NEC, tHE pc eNGINE/tURBO gRAFX-16 and PC-FX
NEC is primarily an electronics company that dabbled in the video game console market briefly then went back to just being an electronics company after The PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 and the PC-FX, so I wont detail the whole history of NEC but will briefly showcase NEC and Hudson Soft and go more in depth about the game consoles.
NEC Corporation (Nippon Denki Kabushiki Gaisha) is a Japanese multinational provider of information technology (IT) services and products, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It provides IT and network solutions to business enterprises, communications services providers and to government agencies, and has also been the biggest PC vendor in Japan since the 1980s. The company was known as the Nippon Electric Company, Limited, before rebranding in 1983 as just NEC.
NEC was the world's fourth largest PC manufacturer by 1990. Its NEC Semiconductors business unit was the worldwide semiconductor sales leader between 1985 and 1990, the second largest in 1995, one of the top three in 2000, and one of the top 10 in 2006. It remained one of the top 20 semiconductor sales leaders before merging with Renesas Electronics. NEC is a member of the Sumitomo Group.NEC was #463 on the 2017 Fortune 500 list.
Hudson Soft Co., Ltd (Kabushiki gaisha Hadoson Sofuto) was a Japanese video game company that released numerous games for video game consoles, home computers and mobile phones, mainly from the 1980s to the 2000s. It was headquartered in the Midtown Tower in Tokyo Midtown, Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with an additional office in the Hudson Building in Sapporo.
Hudson Soft was founded on May 18, 1973. Initially, it dealt with personal computer products, but later expanded to the development and publishing of video games, mobile content, video game peripherals and music recording. Primarily a video game publisher, it internally developed many of the video games it published, as well as a few published by other companies. It is known for series such as Bomberman, Adventure Island, Bloody Roar, and Bonk.
Hudson Soft made the TurboGrafx-16 in association with NEC, to compete against Nintendo, Sega, and SNK, while continuing making games on other platforms, as a second-party developer.
Hudson Soft ceased to exist as a company on March 1, 2012, and merged with Konami Digital Entertainment, which was the surviving entity. Products and services will continue to be provided under the Hudson brand through Konami.
The PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16
The TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem, known in Japan and France as the PC Engine, is a CD/cartridge based home video game console manufactured and marketed by NEC Home Electronics, and designed by Hudson Soft. It was released in Japan on October 30, 1987 and in the United States on August 29, 1989. It also had a limited release in the United Kingdom and Spain in 1990, known as simply TurboGrafx and based on the American model, while the Japanese model was imported and distributed in France in 1989. It was the first console released in the 16-bit era, although it used an 8-bit CPU. Originally intended to compete with the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), it ended up competing with the Sega Genesis, and later on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).
The TurboGrafx-16 has an 8-bit CPU, a 16-bit video color encoder, and a 16-bit video display controller. The GPUs are capable of displaying 482 colors simultaneously, out of 512. With dimensions of just 14 cm × 14 cm × 3.8 cm (5.5 in × 5.5 in × 1.5 in), the Japanese PC Engine is the smallest major home game console ever made. Games were stored on a HuCard cartridge, or in CD-ROM optical format with the TurboGrafx-CD add-on.
The TurboGrafx-16 failed to break into the North American market and sold poorly, which has been blamed on inferior marketing. Despite the "16" in its name and the marketing of the console as a 16-bit platform, it used an 8-bit CPU, a marketing tactic that was criticized by some as deceptive. Developer Doug Snook of ICOM Simulations said the CPU was a performance problem.
However, in Japan, the PC Engine, introduced into the market at a much earlier date, was very successful, where it gained strong third-party support and outsold the Famicom at its 1987 debut, eventually becoming the Super Famicom's main rival. Lots of revisions - at least 17 distinct models - were made, such as portable versions and a CD-ROM add-on. An enhanced model, the PC Engine SuperGrafx, was intended to supersede the standard PC Engine, but failed to break through and was quickly discontinued. The entire series was succeeded by the PC-FX in 1994, only released in Japan.
The TurboGrafx-16 or PC Engine was a collaborative effort between Hudson Soft, who created video game software, and NEC, a major company which was dominant in the Japanese personal computer market with their PC-88 and PC-98 platforms. NEC's interest in entering the lucrative video game market coincided with Hudson's failed attempt to sell designs for then-advanced graphics chips to Nintendo. NEC lacked the vital experience in the video gaming industry so approached numerous video game studios for support. They eventually found that, by coincidence, Hudson Soft was also interested in creating their own system but needed a partner for additional cash. The two companies successfully joined together to then develop the new system.
The PC Engine finally made its debut in the Japanese market on October 30, 1987, and it was a tremendous success. By 1988 it outsold the Famicom year-on-year, putting NEC and Hudson Soft ahead of Nintendo in the market, and far ahead of Sega. The console had an elegant, "eye-catching" design, and it was very small compared to its rivals. This, coupled with a strong software lineup and strong third-party support from high-profile developers such as Namco and Konami gave NEC the lead in the Japanese market.
In 1988 NEC wanted to sell the system to the American market, and directed its U.S. operations to do so. NEC Technologies boss Keith Schaefer formed a team to test the system out. One criticism they found was the lack of enthusiasm in its name 'PC Engine'. The team also felt its small size was not very suitable to American consumers who would generally prefer a larger and "futuristic" design. As a result they came up with the name 'TurboGrafx-16', a name representing its graphical speed and strength, and its 16-bit GPU. They also completely redesigned the hardware into a large, black casing. However the redesign process was lengthy, and NEC in Japan was still cautious about the system's viability in the U.S., both of which delayed the system's debut in the American market.
The TurboGrafx-16 was eventually released in the New York City and Los Angeles test market in late August 1989. This came just two weeks after Sega's Genesis test-market launch on August 14, which was distastrous timing for NEC as Sega of America didn't waste time redesigning the original Japanese Mega Drive system. The Genesis launch was accompanied by an ad campaign mocking NEC's claim that the TurboGrafx-16 was the first 16-bit console. Initially, the TurboGrafx-16 was marketed as a direct competitor to the NES and early television ads touted the TG-16's superior graphics and sound. These ads featured a brief montage of the TG-16's launch titles: Blazing Lazers, China Warrior, Vigilante, Alien Crush, etc.
Sega quickly eclipsed the TurboGrafx-16 after its American debut. NEC's decision to pack-in Keith Courage in Alpha Zones, a Hudson Soft game unknown to western gamers, proved costly as Sega packed-in a port of the hit arcade title Altered Beast with the Genesis. NEC's American operations in Chicago were also overhyped about its potential and quickly produced 750,000 units, far above actual demand. Hudson Soft earned a lot from this as NEC paid Hudson Soft royalties for every hardware produced, whether sold or not. By 1990 it was clear that the system was performing very poorly and was severely edged out by Nintendo and Sega's marketing.
After seeing the TurboGrafx-16 suffer in America, NEC decided to cancel their European releases. Units for the European markets were already produced, which were essentially US models modified to run on PAL television sets, and branded as simply TurboGrafx. NEC sold this stock to distributors - in the United Kingdom Telegames released the TurboGrafx in 1990 in extremely limited quantities. This model was also released in Spain and Portugal through selected retailers. No PAL HuCards were made, and instead the European system can play all American games without modifications, albeit with the necessary slowdown to 50Hz.
PC Engine consoles (as well as some of its add-ons) were imported from Japan by French unlicensed importer Sodipeng (Société de Distribution de la PC Engine, a subsidiary of Guillemot International), from November 1989 to 1993. This came after considerable enthusiasm in the French press. This PC Engine was largely available in France and Benelux through major retailers. It came with French language instructions and also an AV cable to enable its input to a SECAM television set. Its launch price was 1,790 French francs (about $312.50 as of 2018).
NEC claimed that it had sold 750,000 TG-16 consoles in the United States, and 500,000 CD-ROM units worldwide, by March 1991. That year NEC released the PC Engine Duo in Japan, a model which could play HuCards and CD-ROM² discs, making it the first game console with an integrated CD-ROM drive. The console was licensed to Turbo Technologies Incorporated, who released it in North America in 1992 as the TurboDuo. In addition to standard CD-ROM² format discs, the Duo could also play games in the newly introduced Super CD-ROM² format due to its greater RAM size (the TurboGrafx-16 and its CD player could support this new format only through the use of a separately available upgrade, the Super System Card, which TTI sold via mail order). The unit came into competition with the Sega CD, which was released almost immediately after. Turbo Technologies ran comic book ads featuring Johnny Turbo. The ads mocked Sega, and emphasized that though the TurboDuo and Sega CD had the same retail price, the TurboDuo was a standalone platform and included five pack-in games, whereas Sega CD buyers needed to purchase separately sold games and a Genesis console before they could use the system.
However, the North American console gaming market continued to be dominated by the Super NES and Genesis rather than the new CD-based consoles. In May 1994 Turbo Technologies announced that it was dropping support for the Duo, though it would continue to offer repairs for existing units and provide ongoing software releases through independent companies in the U.S. and Canada.
The TurboGrafx-series was the first video game console ever to have a contemporaneous fully self-contained portable counterpart, the PC Engine GT, known as TurboExpress in North America. It contained identical hardware and played identical game software (utilizing HuCard format game software).
The final commercialized release for the PC Engine was Dead of the Brain Part 1 & 2 on June 3, 1999, on the Super CD-ROM² format. The last game on HuCard format was 21 Emon: Mezase! Hotel Ō on December 16, 1994.
Consoles and variations
The PC Engine CoreGrafx is an updated model of the PC Engine, released in Japan on December 8, 1989. It has the same form factor as the original PC Engine, but has a blue grey color scheme, and replaces the original's RF connectors with an A/V port. A recolored version of the model, known as the PC Engine CoreGrafx II, was released on June 21, 1991. Aside from the different coloring, it is functionally identical to the original CoreGrafx.
The PC Engine SuperGrafx, released on the same day as the CoreGrafx in Japan, is an enhanced variation of the PC Engine hardware with updated specs. This model has a second HuC6270A (VDC), a HuC6202 (VDP) that combines the output of the two VDCs, four times as much RAM, twice as much video RAM, and a second layer/plane of scrolling. The CPU, sound, and color palette were not upgraded, making the expensive price tag a big disadvantage to the system. As a result, only five exclusive SuperGrafx games and two hybrid games (Darius Plus and Darius Alpha were released as standard HuCards which took advantage of the extra video hardware if played on a SuperGrafx) were released, and the system was quickly discontinued. Despite the fact that the SuperGrafx was intended to supersede the original PC Engine, its extra hardware features were not carried over to the later Duo consoles. The SuperGrafx has a BUS expansion port, but requires an adapter in order to utilize the CD-ROM² System add-on.
The PC Engine LT is a model of the console in a laptop form, released on December 13, 1991 in Japan, retailing at ¥99,800. The LT does not require a television display as it has a built-in flip-up screen and speakers, just as a laptop would have, but unlike the GT the LT runs on a power supply. Its expensive price meant that few units were produced compared to other models. The CD-ROM² unit is compatible with the LT the same way as it is with the original PC-Engine and CoreGrafx. However, the LT requires an adapter to use the Super CD-ROM² unit.
HuCard-only consoles
The PC Engine Shuttle was released in Japan on November 22, 1989 as a less expensive model of the console, retailing at ¥18,800($165.00 USD in 2018). It was targeted primarily towards younger players with its spaceship-like design and came bundled with a TurboPad II controller, which is shaped differently from the other standard TurboPad controllers. The reduced price was possible by the removal of the expansion port of the back, making it the first model of the console that was not compatible with the CD-ROM² add-on. However, it does have a slot for a memory backup unit, which is required for certain games.
The PC Engine GT is a portable version of the PC Engine, released in Japan on December 1, 1990 and then in the United States as the TurboExpress. It can only play HuCard games. It has a 2.6-inch (66 mm) backlit, active-matrix color LCD screen, the most advanced on the market for a portable video game unit at the time. The screen contributed to its high price and short battery life, however, which dented its performance in the market. It shares the capabilities of the TurboGrafx-16, giving it 512 available colors (9-bit RGB), stereo sound, and the same custom CPU at 7.15909 MHz. It also has a TV tuner adapter as well as a two-player link cable.
CD Add-ons
The CD-ROM² System (Shī Dī Romu Romu Shisutemu, pronounced "CD-ROM-ROM") is an add-on attachment for the PC Engine that was released in Japan on December 4, 1988. The add-on allows the core versions of the console to play PC Engine games in CD-ROM format in addition to standard HuCards. This made the PC Engine the first video game console to have a CD-ROM peripheral, and first device ever to use CD-ROM as a storage medium for video games. The add-on consisted of two devices - the CD player itself and the interface unit, which connects the CD player to the console and provides a unified power supply and output for both. It was later released as the TurboGrafx-CD in the United States in November 1989. The TurboGrafx-CD had a launch price of $399.99, and did not include any bundled games. Fighting Street and Monster Lair were the TurboGrafx-CD launch titles; Ys Book I & II soon followed.
The Super System Card (Sūpā Shisutemu Kādo), an upgrade for the CD-ROM² System, was released on October 26, 1991. It updates the BIOS to Version 3.0 and increases the buffer RAM from 64kB to 256kB required to play Super CD-ROM² discs. An American version of the Super System Card for the TurboGrafx-16/CD combo was also sold exclusively as a mail-order. PC Engine owners who did not already own the original CD-ROM² add-on could instead opt for the Super CD-ROM² (スーパーシーディーロムロム Sūpā Shī Dī Romu Romu), an updated version of the add-on released on December 13, which combines the CD-ROM drive, interface unit and Super System Card into one device.
Duo Consoles
NEC Home Electronics released the PC Engine Duo in Japan on September 21, 1991, which combined the PC Engine and Super CD-ROM² unit into a single console. The system can play HuCards, audio CDs, CD+Gs, standard CD-ROM² games and Super CD-ROM² games. The North American version, the TurboDuo, was launched in October 1992. The American version of Duo was originally bundled with one control pad, an AC adapter, RCA cables, Ys Book I & II (a CD-ROM² title), and a Super CD-ROM² including Bonk's Adventure, Bonk's Revenge, Gate of Thunder and a secret version of Bomberman accessible via a cheat code. The system was also packaged with one random HuCard game which varied from system to system (Dungeon Explorer was the original HuCard pack-in for TurboDuo, although many titles were eventually used, such as Irem's Ninja Spirit and Namco's Final Lap Twin, and then eventually a random pick).
Two updated variants were released in Japan: the PC Engine Duo-R (on March 25, 1993) and the PC Engine Duo-RX (on June 25, 1994).
Arcade CardSome games in Japan were released in a third disc format known as an Arcade CD-ROM² (Ākēdo Shī Dī Romu Romu), which requires the use of an Arcade Card (Ākēdo Kādo). The Arcade Card was released in Japan on March 12, 1994 and was available in two versions: the Arcade Card Pro designed solely for PC Engine consoles working with the original CD-ROM² System, and the Arcade Card Duo, which works with PC Engine consoles connected to the Super CD-ROM² add-on, as well as all PC Engine Duo models (both adding a total of 2MB of RAM). These are not compatible with the TurboGrafx-16, nor with the TurboDuo, without a regional converter.
HE-System machinesThe PC-KD863G is a CRT monitor with built-in PC Engine console, released on September 27, 1988 in Japan for ¥138,000. Following NEC's PCs' naming scheme, the PC-KD863G was designed to eliminate the need to buy a separate television set and a console. It output its signals in RGB, so it was clearer at the time than the console which was still limited to RF and composite. However, it has no BUS expansion port, which made it incompatible with the CD-ROM² System and memory backup add-ons
The X1-Twin was the first licensed PC Engine-compatible hardware manufactured by a third-party company, released by Sharp on April 1989 for ¥99,800. It's an computer and PC Engine console combined into one, although the two hardware run mutually separately.
Pioneer Corporation's LaserActive supports an add-on module which allows the use of PC Engine games (HuCard, CD-ROM² and Super CD-ROM²) as well as new "LD-ROM²" titles that work only on this device. NEC also released their own LaserActive unit (NEC PCE-LD1) and PC Engine add-on module, under an OEM license. A total of eleven LD-ROM2 titles were produced, with only three of them released in North America.
Other foreign markets outside North America and Japan, the TurboGrafx-16 was released in South Korea by a third party under the name Vistar 16. It was based on the American version but with a new curved design. The PC Engine was never officially released in continental Europe, but some companies imported them and made SCART conversions on a moderate scale. In France, Sodipeng imported Japanese systems and added an RGB Cable called "AudioVideo Plus Cable". This mod improved the original video signal quality extensively and made the consoles work with SECAM televisions. In Germany, several importers sold converted PC Engines with PAL RF as well as RGB output. The connectors and pinouts used for the latter were frequently compatible with the Amiga video port, with two unconnected pins used for the audio channels.
Peripheral Compatibility
All PC Engine systems support the same controller peripherals, including pads, joysticks and multitaps. Except for the Vistar, Shuttle, GT, and systems with built-in CD-ROM drives, all PC Engine units shared the same expansion connector, which allowed for the use of devices such as the CD-ROM unit, battery backup and AV output.
The TurboGrafx and Vistar units use a different controller port than the PC Engines, but adaptors are available and the protocol is the same. The TurboGrafx offers the same expansion connector pinout as the PC Engine, but has a slightly different shape so peripherals must be modified to fit.
The Arcade Card Pro is designed for the original CD-ROM² System add-on, adding the 2304 kB of RAM required by Arcade CD-ROM² games. The Arcade Card Duo is for the Super CD-ROM² System and the PC-Engine Duo/R/RX consoles and adds 2048 kB RAM, since those systems already have 256K of RAM built-in.
The various CD-ROM game types are:
Region Protection
With HuCards, a limited form of region protection was introduced between markets which for the most part was nothing more than running some of the HuCard's pinout connections in a different arrangement. There were several major after-market converters sold to bypass this protection, and were sold predominantly for use in converting Japanese titles for play on a TG-16. In the Japanese market, NEC went further by adding a hardware level detection function to all PC Engine systems that detected if a game was a U.S. release, and would then refuse to play it. The only known exception to this is the U.S. release of Klax which did not contain this function. The explanation commonly given for this by NEC officials is that most U.S. conversions had the difficulty level reduced, and in some cases were censored for what was considered inappropriate content, and consequently, they did not want the U.S. conversion to re-enter the Asian market and negatively impact the perception of a game. With some minor soldering skills, a change could be made to PC Engines to disable this check. The only Japanese games that could not be played on a U.S. system using one of these converters were the SuperGrafx titles which could only be played on a SuperGrafx.
There was no region protection on TurboGrafx-CD and CD-ROM² System games.
Due to the extremely limited PAL release after NEC decided to cancel a full release, there were no PAL HuCards made. The European TurboGrafx therefore played the NTSC American/Japanese titles, converted to PAL 50Hz format.
Reception
In Japan, the PC Engine was very successful, and at one point was the top-selling console in the nation. In North America and Europe the situation was reversed, with both Sega and Nintendo dominating the console market at the expense of NEC. Initially, the TurboGrafx-16 sold well in the U.S., but eventually it suffered from lack of support from third-party software developers and publishers.
In 1990, ACE magazine praised the console's racing game library, stating that, compared to "all the popular consoles, the PC Engine is way out in front in terms of the range and quality of its race games."Reviewing the Turbo Duo model in 1993, GamePro gave it a "thumbs down". Though they praised the system's CD sound, graphics, and five-player capability, they criticized the outdated controller and the games library, saying the third party support was "almost nonexistent" and that most of the first party games were localizations of games better suited to the Japanese market. In 2009, the TurboGrafx-16 was ranked the 13th greatest video game console of all time by IGN, citing "a solid catalog of games worth playing," but also a lack of third party support and the absence of a second controller port.
The controversy over bit width marketing strategy reappeared with the advent of the Atari Jaguar console, although that system had been designed so that the Motorola 68000 CPU that was the source of the controversy was intended to be a supplemental, optional, chip. Mattel did not market its 1979 Intellivision system with bit width although it used a 16-bit CPU. If it had, it is possible that the TurboGrafix would not have been marketed as a 16-bit console, or would have been marketed specifically for its 16-bit graphics. Despite the use of a 16-bit CPU, the Intellivision was no match, in CPU performance or any other metric, for later 8-bit systems like the ColecoVision and the Famicom.
Legacy
In 1994, NEC released a new console, the Japan-only PC-FX, a 32-bit system with a tower-like design; it enjoyed a small but steady stream of games until 1998, when NEC finally abandoned the video games industry. NEC supplied rival Nintendo with the CPU for the Nintendo 64, released in 1996, and former rival Sega with a version of its PowerVR 2 GPU for the Dreamcast, released in 1998.
A number of TurboGrafx-16 and TurboGrafx-CD games were released on Nintendo's Virtual Console download service for the Wii, Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS, including several that were originally never released outside Japan. In 2011, ten TurboGrafx-16 games were released on the PlayStation Network for play on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable in the North American region.
In 2010 Hudson released an iPhone application entitled "TurboGrafx-16 GameBox" which allowed users to buy and play a number of select Turbo Grafx games via in-app purchases.
In 2016, rapper Kanye West's 8th solo album was initially announced to be titled "Turbo Grafx 16". The title, however, was later changed to "ye"
PC-FX
The PC-FX (Pī Shī Efu Ekkusu) is a 32-bit home video game console made by NEC Home Electronics. It was released in Japan on December 23, 1994, just weeks after Sony's PlayStation and a month after the Sega Saturn. It is the successor to the PC Engine, known as TurboGrafx-16 in North America.
Unlike its predecessor, the PC-FX was only released in Japan. The console is shaped like a tower PC and was meant to be similarly upgradeable. However the PC-FX lacked a 3D polygon-based graphics chip which rendered the system underpowered in comparison to its competitors. It was also expensive and lacked developer support, and as a result it was unable to compete effectively with its fifth generation peers. The PC-FX was NEC's last home video game console, and was discontinued in February 1998.
NEC launched the PC-FX as the successor to its well received 4th generation system, the PC-Engine.
The PC-FX was based on a 32-bit system architecture named "Tetsujin" or "Iron Man", developed in-house by NEC. NEC demonstrated Iron Man at a number of trade shows and events during 1992, and by the middle of the year were discussing an imminent release of an Iron Man-based video game system with many third party developers. At the time, the earlier PC Engine was still quite popular in Japan, and opinions on the Iron Man technology were mixed. Many were uninterested in switching to more powerful hardware while the PC Engine market was still growing, and as a result NEC halted work on the Iron Man project, instead opting for more modifications to the PC Engine technology.
When NEC decided to release the PC-FX, the specs were relatively unchanged from the originally unveiled Iron Man architecture. The most significant difference was the addition of a new 32-bit V-810 RISC CPU.
The console was announced in late 1993. In a special Game Machine Cross Review in May 1995, Famicom Tsūshin would score the PC-FX console an 18 out of 40.
Unusual for a fifth generation console, the PC-FX does not have a polygon graphics processor. NEC's reasoning for this was that polygon processors of the time were relatively low-powered, resulting in figures having a blocky appearance, and that it would be better for games to use pre-rendered polygon graphics instead. The shining quality of the PC-FX was the ability to decompress 30 JPEG pictures per second while playing digitally recorded audio (essentially a form of Motion JPEG). This resulted in the PC-FX having superior full motion video quality over all other fifth generation consoles.
The system's target audience was roughly five years older than that of the PC Engine, in hopes that PC Engine fans would be brought over to the successor console. In an interview roughly a year before the system launch, a representative stated that though NEC had not entirely ruled out the possibility of a release outside Japan, they had concluded that unless additional non-gaming uses were developed for the PC-FX, it would sell poorly in the USA due to its high price.
NEC directed Hudson Soft, with whom they continued their partnership over the PC Engine, to develop only games based on popular anime franchises and using prerendered animated footage. Though this policy played to the hardware's strengths, it barred Hudson Soft from bringing successful PC Engine series such as Bomberman and Bonk to the PC-FX.
Unlike nearly any other console (except for the 3DO and CD-i), the PC-FX was also available as an internal PC card for NEC PC-98 and AT/IBM PC compatibles. This PC card came with two CDs of software to help the user program games for the PC-FX. However, compatibility issues prevented games developed with this software from actually running on the console.
The PC-FX was discontinued in early 1998. It sold only 400,000 units over its lifetime.
The PC-FX uses CD-ROMs as its storage medium, following on from the expansion released for its predecessor, which originally used HuCards. The game controller is virtually identical to a DUO-RX controller, but the rapid fire switches have been replaced with mode A/B switches. Peripherals include a PC-FX mouse, which is supported by strategy games like Farland Story FX and Power DoLLS FX.
The PC-FX's computer-like design was unusual for consoles at the time. It stands upright like a tower computer while other contemporary consoles lay flat. Another interesting feature is its three expansion ports. Also, similar to the 3DO, it featured a built in power supply.The PC-FX includes an HU 62 series 32-bit system board, an LSI chip, and a 32-bit V-810 RISC CPU. The system can display 16.77 million colors (the same amount as the PlayStation).
There were 62 games released for the system. The launch titles were Graduation 2: Neo Generation FX, Battle Heat and Team Innocent on December 23, 1994 and the final game released was First Kiss Story on April 24, 1998. The system and all titles were only released in Japan. A number of demo discs were also released with publications which allowed the user to play the disc in a CD equipped PC-Engine or the PC-FX.
There was no copy protection on any of the PC-FX games, because at the time the system was released, the high price of CD-R drives made piracy expensive.
The system is known for having a high percentage of adult video games.
Below are some videos and console logos for the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 and PC-FX.
NEC Corporation (Nippon Denki Kabushiki Gaisha) is a Japanese multinational provider of information technology (IT) services and products, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It provides IT and network solutions to business enterprises, communications services providers and to government agencies, and has also been the biggest PC vendor in Japan since the 1980s. The company was known as the Nippon Electric Company, Limited, before rebranding in 1983 as just NEC.
NEC was the world's fourth largest PC manufacturer by 1990. Its NEC Semiconductors business unit was the worldwide semiconductor sales leader between 1985 and 1990, the second largest in 1995, one of the top three in 2000, and one of the top 10 in 2006. It remained one of the top 20 semiconductor sales leaders before merging with Renesas Electronics. NEC is a member of the Sumitomo Group.NEC was #463 on the 2017 Fortune 500 list.
Hudson Soft Co., Ltd (Kabushiki gaisha Hadoson Sofuto) was a Japanese video game company that released numerous games for video game consoles, home computers and mobile phones, mainly from the 1980s to the 2000s. It was headquartered in the Midtown Tower in Tokyo Midtown, Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with an additional office in the Hudson Building in Sapporo.
Hudson Soft was founded on May 18, 1973. Initially, it dealt with personal computer products, but later expanded to the development and publishing of video games, mobile content, video game peripherals and music recording. Primarily a video game publisher, it internally developed many of the video games it published, as well as a few published by other companies. It is known for series such as Bomberman, Adventure Island, Bloody Roar, and Bonk.
Hudson Soft made the TurboGrafx-16 in association with NEC, to compete against Nintendo, Sega, and SNK, while continuing making games on other platforms, as a second-party developer.
Hudson Soft ceased to exist as a company on March 1, 2012, and merged with Konami Digital Entertainment, which was the surviving entity. Products and services will continue to be provided under the Hudson brand through Konami.
The PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16
The TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem, known in Japan and France as the PC Engine, is a CD/cartridge based home video game console manufactured and marketed by NEC Home Electronics, and designed by Hudson Soft. It was released in Japan on October 30, 1987 and in the United States on August 29, 1989. It also had a limited release in the United Kingdom and Spain in 1990, known as simply TurboGrafx and based on the American model, while the Japanese model was imported and distributed in France in 1989. It was the first console released in the 16-bit era, although it used an 8-bit CPU. Originally intended to compete with the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), it ended up competing with the Sega Genesis, and later on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).
The TurboGrafx-16 has an 8-bit CPU, a 16-bit video color encoder, and a 16-bit video display controller. The GPUs are capable of displaying 482 colors simultaneously, out of 512. With dimensions of just 14 cm × 14 cm × 3.8 cm (5.5 in × 5.5 in × 1.5 in), the Japanese PC Engine is the smallest major home game console ever made. Games were stored on a HuCard cartridge, or in CD-ROM optical format with the TurboGrafx-CD add-on.
The TurboGrafx-16 failed to break into the North American market and sold poorly, which has been blamed on inferior marketing. Despite the "16" in its name and the marketing of the console as a 16-bit platform, it used an 8-bit CPU, a marketing tactic that was criticized by some as deceptive. Developer Doug Snook of ICOM Simulations said the CPU was a performance problem.
However, in Japan, the PC Engine, introduced into the market at a much earlier date, was very successful, where it gained strong third-party support and outsold the Famicom at its 1987 debut, eventually becoming the Super Famicom's main rival. Lots of revisions - at least 17 distinct models - were made, such as portable versions and a CD-ROM add-on. An enhanced model, the PC Engine SuperGrafx, was intended to supersede the standard PC Engine, but failed to break through and was quickly discontinued. The entire series was succeeded by the PC-FX in 1994, only released in Japan.
The TurboGrafx-16 or PC Engine was a collaborative effort between Hudson Soft, who created video game software, and NEC, a major company which was dominant in the Japanese personal computer market with their PC-88 and PC-98 platforms. NEC's interest in entering the lucrative video game market coincided with Hudson's failed attempt to sell designs for then-advanced graphics chips to Nintendo. NEC lacked the vital experience in the video gaming industry so approached numerous video game studios for support. They eventually found that, by coincidence, Hudson Soft was also interested in creating their own system but needed a partner for additional cash. The two companies successfully joined together to then develop the new system.
The PC Engine finally made its debut in the Japanese market on October 30, 1987, and it was a tremendous success. By 1988 it outsold the Famicom year-on-year, putting NEC and Hudson Soft ahead of Nintendo in the market, and far ahead of Sega. The console had an elegant, "eye-catching" design, and it was very small compared to its rivals. This, coupled with a strong software lineup and strong third-party support from high-profile developers such as Namco and Konami gave NEC the lead in the Japanese market.
In 1988 NEC wanted to sell the system to the American market, and directed its U.S. operations to do so. NEC Technologies boss Keith Schaefer formed a team to test the system out. One criticism they found was the lack of enthusiasm in its name 'PC Engine'. The team also felt its small size was not very suitable to American consumers who would generally prefer a larger and "futuristic" design. As a result they came up with the name 'TurboGrafx-16', a name representing its graphical speed and strength, and its 16-bit GPU. They also completely redesigned the hardware into a large, black casing. However the redesign process was lengthy, and NEC in Japan was still cautious about the system's viability in the U.S., both of which delayed the system's debut in the American market.
The TurboGrafx-16 was eventually released in the New York City and Los Angeles test market in late August 1989. This came just two weeks after Sega's Genesis test-market launch on August 14, which was distastrous timing for NEC as Sega of America didn't waste time redesigning the original Japanese Mega Drive system. The Genesis launch was accompanied by an ad campaign mocking NEC's claim that the TurboGrafx-16 was the first 16-bit console. Initially, the TurboGrafx-16 was marketed as a direct competitor to the NES and early television ads touted the TG-16's superior graphics and sound. These ads featured a brief montage of the TG-16's launch titles: Blazing Lazers, China Warrior, Vigilante, Alien Crush, etc.
Sega quickly eclipsed the TurboGrafx-16 after its American debut. NEC's decision to pack-in Keith Courage in Alpha Zones, a Hudson Soft game unknown to western gamers, proved costly as Sega packed-in a port of the hit arcade title Altered Beast with the Genesis. NEC's American operations in Chicago were also overhyped about its potential and quickly produced 750,000 units, far above actual demand. Hudson Soft earned a lot from this as NEC paid Hudson Soft royalties for every hardware produced, whether sold or not. By 1990 it was clear that the system was performing very poorly and was severely edged out by Nintendo and Sega's marketing.
After seeing the TurboGrafx-16 suffer in America, NEC decided to cancel their European releases. Units for the European markets were already produced, which were essentially US models modified to run on PAL television sets, and branded as simply TurboGrafx. NEC sold this stock to distributors - in the United Kingdom Telegames released the TurboGrafx in 1990 in extremely limited quantities. This model was also released in Spain and Portugal through selected retailers. No PAL HuCards were made, and instead the European system can play all American games without modifications, albeit with the necessary slowdown to 50Hz.
PC Engine consoles (as well as some of its add-ons) were imported from Japan by French unlicensed importer Sodipeng (Société de Distribution de la PC Engine, a subsidiary of Guillemot International), from November 1989 to 1993. This came after considerable enthusiasm in the French press. This PC Engine was largely available in France and Benelux through major retailers. It came with French language instructions and also an AV cable to enable its input to a SECAM television set. Its launch price was 1,790 French francs (about $312.50 as of 2018).
NEC claimed that it had sold 750,000 TG-16 consoles in the United States, and 500,000 CD-ROM units worldwide, by March 1991. That year NEC released the PC Engine Duo in Japan, a model which could play HuCards and CD-ROM² discs, making it the first game console with an integrated CD-ROM drive. The console was licensed to Turbo Technologies Incorporated, who released it in North America in 1992 as the TurboDuo. In addition to standard CD-ROM² format discs, the Duo could also play games in the newly introduced Super CD-ROM² format due to its greater RAM size (the TurboGrafx-16 and its CD player could support this new format only through the use of a separately available upgrade, the Super System Card, which TTI sold via mail order). The unit came into competition with the Sega CD, which was released almost immediately after. Turbo Technologies ran comic book ads featuring Johnny Turbo. The ads mocked Sega, and emphasized that though the TurboDuo and Sega CD had the same retail price, the TurboDuo was a standalone platform and included five pack-in games, whereas Sega CD buyers needed to purchase separately sold games and a Genesis console before they could use the system.
However, the North American console gaming market continued to be dominated by the Super NES and Genesis rather than the new CD-based consoles. In May 1994 Turbo Technologies announced that it was dropping support for the Duo, though it would continue to offer repairs for existing units and provide ongoing software releases through independent companies in the U.S. and Canada.
The TurboGrafx-series was the first video game console ever to have a contemporaneous fully self-contained portable counterpart, the PC Engine GT, known as TurboExpress in North America. It contained identical hardware and played identical game software (utilizing HuCard format game software).
The final commercialized release for the PC Engine was Dead of the Brain Part 1 & 2 on June 3, 1999, on the Super CD-ROM² format. The last game on HuCard format was 21 Emon: Mezase! Hotel Ō on December 16, 1994.
Consoles and variations
The PC Engine CoreGrafx is an updated model of the PC Engine, released in Japan on December 8, 1989. It has the same form factor as the original PC Engine, but has a blue grey color scheme, and replaces the original's RF connectors with an A/V port. A recolored version of the model, known as the PC Engine CoreGrafx II, was released on June 21, 1991. Aside from the different coloring, it is functionally identical to the original CoreGrafx.
The PC Engine SuperGrafx, released on the same day as the CoreGrafx in Japan, is an enhanced variation of the PC Engine hardware with updated specs. This model has a second HuC6270A (VDC), a HuC6202 (VDP) that combines the output of the two VDCs, four times as much RAM, twice as much video RAM, and a second layer/plane of scrolling. The CPU, sound, and color palette were not upgraded, making the expensive price tag a big disadvantage to the system. As a result, only five exclusive SuperGrafx games and two hybrid games (Darius Plus and Darius Alpha were released as standard HuCards which took advantage of the extra video hardware if played on a SuperGrafx) were released, and the system was quickly discontinued. Despite the fact that the SuperGrafx was intended to supersede the original PC Engine, its extra hardware features were not carried over to the later Duo consoles. The SuperGrafx has a BUS expansion port, but requires an adapter in order to utilize the CD-ROM² System add-on.
The PC Engine LT is a model of the console in a laptop form, released on December 13, 1991 in Japan, retailing at ¥99,800. The LT does not require a television display as it has a built-in flip-up screen and speakers, just as a laptop would have, but unlike the GT the LT runs on a power supply. Its expensive price meant that few units were produced compared to other models. The CD-ROM² unit is compatible with the LT the same way as it is with the original PC-Engine and CoreGrafx. However, the LT requires an adapter to use the Super CD-ROM² unit.
HuCard-only consoles
The PC Engine Shuttle was released in Japan on November 22, 1989 as a less expensive model of the console, retailing at ¥18,800($165.00 USD in 2018). It was targeted primarily towards younger players with its spaceship-like design and came bundled with a TurboPad II controller, which is shaped differently from the other standard TurboPad controllers. The reduced price was possible by the removal of the expansion port of the back, making it the first model of the console that was not compatible with the CD-ROM² add-on. However, it does have a slot for a memory backup unit, which is required for certain games.
The PC Engine GT is a portable version of the PC Engine, released in Japan on December 1, 1990 and then in the United States as the TurboExpress. It can only play HuCard games. It has a 2.6-inch (66 mm) backlit, active-matrix color LCD screen, the most advanced on the market for a portable video game unit at the time. The screen contributed to its high price and short battery life, however, which dented its performance in the market. It shares the capabilities of the TurboGrafx-16, giving it 512 available colors (9-bit RGB), stereo sound, and the same custom CPU at 7.15909 MHz. It also has a TV tuner adapter as well as a two-player link cable.
CD Add-ons
The CD-ROM² System (Shī Dī Romu Romu Shisutemu, pronounced "CD-ROM-ROM") is an add-on attachment for the PC Engine that was released in Japan on December 4, 1988. The add-on allows the core versions of the console to play PC Engine games in CD-ROM format in addition to standard HuCards. This made the PC Engine the first video game console to have a CD-ROM peripheral, and first device ever to use CD-ROM as a storage medium for video games. The add-on consisted of two devices - the CD player itself and the interface unit, which connects the CD player to the console and provides a unified power supply and output for both. It was later released as the TurboGrafx-CD in the United States in November 1989. The TurboGrafx-CD had a launch price of $399.99, and did not include any bundled games. Fighting Street and Monster Lair were the TurboGrafx-CD launch titles; Ys Book I & II soon followed.
The Super System Card (Sūpā Shisutemu Kādo), an upgrade for the CD-ROM² System, was released on October 26, 1991. It updates the BIOS to Version 3.0 and increases the buffer RAM from 64kB to 256kB required to play Super CD-ROM² discs. An American version of the Super System Card for the TurboGrafx-16/CD combo was also sold exclusively as a mail-order. PC Engine owners who did not already own the original CD-ROM² add-on could instead opt for the Super CD-ROM² (スーパーシーディーロムロム Sūpā Shī Dī Romu Romu), an updated version of the add-on released on December 13, which combines the CD-ROM drive, interface unit and Super System Card into one device.
Duo Consoles
NEC Home Electronics released the PC Engine Duo in Japan on September 21, 1991, which combined the PC Engine and Super CD-ROM² unit into a single console. The system can play HuCards, audio CDs, CD+Gs, standard CD-ROM² games and Super CD-ROM² games. The North American version, the TurboDuo, was launched in October 1992. The American version of Duo was originally bundled with one control pad, an AC adapter, RCA cables, Ys Book I & II (a CD-ROM² title), and a Super CD-ROM² including Bonk's Adventure, Bonk's Revenge, Gate of Thunder and a secret version of Bomberman accessible via a cheat code. The system was also packaged with one random HuCard game which varied from system to system (Dungeon Explorer was the original HuCard pack-in for TurboDuo, although many titles were eventually used, such as Irem's Ninja Spirit and Namco's Final Lap Twin, and then eventually a random pick).
Two updated variants were released in Japan: the PC Engine Duo-R (on March 25, 1993) and the PC Engine Duo-RX (on June 25, 1994).
Arcade CardSome games in Japan were released in a third disc format known as an Arcade CD-ROM² (Ākēdo Shī Dī Romu Romu), which requires the use of an Arcade Card (Ākēdo Kādo). The Arcade Card was released in Japan on March 12, 1994 and was available in two versions: the Arcade Card Pro designed solely for PC Engine consoles working with the original CD-ROM² System, and the Arcade Card Duo, which works with PC Engine consoles connected to the Super CD-ROM² add-on, as well as all PC Engine Duo models (both adding a total of 2MB of RAM). These are not compatible with the TurboGrafx-16, nor with the TurboDuo, without a regional converter.
HE-System machinesThe PC-KD863G is a CRT monitor with built-in PC Engine console, released on September 27, 1988 in Japan for ¥138,000. Following NEC's PCs' naming scheme, the PC-KD863G was designed to eliminate the need to buy a separate television set and a console. It output its signals in RGB, so it was clearer at the time than the console which was still limited to RF and composite. However, it has no BUS expansion port, which made it incompatible with the CD-ROM² System and memory backup add-ons
The X1-Twin was the first licensed PC Engine-compatible hardware manufactured by a third-party company, released by Sharp on April 1989 for ¥99,800. It's an computer and PC Engine console combined into one, although the two hardware run mutually separately.
Pioneer Corporation's LaserActive supports an add-on module which allows the use of PC Engine games (HuCard, CD-ROM² and Super CD-ROM²) as well as new "LD-ROM²" titles that work only on this device. NEC also released their own LaserActive unit (NEC PCE-LD1) and PC Engine add-on module, under an OEM license. A total of eleven LD-ROM2 titles were produced, with only three of them released in North America.
Other foreign markets outside North America and Japan, the TurboGrafx-16 was released in South Korea by a third party under the name Vistar 16. It was based on the American version but with a new curved design. The PC Engine was never officially released in continental Europe, but some companies imported them and made SCART conversions on a moderate scale. In France, Sodipeng imported Japanese systems and added an RGB Cable called "AudioVideo Plus Cable". This mod improved the original video signal quality extensively and made the consoles work with SECAM televisions. In Germany, several importers sold converted PC Engines with PAL RF as well as RGB output. The connectors and pinouts used for the latter were frequently compatible with the Amiga video port, with two unconnected pins used for the audio channels.
Peripheral Compatibility
All PC Engine systems support the same controller peripherals, including pads, joysticks and multitaps. Except for the Vistar, Shuttle, GT, and systems with built-in CD-ROM drives, all PC Engine units shared the same expansion connector, which allowed for the use of devices such as the CD-ROM unit, battery backup and AV output.
The TurboGrafx and Vistar units use a different controller port than the PC Engines, but adaptors are available and the protocol is the same. The TurboGrafx offers the same expansion connector pinout as the PC Engine, but has a slightly different shape so peripherals must be modified to fit.
The Arcade Card Pro is designed for the original CD-ROM² System add-on, adding the 2304 kB of RAM required by Arcade CD-ROM² games. The Arcade Card Duo is for the Super CD-ROM² System and the PC-Engine Duo/R/RX consoles and adds 2048 kB RAM, since those systems already have 256K of RAM built-in.
The various CD-ROM game types are:
- CD-ROM² : Standard CD-ROM game. Runs on all CD-ROM² Systems without any additional requirements
- Super CD-ROM² : Requires a Super System Card to work on the original CD-ROM² System. No card is required for Super CD-ROM² and Duo consoles.
- Arcade CD-ROM² : Requires an Arcade Card Pro on the original CD-ROM² System, or an Arcade Card Duo on the Super CD-ROM² and Duo consoles.
Region Protection
With HuCards, a limited form of region protection was introduced between markets which for the most part was nothing more than running some of the HuCard's pinout connections in a different arrangement. There were several major after-market converters sold to bypass this protection, and were sold predominantly for use in converting Japanese titles for play on a TG-16. In the Japanese market, NEC went further by adding a hardware level detection function to all PC Engine systems that detected if a game was a U.S. release, and would then refuse to play it. The only known exception to this is the U.S. release of Klax which did not contain this function. The explanation commonly given for this by NEC officials is that most U.S. conversions had the difficulty level reduced, and in some cases were censored for what was considered inappropriate content, and consequently, they did not want the U.S. conversion to re-enter the Asian market and negatively impact the perception of a game. With some minor soldering skills, a change could be made to PC Engines to disable this check. The only Japanese games that could not be played on a U.S. system using one of these converters were the SuperGrafx titles which could only be played on a SuperGrafx.
There was no region protection on TurboGrafx-CD and CD-ROM² System games.
Due to the extremely limited PAL release after NEC decided to cancel a full release, there were no PAL HuCards made. The European TurboGrafx therefore played the NTSC American/Japanese titles, converted to PAL 50Hz format.
Reception
In Japan, the PC Engine was very successful, and at one point was the top-selling console in the nation. In North America and Europe the situation was reversed, with both Sega and Nintendo dominating the console market at the expense of NEC. Initially, the TurboGrafx-16 sold well in the U.S., but eventually it suffered from lack of support from third-party software developers and publishers.
In 1990, ACE magazine praised the console's racing game library, stating that, compared to "all the popular consoles, the PC Engine is way out in front in terms of the range and quality of its race games."Reviewing the Turbo Duo model in 1993, GamePro gave it a "thumbs down". Though they praised the system's CD sound, graphics, and five-player capability, they criticized the outdated controller and the games library, saying the third party support was "almost nonexistent" and that most of the first party games were localizations of games better suited to the Japanese market. In 2009, the TurboGrafx-16 was ranked the 13th greatest video game console of all time by IGN, citing "a solid catalog of games worth playing," but also a lack of third party support and the absence of a second controller port.
The controversy over bit width marketing strategy reappeared with the advent of the Atari Jaguar console, although that system had been designed so that the Motorola 68000 CPU that was the source of the controversy was intended to be a supplemental, optional, chip. Mattel did not market its 1979 Intellivision system with bit width although it used a 16-bit CPU. If it had, it is possible that the TurboGrafix would not have been marketed as a 16-bit console, or would have been marketed specifically for its 16-bit graphics. Despite the use of a 16-bit CPU, the Intellivision was no match, in CPU performance or any other metric, for later 8-bit systems like the ColecoVision and the Famicom.
Legacy
In 1994, NEC released a new console, the Japan-only PC-FX, a 32-bit system with a tower-like design; it enjoyed a small but steady stream of games until 1998, when NEC finally abandoned the video games industry. NEC supplied rival Nintendo with the CPU for the Nintendo 64, released in 1996, and former rival Sega with a version of its PowerVR 2 GPU for the Dreamcast, released in 1998.
A number of TurboGrafx-16 and TurboGrafx-CD games were released on Nintendo's Virtual Console download service for the Wii, Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS, including several that were originally never released outside Japan. In 2011, ten TurboGrafx-16 games were released on the PlayStation Network for play on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable in the North American region.
In 2010 Hudson released an iPhone application entitled "TurboGrafx-16 GameBox" which allowed users to buy and play a number of select Turbo Grafx games via in-app purchases.
In 2016, rapper Kanye West's 8th solo album was initially announced to be titled "Turbo Grafx 16". The title, however, was later changed to "ye"
PC-FX
The PC-FX (Pī Shī Efu Ekkusu) is a 32-bit home video game console made by NEC Home Electronics. It was released in Japan on December 23, 1994, just weeks after Sony's PlayStation and a month after the Sega Saturn. It is the successor to the PC Engine, known as TurboGrafx-16 in North America.
Unlike its predecessor, the PC-FX was only released in Japan. The console is shaped like a tower PC and was meant to be similarly upgradeable. However the PC-FX lacked a 3D polygon-based graphics chip which rendered the system underpowered in comparison to its competitors. It was also expensive and lacked developer support, and as a result it was unable to compete effectively with its fifth generation peers. The PC-FX was NEC's last home video game console, and was discontinued in February 1998.
NEC launched the PC-FX as the successor to its well received 4th generation system, the PC-Engine.
The PC-FX was based on a 32-bit system architecture named "Tetsujin" or "Iron Man", developed in-house by NEC. NEC demonstrated Iron Man at a number of trade shows and events during 1992, and by the middle of the year were discussing an imminent release of an Iron Man-based video game system with many third party developers. At the time, the earlier PC Engine was still quite popular in Japan, and opinions on the Iron Man technology were mixed. Many were uninterested in switching to more powerful hardware while the PC Engine market was still growing, and as a result NEC halted work on the Iron Man project, instead opting for more modifications to the PC Engine technology.
When NEC decided to release the PC-FX, the specs were relatively unchanged from the originally unveiled Iron Man architecture. The most significant difference was the addition of a new 32-bit V-810 RISC CPU.
The console was announced in late 1993. In a special Game Machine Cross Review in May 1995, Famicom Tsūshin would score the PC-FX console an 18 out of 40.
Unusual for a fifth generation console, the PC-FX does not have a polygon graphics processor. NEC's reasoning for this was that polygon processors of the time were relatively low-powered, resulting in figures having a blocky appearance, and that it would be better for games to use pre-rendered polygon graphics instead. The shining quality of the PC-FX was the ability to decompress 30 JPEG pictures per second while playing digitally recorded audio (essentially a form of Motion JPEG). This resulted in the PC-FX having superior full motion video quality over all other fifth generation consoles.
The system's target audience was roughly five years older than that of the PC Engine, in hopes that PC Engine fans would be brought over to the successor console. In an interview roughly a year before the system launch, a representative stated that though NEC had not entirely ruled out the possibility of a release outside Japan, they had concluded that unless additional non-gaming uses were developed for the PC-FX, it would sell poorly in the USA due to its high price.
NEC directed Hudson Soft, with whom they continued their partnership over the PC Engine, to develop only games based on popular anime franchises and using prerendered animated footage. Though this policy played to the hardware's strengths, it barred Hudson Soft from bringing successful PC Engine series such as Bomberman and Bonk to the PC-FX.
Unlike nearly any other console (except for the 3DO and CD-i), the PC-FX was also available as an internal PC card for NEC PC-98 and AT/IBM PC compatibles. This PC card came with two CDs of software to help the user program games for the PC-FX. However, compatibility issues prevented games developed with this software from actually running on the console.
The PC-FX was discontinued in early 1998. It sold only 400,000 units over its lifetime.
The PC-FX uses CD-ROMs as its storage medium, following on from the expansion released for its predecessor, which originally used HuCards. The game controller is virtually identical to a DUO-RX controller, but the rapid fire switches have been replaced with mode A/B switches. Peripherals include a PC-FX mouse, which is supported by strategy games like Farland Story FX and Power DoLLS FX.
The PC-FX's computer-like design was unusual for consoles at the time. It stands upright like a tower computer while other contemporary consoles lay flat. Another interesting feature is its three expansion ports. Also, similar to the 3DO, it featured a built in power supply.The PC-FX includes an HU 62 series 32-bit system board, an LSI chip, and a 32-bit V-810 RISC CPU. The system can display 16.77 million colors (the same amount as the PlayStation).
There were 62 games released for the system. The launch titles were Graduation 2: Neo Generation FX, Battle Heat and Team Innocent on December 23, 1994 and the final game released was First Kiss Story on April 24, 1998. The system and all titles were only released in Japan. A number of demo discs were also released with publications which allowed the user to play the disc in a CD equipped PC-Engine or the PC-FX.
There was no copy protection on any of the PC-FX games, because at the time the system was released, the high price of CD-R drives made piracy expensive.
The system is known for having a high percentage of adult video games.
Below are some videos and console logos for the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 and PC-FX.