Difference between revisions of "Cleveland Browns"

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{{about|the band XTC|other uses|XTC (disambiguation)}}
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{{Redirect|TG-16|the U.S. Air Force training glider|DG Flugzeugbau DG-1000}}
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{{Infobox musical artist
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{{About|the video game console|the upcoming Kanye West album of the same name|Kanye West discography}}
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| name               = XTC
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{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2016}}
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| background          = group_or_band
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{{Infobox information appliance
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| image              = XTC bandphoto.jpg
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| name        = TurboGrafx-16 / PC Engine
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| image_size          =  
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| title        = TurboGrafx-16<br />PC Engine
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| landscape          = yes
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| aka          =  
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| caption            = XTC after a show in Toronto, October 1978{{break}}From left: [[Andy Partridge]], [[Colin Moulding]], [[Terry Chambers]], and [[Barry Andrews (musician)|Barry Andrews]]
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| logo        = [[File:TurboGrafx16logo.jpg|70px]]<br />[[File:PC Engine logo.png|120px]]
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| alias              =  
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| image        = [[File:TurboGrafx16-Console-Set.jpg|240px|The TurboGrafx-16]]<br />[[File:PC-Engine-Console-Set.jpg|250px|The PC Engine]]
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* Star Park
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| caption      = Western markets model (top) and the original Japanese system (bottom).
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* Helium Kidz
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| developer    =
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* [[The Dukes of Stratosphear]]
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| manufacturer = [[NEC|NEC Home Electronics]]<br />[[Hudson Soft]]
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| origin              = [[Swindon]], [[Wiltshire]], England
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| family      =  
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| genre              = {{flat list|
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| type        = [[Home video game console]]s
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*[[Art rock]]<ref name="Trakin1981">{{cite magazine|last1=Trakin|first1=Roy|title=The New English Art Rock|magazine=[[Musician (magazine)|Musician]]|date=February 1981|issue=30|url=http://chalkhills.org/articles/Musician198102.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EQoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA13|date=August 22, 1998|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|page=13|issn=0006-2510}}</ref>
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| generation  = [[Fourth generation of video game consoles|Fourth generation]]
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*[[New wave music|new wave]]<ref name="AMG">{{cite web|first=Stephen Thomas|last=Erlewine|authorlink=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/xtc-mn0000678339/biography |title=XTC &#124; Biography |website=[[AllMusic]] |date= |accessdate=2014-02-01}}</ref><ref name="PMSkylarking">{{cite web|last1=Mendehlson|first1=Jason|last2=Klinger|first2=Eric|title=XTC’s 'Skylarking'|url=http://www.popmatters.com/post/192717-counterbalance-xtcs-skylarking/|website=[[PopMatters]]|date=April 24, 2015}}</ref>
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| releasedate  = {{vgrelease|JP|October 30, 1987<ref name="PC-Engine UK">http://www.pc-engine.co.uk/?section=systems</ref>|NA|August 29, 1989|FRA|November 22, 1989|UK|1990|SPA|1990}}
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*{{nowrap|[[post-punk]]}}<ref name="PMSkylarking"/><ref name="BennettStratton2013">{{cite book|last1=Bennett|first1=Andy|last2=Stratton|first2=Jon|title=Britpop and the English Music Tradition|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ts-hAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA81|year=2013|publisher=Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.|isbn=978-1-4094-9407-2|page=81}}</ref>
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| lifespan    =  
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*[[art punk]]<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Crandall|first=Bill|title=NO EXIT: XTC's Andy Partridge|url=http://chalkhills.org/articles/BAM19970808.html|magazine=Bam|date=August 8, 1997}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Klinge|first1=Steve|title=The Natural History - Beat Beat Heartbead|magazine=[[CMJ New Music Monthly]]|date=May 2003|issue=112|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wSoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA53&dq="art+punk"+"xtc"|issn=1074-6978}}</ref>
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| price        =  
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*[[progressive pop]]<ref>{{cite web|last1=Burdick|first1=John|title=The Best Guitarist in the World at Bearsville|url=http://www.hudsonvalleyalmanacweekly.com/2015/07/23/the-best-guitarist-in-the-world-at-bearsville/|website=[[Almanac Weekly]]|date=July 23, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Leone|first1=Dominique|title=Coat of Many Cupboards|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/8834-coat-of-many-cupboards/|website=[[Pitchfork Media|Pitchfork]]|date=April 3, 2002}}</ref>
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| discontinued = {{vgrelease|FRA|Spring 1993|NA|May 1994|JP|December 16, 1994}}
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}}
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| unitssold    = Worldwide: 5.8 million<ref name="Sekimoto">{{cite news |title=ウィークエンド経済　第765号　あの失敗がこう生きた [Weekend Economics Issue 765. That Mistake Lived On.] |work=Asahi Shinbun (Evening Edition) |location=Osaka, Japan |date=December 1, 2001 |language=Japanese }}</ref><br>Japan: 3.9 million
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| years_active       = 1972&ndash;2006
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| unitsshipped =  
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| label              = [[Cooking Vinyl]], [[Geffen Records|Geffen]], [[Idea Records|Idea]], [[Virgin Records|Virgin]], [[Caroline Records|Caroline]]
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| media        = [[HuCard]], [[CD-ROM]] (only with the CD-ROM² add-on)
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| associated_acts    =  
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| os          =  
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| website            = {{url|ape.uk.net}}
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| power       =  
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| past_members        = [[Andy Partridge]]<br/>[[Colin Moulding]]<br/>[[Terry Chambers]]<br/>[[Barry Andrews (musician)|Barry Andrews]]<br/>[[Dave Gregory (musician)|Dave Gregory]]
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| soc          =  
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}}
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| cpu          = [[Hudson Soft HuC6280]]
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| memory      =
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'''XTC''' were <!-- Per WP:ENGVAR, UK English uses the plural form for bands, groups, etc. Do not change "were" to "was". --> an English [[rock music|rock]] band formed in [[Swindon]] in 1972 and active until 2006. Led by songwriters [[Andy Partridge]] and [[Colin Moulding]], the band emerged from the late 1970s [[punk rock|punk]] and [[new wave]] explosion, later playing in a variety of styles that ranged from angular guitar riffs to elaborately arranged [[pop music|pop]]. Partly because the band did not fit into contemporary trends, they failed to maintain popular success in the UK and US, but still attracted a [[cult following]].<ref name="AMG" />
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| storage      =  
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Under the name Star Park, the group began as a trio with drummer [[Terry Chambers]], then changing their name to Helium Kidz. As the punk movement took off, they settled on the name XTC, debuting on [[Virgin Records]] in 1977. In 1982, the group stopped [[concert tour]]ing and became a studio-based project centred on Partridge, Moulding, and guitarist [[Dave Gregory (musician)|Dave Gregory]] with various [[session musician]]s. A spin-off group, [[the Dukes of Stratosphear]], was invented as an outlet for the band's excursions into 1960s [[psychedelic music]]. For most of the 1990s, XTC were mired in record label difficulties.<ref name="AMG" /> The band ceased activity following the disintegration of Partridge and Moulding's creative partnership.
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| display      = <u>Resolution</u>:<br />- max. 565×242<br />- majority: 256×239<br /><u>Colors</u>:<br />- available: 512 (9-bit)<br />- onscreen: max. 482<br />(241 background, 241 sprite)
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| graphics    =
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XTC's best-known album, ''[[Skylarking]]'' (1986),<ref>{{cite web|last1=Dahlen|first1=Chris|title=Andy Partridge - Fuzzy Warbles Collector’s Album|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/9785-fuzzy-warbles-collectors-album/|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|date=January 19, 2007}}</ref> is generally regarded as their finest.<ref name="diffuser">{{cite web|last1=Zaleski|first1=Annie|title=30 Years Ago: XTC Finds Pop Perfection with ‘Skylarking’|url=http://diffuser.fm/xtc-skylarking/|website=Diffuser.fm|date=27 October 2016}}</ref> Their only records that placed within the UK top 20 were the singles "[[Making Plans for Nigel]]" (1979), "[[Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)]]" (1980) and "[[Senses Working Overtime]]" (1982), as well as the albums ''[[Black Sea (XTC album)|Black Sea]]'' (1980) and ''[[English Settlement]]'' (1982).<ref name="AMG" /> In the US, they are also known for the songs "[[Dear God (XTC song)|Dear God]]" (1986) and "[[The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead]]" (1992),<ref name="Zaleski2016">{{cite web|last1=Zaleski|first1=Annie|title="Music is so abused these days": XTC’s Andy Partridge opens up about songwriting, painting and developing the "cruel parent gene" toward your own art|url=http://www.salon.com/2016/03/20/music_is_so_abused_these_days_xtcs_andy_partridge_opens_up_about_songwriting_painting_and_developing_the_cruel_parent_gene_toward_your_own_art/|website=[[Salon magazine|Salon]]|date=March 20, 2016}}</ref> while "[[Mayor of Simpleton]]" (1989) was their highest charting US single.
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| sound        =  
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| input        =  
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==History==
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| controllers  =  
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{{multiple issues|section=yes|
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| connectivity =  
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{{BLP sources section|date=March 2008}}
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| platform    =  
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{{tone|section|date=August 2016}}
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| service      =  
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}}
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| dimensions  = 14 cm×14 cm×3.8&nbsp;cm<br />(5.5 in×5.5 in×1.5 in)
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| weight      =  
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===1972–76: Formation===
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| topgame      =  
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{{external media
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| compatibility=  
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| float  = right
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| predecessor  =  
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| video1 = {{youtube|i5otbMcdjRk|"The Road to Oranges & Lemons"}}
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| successor    = [[SuperGrafx]] (upgraded)<br>[[PC-FX]]
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| related      =  
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| website      =  
 
}}
 
}}
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The '''TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem''', known in Japan and France as the {{nihongo|'''PC Engine'''|PCエンジン|Pī Shī Enjin}}, is a [[home video game console]] jointly developed by [[Hudson Soft]] and [[NEC|NEC Home Electronics]], released in Japan on October 30, 1987 and in the United States on August 29, 1989. It also had a limited release in the United Kingdom and Spain in 1990, known as simply '''TurboGrafx''' and based on the American model, whilst the Japanese model was imported and distributed in France in 1989. It was the first console released in the [[History of video game consoles (fourth generation)|16-bit era]], albeit still utilizing an 8-bit [[CPU]]. Originally intended to compete with the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] (NES), it ended up competing with the [[Sega Genesis]], and later on the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] (SNES).
  
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First coming together in 1972, [[Colin Moulding]] (bass & vocals) and Terry Chambers (drums) asked [[Andy Partridge]] (guitars & vocals) to join their new band and went through many band names (including The Helium Kidz and Star Park) over the next five years. As the Helium Kidz, they were featured in a small ''[[NME]]'' article as an up-and-coming band from Swindon. Drawing influence from the [[New York Dolls]], particularly the "Jetboy" single,<ref name="RundgrenRadio-Colin">Doug [http://www.blogtalkradio.com/runt/2008/12/07/Rundgren-Radio Interview of Colin Moulding] ''Rundgren Radio'' (fansite), 7 December 2008, Retrieved 9 December 2008</ref>{{better source|date=August 2016}} and the emerging New York punk scene, they played [[glam rock]] with homemade costumes and slowly built up a following. The band recorded a set at the Swindon Viewpoint studio in 1975. Keyboard player [[Barry Andrews (musician)|Barry Andrews]] joined in 1976, and the band finally settled on a name: XTC.{{citation needed|date=August 2016}}
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The TurboGrafx-16 has an 8-bit [[CPU]], a 16-bit video color encoder, and a 16-bit [[video display controller]]. The [[GPU]]s are capable of displaying 482 colors simultaneously, out of 512. With dimensions of just 14&nbsp;cm×14&nbsp;cm×3.8&nbsp;cm (5.5 in×5.5 in×1.5 in), the Japanese PC Engine is the smallest major home game console ever made.<ref>''Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition'' (2008)</ref><ref name="Nintendo Life">{{cite web|author=Damien McFerran |url=http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/11/feature_the_making_of_the_pc_engine |title=Feature: The Making Of The PC Engine|publisher=''Nintendo Life'' |date=November 2, 2012}}</ref> Games were stored on a [[HuCard]] cartridge, or in [[CD-ROM]] optical format with the TurboGrafx-CD add-on.
  
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===1977–82: Touring===
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The TurboGrafx-16 failed to break into the North American market and sold poorly, which has been blamed on inferior marketing.<ref name="Gamasutra">{{cite web|author=Christian Nutt |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/225466/stalled_engine_the_turbografx16_.php?print=1 |title=Stalled engine: The TurboGrafx-16 turns 25 |publisher=''Gamasutra''}}</ref> However in Japan the PC Engine was very successful, where it gained strong third-party support and outsold the [[Famicom]] at its 1987 debut, eventually becoming the [[Super Famicom]]'s main rival.<ref name="Guardian">{{cite web|author=Paul Sartori |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2013/apr/02/turbografx-16-machine-that-time-forgot |title=TurboGrafx-16: the console that time forgot (and why it's worth re-discovering) |publisher=''[[The Guardian]]'' |date=April 2, 2013}}</ref> Lots of revisions - at least 17 distinct models - were made, such as portable versions and a [[CD-ROM]] add-on.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/feb/27/why-kanye-west-right-recommend-turbografx-16-console</ref> An enhanced model, the [[PC Engine SuperGrafx]], was intended to supersede the standard PC Engine, but failed to break through and was quickly discontinued. The entire series was succeeded by the [[PC-FX]] in 1994, only released in Japan.
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====''White Music''–''English Settlement''====
 
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{{Quote box
 
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| quote = I really didn’t like the phrase 'punk'—it just seemed kind of demeaning. I didn’t like 'new wave' either, because that was already the phrase used for French cinema of a certain period. ...  <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[the Sex Pistols]]'] '[[Anarchy In The UK]]' came on. And I thought, 'Is that it? Is that what all the fuss is about? It just sounds like a slower version of the [[Ramones]], or [[the Monkees]] with a bit more fuzz.' ... That sort of spurred me on—watching this stuff that I thought was rather average
 
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| source = —Andy Partridge elaborating on the song "This Is Pop"{{sfn|Partridge|Bernhardt|2016}}
 
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In 1977, XTC were signed by [[Virgin Records]]. They recorded the ''3D - EP'' that summer, and followed it up with their debut LP ''[[White Music]]'' in January 1978. These and future XTC releases found Partridge writing and singing about two-thirds of the material, while Colin Moulding would write and sing approximately one-third. (''White Music'' also featured a version of [[Bob Dylan]]'s "[[All Along the Watchtower]]", sung by Partridge.) ''White Music'' received favourable reviews and entered the British [[top 40]], but lead single "Statue of Liberty" was banned by the BBC<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/approved_entry/A3100285 |title=H2G2 |publisher=BBC |date=1970-01-01 |accessdate=2014-02-01}}</ref> because of its supposedly
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== History ==
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"lewd" reference to the famous statue ("in my fantasy I sail beneath your skirt"). The group also picked up a cult following in Australia thanks to the support of community radio (4ZZZ, 3RRR), the Sydney rock radio station 2JJ (now [[Triple-J]]) and the nationally broadcast weekly music TV show ''[[Countdown (Australian TV series)|Countdown]]'', which screened all of the band's early videos (beginning with their first Australian single release - "This Is Pop"); thanks to this interest, the group made two well-received tours there in 1979 and 1980.{{Citation needed|date=August 2011}} Their second album ''[[Go 2]]'', released later in 1978, featured a [[typewriter]]-text cover (designed by [[Hipgnosis]]) and early pressings were accompanied by a bonus disc ''[[Go 2|Go +]]'', a collection of dub mixes of songs from the album.
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The TurboGrafx-16 or PC Engine was a collaborative effort between [[Hudson Soft]], who created video game software, and [[NEC]], a major company which was dominant in the Japanese [[personal computer]] market with their [[PC-88]] and [[PC-98]] platforms. NEC's interest in entering the lucrative video game market coincided with Hudson's failed attempt to sell designs for then-advanced graphics chips to [[Nintendo]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Video Game Trader Magazine |url=http://www.videogametrader.com/2009/03/16/nec-the-hudson-bee-and-turbografx-16-from-japan-to-the-usa-a-turbocharged-competition/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717200000/http://www.videogametrader.com/2009/03/16/nec-the-hudson-bee-and-turbografx-16-from-japan-to-the-usa-a-turbocharged-competition/ |archivedate=July 17, 2011 |title=Video Game Trader #3, March 2008 |publisher=''Videogametrader.com'' |date=March 16, 2009 |accessdate=July 5, 2011}}</ref> NEC lacked the vital experience in the video gaming industry so approached numerous video game studios for support. They eventually found that, by coincidence, Hudson Soft was also interested in creating their own system but needed a partner for additional cash. The two companies successfully joined together to then develop the new system.<ref name="Nintendo Life"></ref>
  
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[[File:XTC live.jpg|thumb|left|Gregory (left) and Partridge (right) performing live]]
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The PC Engine finally made its debut in the Japanese market on October 30, 1987, and it was a tremendous success. By 1988 it outsold the Famicom year-on-year, putting NEC and Hudson Soft ahead of Nintendo in the market, and far ahead of [[Sega]]. The console had an elegant, "eye-catching" design, and it was very small compared to its rivals.<ref name="Gamasutra"></ref> This, coupled with a strong software lineup and strong third-party support from high-profile developers such as [[Namco]] and [[Konami]] gave NEC the lead in the Japanese market.<ref name="Nintendo Life"></ref>
  
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Following the release of ''Go 2'', in January 1979 Barry Andrews left the group (joining [[Robert Fripp]]'s [[The League of Gentlemen (band)|League of Gentlemen]] and subsequently co-founding [[Shriekback]]). XTC initially sought a new keyboard player - [[Thomas Dolby]] was among those considered<ref name="autogenerated1"/> - but [[Dave Gregory (musician)|Dave Gregory]], guitarist and long-time friend of Partridge's, was eventually selected as Andrews' replacement. Gregory's 1960s-influenced guitar style steered the band on a path towards a more traditional rock sound; he would also contribute occasional keyboards (and later, string arrangements).
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In 1988 NEC wanted to sell the system to the American market, and directed its U.S. operations to do so. NEC Technologies boss Keith Schaefer formed a team to test the system out. One criticism they found was the lack of enthusiasm in its name 'PC Engine'. The team also felt its small size was not very suitable to American consumers who would generally prefer a larger and "futuristic" design. As a result they came up with the name 'TurboGrafx-16', a name representing its graphical speed and strength, and its 16-bit [[GPU]]. They also completely redesigned the hardware into a large, black casing. However the redesign process was lengthy, and NEC in Japan was still cautious about the system's viability in the U.S., both of which delayed the system's debut in the American market.<ref name="Gamasutra"></ref>
  
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{{Listen
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The TurboGrafx-16 was eventually released in the [[New York City]] and [[Los Angeles]] [[test market]] in late August 1989. This came just two weeks after [[Sega]]'s [[Sega Genesis|Genesis]] test-market launch on August 14,<ref>Steven L. Kent, ''The Ultimate History of Video Games'', p. 413.</ref> which was distastrous timing for NEC as Sega of America didn't waste time redesigning the original Japanese Mega Drive system.<ref name="Gamasutra"></ref> The Genesis launch was accompanied by an ad campaign mocking NEC's claim that the TurboGrafx-16 was the first 16-bit console. Initially, the TurboGrafx-16 was marketed as a direct competitor to the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] and early television ads touted the TG-16's superior graphics and sound. These ads featured a brief montage of the TG-16's launch titles: ''[[Blazing Lazers]]'', ''[[China Warrior]]'', ''[[Vigilante (video game)|Vigilante]]'', ''[[Alien Crush]]'', etc.
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|pos=right
 
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|filename=Making Plans for Nigel.ogg
 
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|title="Making Plans for Nigel" (1979)
 
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|description= In 2016, "[[Making Plans for Nigel]]" was ranked number 143 on [[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'s list of the 200 best songs of the 1970s.<ref name="P4kSongs2016">{{cite web|author1=Pitchfork Staff|title=The 200 Best Songs of the 1970s|url=http://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/9935-the-200-best-songs-of-the-1970s/?page=3|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|date=August 22, 2016}}</ref>
 
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Coinciding with Gregory's arrival, XTC scored their first charting single in the UK with  "[[Life Begins at the Hop]]", which was also the first XTC single penned by Colin Moulding. Their third album ''[[Drums and Wires]]'' contained the band's first major hit single "Making Plans for Nigel" (another Moulding composition).<ref>[http://chalkhills.org/reelbyreal/s_Making.html ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120621234637/http://chalkhills.org/reelbyreal/s_Making.html |date=21 June 2012 }}</ref> ''Drums and Wires'' also marked their first sessions at London's [[Townhouse Studios]]. The studio was at the time much sought after for its highly reverberant "live" drum room, and it was greatly favoured by their producer [[Steve Lillywhite]] and his engineer [[Hugh Padgham]], who were at that time also creating influential recordings with [[Peter Gabriel]] and [[Genesis (band)|Genesis]]. The Lillywhite-Padgham connection also led to Dave Gregory contributing to Gabriel's [[Peter Gabriel (1980 album)|third solo album]].
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Sega quickly eclipsed the TurboGrafx-16 after its American debut. NEC's decision to [[pack-in]] ''[[Keith Courage in Alpha Zones]]'', a Hudson Soft game unknown to western gamers, proved costly as Sega packed-in a port of the hit arcade title ''[[Altered Beast]]'' with the Genesis. NEC's American operations in [[Chicago]] were also overhyped about its potential and quickly produced 750,000 units, far above actual demand. Hudson Soft earned a lot from this as NEC paid Hudson Soft royalties for every hardware produced, whether sold or not. By 1990 it was clear that the system was performing very poorly and was severely edged out by Nintendo and Sega's marketing.<ref name="Gamasutra"></ref>
  
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During this period, Partridge released an LP of [[dub music|dub]] in 1980 under the name 'Mr Partridge'. The album, ''[[Take Away / The Lure of Salvage]]'', featured dub reconstructions of music from the preceding XTC albums. Later the same year Moulding and Chambers released the "Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen" single under the name "The Colonel". In March 1980 XTC released a non-album single, the reggae-styled "Wait 'Til Your Boat Goes Down", but it failed to chart. Hoping to crack the American market, they undertook a gruelling US-Canada tour which included numerous support spots with [[The Police]]. The band opened three shows for [[The Cars]] at [[Madison Square Garden]] and the [[Nassau Coliseum]] between their own headline gigs at smaller area venues.
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After seeing the TurboGrafx-16 suffer in America, NEC decided to cancel their European releases. Units for the European markets were already produced, which were essentially US models modified to run on [[PAL]] television sets, and branded as simply '''TurboGrafx'''. NEC sold this stock to distributors - in the United Kingdom [[Telegames]] released the TurboGrafx in 1990 in extremely limited quantities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hudsonent.com/viewtopic.php?t=44&sid=f236051d12b1668bbdf7f5cf64646054 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929154917/http://hudsonent.com/viewtopic.php?t=44&sid=f236051d12b1668bbdf7f5cf64646054 |archivedate=September 29, 2011 |title=Hudson Entertainment – Video Games, Mobile Games, Ringtones, and More! |publisher=Web.archive.org |date=June 19, 2008 |accessdate=July 5, 2011}}</ref> This model was also released in Spain and Portugal through selected retailers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://museo8bits.com/pcegine.htm |title=Nec PC Engine / Turbografx |date=September 1, 2000 |accessdate=January 26, 2016}}</ref> No PAL [[HuCard]]s were made, and instead the European system can play all American games without modifications, albeit with the necessary slowdown to 50Hz.
  
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Their fourth LP ''[[Black Sea (XTC album)|Black Sea]]'' (Sept. 1980) featured the singles "[[Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)]]" and "Generals and Majors", both of which made the UK Top 40, with the album reaching No.&nbsp;1 in Australia.<ref name="autogenerated1"/> In the film clip of "Generals and Majors" (directed by [[Russell Mulcahy]]), Virgin Records founder and chair [[Richard Branson]] has a cameo role as one of the 'majors'.
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PC Engine consoles (as well as some of its add-ons) were imported from Japan by French unlicensed importer Sodipeng (''Société de Distribution de la PC Engine'', a subsidiary of [[Ubisoft|Guillemot International]]), from November 1989 to 1993.<ref>[http://gameblog.fr/blogs/adrameleck/p_19043_pubs-sodipeng-pc-engine-1990-91 Pubs Sodipeng Pc-engine (1990–91) – Le Adra's Blog ! – GAMEBLOG.fr<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> This came after considerable enthusiasm in the French press. This PC Engine was largely available in France and [[Benelux]] through major retailers. It came with [[French language]] instructions and also an AV cable to enable its input to a [[SECAM]] television set. Its launch price was 1,790 [[French franc]]s (about 416 [[€]] as of 2013).<ref>http://www.retroblog.fr/tag/sodipeng/</ref>
  
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The last major hit of XTC's touring phase was "[[Senses Working Overtime]]". This was the first single from their double album ''[[English Settlement]]'' (February 1982) and their only top 10 hit in the UK.
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[[File:NEC-TurboGrafx-16-CD-FL.jpg|thumb|right|The TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine was the first video game console capable of playing CD-ROM games with an optional add-on.]]
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NEC claimed that it had sold 750,000 TG-16 consoles in the United States, and 500,000 CD-ROM units worldwide, by March 1991.<ref name="cgw199106">{{cite news | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1991&pub=2&id=83 | title=Celebrating Software | work=Computer Gaming World | date=June 1991 | accessdate=November 17, 2013 | pages=64}}</ref> That year NEC released the [[PC Engine Duo]] in Japan, a model which could play HuCards and CD-ROM² discs, making it the first game console with an integrated CD-ROM drive. The console was licensed to Turbo Technologies Incorporated, who released it in North America in 1992 as the [[TurboDuo]]. In addition to standard CD-ROM² format discs, the Duo could also play games in the newly introduced '''Super CD-ROM²''' format due to its greater RAM size (the TurboGrafx-16 and its CD player could support this new format only through the use of a separately available upgrade, the Super System Card, which TTI sold via mail order). The unit came into competition with the [[Sega CD]], which was released almost immediately after. Turbo Technologies ran [[comic book]] ads featuring [[Johnny Turbo]]. The ads mocked Sega, and emphasized that though the TurboDuo and Sega CD had the same retail price, the TurboDuo was a standalone platform and included five pack-in games, whereas Sega CD buyers needed to purchase separately sold games and a Genesis console before they could use the system.
  
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==== Withdrawal from touring ====
+
However, the North American console gaming market continued to be dominated by the Super NES and Genesis rather than the new CD-based consoles. In May 1994 Turbo Technologies announced that it was dropping support for the Duo, though it would continue to offer repairs for existing units and provide ongoing software releases through independent companies in the U.S. and Canada.<ref>{{cite news|last= |first= |title=At the Deadline|work=[[GamePro]]|issue=60|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|date=July 1994|page=172}}</ref>
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[[File:XTC UK.jpg|thumb|right|Moulding, Partridge, and Gregory photographed with fans in 1980]]
 
  
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In early 1982, while at the peak of their popularity, XTC embarked on a major tour. This was abruptly cut short when Partridge suffered a [[mental breakdown]] on stage during one of the first concerts of the tour in Paris on 18 March 1982.
+
The TurboGrafx-series was the first video game console ever to have a contemporaneous fully self-contained portable counterpart, the PC Engine GT, known as [[TurboExpress]] in North America. It contained identical hardware and played identical game software (utilizing [[HuCard]] format game software).
  
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On 4 April 1982, XTC were scheduled to play at a sold-out show the [[Hollywood Palladium]] in Los Angeles, with opening act [[Jools Holland]],<ref name="Holland">{{cite book| first= Jools| last= Holland| year= 2007| title= Barefaces Lies and Boogie-woogie Boasts| edition= 1st| publisher=[[Penguin Books]] | location= [[London]], England| isbn=9780718149154| page= 165}}</ref> but the packed club was told that the show would not take place due to the "illness" of one of the band members (later revealed, in Chris Twomey's book ''XTC: Chalkhills and Children'' as Partridge's ongoing [[stage fright]], manifested as leg paralysis).{{full citation needed|date=March 2016}} The previous day, the band had performed one unsuspecting last concert at the California Theatre in [[San Diego, California|San Diego]], but then never played another tour date.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chalkhills.org/articles/MOJO199903.html |title=The Strike and Rebirth Years 1993-1999 |publisher=Mojo Magazine |accessdate=2015-04-25}}</ref>{{self-published source?|date=March 2016}}
+
The final commercialized release for the PC Engine was ''Dead of the Brain Part 1 & 2'' on June 3, 1999, on the Super CD-ROM² format.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.consolecity.com/games/action-game_info/game_id-26722.html |title=Dead of the Brain 1 & 2 |publisher=''Consolecity.com'' |date=June 3, 1996 |accessdate=July 5, 2011}}</ref> The last game on HuCard format was ''21 Emon: Mezase! Hotel Ō'' on December 16, 1994.
  
−
Partridge's breakdown, which manifested itself as uncontrollable stage fright, was reportedly precipitated by his wife throwing away his supply of [[valium]]. According to the band's biography, valium was prescribed to him as a teenager, but he was never taken off the drug and became dependent on it. Concerned about her husband's dependence, Partridge's wife threw his tablets away — without seeking medical advice — just before the Paris concert. Partridge particularly needed valium to cope with the grinding monotony of concert touring, which he had always disliked but endured for the good of the band.<ref>Twomey, Chris, ''XTC: Chalkhills and Children''.  Omnibus Press, 1992. P. 2.</ref> In addition to "memory loss and limb seizures", the sudden withdrawal of medication brought on anxiety attacks of such severity that he was soon forced to withdraw from performing permanently.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/xtcfans/status/446225652065517568 |title=Twitter / xtcfans: THE CORRECTOR-Much is made |publisher=Twitter.com |date= |accessdate=2014-03-19}}</ref>{{better source|date=March 2016}} The European and British dates were cancelled and after completing that show in San Diego, the whole US leg was also abandoned. After this XTC became exclusively a studio band (apart from occasional live-to-air performances from radio stations, and a handful of TV appearances).
+
==Variations==
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="float:left; margin-right:1em;"
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|-
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| [[File:NEC-TurboExpress-Upright-FL.jpg|none|120px|PC Engine CoreGrafx with CD-ROM² and interface unit]]
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| [[File:PC Engine Duo-RX.jpg|none|120px|PC Engine Duo RX]]
 +
|-
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| style="width:120px;"| <center><small>The TurboExpress</small></center>
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| style="width:120px;"| <center><small>PC Engine Duo RX</small></center>
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|-
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| [[File:PC Engine LT.jpg|none|120px|PC Engine LT]]
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| [[File:Super CD-ROM2 with CoreGrafx II (3-4 right view).jpg|none|120px|CoreGrafx II with Super CD-ROM²]]
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|-
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| style="width:120px;"| <center><small>PC Engine LT</small></center>
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| style="width:120px;"| <center><small>PC Engine CoreGrafx II with Super CD-ROM²</small></center>
 +
|}
 +
Many variations and related products of the PC Engine were released.
  
−
===1982–2005: Studio years===
+
===Core consoles===
−
====''Mummer''–''25 O'Clock''====
+
The '''PC Engine CoreGrafx''' is an updated model of the PC Engine, released in Japan on December 8, 1989.<ref name="PC-Engine UK"/> It has the same form factor as the original PC Engine, but has a black color scheme, and replaces the original's [[RF]] connectors with an A/V port. A recolored version of the model, known as the '''PC Engine CoreGrafx II''', was released on June 21, 1991.<ref name="PC-Engine UK"/> Aside from the different coloring, it is functionally identical to the original CoreGrafx.
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[[File:Andy Partridge comic book).jpg|thumb|Partridge in the studio, circa 1980s]]
 
  
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Adapting to their new studio-based existence, XTC recorded the album ''[[Mummer (album)|Mummer]]''. Released in 1983, it took the group's music away from the more performance-friendly new wave rock of their earlier years in favour of a consciously pastoral direction (and songtitles such as "Love on a Farmboy's Wages").
+
The '''[[PC Engine SuperGrafx]]''', released on the same day as the CoreGrafx in Japan,<ref name="PC-Engine UK"/> is an enhanced variation of the PC Engine hardware with updated specs. This model has a second HuC6270A (VDC), a HuC6202 (VDP) that combines the output of the two VDCs, four times as much RAM, twice as much video RAM, and a second layer/plane of scrolling. The CPU, sound, and color palette were not upgraded, making the expensive price tag a big disadvantage to the system. As a result, only five exclusive SuperGrafx games and two hybrid games (''[[Darius (arcade game)|Darius Plus]]'' and ''[[Darius Alpha]]'' were released as standard HuCards which took advantage of the extra video hardware if played on a SuperGrafx) were released, and the system was quickly discontinued. Despite the fact that the SuperGrafx was intended to supersede the original PC Engine, its extra hardware features were not carried over to the later Duo consoles. The SuperGrafx has a BUS expansion port, but requires an adapter in order to utilize the CD-ROM² System add-on.
  
−
Terry Chambers left the band during the ''Mummer'' sessions (his last recording was on the track "Toys"). Chambers had always preferred touring over working in the confines of a studio, and was uncomfortable with the band's desire to experiment with new rhythmic possibilities such as [[drum machine]]s and found percussion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chalkhills.org/articles/Limelight_Chambers.html |title="The Departure of Terry Chambers", Limelight, Spring 1983 |publisher=Chalkhills |date= |accessdate=2014-02-01}}</ref> The main reason for his departure was a desire to be with his Australian girlfriend; they subsequently married and Chambers migrated to Australia,<ref name="Holland"/> and settled in [[Newcastle, New South Wales]]. There, Chambers joined the band [[Dragon (band)|Dragon]] from 1983 to 1985, drumming on their 1984 album ''[[Body and the Beat]]'' and associated hit single "Rain" (#2 AUS, #88 US).  He has since withdrawn from the [[music industry]].<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.moderndrummer.com/site/2005/08/terry-chambers/#.Ur7zk2RDuYc |title=Terry Chambers |publisher=Moderndrummer.com |date= |accessdate=2014-02-01}}</ref> Rather than finding a replacement, XTC used a series of session drummers over the years, including [[Peter Phipps (drummer)|Peter Phipps]], [[Prairie Prince]] of [[The Tubes]], [[Dave Mattacks]] of [[Fairport Convention]], [[Pat Mastelotto]] (of [[Mr. Mister]], and later of [[King Crimson]]), Chuck Sabo, and in their "Dukes of Stratosphear" incarnation, Dave Gregory's brother Ian (credited as "E.I.E.I. Owen").
+
The '''PC Engine LT''' is a model of the console in a [[laptop]] form, released on December 13, 1991 in Japan,<ref name="PC-Engine UK"/> retailing at ¥99,800. The LT does not require a television display as it has a built-in flip-up screen and speakers, just as a laptop would have, but unlike the GT the LT runs on a power supply. Its expensive price meant that few units were produced compared to other models. It requires an adapter to use the Super CD-ROM² unit.
  
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XTC's next album, 1984's ''[[The Big Express]]'' marked a return to the harsher and more abrasive sounds of their early albums, but the combination of the group's 'no touring' status and the growing disenchantment of their label made it their poorest selling LP to date. The album was nonetheless a personal high point for Partridge, who ranks songs such as "The Everyday Story of Smalltown" and "Train Running Low on Soul Coal" amongst his best work.
+
===HuCard-only consoles===
 +
The '''PC Engine Shuttle''' was released in Japan on November 22, 1989<ref name="PC-Engine UK"/> as a less expensive model of the console, retailing at ¥18,800. It was targeted primarily towards younger players with its spaceship-like design and came bundled with a TurboPad II controller, which is shaped differently from the other standard TurboPad controllers. The reduced price was possible by the removal of the expansion port of the back, making it the first model of the console that was not compatible with the CD-ROM² add-on. However, it does have a slot for a memory backup unit, which is required for certain games.
  
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Later in 1984, the members of XTC created their alter-ego, "[[The Dukes of Stratosphear]]" (a suggested band name that the group had considered when they first formed). With this project, they reunited with original producer [[John Leckie]] to record a series of affectionate [[parody|parodies]] that indulged their love of classic 1960s [[psychedelia|psychedelic]] music. The first Dukes release was the EP ''[[25 O'Clock]]'', issued on April Fools' Day 1985.
+
The '''PC Engine GT''' is a portable version of the PC Engine, released in Japan on December 1, 1990 and then in the United States as the '''[[TurboExpress]]'''.<ref name="PC-Engine UK"/> It can only play HuCard games. It has a {{convert|2.6|in|mm|adj=on}} backlit, active-matrix color LCD screen, the most advanced on the market for a portable video game unit at the time. The screen contributed to its high price and short battery life, however, which dented its performance in the market. It shares the capabilities of the TurboGrafx-16, giving it 512 available colors (9-bit [[RGB]]), stereo sound, and the same custom CPU at 7.15909 [[megahertz|MHz]]. It also has a TV tuner adapter as well as a two-player link cable.
  
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In 1984 the band were the subject of the documentary ''Play at Home'' for [[Channel 4]]. Filmed in July 1983 and broadcast on 16 October 1984, the programme documented the band in their native town of Swindon and included a live acoustic version of "Train Running Low on Soul Coal", as well as six promotional video clips:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chalkhills.org/reelbyreal/i_video.html#PlayAtHome |title=XTC Reel by Real: XTC Video |publisher=Chalkhills |date=2014-06-03 |accessdate=2015-08-10}}</ref>
+
===CD-ROM add-ons===
 +
[[File:PC Engine CD-ROM2 Interface Unit.jpg|thumb|PC Engine CoreGrafx with CD-ROM² and interface unit]]
 +
The {{nihongo|'''CD-ROM² System'''|[[:ja:CD-ROM2|シーディーロムロムシステム]]|Shī Dī Romu Romu Shisutemu|pronounced "CD-ROM-ROM"}} is an add-on attachment for the PC Engine that was released in Japan on December 4, 1988.<ref name="PC-Engine UK"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Turbo CD|url=http://www.gamefaqs.com/turbocd/916397-turbo-cd/data|publisher=''[[GameFAQs]]''|accessdate=May 14, 2012}}</ref> The add-on allows the core versions of the console to play PC Engine games in CD-ROM format in addition to standard HuCards. This made the PC Engine the first video game console to have a CD-ROM peripheral, and first device ever to use CD-ROM as a storage medium for video games. The add-on consisted of two devices - the CD player itself and the interface unit, which connects the CD player to the console and provides as a common power supply and output for both.<ref>http://magweasel.com/2009/07/21/i-love-the-pc-engine-fighting-street/</ref><ref>http://www.giantbomb.com/no-ri-ko/3030-39939/</ref><ref>[http://www.ign.com/top-25-consoles/13.html Top 25 Videogame Consoles of All Time], IGN. Retrieved 2010-06-14.</ref><ref>{{citation|title=The video game explosion: a history from PONG to Playstation and beyond|author=Mark J. P. Wolf|publisher=''[[ABC-CLIO]]''|year=2008|isbn=0-313-33868-X|page=119|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XiM0ntMybNwC&pg=PA119|accessdate=April 10, 2011}}</ref> It was later released as the '''TurboGrafx-CD''' in the United States on August 1, 1990. The TurboGrafx-CD had a launch price of $399.99, and did not include any bundled games.<ref name="ToysRUs">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Toys R Us weekly ad |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=373&dat=19901205&id=ek1OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Oz8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2470,1037511 |newspaper=The Catoosa County News |date=December 5, 1990 |accessdate=2014-06-17 }}</ref> ''[[Fighting Street]]'' and ''[[Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair|Monster Lair]]'' were the TurboGrafx-CD launch titles; ''[[Ys Book I & II]]'' soon followed.
  
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====''Skylarking''–''Nonsuch''====
+
The {{nihongo|Super System Card|スーパーシステムカード|Sūpā Shisutemu Kādo}}, an upgrade for the CD-ROM² System, was released on October 26, 1991. It updates the BIOS to Version 3.0 and increases the buffer RAM from 64kB to 2MB required to play Super CD-ROM² discs. An American version of the Super System Card for the TurboGrafx-16/CD combo was also sold exclusively as a mail-order. PC Engine owners who did not already own the original CD-ROM² add-on could instead opt for the {{nihongo|'''Super CD-ROM²'''|[[:ja:SUPER CD-ROM2|スーパーシーディーロムロム]]|Sūpā Shī Dī Romu Romu}}, an updated version of the add-on released on December 13,<ref name="PC-Engine UK"/> which combines the CD-ROM drive, interface unit and Super System Card into one device.  
−
[[File:Todd-utopia-atlanta-77 (Todd cropped).jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.8|''Skylarking'' producer Todd Rundgren, pictured in 1977]]
 
  
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In 1986, the band travelled to [[Todd Rundgren]]'s rural studio in [[Woodstock, New York]] to record ''[[Skylarking]]''. Although the pairing of XTC and Rundgren was highly anticipated by fans, the sessions were less than enjoyable for the band. Rundgren had been hired to trim the band's studio excesses and return them to commercial success. Prior to the recording sessions, Rundgren listened through demos of the songs, chose 15 for the record and worked out a sequence for the album. Being accustomed to creative independence in the studio, Partridge resisted Rundgren's decision-making role as producer. Rundgren and Partridge clashed frequently during the recording of ''Skylarking'' and when it was finished Partridge said that he was not at all happy with the resulting product. Partridge has since softened his view, describing the album as "a summer's day baked into one cake."
+
===Duo consoles===
 +
{{see|TurboDuo}}
 +
[[File:NEC-TurboDuo-Console-wController-L.jpg|thumb|NEC/Turbo Technologies later released the TurboDuo, which combined the TurboGrafx-CD and TurboGrafx-16 into one unit.]]
 +
NEC Home Electronics released the '''PC Engine Duo''' in Japan on September 21, {{vgy|1991}},<ref name="PC-Engine UK"/> which combined the PC Engine and Super CD-ROM² unit into a single console. The system can play HuCards, audio CDs, CD+Gs, standard CD-ROM² games and Super CD-ROM² games. The North American version, the '''TurboDuo''', was launched in October {{vgy|1992}}. The American version of Duo was originally bundled with one control pad, an AC adapter, RCA cables, ''[[Ys Book I & II]]'' (a CD-ROM² title), and a Super CD-ROM² including ''[[Bonk's Adventure]]'', ''[[Bonk's Revenge]]'', ''[[Gate of Thunder]]'' and a secret version of ''[[Bomberman]]'' accessible via a cheat code. The system was also packaged with one random HuCard game which varied from system to system (''Dungeon Explorer'' was the original HuCard pack-in for TurboDuo, although many titles were eventually used, such as Irem's ''Ninja Spirit'' and Namco's ''Final Lap Twin'', and then eventually a random pick).  
  
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''Skylarking'' spawned the controversial track "[[Dear God (XTC song)|Dear God]]", which was originally issued as the B-side of the album's first single, "Grass". Interest in the song saw the US album re-pressed with "Dear God" included and the new version of the LP sold 250,000 copies in the US, reviving the band's commercial fortunes and earning critical accolades. "Dear God" replaced "Mermaid Smiled" on the American version of the album and the latter track was finally reinstated for the remastered reissue of ''Skylarking'' CD in 2000.
+
Two updated variants were released in Japan: the '''PC Engine Duo-R''' (on March 25, 1993)<ref name="PC-Engine UK"/> and the '''PC Engine Duo-RX''' (on June 25, 1994).<ref name="PC-Engine UK"/>
  
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Temporarily returning to work as Dukes of Stratosphear, XTC released the LP ''[[Psonic Psunspot]]'' in 1987. Although it was a full-length album, it was not intended to be the follow-up to ''Skylarking''. The tracks from this album and the ''25 O'Clock'' EP were combined for the CD ''[[Chips from the Chocolate Fireball]]'', which also came out in 1987.
+
===Arcade Card===
 +
Certain games in Japan were released in a third disc format, the {{nihongo|'''Arcade CD-ROM²'''|アーケードシーディーロムロム|Ākēdo Shī Dī Romu Romu}} (released in Japan on March 12, 1994),<ref name="PC-Engine UK"/> requiring the use of an {{nihongo|Arcade Card|[[:ja:アーケードカード|アーケードカード]]|Ākēdo Kādo}}. The Arcade Card was available in two variants: the '''Arcade Card Pro''' designed solely for the original CD-ROM² System, and the '''Arcade Card Duo''' that works with the Super CD-ROM² System and all [[PC Engine Duo]] models (both adding a total of 2MB of RAM). These are not compatible with the TurboGrafx-CD, nor with the TurboDuo, without an adapter.
  
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{{Listen
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===HE-System machines===
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|pos=right
+
The '''PC-KD863G''' is a [[CRT monitor]]　with built-in PC Engine console, released on September 27, 1988 in Japan for ¥138,000. Following NEC's PCs' naming scheme, the PC-KD863G was designed to eliminate the need to buy a separate television set and a console. It output its signals in [[RGB]], so it was clearer at the time than the console which was still limited to [[RF]] and [[Composite video|composite]]. However, it has no BUS expansion port, which made it incompatible with the CD-ROM² System and memory backup add-ons
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|filename=Mayor of Simpleton - XTC.ogg
 
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|title="Mayor of Simpleton" (1989)
 
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|description= "[[Mayor of Simpleton]]", lead single from ''[[Oranges & Lemons (album)|Oranges & Lemons]]''. It became their highest charting single in the US.
 
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}}
 
  
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The band released their official follow-up to ''Skylarking'' in 1989. This album, ''[[Oranges & Lemons (album)|Oranges & Lemons]]'', produced by [[Paul Fox (producer)|Paul Fox]], was their biggest seller yet, with the videos for "The Mayor of Simpleton" and "King for a Day" getting heavy airplay on MTV and other international music TV programmes. Sonically lush and tightly produced, the album continued along the psychedelic influence of ''Skylarking'' while drawing from the energetic pop sound of their earlier work. Like its predecessor, it was also well-received critically.
+
The '''X1-Twin''' was the first licensed PC Engine-compatible hardware manufactured by a third-party company, released by [[Sharp Corporation|Sharp]] on April 1989 for ¥99,800.<ref name=super_pcefan_vol1>{{cite magazine|title=スーパーPCエンジンファン|trans-title=Super PC Engine Fan|language=Japanese|volume=1|publisher=Tokuma Shoten Intermedia|date=January 15, 1994}}</ref> It's an [[Sharp X1|X1]] computer and PC Engine console combined into one, although the two hardware run mutually separately.
  
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XTC's 1992 album ''[[Nonsuch (album)|Nonsuch]]'' (named after [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII's]] [[Nonsuch Palace|fabled palace]]), united them with UK producer [[Gus Dudgeon]], known for his 1970s work with [[Elton John]], and with drummer [[Dave Mattacks]] ([[Fairport Convention]]). The album featured the US and UK hit tunes "Dear Madam Barnum" and "[[The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead]]", the latter bringing the band perhaps its greatest success after the early 1980s. (The video for the song drew intriguing parallels between the deaths of [[Jesus Christ]] and [[John F. Kennedy]].) Despite the LP's success, soon after its release a contractual dispute with their label, [[Virgin Records]], saw XTC go "on strike" from 1992 through 1998, which finally resulted in the termination of their contract. They released no new material during this time (aside from the track "The Good Things" on the tribute CD "A Testimonial Dinner", credited to Terry and the Lovemen), although Virgin did issue two compilations - the US-only greatest hits collection ''[[Upsy Daisy Assortment]]'', and the 2-CD set 'Best Of' collection ''[[Fossil Fuel: The XTC Singles 1977-1992]]'', which featured remastered versions of their singles, including many tracks not previously issued on CD.
+
[[Pioneer Corporation]]'s [[LaserActive]] supports an add-on module which allows the use of PC Engine games (HuCard, CD-ROM² and Super CD-ROM²) as well as new "LD-ROM²" titles that work only on this device. NEC also released their own LaserActive unit and PC Engine add-on module, under an [[OEM]] license.<ref>{{cite news|last= |first= |title=International News|work=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=54|publisher=EGM Media, LLC|date=January 1994|page=94}}</ref> A total of eleven LD-ROM<sup>2</sup> titles were produced, with only three of them released in North America.
  
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Management and contractual problems had dogged the band throughout their career, and around the time of the recording of ''Nonsuch'' they had to make a legal settlement with their former manager. Although most fans assume (and the lyrics of "I Bought Myself a Liarbird" from ''The Big Express'' imply) that there was some financial impropriety involved, the terms of the settlement imposed a "gag" on the band and have prevented them from speaking publicly about the matter.
+
===Other foreign markets===
 +
Outside North America and Japan, the TurboGrafx-16 was released in [[South Korea]] by a third party under the name '''Vistar 16'''. It was based on the American version but with a new curved design.<ref>[http://nfggames.com/games/vistar/ Vistar 16]</ref> The PC Engine was never officially released in continental Europe, but some companies imported them and made SCART conversions on a moderate scale. In France, [[Sodipeng]] imported Japanese systems and added an RGB Cable called "AudioVideo Plus Cable".{{citation needed|date=September 2014}} This mod improved the original video signal quality extensively and made the consoles work with SECAM televisions. In Germany, several importers sold converted PC Engines with PAL RF as well as RGB output.{{citation needed|date=September 2014}} The connectors and pinouts used for the latter were frequently compatible with the [[Amiga]] video port, with two unconnected pins used for the audio channels.{{citation needed|date=September 2014}}
  
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By now, XTC's relationship with their label had almost totally broken down; the final straw was Virgin's scuttling of their 1992 single "Wrapped in Grey". Vinyl 7" singles, CD singles and a few cassette singles were pressed but the vast majority were recalled and destroyed by the label, who unilaterally decided it had no prospect of charting: the few copies that made it into circulation are now highly prized collector's items. The band asked that Virgin either allow them to re-negotiate their contract or release them from it, but the label stalled for years until finally agreeing to release them after a change of management at the company.
+
===Peripheral compatibility===
 +
[[File:NEC-TurboGrafx-16-TurboTap.jpg|thumb|right|The TurboGrafx-16 had only one controller port, so any simultaneous multiplayer games required the TurboTap accessory.]]
 +
All PC Engine systems support the same controller peripherals, including pads, joysticks and multitaps. Except for the Vistar, Shuttle, GT, and systems with built-in CD-ROM drives, all PC Engine units shared the same expansion connector, which allowed for the use of devices such as the CD-ROM unit, battery backup and AV output.
  
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====''Apple Venus'' duology====
+
The TurboGrafx and Vistar units use a different controller port than the PC Engines, but adaptors are available and the protocol is the same. The TurboGrafx offers the same expansion connector pinout as the PC Engine, but has a slightly different shape so peripherals must be modified to fit.
−
{{unreferenced section|date=July 2016}}
 
  
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After leaving Virgin, Partridge had the band's accounts audited and it was discovered that the company had withheld substantial royalty payments from them. The settlement of the accounts provided the group with much-needed cash flow, allowing Partridge and Moulding to install fully equipped studios and work comfortably at home.
+
The Arcade Card Pro is designed for the original CD-ROM² System add-on, adding the 2304 kB of RAM required by Arcade CD-ROM² games. The Arcade Card Duo is for the Super CD-ROM² System and the PC-Engine Duo/R/RX consoles and adds 2048 kB RAM, since those systems already have 256K of RAM built-in.
  
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Though able to record the majority of their work themselves, they also used major commercial studios (including [[Abbey Road Studios]] in London) for some sessions. Finally released from Virgin, they formed their own label, [[Idea Records]], and embarked on the recording of the ambitious "Apple Venus" project, a collection of the best material written during the band's dispute with Virgin. The band's initial plan had been to record a double album, featuring one disc of acoustic and orchestral songs and one of electric songs. Financial constraints forced the band to abandon the double album plan and finish and release the first volume (released 1999) before completing the second (2000).
+
The various CD-ROM game types are:
 +
*CD-ROM² : Standard CD-ROM game. Runs on all CD-ROM² Systems without any additional requirements
 +
*Super CD-ROM² : Requires a Super System Card to work on the original CD-ROM² System. No card is required for Super CD-ROM² and Duo consoles.
 +
*Arcade CD-ROM² : Requires an Arcade Card Pro on the original CD-ROM² System, or an Arcade Card Duo on the Super CD-ROM² and Duo consoles.
  
−
During the recording sessions for ''[[Apple Venus Volume 1]]'', Dave Gregory left the band after 20 years' service. Ostensibly, this was due to "musical differences"—Gregory was unhappy with the plan to record an album whose arrangements relied largely upon orchestral instruments and keyboards rather than guitars.
+
===Video formats===
 +
All PC Engine hardware outputs video in NTSC format, including the European TurboGrafx; it generates a PAL-compatible video signal by using a chroma encoder chip not found in any other system in the series.
  
−
In the end, Gregory was credited as a session musician rather than as a band member on the finished album, as he left before it was completed. Partridge later claimed in a press interview that he and Colin were going to sack Gregory anyway because of his sullen attitude during the recordings, and that they had waited for him for six years to write the orchestral arrangements, and had finally told him that they would not let him stop the project.
+
==Technical specifications==
 +
[[File:NEC-TurboGrafx-16-Motherboard-Top.jpg|thumb|The TurboGrafx-16 ran off an 8-bit CPU, but had a 16-bit graphics processor.<ref>{{cite magazine|last= |first= |title=The Next Generation 1996 Lexicon A to Z: Bit|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|issue=15 |publisher=[[Imagine Media]]|date=March 1996|page=30}}</ref>]]
  
−
The band's next record, ''[[Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2)]]'' was the guitar-heavy collection Gregory would have preferred. Partridge and Moulding then released instrumental and demo versions of the two Apple Venus albums. In October 2005, the two original albums and the demo versions of the albums were reissued together in the four-CD ''Apple Box'' collection.
+
The PC Engine is a relatively compact video game console, owing to an efficient three-chip architecture and its use of small [[ROM cartridge]]s called [[HuCard]]s (Turbo Chips in North America). Hudson Soft developed the HuCard (Hudson Card) from the [[Bee Card]] technology it piloted on the [[MSX]]. HuCards are about the size of a credit card, but slightly thicker. They are very similar to the [[Sega Card|My Card]] format utilized for certain games released on the [[SG-1000]]/[[SC-3000]] and the [[Sega Master System|Mark III/Master System]]. The largest Japanese HuCard games were up to {{nowrap|20 Mbit}} in size. All PC Engine consoles can play standard HuCards, including the [[PC Engine SuperGrafx]] (which has its small library of exclusive HuCards).
  
−
Having left Virgin, relations between XTC and their former label improved and Partridge released a series of albums of demos of his songs (mainly from the Virgin years) under the title of ''[[Fuzzy Warbles]]'' beginning in 2002, on a new label imprint APE. Colin Moulding declined to contribute his demos to the series. The [[Fuzzy Warbles]] series eventually included eight volumes, which were collected in a boxed set (designed to look like a stamp collector's album) that also included a bonus CD of demos called ''Hinges.''
+
With the exception of the budget-priced PC Engine Shuttle, the portable PC Engine GT and the PC-KD863G monitor, every PC Engine console is also capable of playing CD-ROM² discs, provided the console is equipped with the required CD-ROM drive and System Card. The SuperGrafx and PC Engine LT both required additional adapters to work on the original CD-ROM² System and Super CD-ROM² respectively, whereas the Duo consoles had the CD-ROM drive and Super System Card integrated into them (as did the Super CD-ROM² player). Some unlicensed CD games by Games Express can only run on Duo consoles, due to their games requiring both a special System Card packaged with the games and the 256 kB of RAM built into the Duo.
  
−
A four-CD compilation—''[[Coat of Many Cupboards]]''—spanning the band's time with Virgin was also released in 2002. Timed to coincide with the release of remastered CDs of their back catalogue, the set included remastered album and single tracks along with voluminous demos, live tracks, unreleased songs, and alternate versions, culminating in the Partridge and Moulding recording of "Didn't Hurt A Bit", built from the studio reference recording of Moulding's composition (with drums and percussion intact, played by Dave Mattacks), taped during the Nonsuch sessions.
+
The console's [[Central processing unit|CPU]] is a [[Hudson Soft HuC6280]] 8-bit microprocessor operating at 1.79&nbsp;MHz and 7.16&nbsp;MHz. It features integrated bank-switching hardware (driving a 21-bit external address bus from a 6502-compatible 16-bit address bus), an integrated general-purpose I/O port, a timer, block transfer instructions, and dedicated move instructions for communicating with the [[Hudson Soft HuC6270|HuC6270A]] VDC. Its 16-bit [[Graphics processing unit|graphics processor]] and video color encoder chip were also developed by Hudson Soft.<ref>{{cite web|title=United States patent 5059955|url=http://www.google.com/patents/US5059955}}</ref> It holds 8 [[Kilobyte|kB]] of work RAM and 64 kB of video RAM.
  
−
Gregory reunited with Partridge and Moulding when the three got back together for a charity reunion of their Dukes of Stratosphear alter-egos in 2003.  Though Gregory would not rejoin XTC, he was once again an official member of the Dukes, who recorded and issued the track "Open a Can (Of Human Beans)" that year for a charity project.  In late 2006 Partridge revealed that he and Gregory had rekindled their friendship.
+
===Display===
  
−
===2005–present: Post-breakup===
+
====Resolution====
 +
*X (Horizontal) Resolution: variable, maximum of 565 (programmable to 282, 377 or 565 pixels, or as 5.3693175&nbsp;MHz, 7.15909&nbsp;MHz, and 10.738635&nbsp;MHz pixel dot clock)<ref name="forums.magicengine.com">{{cite web|url=http://forums.magicengine.com/en/viewtopic.php?t=1798 |title=Forums.MagicEngine.com |publisher=Forums.MagicEngine.com |date= |accessdate=2011-07-05}}</ref> Taking into consideration overscan limitations of CRT televisions at the time, the horizontal resolutions were realistically limited to something a bit less than what the system was actually capable of.  Consequently, most game developers limited their games to either 256, 352, or 512 pixels in display width for each of the three modes.<ref name="pcenginefx.com forum">{{cite web|url=http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=6601.msg110493#msg110493 |title=forum |publisher=''Pcenginefx.com'' |date= |accessdate=July 5, 2011}}</ref>
 +
*Y (Vertical) Resolution: variable, maximum of 242 (programmable in increments of 1 scanline). It is possible to achieve an interlaced "mode" with a maximum vertical resolution of 484 scanlines by alternating between the two different vertical resolution modes used by the system.  However, it is unknown, at this time, if this interlaced resolution is compliant with (and hence displayed correctly on) NTSC televisions.
 +
*The majority of TurboGrafx-16 games use 256×239,<ref name="forums.magicengine.com"/> though some games, such as ''Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective'' did use 512×224.
  
−
The 2005 inclusion in ''Apple Box'' of the first new XTC tracks in five years ("Spiral", written by Partridge and "Say It", by Moulding), offered hope that the band might continue. These songs were available to purchasers of the box set in digital format only, with the use of a special download code.  A follow-up internet-only single, Moulding's "Where Did the Ordinary People Go?", was issued in December.
+
====Color====
 +
*Colors available: 512 (9-bit)
 +
*Colors onscreen: Maximum of 482 (241 background, 241 sprite)
 +
*Palettes: Maximum of 32 (16 for background tiles, 16 for sprites)
 +
*Colors per palette: 16 per background palette (color entry #0 of each background palette must be the same), and 15 per sprite palette (plus transparent, which is displayed as an actual color in the overscan area of the screen)
  
−
In November 2006, Partridge told several interviewers that Moulding no longer had any interest in writing, performing or even listening to music. Partridge has said he would not continue XTC without Moulding, and that therefore he has been forced to regard XTC "in the past tense," with no likelihood of a new project unless Moulding should have a change of heart.<ref>[http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/41069/Andy_Partridge_XTC_Well_and_Truly_in_the_Fridge ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114055305/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/41069/Andy_Partridge_XTC_Well_and_Truly_in_the_Fridge |date=14 January 2009 }}</ref> In an interview on a Todd Rundgren fansite in February 2008, Partridge revealed that Moulding had moved and changed his phone number, effectively ending all contact between the two and reducing their correspondence to emails exchanged via their manager to discuss the division of the band's assets. Partridge also said he and Gregory — their differences now resolved — had considered working together again.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/runt/2008/02/17/rundgren-radio/ |title=Rundgren Radio with XTC's Andy Partridge 02/17 by Rundgren Radio &#124; Music Podcasts |publisher=Blogtalkradio.com |date=2008-02-17 |accessdate=2014-02-01}}</ref>
+
====Sprites====
 +
*Simultaneously displayable: 64 on-screen, 16 (256 sprite pixels) per scanline
 +
*Sizes: 16×16, 16×32, 16×64, 32×16, 32×32, 32×64
 +
*Palette: Each sprite can use up to 15 unique colors (one color must be reserved as transparent) via one of the 16 available sprite palettes.
 +
*Layers: The [[Hudson Soft HuC6270|HuC6270A]] VDC was capable of displaying one sprite layer. Sprites could be placed either in front of or behind background tiles by manipulating a bit which caused indirect pixel color entry #0 of the background tile(s) to act as transparent.
  
−
On 30 July 2008, Partridge summed up the status "Yes I believe my musical partnership with Colin Moulding has come to an end. For reasons too personal and varied to go into here, but we had a good run as they say and produced some real good work. No, I won't be working with him in the future."<ref>{{cite web | title = What's happening with Colin? | author = Andy Partridge | url = http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/leisure/music/andysanswers/3558640.What_s_happening_with_Colin_/ | publisher = The Swindon Advertiser | date = 30 July 2008 | accessdate =12 October 2008 | authorlink = Andy Partridge}}</ref> In December 2008, Moulding resurfaced to confirm his recent disillusionment with music, but revealed that he was thinking of working on solo material. His given reasons for the break-up were financial discord, disagreement over the extent of the [[Fuzzy Warbles]] project, and a "change in mindset" between him and Partridge. He also stated that he and Partridge were once again communicating directly by email.<ref name="RundgrenRadio-Colin" />
+
====Tiles====
 +
*Size: 8×8
 +
*Palette: Each background tile can use up to 15 unique colors via one of the 16 available background palettes and 1 shared color (BG color #0) for a total of 16 colors per tile. The first color entry of each background subpalette is ignored. Instead, color #0's RGB value is shown in its place (the common/shared color). When a specific sprite is set to show behind the BG layer via the priority bit, all tiles that use relative color #0 (of 16) will not show BG color #0. But instead will show the sprite pixel (if not opaque).
 +
*Layers: The [[Hudson Soft HuC6270|HuC6270A]] VDC was capable of displaying one background layer.
  
−
In 2010, Partridge announced that a follow-up to 'Rag And Bone Buffet' entitled 'Bric-a-Brac Breakfast' was in the pipeline and he asked XTC fans via his own APE Blog which tracks should be considered for inclusion on this new compilation.<ref>[http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2010/02/05/xtc-bric-a-brac-breakfast-rag-bone-buffet-andy-partridge/] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141208092440/http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2010/02/05/xtc-bric-a-brac-breakfast-rag-bone-buffet-andy-partridge/ |date=8 December 2014 }}</ref>  As of 2017, this collection has not yet appeared, but a new re-release campaign was announced that would involve their entire catalogue being mixed in 5.1 surround sound by [[Steven Wilson]] and released in expanded editions beginning with their 1992 album ''[[Nonsuch (album)|Nonsuch]]'' in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nonsuch-Xtc/dp/B00EG0MVOI/ref=pd_sim_15_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=9NFJXAB8XNJ9YX7X45D2 |title=Nonsuch remastered and expanded |accessdate=2017-01-29 }}</ref>
+
===Audio capacity===
−
This was followed by ''Drums and Wires'', ''Oranges & Lemons'', ''Skylarking'', and ''Black Sea'', released yearly.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ape.uk.net/ |title=Ape House |accessdate=2017-01-29 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/xtcfans/status/889799688349782016/ |title=@xtcfans Twitter |accessdate=2017-07-25 }}</ref> In 2016, Andy Partridge announced an XTC documentary featuring interviews with all band members apart from Barry Andrews.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/xtcfans/status/807296972675760129/ |title=@xtcfans Twitter |accessdate=2017-01-29 }}</ref> It was shown on Sky Arts on October 7, 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/xtcfans/status/903314641497063424 |title=@xtcfans Twitter |accessdate=2017-09-25 }}</ref>
+
*Six [[wavetable synthesis]] audio channels, programmable through the [[Hudson Soft HuC6280|HuC6280A]] CPU.
 +
*Each channel had a [[frequency]] of 111.87&nbsp;kHz for single cycle of 32 samples (while not in D/A mode) with a [[Audio bit depth|bit depth]] of 5 bits. Each channel also was allotted 20 bytes (32×5 bits) of RAM for sample data.
 +
*The [[waveform]]s were programmable so the composers were not limited to the standard selection of waveforms (square, sine, sawtooth, triangle, etc.). But the use of standard waveforms, and semi-standard forms, such as a 25% pulse wave were used fairly often.
 +
*The first two audio channels (1 and 2) were capable of [[Low frequency oscillation|LFO]] when channel #2 was used to modulate channel #1 with [[vibrato]]. In theory, this could also be used to perform an [[Frequency modulation synthesis|FM]] operation, though due to other limitations, this was never done (note: LFO, like FM works by modifying an audible waveform (carrier oscillator) with an inaudible waveform (modulator oscillator), but LFO's modulator is subsonic rather than sonic (FM), so LFO will not change the carrier's timbre, just its behavior, and as a result, LFO does not really sound anything like FM.)
 +
*The final two audio channels (5 and 6) were capable of [[White noise|noise]] generation.
 +
*Optional software enabled Direct [[Digital-to-analog converter|D/A]] which allows for sampled sound to be streamed into any of the six PSG audio channels. When a channel is in D/A mode the frequency is as fast as the CPU can stream bytes to the port, though in practicality it is limited to 6.99&nbsp;kHz when using the TIMER interrupt with its smallest loop setting (1023 cpu cycles) or 15.7&nbsp;kHz using the scanline interrupt.
 +
*There is a method that combines two channels in DDA mode to play back 8-bit, 9-bit, or 10-bit samples.
 +
*The addition of the CD-ROM peripheral adds CD-DA sound, and a single ADPCM channel to the existing sound capabilities of the PC Engine.
  
−
Moulding marked his return to music with a four-song EP in 2017. For the project, Moulding partnered with Terry Chambers, who returned to the UK in 2016 after living in Australia for over 30 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mobile.twitter.com/xtcfans/status/786272239394041858?lang=en |title=@xtcfans Twitter |accessdate=2017-10-01 }}</ref> The EP, ''Great Aspirations'' by TC&I, was released in October 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://burningshed.com/store/ape/artists-ape/xtc/tcandi_great-aspirations_cd |title=Burning Shed |accessdate=2017-09-30 }}</ref>
+
===Region protection===
 +
[[Image:TurboGrafx HuCard adapters.png|thumb|right|200px|Common HuCard Converters]]
 +
With HuCards, a limited form of region protection was introduced between markets which for the most part was nothing more than running some of the HuCard's pinout connections in a different arrangement. There were several major after-market converters sold to bypass this protection, and were sold predominantly for use in converting Japanese titles for play on a TG-16. In the Japanese market, NEC went further by adding a hardware level detection function to all PC Engine systems that detected if a game was a U.S. release, and would then refuse to play it. The only known exception to this is the U.S. release of [[Klax (video game)|Klax]] which did not contain this function. The explanation commonly given for this by NEC officials is that most U.S. conversions had the difficulty level reduced, and in some cases were censored for what was considered inappropriate content, and consequently, they did not want the U.S. conversion to re-enter the Asian market and negatively impact the perception of a game.{{citation needed|date=January 2014}} With some minor soldering skills, a change could be made to PC Engines to disable this check.<ref>{{cite web|title=PC Engine Import Mod|url=http://www.gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=imports:pc_engine|publisher=GameSX|accessdate=January 11, 2014|quote="The fix: On Japanese systems, connect pin 29 of the Hu6280 chip to [ground]. That's it."}}</ref> The only Japanese games that could not be played on a U.S. system using one of these converters were the SuperGrafx titles which could only be played on a SuperGrafx.
  
−
==Timeline==
+
There was no region protection on TurboGrafx-CD and CD-ROM² System games.
−
<timeline>
 
−
ImageSize = width:900 height:200
 
−
PlotArea = left:120 bottom:60 top:15 right:10
 
−
Alignbars = justify
 
−
DateFormat  = mm/dd/yyyy
 
−
Period = from:01/01/1972 till:12/31/2005
 
−
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
 
−
Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom
 
−
ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1972
 
−
ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1972
 
  
−
Colors =
+
Due to the extremely limited PAL release after NEC decided to cancel a full release, there were no PAL HuCards made. The European TurboGrafx therefore played the NTSC American/Japanese titles, converted to [[PAL]] 50Hz format.<ref name="Gamasutra"></ref>
−
  id:vocals  value:red          legend:Vocals
 
−
  id:guitar  value:green      legend:Guitars
 
−
  id:keys    value:purple      legend:Keyboards
 
−
  id:bass    value:blue        legend:Bass
 
−
  id:drums value:orange    legend:Drums
 
−
  id:lines1  value:black      legend:Studio_Albums
 
  
−
BarData =
+
==CD hardware technical specifications and information==
 +
*[[Oki Electric Industry|Oki]] MSM5205 [[Adaptive differential pulse-code modulation|ADPCM]] chip with variable speed input clock, and 64 [[Kibibyte|kB]] [[Dynamic random-access memory|DRAM]] for audio sample storage. Only one channel of 4-bit compressed audio (decompresses to [[Audio bit depth|12-bit]], top 10 bits output through [[Digital-to-analog converter|DAC]]) was supported.<ref>http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:G7O62_Ggt1sJ:archaicpixels.com/images/f/f8/MSM5205.pdf</ref> It supports a [[Sampling (signal processing)|sampling]] rate of up to 32.088&nbsp;kHz.<ref>http://www.ysutopia.net/special/MSM5205.htm</ref>
 +
*Programmable, timer controlled, electronic volume attenuator to fade-out the [[Compact Disc Digital Audio|CD-DA]] and ADPCM audio channels together or individually.
 +
*The PC-Engine [[CD-ROM]] interface tray has 64 kB of DRAM for storage of program code and data loaded from the CD.
 +
*The "System Card" contains the [[BIOS]] program used to boot CD media and provides functions for software to access CD hardware through a standardized interface. Later System Cards had extra RAM and updates to the BIOS.
 +
*The Duo series has the same BIOS [[Read-only memory|ROM]] (v3.00) and RAM (256 kB total) as a PC-Engine system equipped with a Super System Card. The Duo implements the [[Computer memory|memory]] as a single 256 kB [[Static random-access memory|SRAM]] chip rather than the split 64 kB DRAM / 192 kB SRAM.
 +
*The list of known CD-ROM BIOS revisions are:
 +
**v1.00 – First release (System Card, came with the first versions of the PC-Engine CD-ROM² Interface Unit)
 +
**v2.00 – Upgrade (System Card, came with later versions of the Interface Unit)
 +
**v2.10 – Upgrade (System Card, came with even later versions of the Interface Unit or sold separately)
 +
**v3.00 – Final release (built into several products and available as a Super System Card – see below)
 +
*The list of known System Card releases are:
 +
**System Card v1.00 – First release. Came packaged with the original PC-Engine CD-ROM² System.
 +
**System Card v2.00 – BIOS update. This adds support for [[CD+G]] discs.
 +
**System Card v2.10 – BIOS update. Auto disc change detection is implemented. Was the first System Card that was sold separately from the add-on.
 +
**System Card v3.00 (aka. Super System Card) – 1.5 [[Mebibit|Mbit]] [[Random-access memory|RAM]] (192 kB) – RAM upgrade and BIOS update. This expands the RAM available for the CD-ROM unit to 256 kB when including the existing built in DRAM. It also offers a final BIOS update to v3.00. The PC-Engine Duo (Turbo Duo in North America) had 256 kB of RAM and the same v3.00 BIOS built into the system. Games developed for this System Card bore the "Super CD-ROM² System" mark and could not be played using an older System Card.
 +
**Arcade Card Duo – 16 Mbit RAM (2048 kB) – RAM upgrade exclusively for the Super CD-ROM² System and PC Engine Duo consoles. This greatly expands the RAM available to 2048 kB. The BIOS revision was unchanged from v3.00. Games developed for the Arcade Card Duo/Pro bore the "Arcade CD-ROM²" mark, and could not be played using prior System Cards. The Arcade Card Pro includes the extra 192 kB needed for the original CD-ROM² System
 +
**Arcade Card Pro – 17.5 Mbit RAM (2240 kB as 2 [[Mebibyte|MB]]+192 kB) – RAM upgrade for the original CD-ROM² System. This greatly expands the RAM available to 2240 kB. The BIOS revision was unchanged from v3.00. The Arcade Card Pro combines the functions of the Super System Card and the Arcade Card Duo into one unit. The 2 MB of RAM is accessed through ports or units of single {{nowrap|8 kB}} banks and is intended for graphics data storage rather than program code; its flexible addressing system allows for rapid transfer of data to VRAM. While intended and marketed for the original CD-ROM² System, it's actually compatible with Super CD-ROM² add-on and all Duo consoles without any issues.
 +
**Games Express CD Card – Bootleg System Card. This was released by [[Hacker International]] for play of unlicensed Games Express CD games. The GECD Card is essentially a [[dongle]]; a BIOS v3.00 based machine (like a Duo or a Super CD-ROM²) is required for running those games.
  
−
  bar:Andy      text:Andy Partridge
+
===Corresponding CD-ROM products===
−
  bar:Colin      text:Colin Moulding
+
{|style="width:270px; float:right; border:1px solid #ccc; font-size:88%; line-height:1.5em; padding:1em; margin: 1em 0 1em 2em;"
−
  bar:Terry      text:Terry Chambers
+
|-
−
  bar:Barry      text:Barry Andrews
+
|[[File:PC Engine ArcadeCard DUO.jpg|140px]]
−
  bar:Dave      text:Dave Gregory
+
|[[File:PC Engine ArcadeCard PRO.jpg|125px]]
 +
|-
 +
| colspan="2"|Arcade Card Duo (left) and Arcade Card Pro
 +
|}
  
−
PlotData=
+
*CD-ROM² System – Consists of two components: a compact CD player (CDR-30) and the Interface Unit (IFU-30), which connects the CD player into the PC Engine console itself. These were sold separately or as part of a bundle. The Interface Unit also stores save data and provides a common power supply for the PC Engine and the CD player. A System Card is required for the PC Engine to access the functions of the CD player. Later revisions of both, the CD player (CDR-30A) and the Interface Unit (IFU-30A), featured improved disc reading capabilities.
 +
*System Card – The original CD-ROM² System Card included with the Interface Unit. The System Card underwent a few slight revisions, with Version 1.0 being the original model, followed by Version 2.0 (which adds [[CD+G]] support) and Version 2.1 (which auto-detects discs). Only Version 2.1 was sold as a stand-alone unit.
 +
*ROM² Adaptor (RAU-30) –  A cable with two large ends that allows a PC Engine SuperGrafx (PI-TG4) console to be connected into the CD-ROM² Interface Unit.
 +
*Super System Card (PI-SC1) – An upgraded System Card that changes the BIOS of the CD-ROM² System to Version 3.0 and adds the 192kb of SRAM required to play Super CD-ROM² format discs.
 +
*Super CD-ROM² (PI-CD1) – An upgraded version of the CD-ROM² System add-on that combines the functions of the Interface Unit, CD-ROM player and Super System Card into one unit.
 +
*PC Engine Duo (PI-TG8) – A PC Engine console with a built-in Super CD-ROM² unit.
 +
*Super ROM² Adaptor (PI-AD8) – An adapter that allows the PC Engine LT (PI-TG9) to be connected into the Super CD-ROM² unit.
 +
*PC Engine Duo-R (PI-TG10) –  A redesigned version of the PC Engine Duo.
 +
*PC Engine Duo-RX (PCE-DUORX) – The third version of the PC Engine Duo.
 +
*Arcade Card Duo (PCE-AC1) – A RAM expansion card that adds the 16 Megabits of DRAM required to run Arcade CD-ROM² discs on any Super CD-ROM² and PC Engine Duo systems.
 +
*Arcade Card Pro (PCE-AC2) – Combines the functions of the Arcade Card Duo and the Super System Card into one card. Designed and marketed primarily for the original CD-ROM² System.
  
−
  width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
+
===Drive unit===
 +
*Single-speed CD-ROM drive, managed by an NEC microcontroller and using the SCSI-I interface.
 +
*Transfer rate of 150 kB/s.
  
−
  bar:Andy      from:01/01/1972 till:12/31/2005 color:guitar
+
==Reception==
−
  bar:Colin      from:01/01/1972 till:12/31/2005 color:bass
+
In Japan, the PC Engine was very successful, and at one point was the top-selling console in the nation.<ref>{{cite journal|last= |first= |title=What in the Name of Sam Hill is a PC Engine?|journal=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=70|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|date=May 1995|page=15}}</ref> In North America and Europe the situation was reversed, with both Sega and Nintendo dominating the console market at the expense of NEC. Initially, the TurboGrafx-16 sold well in the U.S., but eventually it suffered from lack of support from third-party [[software developer]]s and publishers.
−
  bar:Terry      from:01/01/1972 till:11/01/1982 color:drums
 
−
  bar:Barry      from:01/01/1976 till:11/01/1978 color:keys
 
−
  bar:Dave      from:04/01/1979 till:04/01/1999 color:keys
 
  
−
  width:3 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
+
In 1990, ''[[ACE (games magazine)|ACE]]'' magazine praised the console's [[Racing video game|racing game]] library, stating that, compared to "all the popular consoles, the PC Engine is way out in front in terms of the range and quality of its race games."<ref>''[[ACE (games magazine)|ACE]]'', issue 34 (July 1990), [https://wos.meulie.net/pub/sinclair/magazines/ACE/Issue34/Pages/ACE3400059.jpg page 59]</ref> Reviewing the Turbo Duo model in 1993, ''[[GamePro]]'' gave it a "thumbs down". Though they praised the system's CD sound, graphics, and five-player capability, they criticized the outdated controller and the games library, saying the third party support was "almost nonexistent" and that most of the first party games were localizations of games better suited to the Japanese market.<ref>{{cite news|last= |first= |title=System Shopper|work=[[GamePro]]|issue=53|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|date=December 1993|pages=46–49}}</ref> In 2009, the TurboGrafx-16 was ranked the 13th greatest video game console of all time by [[IGN]], citing "a solid catalog of games worth playing," but also a lack of third party support and the absence of a second controller port.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/top-25-consoles/13.html |title=TurboGrafx-16 is number 13 |publisher=''IGN'' |date= |accessdate=July 5, 2011}}</ref>
  
−
  bar:Andy      from:01/01/1972 till:12/31/2005 color:vocals
+
==Legacy==
−
  bar:Colin      from:01/01/1972 till:12/31/2005 color:vocals
+
In 1994, NEC released a new console, the Japan-only [[PC-FX]], a [[32-bit]] system with a tower-like design; it enjoyed a small but steady stream of games until 1998, when NEC finally abandoned the video games industry. NEC supplied rival [[Nintendo]] with the CPU for the [[Nintendo 64]], released in 1996, and former rival Sega with a version of its [[PowerVR]] 2 GPU for the [[Dreamcast]], released in 1998.
−
  bar:Dave      from:04/01/1979 till:04/01/1999 color:guitar
 
  
−
LineData =
+
A number of TurboGrafx-16 and TurboGrafx-CD games were released on Nintendo's [[Virtual Console]] download service for the [[Wii]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hudsonent.com/user/newsdetail.php?news_id=68 |title=Hudson Entertainment – Video Games, Mobile Games, Ringtones, and More! |publisher=''Hudsonent.com'' |date= |accessdate=July 5, 2011 }}{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> [[Wii U]], and [[Nintendo 3DS]], including several that were originally never released outside Japan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wii.ign.com/articles/697/697882p1.html |title=IGN: GDC 06: Satoru Iwata Keynote |publisher=Wii.ign.com |date=March 23, 2006 |accessdate=2011-07-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.revolutionfanboy.com/2006/03/23/virtual-console-sega-and-hudson-games-are-a-go/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201134356/http://www.revolutionfanboy.com/2006/03/23/virtual-console-sega-and-hudson-games-are-a-go/ |archivedate=December 1, 2008 |title=Virtual Console: Sega and Hudson games are a go! – Nintendo Wii Fanboy |publisher=''Revolution Fanboy'' |date=March 23, 2006 |accessdate=July 5, 2011}}</ref> In 2011, [[List of PlayStation Store TurboGrafx-16 games|ten TurboGrafx-16 games]] were released on the [[PlayStation Network]] for play on the [[PlayStation 3]] and [[PlayStation Portable]] in the North American region.
  
−
  at:01/20/1978 color:lines1 layer:back
+
In 2010 Hudson released an [[iPhone]] application entitled "TurboGrafx-16 GameBox" which allowed users to buy and play a number of select Turbo Grafx games via [[in-app purchases]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Cowan|first1=Danny|title=Hudson Releases TurboGrafx-16 GameBox Emulator For iOS|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/122690/Hudson_Releases_TurboGrafx16_GameBox_Emulator_For_iOS.php|website=Gamasuitra|accessdate=April 6, 2016}}</ref>
−
  at:10/06/1978 color:lines1 layer:back
 
−
  at:08/17/1979 color:lines1 layer:back
 
−
  at:09/12/1980 color:lines1 layer:back
 
−
  at:02/12/1982 color:lines1 layer:back
 
−
  at:08/30/1983 color:lines1 layer:back
 
−
  at:10/15/1984 color:lines1 layer:back
 
−
  at:04/01/1985 color:lines1 layer:back
 
−
  at:10/27/1986 color:lines1 layer:back
 
−
  at:08/01/1987 color:lines1 layer:back
 
−
  at:02/27/1989 color:lines1 layer:back
 
−
  at:04/27/1992 color:lines1 layer:back
 
−
  at:02/17/1999 color:lines1 layer:back
 
−
  at:05/23/2000 color:lines1 layer:back
 
  
−
</timeline>
+
In 2016, rapper [[Kanye West]] announced his [[Turbo Grafx 16 (album)|8th solo album]] would be titled "Turbo Grafx 16".<ref>{{cite web|title=Kanye's Twitter |url=https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/703446573552967680}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Byford|first1=Sam|title=Kanye West says his new album is called Turbo Grafx 16 and coming this summer|url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/2/27/11125294/kanye-west-new-album-turbografx-16 |website=The Verge|accessdate=April 6, 2016}}{{dead link|date=November 2017|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20161224011840/https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/703446573552967680|bot=TweetCiteBot}}</ref>
  
−
Following the band's cessation of touring and the departure of Terry Chambers in November 1982, the band continued with a variety of session drummers on studio recordings.
+
==Emulation==
 +
{{See also|List of video game emulators#TurboGrafx-16|label 1=List of TurboGrafx-16 and PC Engine emulators}}
 +
[[Video game console emulator|Emulation programs]] for the TurboGrafx-16 exist for several modern and retro operating systems and architectures and are at varying levels of emulation ranging from beta stage, to near perfect emulation of all PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16 formats.
  
−
==Discography==
+
==See also==
−
{{main article|XTC discography}}
+
*[[List of PC Engine games]]
−
*''[[White Music]]'' (1978)
+
*[[List of TurboGrafx-16 games]]
−
*''[[Go 2]]'' (1978)
 
−
*''[[Drums and Wires]]'' (1979)
 
−
*''[[Black Sea (XTC album)|Black Sea]]'' (1980)
 
−
*''[[English Settlement]]'' (1982)
 
−
*''[[Mummer (album)|Mummer]]'' (1983)
 
−
*''[[The Big Express]]'' (1984)
 
−
*''[[25 O'Clock]]'' (1985, as the Dukes of Stratosphear)
 
−
*''[[Skylarking]]'' (1986)
 
−
*''[[Psonic Psunspot]]'' (1987, as the Dukes of Stratosphear)
 
−
*''[[Oranges & Lemons (album)|Oranges & Lemons]]'' (1989)
 
−
*''[[Nonsuch (album)|Nonsuch]]'' (1992)
 
−
*''[[Apple Venus Volume 1]]'' (1999)
 
−
*''[[Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2)]]'' (2000)
 
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
−
{{Reflist|30em}}
+
{{reflist|30em}}
−
 
 
−
==Bibliography==
 
−
{{refbegin|normalfont=yes}}
 
−
* {{cite book|last1=Partridge|first1=Andy|last2=Bernhardt|first2=Todd|authorlink1=Andy Partridge|title=Complicated Game: Inside the Songs of XTC|date=2016|publisher=[[Jawbone Press]]|isbn=978-1908279781|ref=harv}}
 
−
{{refend}}
 
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
−
*{{Dmoz|Arts/Music/Bands_and_Artists/X/XTC/}}
+
{{Commons category|PC Engine}}
−
* [http://chalkhills.org/ Chalkhills: XTC fan site]
+
* [http://www.pcengine.co.uk The PC Engine Software Bible] software listing including reviews and videos.
−
* [http://www.chrishunt.biz/features16.html Andy Partridge interview: 1989] by [[Chris Hunt]]
+
* [http://www.pc-engine.co.uk PC-Engine] definitive hardware listing for all PC Engine and Turbo Grafx systems.
−
* [http://www.blogtalkradio.com/runt/2008/02/17/Rundgren-Radio/  Andy Partridge 2 hour interview on RundgrenRadio.com]
+
* [http://archaicpixels.com Archaic Pixels] contains the most extensive compendium of TurboGrafx-16 technical information.
−
* [http://www.blogtalkradio.com/runt/2008/03/09/rundgren-radio/ Dave Gregory 2 hour audio interview on RundgrenRadio.com]
+
* [http://www.turboviews.com TurboGrafx-16] overview and review show!
−
* {{youtube|1xlH9eyyZ0M|X is for... XTC}} at John Peel Archive
+
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBv_L4AsMUI Video of TurboGrafx-16] and PC Engine hardware and features from [http://famicomdojo.tv/season2/ FamicomDojo.TV]
−
 
 
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{{XTC}}
 
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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2011}}
 
  
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{{Authority control}}
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{{NEC video game consoles}}
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{{Fourth generation game consoles}}
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{{Home video game consoles}}
  
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Xtc}}
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[[Category:1980s toys]]
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[[Category:XTC| ]]
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[[Category:1990s toys]]
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[[Category:Art rock musical groups]]
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[[Category:CD-ROM-based consoles]]
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[[Category:English new wave musical groups]]
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[[Category:Home video game consoles]]
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[[Category:English post-punk music groups]]
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[[Category:Fourth-generation video game consoles]]
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[[Category:Musical groups established in 1977]]
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[[Category:NEC consoles]]
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[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2005]]
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[[Category:Products introduced in 1987]]
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[[Category:Musical quartets]]
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[[Category:TurboGrafx-16| ]]
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[[Category:Musicians from Wiltshire]]
 
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[[Category:Progressive pop musicians]]
 
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[[Category:Caroline Records artists]]
 
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[[Category:Geffen Records artists]]
 
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[[Category:RSO Records artists]]
 
−
[[Category:Virgin Records artists]]
 

Revision as of 00:52, 11 November 2017

Template:Redirect Template:About Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox information appliance The TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem, known in Japan and France as the Template:Nihongo, is a home video game console jointly developed by Hudson Soft and NEC Home Electronics, released in Japan on October 30, 1987 and in the United States on August 29, 1989. It also had a limited release in the United Kingdom and Spain in 1990, known as simply TurboGrafx and based on the American model, whilst the Japanese model was imported and distributed in France in 1989. It was the first console released in the 16-bit era, albeit still utilizing an 8-bit CPU. Originally intended to compete with the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), it ended up competing with the Sega Genesis, and later on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).

The TurboGrafx-16 has an 8-bit CPU, a 16-bit video color encoder, and a 16-bit video display controller. The GPUs are capable of displaying 482 colors simultaneously, out of 512. With dimensions of just 14 cm×14 cm×3.8 cm (5.5 in×5.5 in×1.5 in), the Japanese PC Engine is the smallest major home game console ever made.[1][2] Games were stored on a HuCard cartridge, or in CD-ROM optical format with the TurboGrafx-CD add-on.

The TurboGrafx-16 failed to break into the North American market and sold poorly, which has been blamed on inferior marketing.[3] However in Japan the PC Engine was very successful, where it gained strong third-party support and outsold the Famicom at its 1987 debut, eventually becoming the Super Famicom's main rival.[4] Lots of revisions - at least 17 distinct models - were made, such as portable versions and a CD-ROM add-on.[5] An enhanced model, the PC Engine SuperGrafx, was intended to supersede the standard PC Engine, but failed to break through and was quickly discontinued. The entire series was succeeded by the PC-FX in 1994, only released in Japan.

History

The TurboGrafx-16 or PC Engine was a collaborative effort between Hudson Soft, who created video game software, and NEC, a major company which was dominant in the Japanese personal computer market with their PC-88 and PC-98 platforms. NEC's interest in entering the lucrative video game market coincided with Hudson's failed attempt to sell designs for then-advanced graphics chips to Nintendo.[6] NEC lacked the vital experience in the video gaming industry so approached numerous video game studios for support. They eventually found that, by coincidence, Hudson Soft was also interested in creating their own system but needed a partner for additional cash. The two companies successfully joined together to then develop the new system.[2]

The PC Engine finally made its debut in the Japanese market on October 30, 1987, and it was a tremendous success. By 1988 it outsold the Famicom year-on-year, putting NEC and Hudson Soft ahead of Nintendo in the market, and far ahead of Sega. The console had an elegant, "eye-catching" design, and it was very small compared to its rivals.[3] This, coupled with a strong software lineup and strong third-party support from high-profile developers such as Namco and Konami gave NEC the lead in the Japanese market.[2]

In 1988 NEC wanted to sell the system to the American market, and directed its U.S. operations to do so. NEC Technologies boss Keith Schaefer formed a team to test the system out. One criticism they found was the lack of enthusiasm in its name 'PC Engine'. The team also felt its small size was not very suitable to American consumers who would generally prefer a larger and "futuristic" design. As a result they came up with the name 'TurboGrafx-16', a name representing its graphical speed and strength, and its 16-bit GPU. They also completely redesigned the hardware into a large, black casing. However the redesign process was lengthy, and NEC in Japan was still cautious about the system's viability in the U.S., both of which delayed the system's debut in the American market.[3]

The TurboGrafx-16 was eventually released in the New York City and Los Angeles test market in late August 1989. This came just two weeks after Sega's Genesis test-market launch on August 14,[7] which was distastrous timing for NEC as Sega of America didn't waste time redesigning the original Japanese Mega Drive system.[3] The Genesis launch was accompanied by an ad campaign mocking NEC's claim that the TurboGrafx-16 was the first 16-bit console. Initially, the TurboGrafx-16 was marketed as a direct competitor to the NES and early television ads touted the TG-16's superior graphics and sound. These ads featured a brief montage of the TG-16's launch titles: Blazing Lazers, China Warrior, Vigilante, Alien Crush, etc.

Sega quickly eclipsed the TurboGrafx-16 after its American debut. NEC's decision to pack-in Keith Courage in Alpha Zones, a Hudson Soft game unknown to western gamers, proved costly as Sega packed-in a port of the hit arcade title Altered Beast with the Genesis. NEC's American operations in Chicago were also overhyped about its potential and quickly produced 750,000 units, far above actual demand. Hudson Soft earned a lot from this as NEC paid Hudson Soft royalties for every hardware produced, whether sold or not. By 1990 it was clear that the system was performing very poorly and was severely edged out by Nintendo and Sega's marketing.[3]

After seeing the TurboGrafx-16 suffer in America, NEC decided to cancel their European releases. Units for the European markets were already produced, which were essentially US models modified to run on PAL television sets, and branded as simply TurboGrafx. NEC sold this stock to distributors - in the United Kingdom Telegames released the TurboGrafx in 1990 in extremely limited quantities.[8] This model was also released in Spain and Portugal through selected retailers.[9] No PAL HuCards were made, and instead the European system can play all American games without modifications, albeit with the necessary slowdown to 50Hz.

PC Engine consoles (as well as some of its add-ons) were imported from Japan by French unlicensed importer Sodipeng (Société de Distribution de la PC Engine, a subsidiary of Guillemot International), from November 1989 to 1993.[10] This came after considerable enthusiasm in the French press. This PC Engine was largely available in France and Benelux through major retailers. It came with French language instructions and also an AV cable to enable its input to a SECAM television set. Its launch price was 1,790 French francs (about 416 € as of 2013).[11]

File:NEC-TurboGrafx-16-CD-FL.jpg
The TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine was the first video game console capable of playing CD-ROM games with an optional add-on.

NEC claimed that it had sold 750,000 TG-16 consoles in the United States, and 500,000 CD-ROM units worldwide, by March 1991.[12] That year NEC released the PC Engine Duo in Japan, a model which could play HuCards and CD-ROM² discs, making it the first game console with an integrated CD-ROM drive. The console was licensed to Turbo Technologies Incorporated, who released it in North America in 1992 as the TurboDuo. In addition to standard CD-ROM² format discs, the Duo could also play games in the newly introduced Super CD-ROM² format due to its greater RAM size (the TurboGrafx-16 and its CD player could support this new format only through the use of a separately available upgrade, the Super System Card, which TTI sold via mail order). The unit came into competition with the Sega CD, which was released almost immediately after. Turbo Technologies ran comic book ads featuring Johnny Turbo. The ads mocked Sega, and emphasized that though the TurboDuo and Sega CD had the same retail price, the TurboDuo was a standalone platform and included five pack-in games, whereas Sega CD buyers needed to purchase separately sold games and a Genesis console before they could use the system.

However, the North American console gaming market continued to be dominated by the Super NES and Genesis rather than the new CD-based consoles. In May 1994 Turbo Technologies announced that it was dropping support for the Duo, though it would continue to offer repairs for existing units and provide ongoing software releases through independent companies in the U.S. and Canada.[13]

The TurboGrafx-series was the first video game console ever to have a contemporaneous fully self-contained portable counterpart, the PC Engine GT, known as TurboExpress in North America. It contained identical hardware and played identical game software (utilizing HuCard format game software).

The final commercialized release for the PC Engine was Dead of the Brain Part 1 & 2 on June 3, 1999, on the Super CD-ROM² format.[14] The last game on HuCard format was 21 Emon: Mezase! Hotel Ō on December 16, 1994.

Variations

PC Engine CoreGrafx with CD-ROM² and interface unit
PC Engine Duo RX
The TurboExpress
PC Engine Duo RX
PC Engine LT
CoreGrafx II with Super CD-ROM²
PC Engine LT
PC Engine CoreGrafx II with Super CD-ROM²

Many variations and related products of the PC Engine were released.

Core consoles

The PC Engine CoreGrafx is an updated model of the PC Engine, released in Japan on December 8, 1989.[15] It has the same form factor as the original PC Engine, but has a black color scheme, and replaces the original's RF connectors with an A/V port. A recolored version of the model, known as the PC Engine CoreGrafx II, was released on June 21, 1991.[15] Aside from the different coloring, it is functionally identical to the original CoreGrafx.

The PC Engine SuperGrafx, released on the same day as the CoreGrafx in Japan,[15] is an enhanced variation of the PC Engine hardware with updated specs. This model has a second HuC6270A (VDC), a HuC6202 (VDP) that combines the output of the two VDCs, four times as much RAM, twice as much video RAM, and a second layer/plane of scrolling. The CPU, sound, and color palette were not upgraded, making the expensive price tag a big disadvantage to the system. As a result, only five exclusive SuperGrafx games and two hybrid games (Darius Plus and Darius Alpha were released as standard HuCards which took advantage of the extra video hardware if played on a SuperGrafx) were released, and the system was quickly discontinued. Despite the fact that the SuperGrafx was intended to supersede the original PC Engine, its extra hardware features were not carried over to the later Duo consoles. The SuperGrafx has a BUS expansion port, but requires an adapter in order to utilize the CD-ROM² System add-on.

The PC Engine LT is a model of the console in a laptop form, released on December 13, 1991 in Japan,[15] retailing at ¥99,800. The LT does not require a television display as it has a built-in flip-up screen and speakers, just as a laptop would have, but unlike the GT the LT runs on a power supply. Its expensive price meant that few units were produced compared to other models. It requires an adapter to use the Super CD-ROM² unit.

HuCard-only consoles

The PC Engine Shuttle was released in Japan on November 22, 1989[15] as a less expensive model of the console, retailing at ¥18,800. It was targeted primarily towards younger players with its spaceship-like design and came bundled with a TurboPad II controller, which is shaped differently from the other standard TurboPad controllers. The reduced price was possible by the removal of the expansion port of the back, making it the first model of the console that was not compatible with the CD-ROM² add-on. However, it does have a slot for a memory backup unit, which is required for certain games.

The PC Engine GT is a portable version of the PC Engine, released in Japan on December 1, 1990 and then in the United States as the TurboExpress.[15] It can only play HuCard games. It has a Template:Convert backlit, active-matrix color LCD screen, the most advanced on the market for a portable video game unit at the time. The screen contributed to its high price and short battery life, however, which dented its performance in the market. It shares the capabilities of the TurboGrafx-16, giving it 512 available colors (9-bit RGB), stereo sound, and the same custom CPU at 7.15909 MHz. It also has a TV tuner adapter as well as a two-player link cable.

CD-ROM add-ons

File:PC Engine CD-ROM2 Interface Unit.jpg
PC Engine CoreGrafx with CD-ROM² and interface unit

The Template:Nihongo is an add-on attachment for the PC Engine that was released in Japan on December 4, 1988.[15][16] The add-on allows the core versions of the console to play PC Engine games in CD-ROM format in addition to standard HuCards. This made the PC Engine the first video game console to have a CD-ROM peripheral, and first device ever to use CD-ROM as a storage medium for video games. The add-on consisted of two devices - the CD player itself and the interface unit, which connects the CD player to the console and provides as a common power supply and output for both.[17][18][19][20] It was later released as the TurboGrafx-CD in the United States on August 1, 1990. The TurboGrafx-CD had a launch price of $399.99, and did not include any bundled games.[21] Fighting Street and Monster Lair were the TurboGrafx-CD launch titles; Ys Book I & II soon followed.

The Template:Nihongo, an upgrade for the CD-ROM² System, was released on October 26, 1991. It updates the BIOS to Version 3.0 and increases the buffer RAM from 64kB to 2MB required to play Super CD-ROM² discs. An American version of the Super System Card for the TurboGrafx-16/CD combo was also sold exclusively as a mail-order. PC Engine owners who did not already own the original CD-ROM² add-on could instead opt for the Template:Nihongo, an updated version of the add-on released on December 13,[15] which combines the CD-ROM drive, interface unit and Super System Card into one device.

Duo consoles

Template:See

File:NEC-TurboDuo-Console-wController-L.jpg
NEC/Turbo Technologies later released the TurboDuo, which combined the TurboGrafx-CD and TurboGrafx-16 into one unit.

NEC Home Electronics released the PC Engine Duo in Japan on September 21, Template:Vgy,[15] which combined the PC Engine and Super CD-ROM² unit into a single console. The system can play HuCards, audio CDs, CD+Gs, standard CD-ROM² games and Super CD-ROM² games. The North American version, the TurboDuo, was launched in October Template:Vgy. The American version of Duo was originally bundled with one control pad, an AC adapter, RCA cables, Ys Book I & II (a CD-ROM² title), and a Super CD-ROM² including Bonk's Adventure, Bonk's Revenge, Gate of Thunder and a secret version of Bomberman accessible via a cheat code. The system was also packaged with one random HuCard game which varied from system to system (Dungeon Explorer was the original HuCard pack-in for TurboDuo, although many titles were eventually used, such as Irem's Ninja Spirit and Namco's Final Lap Twin, and then eventually a random pick).

Two updated variants were released in Japan: the PC Engine Duo-R (on March 25, 1993)[15] and the PC Engine Duo-RX (on June 25, 1994).[15]

Arcade Card

Certain games in Japan were released in a third disc format, the Template:Nihongo (released in Japan on March 12, 1994),[15] requiring the use of an Template:Nihongo. The Arcade Card was available in two variants: the Arcade Card Pro designed solely for the original CD-ROM² System, and the Arcade Card Duo that works with the Super CD-ROM² System and all PC Engine Duo models (both adding a total of 2MB of RAM). These are not compatible with the TurboGrafx-CD, nor with the TurboDuo, without an adapter.

HE-System machines

The PC-KD863G is a CRT monitor　with built-in PC Engine console, released on September 27, 1988 in Japan for ¥138,000. Following NEC's PCs' naming scheme, the PC-KD863G was designed to eliminate the need to buy a separate television set and a console. It output its signals in RGB, so it was clearer at the time than the console which was still limited to RF and composite. However, it has no BUS expansion port, which made it incompatible with the CD-ROM² System and memory backup add-ons

The X1-Twin was the first licensed PC Engine-compatible hardware manufactured by a third-party company, released by Sharp on April 1989 for ¥99,800.[22] It's an X1 computer and PC Engine console combined into one, although the two hardware run mutually separately.

Pioneer Corporation's LaserActive supports an add-on module which allows the use of PC Engine games (HuCard, CD-ROM² and Super CD-ROM²) as well as new "LD-ROM²" titles that work only on this device. NEC also released their own LaserActive unit and PC Engine add-on module, under an OEM license.[23] A total of eleven LD-ROM2 titles were produced, with only three of them released in North America.

Other foreign markets

Outside North America and Japan, the TurboGrafx-16 was released in South Korea by a third party under the name Vistar 16. It was based on the American version but with a new curved design.[24] The PC Engine was never officially released in continental Europe, but some companies imported them and made SCART conversions on a moderate scale. In France, Sodipeng imported Japanese systems and added an RGB Cable called "AudioVideo Plus Cable".Template:Citation needed This mod improved the original video signal quality extensively and made the consoles work with SECAM televisions. In Germany, several importers sold converted PC Engines with PAL RF as well as RGB output.Template:Citation needed The connectors and pinouts used for the latter were frequently compatible with the Amiga video port, with two unconnected pins used for the audio channels.Template:Citation needed

Peripheral compatibility

File:NEC-TurboGrafx-16-TurboTap.jpg
The TurboGrafx-16 had only one controller port, so any simultaneous multiplayer games required the TurboTap accessory.

All PC Engine systems support the same controller peripherals, including pads, joysticks and multitaps. Except for the Vistar, Shuttle, GT, and systems with built-in CD-ROM drives, all PC Engine units shared the same expansion connector, which allowed for the use of devices such as the CD-ROM unit, battery backup and AV output.

The TurboGrafx and Vistar units use a different controller port than the PC Engines, but adaptors are available and the protocol is the same. The TurboGrafx offers the same expansion connector pinout as the PC Engine, but has a slightly different shape so peripherals must be modified to fit.

The Arcade Card Pro is designed for the original CD-ROM² System add-on, adding the 2304 kB of RAM required by Arcade CD-ROM² games. The Arcade Card Duo is for the Super CD-ROM² System and the PC-Engine Duo/R/RX consoles and adds 2048 kB RAM, since those systems already have 256K of RAM built-in.

The various CD-ROM game types are:

  • CD-ROM² : Standard CD-ROM game. Runs on all CD-ROM² Systems without any additional requirements
  • Super CD-ROM² : Requires a Super System Card to work on the original CD-ROM² System. No card is required for Super CD-ROM² and Duo consoles.
  • Arcade CD-ROM² : Requires an Arcade Card Pro on the original CD-ROM² System, or an Arcade Card Duo on the Super CD-ROM² and Duo consoles.

Video formats

All PC Engine hardware outputs video in NTSC format, including the European TurboGrafx; it generates a PAL-compatible video signal by using a chroma encoder chip not found in any other system in the series.

Technical specifications

File:NEC-TurboGrafx-16-Motherboard-Top.jpg
The TurboGrafx-16 ran off an 8-bit CPU, but had a 16-bit graphics processor.[25]

The PC Engine is a relatively compact video game console, owing to an efficient three-chip architecture and its use of small ROM cartridges called HuCards (Turbo Chips in North America). Hudson Soft developed the HuCard (Hudson Card) from the Bee Card technology it piloted on the MSX. HuCards are about the size of a credit card, but slightly thicker. They are very similar to the My Card format utilized for certain games released on the SG-1000/SC-3000 and the Mark III/Master System. The largest Japanese HuCard games were up to Template:Nowrap in size. All PC Engine consoles can play standard HuCards, including the PC Engine SuperGrafx (which has its small library of exclusive HuCards).

With the exception of the budget-priced PC Engine Shuttle, the portable PC Engine GT and the PC-KD863G monitor, every PC Engine console is also capable of playing CD-ROM² discs, provided the console is equipped with the required CD-ROM drive and System Card. The SuperGrafx and PC Engine LT both required additional adapters to work on the original CD-ROM² System and Super CD-ROM² respectively, whereas the Duo consoles had the CD-ROM drive and Super System Card integrated into them (as did the Super CD-ROM² player). Some unlicensed CD games by Games Express can only run on Duo consoles, due to their games requiring both a special System Card packaged with the games and the 256 kB of RAM built into the Duo.

The console's CPU is a Hudson Soft HuC6280 8-bit microprocessor operating at 1.79 MHz and 7.16 MHz. It features integrated bank-switching hardware (driving a 21-bit external address bus from a 6502-compatible 16-bit address bus), an integrated general-purpose I/O port, a timer, block transfer instructions, and dedicated move instructions for communicating with the HuC6270A VDC. Its 16-bit graphics processor and video color encoder chip were also developed by Hudson Soft.[26] It holds 8 kB of work RAM and 64 kB of video RAM.

Display

Resolution

  • X (Horizontal) Resolution: variable, maximum of 565 (programmable to 282, 377 or 565 pixels, or as 5.3693175 MHz, 7.15909 MHz, and 10.738635 MHz pixel dot clock)[27] Taking into consideration overscan limitations of CRT televisions at the time, the horizontal resolutions were realistically limited to something a bit less than what the system was actually capable of. Consequently, most game developers limited their games to either 256, 352, or 512 pixels in display width for each of the three modes.[28]
  • Y (Vertical) Resolution: variable, maximum of 242 (programmable in increments of 1 scanline). It is possible to achieve an interlaced "mode" with a maximum vertical resolution of 484 scanlines by alternating between the two different vertical resolution modes used by the system. However, it is unknown, at this time, if this interlaced resolution is compliant with (and hence displayed correctly on) NTSC televisions.
  • The majority of TurboGrafx-16 games use 256×239,[27] though some games, such as Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective did use 512×224.

Color

  • Colors available: 512 (9-bit)
  • Colors onscreen: Maximum of 482 (241 background, 241 sprite)
  • Palettes: Maximum of 32 (16 for background tiles, 16 for sprites)
  • Colors per palette: 16 per background palette (color entry #0 of each background palette must be the same), and 15 per sprite palette (plus transparent, which is displayed as an actual color in the overscan area of the screen)

Sprites

  • Simultaneously displayable: 64 on-screen, 16 (256 sprite pixels) per scanline
  • Sizes: 16×16, 16×32, 16×64, 32×16, 32×32, 32×64
  • Palette: Each sprite can use up to 15 unique colors (one color must be reserved as transparent) via one of the 16 available sprite palettes.
  • Layers: The HuC6270A VDC was capable of displaying one sprite layer. Sprites could be placed either in front of or behind background tiles by manipulating a bit which caused indirect pixel color entry #0 of the background tile(s) to act as transparent.

Tiles

  • Size: 8×8
  • Palette: Each background tile can use up to 15 unique colors via one of the 16 available background palettes and 1 shared color (BG color #0) for a total of 16 colors per tile. The first color entry of each background subpalette is ignored. Instead, color #0's RGB value is shown in its place (the common/shared color). When a specific sprite is set to show behind the BG layer via the priority bit, all tiles that use relative color #0 (of 16) will not show BG color #0. But instead will show the sprite pixel (if not opaque).
  • Layers: The HuC6270A VDC was capable of displaying one background layer.

Audio capacity

  • Six wavetable synthesis audio channels, programmable through the HuC6280A CPU.
  • Each channel had a frequency of 111.87 kHz for single cycle of 32 samples (while not in D/A mode) with a bit depth of 5 bits. Each channel also was allotted 20 bytes (32×5 bits) of RAM for sample data.
  • The waveforms were programmable so the composers were not limited to the standard selection of waveforms (square, sine, sawtooth, triangle, etc.). But the use of standard waveforms, and semi-standard forms, such as a 25% pulse wave were used fairly often.
  • The first two audio channels (1 and 2) were capable of LFO when channel #2 was used to modulate channel #1 with vibrato. In theory, this could also be used to perform an FM operation, though due to other limitations, this was never done (note: LFO, like FM works by modifying an audible waveform (carrier oscillator) with an inaudible waveform (modulator oscillator), but LFO's modulator is subsonic rather than sonic (FM), so LFO will not change the carrier's timbre, just its behavior, and as a result, LFO does not really sound anything like FM.)
  • The final two audio channels (5 and 6) were capable of noise generation.
  • Optional software enabled Direct D/A which allows for sampled sound to be streamed into any of the six PSG audio channels. When a channel is in D/A mode the frequency is as fast as the CPU can stream bytes to the port, though in practicality it is limited to 6.99 kHz when using the TIMER interrupt with its smallest loop setting (1023 cpu cycles) or 15.7 kHz using the scanline interrupt.
  • There is a method that combines two channels in DDA mode to play back 8-bit, 9-bit, or 10-bit samples.
  • The addition of the CD-ROM peripheral adds CD-DA sound, and a single ADPCM channel to the existing sound capabilities of the PC Engine.

Region protection

File:TurboGrafx HuCard adapters.png
Common HuCard Converters

With HuCards, a limited form of region protection was introduced between markets which for the most part was nothing more than running some of the HuCard's pinout connections in a different arrangement. There were several major after-market converters sold to bypass this protection, and were sold predominantly for use in converting Japanese titles for play on a TG-16. In the Japanese market, NEC went further by adding a hardware level detection function to all PC Engine systems that detected if a game was a U.S. release, and would then refuse to play it. The only known exception to this is the U.S. release of Klax which did not contain this function. The explanation commonly given for this by NEC officials is that most U.S. conversions had the difficulty level reduced, and in some cases were censored for what was considered inappropriate content, and consequently, they did not want the U.S. conversion to re-enter the Asian market and negatively impact the perception of a game.Template:Citation needed With some minor soldering skills, a change could be made to PC Engines to disable this check.[29] The only Japanese games that could not be played on a U.S. system using one of these converters were the SuperGrafx titles which could only be played on a SuperGrafx.

There was no region protection on TurboGrafx-CD and CD-ROM² System games.

Due to the extremely limited PAL release after NEC decided to cancel a full release, there were no PAL HuCards made. The European TurboGrafx therefore played the NTSC American/Japanese titles, converted to PAL 50Hz format.[3]

CD hardware technical specifications and information

  • Oki MSM5205 ADPCM chip with variable speed input clock, and 64 kB DRAM for audio sample storage. Only one channel of 4-bit compressed audio (decompresses to 12-bit, top 10 bits output through DAC) was supported.[30] It supports a sampling rate of up to 32.088 kHz.[31]
  • Programmable, timer controlled, electronic volume attenuator to fade-out the CD-DA and ADPCM audio channels together or individually.
  • The PC-Engine CD-ROM interface tray has 64 kB of DRAM for storage of program code and data loaded from the CD.
  • The "System Card" contains the BIOS program used to boot CD media and provides functions for software to access CD hardware through a standardized interface. Later System Cards had extra RAM and updates to the BIOS.
  • The Duo series has the same BIOS ROM (v3.00) and RAM (256 kB total) as a PC-Engine system equipped with a Super System Card. The Duo implements the memory as a single 256 kB SRAM chip rather than the split 64 kB DRAM / 192 kB SRAM.
  • The list of known CD-ROM BIOS revisions are:
    • v1.00 – First release (System Card, came with the first versions of the PC-Engine CD-ROM² Interface Unit)
    • v2.00 – Upgrade (System Card, came with later versions of the Interface Unit)
    • v2.10 – Upgrade (System Card, came with even later versions of the Interface Unit or sold separately)
    • v3.00 – Final release (built into several products and available as a Super System Card – see below)
  • The list of known System Card releases are:
    • System Card v1.00 – First release. Came packaged with the original PC-Engine CD-ROM² System.
    • System Card v2.00 – BIOS update. This adds support for CD+G discs.
    • System Card v2.10 – BIOS update. Auto disc change detection is implemented. Was the first System Card that was sold separately from the add-on.
    • System Card v3.00 (aka. Super System Card) – 1.5 Mbit RAM (192 kB) – RAM upgrade and BIOS update. This expands the RAM available for the CD-ROM unit to 256 kB when including the existing built in DRAM. It also offers a final BIOS update to v3.00. The PC-Engine Duo (Turbo Duo in North America) had 256 kB of RAM and the same v3.00 BIOS built into the system. Games developed for this System Card bore the "Super CD-ROM² System" mark and could not be played using an older System Card.
    • Arcade Card Duo – 16 Mbit RAM (2048 kB) – RAM upgrade exclusively for the Super CD-ROM² System and PC Engine Duo consoles. This greatly expands the RAM available to 2048 kB. The BIOS revision was unchanged from v3.00. Games developed for the Arcade Card Duo/Pro bore the "Arcade CD-ROM²" mark, and could not be played using prior System Cards. The Arcade Card Pro includes the extra 192 kB needed for the original CD-ROM² System
    • Arcade Card Pro – 17.5 Mbit RAM (2240 kB as 2 MB+192 kB) – RAM upgrade for the original CD-ROM² System. This greatly expands the RAM available to 2240 kB. The BIOS revision was unchanged from v3.00. The Arcade Card Pro combines the functions of the Super System Card and the Arcade Card Duo into one unit. The 2 MB of RAM is accessed through ports or units of single Template:Nowrap banks and is intended for graphics data storage rather than program code; its flexible addressing system allows for rapid transfer of data to VRAM. While intended and marketed for the original CD-ROM² System, it's actually compatible with Super CD-ROM² add-on and all Duo consoles without any issues.
    • Games Express CD Card – Bootleg System Card. This was released by Hacker International for play of unlicensed Games Express CD games. The GECD Card is essentially a dongle; a BIOS v3.00 based machine (like a Duo or a Super CD-ROM²) is required for running those games.

Corresponding CD-ROM products

140px 125px
Arcade Card Duo (left) and Arcade Card Pro
  • CD-ROM² System – Consists of two components: a compact CD player (CDR-30) and the Interface Unit (IFU-30), which connects the CD player into the PC Engine console itself. These were sold separately or as part of a bundle. The Interface Unit also stores save data and provides a common power supply for the PC Engine and the CD player. A System Card is required for the PC Engine to access the functions of the CD player. Later revisions of both, the CD player (CDR-30A) and the Interface Unit (IFU-30A), featured improved disc reading capabilities.
  • System Card – The original CD-ROM² System Card included with the Interface Unit. The System Card underwent a few slight revisions, with Version 1.0 being the original model, followed by Version 2.0 (which adds CD+G support) and Version 2.1 (which auto-detects discs). Only Version 2.1 was sold as a stand-alone unit.
  • ROM² Adaptor (RAU-30) – A cable with two large ends that allows a PC Engine SuperGrafx (PI-TG4) console to be connected into the CD-ROM² Interface Unit.
  • Super System Card (PI-SC1) – An upgraded System Card that changes the BIOS of the CD-ROM² System to Version 3.0 and adds the 192kb of SRAM required to play Super CD-ROM² format discs.
  • Super CD-ROM² (PI-CD1) – An upgraded version of the CD-ROM² System add-on that combines the functions of the Interface Unit, CD-ROM player and Super System Card into one unit.
  • PC Engine Duo (PI-TG8) – A PC Engine console with a built-in Super CD-ROM² unit.
  • Super ROM² Adaptor (PI-AD8) – An adapter that allows the PC Engine LT (PI-TG9) to be connected into the Super CD-ROM² unit.
  • PC Engine Duo-R (PI-TG10) – A redesigned version of the PC Engine Duo.
  • PC Engine Duo-RX (PCE-DUORX) – The third version of the PC Engine Duo.
  • Arcade Card Duo (PCE-AC1) – A RAM expansion card that adds the 16 Megabits of DRAM required to run Arcade CD-ROM² discs on any Super CD-ROM² and PC Engine Duo systems.
  • Arcade Card Pro (PCE-AC2) – Combines the functions of the Arcade Card Duo and the Super System Card into one card. Designed and marketed primarily for the original CD-ROM² System.

Drive unit

  • Single-speed CD-ROM drive, managed by an NEC microcontroller and using the SCSI-I interface.
  • Transfer rate of 150 kB/s.

Reception

In Japan, the PC Engine was very successful, and at one point was the top-selling console in the nation.[32] In North America and Europe the situation was reversed, with both Sega and Nintendo dominating the console market at the expense of NEC. Initially, the TurboGrafx-16 sold well in the U.S., but eventually it suffered from lack of support from third-party software developers and publishers.

In 1990, ACE magazine praised the console's racing game library, stating that, compared to "all the popular consoles, the PC Engine is way out in front in terms of the range and quality of its race games."[33] Reviewing the Turbo Duo model in 1993, GamePro gave it a "thumbs down". Though they praised the system's CD sound, graphics, and five-player capability, they criticized the outdated controller and the games library, saying the third party support was "almost nonexistent" and that most of the first party games were localizations of games better suited to the Japanese market.[34] In 2009, the TurboGrafx-16 was ranked the 13th greatest video game console of all time by IGN, citing "a solid catalog of games worth playing," but also a lack of third party support and the absence of a second controller port.[35]

Legacy

In 1994, NEC released a new console, the Japan-only PC-FX, a 32-bit system with a tower-like design; it enjoyed a small but steady stream of games until 1998, when NEC finally abandoned the video games industry. NEC supplied rival Nintendo with the CPU for the Nintendo 64, released in 1996, and former rival Sega with a version of its PowerVR 2 GPU for the Dreamcast, released in 1998.

A number of TurboGrafx-16 and TurboGrafx-CD games were released on Nintendo's Virtual Console download service for the Wii,[36] Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS, including several that were originally never released outside Japan.[37][38] In 2011, ten TurboGrafx-16 games were released on the PlayStation Network for play on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable in the North American region.

In 2010 Hudson released an iPhone application entitled "TurboGrafx-16 GameBox" which allowed users to buy and play a number of select Turbo Grafx games via in-app purchases.[39]

In 2016, rapper Kanye West announced his 8th solo album would be titled "Turbo Grafx 16".[40][41]

Emulation

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|See also}} Emulation programs for the TurboGrafx-16 exist for several modern and retro operating systems and architectures and are at varying levels of emulation ranging from beta stage, to near perfect emulation of all PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16 formats.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition (2008)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}
  4. ↑ {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}
  5. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/feb/27/why-kanye-west-right-recommend-turbografx-16-console
  6. ↑ {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}
  7. ↑ Steven L. Kent, The Ultimate History of Video Games, p. 413.
  8. ↑ {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}
  9. ↑ {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}
  10. ↑ Pubs Sodipeng Pc-engine (1990–91) – Le Adra's Blog ! – GAMEBLOG.fr
  11. ↑ http://www.retroblog.fr/tag/sodipeng/
  12. ↑ {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=news }}
  13. ↑ {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=news }}
  14. ↑ {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}
  15. ↑ 15.00 15.01 15.02 15.03 15.04 15.05 15.06 15.07 15.08 15.09 15.10 15.11 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named PC-Engine_UK
  16. ↑ {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}
  17. ↑ http://magweasel.com/2009/07/21/i-love-the-pc-engine-fighting-street/
  18. ↑ http://www.giantbomb.com/no-ri-ko/3030-39939/
  19. ↑ Top 25 Videogame Consoles of All Time, IGN. Retrieved 2010-06-14.
  20. ↑ Template:Citation
  21. ↑ {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=news }}
  22. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  23. ↑ {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=news }}
  24. ↑ Vistar 16
  25. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  26. ↑ {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}
  28. ↑ {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}
  29. ↑ {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}
  30. ↑ http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:G7O62_Ggt1sJ:archaicpixels.com/images/f/f8/MSM5205.pdf
  31. ↑ http://www.ysutopia.net/special/MSM5205.htm
  32. ↑ Template:Cite journal
  33. ↑ ACE, issue 34 (July 1990), page 59
  34. ↑ {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=news }}
  35. ↑ {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}
  36. ↑ {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead link
  37. ↑ {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}
  38. ↑ {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}
  39. ↑ {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}
  40. ↑ {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}
  41. ↑ {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead link

External links

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