PC Engine - what's the deal?

[Team Andromeda]

If there's one area I couldn't agree less on here, it's with shooters. The PC-Engine easily has the most varied and quality line up of all the 16-Bit era systems where that genre is concerned in my opinion. I'm not saying that out of any fanboy bias, I love all the systems from the era and obviously the MD and SFC have some quality titles.

I'm sorry when it came to shooters the MD was just a better console imo , There's nothing on the PC-Eng that can touch the likes of Thunder Force IV or Gynough imo , even the PC-Eng CD-Rom is vastly overrated and outclassed by the Mega CD.
In almost every area the Mega Drive/CD was the better choice imo . I can't think of one genre the PC Eng did better than the MD , I've always seen the system has a poor man's Mega Drive in my view(but part of that is me coming to the PC-Eng long after the system was 1st launched which never helps)

And I'm by no means the biggest fan of the MD (I liked the Snes way more)

[Atticus]

I never clicked with the PC Engine either. Tried a few times. Maybe it helps if you experienced it 'back in the day' ... but I never did.

[buster_broon]

Its a great system and was way ahead of its time

i got into it late but for me it was all about the 80s arcade conversions

Splatterhouse was pretty much arcade perfect with a few changes, Shinobi again was superb with a slight change, legend hero tonma was awesome, Mega Twins was incredible

But Streetfighter champion edition was just as good a conversion as the SFC version and much better than the megadrive version

[Colin]

Statements like the PC-Engine being the poor mans MD are just silly throwaway lines really, with no basis in fact. As for comparisons between the CD based add ons, fairly pointless when there was so much time between the releases. Shock horror, technology advanced, who could have seen that coming, eh? The PC-Engine paved the way for CD-Rom as an innovation on the home console front. For anyone to dismiss the PCE's shooter library tells me they haven't played the bulk of the catalogue or taken the time to investigate it, otherwise they would be well aware of the large amount of fantastic titles available.

[Soundwave]

You see this is my holy grail of gaming.

I have always coveted this machine even back when I had my SNES & MD all I ever wanted was a Duo to experience the fantastic stuff it offered but have never to this day owned one...well that's a lie I bought a Core off here & never actually got it set up & sold it on to use the money for something else.

I would still love to own one properly but I think I've well missed the boat & everything is just that little bit too expensive these days to make it a viable option for me.

Maybe one day I will but for now I'll just admire what Ikobo buys & lust after it from afar.

Neil

[Baseley09]

I'm sorry when it came to shooters the MD was just a better console imo , There's nothing on the PC-Eng that can touch the likes of Thunder Force IV or Gynough imo , even the PC-Eng CD-Rom is vastly overrated and outclassed by the Mega CD.

Lords of Thunder....Gate of Thunder? That's just for a kick off.

[fuse]

I first bought one after getting hold of Dracula X, which lead to me coming into the world of PCE on pretty much the highest note possible. The unit I bought came with a couple of HuCards too, perhaps most notably Ninja Spirits (awesome) and Vigilante (not so awesome - or at least, dated badly). This impression has stuck with me a little; a lot of the games have dated awfully and are very hard to approach now, whereas others are absolutely timeless.

I definitely overlooked the system when it was at its most relevant - I was too young to afford multiple consoles - but coming to it now there's a good library of stuff to explore. If you're into shooters there's a wealth of exclusives, as well as all number of iconic titles; Salamander, Gradius, Parodius, Raiden, Galaga, R-Type...

[Team Andromeda]

Lords of Thunder....Gate of Thunder? That's just for a kick off.

They can't hold a candle to Thunder Force IV for me

[Team Andromeda]

Statements like the PC-Engine being the poor mans MD are just silly throwaway lines really

They're how people feel . I can't think of a single genre the PC Eng beats the MD

fairly pointless when there was so much time between the releases.

Not really people still compare the PS2 to X-Box, the DC to the N64 or N64 to PS and Saturn , never mind comparing the Snes to the likes of Mega Drive(people forget the MD came out in 88) or PC-Eng

The PC-Engine paved the way for CD-Rom as an innovation on the home console front.

No-one will downplay that, but the Philips CDI paved the way for Multi Media and wireless controllers , the Pipin for online built into a console, never mind how the Amiga paved the way for 16 bit gaming. It's about the games and for that I found the Mega CD to be far better than the PC -Eng CD-Rom and the Mega Drive to be a better system for shooters

For anyone to dismiss the PCE's shooter library tells me they haven't played the bulk of the catalogue or taken the time to investigate it

People could say the same to you with the Saturn . But if a system doesn't click for you, you're not going to take to it no matter how many others may praise it and I've played quite a lot of the PC-Eng shooters , but just found the MD to be better for shooters .

[Baseley09]

Well regardless of personal preference it's clear that PC Engine has a slew of excellent arcade conversions and possibly the widest selection of shooters of any system.

[Colin]

I'd written out a long reply for you there TA, but there's just no point in answering you and putting it up. This was boring with you all those years ago when it started between us, and it's even more boring now.

Asura, i'll try and knock up a decent post for you tonight as to the positives of the system and why I hold it in such high regard. Depending on what you're in to games wise, there's a huge amount to be taken from the system. As you'll no doubt see here today, it's not for everyone though!

[importaku]

Never played much of the cd rom library on PCE but i do know that the PCE version of rainbow islands destroys all other home versions. It's the main reason i wanted a cd rom unit.

[muddy]

When I get time today i'll write a massive reply to this one..................

[Team Andromeda]

I'd written out a long reply for you there TA, but there's just no point in answering you and putting it up. This was boring with you all those years ago when it started between us, and it's even more boring now

I don't know why you're getting to ratty . You can dislike the Saturn and find it overrated and it not change my view of the system at all. I tried to like the system but couldn't get into it and found the Mega Drive and Neo Geo to be the better systems for shooters that's all

Well regardless of personal preference it's clear that PC Engine has a slew of excellent arcade conversions

Sure that with out question - Just for me when it came to shooters I found the MD to be better

PCE version of rainbow islands destroys all other home versions.

I found the Saturn version to be best myself just a shame about the music

[muddy]

fwiw, I think they're an awesome little machine.

The shmups are excellent, and the library of games really varied. Well worth acquiring one for a play.