Best First NEC System?

[Frank_fjs]

Yeah the Duo R is the Japanese console.

All games are NTSC, both US and JAP so I don't really understand your question.

There were a few PAL consoles released in the UK & Hong Kong but they merely convert the games to a PAL signal via an additional onboard encoder. These consoles are not typical and they still played the same games, there were no specific PAL games that I am aware of.

The JAP console plays JAP games and the US console plays US games. You can play JAP games on a US console via an often overpriced converter. To play US games on a JAP system, you need to perform a hardware mod.

I like the JAP systems and games better, but that's just me. JAP games have awesome artwork, US games got ripped off in this department. JAP hardware & games often seem to be cheaper too & easier to come by.

[christoph]

So

Turbo Duo = USA
Duo R = JP

otherwise they are the same system?

I guess the only problem is that the games are then in Japanese..

[Frank_fjs]

That's all correct.

The Japanese (language) thing has never been a problem for me. Most Japanese games have a lot of English in them and the general GUI/HUD (score, life etc) items often appear in English anyhow.

I guess you'd only have a problem if you like RPG's or text heavy games.

[christoph]

For sure, thanks for the info. So really the main reason to go for a Duo-R is because the JP versions of the games are significantly cheaper?

[Frank_fjs]

I suppose. For me, I think that the Japanese hardware looks better, the games have better artwork and yeah, generally it is cheaper and more available.

As an example, the Japanese PC Engine console looks like this:

The US Turbo Grafx 16 like this:

I find the Japanese hardware much more pleasing to the eye. Why they made the US version so god damn big is beyond me, perhaps they thought it would give the impression of being more powerful.

I'm not from the US so I didn't feel the need to get a US system. If I lived in the US I might.

[Tablet]

Turbo Duo = USA
Duo R = JP

That's not entirely true, CD games are region free so you could buy a JP Duo-R and US Turbo CD releases will work on it.

As said before hueys are region locked and need converters and stuff to get to work. It all depends what you want to get out of the system, if you're into shooters then go the Duo-R route as it'll allow you to play all the JP only HuCard shooters and you'll still have the flexibility with the CD drive if you want to play english CD releases.

[christoph]

I ended up finding a sweet deal on a Turbo Grafx, which I just got in the mail today. I am going to keep my eye out for a Duo-R like you guys recommended.

I played Splatterhouse for about an hour this evening - TG16 controller feels hollow, it flexes when I press the buttons! Is there a "best" controller out there, or is the og TG16 the best one?

I really bought this to play R Type, don't really have any other games on my list at the moment - anyone recommend any MUST HAVES? I love shmups and any other great games.

yee

[Arkhan]

To answer this question simply- you need a PC-FX.

euh, theres 1 shmup on PC-FX.

and "great games" might not mean "cutesy dating sims that I can't even read"


anyway what you want ultimately is a US TurboGrafx16 and then a Duo-R

play US hucards on the TurboGrafx, play anything else on the duo-r

reason for this suggestion is, the cost it would take to region mod the duo-r is probably a bit more than you can grab a TG-16 for, and since you already have the TG-16 .....

just get you a duo-r for Japanese HuCards and for CD games (Since the Duo-R has save ram)

The best controller, in my honest opinion, is the Ave 3 or 6.  They're both the same but have 3 and 6 buttons respectively.  They are amazing.  I love them.

As for games you just have to have, we will keep it Turbo Grafx-16 for now, until you get a duo-r, and then we will bombard you with more games....


Lifeforce (Salamander in Japan, I'm sure you have heard of it!)
Bloodywolf (It's the closest to Contra you're gonna get)
Keith Courage (Because everyone has to play the pack-in game)
China Warrior (Because I said so, and hope you become one of the fans of the old, giant sprite kung fu extravaganza)
Dungeon Explorer (It's Gauntlet, with content!)
Legendary Axe 1 and 2 (Very nice, eerie action platformers)
Bonk 1, 2 and 3 (The best platformer series ever)
Neutopia I and II (Zelda clones that are better than Zelda)
Parasol Stars (Bubble Bobble part 3!  You hit stuff with an umbrella to very happy music, and it's beyond addictive)
Cadash (Best home version of the arcade game.  It's kind of like Castlevania on dope, sort of)
Silent Debuggers (Hard to describe.  First person cyberpunk action game.  You'll either love it or hate it)
Military Madness (One of the greatest strategy games ever.  Simple yet effective)
Fantasy Zone (Strange shoot em up game.  Kind of obnoxious, totally colorful, addicting like crack)

I think that's a good list for now.  Theres some more stuff too... most of these games can be had pretty damn cheap also.

Oh, and duh, Blazing Lazers.  Its vertical shmup goodness.

As far as shmups go, you picked the right system.

and FINALLY,

go to pcengine.co.uk and you can quickly see some screenshots and gameplay videos of these games to see if they appeal to you. 

[blueraven]

The Black PC Engine Duo.

[Otaking]

The Black PC Engine Duo.

epic win

[BlueBMW]

Sounds like a Duo R is where its at. So what is the difference between the DUO R and the Turbo Duo? The DUO R is only available as a JP console right? Can I play NSTC games on it too?

You can play any of the CD/SuperCD games on either a US or JP Duo.  Hucard games are not interchangeable however.  There are a variety of converter cards available and there are people who can region mod the systems.  Honestly, most of the best games are available on PC Engine a lot cheaper than on the US TG16.  You're probably best off getting a Duo R (JP of course) and then just finding a cheap US Turbo Grafx 16 if you want to play some US hu chips.

Personally, I'm going with a region modded US Duo, but that's just because the US Duo looks so slick.

[_joshuaTurbo]

To answer this question simply- you need a PC-FX.

euh, theres 1 shmup on PC-FX.

I was being sarcastic.    Don't go with the PC-FX.

Lifeforce (Salamander in Japan, I'm sure you have heard of it!)

Salamander is japan only.  Would need to contact Chop for a chopsado to play it on a US Turbo! 

[Necromancer]

Is there a "best" controller out there, or is the og TG16 the best one?

I'm partial to the wireless PCE pads, but I'm not sure if they're any sturdier than the standard pads (they've never felt too flimsy to me).  You might want to try an Avenue Pad 6, as they're pretty chunky and stout, but keep in mind that you'll need a converter cable (or swap the cable out of a TurboPad), as the TG-16 uses different controller connectors than everything else.

I really bought this to play R Type, don't really have any other games on my list at the moment - anyone recommend any MUST HAVES? I love shmups and any other great games.

In addition to those on Ark's list, everyone should have copies of Bomberman '93, Time Cruise, and New Adventure Island; and if you like shmups, Galaga '90, Soldier Blade, and Dead Moon are absolute musts.

The best controller, in my honest opinion, is the Ave 3 or 6.  They're both the same but have 3 and 6 buttons respectively.

They aren't the same.  The 3 is shaped similar to a standard controller with its rounded ends, whereas the 6 is bigger and has square edges, making it not so nice to hold onto.

[Arkhan]

Salamander is japan only.  Would need to contact Chop for a chopsado to play it on a US Turbo! 

hmm,I coulda sworn there was a US release of Lifeforce, or was that Nintendo maybe.

[SignOfZeta]

So

Turbo Duo = USA
Duo R = JP

otherwise they are the same system?

The Turbo Duo is the US version of the PC Engine Duo. The Duo R (or RX) is a later model that only came out in Japan. Functionally the only difference is that the Duo R (or RX) lacks the headphone jack.

I guess the only problem is that the games are then in Japanese..

The games will be in whatever language the were coded in, what system you play them on has no effect on this. A hardware mod will let any system play any game, so the original region doesn't really matter.

Also, a lot of PC Engine games are shooters and platform games and fighters and pinball and genres where the language the game is in is irrelevant. Also, a lot of Japanese games are totally in English anyway. In those cases the only "translation" done was to make a new shitty box for the US version and censor a few things.