Am I finding Keith Courage... quite fun?

[DragonmasterDan]

Blazing Lazers would have been a great pack-in game. Introducing many young'uns into shooting games in those days. NEC TTi etc. was just too high those days to make obvious decisions.

Blazing Lazers was the UK pack-in game.

Leendary Axe would have made a better choice in terms of game quality. But I'd say it's a bit harder of a game. It's not as colorful (the TG16s biggest strength being its color palette) as Keith Courage nor does it move as fast. Again, it's a much better game to play, but as a showpiece for the system I can see why KC in Alpha Zones was picked.

[esteban]

In hindsight with the success of the Genesis and the Altered Beast pack-in, Legendary Axe definitely makes the most sense. NEC was looking at the past success of Nintendo's pack-in instead, and probably underestimated SEGA at the time considering the PC Engine was trouncing the Mega Drive back in Japan.

My problem as a kid with Keith is the game you buy is not the game you play. The box looks like some epic hack and slash with a muscular, Conan-esque warrior (like your Rastans, Rygars or Wizard and Warriors) but instead you're this slow, spikey haired dude, and then you're in a mech suit. The false advertising really just emphasized what the game WASN'T rather than what the game really was, which is a fun but eccentric little action platformer.

Correct, LA is not a perfect pack-in either.

In 1989, let's say by April...I don't know if there really was an absolutely perfect, killer pack-in.

R-Type — frustrating for average player. Name recognition! A draw for shootemup fans, but also not a NEW game (it was out on SMS).

Blazing Lazers — definitely a contender. Looks great, difficulty ramps up more forgivingly than R-Type. Certainly has a FRESH, NEW shine unlike an old R-Type...

[DragonmasterDan]

Correct, LA is not a perfect pack-in either.

In 1989, let's say by April...I don't know if there really was an absolutely perfect, killer pack-in.

R-Type — frustrating for average player. Name recognition! A draw for shootemup fans, but also not a NEW game (it was out on SMS).

Despite being a much better version of the game, I completely agree. R-Type was way too difficult and frustrating to be the pack-in. Remember, the primary market for home video games in America at that time was children. Children without fully developed motor-skills so making a shooter the pack-in probably wouldn't have been the best choice. Had it been available at the time, JJ and Jeff might have also been a good pick.

 

[johnnykonami]

KC from the original TV adverts is what made me want a TG-16, At the time I was easily sold on the mecha suit transformation scene.  I was pretty pleased overall with the underworld levels, but the overworld ones could be a drag - in particular saving up for some of the sword upgrades later on was very grindy.  That's the biggest downside to me.  Other than that, some cool bosses and music and overall a pleasant memory for me.  It and Alien Crush were my only games when I got the system for some months (Bonk's Adventure hadn't even been released yet) so I finished it a ton of times until I got a few more games.

[esteban]

Alien Crush? Is that too niche?

I don't think it would have been better than Keith in terms of grabbing the mainstream gamer demographics. 

[Necromancer]

Maybe China Warrior as a pack-in?  I don't think it's all that great of a game, but it's got color and big sprites to show off the hardware.

I know it wasn't released yet, but the best would've been Bonk's Adventure.

[toymachine78]

Maybe China Warrior as a pack-in?  I don't think it's all that great of a game, but it's got color and big sprites to show off the hardware.

I know it wasn't released yet, but the best would've been Bonk's Adventure.

Ive always said the pack in should have been R-Type. Bonk would have been good too.

[johnnykonami]

Alien Crush? Is that too niche?

I don't think it would have been better than Keith in terms of grabbing the mainstream gamer demographics. 

I didn't even know I liked pinball when I was a kid, my parents just picked it out for me so I had another game with the system (didn't ask for it).  Of course I ended up loving it, they probably knew an outer space theme was bound to go over well with me.  I had played Slamball on the C64, as well as Atari Pinball on the 2600, but AC was what really got me into (video) pinball.

I doubt it would have been a good pack-in though for most kids, though, even if they grew to love it like I did it probably wouldn't have sold systems.  I kinda agree with Legendary Axe being a good alternative from the list of release titles.

[Gentlegamer]

If NEC wanted to do a mecha action game for a pack-in, a Robotech (Macross) action game would have made me beg and beg until I got a TurboGrafx-16 in 1990-91.

[bozo55]

...  So many times there are just spikes placed at the bottom of a space where you'd normally expect to drop, and then boom, game over and you're back to the start of the level. 
...

This.  That's why I couldn't finish the game.  It made what should've been a fast-paced action-packed romp a complete chore.

[toymachine78]

Alien Crush? Is that too niche?

I don't think it would have been better than Keith in terms of grabbing the mainstream gamer demographics. 

I didn't even know I liked pinball when I was a kid, my parents just picked it out for me so I had another game with the system (didn't ask for it).  Of course I ended up loving it, they probably knew an outer space theme was bound to go over well with me.  I had played Slamball on the C64, as well as Atari Pinball on the 2600, but AC was what really got me into (video) pinball.

I doubt it would have been a good pack-in though for most kids, though, even if they grew to love it like I did it probably wouldn't have sold systems.  I kinda agree with Legendary Axe being a good alternative from the list of release titles.

Dude I loved pinball as a kid. I would go to the bowling alley with my parents and play games while they bowled. I played the hell out of Haunted House, Black Knight, and KISS PB machines. I also played the hell out of Elevator Action, Spy Hunter, Ghosts n Goblins, Bad Dudes, and Shinobi.

Damn! Those were some good times!

[tool]

Maybe China Warrior as a pack-in?  I don't think it's all that great of a game, but it's got color and big sprites to show off the hardware.

I know it wasn't released yet, but the best would've been Bonk's Adventure.

CW as a pack in would have kicked ass all over the place. Giant Bruce Lee walking around whooping everyones ass from Shaolin monks to giant insects. Epic. Way better than Keith, plus the kids would have been all over the Bruce Lee theme in those days or any days for that matter.

[johnnykonami]

Alien Crush? Is that too niche?

I don't think it would have been better than Keith in terms of grabbing the mainstream gamer demographics. 

I didn't even know I liked pinball when I was a kid, my parents just picked it out for me so I had another game with the system (didn't ask for it).  Of course I ended up loving it, they probably knew an outer space theme was bound to go over well with me.  I had played Slamball on the C64, as well as Atari Pinball on the 2600, but AC was what really got me into (video) pinball.

I doubt it would have been a good pack-in though for most kids, though, even if they grew to love it like I did it probably wouldn't have sold systems.  I kinda agree with Legendary Axe being a good alternative from the list of release titles.

Dude I loved pinball as a kid. I would go to the bowling alley with my parents and play games while they bowled. I played the hell out of Haunted House, Black Knight, and KISS PB machines. I also played the hell out of Elevator Action, Spy Hunter, Ghosts n Goblins, Bad Dudes, and Shinobi.

Damn! Those were some good times!

I didn't really get the appeal of real pinball until I was much older, I was too busy obsessing over video arcade machines whenever I had the opportunity to be around pins.  Some time in my early twenties I discovered Black Knight 2000 and started getting more into it then.  Nowadays I play Pinball Arcade on Steam and also want to get a real one for my house one day when I can swing it.  I'm more of a Williams guy, but I might go for a Stern - the difference on playing on a brand new pin vs one from the 80's-90's is night and day, even if the themes aren't as cool.

[johnnykonami]

Maybe China Warrior as a pack-in?  I don't think it's all that great of a game, but it's got color and big sprites to show off the hardware.

I know it wasn't released yet, but the best would've been Bonk's Adventure.

CW as a pack in would have kicked ass all over the place. Giant Bruce Lee walking around whooping everyones ass from Shaolin monks to giant insects. Epic. Way better than Keith, plus the kids would have been all over the Bruce Lee theme in those days or any days for that matter.

I think for me, CW would have seem quite limited gameplay wise after a short amount of time.  Granted it had the impressively large sprites, but it still feels a little tech-demo-y for having it be your only game.  I think Dungeon Explorer would have been a pretty good pack-in though, but that's just my taste in games.  I like something you can take a while to finish, explore and maybe find new things on subsequent playthroughs.  Probably would have been agitating to want to play multiplayer with a sibling or friend and not have the tap, though.  I can see that being a reason they might have decided not to include it, since it would just highlight that particular issue and maybe scare away new buyers, but sell it separately and rope them in for accessory sales later on instead.

[johnnykonami]

...  So many times there are just spikes placed at the bottom of a space where you'd normally expect to drop, and then boom, game over and you're back to the start of the level. 
...

This.  That's why I couldn't finish the game.  It made what should've been a fast-paced action-packed romp a complete chore.

Yeah, I remember getting frustrated at those sections also.  Eventually you memorize where they are, so they aren't as big of a deal the next time you try to play through.  Still, pretty cheap hiding things off the confines of the screen safe area that you just know your in-game character would have been able to see.  Then again, I'm not entirely the helmet on the Nova suit swivels downwards so maybe it's an accurate model of Keith's field of vision.