I Region and AV modded my TG16

[tomaitheous]

Shmups are the bread and butter of the system (and RPGs for the CD system). Limiting to hucards, and limiting your search outside those two, you're in for some slim pickings.

For a shmup, I highly recommend Final Soldier over Super Star Soldier - everyday of the weak. SSS(super star soldier) is ok. It's rather boring after a few key levels. It's spread too thin in level design. Final Soldier is a much better much. The weapon system has more unique (and useful) bullet designs, the music kicks ass(!), and the level designs are awesome (really a wide variety of designs). It's easier than both SSS and Soldier Blade, but the action never lets up and it's very fun to play. I only discovered this gem over the past year (I've always over looked it. Even after sampling it). BTW, Final Soldier is a JP hucard only

[Curryman123]

I highly recommend Rayxanber II, Super Raiden, Image Fight II, and Download II.

[GohanX]

Goddammit, I want to build a modded system too, but the TG16's are all at ridiculous prices on ebay. I just had to soothe my pain by digging out the Turbo Express.

*edit*

Nevermind, got a bare system from ebay, gonna get one of BlueBMW's chips and some parts from Radioshack, and we'll see what happens from there. The ultimate plan is to have a region switch, RCA jacks, and eventually an RGB mod which will come later.

[Guntz]

Shmups are the bread and butter of the system (and RPGs for the CD system). Limiting to hucards, and limiting your search outside those two, you're in for some slim pickings.

So I suppose the PC Engine is like a shooter version of the NEO-GEO, who's library is virtually 50% fighting games? I'd like to hope that the PC Engine is like the Neo in that it has some very awesome gems among the gazillions of shooters?

For a shmup, I highly recommend Final Soldier over Super Star Soldier - everyday of the weak. SSS(super star soldier) is ok. It's rather boring after a few key levels. It's spread too thin in level design. Final Soldier is a much better much. The weapon system has more unique (and useful) bullet designs, the music kicks ass(!), and the level designs are awesome (really a wide variety of designs). It's easier than both SSS and Soldier Blade, but the action never lets up and it's very fun to play. I only discovered this gem over the past year (I've always over looked it. Even after sampling it). BTW, Final Soldier is a JP hucard only

Most of those are rather expensive looking. Do they sell for cheaper on game forums like PCEngineFX? If I wanted a shooter I'd only buy one for now.

I highly recommend Rayxanber II, Super Raiden, Image Fight II, and Download II.

Okay, I'll check those out.

Goddammit, I want to build a modded system too, but the TG16's are all at ridiculous prices on ebay. I just had to soothe my pain by digging out the Turbo Express.

Well you're smarter than me right now, because I paid $70 shipped for my TG16 + hookups with 3 games, a controller and the Turbo Tap. I did these mods hoping that they would prevent me from losing money on this system if I ever sell it (I just might, if I never find anything fun to play on PC-Engine).

[GohanX]

Definitely head over to the pcenginefx forums and look in the for sale sections for games. For some reason PCE/TG16 game prices have been ridiculous on ebay for the past year. The Neo Geo forums can be good for PCE games as well, since fans of one system tend to like the other. You might want to look at Japanese ebay sellers as well, they will often sell gamers condition PCE carts. Shipping on single games is a bitch, but PCE games are so small you can buy a bunch without paying a lot.

[Guntz]

PCEngineFX doesn't seem that fantastic at the moment, mostly because it has low activity, new member activation takes forever and my list of forum usernames and passwords is getting ridiculous. But about Neo-Geo.com, they sell PCE games there a lot? I'm currently trying to complete a transaction for an MVS game on there. When I'm not strapped for cash I'll keep an eye out for PCE games over there. JP Ebay sounds like a very good suggestion though. I don't care if the care is covered in scratches, mine already are. They ALL get scratched from being inserted into a TG16 anyway (sounds a lot like Neo AES games). Again, when I have money I will have a look over the Japan sellers. Are there any good ones in particular? Any to avoid?

Thank you very much for the buying suggestions Gohan.

Oh yeah, how prevalent is Japanese text in non-RPGs on the PC-Engine? Would games like Neutopia, the piles of shooters or anything else that isn't an RPG be more difficult to play without any English? If it would even have that to begin with?

[GohanX]

You don't find pce titles a whole lot on neo-geo.com, but it does pop up some. There are 2 or 3 sellers with sales threads on the front page of "everything else" with pce titles. PCEFX is kind of slow, but keep your eyes open and you can get unbeatable deals. I do feel your pain, I'm looking for US TG16 games that are cheap and there aren't a whole lot out there right this second.

I don't know about Neutopia, but more often than not hucard games are action oriented, so lack of Japanese knowledge is no problem whatsoever. Like a Neo Geo in Japanese region, and ending may be in Japanese but menus and stuff are usually English. I usually try Japanese versions in an emulator before buying. I loved buying the japanese Air Zonk for $15 shipped in excellent shape instead of the $40 or so the us version is worth!

[Guntz]

I highly recommend Rayxanber II, Super Raiden, Image Fight II, and Download II.

I just looked these up. They are all CD-ROM games, is this some kind of cruel joke? I have a TG16 man!

You don't find pce titles a whole lot on neo-geo.com, but it does pop up some. There are 2 or 3 sellers with sales threads on the front page of "everything else" with pce titles. PCEFX is kind of slow, but keep your eyes open and you can get unbeatable deals. I do feel your pain, I'm looking for US TG16 games that are cheap and there aren't a whole lot out there right this second.

Well it's not like I have lots of money to blow on PCE games (again, I don't, seriously), so it doesn't bother me much if nothing is available.

I don't know about Neutopia, but more often than not hucard games are action oriented, so lack of Japanese knowledge is no problem whatsoever. Like a Neo Geo in Japanese region, and ending may be in Japanese but menus and stuff are usually English. I usually try Japanese versions in an emulator before buying. I loved buying the japanese Air Zonk for $15 shipped in excellent shape instead of the $40 or so the us version is worth!

It's just I've seen screenshots of otherwise textless games that had Japanese dialog or messages in them (like Neutopia). I was concerned this would make those sorts of games harder.

[BlueBMW]

Many games have minimal text. In fact, a lot of games have english text in them. The one I'm sending you has some Japanese text in the menus, but you'll figure it out easily.

Here are some of my favorite PC Engine hucard games that have little to no text in them:

Image Fight (Shooter)
Volfied (kind of like Qix if you ever played that)
Bomberman, BM 93, BM 94 (its bomberman!)
Battle Lode Runner (bomberman but different!)
Final Soldier (shooter)
Final Blaster (shooter)
Soldier Blade (shooter)
Super Star Soldier (shooter)
Out Run (racing) - agreed to be inferior to the Gen / MD version, but still enjoyable
Override (shooter)
Parodius Da (awesome shooter)
Don Doko Don (bubble bobble clone)
Parasol Stars (bubble bobble 3)
Download (shooter)
Street Fighter 2 (fighter)

Those are just games that I actually have that I think are pretty good and are playable no problem without Japanese knowledge. Can you tell I like shooters?

[Curryman123]

Sorry dude, I thought you had a CD attachment.

Well than, check out Gradius and Salamander.

[GohanX]

I got the jacks for the AV mod, and I should receive my Turbografx tomorrow. I've got a question for the experienced modders... I'm kind of embarrassed to ask this, but I haven't yet figured out a good technique for drilling the holes perfectly straight for the AV jacks, although I can get really close. One hole is always just a hair higher than the rest. Anyone have some pointers?

[Guntz]

I'm pretty sure this is what everyone else does:

- Grab some masking tape, a pen/sharpie and a ruler.
- Use the ruler to make a centered line where you want the jacks to go. Use your head.
- Find some way to drill small guide holes first. Believe it or not, I used a phillips screwdriver for this.
- Drill the final holes with your dremel tool. I seem to be stuck with cone shaped bits, but they aren't too bad. If you are using these, you'll have to clean up the hole from the other side of the plastic in order to make the hole relatively even.

@BlueBMW and Curryman:

Thanks for the game recommendations! I'll go through em and see what would suit my fancy. I should really get Dungeon Explorer, Neutopia and Bomberman though. Is it worth buying a PCE game even if it has a TG16 release?

[xelement5x]

Is it worth buying a PCE game even if it has a TG16 release?

I believe the reverse it totally true. Maybe about 6-8 years ago Turbo stuff was cheap, but at this point it's going through a real high point. I'd much rather buy PCE versions since they are normally
1) Cheaper
2) Uncensored
3) Come with better case art

Many of the games that are great for the system don't really have a need for text, or can easily be enjoyed without any English translation. There are a few that you'd definitely want in English (many have been mentioned in this thread), but they're not the majority of good titles. Plus, most of the PCE stuff I get seems to be in much better condition that it's respective US version.

[tomaitheous]

Guntz: Bloody Wolf is one you should pick up. It's a run'n'gun top down (ala rambo) arcade game. Actually, it's much-much improved over the original arcade version. It's an early release title, so graphics have the late 80's gritty arcade feel to them (I personally like that look). The game does have some serious slow down at times, which can be annoying, but the game as a whole is just serious fun. Actually, it doesn't take itself so serious. If you go with the cheaper PCE version, you'll miss out on some funny dialog that adds to the atmosphere. Your choice. But either way, pick it up

[Guntz]

I believe the reverse it totally true. Maybe about 6-8 years ago Turbo stuff was cheap, but at this point it's going through a real high point. I'd much rather buy PCE versions since they are normally
1) Cheaper
2) Uncensored
3) Come with better case art

Many of the games that are great for the system don't really have a need for text, or can easily be enjoyed without any English translation. There are a few that you'd definitely want in English (many have been mentioned in this thread), but they're not the majority of good titles. Plus, most of the PCE stuff I get seems to be in much better condition that it's respective US version.

I'm still not going to share the opinion that Japanese region items are automatically better. But for cheaper prices I'll salute our superior Japanese leaders. I really don't have a problem if something is censored or has horrible packaging art. Now if the game is expensive and broken, then I'll have a problem.

Guntz: Bloody Wolf is one you should pick up. It's a run'n'gun top down (ala rambo) arcade game. Actually, it's much-much improved over the original arcade version. It's an early release title, so graphics have the late 80's gritty arcade feel to them (I personally like that look). The game does have some serious slow down at times, which can be annoying, but the game as a whole is just serious fun. Actually, it doesn't take itself so serious. If you go with the cheaper PCE version, you'll miss out on some funny dialog that adds to the atmosphere. Your choice. But either way, pick it up

Ah yes, I recall hearing of Bloody Wolf. Does it support two players? How much harder to find and expensive is the US version over the Japan release?


Oh yeah, I have a question for the PCE fans here. What are your opinions on card only collecting? I'm wondering if I should just go this route. For multiple reasons:

- I'd assume the packaging would entirely be in Japanese, so no reading fun for me.
- Those cases are gonna break overtime, all things considered, and have a painfully small stash of replacement jewel cases (not the slim variety).
- If PCE/TG16 games fit inside one of those card holder books (or whatever they're called), that would make storage extremely easy.