The PC Engine really does bring families together. I love that you did this so much, it’s hard to express. I skimmed a video for vol. 1 and really enjoyed the low-res slideshow.
Reading the Magweasel blog, I get the impression that NEC really wanted this console to function more as a serious tech centerpiece in the home, something that would play video games but also capable of more through its modular design.
It had a different Chisato Moritaka song but I got to introduce The Stress to Lady Rude so it was a big success.
I’m really excited to learn there is another graphical adventure featuring Noriko this year.
again, a “games what i own” post for 1989:
sonson ii - mechanically, this is a sequel to black tiger, rather than sonson. luckily, black tiger is also great. there’s a translation patch out there too.
deep blue - a fish-themed stg that i picked up back in the old times when you could still get pc engine games that weren’t about baseball for dirt cheap. it sucks.
wonder momo - oddly, not the only tokusatsu-themed single plane beat em up released on the pc engine in 1989. it’s ok i guess. very cute.
pac-land - you know what pac-land is, it’s like if track and field was a platformer
fire pro wrestling combination tag - the very first fire pro game. not really any reason to go back and play it if you have any of the others, but a good game’s a good game, even in its most basic form
cyber cross - the other tokusatsu-themed single plane beat em up released on the pc engine in 1989. excellent, highly recommended.
final lap twin - excellent into-the-screen racing game. in 1989, i think the only similar console games with this level of speed would have been on the mega drive, a whole entire 16 bit system.
monster lair - the received wisdom regarding this game is that the mega drive port plays better, but the pc engine port has better music (because it’s on cd). i’ve never played the m version, so i don’t know if it’s better, but this one’s still pretty good
bloody wolf - a cannon action movie in the form of a late 80s videogame. shoot and stab people, run them over on your stolen motorbike, rescue hostages. nice lowbrow fun
ordyne - an ok stg. from what i remember, it’s like an inferior fantasy zone?
side arms special - a decent enough shooting game. this is the cd version, which contains an extra mode called “before christ”. and an incredibly pretty disc.
ordyne rules. a (very decent) port of namco’s 1988 arcade side-scrolling shoot’em up with big, colorful sprites and super catchy music. mechanically at least, it’s not particularly similar to fantazy zone, which feels mostly descended from defender’s wrap-around horizontal free-scrolling. ordyne is a forced-scroller, more like a traditional gradius or r-type thing, but very cute and worth trying for aesthetic reasons if nothing else. the PC Engine port isn’t quite as good as the arcade version, but it’s very serviceable and plays great anyway
edit: ordyne does have a shop like fantasy zone!
it’s been a very very long time since i played it
the soundtrack is one of those things that just perfectly complements the game
the game and soundtrack are perfectly interlocked tessellations
i’m sure everyone here already knows this, but pc engine is famous for having a staggering selection of shmups
https://www.pcenginefans.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=3a509f105715b7b13fbe1164718e4f5c&topic=1922.0
TITEL Manufacturer RELEASE GENRE
(Super) Hu-Card
1 <1941 Counter Attack Hudson 1991 V
2 <1943 Kai Naxat 1991 V
3 <Aero Blasters Hudson 1990 H
4 <After Burner II NEC-Ave 1990 3D
5 <Aldynes Hudson 1991 H
6 <Armed Formation F Pack-In 1992 V
7 <Atomic Robo Kid Special UPL 1990 H
8 <Barunba Namco 1990 V/H
9 <Bouken Danshaken Don San-Heart Hen I’Max 1992 H
10 <Burning Angels Naxat 1990 V
11 <Coryoon Naxat 1991 H
12 <Cyber Core IGS 1990 V
13 <Daisenpu NEC-Ave 1990 H
14 <Darius Alpha NEC-Ave 1991 H
15 <Darius Plus NEC-Ave 1990 H
16 <Dead Moon-Gessekai No Akumu TSS 1991 H
17 <Deep Blue-Kaitei Shinwa Pack-In 1989 H
18 <Download NEC-Ave 1990 H
19 <Dragon Saber Namco 1991 V
20 <Dragon Spirit Namco 1988 V
21 <Fantasy Zone NEC-Ave 1988 H
22 <Final Blaster Namco 1990 V
23 <Final Soldier Hudson 1991 V
24 <Final Soldier Special Version Hudson ? V
25 <Galaga 88 Namco 1988 V
26 <Gokuraku Chuka Taisen Taito 1992 H
27 <Gradius Konami 1991 H
28 <Gunhed Hudson 1989 V
29 <Gunhed Special Version Hudson ? V
30 <Hana taakadaka!? Taito 1991 V/H
31 <Hany in the Sky Face 1989 V
32 <Heavy Unit Taito 1989 H
33 <Image Fight Irem 1990 V
34 <Kyûkyoku Tiger / Ultimate Tiger Taito 1989 V
35 <Magical Chase Palsoft 1991 H (regular and PCE fan release)
36 <Metal Stoker Face 1991 V/H
37 <Mr. Heli no Daibôken Irem 1989 V/H
38 <Ordyne Namco 1989 H
39 <Override Data East 1991 V
40 <P 47-The Freedom Fighter Aicom 1989 H
41 <Paranoia Naxat 1990 H
42 <Parodius da!! Konami 1992 H
43 <PC-Denjin-Punkic Cyborgs Hudson 1992 H
44 <Power Gate Pack-In Video 1991 H
45 <Psycho Chaser Naxat 1990 V
46 <Rabio Lepus Special Video System 1990 H
47 <Raiden Hudson 1991 V
48 <Rock On Big Club 1989 H
49 <R-Type I Hudson 1988 H
50 <R-Type II Hudson 1988 H
51 <Salamander Konami 1991 V/H
52 <Side Arms NEC-Ave 1989 H
53 <Soldier Blade Hudson 1992 V
54 <Soldier Blade Special Version Hudson ? V
55 <Space Harrier NEC-Ave 1988 3D
56 <Space Invaders-Fukkatsu No Hi Taito 1990 V
57 <Super Star Soldier Hudson 1990 V
58 <Tatsujin Taito 1992 V
59 <Tenseiryû / Saint Dragon Aicom 1990 H
60 <Terra Cresta II Nichibutsu 1992 V
61 <Thunder Blade NEC-Ave 1990 V/3D
62 <Toilet Kids Media Rings 1992 V
63 <Toy Shop Boys Victor 1990 V
64 <Twin Bee-deta na!! Konami 1992 V
65 <Violent Soldier IGS 1990 H
66 <W-Ring / Double Ring Naxat 1990 H
67 <Xevious-Fadraut Namco 1990 VArcade/Super/CD-Rom²
1 <Ai Chôaniki NCS 1995 V/H
2 <Alzadick - Summer Carnival '93 Naxat 1992 H
3 <Avenger Telenet 1990 V
4 <CD-Denjin-Rockabilly Tengoku Hudson 1993 V/H
5 <Chôaniki NCS 1992 V/H
6 <Cotton Hudson 1993 H
7 <Daisenpû Custom NEC-Ave 1991 H
8 <Download 2 NEC-Ave 1991 H
9 <Forgotten Worlds NEC-Ave 1992 V/H
10 <Gate of Thunder Hudson 1992 H
11 <Ginga Fukei Densetsu-Sapphire Hudson 1995 V
12 <God Panic-Shijyou Saikyu Gundan Teichiku 1992 V
13 <Gradius II-Gofer no Yabô Konami 1992 H
14 <Hawk F-123 Pack-In Video 1992 H
15 <Hellfire-S NEC-Ave 1991 H
16 <Image Fight 2 Irem 1992 V
17 <Kiaiden 00 Telenet 1992 H
18 <L-Dis NCS 1991 H
19 <Legion Telenet 1990 H
20 <Macross 2036 NCS 1992 H
21 <Metamor Jupiter NEC-Ave 1993 H
22 <Nexzr Naxat 1992 H
23 <Nexzr Special - Summer Carnival '92 Naxat 1993 H
24 <Psychic Storm Telenet 1992 H
25 <Rayxanber II Data West 1991 H
26 <Rayxanber III Data West 1992 H
27 <R-Type Complete CD Irem 1991 H
28 <Seirei Senshi Spriggan - Summer Carneval '91 Naxat 1991 V
29 <Side Arms Special NEC-Ave 1989 H
30 <Space Fantasy Zone (unrelease) NEC-Ave 1991 3D
31 <Space Invaders - The Original Game NEC-Ave 1995 V
32 <Spriggan mkII - the terraforming Project Naxat 1992 H
33 <Star Parodia Hudson 1992 V
34 <Steam Hearts TGL 1996 H
35 <Super Darius NEC-Ave 1990 H
36 <Super Darius 2 NEC-Ave 1993 H
37 <Super Raiden Hudson 1992 V
38 <Sylphia Tonkin House 1993 V
39 <Terraforming Right Stuff Corp. 1992 H
40 <Winds of Thunder Hudson 1993 H
41 <Wonderboy III-Monster Lair Hudson 1989 H
42 <Zero Wing Naxat 1992 HPC-FX
1 <Choushin Heiki Zeroigar Hudson 1997 V
Jinmu Denshou
This game is so wicked, vile, and absolutely bonkers. I’m running on a plane like Space Harrier but I can stop running or even turn around. Also, I don’t have projectiles by default. The game barely keeps up the illusion of running towards the horizon with a really poor framerate. There’s also some perspective trickery. There was a present within a gate of harmful bamboo. If I walked to the right, the present would slide out of the gate, but if I walked back to the left, it would move as well.
I spammed save states to inch my way from stage 1 to 2, to 3. I was really knocked off my feet on stage 3because it is so beautiful and so heinous at the same time. When I first got there, I had to take a screenshot. I can’t do this while paused because the game shows “COFFEE BREAK” over the screen. In that moment, I realized that it hurt my guy if he stood on water. This is a stage for platforming, in 3D, where enemies can come from any side. The audacity is aspirational for me. I noticed a blue circle in the water and I was curious what would happen if I stepped on it. It turns out I would be transported to Hell where fiery hands groped for me and I still had to platform jump on narrow rock paths.
When I finally got the 4th stage, I noticed that my guy was moving forward on his own. I was being pushed forward into columns again and again until I died. I feel so hated by this. It rules.
The soundtrack is the best music I have heard on the PC Engine
Is “coffee break” a pc engine thing? Pacland had them too
Hmm, I played the Ys I & II Chronicles + PC port which is… based on the version of the game that came out in Japan at the end of '89 (which itself was based on even earlier versions), so that’s kinda almost in-bounds with this discussion. I is interesting in that you can only level up to a max level of 10 and your level makes a profound difference (i.e. certain bosses you basically can’t harm until at the correct level). The bump combat sounds odd on paper but is surprisingly satisfying to engage with in practice, and living in a world with walkthroughs makes it a much nicer, breezier experience than it would have been in the before times. The final boss is just plain ridiculous though.
II is basically a refined version (although how much of that is due to this particular remake is vague), you level up in a more traditional/less absurd manner and such. It feels like every area is a maze which starts to wear after a bit, and at least in this version you can bump into enemies via diagonals which makes most of them trivial.
Both are fairly short via modern standards which I consider to be a good thing, especially with a walkthrough (seriously, especially in the first game you need one) it’ll take 5-7ish hours per game tops?
Pac-Land!! Oh God yes, I love Pac-Land! Everyone else seems to hate this game, and that it because they are wrong. Pac-Land is a game about Pac-Man going out for a walk. That’s awesome. Should also point out that Super Mario Bros was inspired by this.
There’s a bunch of secrets you can find that do all types of weird and sometimes interesting things. Why is Pac-Man walking upside down and backwards? Because I am a true Gamer who knows how to touch the right spots, if you know what I mean 
yeah, I pushed the correct trees and fire hydrants, that’s what I mean. There’s also some power-ups that turn you invisible or give you a baseball helmet to protect you from overhead projectiles.
Pac-Land has a Japanese commercial that some people might describe as “really fucked up.” It involves Pac-Man crossing a river bouncing off the heads of other Pac-Men, whose fates are merely implied.
That’s right, Pac-Man, life is a struggle! Survival of the fittest! Show them who’s boss!
There’s not much else to say about it; Pac-Man walks and jumps. But the PC-Engine port is pretty darn close to Arcade Perfect, and lets you use the d-pad for movement (the arcade game used two buttons for movement, and a third for jumping). I love you, Pac-Man!
Time your jump properly at the end of a stage to get the NA-MU-KO-O bonus!
i’ve been waiting for this!
a small town has been attacked by mysterious creatures, which i assume are the titular dead. you’re some woman sent in to fix this situation or something. i dunno. i didn’t read the manual. but what you do is try to find survivors and lead them to shelter in the church while also moving the plot forwards and trying to solve what is happening.
while you walk around, random encounters trigger, putting you in these sidescrolling segments where you have to leave the screen, optionally killing some monsters to gather experience and ammo, before you can keep moving in the topdown view.
like, yeah, this looks like something i’d be excited about. and i was. but i kinda hate it actually!
in order to move the game forward you have to talk to everyone constantly to get all the flags to progress, and to do this you go from the church to some other corner of the map, go back to the church, go out again, often returning to whatever place you came from, and keep doing this back and forth until you are going in some new direction. meanwhile, you get harassed with the same few enemy encounters constantly and i had patience to go at it for a couple of hours but nah, i don’t like this. but i think someone else probably might get something out of it. it’s mechanically very toned down, environments feel huge and empty and the character sprites are small, and i do think that does something to the mood. the music is good but you get to hear the overworld theme constantly and i’m sick of it.
oh, i should probably come back to this thread to let everyone know that wonder momo has graphical glitches in every emulator except for magic engine, funnily enough. one of two games (takeda shingen being the other one) that has some sort of emulation issue outside of that weird emulator with the nice ui.
jinmu denshou - minty is right. beautiful game. definitely comes across hateful of the player, but seems very doable, just memorization heavy. after enough attempts i’ve managed to push into stage 4 and after bumping against it for a while started to pick up that you can just move to where you need to be before anything shows up (but i sure as hell can’t just react to anything, skill issue for sure)
takeda shingen - i don’t think this is good but it definitely made me smile. your character bends his knees to jump but you can still move while doing so making a kind of sliding motion that looks silly and feels good. everyone just kinda slides around. the music sounds kind of cheery somehow. i clashed swords with an enemy 3 minutes in and we both permanently froze like this
artist tool - i wanted to draw something in the limitations of a pc-engine, but there’s no way i’m manually filling in colors while drawing with a d-pad. sorry but a paint bucket is the bare minimum for digital painting to be tolerable. made me aware of the illust booster tho
moto roader - the funniest rubberbanding i’ve ever seen as no car is allowed to leave the screen so anyone left behind gets dragged back in, sometimes resulting in weird last stretch overtakes despite fucking up constantly earlier in the race. the way you gotta upgrade just right between races to stay competitive and not fall behind moneywise was just annoying tho
I played and lost 3 baseball games.
Power League II
This is a sequel to Word Class Baseball. It’s even harder to win! The computer team is just way too good at hitting pitches. It feels like they’re hitting 8 out of 10 pitches that I throw into the strike zone. For pitches that I plan on being outside of the strike zone, they move to hit anyways. I was able to get one run against their 13, so it wasn’t a total wash. I think I’ll drink some Milo to recuperate.
Kore ga Pro Yakyuu '89
ROM ROM Stadium
Galaxy Deka Gayvan (CD game) is a single plane belt scroll and oh boy it sucks.
Just filled with this “joke” aesthetic that I despise and in single player you have to play that dorkus. Pretty easy to get caught in a damage trap you can’t escape. Glad Fill In Cafe got better than this and this game is from 1993 so assume I posted this later I must have gotten it confused with some other game this post has it’s place in the future.
Instead Deep Blue! Which Shmup Junkie calls the worst shooter on the PC Engine and possibly the worst in the 16bit era. I agree. It is fascinating bad in a way that would cause you to quit immediately if you played it on itch or in a browser but as a commercial game at some point demands scrutiny. You are very weak and the enemy patterns are relentless. It does continue the Keith Courage trend of taking and not taking damage.
Pretty Bad!
The magweasel post about it describes a obscure mechanic where your ship heals whenever you stop firing. Knowing that is not enough to make it a good game, but I think that elevates it above terrible. [I ♥ The PC Engine] Deep Blue @ Magweasel
Got hooked onto wonder Momo for a bit last night. It is very cute. It’s also very fucking hard. I can’t pass act 5 bc of that blue spike man that bounces off my head!! There’s so much going on and the pink dudes are very hard to kick, so sometimes I would panic mash the attack button and suck real bad. But there were other times when I was locked in, man! Kick this dude, turn around and knock out the little red fuckers, then get the big yellow dudes and gtfo!
There are a couple really satisfying feelings:
This was the score from my first playthrough. I never topped it! I got so excited to be in first place that I accidentally confirmed the “a” and asss was the only word my brain could come up with. Better believe I’ll be back for more Momo
