NE146 Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 6 hours ago, CZroe said: http://imgur.com/a/EF1QIaD That's interesting. I didn't realize you could use your existing Amazon account . Half my confusion was when I ordered some Thomas the Train DVDs from Amazon UK maybe 6 years ago, it did NOT allow me to enter in my existing Amazon login, so I had to create a whole new Amazon UK-only account. I wonder if that changed only recently. And that's pretty cool you could just switch the country/region with the Amazon website.. I've always just manually typed amazon.co.uk or amazon.jp in a browser. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZroe Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 I've never seen that option. Is it new? Well, in any case, I have a separate account for Amazon Japan. For anyone who doesn't know, you can set Amazon Japan to display in either English or Chinese, if you want. I am not sure if you have to sign in first, but it can be done.I first used it in 2017 to buy a Super Famicom Mini but I believe it was around long before that. The video was the Android app but you can do it from a desktop browser too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoyous Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 8 hours ago, CZroe said: The video was the Android app but you can do it from a desktop browser too. Oh man... you have let the genie out of the bottle... I'm going to have such a hard time keeping myself from ordering a bunch of stuff from Japan! ? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Pendleton Posted June 11, 2020 Share Posted June 11, 2020 (edited) On 6/10/2020 at 12:08 AM, CZroe said: I first used it in 2017 to buy a Super Famicom Mini but I believe it was around long before that. The video was the Android app but you can do it from a desktop browser too. I made my Amazon Japan account in like 2009, I think. Anyway, I can mostly read Amazon Japan's website, so it's not a problem for me and I leave it in Japanese anyway since most of the product descriptions are still in Japanese. I have actually been thinking about getting the Super Famicom Mini since I see a ton of them in Akiba. I really shouldn't, though, since I have a real SFC (I need to get the HD Retrovision cable for this. Composite only right now, but it's probably at the absolute bottom of my list of priorities) and the Super Nt and honestly I like the US version's library a lot more. No Akumajou Dracula for Japan is baffling, but now that I think about it, that's the only game that's on the US version that I care about that isn't on the Japanese version. Nice that Monshou no Nazo is on there, though. Anyway, to get back to the PC Engine, I'll maybe get a CoreGrafx mini. It seems that nobody has dumped the near-Arcade ROMs as far as I can tell. Might as well do it legit, and the CoreGrafx mini goes better with my real CoreGrafx than the PC Engine mini does anyway. Edited June 11, 2020 by Steven Pendleton 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoyous Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 Okay... I just ordered the PC Engine Mini! ? In case anyone needs some rationalization to do the same or similar, well... a) I've wanted one ever since '88 when my friend and I would look at screenshots in imported issues of Famitsu, and b) Father's Day is coming up, so... after hemming and hawing for a few days, that was enough for me! They estimate delivery between the 16th and the 19th, so we'll see. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Pendleton Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Zoyous said: Okay... I just ordered the PC Engine Mini! ? In case anyone needs some rationalization to do the same or similar, well... a) I've wanted one ever since '88 when my friend and I would look at screenshots in imported issues of Famitsu, and b) Father's Day is coming up, so... after hemming and hawing for a few days, that was enough for me! They estimate delivery between the 16th and the 19th, so we'll see. I hope you ordered a turbo controller to go with it. Edit: I checked and the turbo controller is sold out. Interesting. Edited June 12, 2020 by Steven Pendleton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonGrafx-16 Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 9 minutes ago, Steven Pendleton said: I hope you ordered a turbo controller to go with it. Edit: I checked and the turbo controller is sold out. Interesting. It might be funny but the only game I have ever used the turbo switches on my PC Engine (real one not mini) is Dragon Spirit as it does not have autofire... lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Pendleton Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 8 minutes ago, DragonGrafx-16 said: It might be funny but the only game I have ever used the turbo switches on my PC Engine (real one not mini) is Dragon Spirit as it does not have autofire... lol What about Fantasy Zone and Space Harrier? Most of the later games have autofire that I've seen, but some of the earlier ones don't, like Battle Ace and Space Harrier, and then you have weird things like Aldynes and 1941 Counter Attack where there is a charge thingy, so you have to choose if you want turbo or the charge thing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZroe Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 I hope you ordered a turbo controller to go with it. Edit: I checked and the turbo controller is sold out. Interesting.Well, I noticed earlier this week that both the controller and the tap/USB hub are suddey available on Amazon US...It has officially been more than a year since preorders started. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Pendleton Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 (edited) 1 minute ago, CZroe said: Well, I noticed earlier this week that both the controller and the tap/USB hub are suddey available on Amazon US... It has officially been more than a year since preorders started. Interesting... I wonder if they shipped all of the stock from Japan to USA. Europe is probably still screwed for now, though. Edit: Japan still has the multitap. Controllers are all gone, though. Edited June 12, 2020 by Steven Pendleton 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonGrafx-16 Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 34 minutes ago, Steven Pendleton said: What about Fantasy Zone and Space Harrier? Most of the later games have autofire that I've seen, but some of the earlier ones don't, like Battle Ace and Space Harrier, and then you have weird things like Aldynes and 1941 Counter Attack where there is a charge thingy, so you have to choose if you want turbo or the charge thing. I don't have Fantasy Zone or Space Harrier on PC Engine... lol I do have Space Harrier on Sega Master System though... I only have 12 PC Engine games... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Pendleton Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 18 minutes ago, DragonGrafx-16 said: I don't have Fantasy Zone or Space Harrier on PC Engine... lol I do have Space Harrier on Sega Master System though... I only have 12 PC Engine games... Time to get some more! There are lots of good games on the PC Engine! For people in Europe, Amazon UK has the CoreGrafx mini in stock https://www.amazon.co.uk/Konami-PC-Engine-CoreGrafx-Mini/dp/B07SLM7N9J/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2XHJ83CT8D5LI&dchild=1&keywords=coregrafx+mini&qid=1591934971&sprefix=coregraf%2Caps%2C-1&sr=8-1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roots.genoa Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 2 hours ago, Steven Pendleton said: For people in Europe, Amazon UK has the CoreGrafx mini in stock Wait, UK is still in Europe? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Pendleton Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 4 hours ago, roots.genoa said: Wait, UK is still in Europe? Only geographically! Now that I think about it, I'd like to get a UK TurboGrafx some day. Not much point in getting that specifically when you can find more common variants, but it's still an interesting and relatively uncommon system, so I'd like one eventually, along with a Sodipeng SuperGrafx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoyous Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 A local video shop got in a stack of TurboGrafx games a while back, and it was actually my first time ever picking one up. I was surprised because the backs of the jewel cases were solid black plastic, instead of clear with artwork. Was that also the case for PC Engine releases? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Pendleton Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 (edited) 33 minutes ago, Zoyous said: A local video shop got in a stack of TurboGrafx games a while back, and it was actually my first time ever picking one up. I was surprised because the backs of the jewel cases were solid black plastic, instead of clear with artwork. Was that also the case for PC Engine releases? Mostly. Most of them have a sticker with a price and a barcode on it and that's it. There are exceptions, like Soldier Blade... and I'm not sure if you want to count the outer cardboard sleeves of SuperGrafx games since most of them have some artwork and a thingy that tells you that the game only works on the SuperGrafx. 1941 Counter Attack has a sentence on it that I'm too lazy to translate and Daimakaimura looks like this: https://necretro.org/File:Daimakaimura_SGX_JP_Box_Back.jpg The actual plastic cases of the SuperGrafx games are blank like most other PC Engine games, though. You know what? I'll take a picture because I'm bored and because I can. Hang on... From left: Appare! Gateball, Aldynes cardboard sleeve, Aldynes inner case thingy. And I forgot something: CD games. Dracula X has stuff on the back. Not sure about other CD games. I'd never really thought about it until now. Speaking of Daimakaimura, it seems that SuperGrafx games are not indicated by a blue stripe on the spine, as Daimakaimura's stripe is apparently purple. So much for SuperGrafx = blue. Does anyone else have any Capcom PC Engine games to check to see if the spine thingy is purple? I just had 1941 Counter Attack in my hands the other day and didn't think to check its spine color. Damn! Hopefully I can either buy that copy (it's "cheap" for that game!) or find another one. Edited June 12, 2020 by Steven Pendleton 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NE146 Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 Street Fighter CE hucard has art on the back, that I know. Most every Turbo CD game I've seen have artwork on back too but I'm sure there are exceptions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZroe Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 Yeah. All CD titles should have art on the back. Super System Card, Arcade Card Duo, Arcade Card Pro, Tennokoe Bank, etc all have art on the back. Anything in a double-thick case like SF2'CE likely does. I don't have any cased Japanese HuCards other than those listed but, despite those all having art on the back, my impression from my former roommate's collection was that most standard Japanese HuCard games had no art on the back. The ones that do were either non-standard HuCards or later HuCards, like the ones I listed above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoyous Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 That's very interesting. I wonder if having an opaque plastic back might have actually been a little more expensive than going with a clear plastic back? Is the construction of the case the same as a CD jewel case, in the sense that the inner tray is a separate piece than the back? Or is it a single piece, with the inside of the back holding the HuCard? Do you think it was purely practical, or did it give a unique and premium feel to the games to go with this design (I guess both could be possible)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZroe Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 That's very interesting. I wonder if having an opaque plastic back might have actually been a little more expensive than going with a clear plastic back? Is the construction of the case the same as a CD jewel case, in the sense that the inner tray is a separate piece than the back? Or is it a single piece, with the inside of the back holding the HuCard? Do you think it was purely practical, or did it give a unique and premium feel to the games to go with this design (I guess both could be possible)?Well, the HuCards were available before CD games and before most consumers had CD players. Indeed, many people bought something like a CD-ROM² as a home CD player, much like many people bought a PS2 as a DVD player and many people bought a PS3 as a Blu-Ray player (myself included). This means that CDs and their standard jewel cases didn't have nearly the same economies of scale in 1987 as they would a few years later when the clear-back cases displaced the opaque HuCard cases.The cost difference when the PC Engine was first introduced would have been the difference between...1) a custom back piece with a clear face (two pieces)...and...2) a clear-back/front design that still needs a custom piece inside (now three pieces)Until the cost of that clear back piece became negligible from improved economies of scale they probably were saving money with the opaque back pieces. Once the clear backs were essentially free with the front pieces they could save money making smaller custom inserts pieces for the HuCards (saves plastic on the custom parts).That said, I realized months ago that the Arcade Card Pro is slightly thicker than the Super System Card and it results in the case being slightly thicker too...http://imgur.com/a/FxAsGcEYou can see that it doesn't fit through this disc case protector though the Arcade Card Duo case goes in and out freely. This case really baffles me though. I'd assume it would be cheaper to redesign the HuCard insert or use a double case like Street Fighter II' Champion Edition unless there were already slightly thicker CD cases on the market. That extra thickness will not fit in most CD racks so I don't think slightly thicker cases were ever a good idea and can't imagine why they would already exist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoyous Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 Ah, that's a good point about the economies of scale... my family didn't start getting CDs until probably 1989 or 90 at the earliest. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NE146 Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 So i got me a DE-10 Nano and since the Turbografx core doesn’t require SDRAM (which I don’t have yet) I’ve been playing with it. It’s really nice! Definitely a solid option outside of emulation if you want to experience the entire hucard/turbo cd library. The cool thing too is you can use the pad from the Turbografx Mini 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eltigro Posted June 15, 2020 Share Posted June 15, 2020 Um... 1 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoyous Posted June 15, 2020 Share Posted June 15, 2020 Kids!! Listen!! We released these comfortable sandals over two years before Birkenschlock! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Pendleton Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 That's been like that for some time. I think it's funny. Still, it's not supposed to be that way. Check out the questions and answers section on that page, as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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