My crazy 21th Anniversary Super Grafx Review

[nat]

Probably not much different. It might have had an extra layer here or there to match the arcade, but I think the PCE version as it is is pretty damn good for the time. It certainly does more than hold its own against the other contemporary home versions.

[DesmondThe3rd]

Personally, I think the SuperGrafx should've succeeded the white PCE/CoreGrafx line, which should have been discontinued. The backwards compatibility was already there. I mean, the SGX was just a CoreGrafx with an extra video processor. NEC made a huge mistake by "limping" the system out only to discontinue it. The Duo series should have been based on the SuperGrafx rather than the Cores also.

I totally agree. The same problem happened to the Atari and their 2600. Their aging technology was too outdated to truly bring the arcade experience home but the sales figures of the older games prevented serious development of the more advance 5200 console. I think a good way to show of the power of the Super Grafx would have been to re-release several popular PC Engine titles like Splatterhouse or Legendary Axe with better visuals. Too bad it's too late for that now I guess.

[Mathius]

Yeah, the tale of the Super Grafx is a sad one. There was no other console I was more fascinated with in the late 80s, and I am sure I am not alone in feeling that. 

[ceti alpha]

Yeah, the tale of the Super Grafx is a sad one. There was no other console I was more fascinated with in the late 80s, and I am sure I am not alone in feeling that. 

You certainly are not alone there. I remember seeing it discussed in the gaming mags of the day and being totally intrigued. We never got to see the full potential of that machine. As amazing as GnG was on the SGX, Rondo was arguably more impressive and it was on SCD running off the original PCE hardware. Just imagine GnG on SCD, or even the Arcade Card, running off SGX hardware.

[Mathius]

Yeah, the tale of the Super Grafx is a sad one. There was no other console I was more fascinated with in the late 80s, and I am sure I am not alone in feeling that. 

You certainly are not alone there. I remember seeing it discussed in the gaming mags of the day and being totally intrigued. We never got to see the full potential of that machine. As amazing as GnG was on the SGX, Rondo was arguably more impressive and it was on SCD running off the original PCE hardware. Just imagine GnG on SCD, or even the Arcade Card, running off SGX hardware.

I...I can't even begin to fathom the orgasmic possibilities that would have been the Super Grafx Arcade CD2! <<<drooling profusely>>>

[Duo_R]

Nat is it possible to mod a coregrafx to supergrafx spec? Do you know what ICs were added? 

I can't imagine cost being a big factor. I think we are talking three additional ICs, tops, over what the CoreGrafx series has.

[nat]

Not totally, but there is documentation out there on the SGX hardware. I know the SGX has two 16-bit HuC6270A VDCs, where the rest of the -Grafx family has only one. Also, there is a unique chip, the HuC6202 that allows the two VDCs to work cooperatively. The rest of the consoles don't need this as they have only one VDC.

The SGX also has 32KB of work RAM, where the Cores have only 8KB.

That's it in a nutshell, but here's a document that goes into detail on the differences.

While it's probably possible to mod a Core or Duo to become a SuperGrafx, the real problem is the HuC6202 IC. This was a proprietary chip whose only known use in history was in the SuperGrafx. You see where I'm going with this.... You'd have to butcher a real SuperGrafx to obtain one of these to throw in any sort of modded Core. Sort of defeats the purpose.

[ceti alpha]

You'd have to butcher a real SuperGrafx to obtain one of these to throw in any sort of modded Core.

  

[Duo_R]

A supergrafx goes down.....and the SuperCoregrafx rises from the ashes!

[MottZilla]

While it's probably possible to mod a Core or Duo to become a SuperGrafx, the real problem is the HuC6202 IC. This was a proprietary chip whose only known use in history was in the SuperGrafx. You see where I'm going with this.... You'd have to butcher a real SuperGrafx to obtain one of these to throw in any sort of modded Core. Sort of defeats the purpose.

That's what FPGAs are for. If someone really wanted to and had either the skills or the money to get people with the skills, they could have that chip cloned. But at that point why not clone the whole deal. It would be neat if someone decapped all the mystery ICs in the SuperGrafx and Super CDROM2 to then clone it with FPGAs and whatever other support hardware would be needed. I'd really like a SuperGrafx Arcade DUO, wouldn't you? And then some games to go with it.

[rag-time4]

I'd really like a SuperGrafx Arcade DUO, wouldn't you? And then some games to go with it.

Yes, i would like one of those. Question is, what would/should it look like?

[MottZilla]

Preferably I would like it to look almost exactly like the original DUO but with minor changes to tell it apart from the PC-Engine DUO. Or possibly like the DUO but slightly condensed to a smaller foot print.

And while we are at it I'd love for Ghouls 'n' Ghosts and 1941 Counter Attack to be ported to the Arcade CD-ROM format and given sweet remixed music. Not to mention the huge list of other awesome games I'd like to see ported to use the SG and ACD. Not that I would want just a bunch of ports, new original PCE titles utilizing the SG and ACD would be a dream come true. Not that I am an original TG16 fan, but I'm definitely a retrogaming platform fan and if I had known about the TG16/PCE back in the day I would have loved it.

[DesmondThe3rd]

Preferably I would like it to look almost exactly like the original DUO but with minor changes to tell it apart from the PC-Engine DUO. Or possibly like the DUO but slightly condensed to a smaller foot print.

And while we are at it I'd love for Ghouls 'n' Ghosts and 1941 Counter Attack to be ported to the Arcade CD-ROM format and given sweet remixed music. Not to mention the huge list of other awesome games I'd like to see ported to use the SG and ACD. Not that I would want just a bunch of ports, new original PCE titles utilizing the SG and ACD would be a dream come true. Not that I am an original TG16 fan, but I'm definitely a retrogaming platform fan and if I had known about the TG16/PCE back in the day I would have loved it.

I would have loved to see more of what the Super Grafx could have been.

[hashiriya1]

I am probably one of the few people in the world who has owned a Super Grafx since its release. I must say, I have always babied it and loved it. Thanks for the review.

[Tatsujin]

Say Leadfoot, how old are you?