Difference between revisions of "TurboGrafx-16"
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| − | I never owned a TurboGrafx-16 | + | [[Image:TurboGrafx-16.jpg|thumb|256x256px|North American model.]] |
| + | |||
| + | The '''TurboGrafx-16''', known in Japan as the '''PCエンジン, Pi Shi Enjin, "PC Engine"''' is a 16-bit video game console developed by [[Hudson Soft]] and [[NEC]]. It was released in Japan in 1987 and in the USA in 1989. Although it was marketed as a 16-bit console, only its GPU was 16-bit, its CPU was a [[HuC6280]], a modified version of the 8-bit [[MOS 6502]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | I never owned a TurboGrafx-16 and only played it once. In the early 1990s, my brother had a rich friend whose parents bought him all the video game systems. One day, while I was tagging along with him, the two wanted to keep my occupied so I was sat in front of his TG-16. I played ''[[Bonk's Adventure]]'' and possibly another game, but I don't remember. I never played the TG-16 again until around the 2000s using an emulator. Since then, I've played several of the more popular games, and beaten a couple, but over all, I'm not that impressed with the catalog. | ||
==Review== | ==Review== | ||
===Good=== | ===Good=== | ||
| − | * I found the tiny game cards (HuCard) to be impressive when I first saw them. How could they fit an entire game on them compared to | + | * I found the tiny game cards (HuCard) to be impressive when I first saw them. How could they fit an entire game on them compared to a clunky NES cartridge? Of course, when you open an NES cart, you see just how small the games really are. |
* Putting turbo buttons on the default controller was a very nice idea. | * Putting turbo buttons on the default controller was a very nice idea. | ||
| − | * The sound chip was really impressive at the time, six programmable waves! I just | + | * The system does feature a pretty nice graphics chip, and a lot of the games have beautiful artwork. |
| + | * The sound chip was really impressive at the time, six programmable waves! Sadly, few games take advantage of it. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Bad=== | ||
| + | * There just aren't that many good games for the system. I've played most of the highest-ranked games and found them to be only so-so (although, this is certainly affected by my now-higher expectations). | ||
| + | * The system is heavily weighted toward stage-based platformers and scrolling shooters. There just aren't that many popular games for the system that expand into other genres. | ||
| + | * While I get that most games in the 1980s were one player (or hot-seat), the lack of a built-in second controller port is pretty shoddy. To play a two-player game, you must not only buy a second controller, but also the TurboTap. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Ugly== | ||
| + | * Nothing. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Games== | ||
| + | : ''See all [[:Category:TurboGrafx-16 Games|TurboGrafx-16 Games]].'' | ||
| + | The following are games for the TurboGrafx-16 that are important to me: | ||
| − | + | <gallery> | |
| − | + | Bonk's Adventure - TG16 - USA.jpg|''[[Bonk's Adventure]]'' | |
| − | + | Jackie Chan's Action Kung Fu - TG16 - USA.jpg|''[[Jackie Chan's Action Kung Fu]]'' | |
| + | Neutopia - TG16 - USA.jpg|''[[Neutopia]]'' | ||
| + | </gallery> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Links== | ||
| + | {{Link|Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TurboGrafx-16}} | ||
| + | {{Link|MobyGames|http://www.mobygames.com/browse/games/turbo-grafx/list-games}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | [[Category: Video Game Platforms]] | ||
Revision as of 21:24, 23 June 2019
The TurboGrafx-16, known in Japan as the PCエンジン, Pi Shi Enjin, "PC Engine" is a 16-bit video game console developed by Hudson Soft and NEC. It was released in Japan in 1987 and in the USA in 1989. Although it was marketed as a 16-bit console, only its GPU was 16-bit, its CPU was a HuC6280, a modified version of the 8-bit MOS 6502.
I never owned a TurboGrafx-16 and only played it once. In the early 1990s, my brother had a rich friend whose parents bought him all the video game systems. One day, while I was tagging along with him, the two wanted to keep my occupied so I was sat in front of his TG-16. I played Bonk's Adventure and possibly another game, but I don't remember. I never played the TG-16 again until around the 2000s using an emulator. Since then, I've played several of the more popular games, and beaten a couple, but over all, I'm not that impressed with the catalog.
Review
Good
- I found the tiny game cards (HuCard) to be impressive when I first saw them. How could they fit an entire game on them compared to a clunky NES cartridge? Of course, when you open an NES cart, you see just how small the games really are.
- Putting turbo buttons on the default controller was a very nice idea.
- The system does feature a pretty nice graphics chip, and a lot of the games have beautiful artwork.
- The sound chip was really impressive at the time, six programmable waves! Sadly, few games take advantage of it.
Bad
- There just aren't that many good games for the system. I've played most of the highest-ranked games and found them to be only so-so (although, this is certainly affected by my now-higher expectations).
- The system is heavily weighted toward stage-based platformers and scrolling shooters. There just aren't that many popular games for the system that expand into other genres.
- While I get that most games in the 1980s were one player (or hot-seat), the lack of a built-in second controller port is pretty shoddy. To play a two-player game, you must not only buy a second controller, but also the TurboTap.
Ugly
- Nothing.
Games
- See all TurboGrafx-16 Games.
The following are games for the TurboGrafx-16 that are important to me:
Links
