The comments you made about your memory of playing Galaga '90 with your absent father were the most endearing personal thing I've heard you reveal. Thank you for sharing that; you are a very genuine person I respect.
My dad was someone who got like 10x better when drunk or high. He was intense normally and turned in to a 10 year old on something. It's weird...but I didn't mess with drugs or alcohol mostly because of my folks.
Mine to I had a TG 16 as a kid only had like 4 games Bonk Splatterhouse Alien Crush and Devil Crush liked them all also enjoy Blazing lasers Super Star Soldier Lords of Thunder Air Zonk
Words cannot describe how much I loved the 3 games I had for the Turbographix16. Splatterhouse , Legendary Axe and Ninja Spirits. Splatterhouse is the reason I still love horror games to this day and Legendary Axe has music that helped me through rough times of my own ! I can see the passion in your videos SLX ! It is much appreciated by old gamers like me. (I'm 47). Keep up the great work !
Those are such awesome games and I to love them so much that I still go back and play. We had Bloody Wolf and Dungeon Explorer as well which I love just as much, something about the sound and vibrant graphics that keeps me coming back
I also was the only one that had a turbo graphx on my block I convinced one other guy to get it but he returned it to get a Genesis sadly😢... I loved all the bonk adventure games even air zonk was a pretty cool shootem up. My kid is really good at super smash Brothers he even plays in tournaments a few years back Nintendo wanted suggestions on future smash characters and I convinced my son to vote for bonk sadly It never came to be.
I remember playing the first Bonk for the first time AND last time back in 1990 at my local mall. TGFX was being displayed in this stores main showcase with Keith Courage 'samurai style' hacking up enemies on a small CRT, the console, controller and accessories were on full display rocking that iconic Orange & Yellow accents, AND they had a Kiosk with Bonk. Like most of us back then, I was coming from NES, so the bump up with the TGFX visuals, larger sprites and the amount of colours hitting the screen really took me by surprise. :O I haven't played or seen a TGFX game since then. None of my friends or their friends, or anybody at school that I knew had one. I'm now nearly 40 and i still haven't touched it since. :P Time to hop on eBay and change that!
I just wanted to tell you that I love your content. I go back-and-forth with my video game obsession and every time I am back in it, I come to RUclips to watch your videos. Keep it up bro! Love the arcade treasures videos as well
I remember seeing the TG16 at Electronics Boutique for $59 in the early-mid 90s. I’ve wanted one ever since. I got into TG16 emulation around 5 years ago and fell in love with its library. For a while there I only played it’s library of games. I finally bought a PC-Engine mini a couple months ago and it’s like a life long dream finally coming true. I love that little system so much that I’m about to pull the trigger and buy the real console too.
i really appreciated the anecdote about your father. i frequently play videogames with my 6 year old daughter, and we have so much fun. after her daily shower, she always runs to me and asks to play bubble bobble, street fighter, etc.. before bedtime. i have the complete mame library of games, so we've been slowly going thru the entire list and sometimes find some really weird/fun games! it's such a uniquely lovely experience that even mom doesn't get - so it's a great way for us to bond. when we find a rare hidden gem, we both get this feeling of discovery, and we know very few people are experiencing these games nowadays. anyway, i hope she will keep these memories, and think on them fondly when she gets older.
Sad to hear about your hard childhood but glad you open your heart to us. Thanks for all your time and dedications put in create all the great content of your channel. Cheers from Argentine.
Japan is no longer shipping to the US so my T-16 sits at the post office in Tokyo. In the mean time I am pulling from these lists since Ive never owned one of these before. Great video.
I bought my boxed pc engine duo r from Japan some weeks ago and so lucky I got mine few days back. It must've been out of the country just in time. Still waiting for my rondo of blood though 🤐
Id just cancel it, and wait toxcyn, as i hear theres quite a bit of input lag with the games. Dont get me wrong, it has a great user interface, but id just wait for the modding community to start selling it on etsy, or on e bay. They ll correct the weak points of the system, and you ll end up getting every game made in both japan, and america. Along with the cd games, which I have through emulation myself
Just want to mention that your anecdote about your dad hit home hard and is really emblematic of how "youtube content" is it's own art with it's own language separate from "film content" or "tv content" and that over months of watching almost daily you are absolutely my favorite "youtube content" artist. Also, great taste in games.
My day was a vile drunk too. One of my few good memories of him was him giving me quarters for Galaga'88 at the bar. I also know your pain and your joy, as little as it was at times. Good luck and Godspeed fellow gamer.
I like how during that era the graphical styles and audio differences of gaming consoles were distinct from each other. Every system has it's unique identity. Kickass top 10, SLX!
Devil's Crush will always have a special place in my heart. It was the first turbo graphic 16 game I ever played back in 1990. I played that game for hours. Personally I think the title song for devils crush is the best intro song in gaming history.
When I was a kid my family bought me a Turbo-Duo and a huge load of games from a flea market towards the end of the SNES' life. I agree with your list for the most part, nit picking aside, the only real issue I have with the system came in my college years. I lived in the international dorms due to a clerical error and my Japanese roommate's retro console of choice was his PC engine and the exclusives that the US did not get make me actually angry at the console. I feel the same way about the Saturn.
There were so many fantastic games in Japan that they never brought over to the US. Makes you wonder what could have been for this console, if they'd been a little smarter with their ports.
The first time I could truly indulge in TG16 goodness was courtesy of the Wii Virtual Console. Bonk 1 and Ys I & II transported me back to 1990 and blew me away with how it was obvious they were something extraordinary back then.
Thanks for the video with all the information on the system. I bought a base system back in the 90’s and a few games. Later in the 90’s when the company went out of business a local game store was selling base turbo graft systems for $5 and games for $1. I bought 4 used base systems and a lot of the games. NEC Technologies was 20 minutes from where I lived and I used to go there and play games before they were released in return for filling out a survey giving an opinion about the game I played. . One time they even gave me my favorite game for the system, Neutopia II. I still have the game factory sealed in the box. They also gave me some promotional material which consisted of 5 by 7 inch cards which had the artwork of the box of the game and a written description of the game. I still have these cards too. It is interesting to find out now that some of the games are worth over $100 now because I remember seeing those turbo graft game cards for $1 in used game bins at small game stores in the 90’s. Back then you could also buy a converter that attached to the Turbo Grafx that played PC Engine games. I bought a lot of those too for $1 back in the late 90’s at small game stores with used games...
Man I'm glad I was able to play some TG-16 when it came out - my friend had one and I was always fascinated by how "Japanese" everything looked ... it was my introduction to import gaming, basically! Great video love the channel, especially your personal reflections
I picked up a TG-16 on launch at Toys R Us, I skipped one of my college classes. Got Military Madness soon thereafter and the rest is history. My friends and I would get pizza, beer and have long Military Madness sessions. A great game! Bonk, Andre Panza Kickboxing, Davis cup tennis, Devil's and Alien Crush, Legendary Axe, so many gems. I've got the TG-16 mini now and can't wait to hack it, my launch TG16 will go into storage.
Splatterhouse #1, cant argue with that. The soundtrack that plays during the fight with the cross was spectacular. Atmosphere, simple but challenging mechanics to master.
What a list! I was very...we will say stupid during the TG-16's lifespan. I went with the Sega Genesis in 1989 and Snes in 1991. I honestly thought the TG-16 was subpar and man was I an absolute fool. I didn't really get to experience the TG-16 until I got the Core Grafx Mini and I'm still blown away by how amazing it is. I'm sorry about your dad man...I understand what its like. While my father has always been a constant good in my life my stepfather was a different story. He didn't really take to the bottle so much as he enjoyed hitting us (mother and I but never my sister). By the time I was 15/16 years old I began fighting back. We would have these boxing matches out in the front yard and I always gave as good as I got. Then there were the days when he was your best friend and would get me any game that I wanted or tennis shoes. Unfortunately, even during those times I was one small infraction from being punched in the head (like dropping the TV remote on the carpet). My mother finally left him when I offered to buy her a home (both my sister and I were out if the house) and teach her how to shoot a handgun. Which I did and he has been a distant memory for over 12 years now.
I like your lists better than anyone on RUclips! They really reflect the era of these consoles and how your life was back then. I chose the Genesis back then, later got a SNES by the time I had money for a TG16 the buzz for 32 bit systems were on the horizon. Now catching up on this very underrated console!
Tough console for a top 10, because there's just so much... I don't know about order, but I'll take a crack with my personal favorites. Gate of Thunder Keith Courage in Alpha Zones Gradius II Download Legendary Axe Legend of Xanadu II Final Soldier Ninja Spirit Final Lap Twin Davis Cup Tennis I don't care how people hate it; Keith Courage made a lasting impression on me when I first played it as a kid with its cheery overworld followed by its dark, fast-paced nova suit stages. Davis Cup Tennis is a game where my brother and I have a monster rivalry. Gradius II has the best music and stages in the series for my taste. Gate of Thunder is as polished of a horizontal shooter as anyone could ask for in life. Final Soldier is the ultimate refinement of the Star Soldier line for me. Final Lap Twin's RPG mode is tremendous, as is World Court Tennis, but Davis Cup is nearer to my heart. Legend of Xanadu II is in my opinion the greatest action RPG Falcom ever made. The Ys games are great, but they have some absurdly long dungeons. Darm Tower can suck an egg. Legendary Axe is like caveman Rastan to me, and as you mentioned, the sound is awesome. Ninja Spirit is just such a great platformer, and the fact that you can use your weapons to suit your style is awesome. Download is so much more than the engrish that defines it in most circles. Such an underrated shooter with more parralax than any HuCard should be able to pull off, cool secondary weapon system, and a neat cyberpunk story. So, yeah, long-winded response, I know, but a legit Turbo video deserves a legitimate response.
Hey, I played the RPG mode on Final Lap Twin so many times, lol. Beat it more than once because it was a pretty addicting game mode. I've only played a handful of TG-16 games back when they were released. Unfortunately, I only liked a few of them. I had spent most of my fun childhood with NES and Genesis games, that the TG-16 didn't leave as big of an impression on me as it could have. I was only able to play the TG-16 by burrowing it from a friend. Never owned one.
Street fighter 2 is in a league of its own. If you put nostalgia aside, which is difficult to do...no game is even in the same stratosphere. It’s not even worth debating.
@@rustymixer2886 well, when I made this comment and list a year ago, I included CD games because Sega Lord X also did in the video itself. If I were to pull the 3 CD games I included (Legend of Xanadu II, Gradius II, and Gate of Thunder), I'd probably add Super Star Soldier, Blazing Lazers, and Legendary Axe II off the top of my head.
Great video SLX, my favorite TG16 game was blazing lasers! That game was awesome everything about it was great. the sound effects, graphics, game play, music and presentation was top-notch. It even had good sounding voice with every weapon pick-up! Also loved Splatter 🏠 house.
I have dabbled in emulation over the years but have recently completely dived in, and your videos definitely inspired that in part. I knew next to nothing about the Turbo but I now am close to saying its my favorite system from the time. I grew up on SNES and Genesis, but the Turbo has a look that rocks my socks. They're all three such unique, fun systems and emulation is so damn fun.
*Ackshully* you could get Gate of Thunder seperately. You had to buy the Super CD System Card v3 and the 4-in-1 CD came packed with it. There was a cheaper option to get the card without the CD but that choice would be tragic, because then you'd be totally screwed. I never had any interest in a Duo since I could just get the Super System Card. The Duo was available slightly beforehand and a friend bought it so I knew Gate of Thunder was amazing. I was also amazed that the Turbo CD with the Super System Card loads just as fast as the Duo on Gate of Thunder.
I didn't know that. I never saw the System Cards sold at retail so all I knew was that it came packed with the my Duo. It was a great game to get free either way.
Playing Ys Books I&II on Wii Virtual Console years ago, the game floored me and absolutely blew my expectations out of the water in many ways. And many TG-16 games I experience continue to impress me with each new one I discover. I gotta say, discovering a whole new world of 16 bit gaming has been pretty darn magical
Never knew where to start with the TG16 library since I never even heard about its existence until the early 2000s. With my mini PC Engine on the way, this is a great list to get me started, thanks!
I never owned a Turbografx 16 as a kid but I just recently got the Mini special ordered from Amazon Japan. It is worth every penny. I'm sad several of the games on here didn't make it to that system. There are some awesome games on here for sure. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us and giving us some insight into your childhood. Keep up the great content Sega Lord X.
I’ll never forget opening my Duo as a kid and having it come with Ninja Spirit on a Hu-Card, Ys I&II, and Bonk’s Adventure, Bonk’s Revenge, and Gate of Thunder. Then you find out there’s a code for that disc that unlocks Bomberman?! Hours of entertainment.
SEGA lordX I am very sorry you had to endure a tough childhood and adolescence...please continue to post and I hope these videos are your outlet for a better outcome in life
This is a great US perspective of the TG16 experience. Usually the system is reviewed from the PC Engine/Japanese side. We're from the same era and had a similar experience it seems. Great list of games, I might add Ninja Spirit myself. This system was very personal to most people who owned it because it was so exclusive/non-mainstream as compared to Nintendo/Sega. The nostalgia is strong with TG16 US fans. Sold my original TG-CD and Duo systems in the early 2000s but have a TG16 and Everdrive now...
I first got a PC Engine about 10 years ago and was just blown away bij Blazing Lazers immediately. It fostered my love of shmups and has become one of my favorite systems. I'll take a crack at a top 10 in no particular order: Splatterhouse Blazing Lazers Soldier Blade Lords of Thunder Bomberman '94 Bonk's Revenge Ys Books 1 and 2 Ninja Spirit New Adventure Island Sol Moonarge
i miss the days of the unique characteristics and idiosyncrasies of different consoles - graphics and sounds were very different from one console to another
At least the Switch is kinda like that. Because you're not gonna find Mario and zelda games anywhere else. And the kind of games like Luigi's mansion, it's got a certain style to it that's unique to Nintendo, it's kinda hard to explain. The xboxes and PlayStations all kinda blend into one another and for the most part have the exact same games, and the exclusives they do have are just the usual fare you always get, like cool the xbox has Halo, but it's still just a futuristic FPS, and there's tons of those. In a weird way the closest thing to the Switch is the PC, because both are the dual kings of indie games.
Yes, with older systems you sometimes just need to watch a screenshot of a game and you immediately know what console it runs on. Different colors, sprites and so on.
MultiTarded and that sega genesis sound chip 🤤 i was more of a SNES person cuz I had one and not a genesis but I loved the music/sound from the genesis
I appreciate the personal touch to a top 10 list. These kind are more enjoyable than just seeing a generic top ten that has all the same games on it. Also as a kid I always wanted to get my hands on a Turbografx, it just looked cool. Great job.
Eric Young Agreed. This list was great and clearly his personal picks - not some generic list. I also lusted after the TG 16 when I was a kid. AND the Neo Geo AES. It wasn’t until my early 20s that I was able to actually get the systems. Play them daily ever since
If Bonk wasn't enough to reel me in, Splatterhouse, AirZonk, and that stellar Street Fighter 2 port really had me wanting one of these, but my family wasn't made of money, so I had to pick very carefully. I took a big risk when choosing the Lynx as my handheld, and I was glad I went for the less popular option, because it had some truly unique games! I teased you in my original comments, but man, you've broken through to me quickly, and your videos helped me through one of the hardest winters I've had in my life. Thank you, sincerely!
I lived buy toys r us I always wanted a Turbografx Christmas 93 it was the end of the life of the console they were selling them for 20$ I couldn't belive it the games were still normal prices bonk was still 50.00.
i owned a tg-16 and later a duo so i played the shit out of Hudson's/NEC's system. my top 10: 10. Ninja Spirit 9. Cosmic Fantasy 2 8. Dungeon Explorer 7. Ys Book 1 and 2 6. Veigus Tactical Gladiator 5. Gate of Thunder 4. Lords of Thunder 3. Soldier Blade 2. Super Star Soldier 1. Military Madness next 10: Air Zonk, Bonk's Adventure, Exile, Cadash, Devil's Crush, Final Lap Twin, Aero Blaster, Vasteel, Blazing Lazers and Bomberman 93.. can't wait to get my mini..tomorrow!
Damn, Veigues Tactical Gladiator is a hidden gem. Once you figure out how to play the game it is excellent. Another hidden gem for myself is Silent Debuggers.
If only I had known about that SUPER sweet Turbo Duo special they had going back in the day, where you got a whole plethora of pack in games with the system, as well as a whole ton of coupons to save you bunches of money on new game purchases. It was such an incredible value at the time and the included games were great. I would have jumped all over this deal had I even known about it as a kid. I think the going price of this package was either 200 or 300, can't remember which. Either way it was a killer deal.
Here‘s my personal list: 1) Son Son II 2) New Adventure Island 3) Adventure Island - Dragon‘s Curse 4) Castlevania Dracula X 5) Wonderboy III Monster Lair 6) Gradius II 7) Bonze Adventure 8) Gate of Thunder 9) Parasol Stars 10) Kyukyoku Tiger - Twin Cobra Honorable mentions: Jackie Chan, Neutopia II, Tatsujin, Terra Cresta II, Spriggan. The PC Engine is absolutely amazing and still so much fun :)
I've got a real soft spot for the TurboGrafx16 because of all the good associated memories, so picking up the new TGFX16 mini was a no-brainer. Splatterhouse is my favorite game for the system too, even if the ports weren't arcade perfect.
Most underrated console of this era. I was the only person, I knew, that had one in the 90s. It wasn’t till the twitch era that I saw others playing it. World court tennis, bonks revenge, and dungeon explorer were my favorites as a kid.
My grandma had it in the 90s (I'm assuming it was my uncles since he was still living at home at that time) and I remember Keith Courage because of transforming into a robot suit and some basketball game that was impossible. I don't think any of my friends had any idea what I was talking about when I tried to describe the console to them
Your number 1 on the list was the reason I almost bought a Turbo Grafx 16 instead of my SEGA. I saw Splatterhouse playing on a TV at Toys R Us and I almost bought it because of that game alone.
Excellent Review, In the old day I vividly remember the Hip around the TurBoGrafx16, With is amazing visual and Soundtrack, I never got around to play any of the Game, but I have catch up a great deal thanks to your Review. Thanks a bunch. I just love the way you Narrate, full of Passion and you really know how to Sell a Title, I really want to play some of these tiles now solely on the way you have describe them in this Video. Keep up the excellent work.
Every time I heard the music from a different game it brought back memories. I had the TurboGraphics, TurboDuo and TurboExpress and I had a library of about 30 games (HuCard and SuperCD) for the systems. NEC and HudsonSoft Had the right idea in building an ecosystem where you could play the HuCards on any system without having to buy the same game 3 times in different formats. I almost want to buy a non-working TG-16 and mod it with a Pi3 and the MagicEngine (it Supports all 3 regions as well as the SuperGrafx) and PC-FXEngine (Supports PCEngine-FX games) emulators.
I see the TG16 in the same light as the Saturn. Very arcade-like in graphics and library, with a limited sales in the west but much more success in Japan. I've grown to appreciate the Turbo; it's an obscure goldmine of classics, even if it doesn't have the mainstream appeal of other consoles
Like you I was a big Sega fan, I had every console that was sold in America; and also enjoyed a lot the Turbografx-16. Y's and Blazing Lasers were my favorite games. I lost my system when I left it at my girlfriend's home and she refused to give it back when we broke up, so I'm looking forward to getting the mini someday.
Great list, Sega Lord X! I dug hearing your takes on what made these games special to you. As an OG TG-16 user I'd add "Dragon's Curse", "Soldier Blade", "Adventure Island" -- man, so many gems to choose from!
I'm a new player to this console and really enjoying what it has to offer. Been emulating it on a hacked Vita. All is good, except for the CD games. I can't seem to get any of those running. Looks like I'll have to use my PC for Castlevania: RoB, Gate of Thunder, and others. Galaga '90 and Legendary Axe are already favorites of mine. Btw, I'm sorry about your dad. Alcohol is a real family destroyer. My granddad (my dad's dad) wasn't a great dude either, I heard. EDIT: Nevermind. Got the CD ones working on my Vita. Just needed the required BIOS files. Castlevania looks and sounds amazing!
Phenomenal list dude. Edit: I bought one of these in 90 or 91 mainly for Galaga 90/88. I was the only person I knew that had this system and what kills me is I never knew about all the games I was missing out on in Japan. Now that I’m a collector I kick myself all the time that I missed out on owning some of the great titles that are way too expensive to buy these days. Maybe someday, until then I’ll be quite happy with my TG16 mini and as soon as I can hack it and add a few more titles to it I’ll be a very happy boy. ;-)
Recently, I haven't really been into RUclips gamer content because I've seen so much of it and feel like it's all the same. But this channel is freakin awesome! I love learning about the Turbografx, Saturn and Master System because I didn't get much exposure to those consoles. Makes me realize how much I missed out on.
Loved Bonkers! Glad you had something to enjoy with your dad. Mine never really said more than two words to me. However I'm glad he wasn't a drunk. Sorry to hear that yours was.
I bought my first TG16 in 1990, but sold it a couple years later. I bought my PC Engine Duo-R in 2001 and have over 300 games. It's hard to narrow it down to just 10 favourites, but here goes: 10. Download 9. Ninja Spirit (ninjas on kites, man!) 8. Doraemon/Cratermaze 7. Xak III 6. Efera & Jiliora 5. Iga Ninden Gaoh 4. Mystic Formula 3. Cross Wiber 2. Bonk's Revenge 1. Shiryou Sensen: War of the Dead (finally beat it two years ago) Honourable mentions would go to Super Darius 2, Super Star Soldier, and the worst basketball game of all time: TV Sports Basketball (it's horrible but I love it).
This fact that some consoles sell fewer units does not make them inferior if turbograf had better marketing policies it'd be definitely a best seller, I'll play its games soon.
I just this month picked up an old PC Engine. I once as a kid played a friend's Turbo Express for maybe 10 minutes at his house, but other than that this was my first time playing a real PC Engine/TurboGrafx. It was my first time holding a real controller. I've played some games on emulators, but having the real thing gave me a sense of nostalgia for new 16 bit systems back in the 90s. Like the Saturn, I completely missed the Trubo when it was current, but in my adulthood have come back around to experience what I'd missed.
I was pleased to see Double Dragon 2 on your list. It’s a great, enhanced port of the NES version, and it plays better too. But I think most gamers of that era didn’t even know it existed because it never left Japan.
Growing up, I only knew a couple people who had this system but I loved playing it. I really liked Bonk's adventure too and eventually my friend gave me an emulator for rondo of blood but I see this system had a whole lot of underrated potential. Good review
I've always loved the TurboGrafx ever since it came out I never owned one but a neighbor I had growing up did own one. I remember the game double dungeons particularly appealing to me because you can play two players at once and it's blew my mind yeah it's a system like the Atari 7800 that never got to love it deserve to really shine and show what it could do the turbo graphics was kind of between generations almost not quite a full 16 bit but far more advanced than the 8 bits. I'm glad retro gamers now have an easier time finding ways to play the games on TurboGrafx because some of them are just amazing like blazing lasers and Nutopia. Another thing that blew my mind about the turbo back in the day was that the handheld and the home system used the same exact game cards it was like compatibility dreams! The turbo and the turbo Express for pretty darn expensive though back in the day and that's why I couldn't afford them there was a time I almost bought a turbo graphics when they did discontinued at toys r us and they had all the games real cheap I regret not doing so
Great video! Several of yours would be in my top 10- a few others in mine would be Bloody Wolf, Lords of Thunder, Alien/Devil’s Crush, Super Star Soldier/Soldier Blade, and my #1 would be Blazing Lazers. I was never a big fan of Splatterhouse, but Gate of Thunder and Rondo of Blood would probably be my #2 and 3 also. Keep it up with the great content!
My father always thought video games were a waste of time. He played them a little bit when we first got an Atari Video Pinball console in the mid 70s, but the appeal quickly wore off for him. I never had a Turbografx myself, but my friend did. I've also played a lot of the games via emulation. My favorites on the system would probably Alien Crush, Devil's Crush, Military Madness and Blazing Lazers. Yeah, all the common ones that a lot of people probably pick. Funny story: My friend beat The Legendary Axe, as well as several Nintendo games like Metroid. We both had Amigas and used to trade pirated games. I gave him a copy of the game Torvak: The Warrior, which has a lot of similarities to The Legendary Axe. He called me about half an hour after he got home, begging to know how to activate the cheat mode because the game was too hard for him. Not that I think it's an easy game, I just think it's funny that he beat console games, but needed a cheat to get through that game. :)
Funny, I was just looking for top 10 lists for best TurboGrafx 16 games to see what games I should look out for and they were almost nonexistent. Then my favorite Sega content creator uploads this
When I got my TF-16 Galaga 90 was the first game I bought....saved up a helluva lot of money to buy my system...I was like 14 and working at a produce plant🤘 EDIT: Where's Bloody Wolf? One of the best side scrolling shoot em ups on the system!
Good list. When I got back into retro gaming, several years back, it hit me that I never played any PCE/TG16. I knew a couple of people who had it, but it never worked out that I got to play the system. The first Bonk's Adventure was the first game I ever played on it. And I loved it straight away. I really like that and think it's a good pick. I ended up playing and enjoying the rest of the series, even onto the SNES. I prefer the card version of the third game. The PCE Double Dragon 2 is my favorite version of that game. Gate of Thunder is amazing. It's so well planned out too, as the abundance of parallax scrolling had to be done with clever line scrolling and sprites. And I love Rondo as well. Some other of my favorites on the system are Dragon Saber, Spriggan, Lords of Thunder, Soldier Blade, Dynasty Wars, and Mad Stalker. I'm probably forgetting a bunch of others, but those are the ones that come to mind right now. Those last two, Dynasty Wars and Mad Stalker are a matter of taste and may not be for everyone, but I have a lot of fun with those and both provide a nice bit of variety to the shooter-heavy library.
I still play Namco and Midway collections because of a similar relationship with my own father. Great list, I've seen so many at this point I greatly prefer a personal list to a "professional" one
I am actually beyond perplexed at the TG mini's lineup. There are some amazing games on it..however not including any of the Legendary Axe games is insanity. It's a nice little emulator from what I gather. It actually has a second usb slot for another controller..so at least they aren't making you buy the "turbo tap" again. Truth be told, I was a poor boy, and this was the first 16-bit system I owned. Also the last one my Dad ever had to buy for me. Though we did sit around and play a lot of Power Golf. I enjoyed this system immensely. Splatterhouse was a great pick. Not only the atmosphere, but the pacing was spot on. I won't spoil it for everyone...but that one boss...man. That got me emotionally twisted on the spot. I will say...that what people don't understand about the Turbo...is that it's really just a roided out 8-bit machine. Streetfighter 2 should not have looked or played that well. It was Sorcery of the highest order.
I'm sorry to hear about your Dad. This vid got real, and you got real brave by sharing that. Love all your content by the way.
3 years late to the party. Love your videos, came to say this ^^ as well.
The comments you made about your memory of playing Galaga '90 with your absent father were the most endearing personal thing I've heard you reveal. Thank you for sharing that; you are a very genuine person I respect.
"My dad was a mean drunk" wow that got dark.
Well, he's not ashamed to get personal in his videos which is bold. Hey, at least he had a dad that would get involved with him. I can't say the same.
But relevant, as he was relating how these were the games he loved for various reasons, this being one of them.
My dad was someone who got like 10x better when drunk or high. He was intense normally and turned in to a 10 year old on something. It's weird...but I didn't mess with drugs or alcohol mostly because of my folks.
Mine to I had a TG 16 as a kid only had like 4 games Bonk Splatterhouse Alien Crush and Devil Crush liked them all also enjoy Blazing lasers Super Star Soldier Lords of Thunder Air Zonk
MultiTarded sorry to hear man. That was a dark sidebar to this vid though I appreciate the candor.
Words cannot describe how much I loved the 3 games I had for the Turbographix16.
Splatterhouse , Legendary Axe and Ninja Spirits.
Splatterhouse is the reason I still love horror games to this day and Legendary Axe has music that helped me through rough times of my own !
I can see the passion in your videos SLX ! It is much appreciated by old gamers like me. (I'm 47). Keep up the great work !
Those are such awesome games and I to love them so much that I still go back and play. We had Bloody Wolf and Dungeon Explorer as well which I love just as much, something about the sound and vibrant graphics that keeps me coming back
Wow that was my library to lol. I was the only one I knew who beat legendary axe.
@@ThrowedGenjiyeah the turbo had the best color palette. More colors on the screen at once over genesis and nes.
*Bonk* is an AMAZING franchise. I'm old enough to remember when this system came out; sadly underrated gem!
I was the only person I knew that had a turbografx....I remember going into radio shack and playing splatterhouse.
@@bioboost12 I was the only one on my block to have it definitely enjoyed it
Did you pass it the whole game
I also was the only one that had a turbo graphx on my block I convinced one other guy to get it but he returned it to get a Genesis sadly😢... I loved all the bonk adventure games even air zonk was a pretty cool shootem up. My kid is really good at super smash Brothers he even plays in tournaments a few years back Nintendo wanted suggestions on future smash characters and I convinced my son to vote for bonk sadly It never came to be.
I remember playing the first Bonk for the first time AND last time back in 1990 at my local mall. TGFX was being displayed in this stores main showcase with Keith Courage 'samurai style' hacking up enemies on a small CRT, the console, controller and accessories were on full display rocking that iconic Orange & Yellow accents, AND they had a Kiosk with Bonk. Like most of us back then, I was coming from NES, so the bump up with the TGFX visuals, larger sprites and the amount of colours hitting the screen really took me by surprise. :O
I haven't played or seen a TGFX game since then. None of my friends or their friends, or anybody at school that I knew had one. I'm now nearly 40 and i still haven't touched it since. :P Time to hop on eBay and change that!
I just wanted to tell you that I love your content. I go back-and-forth with my video game obsession and every time I am back in it, I come to RUclips to watch your videos. Keep it up bro! Love the arcade treasures videos as well
I remember seeing the TG16 at Electronics Boutique for $59 in the early-mid 90s. I’ve wanted one ever since.
I got into TG16 emulation around 5 years ago and fell in love with its library. For a while there I only played it’s library of games.
I finally bought a PC-Engine mini a couple months ago and it’s like a life long dream finally coming true.
I love that little system so much that I’m about to pull the trigger and buy the real console too.
4:10 damn, sorry to hear that 😐 respect to you for keeping it real though appreciate it
i really appreciated the anecdote about your father. i frequently play videogames with my 6 year old daughter, and we have so much fun. after her daily shower, she always runs to me and asks to play bubble bobble, street fighter, etc.. before bedtime. i have the complete mame library of games, so we've been slowly going thru the entire list and sometimes find some really weird/fun games! it's such a uniquely lovely experience that even mom doesn't get - so it's a great way for us to bond. when we find a rare hidden gem, we both get this feeling of discovery, and we know very few people are experiencing these games nowadays. anyway, i hope she will keep these memories, and think on them fondly when she gets older.
4:10 was dark but appreciated surprise. Kinda broke the 4th wall there.
So it got too real?
@@DARS_04 kinda lol
Sad to hear about your hard childhood but glad you open your heart to us. Thanks for all your time and dedications put in create all the great content of your channel. Cheers from Argentine.
Japan is no longer shipping to the US so my T-16 sits at the post office in Tokyo. In the mean time I am pulling from these lists since Ive never owned one of these before. Great video.
That sucks man. Was it related to the stricter lockdown "suggestion" from Japanese gov?
@@FloridaEbikes dec 31st 2020 it is then
I bought my boxed pc engine duo r from Japan some weeks ago and so lucky I got mine few days back. It must've been out of the country just in time. Still waiting for my rondo of blood though 🤐
Id just cancel it, and wait toxcyn, as i hear theres quite a bit of input lag with the games. Dont get me wrong, it has a great user interface, but id just wait for the modding community to start selling it on etsy, or on e bay. They ll correct the weak points of the system, and you ll end up getting every game made in both japan, and america. Along with the cd games, which I have through emulation myself
@@FloridaEbikes except it's not the flu
Just want to mention that your anecdote about your dad hit home hard and is really emblematic of how "youtube content" is it's own art with it's own language separate from "film content" or "tv content" and that over months of watching almost daily you are absolutely my favorite "youtube content" artist. Also, great taste in games.
My day was a vile drunk too. One of my few good memories of him was him giving me quarters for Galaga'88 at the bar. I also know your pain and your joy, as little as it was at times.
Good luck and Godspeed fellow gamer.
I like how during that era the graphical styles and audio differences of gaming consoles were distinct from each other. Every system has it's unique identity. Kickass top 10, SLX!
Devil's Crush will always have a special place in my heart. It was the first turbo graphic 16 game I ever played back in 1990. I played that game for hours. Personally I think the title song for devils crush is the best intro song in gaming history.
When I was a kid my family bought me a Turbo-Duo and a huge load of games from a flea market towards the end of the SNES' life. I agree with your list for the most part, nit picking aside, the only real issue I have with the system came in my college years.
I lived in the international dorms due to a clerical error and my Japanese roommate's retro console of choice was his PC engine and the exclusives that the US did not get make me actually angry at the console. I feel the same way about the Saturn.
There were so many fantastic games in Japan that they never brought over to the US. Makes you wonder what could have been for this console, if they'd been a little smarter with their ports.
The first time I could truly indulge in TG16 goodness was courtesy of the Wii Virtual Console. Bonk 1 and Ys I & II transported me back to 1990 and blew me away with how it was obvious they were something extraordinary back then.
Thanks for the video with all the information on the system. I bought a base system back in the 90’s and a few games. Later in the 90’s when the company went out of business a local game store was selling base turbo graft systems for $5 and games for $1. I bought 4 used base systems and a lot of the games. NEC Technologies was 20 minutes from where I lived and I used to go there and play games before they were released in return for filling out a survey giving an opinion about the game I played. . One time they even gave me my favorite game for the system, Neutopia II. I still have the game factory sealed in the box. They also gave me some promotional material which consisted of 5 by 7 inch cards which had the artwork of the box of the game and a written description of the game. I still have these cards too. It is interesting to find out now that some of the games are worth over $100 now because I remember seeing those turbo graft game cards for $1 in used game bins at small game stores in the 90’s. Back then you could also buy a converter that attached to the Turbo Grafx that played PC Engine games. I bought a lot of those too for $1 back in the late 90’s at small game stores with used games...
Man I'm glad I was able to play some TG-16 when it came out - my friend had one and I was always fascinated by how "Japanese" everything looked ... it was my introduction to import gaming, basically! Great video love the channel, especially your personal reflections
I picked up a TG-16 on launch at Toys R Us, I skipped one of my college classes. Got Military Madness soon thereafter and the rest is history. My friends and I would get pizza, beer and have long Military Madness sessions. A great game!
Bonk, Andre Panza Kickboxing, Davis cup tennis, Devil's and Alien Crush, Legendary Axe, so many gems. I've got the TG-16 mini now and can't wait to hack it, my launch TG16 will go into storage.
Today read for the first time that turbografx16 had actual an 8bit processor
Splatterhouse #1, cant argue with that. The soundtrack that plays during the fight with the cross was spectacular. Atmosphere, simple but challenging mechanics to master.
What a list! I was very...we will say stupid during the TG-16's lifespan. I went with the Sega Genesis in 1989 and Snes in 1991. I honestly thought the TG-16 was subpar and man was I an absolute fool. I didn't really get to experience the TG-16 until I got the Core Grafx Mini and I'm still blown away by how amazing it is.
I'm sorry about your dad man...I understand what its like. While my father has always been a constant good in my life my stepfather was a different story. He didn't really take to the bottle so much as he enjoyed hitting us (mother and I but never my sister). By the time I was 15/16 years old I began fighting back. We would have these boxing matches out in the front yard and I always gave as good as I got. Then there were the days when he was your best friend and would get me any game that I wanted or tennis shoes. Unfortunately, even during those times I was one small infraction from being punched in the head (like dropping the TV remote on the carpet). My mother finally left him when I offered to buy her a home (both my sister and I were out if the house) and teach her how to shoot a handgun. Which I did and he has been a distant memory for over 12 years now.
My father was a "substance" abuser too. Our game was boxing on the 2600. Glad you found at least something to look back on positively too my friend
not many people on youtube had the joy of growing up with the turbografx 16, thank you awesome job on the video!
were the different ones
I like your lists better than anyone on RUclips! They really reflect the era of these consoles and how your life was back then. I chose the Genesis back then, later got a SNES by the time I had money for a TG16 the buzz for 32 bit systems were on the horizon. Now catching up on this very underrated console!
Tough console for a top 10, because there's just so much... I don't know about order, but I'll take a crack with my personal favorites.
Gate of Thunder
Keith Courage in Alpha Zones
Gradius II
Download
Legendary Axe
Legend of Xanadu II
Final Soldier
Ninja Spirit
Final Lap Twin
Davis Cup Tennis
I don't care how people hate it; Keith Courage made a lasting impression on me when I first played it as a kid with its cheery overworld followed by its dark, fast-paced nova suit stages.
Davis Cup Tennis is a game where my brother and I have a monster rivalry.
Gradius II has the best music and stages in the series for my taste. Gate of Thunder is as polished of a horizontal shooter as anyone could ask for in life. Final Soldier is the ultimate refinement of the Star Soldier line for me.
Final Lap Twin's RPG mode is tremendous, as is World Court Tennis, but Davis Cup is nearer to my heart.
Legend of Xanadu II is in my opinion the greatest action RPG Falcom ever made. The Ys games are great, but they have some absurdly long dungeons. Darm Tower can suck an egg.
Legendary Axe is like caveman Rastan to me, and as you mentioned, the sound is awesome. Ninja Spirit is just such a great platformer, and the fact that you can use your weapons to suit your style is awesome.
Download is so much more than the engrish that defines it in most circles. Such an underrated shooter with more parralax than any HuCard should be able to pull off, cool secondary weapon system, and a neat cyberpunk story.
So, yeah, long-winded response, I know, but a legit Turbo video deserves a legitimate response.
Hey, I played the RPG mode on Final Lap Twin so many times, lol. Beat it more than once because it was a pretty addicting game mode.
I've only played a handful of TG-16 games back when they were released. Unfortunately, I only liked a few of them. I had spent most of my fun childhood with NES and Genesis games, that the TG-16 didn't leave as big of an impression on me as it could have. I was only able to play the TG-16 by burrowing it from a friend. Never owned one.
Street fighter 2 is in a league of its own. If you put nostalgia aside, which is difficult to do...no game is even in the same stratosphere. It’s not even worth debating.
How about no cd games
@@rustymixer2886 well, when I made this comment and list a year ago, I included CD games because Sega Lord X also did in the video itself. If I were to pull the 3 CD games I included (Legend of Xanadu II, Gradius II, and Gate of Thunder), I'd probably add Super Star Soldier, Blazing Lazers, and Legendary Axe II off the top of my head.
@@bananonymouslastname5693 sega lord x made a mistake by adding cd games in his tg16 list too...I commented
Great video SLX, my favorite TG16 game was blazing lasers! That game was awesome everything about it was great. the sound effects, graphics, game play, music and presentation was top-notch. It even had good sounding voice with every weapon pick-up! Also loved Splatter 🏠 house.
I have dabbled in emulation over the years but have recently completely dived in, and your videos definitely inspired that in part. I knew next to nothing about the Turbo but I now am close to saying its my favorite system from the time. I grew up on SNES and Genesis, but the Turbo has a look that rocks my socks. They're all three such unique, fun systems and emulation is so damn fun.
*Ackshully* you could get Gate of Thunder seperately. You had to buy the Super CD System Card v3 and the 4-in-1 CD came packed with it. There was a cheaper option to get the card without the CD but that choice would be tragic, because then you'd be totally screwed. I never had any interest in a Duo since I could just get the Super System Card. The Duo was available slightly beforehand and a friend bought it so I knew Gate of Thunder was amazing. I was also amazed that the Turbo CD with the Super System Card loads just as fast as the Duo on Gate of Thunder.
I didn't know that. I never saw the System Cards sold at retail so all I knew was that it came packed with the my Duo. It was a great game to get free either way.
My two favorite RUclips channels right here.
@@SegaLordX I believe it was mail-order only.
Playing Ys Books I&II on Wii Virtual Console years ago, the game floored me and absolutely blew my expectations out of the water in many ways. And many TG-16 games I experience continue to impress me with each new one I discover. I gotta say, discovering a whole new world of 16 bit gaming has been pretty darn magical
Never knew where to start with the TG16 library since I never even heard about its existence until the early 2000s. With my mini PC Engine on the way, this is a great list to get me started, thanks!
you order it from japan amazon?
@@videogamepolak0 yes. Cost me about 1.5x the price of an SNES classic in the end.
Sorry about the "mean drunk," but I also found 14:45 pretty deep too.
I never owned a Turbografx 16 as a kid but I just recently got the Mini special ordered from Amazon Japan. It is worth every penny. I'm sad several of the games on here didn't make it to that system. There are some awesome games on here for sure. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us and giving us some insight into your childhood. Keep up the great content Sega Lord X.
Always wanted a Turbo Express but was more than happy with the Game Gear.
You would have ruled the world with that turbo express, without a doubt.
@@Stephen_Eee Or he could have hidden sensitive video evidence in one (Enemy of the State. The gaming device was a PCEngine Express)
I’ll never forget opening my Duo as a kid and having it come with Ninja Spirit on a Hu-Card, Ys I&II, and Bonk’s Adventure, Bonk’s Revenge, and Gate of Thunder. Then you find out there’s a code for that disc that unlocks Bomberman?! Hours of entertainment.
SEGA lordX I am very sorry you had to endure a tough childhood and adolescence...please continue to post and I hope these videos are your outlet for a better outcome in life
Good video. I also always thought the TG-16 offered a cool unique experience different from Sega or Nintendo. I wish it had done better
This is a great US perspective of the TG16 experience. Usually the system is reviewed from the PC Engine/Japanese side. We're from the same era and had a similar experience it seems. Great list of games, I might add Ninja Spirit myself. This system was very personal to most people who owned it because it was so exclusive/non-mainstream as compared to Nintendo/Sega. The nostalgia is strong with TG16 US fans. Sold my original TG-CD and Duo systems in the early 2000s but have a TG16 and Everdrive now...
I first got a PC Engine about 10 years ago and was just blown away bij Blazing Lazers immediately. It fostered my love of shmups and has become one of my favorite systems. I'll take a crack at a top 10 in no particular order:
Splatterhouse
Blazing Lazers
Soldier Blade
Lords of Thunder
Bomberman '94
Bonk's Revenge
Ys Books 1 and 2
Ninja Spirit
New Adventure Island
Sol Moonarge
I didn’t have a TG-16 growing up but a friend of mine did. Legendary Axe wowed me right away with its music and sound effects. Great system.
i miss the days of the unique characteristics and idiosyncrasies of different consoles - graphics and sounds were very different from one console to another
At least the Switch is kinda like that. Because you're not gonna find Mario and zelda games anywhere else. And the kind of games like Luigi's mansion, it's got a certain style to it that's unique to Nintendo, it's kinda hard to explain. The xboxes and PlayStations all kinda blend into one another and for the most part have the exact same games, and the exclusives they do have are just the usual fare you always get, like cool the xbox has Halo, but it's still just a futuristic FPS, and there's tons of those. In a weird way the closest thing to the Switch is the PC, because both are the dual kings of indie games.
Yes, with older systems you sometimes just need to watch a screenshot of a game and you immediately know what console it runs on. Different colors, sprites and so on.
MultiTarded and that sega genesis sound chip 🤤 i was more of a SNES person cuz I had one and not a genesis but I loved the music/sound from the genesis
I appreciate the personal touch to a top 10 list. These kind are more enjoyable than just seeing a generic top ten that has all the same games on it. Also as a kid I always wanted to get my hands on a Turbografx, it just looked cool. Great job.
Eric Young Agreed. This list was great and clearly his personal picks - not some generic list. I also lusted after the TG 16 when I was a kid. AND the Neo Geo AES. It wasn’t until my early 20s that I was able to actually get the systems. Play them daily ever since
If Bonk wasn't enough to reel me in, Splatterhouse, AirZonk, and that stellar Street Fighter 2 port really had me wanting one of these, but my family wasn't made of money, so I had to pick very carefully. I took a big risk when choosing the Lynx as my handheld, and I was glad I went for the less popular option, because it had some truly unique games!
I teased you in my original comments, but man, you've broken through to me quickly, and your videos helped me through one of the hardest winters I've had in my life.
Thank you, sincerely!
Some of my favorite looking graphics of this era. I remember spending hours at Toys-R-Us just watching the demo.
Same
I lived buy toys r us I always wanted a Turbografx Christmas 93 it was the end of the life of the console they were selling them for 20$ I couldn't belive it the games were still normal prices bonk was still 50.00.
i owned a tg-16 and later a duo so i played the shit out of Hudson's/NEC's system. my top 10:
10. Ninja Spirit
9. Cosmic Fantasy 2
8. Dungeon Explorer
7. Ys Book 1 and 2
6. Veigus Tactical Gladiator
5. Gate of Thunder
4. Lords of Thunder
3. Soldier Blade
2. Super Star Soldier
1. Military Madness
next 10: Air Zonk, Bonk's Adventure, Exile, Cadash, Devil's Crush, Final Lap Twin, Aero Blaster, Vasteel, Blazing Lazers and Bomberman 93.. can't wait to get my mini..tomorrow!
Damn, Veigues Tactical Gladiator is a hidden gem. Once you figure out how to play the game it is excellent. Another hidden gem for myself is Silent Debuggers.
@@randybradley4151 sadly i passed on
Silent Debuggers because of its name lol. looks cool tho wish they included it on the mini.
If only I had known about that SUPER sweet Turbo Duo special they had going back in the day, where you got a whole plethora of pack in games with the system, as well as a whole ton of coupons to save you bunches of money on new game purchases.
It was such an incredible value at the time and the included games were great. I would have jumped all over this deal had I even known about it as a kid. I think the going price of this package was either 200 or 300, can't remember which. Either way it was a killer deal.
hard to disagree with this list! Love hearing your history with it about your dad. I had a similar situation myself. Keep up the great work!
My dad had this system and very rarely let us play it but man when he brought it out it was a special day
Thanks for getting up close and personal. It helps people (including me) to feel a bit more grounded in this world.
Such an underrated system. So many great games, especially in Japan. More people should give this system a chance.
Here‘s my personal list:
1) Son Son II
2) New Adventure Island
3) Adventure Island - Dragon‘s Curse
4) Castlevania Dracula X
5) Wonderboy III Monster Lair
6) Gradius II
7) Bonze Adventure
8) Gate of Thunder
9) Parasol Stars
10) Kyukyoku Tiger - Twin Cobra
Honorable mentions: Jackie Chan, Neutopia II, Tatsujin, Terra Cresta II, Spriggan.
The PC Engine is absolutely amazing and still so much fun :)
Turbo graphics 16 was a breath of fresh air and a welcome competitor to the genesis and snes.
I've got a real soft spot for the TurboGrafx16 because of all the good associated memories, so picking up the new TGFX16 mini was a no-brainer. Splatterhouse is my favorite game for the system too, even if the ports weren't arcade perfect.
Most underrated console of this era. I was the only person, I knew, that had one in the 90s. It wasn’t till the twitch era that I saw others playing it. World court tennis, bonks revenge, and dungeon explorer were my favorites as a kid.
My grandma had it in the 90s (I'm assuming it was my uncles since he was still living at home at that time) and I remember Keith Courage because of transforming into a robot suit and some basketball game that was impossible. I don't think any of my friends had any idea what I was talking about when I tried to describe the console to them
Outrun only an honorable mention! What kind of Sega Lord are you :)
It was a non Sega games list, but to be fair Afterburner, Thunder blade, and Space Harrier were better on the TG16, even Out Run was impressive!
Your number 1 on the list was the reason I almost bought a Turbo Grafx 16 instead of my SEGA. I saw Splatterhouse playing on a TV at Toys R Us and I almost bought it because of that game alone.
Excellent Review, In the old day I vividly remember the Hip around the TurBoGrafx16, With is amazing visual and Soundtrack, I never got around to play any of the Game, but I have catch up a great deal thanks to your Review. Thanks a bunch.
I just love the way you Narrate, full of Passion and you really know how to Sell a Title, I really want to play some of these tiles now solely on the way you have describe them in this Video.
Keep up the excellent work.
Every time I heard the music from a different game it brought back memories. I had the TurboGraphics, TurboDuo and TurboExpress and I had a library of about 30 games (HuCard and SuperCD) for the systems. NEC and HudsonSoft Had the right idea in building an ecosystem where you could play the HuCards on any system without having to buy the same game 3 times in different formats. I almost want to buy a non-working TG-16 and mod it with a Pi3 and the MagicEngine (it Supports all 3 regions as well as the SuperGrafx) and PC-FXEngine (Supports PCEngine-FX games) emulators.
I see the TG16 in the same light as the Saturn. Very arcade-like in graphics and library, with a limited sales in the west but much more success in Japan. I've grown to appreciate the Turbo; it's an obscure goldmine of classics, even if it doesn't have the mainstream appeal of other consoles
I love watching all of your videos! I trust your opinion I think I’ll pick up the turbo graphix mini soon!
Like you I was a big Sega fan, I had every console that was sold in America; and also enjoyed a lot the Turbografx-16. Y's and Blazing Lasers were my favorite games. I lost my system when I left it at my girlfriend's home and she refused to give it back when we broke up, so I'm looking forward to getting the mini someday.
Should’ve called the cops on her for theft.
@@kingstarscream320 Hehehe, all my fault. She didn't take it from me, I left it there. That's not theft. I did get the mini, great console!
@@jfermins Fair enough. All the best!
Great list, Sega Lord X! I dug hearing your takes on what made these games special to you. As an OG TG-16 user I'd add "Dragon's Curse", "Soldier Blade", "Adventure Island" -- man, so many gems to choose from!
I'm a new player to this console and really enjoying what it has to offer. Been emulating it on a hacked Vita. All is good, except for the CD games. I can't seem to get any of those running. Looks like I'll have to use my PC for Castlevania: RoB, Gate of Thunder, and others. Galaga '90 and Legendary Axe are already favorites of mine. Btw, I'm sorry about your dad. Alcohol is a real family destroyer. My granddad (my dad's dad) wasn't a great dude either, I heard.
EDIT: Nevermind. Got the CD ones working on my Vita. Just needed the required BIOS files. Castlevania looks and sounds amazing!
Phenomenal list dude. Edit: I bought one of these in 90 or 91 mainly for Galaga 90/88. I was the only person I knew that had this system and what kills me is I never knew about all the games I was missing out on in Japan. Now that I’m a collector I kick myself all the time that I missed out on owning some of the great titles that are way too expensive to buy these days. Maybe someday, until then I’ll be quite happy with my TG16 mini and as soon as I can hack it and add a few more titles to it I’ll be a very happy boy. ;-)
My brother and I had the TurboGrafx 16 in 1989 and it is an awesome games system 😄👍
How could nobody have bonks adventure on there top 10 list of turbografx 16 games it was definitely one of my favorites
From one Turbo fan to another, I can't disagree with your picks.
I played every one of these games back in the day. The video output of the turbografx16 is very bright crisp and clear.
Recently, I haven't really been into RUclips gamer content because I've seen so much of it and feel like it's all the same.
But this channel is freakin awesome! I love learning about the Turbografx, Saturn and Master System because I didn't get much exposure to those consoles. Makes me realize how much I missed out on.
Loved Bonkers! Glad you had something to enjoy with your dad. Mine never really said more than two words to me. However I'm glad he wasn't a drunk. Sorry to hear that yours was.
I bought my first TG16 in 1990, but sold it a couple years later. I bought my PC Engine Duo-R in 2001 and have over 300 games. It's hard to narrow it down to just 10 favourites, but here goes:
10. Download
9. Ninja Spirit (ninjas on kites, man!)
8. Doraemon/Cratermaze
7. Xak III
6. Efera & Jiliora
5. Iga Ninden Gaoh
4. Mystic Formula
3. Cross Wiber
2. Bonk's Revenge
1. Shiryou Sensen: War of the Dead (finally beat it two years ago)
Honourable mentions would go to Super Darius 2, Super Star Soldier, and the worst basketball game of all time: TV Sports Basketball (it's horrible but I love it).
I play my tg16 more than any other console. Its amazing. Love your videos man
This fact that some consoles sell fewer units does not make them inferior if turbograf had better marketing policies it'd be definitely a best seller, I'll play its games soon.
I just this month picked up an old PC Engine. I once as a kid played a friend's Turbo Express for maybe 10 minutes at his house, but other than that this was my first time playing a real PC Engine/TurboGrafx. It was my first time holding a real controller. I've played some games on emulators, but having the real thing gave me a sense of nostalgia for new 16 bit systems back in the 90s. Like the Saturn, I completely missed the Trubo when it was current, but in my adulthood have come back around to experience what I'd missed.
I was pleased to see Double Dragon 2 on your list. It’s a great, enhanced port of the NES version, and it plays better too. But I think most gamers of that era didn’t even know it existed because it never left Japan.
Growing up, I only knew a couple people who had this system but I loved playing it. I really liked Bonk's adventure too and eventually my friend gave me an emulator for rondo of blood but I see this system had a whole lot of underrated potential. Good review
Great review. I so regret giving it away to my friend in the mid 90's. Emulation is fine but I really miss physical copies. Keep up the great work!
Loved my TG-16! All of my friends had Nintendo or Sega, but they would always want to play on my console!😂
Surprised He Didn’t Mention Ninja Spirit! That Game to Me is One of The Most Beautiful 16 Bit Games I’ve Ever Seen! Also an Awesome Action Platformer!
That SFII CE port is money! An 8-bit console cranking out that level of quality without the CD add-on.
That Double Dragon II is one tough game! The A.I is too much with that jump kick from behind! Lol
Definitely an underrated system. I was a Genesis kid, but the TG16 was great! A shmup paradise!!
I've always loved the TurboGrafx ever since it came out I never owned one but a neighbor I had growing up did own one.
I remember the game double dungeons particularly appealing to me because you can play two players at once and it's blew my mind yeah it's a system like the Atari 7800 that never got to love it deserve to really shine and show what it could do the turbo graphics was kind of between generations almost not quite a full 16 bit but far more advanced than the 8 bits.
I'm glad retro gamers now have an easier time finding ways to play the games on TurboGrafx because some of them are just amazing like blazing lasers and Nutopia.
Another thing that blew my mind about the turbo back in the day was that the handheld and the home system used the same exact game cards it was like compatibility dreams!
The turbo and the turbo Express for pretty darn expensive though back in the day and that's why I couldn't afford them there was a time I almost bought a turbo graphics when they did discontinued at toys r us and they had all the games real cheap I regret not doing so
PC Engine and Saturn are the two most underrated consoles of all time.
Just ordered my first turboduo a few days ago. So far I have Bonk, R-Type 1 and 2, Legendary axe, super star soldier, and Castlevania: Rondo of blood.
Great video! Several of yours would be in my top 10- a few others in mine would be Bloody Wolf, Lords of Thunder, Alien/Devil’s Crush, Super Star Soldier/Soldier Blade, and my #1 would be Blazing Lazers. I was never a big fan of Splatterhouse, but Gate of Thunder and Rondo of Blood would probably be my #2 and 3 also.
Keep it up with the great content!
So psyched for this episode! The TG16/PC-Engine never gets enough respect imo...
Excellent Top 10 TG16 list! Miss my ole TG16 which I gave away back in 1993.
My father always thought video games were a waste of time. He played them a little bit when we first got an Atari Video Pinball console in the mid 70s, but the appeal quickly wore off for him.
I never had a Turbografx myself, but my friend did. I've also played a lot of the games via emulation. My favorites on the system would probably Alien Crush, Devil's Crush, Military Madness and Blazing Lazers. Yeah, all the common ones that a lot of people probably pick.
Funny story: My friend beat The Legendary Axe, as well as several Nintendo games like Metroid. We both had Amigas and used to trade pirated games. I gave him a copy of the game Torvak: The Warrior, which has a lot of similarities to The Legendary Axe. He called me about half an hour after he got home, begging to know how to activate the cheat mode because the game was too hard for him. Not that I think it's an easy game, I just think it's funny that he beat console games, but needed a cheat to get through that game. :)
Keep up the great work bro.
Nice. DD 2 was a fun game to play through on turbo cd.
Funny, I was just looking for top 10 lists for best TurboGrafx 16 games to see what games I should look out for and they were almost nonexistent.
Then my favorite Sega content creator uploads this
When I got my TF-16 Galaga 90 was the first game I bought....saved up a helluva lot of money to buy my system...I was like 14 and working at a produce plant🤘
EDIT: Where's Bloody Wolf?
One of the best side scrolling shoot em ups on the system!
Good list. When I got back into retro gaming, several years back, it hit me that I never played any PCE/TG16. I knew a couple of people who had it, but it never worked out that I got to play the system. The first Bonk's Adventure was the first game I ever played on it. And I loved it straight away. I really like that and think it's a good pick. I ended up playing and enjoying the rest of the series, even onto the SNES. I prefer the card version of the third game. The PCE Double Dragon 2 is my favorite version of that game. Gate of Thunder is amazing. It's so well planned out too, as the abundance of parallax scrolling had to be done with clever line scrolling and sprites.
And I love Rondo as well. Some other of my favorites on the system are Dragon Saber, Spriggan, Lords of Thunder, Soldier Blade, Dynasty Wars, and Mad Stalker. I'm probably forgetting a bunch of others, but those are the ones that come to mind right now. Those last two, Dynasty Wars and Mad Stalker are a matter of taste and may not be for everyone, but I have a lot of fun with those and both provide a nice bit of variety to the shooter-heavy library.
I also liked this version of Castlevania. I have the psp version and the Turbo graphics version is the one I prefer. It just feels better to me.
I don't care for the 2.5D art style of the PSP version. Pixelated sprites have a charm that is hard to beat.
Nice use of Gate of Thunder tracks at the beginning and the end. What a game that was!
I still play Namco and Midway collections because of a similar relationship with my own father.
Great list, I've seen so many at this point I greatly prefer a personal list to a "professional" one
I am actually beyond perplexed at the TG mini's lineup. There are some amazing games on it..however not including any of the Legendary Axe games is insanity. It's a nice little emulator from what I gather. It actually has a second usb slot for another controller..so at least they aren't making you buy the "turbo tap" again. Truth be told, I was a poor boy, and this was the first 16-bit system I owned. Also the last one my Dad ever had to buy for me. Though we did sit around and play a lot of Power Golf. I enjoyed this system immensely. Splatterhouse was a great pick. Not only the atmosphere, but the pacing was spot on. I won't spoil it for everyone...but that one boss...man. That got me emotionally twisted on the spot. I will say...that what people don't understand about the Turbo...is that it's really just a roided out 8-bit machine. Streetfighter 2 should not have looked or played that well. It was Sorcery of the highest order.