Best PC Engine to get?

[Pavey]

Always wanted a PC Engine back in the day,after seeing R-Type in ACE. Seem to remember NEC posting an ad warning people off them,saying they exploded or some ****,then went and spent ?480 on a JAP Super Famicom instead,plus ?90 on Super Mario World. (Didn't go out much after that;couldn't afford the bus fare!)
Anyway here i am now,older and wiser,and seriously confused by all the different versions.
Which one plays best/most games,how accesible are the Jap games, does it still hold up against its then rivals (SNES,MD,etc..).
Thanks,seriously baffled.

[shortround]

the pc engine LT has to be the most sexual piece of gaming kit ever. well expensive though.

i'd say for pure retro coolness, get an original white pc engine and the cd-rom add-on.

[Pavey]

Seen the LT on backupmadness.com for around $2000 or so. Whats so good about it?
The white one was the one i looked in to around 10 or 11 years ago,has it not been surpassed?
Also, is it not best to get a US version,as my Japanese is a bit rusty?
What should i be paying aswell?

[Naiera]

Get a Duo!

The white PCE looks cack, and the suitcase setup is a mess, plus you'd have to buy system cards and all that stuff, to play CD games. With a Duo you'd only have to get an Arcade Card, if you're into old SNK fighters, or you want to get Sapphire.

You should go for a japanese Duo, as you'd have to mod a US TurboDuo, and the TG16 box-art sucks ass. The JAP Duo will play US Turbo CD's anyway, and it's not like there are too many RPG's on HuCARDs anyway. I got myself a black Duo a couple of weeks ago, and it looks ace. See!

I've only got JAP shooters as of yet (10), but there are no language problems at all, as it's not like there's too much story in any of them The Duo doesn't lack in retro-coolness anyway, as it's from 1991

The LT is a waste of money. Spend that money on Dracula X and Sapphire instead

[Square]

As has been said above, the original white PC Engine is the best looking of the consoles, and with a CD-ROM add on + Super System 3 Card, I think you should be able to play just about any Japanese HuCard and CD-based game. I spent months looking for a pure, non-discoloured white console, and finally found one in Hong Kong!

There are converters to let you play USA HuCards, but I'm not sure what they're like as I never had one. Most of the Engine's catalogue is arcade style games ? R-Type (it still amazes me how close a conversion this is), Shinobi. Galaga '88 etc, so language would be a barrier, unkess you plan on playing any RPGs.

There are combined CD-ROM/PC Engines, both Japanese and American, that would probably be suitable for you, but like I said, the white Engine is the classiest one.

[Keith@gamesTM]

If you want value for money, you're best off going for a Duo as they have everything you need to play HuCards (Jap) and Super CDROM2 games (Jap & USA). You can also get RGB cables fitted at Raven Games in London, as you can for the other ten PC Engine models that came out in Japan.

Agreed, the LT is certainly a stylish piece of kit, but is way to much money to warrant a purchase. Unless you win the lottery of course.

BTW, if you're looking for PC Engine games, there have been loads going for next to nothing on eBay recently. If you go to the main PC/Console Gaming page, then go to Other Gaming (the last link at the bottom right), you should be able to find them.

[Valken]

Seen the LT on backupmadness.com for around $2000 or so. Whats so good about it?
The white one was the one i looked in to around 10 or 11 years ago,has it not been surpassed?
Also, is it not best to get a US version,as my Japanese is a bit rusty?
What should i be paying aswell?

videogameimports.com might have an LT for sale for a more reasonable (but still high) price.

I dunno which PC Engine is the best to buy but my favourite is the original white model... most of my games are HUcard anyway so my TurboDuo goes untouched.

[Sketcz]

Id vote
DUO-R

Cheap, sturdy, reliable and easy to hook up to most TV's

[Papercut]

I have a cd-rom2 + white pc engine combo for purely aesthetic reasons, but to get started I'd go for a Duo or Duo R which are cheaper and more reliable.