NEC Supergrafx - what were they thinking?

[Duddyroar]

I was looking through some old CVG magazines last night and I came across a feature on the Supergrafx. It got me wondering - why did NEC decide to release this machine?

The PC Engine was still young (and doing well in Japan) and support for the PCE CD-ROM add-on was gathering pace, so why release a more powerful and expensive console at that time? Sure, it was backwards compatible with the PCE but it doesn't seem to make sense to me. Maybe NEC was fearful of more powerful machines, such as the Megadrive and the SNES - but the PCE was beating the MD in Japan at the time. How many games did it have - six in total? It must rank as one of the most abortive hardware releases in history. Still doesn't stop me wanting one, obviously...if only for Ghouls 'n' Ghosts...

I suppose NEC were quite a forward-thinking company at the time though - they were the first on the block with console CD-ROM hardware, and they also released the PC Engine GT soon after the PCE itself came out - imagine that happening today - the PS3 gets released and a year later a portable version appears! Maybe the Supergrafx was just an attempt to keep at the forefront of the market?

In terms of specs, how does the Supergrafx compare to say, the MD or SNES?

[wheelaa]

How many games did it have - six in total? It must rank as one of the most abortive hardware releases in history. Still doesn't stop me wanting one, obviously...if only for Ghouls 'n' Ghosts...

5, plus 2 that benefit from reduced flicker apparently. 1941 is rather good too.

[Baseley09]

Specs wise it's nigh on identical to the PC Engine, with more ram, hardware scrolling and well....not a lot else, the sound chip for example was the same

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SuperGrafx

Who knows what they were thinking, perhaps they did want developers to switch over, it wouldn't have been hard, but meh....like said how could be deny the pre installed user base. Probably it's most exciting feature was going to be the power console

http://www.geocities.com/sgextreme/grafx/powcon2.jpg

Narly, Tekki eat your heart out

[muse hunter]

NEC just loved giving us new slightly updated hardware to both please and confuse us at the same time. I guess many collectors love them for it, its not like NEC never released pointless updates before

I was an ugly system though

[wheelaa]

Damn right, ugliest console ever (almost). You hook up some cd action with the rau 30 and its like a ****ing battleship in size too.

[Baseley09]

Worst?!?

I think it's the best looking console designed.

Some people pfft.

[Mad Gear]

I used to think it was a great looking console until i actually saw it with my own eyes. A very odd plastic lump.

[Lyle]

Does anyone know why there were so few games for it ? If I remember well, Capcom were to release new Strider and Forgotten Worlds ports and then canceled everything.

Too bad, considering the quality of Ghouls'n Ghosts & 1941.

[Baseley09]

Strider's a pretty funny one, at some time it was touted for every PC Engien variation along the way, until of course coming out for the last one.

Galaxy Force II was also planned, they may even be a beta out there...hmmm :/

[Yakumo]

I used to own on of these monster bricks and believe me they aren't worth it. The actual games aren't that much better than PC Engine games (which is no bad thing) and the console feels very cheap. It's far too light for it's size.

Yakumo