![]() ![]() Though the system includes USB Type-A ports for its controllers, I tried but failed to get any of my spare multi-port USB adapters to work, and I've yet to test Hori's TG-16M adapter. Like the original console, the TG-16M ships with support for five-player modes, though these require peripherals from Hori (who co-developed this system). Its mildly curved edges make it a satisfying alternative to the NES' sharp-block design, while its 9.5-foot cord is ample enough for most living rooms. While other users have complained about the firmness of the TG-16M's d-pad, the controller I received has pleasantly firm d-pad resistance, as opposed to the loose wobble found in cheaper d-pad variants. The TG-16's general library is heavy on arcade shooters, a fact that TG-16M embraces, and your nostalgic, adult hands will thank you for not having to hammer a "shoot" button in classics like Gradius or Galaga '88. The original TG-16 is one of the only consoles in the world to launch with built-in, rapid-fire controller toggles, and that's no small perk. In better news, the American model comes with something that Japanese buyers don't get: dedicated "turbo" buttons on the controllers. (A draconian NDA attached to our review hardware prohibits us from showing you photos of the TG-16M's motherboard, but these aren't hard to find elsewhere.) Consider the wasted space and plastic an issue only if your entertainment center has limited space on its retro shelf. Since I have zero attachment to the original design, I immediately removed and discarded this extra plastic piece, as it gets in the way of cord access (since I tend to unplug and replug retro systems in moving them around my home).Įven with the removable dust cover, Konami could have shrunk the American model if it had opted for a more rectangular circuit board, but it has instead chosen to use the same internal hardware as the Japanese model, which better fits that region's square console design. The TG-16M adheres to its original model and includes a massive, removable "dust cover" on its backside. Just like in 1989, this new American mini is over double the size of its Japanese mini sibling, and part of that bloat comes from its attention to detail. That issue persists with the TG-16M, which measures 9.25×5.8×1.1 inches. #Turbo duo emulator mac PcWhile the original PC Engine broke records due to how small its hardware was-and surely helped the system's popularity in a space-starved nation like Japan-the TurboGrafx-16 was noticeably beefier, clocking in at over double the PC Engine's size. Let's start with the hardware itself, which, for a "mini," is quite large. The original console had channel and antenna switches, but these don't return in the new, "Mini" console. The result is both a carefully molded homage to NEC's console glory days and a confusing dump of games for anyone already running from behind on their TurboGrafx-16 and PC Engine fluency. The $100 TurboGrafx-16 Mini, which emulates 55 cartridge and CD games, takes the console's history to heart with a surprising quirk. In whatever region you buy this new miniature console, you'll get almost the exact same mix of English and Japanese games, exactly as they launched in the late '80s and early '90s. We've mostly explored the TG-16's legacy via unofficial emulation, but that changes this week with a bold launch from the console's current copyright holders at Konami. In fact, its overseas presence persisted for a long time, in part thanks to add-ons like the PC Engine CD (which also got a Western version but, again, didn't do as well here). The TG-16 was a famous casualty of late-'80s NEC failing to unseat either Nintendo's dominance or Sega's upstart momentum in the States.Īs we've come to realize in the decades since, this one-step-up console kicked way more butt in Japan, where it was known as the PC Engine. ![]() Our classic gaming experts missed the TG-16 boat when it reached our shores in 1989, and we weren't alone. When we talk about this month's launch of the TurboGrafx-16 Mini, we should get one key difference out of the way: nobody at Ars has an original TurboGrafx-16 console to compare this with. We've always had tangible reference points for the West's console biggies: Nintendo, Sega, and Sony. ![]() The same goes for fancypants, FPGA-fueled console recreations. With the arrival of every recent, retro-minded "mini console" launch, we've had at least one original console to compare with. ![]()
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