Looking for a cheap Turbografx-16 system

ifkz

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My birthday was last month and I always take the day off to scrounge around the local retro mom & pop used game stores looking for deals on good-cheap-old games. This year was another success, and I ran into some local Turbografx-16 games, the first in a long time. They were not exactly cheap, but I haven't had anything new to play in ages, so I scooped them up.

So, I'm looking for a cheap base model TG-16 unit with the back cover as an easy/convenient/cheap/durable way to play my set of games. No one local has one and online prices are a bit steep. Maybe I'm just too much of a cheap bastard. Anyone?
 
My birthday was last month and I always take the day off to scrounge around the local retro mom & pop used game stores looking for deals on good-cheap-old games. This year was another success, and I ran into some local Turbografx-16 games, the first in a long time. They were not exactly cheap, but I haven't had anything new to play in ages, so I scooped them up.

So, I'm looking for a cheap base model TG-16 unit with the back cover as an easy/convenient/cheap/durable way to play my set of games. No one local has one and online prices are a bit steep. Maybe I'm just too much of a cheap bastard. Anyone?

What do you define as cheap? I think that cwales has/had one for sale. I didn't think it was expensive. Make sure whatever you get has good controllers and a Turbo Booster.
 
I don't even care about the turbo booster, I've heard that runs $90 by itself, so I don't want it.

Best price I've seen is $50 for a system, back cover, controller, RF cable, and Keith Courage. I was hoping cheaper than that, years ago I saw systems for $20-$30 and up. I may end up trolling e-bay's BIN system section waiting for a good deal to pop up. I guess it's gotten a lot more collectable.
 
this is probably your best bet....

keep an eye on ebay for a turbografx lot (system and a few random games). look for those auctions that sometimes have really crappy pictures. sometimes those auctions stay on the cheaper side. or a quick BIN for the right price might work too :)

i love my turbo duo. still got over 100 games for it, what a great system! hope you get a good price on one.

I don't even care about the turbo booster, I've heard that runs $90 by itself, so I don't want it.

Best price I've seen is $50 for a system, back cover, controller, RF cable, and Keith Courage. I was hoping cheaper than that, years ago I saw systems for $20-$30 and up. I may end up trolling e-bay's BIN system section waiting for a good deal to pop up. I guess it's gotten a lot more collectable.
 
I don't even care about the turbo booster, I've heard that runs $90 by itself, so I don't want it.

Best price I've seen is $50 for a system, back cover, controller, RF cable, and Keith Courage. I was hoping cheaper than that, years ago I saw systems for $20-$30 and up. I may end up trolling e-bay's BIN system section waiting for a good deal to pop up. I guess it's gotten a lot more collectable.

There is no such thing as a cheap TurboGrafx any more. That's gonna be your best bet. Snatch it up if you can, and then find a composite cable from a reputable videogame dealer.

BTW, what games did you get?
 
I got a little game with a witch on the cover..Magical Chasing...or something.

Just kidding. A couple extra copies of Keith Courage for their cases to store loose games and a bunch of sports games.

I've also seen loose copies of Impossamole and Fantasy Zone, but the shop is crazy to want $25 each for 'em.

I guess I'll be looking around e-bay then, the hunt will be fun. The days of "what? This old thing? How does $20 sound?" ...are over.
 
I got a little game with a witch on the cover..Magical Chasing...or something.

Just kidding. A couple extra copies of Keith Courage for their cases to store loose games and a bunch of sports games.

I've also seen loose copies of Impossamole and Fantasy Zone, but the shop is crazy to want $25 each for 'em.

I guess I'll be looking around e-bay then, the hunt will be fun. The days of "what? This old thing? How does $20 sound?" ...are over.

Hahahaha... Nice Magical Chase joke... (jerk) ;)

Just the cart? Hmm. Yeah, that's a little steep but not surprising any more. It's one of my favorite systems. Good luck with your hunt.
 
I got a little game with a witch on the cover..Magical Chasing...or something.

Just kidding. A couple extra copies of Keith Courage for their cases to store loose games and a bunch of sports games.

I've also seen loose copies of Impossamole and Fantasy Zone, but the shop is crazy to want $25 each for 'em.

I guess I'll be looking around e-bay then, the hunt will be fun. The days of "what? This old thing? How does $20 sound?" ...are over.

Keith Courage is the worst TG 16 game ever!

Get:
  1. Galaga '90
  2. All the Bonks
  3. Air Zonk
  4. Alien Crush
  5. Devil's Crush
  6. Legendary Axe
  7. Blazing Lazers
  8. Bloody Wolf
  9. Bravoman
  10. Cadash (give it to me)
  11. Ninja Spirit
  12. Raiden
  13. R-Type
  14. Shockman
  15. Splatterhouse
 
Keith Courage is the worst TG 16 game ever!

Get:
  1. Galaga '90
  2. All the Bonks
  3. Air Zonk
  4. Alien Crush
  5. Devil's Crush
  6. Legendary Axe
  7. Blazing Lazers
  8. Bloody Wolf
  9. Bravoman
  10. Cadash (give it to me)
  11. Ninja Spirit
  12. Raiden
  13. R-Type
  14. Shockman
  15. Splatterhouse

Nonono, my friend... Ballistix is MUCH, MUCH worse! I'd play Keith Courage any day over that game.

Add to the list of good games: all the Bomberman games, Super Star Soldier, Soldier Blade, Legendary Axe II, Cratermaze, Side Arms, Cyber Core, Dragon Spirit, Legend of Hero Tonma, Klax, Ordyne, Parasol Stars, Turrican.

(On a side note, Tighe...Parasol Stars is touted as Bubble Bobble 3 and SHOULD HAVE been released as an arcade PCB, but wasn't. IMHO, it should be on your list of eventual console-to-arcade machines.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasol_Stars

Oh, and I recently passed up a Cadash because they wanted $35 for it and I was short on cash. Went back the next day and it was gone (of course).
 
Nonono, my friend... Ballistix is MUCH, MUCH worse! I'd play Keith Courage any day over that game.

Add to the list of good games: all the Bomberman games, Super Star Soldier, Soldier Blade, Legendary Axe II, Cratermaze, Side Arms, Cyber Core, Dragon Spirit, Legend of Hero Tonma, Klax, Ordyne, Parasol Stars, Turrican.

(On a side note, Tighe...Parasol Stars is touted as Bubble Bobble 3 and SHOULD HAVE been released as an arcade PCB, but wasn't. IMHO, it should be on your list of eventual console-to-arcade machines.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasol_Stars

Oh, and I recently passed up a Cadash because they wanted $35 for it and I was short on cash. Went back the next day and it was gone (of course).


Never played Ballistix, I don't have the experience you did with those games. :D

I glossed over games that were already on other consoles focusing on titles unique to the TG.

As for Parasol Stars, I already have a ton of ideas for the next cabinet I will build, and I hated Bubble Bobble until recently when I played it more than the first 3 levels. In the past I was "this game is shit" and turned it off. But now I have a new appreciation for it. Bust a move helped me give it a second chance, that and there is only one bad Taito game ever, and that is Rastan Saga 2.

It would be fun to make a Taito cabinet with custom PS artwork, I can say that!
 
there is only one bad Taito game ever, and that is Rastan Saga 2.

I like to think of ways to fix Rastan 2. The number one thing for me would be to ditch that junk claw weapon and make the large sword the default beginning weapon (like the first game).
Next would be to slow down the weapon swing speed. After that the only thing that needs partial tweaking is the level design. I think the art and sound are both good enough.

On topic: Maybe some member here will have a dusty unwanted TG-16 in their closet? I don't mind Keith Courage much, it is a better pack in than most any of the sports games on the system.

What always got me was how long they delayed bringing the system to the USA. If released a few months after the one in Japan (1987), I could easily see the TG16 holding its own until the 32-bit systems were launched.
 
I like to think of ways to fix Rastan 2. The number one thing for me would be to ditch that junk claw weapon and make the large sword the default beginning weapon (like the first game).
Next would be to slow down the weapon swing speed. After that the only thing that needs partial tweaking is the level design. I think the art and sound are both good enough.

On topic: Maybe some member here will have a dusty unwanted TG-16 in their closet? I don't mind Keith Courage much, it is a better pack in than most any of the sports games on the system.

What always got me was how long they delayed bringing the system to the USA. If released a few months after the one in Japan (1987), I could easily see the TG16 holding its own until the 32-bit systems were launched.

The main character in Rastan Saga 2 is such a downgrade from the first, and the there are like 2 frames of walking animation, his jump sucks, the whole mechanics are worse. Cadash is much more of a sequel.


The problem with the TG was the price, it was like $400 if I remember correctly.
 
I guess I'll be looking around e-bay then, the hunt will be fun. The days of "what? This old thing? How does $20 sound?" ...are over.
You can thank emulators for that...

ifkz said:
If released a few months after the one in Japan (1987), I could easily see the TG16 holding its own until the 32-bit systems were launched.
I dunno about that, the Megadrive & SNES are both far superior systems hardware wise.
 
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The problem with the TG was the price, it was like $400 if I remember correctly.

No, you're thinking of the CD add-on when that first debuted. That was $400. The TurboGrafx-16 base unit was priced at $250.

They made it cheaper by making it RF-only in the beginning, hence the need for the Turbo Booster to run composite to those TVs that allowed for it at the time.
 
No, you're thinking of the CD add-on when that first debuted. That was $400. The TurboGrafx-16 base unit was priced at $250.

They made it cheaper by making it RF-only in the beginning, hence the need for the Turbo Booster to run composite to those TVs that allowed for it at the time.

How much was the Turbo Booster? My friend got a system at launch with the booster and it was expensive, especially when you add games.
 
How much was the Turbo Booster? My friend got a system at launch with the booster and it was expensive, especially when you add games.

All it did was add A/V function. I thought it was a $50 add-on, so the total would've been $300 for the system. Add 2 games at $50 a piece and you've reached your $400 price tag.
 
I've got my ps3 modded with the pcuemu installed (tg-16 emulator). No more chasing down carts and waiting for a "cheap" system to pop up. Everyone is right they are holding steady and in some cases climbing in value.


Nothing beats galaga '88 on my big screen.....nothing that is except for galaga '90!
 
You ever get up to Dallas? I have one somewhere in my storage locker...

Untested.
 
Maybe we can dig it out and add it to the order? PM sent.
 
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