HELP: Sloppy & Precise Release Dates for North American software

[HailingTheThings]

Is there a concrete list of the games that were available at launch?  I'd like to do an episode of CGQ-TV covering the launch of the TG-16, but I want to be confident in the games that I'm covering, first.

Is this alright?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_game_console_launch_games#NEC_PC_Engine.2FTurboGrafx-16.2FTurboGrafx

[esteban]

Is there a concrete list of the games that were available at launch?  I'd like to do an episode of CGQ-TV covering the launch of the TG-16, but I want to be confident in the games that I'm covering, first.

Is this alright?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_game_console_launch_games#NEC_PC_Engine.2FTurboGrafx-16.2FTurboGrafx

I can verify nearly all of the titles listed as available in Fall 1989, since I saw them physically in the store.

However, I can't say whether certain titles were released • slightly after • launch, the day of, or in my pants.

It is surprising I can't help with that last category, but I honestly can't.

[HailingTheThings]

However, I can't say whether certain titles were released • slightly after • launch, the day of, or in my pants.

It is surprising I can't help with that last category, but I honestly can't.

Oh, dear. lol

[Jibbajaba]

Is there a concrete list of the games that were available at launch?  I'd like to do an episode of CGQ-TV covering the launch of the TG-16, but I want to be confident in the games that I'm covering, first.

Is this alright?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_game_console_launch_games#NEC_PC_Engine.2FTurboGrafx-16.2FTurboGrafx

Yeah, I saw that.  But Wikipedia is pretty untrustworthy when it comes to stuff like this.

[A Black Falcon]

Is there a concrete list of the games that were available at launch?  I'd like to do an episode of CGQ-TV covering the launch of the TG-16, but I want to be confident in the games that I'm covering, first.

Is this alright?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_game_console_launch_games#NEC_PC_Engine.2FTurboGrafx-16.2FTurboGrafx

Yeah, I saw that.  But Wikipedia is pretty untrustworthy when it comes to stuff like this.

That is true, but the severely lacking info we have on TG16/CD release dates is worse.  Aren't we not even clear on which YEAR some things definitely released in?

[HailingTheThings]

Yeah, I saw that.  But Wikipedia is pretty untrustworthy when it comes to stuff like this.

I see.

That is true, but the severely lacking info we have on TG16/CD release dates is worse.  Aren't we not even clear on which YEAR some things definitely released in?

Is(are) there any other console(s) that has(have) this much of a hazy release date list?

[Phase]

I was checking my custom covers I've been working on and thanks for the list I had 2 that were incorrect for sure.
I'm just wondering about these 3 hucards (I know the sources don't mean it wasn't released later)

Dead Moon -list has 92 -I have 91 source title screen (rom)
Legendary Axe II - list has 91 -I have 90 source title screen, hucard, back of manual
Sidearms - list has 90 -I have 89 source title screen, hucard, back of manual

just curious if I should change to the list dates on these if your sure.

[A Black Falcon]

Yeah, I saw that.  But Wikipedia is pretty untrustworthy when it comes to stuff like this.

I see.

That is true, but the severely lacking info we have on TG16/CD release dates is worse.  Aren't we not even clear on which YEAR some things definitely released in?

Is(are) there any other console(s) that has(have) this much of a hazy release date list?

I don't know of any other US-released consoles with such uncertainty, at least.  In Japan they have thorough records of the release DAY (not just the year, but the specific day) of like every game ever physically released, so there would be no such problems there, but its possible there are serious uncertainties with something in other regions?

For some more games where I'm not entirely certain on the year, the US versions of Godzilla and The Dynastic Hero say "1993" on the game cases and packaging and in the games, but people here say they actually released in 1994, probably.  I'm not sure if there is proof...  Or for another one, that "August 1" release date for the Turbo CD system isn't definite.  At one point sites were all saying it released in '89, but now most agree it was actually '90 sometime... but it's not so clear about the games.  There was a suggestion that those two launch games might have been available well before the system was, for some weird reason?  Who knows.

[HailingTheThings]

For some more games where I'm not entirely certain on the year, the US versions of Godzilla and The Dynastic Hero say "1993" on the game cases and packaging and in the games, but people here say they actually released in 1994, probably.

I would not be surprised to learn that they were in fact released in 1994.

[MrFulci]

They were released in 1994. I have a TZD flyer, that mentions why you can't buy certain hardware, etc. During the paragraphs explaining this stuff, it mentions the last games released were in 1994 (It does not mention the game titles).

I'll scan it later, if my memory is correct.

---

*edited to add;

I found the blurb, it was in one of their sales flyers. I have no postmark on the flyer, since it was sent at bulk rate.

Anyway, it says the last games released for the TG-16 were in December of 1994.



.

[Gentlegamer]

I don't know if any good information will come of this but I'm glad my inquiry helped spark a renewed effort.

[HailingTheThings]

I don't know if any good information will come of this but I'm glad my inquiry helped spark a renewed effort.

Your avatar is most inappropriate, try this one:

https://slm-assets3.secondlife.com/assets/2082074/original/satan.gif?1284233823

[A Black Falcon]

The interesting thing about The Dynastic Hero is that the year listed on the games' title screens is actually changed from the Japanese version -- in the Japanese version of the game they say 1994, but the US version were changed to 1993.  They may well not have managed to release the game in '93, but title screens are usually accurate.  Obviously this looks like one of the few cases where the title-screen date is wrong, but why change the date to 1993 from 1994, if the games weren't actually released in the US until 1994 either? It's really weird.

As for Godzilla, which is clearly the other one of TTI's last two releases along with The Dynastic Hero, that game was released in Japan in '93, so it's a little less weird if they just left it alone.

[esteban]

The interesting thing about The Dynastic Hero is that the year listed on the games' title screens is actually changed from the Japanese version -- in the Japanese version of the game they say 1994, but the US version were changed to 1993.  They may well not have managed to release the game in '93, but title screens are usually accurate.  Obviously this looks like one of the few cases where the title-screen date is wrong, but why change the date to 1993 from 1994, if the games weren't actually released in the US until 1994 either? It's really weird.

As for Godzilla, which is clearly the other one of TTI's last two releases along with The Dynastic Hero, that game was released in Japan in '93, so it's a little less weird if they just left it alone.

I always felt that games with very late (November/December) "scheduled" release dates were most likely to get the title screen wrong....simply because any little hiccup could push the game into the following year. Of course, a good counter-argument would be that the financial incentive to release a game for the holiday (XMAS retail sales = holy grail! ) would limit the number of delays (better to release a game, even prematurely, to capture holiday sales?)