The TurboGrafx 16, The story of how NEC lost the console war

[@daved4120]

In my opinion, as a Turbo owner, and enthusiast, what killed it, was a lack of knowledge of what the "American" market wanted. I owned all the current consoles of the era at the time of the TG16, I started with the Turbo, but got a Genesis, and SNES, never stopped loving my first of the era, except that I followed the games that were coming out in Japan, and constantly questioning why the U.S. wasn't getting a port of so many of the RPG, and action games the Japanese were. Games like Shockman (Shubibinman) in Japan were the norm, and I promise American players would have enjoyed it, it was basically Mega Man in a different setting, but we got one (1) of them while the Japanese market got several, I played FF1 many times over, also DQ, Ultima, and any other RPG that came along, yet NEC and Hudson decided Americans wouldn't enjoy those kinds of games unless they sold a million copies in Japan...If NEC and Hudson had paid attention to the games selling millions of copies on the NES they would have had a manual for success.

[@HistoricNerd]

Yeah it was absolutely fascinating how bad Nec dropped the ball in terms of bringing over titles. I thought I added it but the fact some execs were letting their kids pick some of the titles to localize was a really bad sign for what was to befall the TG-16.

[@MaxAbramson3]

Touche.

[@Orangedome]

American or you mean USA? Canada us America...Brazil is America. 😂😅😂

[@daved4120]

@@Orangedome I clearly said the U.S. if you read, and I'm well aware of North and South America, go read any article about the U.S. and you'll no doubt hear it called just "America".

[@Sinn0100]

​@Orangedome What an absolutely pointless comment you have made. The TG-16 never saw an official release in Canada nor Brazil. Further, this entire video's premise was solely focused on the TG-16 in the USA making your "point" moot. Finally, whether you like it or not (don't care) we in the US call our country "America." I don't know if you have noticed but the word "America" is right there in its name (The United States of America). I know this is a hard concept...we are the only country in the world that uses the word "America" in our name (since 1776). So, until such a time arises where Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Chile, Peru, Cuba, Panama, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, and Cayenne all add America to their names then we'll talk.

[@MorreskiBear]

I was waiting for the "skip ad" to appear when this video started, then realized this was it! Good video BTW. I used to rent the TG-16 back in the day. It was good for schmups and pinball games. Didn't learn the machine was actually "8 Bit" until recently!

[@HistoricNerd]

I'm glad I look like a KZbin Ad model. Makes me chuckle a bit. Thanks for watching! I appreciate the support.

[@Steph_7d7]

Yes the system used an 8bit cpu but it was used for sync / timing so that the controller inputs matched the on screen graphics as well as the sounds, the audio and video processing was still done by true 16bit processors. Which explains why the systems shooters could have tons of on screen bullets and sprites with no flicker and slowdown.

[@ricepony33]

I bought the console late in it’s life used after having the genesis and the snes. There simply wasn’t a title that hooked me or made me go, wow this is special.

[@Sarumaru]

I watched this last night just before bed and was in awe at the amount of research you must've had to do for this video. Amazing job! Seriously good stuff, Ian. 😃

[@HistoricNerd]

I can't take all the credit for the research, a gentleman named Christian Nutt wrote an amazing article called Stalled Engine that I used as my main source for this. Thank you again for your footage.

[@OldManTheseDays]

I remember that NEC had a booth at the California State Fair in... I believe 1989. They had a PC Engine at the booth and were showing it off. I was in 7th grade at the time. My friends and I were totally blown away, especially about the size. It felt “advanced”. When the TG16 finally came out, it was disappointing, both the software and the final design. I bought a Genesis instead.

[@HistoricNerd]

That's a great story. It was really a shame it got bogged down so bad on it trip to the American market if it had hit in 88 it would have really had a fighting chance.

[@JohnWilliams-gy5yc]

I'd like to know why they completely redesigned what's already marketable for American market. I absolutely have no idea.

[@OldManTheseDays]

@@JohnWilliams-gy5yc from what I’ve read over the years it was two things- culturally, “small” in Japan translates to “luxury”, while US markets tend to see bigger as better. Also I believe the FCC has tighter regulations on RF shielding than Japan had. Electronics were larger to accommodate. Not so much an issue anymore (HMDI, composite), but was a thing back in the day.

[@worsethanhitlerpt.2539]

Nobody knew who they were and they had no advertising!

[@Cheesehead302]

@@OldManTheseDays The PC engine's small size is also really nice in the modern day, looks easy to fit on a shelf. I've gotta get one to truly find out though one of these days.

[@danmartin3451]

All things considered, it's rather surprising Hudson's Bomberman didn't go onto become the mascot for TurboGrafx, with how Bomberman had been established for four years by 1987, and how the series would go on to release four games on the system.

[@HistoricNerd]

I would imagine a part of why the TG16 bomber man didn't get that mascot status would have to been caused by the absolutely terrible NA box art. But that's just a thought I have.

[@swarnski8uu]

Bomberman shouldve been a pack in. R-type or Blazing Lazers would've been great as well. Genesis had beat em up as pack in Nes/Snes had platformer TG16 shouldve had a shooter.

[@throwedgaming6419]

I understand why it didn't work financially but it still had alot of my favorite games that did end up making to the U.S that I still love to play. Dungeon Explorer, Bloody Wolf, Splatterhouse, R Type, Bonk's adventure, Ninja Spirit and several other titles. Definitely a capable system that like you said had the cards but didn't play them well. Still glad my parents took the chance on it. Really enjoyed the video from start to finish

[@RealSkyDiver2]

It’s a really well researched and put together video but the listening experience gets kinda ruined with all the awkward mid-sentence pause. It gets really agitated after a while.

[@Jetred5]

Thank you for putting time and effort into giving this console an in depth documentary. The slick animations and high production value are a nice bonus. Top notch quality as always!

[@HistoricNerd]

Thanks! This was a fun video to make. I spent way too much time on it this year but I feel it was worth it

[@chaosrainn773]

Very informative video ! Excellent production and editing. The Turbografx16 is my favorite retro game console. I only had a few games for the Turbo since a Toys R Us 70 Miles away was the only store in my area that carried Turbografx16 games. I loved Ninja Spirit , Splatter House and Legendary Axe. I loved the colorful graphics and especially the definitive chip tune sound the Turbografx16 produced.

[@HistoricNerd]

Thank you! I'll admit I have owned a TG16 for a while but didnt really give it a chance until recently but its certainly a great system that deserved better. Splatterhouse is a fun title, I think Blazing lazers is perhaps one of my favorites on the system.

[@Jenovi]

Michael Katz was a smart guy that still doesn't get the recognition he deserves. With that said, I learned a ton here, and holly heck Ian, this was incredible start to finish. One of the best video's I've watched this year.

[@HistoricNerd]

The more I learn about Katz the more I'm surprised Sega did what they did. But he seemed way more inclined to call SOJ out for their behavior. This was a really interesting story probably one of the more tragic of the retro consoles out there

[@Johnnygrafx]

Great job man! It turned out great. If only NEC could have salvaged their relationship with EA, and launched in NA earlier. Things could have been very different!

[@HistoricNerd]

It would have been great to see what could have happened.

[@dwightdixon8508]

This video is very accurate as I recalled those days vividly and it was frustrating as a TurboGrafx-16 owner. When I was ready to buy my first game console the next gen choice for me was Genesis or TurboGrafx-16. Both were priced the same but for multiplayer you had to buy the TurboTap and to use composite cables you had to buy the TurboBooster putting the purchase well above the Genesis which made my choice easy. Shortly after I would buy the TG16 so I could enjoy what it offer and that’s when the frustrations started and ultimately never ended. So many mistakes

[@godzilla7391]

Love my t-16. I didn't get one until later, much later , but it is a great console imo. My cousin opted for the turbografx, while me and my brother opted for the Sega Genesis. Glad we did, since the Genesis got much more love here in NA , but from what I hear the turbografx was supported heavily in Japan. Either way we still had a blast staying the night at our cousins and stying up late, playing games like Military Madness, Splatterhouse, Keith Courage, and Legendary Axe. Good times! Good video! I liked it before I even watched it. Thats how much confidence I had in you.

[@HistoricNerd]

Glad to hear I inspire that type of confidence, I spent a while on this one. I've owned a TG16 for a while now but didnt really start getting into the system until i started working on this video. I've certainly grown to appreciate it more after. It really had a uphill battle in north american.

[@mumalathin]

Thank you for this video. Here in (middle/eastern) Europe is TurboGrafx 16 like an Unicorn... nobody had it, nobody know of its US history. I first "hear" of this on my Castlevania personal research (Rondo of Blood OC) and even emulated, it shows the big possibilities of the console.

[@HistoricNerd]

Glad you enjoyed the video. It's a fascinating console for sure. I found the systems mishaps in North America to be equally Interesting. I didn't learn about the console myself until the early 2000s it was never sold in my part of the United States so I completely missed out on it.

[@wynfrithnichtwo8423]

I’ll be honest. Everybody I knew back then wanted one, but for whatever reasons, which this video highlighted: the whole not making into the market in time, etc, etc, etc. That by the time we remembered the system. It was to late as we all had snes and genesis systems. We did not even think to find one later on for the cheap to scratch that itch. Eventually we just completely forgot about the system. It became like a NeoGeo in that we thought about it, but it just never happened. Granted the only reason none of us has one, but one kid down the street, was due to the cost of the NeoGeo. By the end of the 90’s we all had nes, snes, n64, genesis, ps1, and computers in our homes, but the TurboGrafx16 just was never considered anymore until the Wii eshop had some of their games available.

[@Mister_Mr_Man]

They invested way too much in redesigning the console money that could've been spent in ads

[@Aquahutch702]

I had the TurboGrafx-16, then later the CD attachment, then later the TurboXpress, then later the TurboDuo. Had most every game.... ...I TRIED, MAN!

[@HistoricNerd]

You fought bravely in the console war my friend. The generals failed you.

[@Aquahutch702]

@@HistoricNerd I even had the tv tuner attachment for the Express. 😩

[@retropalooza]

I got the TurboGrafx during the lose it and use it launch campaign. If you literally threw your NES console in their big bin, you got a free system if you bought 3 games. Sure enough we had a broken NES (thanks to a really mad at the kids one day father) that we gave them the broken console and my grandparents bought us the 3 games as Christmas/bday presents and we were happy kids again. The rumors were they actually redeemed about 5k NES units, crazy part was all they wanted was the consoles I remember seeing games and accessories in the bin which explains why a lot of test launch Nintendos are hard to come by

[@HistoricNerd]

That's a pretty cool story. I wasn't aware of that ad campaign. Pretty aggressive concept for a product launch.

[@retropalooza]

@@HistoricNerd forum posts said it was to get stores to accept the products when Nintendo made stipulations that the had to sell the NES all exclusive

[@travisf2660]

I still have my turboduo as a kid. (41 now) I still enjoy my games. This was a great video on the history and outcome of the system. I wish it had done better myself but I enjoyed Bonk 1 2 3, Ys 1/2/3 bomberman 93, lords and gate of thunder as a kid. I always felt for the time the turboduo had the best shooters out of the other systems.

[@HistoricNerd]

The way they did schmups on the system was always top form. The ones I've played even later in my life have always impressed me. It's a great system that has certainly grown on me.

[@travisf2660]

@@HistoricNerd the price of some of the games now are pretty steep. I just ordered a Turbografx everdrive just so I could enjoy games I never could obtain. 🍻

[@HistoricNerd]

@@travisf2660 yeah they're certainly up there in cost now. Seems to be a trend with "failed" systems as the games were never easy to find. Saturn and Dreamcast titles are in the same boat these days

[@SuperSmashTVChannel]

I enjoyed my TurboDuo to the very end. Apparently a clone console named Analogue Duo is coming out soon so I'm thrilled about it and hope to get one

[@crpggamer]

I remember playing Bonk and Cosmic Fantasy 2 on this console. Sadly I gave it to my friend to borrow and it never came back.

[@RetroGamePlayers]

I was lucky enough to trade for one back in the day. And it really did feel like a special and ultra cool system to have. It just had a darker tone to many of the games.

[@HistoricNerd]

I've really grown to love the system, The schumps on the system are in absolute top form.

[@SoulforSale]

Yeah but where did they sell them? Not at Kmart.

[@throwedgaming6419]

I love the darker feel I get from some of the games. I feel like the way the music sounds attributes to it

[@bubbythebear6891]

@@throwedgaming6419 The Turbo has a fair few games for both ends of the spectrum. For every Splatterhouse, Devil's Crush, Legendary Axe 2, and Dungeon Explorer, there is an Ordyne, Chew Man Fu, and Parasol Stars! The sound chip was excellent for moody tunes and upbeat music as well. It really was pretty good, just didn't have the library of the competitors.

[@townlinetim876]

Wow! Impressive work Ian. Those animations are great. I have a special place in my heart for that console.

[@HistoricNerd]

Thanks man. Yeah the console certainly grew on me over the course of this project.

[@MaxAbramson3]

My friend had a Turbografx, and he was always telling me about how much better it was than my "Sega." One day, I got to show off the Genesis and how fast the games moved, how great the sound was, and how beautiful the artwork was. I'd bought the SMS in 1988, IIRC, right when NEC was spending all of that time redesigning the box. If they're brought it to the States in 88 for the $99 price that they ended up at, I might've grown up with that instead. When they released the $400 CD add on, that's when everyone questioned the sanity of NEC and Hudson. It was strange hearing later on that the PC Engine was so successful in Japan.

[@maroon9273]

I agree and it is strange NEC released the $400 turbo CD add-on so early in NA. It is huge mistake alongside the super cd (which made no sense since current cd users can use the system card and the duo console being released the same year in JP. Plus, a year later in NA) and the supergrafx. Similar model sega copied by releasing the sega cd and 32x.

[@MaxAbramson3]

@@maroon9273 What would make sense is if all of these console/computer makers (like COMMODORE, etc) would've just listened to their customers.

[@darinherrick9224]

Ya know what's nuts is that at the time I didn't want one because the commercials drove me away and everywhere I heard that it WASN'T a "true" 15 bit console. So basically I was under the impression it was a glorified over-priced NES.

[@braikingboss9137]

I remember seeing it first hand at this stores called good guys in California, and I was so amazed at what it look like in the control and everything I remember playing ys and it came from the dessert 💯 Some of the best graphics up that time I had ever seen, including being astounded by the CD... what great times for real

[@HistoricNerd]

That's awesome! I never actually saw one in stores that I can recall.

[@RideRedRacer]

i just ordered a TurboGrafx 16 from ebay. fully refurbished and recapped. i got the TurboDrive flash drive. and i got the component cable hookup with the db grafxbooster all coming in the mail. i have never even seen a turbografx or played on. its going to be cray cray

[@willmistretta]

I adore my PC Engine. It's a true tragedy how badly (and slowly) the NA release was handled. Good thing we have fan translators gradually opening up more and more of those wordier Japanese exclusives to the rest of us. Better late than never.

[@HistoricNerd]

I didnt think much of the system until I really started getting into the story of it and playing it more. I know know the errors of my ways, Its a great system its a real shame it didnt fair better because there was so much potential there.

[@bnferguson9827]

I still have all my turbografx 16 stuff and it works perfectly👍

[@Kal-hi1qz]

As someone that had a TG-16 growing up in the 90's. I was the only kid with the console at my school, none of the other kids even knew it existed. There was only 1 video store nearby who rented games for it. We tried to support it but there was just too few great titles for it and it was a bit too expensive.

[@seansack609]

Very well done sir! The more I play the TG 16, the more I enjoy it. Oh, what could have been

[@HistoricNerd]

Thank you! yeah I have to agree, the more I play my TG16 the more it grows on me.

[@aaronwelsh33]

Great Video Ian. Always love how you take the time to get quotes and give an industry perspective on whatever topic you cover.

[@HistoricNerd]

Thanks, an article written by Christian Nutt "The Stalled engine" covered a lot of this subject. I leaned very heavy on his work because he had taken time to actually talk to all these people. It was a great subject to learn about and study. I feel quotes from industry folks give the best context.

[@sidearmsalpha]

The TurboGrafx-16 was the first console I bought with my own money. I was the only person I knew that owned one. At first, I didn't know there were so many great games in Japan that would never be released for it in the US. Eventually, the drought of games led to me trading the system and games in for a Super Nintendo. In my early 20s, I was a regular subscriber of GAMEFAN magazine who covered the PC Engine and Duo and all the games. That convinced me to get a used TurboDuo and converter and later a TurboExpress with tuner since they were no longer being sold new in stores. I also started getting import games from eBay. I still have the Duo with a good selection of games. I even picked up a SuperGrafx eventually. I still enjoy playing the games through an emulator on my original XBox as my Duo has audio problems. Looking back on it, the fact that NEC didn't let TTI bring over a lot of the great games from Japan like Dracula X and SF2 Champion Edition doomed the system. That and the lack of great sports titles (although I really didn't care for sports games but that is still a large demographic not to cater to) killed the system. The cost of the CD system was a big factor to, especially since there were so many great Japanese games for it.

[@HistoricNerd]

Thank you for sharing. I'm sad to say I didn't discover the TG16 until much later. It's a great system and it's a bummer it never really got the support it needed in North America.

[@dwightdixon8508]

Send out the Duo for the capacitors to be replaced, sound will be restored to new. Search 1Up Restorations online they’re on the east coast. Takes a week or two but we’ll worth it especially considering capacitors can leak and cause board damage although that’s correctable too the Duo value is well worth it too

[@RP_Williams]

Cool vid. I'd argue the biggest reason the TG16 didn't land with many consumers is the reason i myself never even considered buying the TG16 (when upgrading from my NES), namely you needed to buy a whole other component (the Turbo Tap) to play with more than 1 player (and the market was full of 13 year old kids like me that were obviously limited in funds....you could almost buy a whole other game for the price of the stupid Turbo Tap). Plus the slightly higher price of the games and console itself sealed the deal (and the Genesis was just the obvious choice for a kid like me). It's a shame, because i liked the TG16 back then (i had played it a few times here and there at friend's houses) and still like it today (and have added many PC Engine/TG16 games to my hacked SNES Classic).

[@HistoricNerd]

The nickel and dime nature of just having a second player probably played into it's ultimate failure even just getting something other than RF signal required an add on. So you're probably spot on there.

[@RP_Williams]

@@HistoricNerd Just wanted to say, I DO agree with pretty much everything you said....all your points DID contribute to the TG16's failure (again, cool video sir!). I guess my point was historians don't give the PRICE as much a factor as it actually had (you've got to remember, this wasn't like now where parents are just as interested in video game consoles as their kids....there was a LOT of kids like me trading in our old system to buy a new one, because our parents 'already bought a video game system for the family'). I honestly believe if the TG16 were offered to the public at 20-25% LESS price (AND had a SECOND onboard control port), they would've been MUCH more competitive (and sold MILLIONS more units...parents don't care about true 16 bit for Christmas....but they DO care about PRICE, so cheaper Genesis WINS the market, even if just BARELY cheaper).

[@HistoricNerd]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video :) You make some great points on the price. I only only touched on that briefly I probably should have explored that deeper honestly. There was just so much chaos on the back end of the system that kinda glanced over that element. :)

[@MikeRavia-xp5ig]

I was the only person i have ever known that had a turbo as a kid. I only knew about it because curtis mathis had a display unit and i played legendary axe many times there. I got it for Christmas with bonks, legendary axe, and blazing lasers. I loved it. My birthday i got dungeon explorer and bonks revenge. My friend had a genesis and he always wanted me to bring over my turbo. We would play it all night. It is really sad becuase it was a great system with a certain feel to the games i can't explain.

[@MorganIsAway]

Great video. I always loved the Turbo Grafx as a kid and was surprised it didnt do well

[@PlayerOneStart]

First, very well done! I have been researching the Turbografx for the last couple of months and you have definitely done your homework. I like your overall presentation and style. It is such a tragedy, but it really shows what happens when a company only goes into something for the money. NEC was lacking skills specific to the gaming industry, but really only wanted a slice of the pie.

[@HistoricNerd]

Thanks! Yeah the TG16 is certainly a really interesting story. Its just such a shame that NEC didn't really take a long hard look at their staff and really think about what they needed to launch a console.

[@Nihilatl]

I had one: the games had an underdog/obscure appeal that as a kid it was the first time I felt the shudder of that feeling. It was haunted system(ninja spirit was badass)

[@captaincrunch1707]

I’ll never forgot ordering some dungeon game that was on flyer inside a magazine. That seemed such a bizarre concept but it was fun waiting for the mail to arrive. Sadly, adhd never really allowed to focus on gaming.

[@KindaCool]

Awesome video! I wasn’t aware of the fact NEC was looking to get into the US arcade market with the TG16. You learn something new everyday. :)

[@HistoricNerd]

Its a really interesting story. NEC just basically ghosted the arcade company they were working with too...kinda nuts in the end.

[@Sinn0100]

Games for the TG-16 looked better at launch? What?! I was there my friend and that was most assuredly not the case. Ghouls n' Ghosts by itself slaughtered anything coming out of Nec/Hudson at the time. Altered Beast with its parallax scrolling tore into most TG-16 launch titles graphically. I chose the Genesis in '89 because it delivered graphics unlike anything I had ever witnessed before.

[@madaction9373]

Fantastic work! Very interesting. Keep up the great content!

[@HistoricNerd]

Will do! Sorry this one took so long.

[@madaction9373]

@@HistoricNerd you did awesome! You weren't kidding that this video was over 30 minutes long.

[@HistoricNerd]

I think its the longest one i've produced so far.

[@eamendoza057]

Gaming with friends back in those days was huge. I remember being hugely disappointed that it didn't come with 2 player controller ports and a second controller like the NES did.

[@user-or6yn8pm3c]

One great thing in those days is the different platforms had vastly different games. Today most games for Xbox PS and PC are the same.

[@HistoricNerd]

It certainly a unique aspect of the time for sure :)

[@paulink]

Amazing stuff. I wanted to learn more about the turbografx after getting my mini and this was the right place, thank you.

[@HistoricNerd]

Glad you enjoyed. :)

[@johnlyons1330]

I totally agree with you that NEC didn't really support the TG-16. In the '90s I worked for NEC Logistics America (the warehousing and shipping subsidiary). I was in charge of all the shipping for TTI. We'd get maybe 500 copies of a game and they would all go to Toys-R-Us (because that's what mattered then) and all the other dealers wouldn't get any game allocations. Then Toys-R-Us would return most of the inventory as unsold. It's unfortunate. The TG-16 and Duo were great machines. I think NEC just didn't know how to sell at the consumer level. (The TV and VCR sales were abysmal at the time as well, and those product lines closed even before the Tg-16).

[@HistoricNerd]

Thank you for sharing that. It was fascinating how NEC handled everything. What I found when researching it, they came off as a too big to fail type attitude at first and then seemingly wanted to just write it off at the end.

[@johnlyons1330]

@@HistoricNerd The engineering people were really trying to do their best. I tested a SCSI adapter prototype (on my home 286 class PC) that went into the HuCard slot of the TurboDuo that would let it act as a CD-ROM drive. The Duo was about $400 at the time, and that was about the price of a CD-ROM drive. That could have been game-changing if they pursued it. It was a 100-year-old company and I think they just didn't see the value.

[@HistoricNerd]

@@johnlyons1330 the Engineer folks did seriously solid work across the board there. I think it was the marketing and sales folks that really dropped the ball. I kinda regret not checking the system out in it's prime when it came out. It's a really fun platform.

[@kronosjapan]

Very nicely done with lot's of interesting details I never knew. If only the Turbografx-16 had gotten better box art, Street Fighter II Champion Ed., and Mortal Kombat, the system may have fared better. At least the TG16 mini was done mostly right.

[@HistoricNerd]

I've heard good things about the Mini, I need to pick one up. Yeah the staff at NEC American seemed to be terrified of getting game licenses so they kinda messed up on getting the big name titles

[@kronosjapan]

@@HistoricNerd I think I read years ago that some execs blocked the TG16 from getting an exclusive Mortal Kombat license. So dumb. The Mini performs pretty well, one of the few shortcomings is duplicate titles that are useless in certain regions, like Japanese Snatcher on the system.

[@HistoricNerd]

I think I had found something similar about the MK game, but I thought it was NEC cheaping out, that's a huge shame about snatcher

[@dtester]

Yeah, I don't know what is with American VG companies in the 80s and bad box art. They could have saved money just importing Japanese art. I guess American execs at the time though US kids couldn't get behind art that was more "Anime"... which was dumb since I loved that stuff as a kid in the 80s.

[@yakadoodledongywongy8718]

Should of dumped the home console and focussed on the handheld. Then ported all the Japanese games. The CD Add on should of been a whole new separate console. The idea that Bonk was going to rival Sonic or Mario was nuts. The arcade idea was interesting. Licences from movies and TV would of helped. ATARI Jaguar was the same they focussed on the hardware and games were an afterthought. If any console in that era had of came along and focussed entirely on TV/Movie/Comic etc they could have carved out a niche.

[@LttlKnwnCompBehindWriteAssist]

I like the sublime way of presentation. The animation, sound effects, music and the voice overs make it very soothing!

[@HistoricNerd]

Thank you I'm glad you enjoyed it. My N64 video is done in a similar way if you wanted to check that one out as well.

[@craighorner4607]

The only reason I didnt take an interest is because I couldn't go to a video store and rent it or the games. Back then the only real way to see the games was to rent them and that played a large role on when I bought the TurboGrafx 16. Had I known how good some of the games were I would have went for it earlier. The last titles that came out for it were superb games and I am thankful I have them. If I would have been able to rent Soldier Blade when it was new I would have eagerly paid full price for it

[@michaelcabrera794]

This is the best KZbin video documentary on why the TurboGrafx-16 failed. All the other videos do not even come close to the amount of details and research you put into this. My attention was retained during the entire video as none of it was fluff. Thank you for putting this video together. I learned a lot from this. I actually have a TG-16 console arriving next week from eBay, so it will make the experience even more sweeter now that I have a better understanding of its fascinating history.

[@HistoricNerd]

Thank you!

[@kh7955]

I had one friend who had one. I do remember the commercials coming on during Saturday morning cartoons in the early 90s. We played the shit out of the turbo when we got bored with snes or nes. Bought the turbo mini about a year ago and its pretty awesome for emulation. It's crazy that the Turbo never blew up here in the U.S.

[@HistoricNerd]

I honestly didnt have much exposure to the system when it was in stores. I discovered it later and its shocking the system did so poorly based on how good some of the games are. Thanks sharing your experience with it.

[@kh7955]

@@HistoricNerd yea man no problem! We played a lot of bomberman, Keith courage, dungeon explorer, and r type. Awesome times.

[@thecoreelementsmoto]

Amazing games, I had bought 3 of them brand new including a new old stock one in the very late 90s at a walmart they found lost in the layway room. Every one of them managed to break off the controller in the console. Man I miss kieth courage yo bro! and final lap twin, bonk and air zonk. I should hook mine back up

[@katherineberger6329]

I had no idea at the time and still don't why NEC thought a console with only one external peripheral port was a Good Idea.

[@HistoricNerd]

I always wondered that myself. Because they spent all that time reworking the shell....why not just add it?

[@katherineberger6329]

@@HistoricNerd I know right? Especially since they'd already reconfigured the motherboard to take advantage of the doubled size of the shell (heating issues in the very compact original were quite severe and spacing it out meant more air flow for heat to dissipate, so I'm not surprised that Hudson's engineers took the opportunity to reconfigure the hardware to take advantage of the larger shell that the ex-Atari executives wanted). It made absolutely no sense to NOT put in two controller ports, or better yet, FOUR as later consoles would use.

[@katherineberger6329]

But of course, in spite of the tech nerdery here... as you say in the video several times the biggest issue is software, and that 1988 meeting with potential third parties, and NEC's high-handed treatment of EA (which then was an absolute powerhouse in the PC game design space; they had made hit after hit in the DOS software environment) likely had ripple effects - I can't imagine that their near-complete inability to attract third-party developers in North America didn't originate from that original developer meeting - if they treated one of the hottest PC developers around like chumps, what did other developers stand to gain from the relationship?

[@ENiceGeo]

@@katherineberger6329 Much like how Microsoft dropped the ball with Japanese developer support for the Xbox One. They got some developer support for the 360 but then dropped a studio working on Phantom Dust for them and lost support for the One. Maybe I'm wrong but it seems to me that's when third parties that put out multi-platform and even exclusive 360 games just bailed on the One.

[@AChannelFrom2006]

I prefer the look of the PC Engine and that was the more common one in Australia. I reckon Bomberman would have been the best pack-in game as it was also made by Hudson Soft. Nintendo used to have an arcade machine that played timed Nintendo NES games. I played one back in the day. But I never knew about TG16 doing that.

[@HistoricNerd]

Yeah its a really interesting little thing NEC tried to do to get more traction. Im not sure if they tried it at all in Japan or any other market but there was an attempt in north America. But the Arcade distributor stated later that NEC basically ghosted them at the end. Which just seems to fit with the disjointed directions NEC NA was going.

[@orlandoturbo6431]

Turbografx 16 needed Tecmo sports games and more action platform games on Turbochip.

[@HistoricNerd]

It just needed more of everything. It had great titles just not enough I feel.

[@johnathonhamilton232]

I just stumbled upon your schedule today. Wow! It is a crime that you have so few subs. You rock!

[@HistoricNerd]

Thanks, I figure if I just keep doing what I'm doing eventually KZbin will promote my work.

[@johnathonhamilton232]

HistoricNerd I think it’s starting to work. You showed up in my suggested feed by KZbin. Best of luck! I’ll send links to your videos to my friends, you deserve it!

[@chadbailey30]

I had the NES, Master system, Genesis, Sega CD/32X, and Super NES! Really never heard of the Turbo Graphix 16 untill way later from You Tube Videos. IDK if I was just clueless or what but maybe had heard the name once or twice but never even knew what it was. I think this was the same for many kids growing up.in the 90s

[@HistoricNerd]

I honestly didn't find out about the TG16 until the mid 2000s. I completely missed it as well.

[@ReplicantGenX]

Ultimately this is the best video I have seen about the TurboGrafx-16 ! Ultimately !

[@HistoricNerd]

Thank you! The article I sourced for the video also outstanding if you get a chance to read that.

[@bigdeagle1331]

As a teen I never knew anyone who had a turbo graphics! But as the years go by I can see “I missed out” on not getting a turbo graphics! One of the biggest problems was , to many consoles came out in the 90’s! When it’s all said and done! It comes down to the games!

[@HistoricNerd]

I honestly completely missed the console in the 90s and didn't really encounter it until the early 2000s. I was kinda shocked that I never knew anyone who had one. It's a solid console. But was plagued by bad management.

[@Gryzor88]

I’m still baffled at the NEC executive who decided that 4th grader drawings were perfectly fine to use as game box artwork o_O

[@HistoricNerd]

Yeah, its pretty interesting. Its not like they didn't have time during the process of porting to come up with better designs. But its really interesting because ive read that some of the cases of box art changes were caused by the ported game just showing up with Zero Assets to create a cover. But based on some of the stuff ive seen from that era, i think a lot of people just thought they could do a better job.

[@Gryzor88]

HistoricNerd Yeah, NEC were pretty much depending on 3rd parties like Irem and Namco to send them the original assets of the games for the US launch. Guess the Japanese just couldn‘t be bothered. I wouldn‘t blame the bad cover art on the era though, cause we‘ve had stunning artwork from Bob Wakelin over here in Europe in the 80s. Check out Rastan, Renegade, Combat School and Gryzor (Contra) published by Ocean/Imagine.

[@petewillson205]

@@Gryzor88 true, but box art cost money 1 thing Atari actually did spend money on...Its all about marketing and the money goes to print ads, tv spots etc. I find it amazing nes launch 86 3 yrs later 16 bit machines were here, by 1990 Sega had came back and won the war

[@orkoto6057]

Arcade turbografx was a thing l in Spain. Called TOURVISION, it basically took a pc engine board, added various slots for pc engine games (although aesthetically modified), and coins gave playing time, just like nintendos playchoice.

[@AirZonkWorldChamp]

Great video, I still loved the system growing up but even I could draw better art then most of their covers they had.

[@HistoricNerd]

Yeah it was fascinating to look into that. It was ether they felt they could do a better job...which was often the case. Or they literally just got the game from Japan and there was no other resources provided. But their box was still some of the strangest out there.

[@rubski-ds9yc]

I was 12 years old back in 1990 when I got my turbo grafx 16 and I was excited my best friend also got the system and we couldn't play 2 players cause u needed to buy an extender which was so dumb. Probably there worst idea. But I loved the system. Had many great titles.. great memories

[@HistoricNerd]

Yeah the turbo tap was such a silly idea that was really anti consumer in the long run.

[@NESADDICT]

I remember seeing it in my toysRus Christmas catalog and wondered what the heck it was.

[@HistoricNerd]

I actually didn't end up seeing one until the early 2000s at which point I was like HOW DID I MISS this console.

[@NESADDICT]

@@HistoricNerd excellent video by the way! Just what I was looking for as far as information.

[@HistoricNerd]

@@NESADDICT thanks glad you enjoyed it!

[@RideRedRacer]

24:02 imagine being that kid that played these games before the game was even ported over to america.. epic

[@PixelGameSquad]

Great work man! Excellent presentation ✌️

[@HistoricNerd]

Thanks! Glad you dropped by!

[@unclestabby4018]

I actually really enjoyed the system. A friend of mine had one and we wasted days playing the BONK titles. Thanks for the blast from the past.

[@HistoricNerd]

That's awesome thanks for sharing that story.

[@unclestabby4018]

Thanks for the videos. Keep it up. You gained a subscriber

[@jeremym9011]

Ah... if only NEC didn't screw up the release of this system. I like it better than the Genesis and Super Nintendo.

[@MrRobertCortese]

This is by far the most accurate story on the TurboGrafx I've seen. Subbed. I loved this system, even had the CD-Addon. You touched on every reason I thought it failed. Timing and Nintendo's licensing probably did the most damage. If players could have seen their NES favorites ported to the TG-16 (like Gradius) it would have made a huge difference. NEC should have sold it at a loss out the gate. The only mold redesign that should have been done would be to add another controller port. Even though it never happened anywhere, I think adding a keyboard/mouse and Basic to the system a year after launch would have been a bold strategy for NEC. Schools at the time were still using Apple II's, or at best a IIGS or monochrome mac. Billing it as something kids could do homework on might have been something that would have appealed to US parents during a time of Commodore/Atari 8 bit lines. (I remember my mom buying an apple IIc because it was the more "educational" computer)

[@HistoricNerd]

Certainly a bold strategy if they had tried it. But a part me doubts the team at NEC North America could have pulled that off. The Educational angle could have really put them on more people's radar's for sure though.

[@MrRobertCortese]

@@HistoricNerd Ya there's a part in your video where you talked about Hudson releasing a keyboard and basic for the Famicon that made me think of it. I remember at that time my dad had Atari stuff (8-bit computers) at his house, mom had the apple IIC. Neither system had the graphics capability or RAM of a PC-Engine, but both were 6502 based. I dabbled a bit in basic programming on both and was always bummed at the lack of onscreen colors. It would have been neat to see a homebrew scene back then for it. Too bad we didn't have a time machine, we could totally go back and show the folks at Hudson/NEC your video and make it happen :D

[@CrowsSalvation]

I was lucky growing up. Some how my uncle ended up getting one. He lived down the street from me so I could play it regularly. As a kid I thought it beat anything graphically.

[@retrorockerross]

One of the factors that gets overlooked from this era was the stranglehold Nintendo of America had on third party developers. Limiting cartridge production, how many games could be released, and a two year exclusivity deal. They also threatened to not supply stores that sold competitors' products. Add that to the American branch here being clueless about games. I was too young to have had one of these, but have played ROM's and have the Mini console now. A neat little system that deserved better.

[@orlandoturbo6431]

If only they had good games and two controller ports.They should had the Supergrafx insides and three button controller to match the upcoming Sega Genesis.Also they should of had more sports games and fighting games.They had a good thing with the TurboExpress they could of re-designed the handheld to make it cheaper.

[@chaospoet]

I always loved the Turbografx. I saw it for the first time Christmas of 89. My cousin got one with a bunch of games. I saw it before the Genesis. Going from only seeing the NES and the Atari 2600 for home consoles blew my mind! Keith Courage, Blazing Lasers, Alien Crush, Military Madness and The Legendary Axe were the coolest games I had ever seen at the time. What many experienced with the PS1 or N64 in terms of the next major leap forward in gaming that's what the Turbografx was to me. Trouble was it was too expensive with needing an add on for a second controller and the chord was shockingly short and you need to buy an adapter to make it longer. Then add in that it was a massive pain to find. I begged my parents for one (practically every day when Splatterhouse came out and my cousin let me play it). I ended up getting a Genesis instead (no complaints there) but I never lost my love and appreciation for this system. Much like the Saturn it's a genuine shame it didn't do better and more people didn't play it in it's time, because it's a fantastic system.

[@HistoricNerd]

I didn't really have any exposure to the system when it game out as I was a Genesis kid. However finding the system later in life I have certainly gained an appreciation for the systems unique flair and style. Thank you for sharing your experience.

[@maroon9273]

Turbografx reminds me of the Dreamcast and Wii U. Both console came out earlier than the competitors and still fail once more consoles coming in the picture (PS2, gamecube, xbox, ps4, xbox one)

[@chaospoet]

@@maroon9273 Ha! Funny you should say that! Proud Dreamcast and Wii U owner. I guess I just have a thing for underdog consoles. 🤷‍♂️

[@chaospoet]

@@HistoricNerd I begged my parents for one but the price was not to their liking as well as the amount of stores that actually sold it so I ended up getting a Genesis also. My best friend who lived down the street from me got a Super Nintendo, so short of a Neo Geo (still to this day I don't personally know anyone who ever owned one) I was lucky enough to get to play every system of that console generation when it was commercially relevant.

[@thegman7523]

I had a TG16 and honestly got it for one game R-type. After a few months I realized I should’ve gotten a genesis. I did get bonk and other titles like legendary axe and splatterhouse. I bought a SNES when it came out and sold back my TG16 at funcoland and probably got $50 for it

[@HistoricNerd]

Thanks for sharing your story. R-Type was very solid so I can understand that purchase. I grew up a Genesis kid so I completely missed the TG16 but kind of grew to appreciated it later. The system certainly has some duds but some of them are absolutely fantastic.

[@bigdeagle1331]

They should of doubled the pack in game included! Bonk adventure and blazing lasers!

[@ReservedInvestments]

This was an excellent video. Thank you!

[@HistoricNerd]

@@ReservedInvestments thanks for watching!

[@StudioCoqui]

Reading the Gamasutra interview was like reading a horror novel. What happened with the PC Engine/Turbografx was way worse than Nintendo/Sony Playstation debacle. I'd put PC Engine/Turbografx as No. 1 on my list of worst business moves above Nintendo breaking the Playstation deal with Sony. Let's put it this way, PC Engine CD Add-on came in out '88 and Turbo-CD in '89, Sega CD came out in Japan in '91 and Sony's Playstation was not until 94. NEC/Hudson Soft's catalogue of CD games in Japan had some really high quality gameplay and could have been the industry standard if the morons in the US Branch would have just hired software guys after learning they had hired hardware guys. Then they could have curated with the Japanese branch in which quality games to bring out to the US and avoided some poor games like Double Dungeons.

[@leeartlee915]

People like to say “Nintendo inadvertently created Playstation”. The truth is, if Nintendo had gone through with that Sony deal, they would have accomplished the same thing. The two would have stayed in a partnership for a few years, Nintendo would have realized how bad the deal was, and they would have stopped collaborating. By that point, Sony would have REALLY known how lucrative the video game industry had the potential to be. In other words, they were screwed either way. The only thing they could have done differently was never talking to Sony in the first place. But that would mean they would never have gotten the Sony sound chip for the SNES and that would have been a very, very sad thing. That sound chip was one of the best things about that console. Personally, I think if Sony hadn’t figured it out, another company would have. Nintendo was never going to stay on top forever. There’s too much money in video games.

[@dex2531]

NEC PC engine had the first console version port of Capcom’s Street Fighter II, like what the hell happened with getting actual good games? They could have licensed it exclusively and brought in arcade games, including SNK’s King of Fighters, Samarai Showdown and Metal Slug and various other successful coin up games. NEC America had the whole coin up thing reversed, not out TG16 into coin op , but bring Arcade games home, heck the Turbo GFX express was an epic handheld that could have played all those games.

[@leeartlee915]

@@dex2531 Is that true? Wow, talk about a missed opportunity.

[@jamesaitchison9478]

In Europe the TG16 was non existant, it wasn't available in stores for consumers to view the Console or the Games, and was only available via Mail Order from the back of Video Game magazines and was very expensive to import. The name alone (Turbografx-16) was laughable to be honest especially compared with the competition, and the marketing was terrible, was it a 8-Bit or a 16-Bit Console? It was all very confusing. In Europe SEGA was a force to be reckoned with seeing as the Master System outsold the NES from 1987 to 1989 in Britain, because Nintendo treated Europe like a wicked stepmother. SEGA hit the nail on the head with it's marketing of awesome ports of Arcade Games we all played as kids. The 8-Bit war was full force in Europe unlike other parts of the World. The Turbografx-16 never stood a chance in Europe against SEGA's brilliant marketing and Nintendo's hit titles. I didn't even know anyone that owned a TG16, yet i knew one person that owned a Neo Geo, a £600 behemoth that was very, very exclusive. This speaks for itself really. Bad marketing, poor Games, bad System design (only one control port 😒) lead to the TG16's demise before it was given life. Yet for all that, the TG16 has some of the best Shooters of the era on it's System. This is what the Console should have been marketed as, the home Console for Arcade style Shooters. Many a time did i salivate over the screenshots of Japanese exclusive shooters in magazines and really, really wanted to play those Games. I was the perfect age (11) at the perfect time (1989) to market those Games to, but had nothing except those screenshots and the expensive Mail Order was all i had to go on. It's no wonder Europe became the battlefield for the 8-Bit and 16-Bit Console wars, with Nintendo and SEGA going head to head. It was a great time to alive just to see the Console wars in their fullest, with Super Mario World up against Sonic The Hedgehog. Good times.

[@thyreason]

In high school I saved up for the TG16 and the Cd rom attachment. The games weren't the best but Ys Book I & II and Bonk's Adventure was incredible.

[@HistoricNerd]

Man, saving up that much money in high school is truly impressive. That's pretty awesome, thanks for sharing that.

[@AlexVasquez-fw5up]

I still have mine along with 8 games

[@Gorilla_Jones]

How'd I miss this video? Gets sammich and Coke.

[@Will-qd2km]

I had a tg16 as a kid and I loved it. I think if they didn't resign the system, just made it black with new name and released it about the same time as they did in Japan history would be way different. And if they had bonk from the start. Sega didn't kill it until they had Sonic. I think it's mostly over now but Japan used to always over think the American market.

[@garage2track]

Legendary Axe would have been a great pack in title as well

[@Soulintent95]

This console was so good though. I wish it was common in my area... i want to own one so badly. I love the fact that the games are on cards. I like to collect things like that. Im happy that i own a not so mini turbo mini, but id rather have the real deal. Also not sure if you have done this but you should do actual documentaries, your voice is so natural for it as well as the way you talk.

[@HistoricNerd]

Thank you! I appreciate the kind words there. Im a little ashamed to say but I some how missed the tg16 when it first came out and didn't really play one until the early 2000s. I was really impressed with it then. The system really grew on me after doing this doc as well.

[@Soulintent95]

@@HistoricNerd i realize i should clarify my part about documentaries, i mean like you should see if you can get roles for big budget ones. Your voice is perfect for it. Your documentaries are great as they are, of course. But with a voice like that, if its something you arent afraid to do, youd probably make it in the big scene. Either way i can see your channel getting bigger and bigger given the quality of your vids. Sorry, im terrible at compliments lol but you probably understand what im trying to say. And yes i wish i knew about the turbo when it was new as well. Id never heard of it until classic game room talked about it in the early 2000s. We really missed out! I thought id hate that the system only had 2 buttons on the controller, but the genious of the built in turbo functionality made me not even care that its only 2 buttons. And the system really does have the best shooters like a lot of people claim.

[@54321ZachMr]

I stood and admired the Genesis with Altered Beast on display beside a Turbografx with Keith Courage in Toys R Us in December 1989. Altered Beast looked like an arcade game, while the Turbo had an NES level game. I walked out of there with a Genesis and Ghouls N Ghosts. I had friends that got the Turbo and the CD unit was very impressive with Y’s. The thing was, behind the cool cinematic, an NES level game awaited with some of the best music our ears had ever heard. 😂 Also, the controllers. The Turbo controller looked like a knock off NES pad with turbo switches. The Genesis had this big curved three button monstrosity of a controller that looked cool. We always thought that the Turbo should have launched with R Type as the pack in, that way their image would have been more teen and adult aimed. R Type would have moved systems back then as it looked amazing.

[@HistoricNerd]

That's such a great story, thank you for that. I'm sad to say. I completely missed out on the TG16 in the 90s

[@54321ZachMr]

@@HistoricNerd It was easy to miss for the general public back then unless you were a gamer into the magazines. It had about two years of marketing and then the mags had to carry the torch because of the import scene.

[@alexanderarce3341]

They only had one controller port which was strange.

[@theangrypuppet6599]

I liked my turbo , I even bought the turbo duo , still have them both somewhere, still looking to by the turbo mini , but most of the games I already bought in the Nintendo e shop ! I agree the system could of made better games , but still gate of thunder , bloody wolf , and alien crush , as well as others , are still hard to beat !!

[@markpaterson2053]

Excellent video essay, so slick; such a shame it has so few views.

[@HistoricNerd]

I'm sure one day KZbin might share it

[@bernielomax4702]

Is this guy doing a Christopher Walken impression?

[@Jaxon23294]

I was rooting for the Turbo Graphix

[@daltonpaulvideos]

Finally watched it. Very nice, man. Those renders had to have taken forever. Good stuff.

[@HistoricNerd]

Thanks man, yeah a couple of those shots took 6 hours to do. One crazyed a couple of times wasting a lot of time. Thanks for the vo man :)

[@frankhdz]

I remember buying my TGFX16 because of the japanese games that where being shown off in gaming magazines of the time naively thinking those games were coming to the US. I saved up all my money from birthdays, and the little money I could scrounge up from chores. Finally the day came when I proudly bought my TurboGrFX16 and CDROM attachment! I eagerly waiting for the games to arrive... and I waited and waited. My friends got their Genesis and SNES and I was stuck with a useless brick that barely had any games. Keith Courage was a disappointment that game sucked! I saw that Street Fighter II had come out in Japan and thought surely they will bring this to the US. It never came. I bought all the games I could and there were some gems even in the US. Bonk was great, Legendary Axe was also one of my favorites on the system. The game I remember fondly and has to be my all time favorite is Devils Crush that game had awesome graphics and a killer soundtrack, I think it's better than the Genesis version. The PC Engine had a great library and if they had brought that library to the US the system would have put up a serious fight against Nintendo and Sega. But the corporate morons didn't understand the gem they had on their hands and it died in corporate boardrooms. Eventually I bought an SNES solely for Street Fighter II because NEC never brought their version state side and I got tired of waiting. I remember when they announced the SuperGRFX but I did not rush to get that system and glad I didn't since only a handful of games came out. I was also burned by the lack of games they brought to the TBGFX16, glad I didn't. Still, I did love the system, the games I was able to buy were truly awesome. I wish I still had it.

[@alexanderarce3341]

I bet Sony and Microsoft was watching NEC to learn what not to do with their future console launches.

[@mypkamax]

[15:42-16:00] Nintendo: Stowing games away back then and they still do it to this day. (Nintendo has been putting simulated supply limits on their digital releases since late 2020. Super Mario 3D All-Stars and Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light are infamous for being delisted on 31st of March, 2021.)

[@arabibattery6951]

Very enjoyable watch. Informative and chill.

[@HistoricNerd]

Glad you enjoyed! If you like this one you might like my N64 video as well

[@arabibattery6951]

@@HistoricNerd ok brother. I’ll check it out now.

[@tradeo8899]

My god you are underrated! Only 22k views for this masterpiece?!?!?!?

[@HistoricNerd]

Thank you! I'm sure one day KZbin will push the video more.

[@bradnimbus4836]

This was an awesome find! Great work, I'm gonna subscribe and dig through your videos!

[@HistoricNerd]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@catmannamtac3871]

kanye should have dropped the album

[@leeartlee915]

I think one of the funniest things about NEC’s move was making the system needlessly bigger because American’s “think small = toy”. I do prefer the color scheme on the America redesign. But if you ever open up the TG-16, it’s half empty space.