TurboGrafx-16

TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine

From top to bottom, the North American/UK design and the Japanese design.
Manufacturer	NEC Corporation
Type	Video game console
Generation	Fourth generation
Retail availability	JP October 30, 1987 NA August 29, 1989
Discontinued	JP December 16, 1994 NA 1995
Units sold	Worldwide: 10 million United States: 2.5 million
Media	HuCard, CD-ROM (only with the CD-ROM² add-on)
CPU	Hudson Soft HuC6280
Successor	PC-FX

TurboGrafx-16, fully titled as TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem and known in Japan as the PC Engine (PCエンジン Pī Shī Enjin), is a fourth generation video game console developed by Hudson Soft and NEC; released in Japan on October 30, 1987, and in North America on August 29, 1989. In the United Kingdom, Telegames released a slightly altered version of the US model, known simply as the TurboGrafx, around 1990 in extremely limited quantities. Although there was no full-scale PAL region release of the system, imported PC Engine consoles were largely available in France and Benelux through major retailers thanks to the unlicensed importer Sodipeng (Société de Distribution de la PC Engine, a subsidiary of Guillemot International).

The TG-16 is a very small video game console, due primarily to a very efficient three-chip architecture and its use of "HuCards" (known in the US as TurboChips, roughly the size of a credit card) for game storage. The console featured a 16-bit custom video color encoder chip, 16-bit video display controller, and an 8-bit CPU with an integrated custom programmable sound generator. This three chip architecture allowed the TG-16 to have more sprites, a larger pallete, and better sound capabilities compared to its 8-bit competition at launch. However, its very early release in the fourth generation put it into a situation akin to the later Dreamcast: it was better than the third generation hardware, but inferior to its fourth generation competitors. While the TG-16 was comparable to other 16-bit consoles, it had very little RAM, no hardware parallax scrolling (a feature widely used to demonstrate the advantages of the 16bit era), and a single controller port. NEC attempted to address these technical concerns with the SuperGrafx, an enhanced version of the TG-16. It had a duplicate set of video chips (and an extra chip to coordinate the two), four times as much RAM, twice as much video RAM, and a second layer/plane of scrolling. However, its high price, minimal improvements, and the prompt release of the TurboDuo condemned the variant to obscurity; only 5 games were released for the SuperGrafx.

The TurboGrafx was the first system to ever have a CD-Rom add-on, known as the TurboGrafx-CD in the US and as the Super CD-ROM² in Japan. In addition to having much more storage space compared to cards or cartridges, the add-on gave the console a much needed increase in RAM. A combination of the console and the CD-Rom addon was later released, known as the TurboDuo in the US and the PC Engine Duo in Japan. The TurboDuo did not have any of the enhancements of the SuperGrafx.

The console initially competed well against the NES and Master System, especially in Japan, where it benefited from better marketing and the success of its CD-Rom add-on. However, the TG-16 was unable to compete against the SNES or the Genesis, reaching fourth place (behind even the NES) in both North America and Japan by 1991.

The TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine was discontinued in 1994 with the arrival of the Japan exclusive PC-FX. The PC-FX never achieved the success of the PC-Engine, and NEC abandoned the video game market in 1998.

Virtual Console Compatibility List (TurboGrafx-16)

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Compatibility	Description
	Perfect: No issues at all!
	Playable: Runs well, only minor graphical or audio glitches. Games can be played all the way through
	Starts: Starts, maybe even plays well, but crashes or major graphical/audio glitches
	Intro/Menu: Hangs/crashes somewhere between booting and starting
	Broken: Crashes when booting
	Unknown: Has not been tested yet

Region indicator	Region description
AU	Australia
CA	Canada (NTSC /w French translation)
EU	Europe, PAL/SECAM territories
JP	Japan and Asia (NTSC-J)
KO	Korea
NA	North America and NTSC territories
RU	Russia

Title	Year	Genre	Region	Compatibility
A Ressha de Ikou III	2007		JP	0
Ai Cho Aniki	2007		JP	0
Air Zonk aka PC Denjin: Punkic Cyborgs	2007		JP/NA/EU	4
Alien Crush	2006		JP/NA/EU	4
Appare! Gate Ball	2007		JP/NA/EU	Template:Ratings/Appare! Gate Ball
Atlas, The: Renaissance Voyager	2008		JP	0
Battle Lode Runner	200		JP/NA/EU	4
Blazing Lazers	2007		JP/NA/EU	4
Benkei Gaiden	2007		JP	0
Blood Gear	2007		JP	0
Bloody Wolf aka Narazumono Sentou Butai: Bloody Wolf	2007		JP/NA/EU	4
Bomberman '93	2006		NA/EU	4
Bomberman '94	2008		JP/EU	5
Bomberman: Panic Bomber	2008		JP/EU	0
Bonk 3: Bonk's Big Adventure aka PC Genjin 3	2007		JP/NA/EU	4
Bonk's Adventure aka PC Genjin: Pithecanthropus Computerus	2006	Adventure	JP/NA/EU	4
Bonk's Revenge aka PC Genjin 2	2007		JP/NA/EU	4
Bravoman	2007		NA	5
Break In	2008		JP/NA/EU	4
Cadash	2008		JP	0
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood aka Akumajō Dracula X: Chi no Rondo	2009		NA/EU	5
Champion Wrestler	2009		JP	0
Chase H.Q.	2008		NA/EU	5
Chew Man Fu aka Be Ball	2007		NA/EU	5
China Warrior aka The Kung Fu	2007		NA/EU	4
Cho Aniki	2007		JP/NA/EU	5
Chou Eiyū Densetsu: The Dynastic Hero	2007		JP	Template:Ratings/Chou Eiyū Densetsu: The Dynastic Hero
Chouzetsu Rinjin: Berabow Man	2007		JP	Template:Ratings/Chouzetsu Rinjin: Berabow Man
Cratermaze	2007		NA/EU	5
Dai Makaimura	2009		JP	Template:Ratings/Dai Makaimura
Dead Moon aka Dead Moon: Tsuki Sekai no Akumu	2007		JP/NA/EU	5
Detana!! TwinBee	2009		JP/NA/EU	Template:Ratings/Detana!! TwinBee
Devil's Crush aka Devil Crash	2007		JP/NA/EU	4
Digital Champ: Battle Boxing	2008		JP/NA/EU	5
Double Dungeons	2007		JP/NA/EU	5
Dragon's Curse aka Adventure Island	2007		NA/EU	Template:Ratings/Dragon's Curse
Dragon Saber	2008		JP	Template:Ratings/Dragon Saber
Dragon Slayer: Eiyū Densetsu	2007		JP	Template:Ratings/Dragon Slayer: Eiyū Densetsu
Dragon Spirit	2007		NA/EU	Template:Ratings/Dragon Spirit
Drop Off aka Drop Rock Hora Hora	2007		JP/NA/EU	4
Dungeon Explorer	2006		JP/NA/EU	4
Dungeon Explorer II	2008		JP	0
Dynastic Hero, The	2007		NA	4
Eikan wa Kimi ni: Kōkō Yakyū Zenkoku Taikai	2008		NA/EU	0
Fighting Street	2009		JP/NA/EU	4
Final Blaster	2008		JP	0
Final Soldier	2008		JP/NA/EU	4
Fire Pro Wrestling 2nd Bout	2007		JP	0
Fire Pro Wrestling 3: Legend Bout	2008		JP	0
Fire Pro Wrestling Combination Tag	2007		JP	0
Gai Flame	2007		JP	0
Galaga '88	2007		JP	Template:Ratings/Galaga '88
Galaga '90	2007		NA/EU	5
Gate of Thunder	2007		JP/NA/EU	4
Genpei Tōma Den	2007		JP	Template:Ratings/Genpei Tōma Den
Genpei Tōma Den: Kannoni	2008		JP	Template:Ratings/Genpei Tōma Den: Kannoni
Gradius	2007		JP	Template:Ratings/Gradius
Gradius II: Gofer no Yabou	2008		JP/NA/EU	Template:Ratings/Gradius II: Gofer no Yabou
Image Fight	2007		JP	0
Image Fight II	2007		JP	0
J.J. & Jeff	2007		NA/EU	4
Jaseiken Necromancer	2006		JP	0
Jigoku Meguri	2008		JP	0
Kaizou Choujin Shubibinman	2007		JP	0
Kawa no Nushi Tsuri Shizenha	2007		JP	0
Kaze no Densetsu Xanadu	2008		JP	0
KiKi KaiKai	2008		JP	0
Kaze no Densetsu Xanadu II	2009		JP	0
L・Dis	2009		JP	0
Legend of Hero Tonma	2007		JP/NA/EU	5
Lords of Thunder aka Winds of Thunder	2008		JP/NA/EU	4
Makai Hakkenden Shada	2007		JP	0
Martial Champion	2007		NA/EU	0
Military Madness aka Nectaris	2006		JP/NA/EU	4
Monster Lair	2007		JP/NA/EU	Template:Ratings/Mizubaku Daibōken Adventure
Moto Roader	2007		JP/NA/EU	4
Mr. Heli no Daibōken	2008		JP	0
Nekketsu Kōkō Dodgeball Bu: CD Soccer Hen	2008		NA/EU	0
Nekketsu Kōkō Dodgeball Bu: PC Bangai Hen	2008		JP	0
Neo Nectaris	2008		JP	0
Neutopia	2007		JP/NA/EU	4
Neutopia II	2007		JP/NA/EU	4
New Adventure Island aka Takahashi Meijin no Shin Bōken Jima	2006		JP/NA/EU	5
The NewZealand Story	2008		JP	0
Ninja Ryūkenden	2009		JP	Template:Ratings/Ninja Ryūkenden
Ninja Spirit aka Saigo no Nindou: Ninja Spirit	2007		JP/NA/EU	4
Ninja Warriors, The	2008		JP	0
Ordyne	2007		JP/NA	Template:Ratings/Ordyne
Out Live	2007		JP	0
Override	2007		JP	0
Paranoia	2008		JP	Template:Ratings/Paranoia
Parasol Stars	2008		JP	0
Power Eleven	2008		JP	0
Power Golf	2007		JP/NA/EU	4
Power League 4	2007		JP	0
Power Sports	2007		JP	Template:Ratings/Power Sports
Power Tennis	2007		JP	0
Psycho Chaser	2008		JP	0
Psychosis	2008		NA/EU	5
R-Type aka R-Type part I aka R-Type part II	2006		JP/NA/EU	Template:Ratings/R-Type
Rastan Saga 2e	2009		JP/NA/EU	Template:Ratings/Rastan Saga 2
Riot Zone aka Crest of Wolf	2008		NA/EU	4
S.C.I.	2008		NA/EU	Template:Ratings/S.C.I.
Salamander	2007		JP	Template:Ratings/Salamander
Samurai Ghost	2007		NA/EU	Template:Ratings/Samurai Ghost
Seirei Senshi Spriggan	2008		JP	0
Sengoku Mahjong	2007		JP	0
Shockman aka Kaizou Choujin Shubibinman 2: Arata Naru Teki	2007		JP/NA/EU	4
Silent Debuggers	2007		JP/NA/EU	4
SimEarth: The Living Planet	2009		JP/NA/EU	4
Soldier Blade	2007		JP/NA/EU	4
Space Invaders: Fukkatsu no Hi	2008		JP	0
Space Invaders: The Original Game	2009		JP	4
Splatterhouse	2007		JP/NA/EU	Template:Ratings/Splatterhouse
Spriggan mark 2: Re-Terraform Project	2009		JP	0
Star Parodier	2008		JP/NA/EU	5
Street Fighter II': Champion Edition aka Street Fighter II Dash: Champion Edition	2009		NA/EU	4
Super Air Zonk: Rockabilly-Paradise aka CD Denjin: Rockabilly Tengoku	2007		JP/NA/EU	4
Super Darius	2008		JP	0
Super Darius II	2009		JP	0
Super Star Soldier	2006		JP/NA/EU	5
Taito Chase H.Q.	2008		JP	Template:Ratings/Taito Chase H.Q.
Valkyrie no Densetsu	2008		NA/EU	Template:Ratings/Valkyrie no Densetsu
Victory Run	2006		JP/NA/EU	4
Vigilante	2007		JP/NA/EU	5
Volfied	2008		JP	0
Wallaby!! Usagi no Kuni no Kangaroo Race	2009		JP	Template:Ratings/Wallaby!! Usagi no Kuni no Kangaroo Race
Winning Shot	2009		JP	0
Wonder Momo	2007		JP	Template:Ratings/Wonder Momo
World Class Baseball	2007		NA/EU	4
World Sports Competition	2007		NA/EU	4
Ys: Book I & II aka Ys I・II	2007		JP/NA/EU	4
Yōkai Dōchūki	2007		JP	Template:Ratings/Yōkai Dōchūki

See also

• Gamecube
• Wii
• WiiWare
• Wii Channels
• Virtual Console