Archive for NEC/PC Engine/PCFX

PC Engine Shuttle – Space, the Final Frontier!

Hollo / 24 March, 2012 / 6 comments

The PC Engine Shuttle was released in 1989 for around 18,000yen, thus making it a cheaper alternative to the original PC Engine which was closer to 24,000yen at the time.

Coming before the Core Grafx, the Shuttle was the only stand alone PC Engine to have an AV output, but due to the Shuttle having a different expansion slot to the original PC Engine, it could not use the CD add-on. Needless to say, it didn’t really take off (bad joke intended). :D

Who cares if NEC was 30 years too late to cash in on that whole ‘man on the moon’ thing, the PC Engine Shuttle still kicks arse in my opinion!

pc-engine-shuttle

As the Shuttle did not have a standard expansion slot at the rear of the unit, there was no way to store save game data using the available add-ons for the regular PC Engine. NEC did release a memory backup unit only for the Shuttle (pictured bellow), but these are quite rare to come across unfortunately. If you want to store game saves they are a necessity, so keep that in mind when thinking of your PC Engine budget.

pc-engine-shuttle-memory-backup pc-engine-shuttle-backup

Although the Shuttle was a complete failure in the market place, it is quite sort after today by most PCE collectors. If you have the PC Engine Shuttle with the memory backup, original controller (not pictured with mine), and box, they can command quite a hefty sum of money – no where near what an LT would bring in of course, but too expensive for most casual buyers.

pc-engine-shuttle-1

HuCards (the credit card sized game cartridges) would slot into the front of the unit just the same as the other PC Engines, but of course this one has a little window. Does this window help protect anything, or make the machine perform any better? Nope is the long answer for that. :D

pc-engine-shuttle-hucard

pc-engine-shuttle-adapter

pc-engine-shuttle-screen-shot

Definitely the PC Engine Shuttle is worth having, but I would say if your plan is to have only one PC Engine unit, you might want to look at something else – specially if you can’t find the memory backup unit, or you feel that you might want to play PC Engine CDs at some point. :D

Update:

I finally found myself a Shuttle controller! I had to buy a heap of other gear with it, but it was well worth it. :)

dscf8735

Share
Category: NEC/PC Engine/PCFX / Tags: , , , , ,

PC Engine Avenue Pad 6 – The best pad for the PCE?

Hollo / 23 March, 2012 / 4 comments

I would say that the PC Engine Avenue Pad 6 is the best looking control pad for the PC Engine, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best way to control – specially if you ask my friend Frank. :D

pc-engine-avenue-6-button-pad

If you’re looking for a control pad with 6 buttons for the PCE, then this is pretty much the only choice you have. There are many more choices in relation to joysticks out there, but when it comes to pads the choice is quite limited.

pc-engine-avenue-6-button-pad-1

pc-engine-avenue-6-button-pad-2

Released in 1993, it was specifically designed for Street Fighter II. In fact I can’t seem to think of any other games off hand that do support the 6 buttons – it is early in the morning here though.

The pad itself has a nice set of turbo options, and overall I like the feel of it. Since getting a decent stick for the PCE I don’t use this at all though, and I guess that gives you some insight into my recommendations for buying one. If you can’t afford a stick for the PCE then I say go for it, but otherwise spend the money elsewhere. :)

Share
Category: NEC/PC Engine/PCFX / Tags: , , , , ,

NEC PC Engine Multitap

Hollo / 19 March, 2012 / No comments

There comes a time in every PC Engine owners gaming life when they would like to have more than one controller plugged into their console. Why have only one port to begin with NEC?

When the time comes, this is what you’ll need: The NEC PC Engine Multitap.

pc-engine-multitap-1

There isn’t a great deal to talk about when it comes to multitaps. You plug them in, and then suddenly that single controller port becomes 5 controller ports – that pretty much sums it up.

pc-engine-multitap-2

Being that Hudson and NEC built the PC Engine as a collaborative effort, we should talk about the game series that arguably gave Hudson the most recognition, and also the game series that probably pushed most people to buy a multitap for their PCE – the Bomberman series. If anything, these 3 HuCards are the reason to buy a multitap.

pc-engine-multitap-3

PC Engine multitaps can be picked up for around $15, but if buying loose they can be had even as low as one third of that. Well worth investing in. :)

Share
Category: NEC/PC Engine/PCFX / Tags: , , , , ,

PC Engine Memory Base 128

Hollo / 19 March, 2012 / 5 comments

Misspent youth? Need memory? Well this won’t help with that I’m afraid, but it will help with game save storage. :D

The PC Engine Memory Base 128.

pc-engine-memory-base-128

Games for the PC Engine in the first few years didn’t really require a huge amount of storage space for game saves, but by the mid 90s that all began to change. Games were requiring more and more storage, and also collections were building, thus the issue of storage was becoming something that PC Engine owners were very mindful of.

You’d think the logical choice would be to increase the internal storage within the consoles themselves, but the PC Engine Duo for example had only 2kb of built in memory with which to store save files, and as there were games released that could pretty much fill that whole thing something had to be done.

That’s where this guy comes in.

pc-engine-memory-base-128-a

pc-engine-memory-base-128-b

One interesting thing is how this connects to the console. As you can see above, basically it is connected between the controller and the controller port on the console itself.

And now to a piece of advice for buyers. As I’m sure you’re aware the unit runs on batteries, and these batteries actually sit inside a housing within the Memory Base 128 itself, they don’t sit in the actual body of the unit directly. This means that if the little housing is not with the unit when you buy, you will not be able to put batteries in the device. The picture bellow shows in more detail what I mean.

pc-engine-memory-base-128-c

In use this device is a little on the tricky side. First of all, the game itself needs to be able to support the device, and any saving or loading of data will be done within the specific menu with the game – again only if it supports it. Nothing like the options of today that’s for sure.

Anyway, if you own a Duo and play many games that require large saves then this device is a must. Sorry it won’t help with your misspent youth, but you can’t have everything. :)

One last note. The Duo-RX did somewhat rectify the issue by including 192kb of internal storage. Just remember that if you want the poor-man’s RX (the Duo) then this is probably something that you will need to buy.

Share
Category: NEC/PC Engine/PCFX / Tags: , , , , , ,

NEC PC Engine Pachinko Controller

Hollo / 19 March, 2012 / No comments

Gambling is the fastest way to hell! Gamble with the lives of your children, the money you earn, or even the marbles you cherished back in your childhood – yes, I believe many of you may be that old – and you will be going to hell faster than the rest of us clean living folk.

So what do you do if you want gambling without all that eternal damnation stuff? NEC has the answer for you – the NEC PC Engine Pachinko controller set. :)

pc-engine-pachinko-controller-set

Crap, I just realised that some of you may not actually know what Pachinko is. Pachinko is the Japanese version of slot machines, but instead of watching a graphical representation of wheels rotating around, you get to watch real metal balls fall over real metal pins. Hmmm, that may not still give you an accurate picture of what Pachinko is… Google is your friend if you want more info. ;)

Anyway, as I was saying, you are going to hell! Just kidding (probably)…. This particular set comes with everything you need to get your fix. You have the controller to give you an authentic Pachinko feel, and also a CD-ROM2 game disk. By the way, I am not sure if the game disk I have pictured with mine is the original that came with the set, as I bought that separately.

pc-engine-pachinko-controller-set-1

The controller itself is everything you’d expect from NEC. It’s robust and feels well made.

pc-engine-pachinko-controller-set-2

Another option for those who need a Pachinko fix, but don’t have a CD-ROM2 (or similar CD PCE system) can buy the HuCard version of the game. Being a hater of Pachinko (yes, I’m going to heaven) I have not given these two an A/B comparison, but often with HuCards they are either completely separate games, or simply cut down versions of the same thing. I am not sure if this particular HuCard is simply a cut down version of the CD-ROM2 game, or something completely different.

pc-engine-pachinko-controller-set-3

As I mentioned above, I’m not a fan of Pachinko, but I am a fan of NEC/PCE and that’s why this particular set is in my hoard. :)

Share
Category: NEC/PC Engine/PCFX / Tags: , , , , , ,
Page 1 of 212