Very cool.

I like that the problem with it was that the wireless controllers were too good - you could end up affecting your neighbours' games, and vice versa.

So, by popular demand (i.e., retro king said I should in the Retro thread), here's a selection of pictures of the PC Engine and its variants.

Basically because the latest issue of Retro Gamer featured the machine, and credits it with kick-starting the import scene in the UK, and I started digging around on the internet. Turns out the PCE has a ton of official variants, possibly beating the Mega Drive to "most iterated upon" in the hardware races. Makes the 3DS family look svelt and minimalist.

Anywho, here we go.

PC Engine
The OG.

This is the first PCE, only officially released in Japan. It didn't get official releases outside Japan, but did rather well in the land of the rising sun, becoming the main rival to the Famicom.

At roughly the same size as a NES cart, Wikipedia claims this is the smallest major home console. But I'd wager that the PS Vita TV is smaller. Still, very wee.

This is the Turbografx-16, which was only released in America.

Fun fact: Kanye West's eighth album is reportedly going to be called Turbografx-16, because why not.

The Super Grafx (Jap), which can be thought of as v1.5, added improved internals.

Definitely a curio rather than a sin, as this is freaking hideous.

Released along side the Super Grafx, the Core Grafx is exactly the same as the OG, but in a redesigned box.


And if you're going to redesign a console, why not redesign it again? Here's the Core Grafx II.

Alright, fine, it's not really a redesign, just a different colour. But NEC called it the II, so shut up.

Third time's the charm; the PC Engine Shuttle is a budget version of the OG, designed to appeal to kids.


Getting into the weirder stuff now, this is the first attempt at a portable version, the PC Engine LT (for "laptop").

It's not actually as big as something you'd normally call a laptop, thankfully.

Ah, there we go. Much better. The PC Engine GT (which I'm sure a friend had at school), known as the Turbo Express in the US.


If the PC Engine is a Famicom, this is the Super Famicom. The PC-FX did much worse than it's forebear, and was discontinued after four years. (The last official PC Engine game was released 11 years after the console.)

The PC-FX was intended to compete with the PlayStation, but lacked any real 3D capability.
Two factoid thingies: The PC-FX has a high ratio of "adult" games, and frequently appears in anime. PRESENTED WITHOUT COMMENT.

PC Engine CD-ROM2

No, there wasn't a first one. I just can't figure out how to do a superscript 2 on my computer. Note: it's not pronounced "CD ROM two" or "CD ROM squared", NEC insist the unit is the "CD ROM ROM". Righto.

CD-ROM2 (attached to a Core II console)

Fun fact time! This add-on makes the PC Engine the first console to use CDs as the storage medium, and was released way back in 1988. Kinda ruins the tiny nature of the PC Engine, though. Though you did require a bit of gubbins to attach the two units, the PC Engine was always planned by NEC to have a CD-ROM add-on. The bar at the back actually combines the two power supplies, so you only need one wall plug to power the combined machines. Something SEGA should have taken note of when making the MegaCD, I reckon.

Turbo-Grafx CD (the US one)

Oh my. And I thought the CD-ROM2 was ugly. Launched at an incredible $399 with no pack-in games.

Super CD-ROM2

This is an upgraded version of the CD-ROM2. You could add the same functionality to your original CD-ROM2 unit by getting an upgraded card to sit in the HuCard ("cartridge") slot of your PCE. Unlike the original CD unit, you didn't need an additional bit of hardware to connect the two machines together. But it does rather look like the add-on is eating the host hardware.

If you were wondering, yes, you can connect your Super Grafx to your Super CD-ROM2.
[img]https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0560/9965/products/33196322_1024x1024.png?v=1429129066 I can hear it, pathetically mewling "kill me... kiiiill meeeee".All-in-ones
As with other consoles with CD add-ons, a combined unit wasn't far behind. Cementing the PC Engine's place at the top of the "how many versions?" list, there are several.

PC Engine Duo

Positively gorgeous, at least compared to the Super combo above.

Turbo Grafx Duo (the US version)


PC Engine Duo R

The first tweak

PC Engine Duo RX

The second tweak

Oddities

Arcade Card

Only released in Japan, this is another card to sit in the HuCard slot, which upgraded the PCE further, and allowed your CD-ROM2 drive to play Arcade CD-ROM2 titles.

PC-KD863G

Snappily named, this one. As was the vogue in the 90s, it's basically a TV with a PC Engine built into it.

X1-Twin

A unit that could run Sharp X1 computer and PC Engine software. Bit of a con though, as it was really just two sets of hardware in one box.

Laser-Active LD-ROM2

Pioneer, with NEC's permission, released a range of PCE add-ons for their Laser Disc-based systems. The PAC-N1 let you play HuCard games; this one let you play PC Engine games released on Laser Disc. A good one for collectors looking for something different, and only 11 LD-ROM2 titles were released.

Vistar 16

I think it was in this thread that I talked about South Korean versions of consoles being released under license to circumvent the now-defunct "no Japanese companies" law, and this is NEC's law-dodging licensed hardware.


So, in Japan alone (Retro Gamer points out), there were 12 different pieces of hardware that could play HuCard software: PC Engine, PC Engine Shuttle, Super Grafx, Core Grafx, Core Grafx II, PC Engine GT, PC Engine LT, PC Engine Duo, PC Engine Duo R, Sharp X1 Twin, PC-KD863G, and the PAC-N1 for the Pioneer LaserActive. I think this means we can claim 13, as surely we can count the Duo RX, too?

They all look shit apart from the original which is lovely.

Star Parodier is a cute shmup on PCE - one of the ships is a cutified original PCE. One of the best things ever released on Wii VC.

.

davyK wrote:

They all look shit apart from the original which is lovely. Star Parodier is a cute shmup on PCE - one of the ships is a cutified original PCE. One of the best things ever released on Wii VC. .

I'd agree until about 5 years ago I was shown a super grvfx in the flesh. Its quite a lovely if odd design. Not too big and the designs at the side look much better when you actually see it.

Ditto

I had an original white Jap PCE. Great little machine.

davyK wrote:

They all look shit apart from the original which is lovely.

I dunno, I quite like the Duo systems. They're pretty sleek. The real nadir of the lot is the Super CD-ROM2 attached to a Super Grafx. Good lord. Monstrous to look at, and I bet you it doesn't fit into any entertainment set up.

Eric wrote:

Great post Swirl, enjoyed reading through that.

mk64 wrote:

Ditto

retroking1981 wrote:

Good effort swirl

RedDave2 wrote:

Nostalgia spooge! Thanks @blueswirl

Ta fellas. I'm pretty happy that the pictures haven't shat themselves yet.

The Turbo Grafx Duo was the one I came closest to buying, they're about a reliable as a release day 360 though.

Most reliable is surely any cart based system excluding the NES, who's faults are well documented.

Yep.

That's a beaut.

I'd love to see a new console right now. Samsung are in a good position to try one, or maybe Panasonic again. Another PlayStation, with lots of new teams making games for it with UE4.

Yeah, let's have another. Bit lighter on price.

Or something that is to now what the A500 was to then. It's not the power I'm after (PCs can do the power), it's that high-end support of old that blows everything else out of the tech water once or twice a year. The 3dfx into GeForce days were the last time when games were chasing tech hard.

We're in the position now where top PCs are too good for the best games, but those games can't be optimised for those PCs because so few can afford or justify them. It's a culture of mid-range PCs being a ton more sensible, so the tech-ceiling takes a few more years to reach the vast majority of gamers, and that allows consoles to downspec at no cost to their sales.

I've hardly any money, but I'd still like to see a bigger high-end PC market for its trickledown effect on console hardware. I'd be all over the X were it a joint venture with Sony, so that I could ditch my PS4. I'm just not into Microsoft's games enough to give up Uncharted 4 and WipEout Omega.

I'd like to save up for and own a beast of a console that everyone else has. The split userbase between Piss and Bone is more annoying by the generation.

Atari are back if that counts.

I'm kind of looking at a pc engine at the moment. Could be fun but connecting to a tv might be an arse.

mistercrayon wrote:

Atari are back if that counts.

I'm kind of looking at a pc engine at the moment. Could be fun but connecting to a tv might be an arse.

It really is unfortunately, we spoke about the PC Engine a page or so back.

Your better off getting a Pi.

Just noticed the wee joy stick on it. D'aww. Is that the mouse input? 1984 would be too early for wide spread GUI implementation, though.