Reviews

TurboGrafx-16 Game Reviews

  • Review Wonder Momo (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    A guilty pleasure for import PC Engine fans

    You cannot be blamed for not having heard of Wonder Momo, a Namco arcade game from the mid-late 80s which was never released outside of Japan. It belongs in the box of "odd" Japanese games, being a beat-em-up with the unusual setting of a Super Sentai (Power Rangers to the gaijin amongst you)...

  • Review Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    The PC Engine classic finally arrives on the Virtual Console

    The Castlevania titles have seen releases on a variety of game consoles over the years, but it's this PC Engine release that's garnered a lot of attention and focus among diehard game fans and collectors over the years. Since the game was only released in Japan, gamers who wanted to play...

  • Review Ai Chō Aniki (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    Possibly the maddest shooter of all time

    Thanks to Nintendo making imports available on the Virtual Console, you've probably come across Chō Aniki: a shooter on the PC Engine in the same mold as Gradius and other side-scrollers, but with some rather unconventional enemies and a lot of muscles. You may be less familiar with this sequel, which was...

  • Review Street Fighter II': Champion Edition (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    A very solid, albeit unknown port of the Capcom arcade fighter.

    After seeing releases on both the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis consoles, Capcom figured they could capitalize one more time with a release on NEC's PC Engine system in Japan. While the game was considered a very faithful port of the arcade hit, waning sales and licensing issues kept...

  • Review Fighting Street (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    Proof that some memories are best left in the past

    Before Street Fighter 2 became all the rage in arcades and one of the most popular fighting games in the world, it began life as an overlooked arcade title called Street Fighter, which saw the light of day way back in 1987. While the title was far from the monster hit its successor would become, it...

  • Review SimEarth: The Living Planet (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    Put the weight of the world in your hands...

    The simulation genre has come a long way - maybe not so much in the area of depth, as that's always been there. Where it has really progressed is in presentation: nowadays it’s no longer up to the player to have enough imagination to fill in the gaps left by technical limitations. Unfortunately, those...

  • Review Detana!! Twinbee (TG-16)

    It's the popular vertical-scrolling shooter renowned for its cute and comical world.

    The Twinbee series of shooters hasn't seen a lot of action outside of Japan, so it should come as no surprise that this PC Engine version of Detana!! Twinbee was never released outside of Japan and marks yet another import release for Hudson on the Wii Virtual...

  • Review Bomberman '94 (TG-16)

    Bomberman has arrived to restore peace on the planet

    Bomberman has seen a release on just about every console out there over the years, and while you'll definitely get contrasting opinions on which version of the game is the best, it's pretty indisputable that Bomberman '94 is one of them. Bomberman '94 was never released outside of Japan for some...

  • Review Ys Book I & II (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    Ys Book I & II chronicles the first adventures of Adol Christin, a young, red-haired swordsman on a quest to unlock the secrets of an ancient kingdom.

    Even the most hardened TG16 fan will admit that the machine wasn’t exactly a massive success when it was released in the States. It struggled against the Genesis and SNES despite having some great...

  • Review Chase H.Q. (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    Let's go Mr. Driver!

    Back in 1988 Taito released Chase HQ into arcades around the world. It took the driving aspects from many other racing games of the time period and coupled them together with the intense action of a high-speed police pursuit. While this offered a nice change of pace from the typical and often redundant racing experiences found...

  • Review Digital Champ: Battle Boxing (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    Digital Champ Battle Boxing is a first-person-perspective boxing title that plunges players into the raw intensity of the ring!

    When it was first released in 1989 Digital Champ caused quite a stir. Boxing games up to this point had been graphically modest affairs; Punch Out! was (and some would say, still is) the title of choice for prospective...

  • Review Star Parodier (Wii Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    Cute'em-up.

    Star Parodier is not only one of the best cute'em-ups ever created, it's also one of the best shooters ever made as well. Combining sugary sweet visuals, a stunning musical score, and some of the most responsive play control ever found in a shooter, Star Parodier proves that video game spoofs can be every bit as good, if not better, than...

  • Review Break In (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    A bit of a break from the norm of Naxat Soft's other games.

    Break In could have been a great game where you could play a burglar trying to steal some precious jewels; instead it is pool game simulator. These games used to be ten a penny in the arcade halls of old so it is only fitting that some home conversions were made. I am no expert on the game...

  • Review Cho Aniki (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    Idaten or Benten are celestial warriors who are out to bring an end to the tyrannical rule of the emperor of Planet Builder.

    The Japanese are often accused of creating some seriously weird and wonderful videogames. While this reputation is often underserved (with games like Jet Set Willy, Western developers are just as guilty of producing bonkers...

  • Review Gradius II: Gofer no Yabou (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    Gordon the Gofer

    This is an almost arcade-perfect port of the arcade version of Gradius II, which was also known as Vulcan Adventure. Konami made no compromises in choosing the PC Engine’s Super CD format to release this game on, and the music sounds better than ever as a result. Sadly this never made it to the west as a TurboGrafx-CD game, so...

  • Review Final Soldier (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    Once again its your job to protect the Galactic Empire from an alien invasion using nothing but your trusty starfighter.

    There were basically three Star Soldier releases for the PC Engine/Turbografx-16 system, not counting the cute 'em up spin-off Star Parodier. Two of those releases, Super Star Soldier and Soldier Blade, saw a release in the US...

  • Review Psychosis (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    This is a side-scrolling shooter played in a world created from the mind of a twisted demon.

    The PC Engine/TG-16 is a machine that is famous for its wide and diverse range of shooting titles, but Psychosis (also known as Paranoia in Japan) is one title that you might not be familiar with, despite the fact that it was deemed worthy of a Western...

  • Review Lords of Thunder (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    Lords of Thunder is a side-scrolling shooter that has you take on the role of a legendary warrior, blasting enemies to heavy-metal tunes.

    TG16 fans thought they’d died and gone to heaven when Gate of Thunder was published for the system. A shooter of truly epic magnitude, it rocketed the underrated machine to the top of the pile when it came to...

  • Review Riot Zone (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    I predict a riot!

    Released back when the scrolling fighter was still seen as a massive money-spinner, Riot Zone (AKA: Crest of Wolf in Japan) was Hudson’s attempt at muscling in on the territory traditionally presided over by Capcom (Final Fight, Captain Commando, Knights of the Round, etc) and Sega (Streets of Rage, Golden Axe). Now let’s not...

  • Review Monster Lair (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    Join young Adam and Laura as they embark on a fantastic adventure in this comical action/shooting game.

    Before you get excited, this isn’t your traditional Wonderboy adventure. Although we’ve already been blessed with Virtual Console versions of the quite frankly sublime Wonderboy in Monsterworld (Genesis / Mega Drive) and the exceptional...

  • Review The Dynastic Hero (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    Take control of Dyna as he battles through action-filled stages.

    Dynastic Hero is basically identical to the Megadrive Wonderboy in Monsterworld. Anyone who has played this MD classic will know that this is no bad thing - it's one of the strongest titles in the Wonderboy series. However, this version features different characters. I can only guess...

  • Review Power Golf (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    Every system needs a golf game, right?

    If Wii Sports’ gesture controlled club swinging has grown old for you, the more in-depth game offered in Hudson’s Power Golf might be of interest. There are three modes of play on offer here: stroke play is for a solo player, match play lets you take on a friend, and competition play allows for two to three...

  • Review Samurai Ghost (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    This action platformer features a samurai ghost from the depths of the underworld.

    The ghost of a samurai? Surely this must be awesome! Unfortunately, the truth is far from it. You play the ghost of a samurai who has returned to avenge himself. Thankfully the game information tells us this, as the main character looks nothing like a samurai. Your...

  • Review Super Air Zonk: Rockabilly Paradise (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    Super Zonk!

    Fans of excellent Turbografx-16 shoot-em-up Air Zonk will undoubtedly be intrigued by this sequel which was released in the latter years of the console for the CD-Rom attachment. Given the CD format, it would be fair to expect the sequel to be a vast improvement over the HuCard original, but sadly, this is not the case. In this version,...

  • Review Gate of Thunder (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    The legendary sci-fi shooter is back!

    Playing very much like the highly regarded Thunderforce IV, Gate of Thunder represented a turning point for the PC Engine/TG-16 CD-ROM format. So long the recipient of sub-par ports and lackluster titles, the system was given a much-needed shot in the arm with this stunning shooter. Hudson and NEC promoted the...

  • Review Legend of Hero Tonma (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    Fight your way through seven stages using Tonma's jump ability and shot power.

    What happens when you cross Ninja Spirit and a shoot 'em up? This. Unsurprisingly, it's a game by Irem, who made both Ninja Spirit and quite a few shoot 'em ups! Also not surprising is that it’s a port of the arcade game of the same name; again, just like Ninja Spirit!...

  • Review World Class Baseball (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    Batter up!

    This game began life known as Power League on the Japanese PC Engine and spawned many sequels due to the popularity of Baseball in Japan. The game offers a comprehensive range of options to fine tune your game. For instance you can switch the players in your roster and play a quick game or play in pennant mode. It’s really as...

  • Review Neutopia II (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    Some years have passed since the brave hero Jazeta destroyed Dirth, the Emperor of Darkness.

    Looking very much like it predecessor, Neutopia II plays more like an expansion pack than a fully-fledged sequel. Shamelessly stealing ideas from Nintendo’s Zelda series, this action RPG trundles along quite amiably but never really reaches the heights of...

  • Review Bonk 3: Bonk's Big Adventure (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    The hard-headed hero is back for more side-scrolling action in the third installment of the popular Bonk series.

    Bonk 3 was the final game in the original trilogy of Bonk games. As it was the last game, Hudson seemingly decided they had to cram as much into it as they could in order to make it the best game yet - They succeeded. First off, pretty...

  • Review Neutopia (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)

    You play as a young warrior named Jazeta. The princess Aurora was kidnapped by the evil Dirth, and the king send you on a mission to rescue her.

    If you've glanced over the screens and video you might've already seen - This game is extremely similar to the original The Legend of Zelda game. The overworld is similar, the gameplay is similar, what you...