Exhibit: PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16 (1987–1994)
Released: October 30, 1987 (Japan) · 1989 (North America as TurboGrafx-16)
Manufacturer: NEC / Hudson Soft
Units Sold: ~10 million worldwide
Status: Gaming's most underappreciated masterpiece
The Tiny Giant
The PC Engine arrived in Japan in 1987 as the smallest games console ever made — barely larger than a HuCard game card. Inside its diminutive shell was hardware that outperformed both the NES and Mega Drive in several respects. Its sprite handling was extraordinary, its colour palette vast, and its library — particularly in Japan — exceptional.
The PC Engine CD-ROM² add-on, released in 1988, made it the first console to use CD-ROM technology — years before the PlayStation or Saturn. It enabled full voice acting, CD-quality audio, and games of a scale impossible on cartridge.
Iconic Games
- R-Type — the definitive home version of the arcade classic
- Castlevania: Rondo of Blood — widely considered the greatest Castlevania ever made
- Ys Book I & II — the CD-ROM RPG that showcased what the format could do
- Blazing Lazers — one of the greatest shooters ever made
- Bonk's Adventure — NEC's answer to Mario, charming and inventive
Collector's Corner
The PC Engine is one of the most collectible consoles in existence. Its Japanese library — particularly CD-ROM titles — commands extraordinary prices. The PC Engine GT handheld, the SuperGrafx, and the PC Engine Duo are all highly sought after. A complete PC Engine collection is a lifetime's work.