Valis III CD2: fantasy themed Castlevania style game with 3 playable characters and a memorable soundtrack. Valis IV CD2: fantasy themed Castlevania style game with 3 playable characters. Valis Phantasm Soldier SCD: a straightforward and colorful re-imagining of the original game. Action/Adventure:Dragon's Curse/Adventure Island HuCard: 60fps enhanced port of Wonderboy III Dragon's Curse. Exile CD2: aesthetically rich platforming/hack 'n slash sections feature free areas and leveling up, alternating with overhead RPG style hubs. Bikkuriman World HuCard (English hack available): arcade quality port of Monsterland, incorporating the Bikkuirman license. Charge 'n Gun:Bloody Wolf HuCard: fast paced Ikari Warriors style game with great variety and a memorable soundtrack. Red Alert/Last Alert CD2: slow paced Ikari Warriors style game with memorable cinemas. Misc:Monster Lair CD2: seemingly arcade perfect port of the arcade classic, featuring one of the greatest arranged soundtracks of all time and 2-player co-op. Rainbow Islands CD2: arcade perfect port of the arcade classic. Don Doko Don HuCard: port of the classic Bubble Bubble/Snow Bros style game, featuring 2 player co-op.
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Post by _jash on Apr 25, 2018 14:15:35 GMT
I think that BT really pointed out the best showoff games to get for almost any potential gamer looking to make the jump into obey, great list!! It really depends on what type of setup you get when you first make the plunge. I would only add a couple titles that I personally fell in love with at first glance, so...
Games to showcase depending on your first setup: Turbografx only: Legendary Axe, Dungeon Explorer, Air Zonk, Bonk's Revenge
Seems like too obvious of a lineup, but really these are the system's BEST games and for good reason. LA and DE are cheapies, while the Bonks and Air Zonks are rising in price....
PCE Only: Bloody Wolf, Rabio Lepus, Kato & Ken, Cadash, Gradius, Salamander and Street Fighter II You have a fairly robust selection of genres so it really is wide open here on whatever your interests are. These are the best bang for your buck.
Turbo Duo: (like me) Gate of Thunder 4in1 Ys Book I&II Ninja Spirit
Those were the first three (6 if you count the 4 games in GOT4in1) titles I got for the Duo and it blew my mind. I was done with SNES and Genesis for nearly the rest of the 16-bit wars tbh...
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Post by spenoza on Apr 25, 2018 14:47:22 GMT
BT, that's great! I love that perspective of how to list titles. I don't mean to suggest that people wouldn't want to sample or get an Everdrive. I just think that the Turbo/PCE has historically been a difficult scene to get into, and not just because of high prices and low availability. The PCEFX community has traditionally been pretty hostile to new folks (and in general), sometimes with good reason, but sometimes out of a knee-jerk reaction. Since this forum is public and not private, I think we have a chance to create a space where people can learn about the console and find a way to get into the community without as much friction. I don't want people to be afraid of the PCE, or for people to think the only good games on the platform are the $200+ ones because those are the only ones many sites talk about.
Maybe the solution isn't so much a "starter games" thread like this, but rather a TG-16/PCE beginners guide.
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Post by sunteam_paul on Apr 25, 2018 16:29:02 GMT
One of the most frequent questions is 'I got a new PCE/TG16, what are some good games' which is why I made this video. It's hard to do proper recommendations because everyone has different tastes (for example I wouldn't have listed most of the games on BTs list). But it does help if they like shooters
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Post by soop on Apr 25, 2018 19:03:36 GMT
I remember when I first found it,I used Pauls Try/buy/avoid recommendations as practically gospel. Now I know we don't 100% share the same taste, but honestly that isn't a bad start at all
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