PC Engine/Turbografx Beginner Tips

LegoSlug

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Hey all,

Kinda interested in trying out Turbografx and/or PC Engine games. Seems like all the good hardware is JP region, and games are region locked.

That said seems like most games are arcade style so language might be irrelevant.

Are there any good text heavy games worth having in English?

From your experience, which system would be best for a newcomer? I would be okay missing out on the CD rom games for now, just wanna get my feet wet.

THANKS!
 

Jibbajaba

Ralfredacc's Worst Nightmare
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Duo-R, Turbo Everdrive. Done.

This is really the best option, OP. Get a Turbo Everdrive and you can play all HuCards regardless of region. And the Duo-R will play all CD games except Arcade Card CDs. There are a LOT of good CD games so you don't want to miss out.
 

LegoSlug

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This is really the best option, OP. Get a Turbo Everdrive and you can play all HuCards regardless of region. And the Duo-R will play all CD games except Arcade Card CDs. There are a LOT of good CD games so you don't want to miss out.

Turbo Everdrive seems like the way to go, considering some game prices. Do you guys have any experience with the scart devices that plug into the rear of units? Seems they only work with non Duo systems.

I will be on the lookout for a Duo from the sound of it thus far though. I was hoping to pick up a card only system to start... We'll see what pops up on the 'bay.
 

Jibbajaba

Ralfredacc's Worst Nightmare
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My Duo-R is RGB modded, so no. Those external devices should work just fine. I used to tap the RGB signals from my old TG16 from the rear expansion port and then run them to a breadboard than had an amp set up on it. Ghetto as hell, but it worked just fine.
 

whisper2053

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This is really the best option, OP. Get a Turbo Everdrive and you can play all HuCards regardless of region. And the Duo-R will play all CD games except Arcade Card CDs. There are a LOT of good CD games so you don't want to miss out.

Can't really fault this advice. Everything here is absolutely correct.
 

shadowkn55

Genbu's Turtle Keeper
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Hey all,

Kinda interested in trying out Turbografx and/or PC Engine games. Seems like all the good hardware is JP region, and games are region locked.

That said seems like most games are arcade style so language might be irrelevant.

Are there any good text heavy games worth having in English?

From your experience, which system would be best for a newcomer? I would be okay missing out on the CD rom games for now, just wanna get my feet wet.

THANKS!

I think your best bet for this platform is to get Darkwing Duck and use it as the benchmark in which you can falsely judge the quality of the entire library.
 

pulstar

Mickey's Coach
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I think your best bet for this platform is to get Darkwing Duck and use it as the benchmark in which you can falsely judge the quality of the entire library.

This is good advice...:keke:
 

GohanX

Horrible Goose
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I will be on the lookout for a Duo from the sound of it thus far though. I was hoping to pick up a card only system to start... We'll see what pops up on the 'bay.

Having a lone PC Engine is cool and all, but the thing with starting out with just a PCE is you are eventually going to want the CD upgrade. Breifcase CD units are terribly unreliable, and the super CD rom attachment usually costs more than a Duo does. Meanwhile a Duo-R is rock solid and can play everything but Supergrafx and Arcade Card games.

FWIW I go against my own advice, I have two briefcases and a US TG16 CD setup. They were expensive as fuck and I have two because of the reliability.
 

LegoSlug

Over Top Auto Mechanic
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Having a lone PC Engine is cool and all, but the thing with starting out with just a PCE is you are eventually going to want the CD upgrade. Breifcase CD units are terribly unreliable, and the super CD rom attachment usually costs more than a Duo does. Meanwhile a Duo-R is rock solid and can play everything but Supergrafx and Arcade Card games.

FWIW I go against my own advice, I have two briefcases and a US TG16 CD setup. They were expensive as fuck and I have two because of the reliability.

Sounds like Duo is the way to go. Will only pick up a lone unit if I get a sweet deal or some nice games bundled.
 

Neorebel

Viewpoint Vigilante
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I personally went with a Japanese Core unit with a Super CD-Rom2 add-on. I have a bunch of shooters for the system mostly - of course language is not an issue.
 

Atro

Who?,
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Duo's and Duo-R's are different beasts.
The later one has better reliability that the first Duo's.
I kinda like the looks of the first Duo better, but they feel kinda cheap.

If there's no CD based add-on for you, then go for one of the two Core models.
The white one is a bit more complicated to RGB mod.
 

pulstar

Mickey's Coach
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Listen to everybody on here and get a Duo-R. If you go for HuCard only you'll only regret it and search out a CD unit anyway.

The white one is a bit more complicated to RGB mod.

Why? It's the same process but you just need to remove the RF unit instead of the DIN socket. More hassle maybe, I wouldn't say it was any more complicated.
 

Atro

Who?,
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Listen to everybody on here and get a Duo-R. If you go for HuCard only you'll only regret it and search out a CD unit anyway.



Why? It's the same process but you just need to remove the RF unit instead of the DIN socket. More hassle maybe, I wouldn't say it was any more complicated.

Your words are my words. By other words :cool:

It's just easier to stick a DIN8 inside a Core than on a white PCE.
Less hassle I'd say!
 

julencin2000

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I started with a ifu30 case and a whitey; no cd attachment because I wanted to go on the cheap first.
 

xsq

Thou Shalt Not, Question Rot.,
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so the black Duos are less reliable? That's a shame...
 

pulstar

Mickey's Coach
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so the black Duos are less reliable? That's a shame...

If they've been recapped they should be as good as a Duo-R as long as good quality capacitors were used.
 

Mercuttio

Edo Express Delivery Guy
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so the black Duos are less reliable? That's a shame...

The capacitors leak. The thing basically self destructs; I've seen ones where the board is badly damaged from leaky caps. I'd also say that the Duo R has much better composite output than the regular Duo, but that might just be me.
 

xsq

Thou Shalt Not, Question Rot.,
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Thats good info. I will open them up and check the caps when I get one.
Indeed... The black Duos seem to go for less and look better to me. I really need to save up and enter the PCE world.
 

Mercuttio

Edo Express Delivery Guy
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Thats good info. I will open them up and check the caps when I get one.

It may not be apparent that they are leaking until you take them off, unfortunately. There's a little black piece of plastic under them that can conceal it. Really if you get a regular Duo that isn't capped already, you should just send it off or recap it right away to avoid possible damage.
 
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