[ Software ]

2.1 Hucards

When the PC Engine first appeared in Japan, the only form of medium the games came in are on small telephone card sized plastic cards very much alike the Sega Master System in terms of shape and design (They are NOT the same though as the PC Engine hucards were much more advanced in those days.) It can be seen that in the early days of it's life, programmers had alot of trouble fitting their games on the hucards with one example being R-Type. The game had to be split up into two as the largest hucard at the time did not allow the entire game to be ported over without having to sacrifice other things. Later on as hucards were being manufactured with increasing sizes, the US counterpart had the game crammed into one hucard with every level intact.

Fig. 2.1 Hucards used on the PC Engine system.

2.2 CD format

As soon as 1989, NEC released an add-on in the form of a CD unit which immediately paved the way for longer and detailed games as well as audio quality music. Next to succeed this came the Super-CD ROM which required a System 3.0 card in order to play.

Fig. 2.2 Typical CD game for the PC Engine.

2.3 Selection of games

During almost 13 years in the market, the PC Engine has seen many good games (not to mention bad ones too). The likes of Akumajo X, Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire, Splatterhouse, etc still get my attention even to this day.

Fig. 2.3 Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire. A snip at 34000Yen.

Fig. 2.4 Akumajo X. Picked up for under US$55 in Japan.

Due to the fact that the PC Engine failed in the US (more like due to apathy over there), it was shelved in most of Europe and gamers can only get their hands on it via importers. Whilst the games themselves were easy to get hold of in Japan, with the good titles, it became difficult to buy through overseas networks. GunHed, which was released only under a year ago back in those days were selling on the 2nd hand market for almost 60 pounds. Same with Parasol Stars, Devils Crush, PC Kid, Splatterhouse. The trend repeated itself even though there were no shortages from the land of the rising sun.

Of course, die hard pc engine enthusiasts were willing to pay the prices (and you people thought ebay was bad) and the only way to get a good deal was to look for advertisers in computer magazines and hope you are the first one to phone in to enquire about the sale. (I got my copy of Splatterhouse that way for 20 pounds)

2.4 Prototypes

Fig. 2.6 Tatsujin Prototype PCB.

Coming to the subject of Prototype, I have only ever come across one myself, which isn't surprising really as they weren't exactly made in abundance compared to normal releases.

Up until recently, obtaining them proved difficult but as more and more people cleared their stocks on auction sites, no hopers like I have a chance to buy one (I have managed to pick up pcbs of Ryukyu and Gomola Speed thanks to Suidu Takumi from Fukuoka or is it Osaka you moved to now?).

Fig. 2.7 Silky Lip SCD Prototype.

2.5 My Personal Collection

I have been collecting the PC Engine since 1988 and up until 1994, I have been a very active buyer of games and hardware. Unfortunately due to academic reasons and thinking that the PC Engine's days were up, I gave up to concentrate on my degree. (My last game incidentally was Dracula X bought from Raven Games London.

Fig. 2.8 My Collection part #1.

Since that bad move, I did not go back until the beginning of 1999 when I found out that many games that I could not obtain at the time appeared on ebay at low prices. Since then, I came across BT Garner's Turbo List which had a list of games that I never knew existed. To my shock and horror, there were games listed that dates to as late as 1996. Sapphire????  Arcade CD?? Darius Alpha???  I sure missed alot of things there...

Fig. 2.9 My Collection part #2.

After getting more and more into the scene, I noticed that with a 120 game collection (up until 1994), I was no way near 20% complete and that buying on ebay will not get me any nearer the 200 mark without having to go bankrupt.
I then came across yahoo auction site which had more of the PC Engine and at cheaper prices. I turned to yahoo for help and since then, I have amassed 390 games in total a year after.
I'm now on 664 (June 14 2004) and fingers crossed that the cheap games which I missed in order to collect the more rare titles first don't go up in price. DAYAM!! Akiyamanin DOUBLED in price since I left HK in 2002!!!

Fig. 2.10 Partial collection shown of 664 games. Boxed closeup on Fig. 2.8 & 2.9

I am still in need of 94 more games with most of them being cheapo "no on wants" cds but some will be very challenging indeed.

2.6 The Last PC Engine Game

In 1996, most PC Engine magazines were on their way out and whilst most of the games listed on the "to be released" columns came out, there were a few that never made it to the public due to delays, legal copyright etc etc...

Such games were "Dead of the Brain 1&2" and "Space Fantasy Zone".

Fig. 2.11 Last game: Dead of the Brain 1&2.

The latter was supposed to be released as far back as late 1991 but after so many years, it was shelved. The former, however, did reach the shops... 4 years late. The last PC Engine game was released on the 3rd June 1999 and only through chosen videogame shops.

Places like Messe Sanoh and SoftMap stocked them in very limited numbers in Tokyo and whilst gamers in Japan have the privilege of online ordering, copies were originally rationed to a max of I think one per person before that was relaxed and up to 10 copies can be ordered.

Prices for the game didn't come cheap in terms of Japanese prices, as one can purchase Dreamcast games for around 5800yen, Dead of the Brain 1&2 retail at 6700Yen or 7800Yen depending on whichever way you bought the game (advanced or on the day I think).

2.7 Top 10 Most Expensive Games

Recently I have noticed that some games were selling at prices unimaginable in Japan, the likes of Sapphire going for over $500 shocked me, not to mention caravan hucards changing hands for tens of thousands of Yen.

Below is a list of games sold for high prices in the last 2 years with prices from 6000Yen up to 120000Yen.

1. Akiyamanin Sugaku Mystery
2. Darius Alpha (with letter)
3. Bomberman Users Battle
4. Power League All Stars GOLD
5. PC Kid 3 Taikenban
6. Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire
7. Bomberman 93 Special
8. Go! Go! Birdie Chance
9. Teki Paki Working Love
10.Madou Monogatari

2.8 Complete List of Games

I have made a list of every single game for the PC Engine (hucard, CD, SCD and ACD format) which you can find sorted under HUCARDS and CDs.

The list may not paint a complete picture of what exists as there are so many games that were never released or out also in test/sample form that I am not aware of. However, I have made a very vigourous search and came up with a total of almost 780 games. If anyone knows of games that are unlisted, please contact me at odie_33@hotmail.com