TurboGrafx-16 games hit PS3, PSP

Downloadable versions of Bomberman '94, Devil's Crush, and more arrive on Japanese PlayStation Store.

In March, Sony Computer Entertainment America marketing head John Koller said in an interview that the PSP would be playing other systems' games by the end of 2009. The executive's promise has already been kept, as the Japanese PlayStation Store has been updated with a quartet of TurboGrafx-16 games. The console, released in 1989 in North America, was called the PC Engine in Japan.

Because the only thing missing from pinball was satanic overtones.

The initial batch of games includes multiplayer action game Bomberman '94, pinball title Devil's Crush, mascot platformer New Adventure Island, and Mahjong Sengoku. Each of the games is playable on the PlayStation 3 or the PSP and sells for ¥600 ($6.36), roughly the same price charged for TG-16 games on the Wii Virtual Console.

As of press time, Sony had not responded to inquiries about plans for TurboGrafx-16 releases on the North American PlayStation Store.

There is some reason for optimism about the retro system's games heading to international stores, and not just because Sony will want to pad out its offerings for the October 1 launch of the downloadable-only PSP Go. In the aforementioned interview, Koller said that regional disparities between PlayStation Stores will be corrected. At the time, the US and Europe had seen a few dozen games from the original PlayStation offered for download to the PSP, whereas the Japanese online store boasted a catalog hundreds of games deep.

43 Comments

  • Dixteel

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 12:05 pm PT

    Sounds nice. Hope more will be in the line up later as well.

  • SalarianChemist

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 11:11 am PT

    TurboGrafx-16 games are the sort of ones that would be 100% perfect for coming to Xbox Live Arcade as part of the group that costs only $5.

    I miss the days of $5 games on Xbox Live Arcade...we just don't see those much anymore.

    The Bomberman game on Xbox Live Arcade is the best one I've ever played. But I bet if they released that now, it would be about $15.

  • nerd_assassin

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 8:27 am PT

    Japan PSN has more PSone games than America PSN.

    If they could import and possibly localize them one by one, then I'll be happy. There's a dozen RPGs there unreleased on US soil that I would want to play that is already released on Japan PSN. And Final Fantasy Tactics....*drool*...I know there's a remake but I kind of not want the new localization...

    Or maybe I'll just study Nihonggo so hard I'll be able to understand them.

  • jadefury27

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 6:18 am PT

    @Nedemis & @TripSe7en

    I actually meant for it to be sarcasim.(shoulda put it in like this...;p)
    And i'm aware that wii console has it it just strikes me as odd the they didn't lock it down as exclusive.
    I still would like a next gen remake.

  • chikahiro94

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 1:53 am PT

    As I recall, Sony AMERICA has stated they don't want PSN to turn into a collection of old retro games like Live and Wii's marketplace. You wanting to buy it doesn't matter.

    That being said, I've been told its not too hard to get a Japanese PSN account where all the good stuff is since Sony JAPAN isn't so fashion-conscious.

  • LordelX

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 11:04 pm PT

    Hopefully Sony can get more old console games out there. How about some arcade games?

  • spacer69

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 10:50 pm PT

    Why is Sony always last in getting stuff out to U.S. consumers. Nintendo had TurboGraphix-16 games since launch of their online download able games. Again Sony is just a bunch of slackers!

  • chikahiro94

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 9:35 pm PT

    @ HB_Dad
    I like the way you think

  • chikahiro94

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 9:34 pm PT

    All I have to say is: If its good enough to be in SCEJ's store, its more than good enough to be in SCEA's store.

    @NuKkU
    SCEA has some morons in management. "d00d, that game isn't cool enough for us. Who cares what the, you know, gamers think?"

    Thankfully SCEA's developers aren't stupid like that.

  • beekayjay

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 8:31 pm PT

    TG16 games aren't bad, but I'd kill for some Neo Geo games.

  • Thirdrail1

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 7:58 pm PT

    I have two words for the people planning PC Engine ports - Military. Madness. (ok, so it was actually called Nectaris before being dorked up for the US.) People who dis the PC Engine are ignorant BTW. That system had one of the largest libraries ever. The TG-16 was always a sad little also-ran, but the real Japanese version was one of the most successful systems in gaming history.

  • dr_jashugan

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 7:32 pm PT

    Devil's Crush is awesome.
    Should have been included in the Genesis Collection.

  • NuKkU

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 5:50 pm PT

    man japan gets all those great games gosh i wish the US got the same treatment as Japan(and i bet Europe wish they had the same treatment as the US lol)

  • deadcowboy6

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 4:51 pm PT

    sounds great, gotta respect the classics

  • hatieshorrer

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 4:37 pm PT

    Thats nice PSN gets TG-16 games when the Wii had them sense launch. Better late then Never.

  • ktseymour

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 3:50 pm PT

    Out of all the great Turbo games they pick Bomberman, Pinball, and Mahjong?! I also seriously doubt they will close the gap In the American and British PS Store. It's been what, two years and all we got Is a handful of games.

  • Generic_Dude

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 3:10 pm PT

    As a person who eschewed the virtues of the TG-16 in favor of the SNES and Genesis, I can't say this announcement moves me too much, but I say the more content the better.

  • jashwin

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 2:55 pm PT

    i just wish the us store gets these

  • lamplan

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 2:48 pm PT

    Holy Happy Bat man, just this morning I posted my fond memories of Devil's Crush. and you can't go wrong with Bomberman either really. Lets bring it Stateside ASAP!

  • King9999

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 2:25 pm PT

    I wonder if they'll release Dracula X...

    There are plenty of Turbografx and Turbo CD games I want to see, but before that, Sony should probably get more PS1 games uploaded first.

  • HB_Dad

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 2:08 pm PT

    I wonder if they'll put up TurboGrafx CD games as well at some point? "Ys Book 1 & 2" is one of my all time favorite retro games. I must've played through both chapters about 25 times at least!

  • Lucidmike78

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 2:02 pm PT

    eh, there was bonk, and then there was nothing. games have evolved since then and there was a reason why TG16 is not around today unlike Nintendo which makes party and novelty games, and Sega and their sports games.

  • Nedemis

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 1:45 pm PT

    @ doohuh

    Honestly, I completely agree. I remember going to the CES show in Chicago when I was in middle school and having no problem walking right on by the Turbografx booths. I was all about the SNES version of Street Fighter 2 being shown off.

  • Wings_008

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 1:43 pm PT

    more sega genesis games!!!

  • Nedemis

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 1:43 pm PT

    @jadefury27

    do yourself a favor. Go and look up the line up Nintendo had for the Wii Virtual Console when it launched. btw...nice job giving your own post a thumbs up.

  • Bakutakamine

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 1:40 pm PT

    Yeah TG-16 one of the best ever!

  • TripSe7en

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 1:40 pm PT

    @Jadefury27:
    Umm... Nintendo did jump on this... Its called Virtual Console and has had TG16 games since launch... Where have you been?

  • sieg6529

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 1:28 pm PT

    I would rather see the classic PS1 games uploaded. Come on Sony! If you can't make good PS3 games, at least bring back the games you did do well.

  • Bread_of_heaven

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 1:24 pm PT

    What?! Keith Courage FTW?

  • teeth03

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 1:13 pm PT

    "the PSP would be playing other systems' games by the end of 2006."

    fixed

  • AstroChimp83

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 1:12 pm PT

    Holy crap I totally forgot about Devil's Crush! The only two games I owned for the TG-16 was that and Bonk's Adventure. Ah, the good ol' days.

  • tenlong

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 1:07 pm PT

    That is cool!

  • ItsEvolution

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 1:03 pm PT

    It'll be a nice change of pace from the usual "one sweet game, 3 games you've never heard of" PS1 game release schedule.

  • jadefury27 posted Jul 15, 2009 12:57 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    jadefury27

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 12:57 pm PT (hide)

    Bonk's Adventure!!!!! FTW!!
    I'm surprised that the wii didn't jump on this!
    and what about a next gen remake for the big head caveman???

  • man_hammer

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 12:56 pm PT

    @Gameboy2k
    Good call.
    Especially Bonk's Adventure and Legendary Axe.
    I would totally buy those.

  • raahsnavj

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 12:54 pm PT

    Perfect... Right when you think you have a service you want you will now realize that every week entails only TG16 releases instead of the stuff you wanted from the PSone and such. Looks like you just got the VC: amazing selling point, failed potential.

  • GodsPoison

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 12:41 pm PT

    More PS1 era games, preferably those hard to find RPG's like Valkyrie Profile, and the early Final Fantasies! Oh and how about Armored Core1 and Masters of Arena? i loved those games!

  • irongobbo

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 12:31 pm PT

    I wanna have downloadable PS2 games, the system certainly has the capability, and with the backwards compatibility removed, we need another way to play these games. I dont have a ps2, so its a bummer there is no backwards compat with my PS3

  • menserman

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 12:30 pm PT

    cool, i`ll have to check them out. since turbografx-16 is the only major system i never owned.

  • Shaun373

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 12:26 pm PT

    I'd be excited but I already bought most of them for the Wii. I'm more interested by the one liner about getting the US the full catalogue of PSone games that Japan is enjoying.

  • doohuh

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 12:24 pm PT

    I still have TurboGrafx. Honestly, the games kind of suck

  • Gameboy2k

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 12:22 pm PT

    Please Bonk. Please Keith Courage, Please Legendary Axe 1 and 2, Please Silent debuggers, Please TV sports basketball (its goood), Please veigus tactical gladiator, oh yeah... Splatterhouse, too!! Ok, I'm done

  • sphinx-shadow

    Posted Jul 15, 2009 12:17 pm PT

    Neat i guess.

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