TurboGrafx-16 Mini Review: Hardcore Retro Gaming
TurboGrafx-16 Mini Review: Hardcore retro delight for everyone
"The TurboGrafx-16 Mini is the latest retro console you have to have."
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Affordable price
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Beautifully designed hardware and software
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Extensive game selection
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Optional multiplayer support
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Second controller not included
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Whimsical games can limit the attractiveness
Do you think you are a hardcore player? Do you usually end the video games you play in a couple of sessions and giggle when a friend describes a game as a "challenge" after hitting it several times? If it's you, it's time to put your money where your mouth is and buy the TurboGrafx-16 Mini, home to some of the toughest games ever.
Andy Boxall / Digitaltrends.com
The TurboGrafx 16 Mini, known in Japan as PC Engine Mini and in Europe as Core Grafx Mini, is another entry into the popular world of the newly released retro game consoles. Apart from its robustness, it is a little pleasure. I spent a long weekend diving in and out to see what it was like.
Design and furnishings
The model you see here is the European Core Grafx Mini, which exactly replicates the original model except for a 10% reduction in scale. The TurboGrafx 16 Mini is also a faithful replica of the original from the 90s, but differs greatly in its appearance. The small console is made of plastic and is very light. There are two USB Type A ports on the front for connecting the controller. One is included, but you can buy additional controllers and an adapter that lets you add up to five controllers for some games. This is a bit of a shame as it contains some great two-player titles. If you pay extra in addition to the $ 100 price, some people will be prevented from trying them out.
Andy Boxall / Digitaltrends.com
On the back there is a removable plate that hides the HDMI connection for your TV, as well as a micro USB for the power supply. You will receive a cable in the box, but no power supply. I used a basic charger that came with an Apple iPhone and it worked fine, so you don't have to buy a special charger before using the console. On the front there is a power switch in the same place as the original.
It only takes a few moments to connect the console and press the switch. At this point, it is immediately ready for use. There is no need to wait, no internet connection to be set up and no profile to be created. It's a welcome change from some of the more complex game consoles and makes the Core Grafx Mini perfect for quick game correction.
Andy Boxall / Digitaltrends.com
The two-button controller is the same size and design as the original and has quick switches for both buttons. It's smaller than a PlayStation 4 dual shock controller and a lot lighter. It's convenient to hold and use, and connects to a generous 3-meter cable, but anyone who has only used a modern controller will find it easy. The D-Pad is less precise than an analog stick or even a touchscreen, and it feels tight at first because of its small size, although I got used to it after a short time. All of this is part of the appeal, true to the original and representative of its time. This is also one of the reasons why the line-up of the games puts your skills to the test.
Menu and game selection
What a beautifully designed software and menu system this console offers. From the various background images – the animated with the moving PC Engine character – to the cheerful stereo music and the simplicity of the game selection, it is both lovingly created and perfectly executed. You scroll through a horizontal list of games organized by console. This means that you get a selection of games released on TurboGrafx 16 and PC Engine in Japan.
Select a game and you will receive a cool animation of the Hu-Card or CD-ROM, which is "inserted" into the virtual console, with precise sound effects. It is this care and attention that makes those who played with the original smile smile. This continues when you go to the Settings menu because you can play your game as if it were displayed on the handheld version of PC Engine. There is a 4: 3 aspect ratio CRT filter for added retro realism.
How about the games? There are 57 games preinstalled and the list contains most genres, with an emphasis on shooters, platform games, arcade ports and RPGs. There are several exclusive PC Engine titles and 32 PC Engine games in the original Japanese language. This can make getting into some of the more complex games challenging, but most games are easy to learn and play. This was before the on-screen instructions, the complicated control methods or the movement mechanics with several buttons. Therefore, in some games you will have to experiment a lot to find out what to do if no instructions are provided.
play games
Here are a few things you really need to know to play PC Engine games: some are pretty weird, there are a lot of shoot em ups, you probably won't have played many of the titles before, and almost all of them are it really hard. Shortly after it was released in Japan, I had a PC Engine, so some of the titles were known and I started to get into PC Engine games again.
Andy Boxall / Digitaltrends.com
When I originally bought the PC Engine, I did it for a shoot-em-up known internationally as Gunhed or Blazing Lazers. It's here and it's as fun as it was then. It rolls vertically, has a cool selection of upgradeable weapons, an unforgettable soundtrack, and some tough enemies. This sets the tone for most games on the console. However, it's not the only shooter I've played on the new console, and it turns out to be a treasure trove of crazy shoot-em-ups.
Soldier Blade and Super Star Soldier are very similar to Blazing Lazers. The intense, exclusive title of the super CD-ROM Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire is joined by many others. Don't be fooled by the first relatively easy levels of the Soldier's Blade. It will be very difficult, very quick, but it has nothing to do with Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire. I had never played that before, but it immediately and totally obsessed me. It is so insanely difficult, so incredibly difficult that you giggle when your ship is blown up again. It does a lot of things that got old quite quickly and made Soldier Blade and Super Star Soldier more fun to play with.
Massively difficult shooters are common here. Dragon Spirit has both land and sky enemies to roast. With Fantasy Zone, you can move both left and right through a landscape (a crazy world that's like a twist in The Beatles & # 39; Yellow Submarine movie, just with bullets), in which enemies come from all directions shoot. Psychosis lives up to its name because the ship does not move as fast as you want it, so that you are overwhelmed in a few moments. It is interesting that I don't mind trying the games over and over again, because the challenge is welcome and still fun.
What else? I love the pinball game Alien Crush, the bubble bobble-like Parasol Stars and the PC Engine classic Ninja Spirit. Yes, it's difficult too, but achievable because of the mega-weapons and a steep but reasonable learning curve. The Space Harrier arcade game comes along with R-Type and the best Bomberman games, including Bomberman Panic Bomber, an excellent Tetris / Candy Crush-style mashup.
Andy Boxall / Digitaltrends.com
Andy Boxall / Digitaltrends.com
Andy Boxall / Digitaltrends.com
What about the craziness? There is enough of that. Probably the best is Lords of Thunder, a barking, crazy side-scrolling shooter straight out of the imagination of an 80s metalhead. There is a hair metal guitar soundtrack, a Thor-like character and a high level of difficulty. Then there is J.J. and Jeff, a weird platformer with cackling birds and a farting hero, as well as other weird but really fun platform games like Air Zonk, PC Genjin, and Bonk & # 39; s Revenge. Be sure to check out the Japanese-language sports game Appare! Gateball, which is a bit like croquet and a lot more fun than it sounds.
This little console has hours of entertainment. The games above have kept me busy for a weekend, and all before I looked at some of the longer RPG games like Neutopia and Neutopia 2. Just be aware that none of these games is easy. Whether it is the control method, the mechanics or the game design itself, you are absolutely challenged by many games here. Of course some are frustrating because of that, but not so many. The best titles are fair and well designed, so you rarely feel like you can't get ahead with a little more practice.
Andy Boxall / Digitaltrends.com
The list of quirky titles and extremely tough gameplay may not appeal to anyone who has never played games from that time or heard of PC Engine. It is probably the least mainstream of the retro consoles out there. I was familiar with him and some of the games, so I knew what it was going to be like. That doesn't mean you shouldn't get one, just because you know it's a little different.
Unfortunately, this time I wasn't able to try multiplayer on the console, but when I saw an early version in early 2020. Playing Bomberman against a real opponent is ridiculously entertaining, and if you have like-minded friends, investing in a second controller increases the longevity offered here.
Price, availability and guarantee
The TurboGrafx-16 Mini costs $ 100 through Amazon in the US and £ 100 through Amazon in the UK. Although the console could already be pre-ordered, deliveries were delayed and the dates are still in the air. Konami sent Digital Trends the following shipping and approval status statement:
“We are working closely with Amazon to provide regular updates to our customers who pre-ordered the Core Grafx Mini and TurboGrafx-16 Mini PC engines. For the latest delivery date information, visit the Track Your Package page on Amazon. Amazon is still accepting new pre-orders for the consoles and we are working hard to resume normal delivery schedules as soon as possible. We thank everyone for their patience in this uncertain time. "
Our opinion
The TurboGrafx-16 Mini was reborn from a time when no prisoners were caught. The wonderful list of games means that one title is too hard and another is waiting to seduce you. Thanks to the extensive list of real classics on board, not only retro fans will appreciate the console, but also fans of shoot-em-ups. Lovingly designed software, simple setup and a reasonable price make this mini console accessible to everyone.
Is there a better alternative?
No. If you want to play TurboGrafx-16 and PC Engine games, there aren't many other ways to do it than to locate an original console and buy games. However, if you just want a retro gaming experience and are not interested in the console, there are several other options. The $ 80 Sega Genesis Mini will likely offer a larger selection of more popular games, as will the $ 80 Nintendo SNES Classic, if you find one on sale.
How long it will take?
The console should withstand normal use with no problems, and even the controller should be fine, even if a frustrated bump or two falls on the floor. The list of games is extensive and varied, and some are difficult to master, providing hours of entertainment. The best thing about such retro consoles is how quickly they can be set up and used. Even in a few years, when the temptation to play arises, it's easy to get started quickly.
Should you buy one?
Yes, definitely. The generous list of games as well as the nifty software and design make it easy to recommend.
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