Originally Posted by
tomaitheous
You dropped ca$h on a Duo without really knowing what games to get? Man, you've got money to burn ;)
US CD titles (they play on a Japanese system without a converter)
Lords of Thunder (SCD)
Gate of Thunder (SCD)
Terraforming (CD/SCD)
Cosmic Fantasy 2 (CD) ( a plain RPG but the cinemas are nice)
Dragon Slayer: Legend of Heroes (SCD) ( a better RPG)
Ys I & II (CD)
Valis 2 (CD) (I warn you, it's super old looking but the musics great and the game is easy)
Valis III (CD) (it's a little harder than the Genesis version, but it has more cinemas and with English dub)
Ys III (CD) (the scrolling is a little choppy, like 30hz, but incredible music and the easiest of the ports)
Exile (CD) (a great plaftform action game with some RPG parts. Great dubbed cinemas)
Exile 2 (CD) (it's a nice game, but they totally fucked with it and made it harder for no apparent reason)
Riot Zone (SCD) (it's a port of the old sega arcade game Riot City. It's ok. It's also like one of the only beat'em ups for the system)
Dungeon Explorer 2 (SCD) ( great dungeon crawler/shooter with fantastic music. up to five players at a time too)
Beyond ShadowGate (SCD) (A sequel to shadowgate, but now as a point and click style)
Loom (SCD) (if you like point in click games, this one is quite fun.)
Final Zone 2 (CD) - My god, the dub is hilarious. This is typical Telenet stuff - no frills, plain graphics, plain gameplay, crappy graphic visuals for cinemas, etc. It's easy. If you find it for cheap <_<
Last Alert (CD) - Hilarious dubbing. But this game is a classic. It really shows its age, but it's fun. Get the US one over the JP at all costs.
Might & Magic III (SCD) - This is a damn good port. Really nice. But, IIRC, the price tag on this isn't cheap.
Monster Lair (CD) - not much to say. If you can find it cheap, I guess.
Shadow of the Beast (SCD) - Awesome CD sound track. Great port too.
ShapeShifter (SCD) - This games decent. The graphics are really nice in places and overall, but the gameplay controls really takes a bit of getting used to. Could make or break the game for you.
Splash Lake (SCD) - First glance, you'd probably skip over this game. But you'd be missing out on some really fun puzzle style action in the vein of Bomberman and such (and yes, bosses). Multiple players too. Lots of stuff to unlock.
You're not going to be able to play US hucards without a converter AND a MOD. And here's a recommend list of US hucards you can't play ;)
US Hucards:
Air Zonk - fantastic little shooter
Blazing Lazers - A great Compile Shooter
Super Star Soldier - great Hudson shooter
Solder Blade - Awesome Hudson shooter
Dead Moon - Cool/weird little horizontal shooter
Aero Blasters - a cool port of the arcade version
Alien Crush - the prequel to Devil's Crush
Bloody Wolf - Awesome 3/4 view run 'n gun game. Love this game.
Bomberman '93 - great bomberman title.
Cyber Core - a decent, but old, vertical shooter. Insect shooter.
Bonk's Adventure - Classic fun
Bonk's Revenge - great sequel
Crater Maze - This is actually Doremon, but they changed all the sprites. Cool little puzzle/bomberman-ish game.
Dragon Spirit - Vertical shooter. Port of the arcade.
Dungeon Explorer - great old school dungeon crawler/shooter.
Side Arms - arcade port. horizontal shooter
JJ and Jeff - meh. The Japanese one is better do to the lack of censorship. But the game itself is a fun platformer. It gets pretty hard though. So unless your pretty good at platformer games...
Jackie Chan - great side view platformer. Love the chiptune music in that game
Shock Man - side view platformer/shooter. Nice little game with graphics kinda like Megaman.
Legend of Hero Tonma - side view platformer. Arcade port
Ninja Spirit - Ninja game. Side view platformer. Arcade port. Think Legend of Kage but much better.
Magical Chase - heh. If you can afford the US version. It has some graphic improvements over the JP version, but not worth the price IMO.
Military Madness - pretty fun strategy game (on the moon!)
Neutopia - Classic :D Plays a lot like the original Zelda game, but you go to different 'areas'.
Neutopia 2 - More RPG-ish with towns and people interaction, but same 3/4 top down gameplay. Much-much larger of a game too.
New Adventure Island - Master Higgans!
Ordyne - cute little horizontal shooter. Not even close to the arcade port though.
Pychosis - great little horizontal shooter. Really weird stages/graphics though.
Parasol Stars (Bubble Bobble 3) - badass/best port. Better than the Amiga version too ;)
Raiden - Vertical Shooter. best of the 16bit ports, but you should go for the SCD version (japanese only) with the extra stage and CD soundtrack
Rtype - Classic horizonal shooter. Or get the SCD remix version
Sinistron - Classic old school arcade style horizontal shooter. Not easy though.
Splatter House - The original :D Love this game
Legendary Axe 2 - I love this one. I don't care for the first one though.
Tiger Road - I only mention this because, while the port is OK, the US version is just simply crippled. The removed a lot of enemies to make it easier for the US gamers. Get the Japanese version over this one.
Tricky Kick - I love this little puzzler. Not easy, mind you.
Turrican - God, what a shitty port. Don't get this one. And it's a 2megabit game... for 1991! Accolade, what a sitty company. :bang:
Veigues Tactical Gladiator - If you like drunken ice skating robots, then this game is for you. (The US cover art is fantastic)
Vigilante - meh. What's there to say? It's Vigilante.
Dragon's Curse - Pretty fun little platformer. Though, if you have the SMS version then you could probably skip this one.
Ok, some Japanese CD titles off the top of my head...
Spriggan (CD) - the first one. It's Compile to the T. It's pretty similar to Musha/Robo Aleste ;)
Spriggan Mark 2 (SCD) - God I love this game. It has nothing to do with the first one, but it is by Compile. Think Target Earth but as a shooter only :D One of my favorite Compile sound tracks (very similar to Robo Aleste style).
Rayxanber 2 (CD) - if you like to get your ass kicked in a view hard but beautiful horizontal shooter with an awesome sound track.
Rayxanber 3 (SCD) - Much easier, still horizontal, still a shooter, still beautiful, still badass music track, but my god... the lazer sound effects. DO NOT pickup the yellow weapon <_<;
Macross 2036 (CD/SCD) - Oh man. A great horizontal shooter of the fame anime. While lacking the transparency and such effects of the SNES version, this is a MUCH better game and with a great sound track. Plus it has some cinemas.
Ys IV (SCD) - There's an English patch for this game. Get it. Play it. Finish it. Love it. It's Ys ;)
Buster Bros (CD) - Fun little puzzler type game.
Dracula X (SCD) - really needs no introduction
CD Denjin Rockabilly (SCD) - not even close to Air Zonk, but it's the sequel. It's ok. Horizontal shooter.
Chiki Chiki Boys (SCD) - nice graphics and has more detail than other ports, but I didn't care too much for the gameplay. Average platformer, arcade port.
Cho Aniki (SCD) - No, it's not An Cho Aniki. This prequel is much-much-much more tame. It's similar to Wings of War than anything else (it's by the same company). Nice graphics, cool/weird stages, horizontal shooting fun.
Cotton (SCD) - Much cheaper than the US version. A great little/cute horizontal shooter, arcade port.
Double Dragon 2 (SCD) - pretty good version. Not exact to the arcade as is has new graphics, but they sure are nice.
Download 2 (CD) - It's ok. Average horizontal shooter. Some of the graphics get... weird later on (and look dated too).
Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari (SCD) - If you know the series, it needs no introduction ;)
Flash Hiders (SCD) - great fighting game.
Forgotten Worlds (SCD) - I put this one on the JP list cause it's probably cheaper. Beautiful looking game and awesome sound track. Only one player though, and a flicker monster at some points <_<;
Fray Magical Adventure (SCD) Cutesy top view platformer. Has a little bit of RPG parts, but the walk through will help with that.
Gain Ground SX (SCD) - Decent port of the arcade version.
Fatal Fury 2 (ACD) - best home port of the arcade version. Better sound track than the arcade too.
Fatal Fury 2 Special (ACD) - same as above.
Genocide (SCD) - decent side view action game. Not easy (pretty much play the whole game using the downward thrust move). A port of the 68k version.
Sapphire (ACD) - lots of eye candy, two players, vertical shooter action, awesome sound track in the style of Lords of Thunder. Crappy sound FX. But it does lack some polish that Lords of Thunder/Gate of Thunder and other shooters have.
Godzilla (SCD) - probably cheaper than the US title. A cool fighting game. You can unlock lots of different sprites for the different versions of Godzilla from over the years he's appeared in movies.
Gradius 2 (SCD) - Horizontal shooter of the acade fame. Great game and sound track.
Hellfire S (CD) - Not really my cup of tea. The graphics look like that old '88 style of shooters.
Horror Story (SCD) - Decent little side view action game. Nothing special though.
Side Arms Special (CD) - It has the hucard version, but it also has a selectable whole new remix/version of the game "before christ" as well. Both are horizontal shooters.
Image Fight 2 (SCD) - an decent port of the arcade version. Too difficult for more liking though.
Jim Power (SCD) - hmm... well, the music is awesome :cool:
Shubibiman 3 (SCD) - this is a great side view action/platform game. Really nice. Great music and nice cinemas.
Kiaiden 00 (SCD) - fantastic little horizontal shooter.
Langrisser (SCD) - Needs no introduction
Macross Eternal Love Song (SCD) - badass strategy game based on the series
Madstalker (ACD) - Side view action game with all mechs. Not an easy game. It's a port of the 68k version.
Metamor Jupiter (SCD) - What a weird horizontal shooter. 1993, but the graphics style/design look straight out of 1987 arcades or such.
Future boy Conan (SCD) - A very-very-very simple side view action/platform game. Definitely feels like a (CD) game. Based on the movie. Decent but simple graphics, music, and cinemas. The game is fun and easy though.
Valis Fantasm Soldier (SCD) - This game is great. It's also on the only game in the series to be on the (SCD) format. Graphics, controls, animation, music. All do justice for the Valis series.
Mystic Forumla (SCD) - Not a racing game. Top down action game. Play it on the hardest difficulty setting though. They don't put enough enemies out to destory, is my only beef with the game.
Nexr (SCD) - Awesome vertical shooter that will kick your ass at every chance it gets. Not for normal shooter gamers, IMO.
Ninja Action Kaze Kiri (SCD) - It's a decent/fun side view action game, but not worth the price that I've seen it go for. And it's been over hyped in the past.
Pop 'n Magic (SCD) - You know, I've never played this game but it looks alot like Bubble Bobble 3 style. Might be worth a check out.
Psychic Storm (SCD) - A surprisingly decent early SCD title by Lasersoft. A vertical shooter that's quite fun and a good sound track. Though for SCD, it's nothing special in the way of.. anything. Just good shooting fun.
Puyo Puyo CD (SCD) - Head to head tetris/columns/DrMario style battles - Compile style.
Puyo Puyo CD 2 (SCD) - The sequel, but I've never played it. But it's still Compile, so it can't be that bad right?
Rainbow Islands (CD) - Weird, it came out in 1993 but it's on old (CD) format. I haven't played this version though.
Ranma 1/2 3 (CD/SCD) - This game is hilarious. The fight part of the game isn't so serious, but still fun.
Rtype Complete CD (SCD) - This is just the hucard game, with no upgrades except for CD sound tracks and cinemas.
Art of Fighting (ACD) - Damn nice graphics, large sprites, CD sound track. Even has some scaling for the BG and sprites. Too bad it's the identical crappy controls as the arcade version. Ugh.
Slime World (SCD) - Heh. I know nothing about this game other than it's a side view action/platformer/explorer in the EU style of games. <_<
Snatcher (SCD) - Yeah.... if you can read japanese. Otherwise, stick with the SegaCD port.
Star Parodia (SCD) - this is the Parodius series of Hudson. This is a great vertical shooter. Play as Bomberman, Star Soldier ship, or the original white PC-Engine :D
Steam Hearts (SCD) - A vertical shooter. I have no idea if this game is rare or not, but it's difficult. Too difficult. The cinemas are ... umm... diffferent. There's also a Saturn version, so probably skip this if you don't see it for cheap. Or just skip it overall ;)
Strider (ACD) - This game sucks. It plays little an unfinished port and the palette makes the graphics look piss poor. There isn't even a reason for this to be an (ACD) game.
Super Darius (CD) - Pretty decent port for a (CD) game. Horizontal shooter.
Super Darius 2 (SCD) - Love this game. It's a remix of Darius 2, not an exact port. Really nice graphics and fantastic music and gameplay.
Super Raiden (SCD) - An awesome port of the arcade original. Great vertical shooting action to a nice CD sound track. Plus, an extra stage.
Sylphia (SCD) - Man, too bad the price on this game is unreasonable. The music is by LMS (Compiles inhouse music team). While Compile isn't in the credits, it suspiciously plays like a Compile vertical shooter/game... <_<. Really fun game and badass music.
Valis 4 (CD) - This is pretty impressive for an old (CD) format game. This game is great. It's tie with Valis 1 as the best game in the series.
Vasteel 2 (SCD) - A really nice upgrade to the original, unfortunately there's the little downside of it being in Japanese. The original came out in the US as a (CD) game, but was kinda tedious and long... and boring after a while.
World Heroes 2 (ACD) - Badass port of the original Neo Geo version. The graphics are fantastic and the gameplay is spot on.
Xak III (SCD) - a port/version of this mult-system version. It's an action RPG. There is an English patch for this game. Which is great, but I've heard Xak I&II is a better game.
Zero Wing (CD) - It's ok. For 1992 though, this should have been on (SCD) format.
I left out RPGs in the JP CD list. There are tons of great CD RPGs though.
Now a few japanese hucards since you have a PCE Duo:
Street Fighter 2 CE - If you get this, you probably want to pick up a 6 button gamepad as well.
Ninja Gaiden - There's an option (hidden menu) to put the game in English. It's basically the NES version but with more colors. All the sprites and such are all the same size. The music's good, but I still prefer the original NES tunes. People say the game is a little harder than the original, but I hadn't noticed.
Aoi Blink - A simple but fun little platformer.
Batman - This is a simple puzzle-ish/mazs-ish game. Plays like bomberman.
Bomberman '94 - This is a must have if you're a bomberman fan. This is the best version of '94.
Bonk 3 - it's much cheaper than the US card/CD. IMO, the game sucks but some Bonk fans feel it's decent. After the novelty of seeing two large Bonks onscreen (if you have two mode on), you realize how lackluster the level designs are compared to the previous two.
Coryoon - By the same inhouse team that did Air Zonk, this came out before hand but uses the same engine. Great little horizontal shooter.
Detana!! Twin Bee - Only a 4meg game, but loads of fun. Vertical shooter.
Download - a prequel to the CD one, I think I like this version better. Nice little horizontal shooter.
Dragon Egg - Side view action/platformer. You have a baby dragon in your backpack that you whip out to breath fire on unsuspecting skeletons and monsters :)
Dragon Saber - the vertical shooting sequel to the original, Dragon Spirit.
Final Blaster - decent old school style namco vertical shooter.
Final Soldier - the lost member of the Star Soldier series that never came out to the US. Love the music in this game.
Photo Boy - this game is hilarious. You on a free lance photographer out to make ends meat. As you walk through the level, you avoid dangerous hazards while still managing to make your quota. You have to take "snapshots" (with a controllable cross hair) of interesting things as they happen through out the level.
Genji Tsushin Agedama - This is pretty fun side view action/platformer. I think it's based on some anime, actually.
Cloud Master - a horizontal shooter port of Taito's coin up.
Gradius - Yeah, Gradius. And a very decent version at that - if that says anything.
Hana Tahka Daka!? - Man, your like some supernatural turkey/chicken thing that's been summoned by a fox to get his girl back. Totally weird but fun side view action/platformer.
Heavy Unit - Yeah, this port sucks. Stay away from it unless someone gives it to you for free. And even then...
Jigoku Meguri - another Taito platformer. It's decent, but fairly simplistic.
Kiki Kai Kai - this is the prequel to Pocky & Rocky. It's no where near in the league as that game though. This one is definitely more 8bit looking. Still, a fun multi-direction running shooter.
Metal Stoker - This little hucard game is great. It plays just like Granada. Good music too. Definitely recommend this 'card.
Override - recommend if you're into shooters. Another old style looking vertical shooter. This one by Data east.
Parodius - Highly recommend this game. This is awesome port of the arcade horizontal shooter.
Salamander - another highly recommended shooter game. Needs no introduction.
Son Son 2 - this is a pardoy of Black Tiger. It's pretty much the same game, but with replaced graphics.
W-Ring - a pretty unkown horizontal shooter by Naxat. Definitely worth picking up.
CD = old CD format. Only 64k (0.5 megabits) of game ram (a separate 64k for ADPCM samples, but I/O accessed for transfering). Games tend to be simpler due to the lack of any immediate storage. Minimal animation, minimal tiles, etc. A few later games really push it (like Spriggan from Compile and Valis 3/4, Macross 2036, Terraforming).
SCD = 256k(2megabits) of game ram (and still 64k of ADPCM ram). Much more breathing room, but some developers still squandered it.
ACD = 2304k (18megabit) of game ram (and 64k ADPCM ram). Allowed for a lot of animation and such. Came out late though and only a few games really take advantage of it.
Hucards = most are simple in game design. And most are 3-4 megabits in size with a lot of early ones being 2megabit.
CD/SCD = An old CD format game that has less loading when played on a SCD system. The game itself is still designed with CD format in mind.
Heh, that took a while to type out.
