Retro|Spective 218: Hardware

[wakka]

Never seen that before, very interesting. Only released in South Korea apparently.

[Asura]

It's like the PSOne, if every nice design element of that was made bad

[wakka]

[Neon Ignition]

Hardware 08 - TurboGrafx-16 CoreGrafx
This updated model of the system came in a black and blue colour scheme and was mostly notable for introducing a composite AV connection to the system along with a revised CPU.




What are/were your memories of the CoreGrafx version of the console?

[Colin]

For me, second best looking console NEC made outside of the OG system. When it came out I already had an in retrospect horrifically hard wired scart white console and the import Japanese MD’s had landed a bit before it released which I’d made my main console at that time, but I still wanted one. Every time I went to the import shop I used in Edinburgh I longingly looked at it but obviously couldn’t justify it. Think I finally owned one mid to late 90’s.

These days out of the HuCard systems I’d say it’s the one to go for. Finding a nice white system is rare though thankfully I have one, and the Core Grafx 2 only looks good hooked up to a Super CD-Rom2. Thankfully I have them all.

[egparadigm]

I had no idea this ever existed!

Yeah that's one 3DO model I have never seen!

I wonder if, by the time this was released, the 3DO company had already sold the M2 tech off to Matsu****a.

[egparadigm]

Ha, you can’t say Matsu****a without being censored. 🤣

[Baseley09]

Mad expensive those Alive 3do's last few i saw on ebay went for thousands!

As for the Core Grafx, what a great looking system, though my heart is with Core Grafx II being my childhood PC Engine.

Also you can look at the the OG Core Grafx as the basic low end bsdic model being released alongside the Super Grafx, hence the name "Core", I dont know why that's only clicked in my mind recently.

[Asura]

As someone in the UK who didn't really do any importing until the N64 days, the Grafx/PCEngine consoles are pretty outside of my experience. I've played on them certainly, but only at big retro events.

[Neon Ignition]

Hardware 09 - NEC PC Engine
The original Japanese model landed in pristine white, leading the pack and informing some of the later models including the CoreGrafx





What are/were your memories of the Japanese PC Engine version of the console?

[jonathan_ingram]

I've got a slightly yellowed PC Engine and I still think it's the best looking console ever made, the form factor of it is incredible.

[Neon Ignition]

Hardware 10 - TurboGrafx-16 CoreGrafx 2
With this very minor revision of the earlier model, the decision was made to once again recolour the system. Despite its name the recolouring is one of only two changes made, the other being to revert back to the older CPU used in the Japanese model.



Do you prefer this Lady in Red?

[Neon Ignition]

Hardware 11 - NEC PC Engine SuperGrafx
An improved design of the PC Engine, this version of the console received six exclusive games to make use of its hardware but only ever sold in low numbers.




What are/were your memories of the NEC PC Engine version of the console?

[Baseley09]

Hardware 10 - TurboGrafx-16 CoreGrafx 2
With this very minor revision of the earlier model, the decision was made to once again recolour the system. Despite its name the recolouring is one of only two changes made, the other being to revert back to the older CPU used in the Japanese model.



Do you prefer this Lady in Red?

Yeah it's the one in my heart, we had called ACE in London to get a super famicom but they couldn't confirm delivery for Christmas, so turned to the Core Grafx II, never looked back. It came with Ballistix from Psygnosis which is so bad I couldn't even describe what type of game it is, a bit speedball. But it had some speech samples I was impressed with. Luckily also ordered Splatterhouse!

[Neon Ignition]

Hardware 12 - NEC PC Engine Shuttle
Another variant of the CoreGrafx, this 1989 version revised the systems appearance into something resembling an early draft of Atari's Jaguar. It removed the expansion ports from the system making it incompatible with add-ons such as the CD drive




What are/were your memories of the PC Engine Shuttle version of the console?