If you wanted ultimate gaming hipster points in the early 90s, then you wouldn’t be the kid in the neighborhood who owned a Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis, but the kid with the TurboGrafx-16. Known as the PC Engine outside of America, this nifty 16-bit system from NEC and Hudson Soft carved out its own special niche in the market.
The original console along with the Turbografx-CD add-on allowed for some of the most daring and creatively charged games of the era to flourish on hardware determined to look forward. From iconic series that would outlast the console’s lifespan to hidden gems that have nurtured small, but passionate, fanbases, when developers put their minds to creating great experiences on the TurboGrafx-16, they stood toe-to-toe with anything that Nintendo or Sega were doing at the same time.
8Alien Crush
In Pinball, No One Can Hear You Scream
This quirky science-fiction pinball game was developed early in the lifespan of the TurboGrafx-16. It quickly gained a cult following thanks to its satisfying virtual pinball gameplay and eye-catching aesthetic that pays homage to the Alien movie franchise.
Like any great pinball game, the main goal of Alien Crush is going as long as you can to generate as high a score as possible, but the added twist that you’re also fighting against evil intergalactic beings is certainly a breath of fresh air to the genre. Alien Crush proved popular enough to receive some sequels.
7Military Madness
Lunar Emblem
During a time whenpopular strategy RPG seriessuch as Fire Emblem weren’t seeing the light of day outside of Japan, Military Madness felt like a breath of fresh air on the TurboGrafx-16. Set on the moon as an epic war wages between an allied Earth army and an invading alien empire.
If you’ve played a strategy RPG before, then you’ll find all the familiar genre staples at play in Military Madness. The beauty of the game is how innovative it felt for non-Japanese audiences in 1990 as well as how well it embraces its outer space aesthetic.
6Splatterhouse
An Absolute Gore
Long before games like God of War were turning heads for their violent nature, Splatterhouse made a generation of gamers slightly nauseous with its gory beat ‘em up gameplay. Heavily inspired by horror films like Friday the 13th, Splatterhouse turned the Halloween-themes of a game like Castlevania and turned the gore up to eleven.
The TurboGrafx-16 port of the arcade game maintains much of the charm that made the original so memorable. It also features a very late 80s-style parental advisory warning on its front cover, declaring that the game is not suitable for children… or cowards!
5Bonk’s Adventure
Nintendo had Mario, Sega had Sonic, TurboGrafx-16 had Bonk. This head-thumping, dinosaur-dumping, platform series may not be quite as big a household name as its contemporary competitors, but there’s no doubt Bonk left quite an impact on the industry at the time.
And while all three Bonk games for the TurboGrafx-16 are worth your time, there’s something almost elegant about the simplicity of the first title, Bonk’s Adventure. The game’s visual style and finely-tuned gameplay have kept it just as playable all these years later.
4Neutopia
The Legend Of Jazeta
At first glance you may assume that Neutopia is little more than anotherLegend of Zelda clone… and you would be completely right to assume that. And yet, just because Neutopia wears its influence on its sleeve, doesn’t mean that the game isn’t a satisfying action-adventure game in its own right.
After all, if you’re shamelessly copying the structure and mechanics of one of the most beloved gaming franchises of all time, the end results can’t be that bad. Neutopia still makes a mark with its interesting items, monster design, and map that’s a blast to explore.
3Lords of Thunder
A Classic Sword ‘Em Up
The TurboGrafx-16 – and particularly its CD-ROM add-on – became very popular for fans ofshoot ‘em ups, as the hardware allowed for games in the genre that captured or adapted the energy and aesthetics of the arcade classics. Lords of Thunder was one such title that set itself apart from its contemporaries with an interesting fantasy setting,
With its large character sprites, non-linear level progression, and excellent technical capabilities, Lords of Thunder is a true highlight on the system. Whether you’re a shoot ‘em up aficionado or new to the genre, this is one game worth tracking down.
2Ys Book 1 & 2
A Glimpse Towards The Future
The first thing that anyone who played Ys Book 1 & 2 on the TurboGrafx-CD back in the day will mention to you is the soundtrack. This was one of the first games to truly take advantage of the larger soundscape offered by CD technology, and the result blew gamers away back in 1990.
Luckily, the actual game was also pretty epic. This compilation of the first two Ys games would prove to be ahistorically relevant JRPG, showcasing just how dynamic the genre could be when you took away the turn-based battles and let players run wild in a memorable fantasy world.
1Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
A Classic Through And Through
Although it would take seventeen years for the original PC Engine Super CD-ROM version of Castlvania: Rondo of Blood to make it out of Japan, it was worth the wait. This spectacular entry in Konami’s iconic series acts as both a predecessor to Symphony of the Night and perhaps the high point for Castlevania’s non-Metroidvania games.
The level of detail and care on display in Rondo of Blood is immense, with every aspect of the game dripping in a gothic atmosphere and some of the best action-platform designs put to code. The game is a monumental achievement and easily the best title to ever be developed for the TurboGrafx-16… even if most of us had to wait for the Wii Virtual Console before we could finally play it.
