Released on August 29, 1989, the TurboGrafx-16 was the result of a collaboration between electronics manufacturer NEC and software developer Hudson Soft. It was launched at a price of $199 and came bundled with one controller and the platformer Keith Courage in Alpha Zones. Its status as a 16-bit console is a point of contention among classic gamers as it had an 8-bit CPU but a 16-bit graphics processor. But with graphics clearly better than anything that 8-bit consoles had to offer, the TurboGrafx' games more closely resembled those of the 16-bit generation. The TurboGrafx-16 holds the distinction of being the first game console in the U.S. to play CD-based games (with the purchase of a TurboGrafx CD unit). The console was also the first whose games were playable on a handheld system, the Turbo Express. While the system was successful in Japan as the "PC Engine", beating out Sega's Megadrive and holding a strong second place behind the Super Famicom, in North America the TurboGrafx was an early casualty in the war between Sega and Nintendo, selling only 2.5 million units prior to being discontinued.

Appare! Gateball

Rating: 3.0

Developer: West One Publisher: Hudson Genre: Sports Released: 12/22/1988

Rarity: Import Value: $

"Gateball" is a Japanese sport not unlike croquet. Players use a long mallet to hit balls through three gates in a particular order and then hit a goal post to score and finish their round. It is a team-based sport, with up to 5 players on each squad. One team wins when either every player on the team has hit the goal post, or time has run out. Appare! Gateball is the only video game based on the sport that I've ever played, and in fact I had never heard of the sport prior to playing it. You can shoose either "Action" or "Simulation" mode, which is really the difference between playing and coaching. In action mode, you have to aim the ball and set the power with which you are going to hit it. Hitting the ball with an improper amount of power (missing the mark on the stroke meter) causes the ball to drift to one side, not unlike most classic golf games. In simulation mode, you simply decide where the ball is to be hit, and the computer-controlled player actually executes the stroke. I found the game to be much more fun in simulation mode, as it is seemingly impossible to hit the ball straight in action mode. After choosing a mode, you decide to play on either a grass or clay surface, and then choose your 5 team members from a larger pool of players. Each player has strengths and weaknesses, but they all look crazy. This game is certainly going to be boring to a lot of people, but in a lot of ways it reminds me of a billiards game, except with more strategy. Tap an opposing players ball and (just like croquet) you can take a second shot where you smack their ball out of bounds. This game seems like it woul be great fun to play in 2-player mode, especially since the computer AI is unforgivingly hard to play against. Appare! Gateball has colorful graphics with detailed playing surfaces, and catchy if not repetetive music. The single player game may not be the most exciting thing in the world, but the 2-player mode makes it a good party game, and at less than $10 it's cheap enough to take a risk on.

Bonk's Adventure

Rating: 4.5

Developer: Atlus/Red Company Publisher: NEC Genre: Platformer Released: 1990

Rarity: Common Value: $

When most gamers think of the TurboGrafx, they think of arcade shooters and they think of Bonk. Much like Mario on the NES and Sonic on the Genesis, Bonk because the de facto mascot for the system. Bonk's Adventure wasn't completed in time for the TurboGrafx' North American launch, but as soon as it was ready for sale it should have replaced the horribly mediocre Keith Courage in Alpha Zones as the console's pack-in game. By the time it was being offered for free with a system purchase, it was too late for NEC here in the States. Still, I doubt that many people had a TurboGrafx and didn't have the first Bonk. As with Sonic The Hedgehog on the Genesis, it would be easy to dismiss Bonk's Adventure as a Super Mario Bros. clone, but that would be an act of ignorance. Far be it from me to say anything negative about the Super Mario series, but Bonk's Adventure just brings more to the table once you get the nostalgia factor out of the way. A wider variety of enemies and environments, and graphics that I would argue rival the rather plain-jane visuals of Super Mario World on the SNES. Instead of simply jumping on enemies to kill them, you could either head-butt them (for half-damage) or jump in the air, flip around, and deliver a crushing blow by landing on them head-first. It may seem like a minor difference, but it actually makes the game play more varied. Something else that makes this game different from most platformers is that when you die, you respawn without interruption instead of restarting the level or starting again at some checkpoint. This has the biggest impact on boss battles, as you will respawn on the spot so that the boss retains whatever damage he already suffered. The game isn't perfect, though. There are defintely times where I felt as though the controls were sluggish, and sometimes the collision detection is a bit suspect. These are minor grievances though, and take little away from the overall enjoyment of the game. Ultimately, this game is both cheap and great, and no Turbo library is complete without it.

Die Hard

Rating: 2.0

Developer: Pack-In Video Publisher: NEC Genre: Action Released: 09/28/1990

Rarity: Import Value: $$

Die Hard is one of my all-time favorite action movies, and it's a shame that there wasn't a decent tie-in game released here in the US. When I saw that there was such a game released for the PC Engine in Japan, I was pretty excited to check it out. Die hard is a top-down shooter, not unlike Ikari Warriors, Commando, or Bloody Wolf. Not a bad style for a Die Hard game, if properly executed. The problem with Die Hard is that it has seemingly nothing to do with the movie. I think back in the day a lot of us put up with bad tie-in games because we felt like we were playing a video game version of the film, but that's not the case here. As you progress through the game, you fight your way up successive floors of a high rise until the final stage on the roof, and in that sense it is Die Hard-esque, but the similarities end there. The first stage takes place outdoors in a forest-like setting, and the second stage seems to take place in a swamp. Even when you do finally make it into the building, it hardly feels like the high-rising Nakatomi Plaza. The game features several weapons, including a semi-automatic rifle, submachine gun, grenade launcher, spread gun, etc. Noticably lacking however is the handgun used by John McLane through much of the movie. Die hard has decent graphics that, like much of the console's library, fall somewhere between the average 8 and 16-bit game, but the environments are repetitive and uninteresting. When coupled with gameplay that's equally repetitive and uninteresting, the end result is a game that clearly falls into the 'below average' category.

Galaga '90

Rating: 5.0

Developer: Namco Publisher: NEC Genre: Shooter Released: 1989

Rarity: Uncommon Value: $$

Galaga is my favorite arcade game of all time, so when I found out that there was a sequel on the Turbo, I had to play it. Galaga '90 is actually the fourth title in the series, preceded by Galaxian, Galaga, and the lesser-known Gaplus. Galaxian's game play was similar to Space Invaders, except that the aliens in the formation would fly down and attack you. Galaga expanded on this by having the enemies fly onto the screen and attack your ship before slipping into formation. Galaga '90 retains the same basic format and style as Galaga but has updated graphics and sound, and has vertically scrolling sections complete with boss battles interspersed between groups of traditional stages. While Galaga allowed you to let your ship be captured by the enemy so that you could reclaim it to form a double ship, Galaga '90 kicks it up a notch by allowing that double ship to be captured as well. If you successfully reclaim it, you will form the dreaded "Triple Galaga", which looks like the original ship on steroids and shoots three projectiles at a time. All of the familiar enemies from Galaga are back, joined by a number of new creatures. Galaga '90 also features dimensional travel; warping to a higher dimension increases the difficulty but also increases the points earned through bonuses. Each dimension also has slightly different enemies and boss battles. Dimensional gates are opened by collecting blue orbs (called canisters) that are occasionally dropped by enemies or found inside of asteroids. Possession of two of these canisters at the end of a "galactic dancing" bonus stage will cause the dimensional rift to open, and your ship will automatically pass through it. The addition of these extra dimensions increases the game's replay value by creating even more game variety. Galaga '90 is easily the best game in the series, and is a must-have for any TurboGrafx owner. Although it isn't as common as some of the system's library, it can easily be found in the $10-20 range and is well worth the price.

Golden Axe (CD)

Rating: 1.5

Developer: Renovation Publisher: Telenet Genre: Beat 'em Up Released: 03/16/1990

Rarity: Import Value: $

Golden Axe is one of my favorite games both on the Genesis and in the arcade, so I already knew that I was going to hold this version to a high standard. The game starts off well enough; an animated cutscene complete with voice over, a title screen than looks more colorful than other ports, and then an even longer cutscene after the character selection screen. Much more cinematic than the Genesis release! Then the game starts, and the first thng that you can't help but notice is the graphics. I imagine that this must be what Golden Axe would look like on the NES, because it definitely looks worse than the Sega Master System port. The controls are horrible as well - stiff and unresponsive. Exactly what you don't need in a beat 'em up (or any game for that matter.) The animation is choppy, and the game runs slower than it should. Although the title screen music seems oddly out of place, the in-game tracks sound great, and rival the Sega CD port of Golden Axe in terms of quality. This is the one place where the game really shines. Unfortunately, the sound effects are worse than the graphics and are the game's low point, reminding me of something I might hear on the Apple II or Atari 2600. I gave Golden Axe a 1.5 instead of a 1 because the excellent music and cool cutscenes prevent the game from being completely devoid of value. These things mean little without at least tolerable game play however, and that is something that this game completely lacks. I don't underatand how the developer could spend so much time creating cutscenes and excellent music and not focus on the things that really matter.

Keith Courage in Alpha Zones

Rating: 2.0

Developer: Hudson Soft Publisher: NEC Genre: Platform Released: 08/29/1989

Rarity: Common Value: $

Keith Courage in Alpha Zones was the original pack-in game for the TurboGrafx-16. It's an action platform game consisting of 7 themed levels, each with an overworld and underworld stage. In the overworld, you control the human Keith Courage, making your way through a village fighting off small enemies with a dagger and collecting gold which you can then use to buy bombs, upgrade your weapon, and pay a nurse to heal you. In the underworld stages Keith Courage wears the "Nova Suit", which turns him into a powerful, sword-wielding monstrous cyborg. While Keith is stronger and faster in the underworld, the enemies are as well. Each underworld stage culminates in a boss battle, after which Keith returns to the overworld. Keith Courage isn't a horrible game, but it's quite forgettable and was arguably a poor choice for inclusion with the system. Although the game has 7 levels, they al look the same, but with different color schemes and a couple of new enemies. One could make the same argument about Super Mario Bros., but that game made it work through the use of interesting level design. In the overworld, the human Keith Courage moves slowly and stabs at his enemies with a little dagger while in the underworld his movement is so unwieldy that it the controls feel like they lack precision. The fact that the game play changes so much between stages is distracting and disruptive. One of my biggest gripes with the game is that you only have one life. This is made up for by the fact that your character can absorb a lot of hits before he dies, but the nova suit stages are littered with spikes that cause one-hit deaths. Every time you die, you are greeted with a "Game Over" screen, but it doesn't matter because you have unlimited continues and can therefore beat the game on the first play-through. Most games require a cheat code for unlimited lives, but this game effectively gives them to you by default. Contributing editor Anthony Norica tells me that I can't appreciate this game because I didn't own the TurboGrafx at launch, but I'm going to have to call shenanigans on that one. Had I bought the system at launch and played this game, I think I would have gone running back to the far superior platformers on the NES.

Ninja Spirit

Rating: 3.0

Developer: Irem Publisher: NEC Genre: Action Released: 1990

Rarity: Common Value: $

Ninja Spirit is one part Shinobi and one part shooter, mixing the side-scrolling ninja action of the classic Genesis title with the power up system found in most shooters. The game play is almost mindless - jump around avoiding enemy fire while mashing the attack button, much like most shoot-em-ups. The only real strategy involved is choosing which weapon to use in each situation, as they all have strengths and weaknesses that must be considered. Each level is a unique environment with a diverse variety of enemies, so the game never feels boring or repetitive. I really liked this game, but there were several areas that were frustratingly difficult. Difficulty in a game is a good thing, but when you aren't learning anything by dying and have to keep repeating the same section until you complete it through blind trial-and-error, that's bad game design. Once you figure out the trick to getting past these situations, the game becomes quite simple and most of the challenge is gone. Although you have a 5-point life meter, the game has plenty of ways to kill you with one hit, and many times I was killed before I had a chance to react to the danger. The game can also be played in a harder mode that removes the life meter, but there are already so many ways to die instantly that the harder mode doesn't make much difference. I suspect that the game designers knew that the game was unreasonably hard in places, as the game has unlimited continues and always re-starts your game at the nearest resume point instead of restarting the level. That's like having an unlimited number of lives! This means that much like Keith Courage, the game can be beaten the first time you sit down with it unless you voluntarily choose to limit yourself to a set number of continues. This definitely lowers the game's replay value (and its score in this review) by removing most of the challenge, but the gameplay itself along with the interesting and varied design will compel you to revisit the game every now and then. This would be a hard game to recommend if it were one of the TurboGrafx' pricier titles, but as one of its cheapest it's definitely worth picking up.

Splatterhouse

Rating: 4.0

Developer: Namco Publisher: NEC Genre: Beat 'em Up Released: April 21, 1990

Rarity: Uncommon Value: $$

Splatterhouse has a plot straight out of a cheesy 80's horror flick. Rick and Jennifer visit a haunted mansion and are attacked by monsters. Rick is killed, but is brought back to life by a mask that gives him super-human powers which he uses to fight through the mansion to rescue his girlfriend, who has been kidnapped by the mansion's denizens. Splatterhouse's game play is exceedingly simple - attack everything that moves while avoiding being hit by anything or anyone. Unlike other beat 'em ups like River City Ransom and Streets of Rage there is no 3-dimensionality to the game, so you can only move left and right on the screen. Rick is a big lumbering guy who doesn't have any finesse moves to get you out of danger, so you have to rely on your fists. Early in the game, your only weapon is a 2x4 that you swing like a baseball bat, sending your enemies splattering across the back wall. Splatterhouse starts off slow, but by the third stage you're wielding a shotgun and fighting a boss who has chainsaws for hands. Later in the game you walk through a hallway of mirrors where you fight reflections of yourself. By the last stages of the game, Splatterhouse takes on a more surreal tone as it seems to take place not in the mansion but in hell itself. Although the game play is pretty repetitive, the introduction of new weapons along with an incredible variety of enemies and environments keeps the game feeling fresh level after level. While the difficulty definitely ramps up as the game progresses, it's worth the challenge just to see the final boss battle, which is nothing short of gross. Splatterhouse's detailed visuals and creepy horror movie-inspired music really tie the atmosphere together. Your life meter is made up of little human hearts! The game is a truly original title that has never really been recreated outside of its sequels on the Genesis.

World Class Baseball

Rating: 3.0

Developer: Hudson Soft Publisher: NEC Genre: Sports/Baseball Released: 1989

Rarity: Common Value: $

For sports fans, there wasn't much to choose from on the Turbo. As was the case with most sports, there was only one baseball game on the system - World Class Baseball. The game tries to sell itself as a baseball simulator but is in reality a very arcade-like experience, with pitches that defy the laws of physics. The game has excellent presentation, and as is the case with so many Turbo games, top-notch chiptunes give it a superb sound. The graphics look good and give the game a level of detail that clearly separates it from sports games from the 8-bit generation. You can choose from among 12 fictional teams with names like the "Apples", "Fries", and "Togas". 4 game modes are available - "Versus Mode" is player vs. player, "Open Mode" is an exhibition game against the computer, "Pennant Mode" is a playoff mode complete with password save system, and "Watch Mode" lets you watch the computer play against itself. One of the weakest aspects of this game is one that frustrates me with a lot of classic baseball games - fielding. All too often, as the camera follows the ball out of the infield, you have no idea which fielder you'll be controlling. Move the second baseman towards first to field a ground ball, and you also moved the first baseman off of the bag. Try to catch a runner stealing second and the pitcher will cut off the throw unless you move him out of the way while the ball is in the air. Some games start off bad and then grow on you, World Class Baseball is a bit different - it seems pretty good at first but slowly grows off of you. It isn't a horrible game by any means, but the more you play it, the more its frustrations come bubbling up to the surface. If this was 1989 and the Turbo was the only system that I owned, I'd be content with World Class Baseball, but with all of the choices that I have on other classic platforms, this one falls through the cracks.