NEC TurboGrafx-16

NEC's only attempt of entering the US video games market. Releasing on August 29th, 1989 in the USA, the TurboGrafx-16 was unable to garner a serious market share in North America, despite pitting a relatively successful fight against Nintendo over in Japan. Featuring a Hudson HuC6280 6502-based CPU, 8 KB of RAM + 64 KB of VRAM, and up to 482 colors at 256×224 to 512×242 (may be wrong - colors may reduce at higher resolutions), the TurboGrafx-16 only managed to receive a followup in Japan, as the PC-FX.

https://necretro.org/PC_Engine

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TurboGrafx-16

Operating Systems (Hudson Soft HuC6280)

Contiki

- conio library functions work; - contiki crashes :(

Sadly, this doesn't fully work, but it is the only OS of any sort available for the TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine.

http://hitmen.c02.at/html/tools_contiki.html

https://github.com/adamdunkels/contiki-1.x/tree/master/contiki-pcengine

PC emulation (potential)

Whether these emulators support operating systems for these computers is unknown; it must be looked into further. PCs without meaningful OSes are not included.

CHIP-8 – chipce8

https://github.com/trapexit/chipce8

Version & Revision Guide

For general information, see the Game Console Revisions Overview.

Versions

There are two versions of this console, arranged chronologically.

“TurboGrafx-16 (original)” (1987-1992?/94?)

LOWEST PRICE

The original USA version of the PC Engine, now branded as the TurboGrafx-16. This is the vastly more common version for the TurboGrafx-16 in the USA. Some clunky features, such as the need for excessive addons (memory cards, saving, controller taps), yet still relatively formidable. Recognizable by it’s lack of a CD tray, plus a large card recess on the top right. Large expansion port on the back, that is identical to the Japanese expansion port. RF out only, with only one controller port (extras require a tap). Very large.

“TurboDuo” (1992-1995)

RECOMMENDED OVERALL

Feature-wise, this this the ultimate TurboGrafx-16 to get. While still a “version” of the TurboGrafx, the TurboDuo practically crams 3 addons into one box. This console can be easily recognized by it’s all black finish and it’s CD tray. Included is the functions of the original TurboGrafx-16, the functions of the TurboGrafx-CD, an updated BIOS for Super CD discs, more RAM, and a smaller controller port (as in Japan). Said smaller port requires an adapter for peripherals tailored for the larger port of the original. If one can find this, it is easily a better purchase. However, the one caveat is that there appears to be no expansion port.

There are no revisions within any version. BEST RELIABILITY couldn’t be assigned.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TurboDuo