Konami get in on the Mini act with PC Engine and Turbo Grafx

Well, remember when I asked what Mini systems would we like to see next and my answer was the Turbo Grafx as to me it was the only one left that made sense beyond N64 etc, No matter how much I'd like to see a Jaguar Mini.  

Now Konami has announced these three Mini's as we are Europe we're getting the PC Engine Core Grafx Mini as that's what the mainland got back in the day.

At the moment these 5 games have been announced and no word on how many games the systems will get.
R-Type
New Adventure Island
Dungeon Explorer
Alien Crush
Ninja Spirit
Y's Book I and II

At the moment the European line-up and American line up are the same and from the website looks like they will be as the European site directs to the Turbo Grafx line up.

Japan has these 5 games announced at the moment
Bonk's Adventure
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, Which a Super CD-ROM² game
China Warrior/The Kung Fu
Dungeon Explorer
Super Star Soldier
Ys Book I & II

What do you guys think? I'm keen part from it being Konami as it is one of the only retro systems I've never owned that I would like to check out the library of games on it.

There’s a lot of potential for this to be quality. Konami hoovered up all the Hudson Soft licenses a few years back, and Konami have a cracking back-catalogue of their own. I’m happy to see Castlevania, Star Soldier, R-Type and Bonk represented here, and I’d hope for more of those games too. Bomberman as well, that’s Konami’s now, and surely Bomberman ’93 or ’94 will make an appearance. Other than those though, I’m not educated enough to come up with a wanted list like a few of us did in the Mega Drive Mini thread*.

I’m mostly happy with this because the PC Engine isn’t something I’ve played a lot of – I’d actually only played an actual one for the first time at Play Expo Glasgow last weekend. Other than Wii U, there’s no current, legal way to play a lot of the PC Engine’s most highly regarded stuff either. I feel like I’ve got as much enjoyment as I can out of most of the best NES and SNES games, but PC Engine is almost entirely new to me. That’s what makes this exciting(ish) to me.

As long as they don’t rip the pish and charge loads of money for something really half-hearted, I’ll likely get it when it launches.

*Although Castle of Illusion, Streets of Rage 2 and Gunstar Heroes are welcome on any list, any time, for anything.

Not the Wii U itself but I was thinking about Kinect games and even Wii, due to possible methods of playing might never comeback or really preserved.

On PC Engine games I would like based on the knowledge I do have all the Bonk's, Castlevania, Bomberman 94 especially seeing they announced a 5-player multitap, Splatterhouse, Salamander, Blazing Lazers, Devil's Crush.

WOO DUNGEON EXPLORER YEAH

Actually it's a bit crap - it's just a bad Gauntlet with outdoor bits and an extra dood - but my sister and I had a good old laugh charging through the game and its daft dialogue.

Huge news these will come out March 2020 and 50 games split between English and Japanese with some overlap between them, and covers games from five different PC Engine systems.

I like that, as you look at PS1 Mini and the regional differences where Konami has just put it all into one box.

Turbo Grafx games in English

Air Zonk
Alien Crush
Blazing Lazers
Bomberman ‘93
Bonk’s Revenge
Cadash
Chew-Man-Fu
Dungeon Explorer
J.J. & Jeff
Lords Of Thunder
Military Madness (Nectaris)
Moto Roader
Neutopia
Neutopia II
New Adventure Island
Ninjaspirit
Parasol Stars
Power Golf
Psychosis
R-Type
Soldier Blade
Space Harrier
Victory Run
Ys Book I&II

PC Engine games in Japanese

Akumajō Dracula X Chi No Rondo (Castlevania: Rondo Of Blood)
Aldynes
Appare! Gateball
Bomberman ‘94
Bomberman Panic Bomber
Chō Aniki
Daimakaimura (Ghouls ‘N’ Ghosts)
Dungeon Explorer
Fantasy Zone
Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire
Gradius (Nemesis)
Gradius II – Gofer No Yabō (Nemesis II)
Jaseiken Necromancer
Nectaris (Military Madness)
Neutopia
Neutopia II
Ninja Ryūkenden (Ninja Gaiden)
PC-Genjin (Bonk)
Salamander
Snatcher
Star Parodier (Fantasy Star Soldier)
Super Darius
Super Momotarou Densetsu II
Super Star Soldier
The Kung Fu (China Warrior)
Ys I&II

Price is £100 and is exclusive to Amazon

The Turbo controller will also be available and the multi-tap for that Bomberman 93

The overlap of certain games and the cost - £100! - cause me a little bit of concern. But I'm pleased with the choice of games. The only ones I've got much experience with are Bomberman '94, Rondo of Blood, Cho Aniki and the Bonk games. There's a lot for me to get wired into when this is out - lots of action games and lots of shooters, with a couple of sports games too!

Price is a tad steep but I look at the cost of just a Turbo Grafx the one console I've not owned but would like to and it's just to expensive.

Meaning this is the best option plus it feels due to the games, it's for the retro gamer with things like Snatcher in Japanese compared to the NES Mini which is for a more mainstream audience.

The Cappuccino Kid wrote:

...Cho Aniki...

I thought I recognised that title! So I looked it up, and... yes I certainly do.

One of the anikis would be a perfect replacement for your launching uncle, Cappa, should you ever consider an avvy change. It would have the bonus effect of weirding me out.

Konami have announced another 7 games

Dragon Spirit
Galaga '88
The Genji and the Heike Clans
The Legend of Valkyrie
Seirei Senshi Spriggan
Splatterhouse
Spriggan Mark 2

Pleased Splatterhouse is now in this collection and Legend of Valkyrie looks neat.

Japan have got a extra game on top of those in Far East of Eden II, which is fine that it's not in the english systems as it's a JRPG it be hard to play but when Snatcher a visual novel is the english systems, then it becomes strange.

Also 57 or 58 games seems are rather odd number, that maybe we will get some more added *hopes for legendary axe*

I didn't think that there were too few or anything, but more games is definitely welcome!

(to be honest, I was originally going be a wee fud in this post, saying something like 'aye, I'm sure Seirei Senshi Spriggan will convince everybody to buy this, whatever the fuck that is'. But then I checked what Seirei Senshi Spriggan actually is, and - skelp ma boab! - it's only a sequel to M.U.S.H.A.!)

£100!



I'm glad there's more choice in the legal retro market though, and I really enjoyed playing R-Type games back in the day.

Does seem expensive but the SNES Mini is/was £70 with 21 games where this currently has 58 with stuff like Sapphire which we're never going to own due to it costing £1500.

Yes I know SNES Mini and upcoming Mega Drive Mini (£70 with 42 games) games likely of better quality.

Delayed indefinitely due to big shitey Coronavirus: 

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-03-06-konami-delays-pc-engine-core-grafx-mini-over-coronavirus

Baws.

It's annoying especially as today I picked up retro gamer which is all about the PCE/TG-16 this issue.

The Japanese version actually still launched when it was meant to. I've seen some reviews etc on it and seems good.

I did have a quick look on eBay and can get for around £105, that it's sort of tempting to import which is kinda funny considering that's what we would have had to do back in the day, as it's only £5 more also it has two games not on the western system.

Now ones a JRPG and the other is a dating sim, so hard to play but the dating sim seems to have a bunch of cheat codes which is unlocking some more games on the system. It doesn't have Salamander though which is only on the western versions but it's another shump, that I don't know if I would miss it.

Other differences is Splatterhouse is uncensored and the controller's don't have the turbo buttons.

I got an notification on my phone at about 1am there, saying my CoreGrafx Mini had been dispatched! Lo and behold, it's here! That came out of nowhere, I genuinely had no clue that this was getting released. I'd sort of forgotten about it...!

They're in stock on Amazon UK if you're interested:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Konami-PC-Engine-CoreGrafx-Mini/dp/B07SLM7N9J/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia-wc-p13n1_0?cv_ct_cx=coregrafx&dchild=1&keywords=coregrafx&pd_rd_i=B07SLM7N9J&pd_rd_r=c46ae7ba-5b1e-4a7f-bf8f-525886e2ca2c&pd_rd_w=hl2Oh&pd_rd_wg=5JJCf&pf_rd_p=e3a968a9-db34-4cb6-962f-ddcde7323cf7&pf_rd_r=2EVZ7V5W437FWRHV99NF&psc=1&qid=1591459225&sr=1-1-91e9aa57-911e-4628-99b3-09163b7d9294

From reviews including someone I sub to on YouTube that's the best of the three versions as it's nicer to look at then the TG-16 and over the PCE which I've got even though it has one less game & one that's different in Salamander it's actually a playable game unlike the two I've got that I need to read Japanese to play, also it's got the Turbo Function which mine hasn't.

I have ordered a wireless 8bitdo one which has Tubro function.