How much difference does the Arcade Card really make with a Duo-R?

[shawnji]

I'm debating grabbing one if I can get it cheap, but if I won't experience much of a difference I may just go without.  I have 3x3 Eyes and some other games that claim better performance with the card.

[Necromancer]

The main difference is that you won't be able to play the Arcade Card games without one.  3x3 Eyes is one of the few Arcade Card 'enhanced' games that you'll actually see a difference (more animation in some cut scenes); most enhanced games only use it to cut down on loading, using it to cache stuff like battle menus, towns, etc. that it'd otherwise have to load from cd every time it was needed.

[bob]

i never knew some games were "enhanced" by it

[shawnji]

The main difference is that you won't be able to play the Arcade Card games without one.  3x3 Eyes is one of the few Arcade Card 'enhanced' games that you'll actually see a difference (more animation in some cut scenes); most enhanced games only use it to cut down on loading, using it to cache stuff like battle menus, towns, etc. that it'd otherwise have to load from cd every time it was needed.

That's kind of what I figured, as it is a RAM expansion after all.  Gulliver Boy also has a section referring to it in the back of the manual where it claims to speed things up a bit.  I guess I was just wondering how pronounced the difference was.

[seieienbu]

Flash Hiders says it uses it in the back of the manual even though it doesn't have the Arcade Card icon on the front.  Someone stated that there were a few sound effects that wouldn't be heard otherwise.

[esteban]

I'm debating grabbing one if I can get it cheap, but if I won't experience much of a difference I may just go without.  I have 3x3 Eyes and some other games that claim better performance with the card.

What everyone said is correct.

If the videos are still available, you can see what Black_Tiger documented:

http://archives.tg-16.com/Dengeki_PC_Engine_1994_08.htm

If there are any corrections/additions you can make to that page, please tell me.

[shawnji]

I'm debating grabbing one if I can get it cheap, but if I won't experience much of a difference I may just go without.  I have 3x3 Eyes and some other games that claim better performance with the card.

What everyone said is correct.

If the videos are still available, you can see what Black_Tiger documented:

http://archives.tg-16.com/Dengeki_PC_Engine_1994_08.htm

If there are any corrections/additions you can make to that page, please tell me.

Thanks for linking that!  Wow, that is a huge difference.  I'm absolutely sold on the Arcade Card now.  I know it's just a visual novel, but now that I've seen it, I don't think I could stand to play a watered-down version.  Is there a list somewhere documenting games that have these extensive changes?

[geise]

Flash Hiders says it uses it in the back of the manual even though it doesn't have the Arcade Card icon on the front.  Someone stated that there were a few sound effects that wouldn't be heard otherwise.

LOL.  I've had that game for more than 22 years and I never knew that.  *Goes to test...*

[BigusSchmuck]

I'm debating grabbing one if I can get it cheap, but if I won't experience much of a difference I may just go without.  I have 3x3 Eyes and some other games that claim better performance with the card.

What everyone said is correct.

If the videos are still available, you can see what Black_Tiger documented:

http://archives.tg-16.com/Dengeki_PC_Engine_1994_08.htm

If there are any corrections/additions you can make to that page, please tell me.

Thanks for linking that!  Wow, that is a huge difference.  I'm absolutely sold on the Arcade Card now.  I know it's just a visual novel, but now that I've seen it, I don't think I could stand to play a watered-down version.  Is there a list somewhere documenting games that have these extensive changes?

No but there should be. I know Popful Mail is a hybrid, not sure what it really adds (less loading times). I also have found games like the Wizardry games seem to load much quicker while playing them even though those aren't listed as hybrid games. You can definitely use the pc engine bible to sort through the arcade card games and the comments on them. http://www.pcengine.co.uk/ or here works as well: http://pcecp.com/?mode=home

[SuperDeadite]

Arcade card is required to play Sapphire, hence it is a must own item.

[SamIAm]

True story: When playing Gulliver Boy, I used the Arcade Card for whatever benefits it was supposed to bring. Then, one day, I played a hucard game and forgot to put the AC back in. Later, I played about an hour of Gulliver Boy, unknowingly without the AC.

I was totally unaware of the difference.

[esteban]

True story: When playing Gulliver Boy, I used the Arcade Card for whatever benefits it was supposed to bring. Then, one day, I played a hucard game and forgot to put the AC back in. Later, I played about an hour of Gulliver Boy, unknowingly without the AC.

I was totally unaware of the difference.

During the cinemas, there might have been more frequent pauses as next sequence loaded. Otherwise, probably not much difference.

[Dicer]

Arcade card is required to play Sapphire, hence it is a must own item.

Over rated...IMHO of course, sadly we didn't get another ACD shooter to blow it out of the water.

[RyuHayabusa]

True story: When playing Gulliver Boy, I used the Arcade Card for whatever benefits it was supposed to bring. Then, one day, I played a hucard game and forgot to put the AC back in. Later, I played about an hour of Gulliver Boy, unknowingly without the AC.

I was totally unaware of the difference.

Um, how did you play Gulliver Boy without putting the Super System card in?

[SamIAm]

Um, how did you play Gulliver Boy without putting the Super System card in?

Super System Card is built into Duos.