The TurboGrafx-16, also called the PC Engine in regions outside North America, was a home video game console created by Hudson Soft and produced by NEC. It was first sold in Japan in 1987 and later in North America in 1989. As the first console of the fourth generation, it was introduced in Japan to compete with Nintendo’s Family Computer. However, its delayed release in the United States led to competition with the more advanced Sega Genesis and later the Super NES.

The TurboGrafx-16 uses an 8-bit central processing unit (CPU) along with two 16-bit graphics processors. It can display up to 482 colors from a total of 512 available. The "16" in its North American name was criticized for being misleading. Measuring 14 by 14 by 3.5 centimeters (5.5 inches by 5.5 inches by 1.4 inches), the PC Engine remains the smallest major home console ever made.

Initially, games for the TurboGrafx-16 were released on HuCard cartridges. Later, the platform supported other formats that required different hardware, such as TurboGrafx-CD (called CD-ROM² in Japan) games on compact discs, SuperGrafx games on a new console version, and LD-ROM² games on LaserDisc through the LaserActive, a system developed by Pioneer. No single configuration could use all formats at once. While the TurboGrafx-CD had some success, the other formats did not gain popularity. This variety of hardware caused confusion among buyers.

The PC Engine was a commercial success in Japan, with strong support from third-party developers and serving as a main competitor to the Super Famicom. In contrast, the TurboGrafx-16 faced challenges in North America due to limited marketing, a smaller selection of games, and its late release. In Europe, Japanese models were imported without official approval and modified for local sale, but plans for an official release were canceled after poor performance in the United States. More than 17 different hardware versions were made, including portable models and versions that included a CD-ROM add-on. Production of the final model ended in 1994. It was followed by the PC-FX, a console released only in Japan, which did not achieve commercial success.

History

The PC Engine was developed through a partnership between Hudson Soft, a company that made video game software, and NEC, a company that was a leader in Japan's personal computer market with its PC-88 and PC-98 systems. NEC did not have much experience in the video game industry and asked several game studios for help. At the same time, Hudson Soft was trying to sell advanced graphics chip designs to Nintendo but failed. In July 1985, Hudson Soft proposed a new add-on for the Famicom that used their patented Bee Cards, which could store and replace games. Nintendo liked the idea but decided not to move forward because of the high cost and the need to pay royalties for each card sold. This led Hudson Soft and NEC to work together to create the PC Engine.

The PC Engine was introduced in Japan on October 30, 1987, and became very popular. It had a small, attractive design that stood out compared to other systems. It sold 500,000 units in its first week.

The CD-ROM expansion for the PC Engine was a big success in Japan, selling 60,000 units in its first five months. By 1989, NEC had sold over 1.2 million consoles and more than 80,000 CD-ROM units in Japan.

In 1988, NEC decided to bring the system to the United States. NEC’s U.S. team tested the system and found that the name "PC Engine" did not excite American consumers, and the small size did not match their preference for larger, more futuristic designs. They renamed the system "TurboGrafx-16" to highlight its powerful graphics and 16-bit GPU. They also redesigned the hardware with a large, black casing. This redesign and questions about the system’s success in the U.S. delayed its release.

The TurboGrafx-16 (called the TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem on packaging) was finally released in New York City and Los Angeles in late August 1989. However, this was two weeks after Sega of America launched the Sega Genesis with a 16-bit CPU. Unlike NEC, Sega made only small design changes to its Japanese Mega Drive system.

The Genesis quickly became more popular than the TurboGrafx-16 in the U.S. NEC’s decision to include a game called Keith Courage in Alpha Zones, which was unknown to Western players, was a disadvantage compared to Sega’s inclusion of Altered Beast, a popular arcade game. NEC also produced 750,000 units in the U.S., far more than needed, which benefited Hudson Soft because NEC paid royalties for every console made, even if it was not sold. By 1990, it was clear the system was not doing well, and NEC could not compete with Nintendo and Sega’s marketing.

In late 1989, NEC planned to create a coin-operated arcade version of the TurboGrafx-16 but canceled the plan in early 1990.

In Europe, the system remained known as the PC Engine, not the TurboGrafx-16. Unauthorized imports of the PC Engine from Japan were available in the United Kingdom during the late 1980s, along with NTSC-to-PAL adapters. In 1989, a British company called Mention made a PAL version called the PC Engine Plus. However, NEC did not officially support this version. From November 1989 to 1993, French importer Sodipeng brought PC Engine consoles and add-ons to France after strong interest in the French media. The system was sold in France and Benelux with French instructions and an AV cable for compatibility with SECAM televisions.

After the TurboGrafx-16 struggled in the U.S., NEC canceled its European plans. Units already made for Europe were modified to work with PAL televisions and sold to distributors. In the United Kingdom, Telegames released the console in 1990 in very limited numbers.

By March 1991, NEC reported selling 750,000 TurboGrafx-16 consoles in the U.S. and 500,000 CD-ROM units worldwide.

To relaunch the system in North America, NEC and Hudson Soft created a joint venture called Turbo Technologies in mid-1992 and released the TurboDuo, a combined console with a built-in CD-ROM drive. However, the North American market remained dominated by the Genesis and Super NES, which was released in August 1991. In May 1994, Turbo Technologies announced it would stop supporting the TurboDuo but would continue repairs and software releases through independent companies in the U.S. and Canada.

In Japan, NEC sold 5.84 million PC Engine units by 1995, with CD-ROM² and Duo models contributing 1.92 million by March 1996. This totals more than 6.59 million PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16 units sold in Japan and the U.S. by 1995. The last licensed game for the PC Engine was Dead of the Brain Part 1 & 2, released on June 3, 1999, on the Super CD-ROM² format.

Add-ons

The CD-ROM² (シーディーロムロム, officially pronounced "CD-ROM-ROM") is an add-on device for the PC Engine that was released in Japan on December 4, 1988. This device allows the PC Engine to play games stored on CD-ROM in addition to games on standard HuCards. This made the PC Engine the first video game console to use CD-ROM as a storage method. The add-on includes two parts: the CD player itself and the interface unit, which connects the CD player to the console and provides a single power supply and output for both. It was later sold in the United States as the TurboGrafx-CD in November 1989. The U.S. version had a redesigned interface unit to fit the TurboGrafx-16 console. The TurboGrafx-CD cost $399.99 at launch and did not include any games. The first games released for the TurboGrafx-CD were Fighting Street and Monster Lair, followed by Ys Book I & II.

In 1991, NEC released an improved version of the CD-ROM² System called the Super CD-ROM². This upgrade updated the system's BIOS to Version 3.0 and increased the buffer RAM from 64 KB to 256 KB. The upgrade came in three forms: the PC Engine Duo, released on September 21, which was a new console model with a built-in CD-ROM drive and upgraded BIOS/RAM; the Super System Card, released on October 26, which replaced the original System Card for existing CD-ROM² add-ons; and the Super-CD-ROM² unit, released on December 13, which combined the CD-ROM drive, interface unit, and Super System Card into one device for users who did not already own the original CD-ROM² add-on.

On March 12, 1994, NEC introduced a third upgrade called the Arcade Card ( アーケードカード , Ākēdo Kādo ). This upgrade increased the onboard RAM of the Super CD-ROM² System to 2 MB. The Arcade Card was released in two models: the Arcade Card Duo, designed for consoles already using the Super CD-ROM² System, and the Arcade Card Pro, which combined the features of the Super System Card and Arcade Card Duo for users with the original CD-ROM² System. The first games for the Arcade Card were ports of Fatal Fury 2 and Art of Fighting from the Neo-Geo fighting game series. Later, ports of World Heroes 2 and Fatal Fury Special were released, along with original games developed under the Arcade CD-ROM² standard. At this time, support for the TurboGrafx-16 and Turbo Duo consoles was declining in North America, so no U.S. versions of the Arcade Card were made. However, a Japanese Arcade Card can still be used on a North American console with a HuCard converter.

Variations

Many different versions and related products of the PC Engine were released over time.

The PC Engine CoreGrafx was an updated version of the PC Engine, released in Japan on December 8, 1989. It had the same shape and size as the original PC Engine but used a different color scheme—black and blue instead of white and red. It also replaced the original radio frequency output connector with a composite video AV port. The CoreGrafx used a new CPU called the HuC6280A, which supposedly fixed some small audio problems. A recolored version, called the PC Engine CoreGrafx II, was released on June 21, 1991. It had a different color—light grey and orange—but was otherwise similar to the original CoreGrafx, except it used the original HuC6280 CPU instead of the revised version.

The PC Engine SuperGrafx was released on the same day as the CoreGrafx in Japan. It was an improved version of the PC Engine with better hardware. It included a second HuC6270A (VDC), a HuC6202 (VDP) that combined the output of the two VDCs, four times as much RAM, twice as much video RAM, and a second layer of scrolling. It also used the revised HuC6280A CPU. However, the sound and color palette were not upgraded, which made the system expensive and limited its success. Only five exclusive SuperGrafx games and two hybrid games (Darius Plus and Darius Alpha) were released. These games could be played on the SuperGrafx but used the extra video hardware if played on a standard HuCard. The SuperGrafx had the same expansion port as earlier PC Engine models but required an adapter to use the original CD-ROM² System add-on due to its larger size.

The PC Engine Shuttle was released in Japan on November 22, 1989, as a less expensive model. It cost ¥18,800 and was designed to appeal to younger players with its spaceship-like appearance. It came with a TurboPad II controller, which had a different shape than other TurboPad controllers. The lower price was possible because it did not have an expansion port, making it incompatible with the CD-ROM² add-on. However, it had a slot for a memory backup unit, which was needed for certain games. The original RF output was replaced with an A/V port on the Shuttle.

The PC Engine Shuttle was also sold in South Korea in 1990 by Daewoo Electronics.

The TurboExpress, known as the PC Engine GT in Japan, was a portable version of the console released in December 1990. It could play HuCard games on a 2.6-inch backlit color LCD screen, which was the most advanced screen available for a portable system at the time. However, the screen made the device expensive and caused it to have a short battery life, which limited its popularity. It also included a TV tuner adapter and a two-player link cable.

The PC Engine LT was a laptop-style console released in Japan on December 13, 1991, for ¥99,800. It did not require a television because it had a built-in flip-up screen and speakers, like a laptop. Unlike the GT, the LT used a power supply instead of batteries. Its high price meant few units were made. The LT had a full expansion port, so it was compatible with the CD-ROM² unit in the same way as the original PC Engine and CoreGrafx. However, it required an adapter to use the enhanced Super CD-ROM² unit.

NEC Home Electronics released the PC Engine Duo in Japan on September 21, 1991. It combined the PC Engine with the Super CD-ROM² unit into one console. The system could play HuCards, audio CDs, CD+Gs, standard CD-ROM² games, and Super CD-ROM² games. The North American version, called the TurboDuo, was released in October 1992.

Two updated versions of the Duo were released in Japan: the PC Engine Duo-R on March 25, 1993, and the PC Engine Duo-RX on June 25, 1994. These changes were mostly cosmetic, but the RX version included a new 6-button controller.

The PC-KD863G was a CRT monitor with a built-in PC Engine console, released in Japan on September 27, 1988, for ¥138,000. It was designed to eliminate the need for a separate television and console. It used RGB signals, which made the picture clearer than the console’s original RF and composite outputs. However, it had no expansion port, making it incompatible with the CD-ROM² System and memory backup add-ons.

The X1-Twin was the first PC Engine-compatible hardware made by a third-party company. It was released by Sharp in April 1989 for ¥99,800. It was a hybrid system that could run PC Engine games and X1 computer software.

Pioneer Corporation’s LaserActive supported an add-on module that allowed the use of PC Engine games (HuCard, CD-ROM², and Super CD-ROM²) as well as new "LD-ROM²" titles that worked only on this device. NEC also released its own LaserActive unit (NEC PCE-LD1) and PC Engine add-on module under an OEM license. A total of eleven LD-ROM titles were produced, with only three released in North America.

Outside North America and Japan, the TurboGrafx-16 console was sold in South Korea by a third-party company, Haitai, under the name Vistar 16. It was based on the American version but had a new curved design. Daewoo Electronics also distributed the

Technical specifications

The TurboGrafx-16 uses a Hudson Soft HuC6280 CPU, an 8-bit processor that runs at 7.16 MHz. It works with two 16-bit graphics processors: the HuC6270 video display controller and the HuC6260 video color encoder. The system has 8 KB of RAM, 64 KB of video memory, and can show 482 colors at once from a 512-color palette. The sound hardware includes a programmable sound generator that runs at 3.58 MHz and a 5-10 bit stereo PCM.

TurboGrafx-16 games use HuCard ROM cartridges, which are thin, credit card-sized cards that plug into the front of the console. PC Engine HuCards have 38 connector pins. TurboGrafx-16 HuCards, also called "TurboChips," reverse eight of these pins to prevent use in other regions. The console’s power switch also locks the HuCard in place when the system is on. The European version of the TurboGrafx-16 did not include PAL-formatted HuCards, so it used standard HuCards and output a PAL 50 Hz video signal.

In Japan, the PC Engine originally came with a standard controller called the Pad. It has a rectangular shape, a directional pad, two action buttons labeled "I" and "II," and two rubber buttons labeled "Select" and "Run." A separate controller called the TurboPad was also released, adding two "Turbo" switches for the I and II buttons with three speed settings. These switches allow one button press to register multiple inputs, such as rapid fire in scrolling shooters. The TurboPad became the standard controller for the TurboGrafx-16 in North America and later models of the PC Engine in Japan.

All PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16 consoles have only one controller port. To use multiple controllers, a separate peripheral called the MultiTap (in Japan) or TurboTap (in North America) was needed, allowing up to five controllers to connect. A Cordless Multitap was also available in Japan, sold with a single Cordless Pad and additional wireless controllers.

PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16 controllers are not compatible due to different controller port sizes. The TurboDuo used the same controller port as the PC Engine, leading to new versions of the TurboPad and TurboTap, called the DuoPad and DuoTap. An official TurboGrafx-16/Duo Adapter was also made, allowing TurboGrafx-16 controllers to connect to the TurboDuo or PC Engine.

The Virtual Cushion, released in 1992, vibrates based on sound to let players feel enemy attacks.

Many peripherals were made for the TurboGrafx-16 and PC Engine. The TurboStick is a tabletop joystick that mimics arcade controls. Other joysticks, like the Python 4 and Stick Engine, were made by third-party companies. The TurboBooster attached to the console’s back to output composite video and stereo audio. Hudson released the Ten no Koe 2 in Japan, enabling progress saving in compatible games. In 1991, NEC Avenue released the Avenue Pad 3, adding a third action button labeled "III" that could be set to function as "Select" or "Run." The Avenue Pad 6, released in 1993 with the PC Engine version of Street Fighter II: Champion Edition, added four action buttons labeled "III" through "VI," offering new functions. In 1994, NEC Home Electronics released the Arcade Pad 6, a six-button controller that replaced the TurboPad as the bundled controller for the PC Engine Duo-RX.

Library

In total, 678 commercial games were released for the TurboGrafx-16. In North America, the system included Keith Courage in Alpha Zones as a pack-in game, which was a version of the PC Engine title Mashin Eiyuuden Wataru. The PC Engine console had strong support from other companies in Japan, but the TurboGrafx-16 had difficulty attracting other developers. Hudson Software brought several popular game series, such as Bomberman, Bonk, and Adventure Island, to the TurboGrafx-16 with games that had improved graphics. Hudson also created and published original games, including Air Zonk and Dungeon Explorer. Compile released Alien Crush and Devil's Crush, which were two well-received virtual pinball games. Namco provided high-quality versions of its arcade games, such as Valkyrie no Densetsu, Pac-Land, Galaga '88, Final Lap Twin, and Splatterhouse. Capcom also contributed a version of Street Fighter II: Champion Edition for the system.

Many games on the TurboGrafx-16 are horizontal and vertical-scrolling shooters. Examples include Gradius and Salamander from Konami, Super Star Soldier and Soldier Blade from Hudson, Galaga '88 from Namco, R-Type from Irem, and Darius Alpha, Darius Plus, and Super Darius from Taito. The console is also known for its platformers and role-playing games. The Legendary Axe by Victor Entertainment won many awards and is considered one of the TurboGrafx-16's most important titles. Ys I & II, a collection of two games from Nihon Falcom's Ys series, was very popular in Japan. Cosmic Fantasy 2 was an RPG game that was released in the United States after being made in Japan. It received the Electronic Gaming Magazine RPG of the Year award in 1993.

Reception

In Japan, the PC Engine was very successful. At one time, it was the top-selling console in the country. In North America and Europe, the situation was opposite, with Sega and Nintendo leading the console market, while NEC struggled. Initially, the TurboGrafx-16 sold well in the U.S., but it eventually faced a lack of support from third-party software developers and publishers.

In 1990, ACE magazine praised the console's racing game library, saying that compared to all the popular consoles, the PC Engine had the best variety and quality of racing games. In 1993, GamePro reviewed the Turbo Duo model and gave it a "thumbs down." They praised the system's CD sound, graphics, and ability to support five players, but they criticized the outdated controller and the games library. They noted that third-party support was "almost nonexistent" and that most first-party games were localizations of games better suited for the Japanese market. In 2009, the TurboGrafx-16 was ranked the 13th greatest video game console of all time by IGN. The review highlighted "a solid catalog of games worth playing," but also pointed out the lack of third-party support and the absence of a second controller port.

The controversy over bit width marketing strategy returned with the release of the Atari Jaguar console. Mattel did not use bit width marketing for its 1979 Intellivision system, even though it used a 16-bit CPU.

Legacy

In 1994, NEC introduced a new console called the Japanese-exclusive PC-FX, a 32-bit system with a tower-like design. It did not sell well, leading NEC to stop making video games.

Emulation programs for the TurboGrafx-16 work on many modern and older computer systems. Programs like Mednafen and BizHawk are widely used and regularly updated.

In 2006, several TurboGrafx-16 (TurboChip/HuCARD), TurboGrafx-CD (CD-ROM²), and Turbo Duo (Super CD-ROM²) games were made available on Nintendo's Virtual Console for the Wii, later the Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS. Some of these games were never sold outside Japan. In 2011, ten TurboGrafx-16 games were released on the PlayStation Network for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable in North America.

In 2010, Hudson released an iPhone app called "TurboGrafx-16 GameBox," which let users buy and play selected TurboGrafx games through in-app purchases.

The 2012 JRPG Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory includes a character named Peashy, who honors the TurboGrafx-16 console.

In 2016, rapper Kanye West first named his eighth solo album Turbo Grafx 16. The album was later canceled.

In 2019, Konami announced the TurboGrafx-16 Mini, a dedicated console with many built-in games, at E3 2019 and Tokyo Game Show 2019. On March 6, 2020, Konami delayed the console indefinitely because the COVID-19 pandemic caused problems with manufacturing in China. The TurboGrafx-16 Mini was released in North America on May 22, 2020, and in Europe on June 5, 2020.