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Best TurboGrafx-16 Games Review

TurboGrafx-16 was first launched in Japan, jointly by NEC and Hudson Soft. The Japanese version of this game was called ‘PC Engine’ and it became a huge hit in the Japanese gaming market. However, it failed to achieve the same fame in the US. Its 16-bit computing power allowed it to release some of the best TurboGrafx-16 games.

We understand how eager retro gamers are to find out more about these old school classics. Besides some amazing action games and shoot ‘em up titles, this console also got a steady flow of erotic games and RPGs.

For the unfortunate American gamers who couldn’t get their hands on these titles, and for every retro fan, we have compiled a list of the top TurboGrafx-16 games. Let’s see if you can resist playing these on your PC emulators.

Best TurboGrafx-16 Games Review

Best TurboGrafx-16 Games

Ninja Spirit

With Ninja Spirit, the developers proved how efficient they could be with the “kill ‘em all” subgenre. You get to play with a scary-looking Ninja Spirit that has four types of weapons at its disposal, all of which can be upgraded. You will also acquire more abilities as you make progress in the game.

One of the impressive features in the game is the ability to call multiple shadow clones that will help you fight the enemies. The smooth controls, detailed characters and the fight moves were all so cool that it received enormous praise from those who played it, but it wasn’t a big hit overall, being shadowed by Ninja Gaiden and Shinobi.

Street Fighter II: Champion Edition

Street Fighter is no doubt one of the best fighting games of all times. The champion edition on TurboGrafx-16 did an excellent job of matching the original arcade graphics. The expanded roster of characters and some of the technical improvements made it stand out from the SNES and Genesis versions.

This version refined some of the fighting technique to make the competition more balanced. The Shadaloo bosses, who are the final four opponents that you face, were also introduced in this edition. The restriction of not being able to choose the same character again, in the original game, was also eliminated in this version of the Street Fighter.

In Japan, this game outperformed the previous bestseller Aero Fighters, to become the most successful table arcade unit of the year. It is by all means one of the best TurboGrafx-16 games.

Best TurboGrafx-16 Games - Street Fighter II Champion Edition

Dragon’s Curse

The game turned out to be a boon for the company rather than a curse. The game is a 2-D platformer and was also released for the Master System and the Game Gear by the name Wonder Boy III.

The game follows the events immediately after the Wonder Boy in Monster Land. Wonder Boy enters the Mecha Dragon’s lair in order to slay him. But in doing so, he is placed under a curse that transforms him into “Lizard-Man”. The only way to undo the curse is to acquire the ‘Salamander Cross’.

You use the directional pad to move your player. There is a primary and secondary attack that you can use. Through the course of the game, you will take the form of a lion, a mouse, a tiger, a piranha, and even a hawk. Each of this form gives you a unique ability to progress in the game. Read more: Best SEGA CD Games of All Time

Bomberman ‘94

Bomberman has been a hit since its earlier arrival. The concept was loved by a massive number of gamers. This version of the game supports five-player multiplayer-battle feature which was missing in the original game. This allowed the players to bomb each other instead of just bombing the mindless creatures in the game.

The rideable kangaroos were a fantastic addition to the game. Based on their color, these animals could increase your pace, overcome obstacles, kick bombs away and taunt your opponents with their dances.

It is such an addictive classic that we couldn’t skip it from our TurboGrafx-16 mini games list for the most addictive games. The new features make it a perfect game for friends to play together.

Devil’s Crush

Devil’s Crush belongs to the same series as the Alien Crush. It’s a pinball video game with many twists to make it more interesting. In a regular pinball game, the aim is to keep the ball moving. However, Devil’s crush also offers points for hitting your enemies with the ball.

So, it’s like a blend of pinball game and a shooting game. It’s quite a good looking game with smooth animation. The haunting music track and the demonic theme fit well together.

The game features three pairs of flippers. You can also nudge or bump the table to influence the path the ball follows. But if you use the tilt button too much, the flippers will no longer work and you will have a lost ball. Read also: Best N64 Emulators for PC

Devil’s Crush - Best TurboGrafx-16 Games Review

R-Type

R-Type is a side-scrolling shooter with several unique features that make it memorable for retro gamers. In this game, you control a starship called the R-9 Arrowhead. The main purpose is to destroy a nasty alien race that is set out to wipe out the entire mankind.

The gameplay is quite interesting as compared to other horizontal shooting games. It’s visually appealing and has intense-looking enemy characters. Unlike other games in the genre, you don’t just shoot everything as fast as you can. Instead, the game has room for strategy building. You can charge up your shot and also take advantage of a companionship. Read more: Best SNES RPGs

Bloody Wolf

Looking for a contra-like retro classic? If you haven’t played Bloody Wolf before, you may be missing on to a very interesting game. The Turbografx-16 version was, in fact, way better than its arcade original.

The game features a bandanna-sporting army man, who runs through a war zone region, blasting away enemies to win the levels. The levels are longer and more detailed than the arcade version. If you are a fan of side-scrolling run-n-shoot style of games, this may appeal to you.

Conclusion

Every new console release tried its best to lure gamers with exciting titles packed with new features and classy characters. TurboGrafx did an excellent job of creating addictive titles for gamers.

It challenged some of the repetitive old concepts in various genres and introduced new features. If you like to explore some top classic games, TurboGrafx has plenty of good ones in almost every genre. Our list of the best TurboGrafx-16 games only consists of the top selling retro classics.