The History of the PC Engine-Part 1-1987-1991

Released in 1987 in Japan, the PC Engine (PCE) was the main fruit of labour born of the partnership of software company Hudson and Japanese computer giant NEC. Nearly overtaking Nintendo's Famicom at one point, the system has been regulated to relative obscurity in the West as the Turbografx-16. While the TG-16 tanked in North America and Europe, the PCE was a smash in its homeland. Let's examine the fascinating history of this minuscule little white block.

The marriage of NEC and Hudson began after Hudson's powerful new graphics chips were rejected by Nintendo for use in a potential new console. With the runaway success of the Famicom in Japan, many other Japanese tech companies wanted to enter the burgeoning console market. NEC found their opportunity with Hudson's new chipset. The new console would be designed by Hudson and manufactured by NEC. Dubbed the PC Engine, it used a 8-bit CPU and dual 16-bit GPUs. Arguments  about the true classification of the console remain up for debate today. Some consider the PCE/TG16 to be 16-bit, while others consider it to be an 8-bit machine. Certainly, it occupies a unique place as a console that can only be described as a hybrid between both worlds.

Released on October 30th, 1987, the PCE was a near instant success. Its innovative design, compact size, and impressive graphics were a hit with the Japanese public. Despite a small library in Fall 1987, 1988 brought Namco on board. Growing tried of Nintendo's stranglehold over Japanese developers, Namco was an early supporter of the system. Many of the PC Engine's great titles were Namco releases. These titles included Splatterhouse, Dragon Spirit, Galaga 88, and countless others.

Initially, PC Engine games came exclusively on "HuCards". These credit-card size ROM-boards were a tiny-sized format for a very tiny console. Hudson has developed similar technology in the form of "Bee Cards" for the MSX computers in Japan. HuCards were a novel feature at a time when most games came on bulky plastic cartridges.

The majority of the games most memorable earlier titles came on HuCards. Games such as PC-Genjin 1-3 (Bonk 1-3 in the West), GunHed (Blazing Lazers), and countless other releases shipped on HuCards. However, the PC Engine was soon to make its first format addition.

Despite strong sales of the HuCard-based system, NEC and Hudson felt the need to create an CD-ROM add-on for the PCE. The CD-ROM2 add-on was released in December of 1988. It was the first CD-based console on the market. While the launch line-up was sparse (Fighting Street and No-Ri-Ko, two very mediocre games) sales were brisk and the CD-ROM2 managed to sell quite well despite  being priced at 57,800 yen. This was very expensive, even for the time.

Several other variations of the main PC Engine console would be released in the late 1980s. Pictured above is the PC Engine Core-Grafx and Core-Grafx II. These units gave the PCE A/V out and made some minor hardware revisions.

Now a prized collector's item, the PC Engine Shuttle was released in 1989 and aimed at younger kids. It featured a strange spaceship-like design and bata-rang-style controller. The Shuttle also did not allow connection to the CD-ROM2 unit, unlike the Core-Grafx I and II and White PC Engine.

Around the same time, some other curious models were released by NEC. The PC Engine LT was a laptop-style PCE that came with its own 4-inch screen. The units were very expensive due to the cost of LCD screens at the time, and prices today are no better. Except to pay over $1000 for a boxed unit.

In 1990, the PC Engine GT was released. A truly hand-held version of the PC Engine, it was more powerful than any other handheld on the market at the time. However, it failed to match the success of the Nintendo GameBoy due to its much higher cost, battery consumption, and much-larger size. The GT is also a very expensive collector's item in PCE circles today.

Back to the games. From 1987-1990, the PC Engine would see the release of countless shooters, platformers, and RPGs. For shooter fans, GunHed, Image Fight, Super Star Soldier, and countless others would satisfy. For platformer fans, games such as PC Genjin (Bonk's Adventure), Makyo Densestu (The Legendary Axe), and Tora e no Michi (Tiger Road) would keep fans of the genre satisfied. On the growing RPG front, Neutopia and Ys Books 1 and 2 would keep those looking for a Final Fantasy or Dragon Warrior mostly happy. For nearly every kind of gamer, the PCE had something unique and fun to offer. To be continued in Part 2.............(1991-1996)

Ryuko no Ken (Art of Fighting)-PC Engine Arcade CD Review

Ever wonder what an 8-bit version of Art of Fighting would look like? Well, look no further than Ryuko no Ken for the PC Engine.  Released in 1994, this late PC Engine release required NEC's expensive "Arcade Card" to run. So, to play this release, you not only need a PC Engine/PC Engine Duo with a CD-ROM attachment, you also need the Arcade Card Duo or Arcade Card Pro. These cards are not easy to come by nowadays, and can run over $70-100 depending on the model.  Sounds like a hassle to play? Only for the die-hards?  Exactly......

Assuming you have managed to track down the expensive Arcade Card you need, let's dive in. After a beautifully animated intro (very close to the Neo Geo original), you will encounter a screen you will become all too familiar with. A loading screen.....



The screen above will drive you nuts. Load times for each match are about 1 minute. Now, remember this is the early 90s. However, other fighters on the PC Engine usually have load times of about 20-30 seconds. I assume this is due to the large amount of memory needed for such large sprites. In any case, they are long. I don't think they ruin the game, but they are quite annoying.



Once the game gets going.....you realize the load times were worth it. Huge sprites (not as big as the Neo Geo), a great CD soundtrack, and solid play mechanics make it a great trip down memory lane. I would recommend getting a six-button controller, as the two-button PC Engine layout can certainly be frustrating. However, I made due with just the two buttons.

The game is not without some other flaws. For fans of modern fighters, this game is very dated. You are only allowed to choose two characters in the main story mode (Ryo and Robert). However, you can play as the other characters in vs. mode. Second, you have a "special move" bar that must recharge in order to unleash fireballs, etc. This is certainly annoying, but it is a quirk I have always found slightly charming in AOF. The game is also quite hard. Seriously, good luck beating Jack the first time.

A specific quirk of this version of the game is its fake "scaling" effect. Like the Neo Geo version, the game attempts to zoom in and out the closer or further you get from an opponent. Despite this attempt , the PC Engine hardware doesn't not really allow for the complex scaling of the NEO GEO. This results is a faux zoom effect. I did not find it as jarring as some have complained, but it might distract some.

In conclusion, Art of Fighting on the PC Engine is only for the hardcore. The Neo Geo version appears on countless SNK compilations, the Wii Virtual console, and in many other forms. There is a somewhat decent SNES/Super Famicom version out there as well. I would stay away from the Genesis/Megadrive version due to its horrible music and tiny sprites. Is this the best home version of AOF outside of the Neo Geo? Yes! Does it cost an arm and leg to get? Yes! You not only need an expensive PC Engine Duo or CD Rom, you need the Arcade Card. However, if you have these things, or have an emulator that can run this format, give it a shot. It is a curiosity from a long-gone era of 2D fighters, but a fairly great port for a machine that debuted in Japan in 1987.

+ Great-looking sprites.
+Fantastic CD Soundtrack
+Plays great

-Need a lot of hardware and Arcade Card to play
-Two-button layout is somewhat clumsy
-Long load times

Score: 7.8/10