TurboGrafx-CD games coming to Japanese Wii VC
by Kyle Orland 
{ Sep 14th 2007 at 1:28PM }
Remember when CD technology was the future of gaming, and only the most expensive, cutting-edge systems could handle the awesome power of the laser? Now, even the cheapest, least powerful system on the market can easily emulate these classic games, as will be proven by the imminent release of Turbo-Grafx CD titles Ys I & II and Chou Aniki on the Japanese Virtual Console for 800 Wii points.While we're excited that the Virtual Console is expanding into the world of optical media (note to Sega: We would not be adverse to a downloadable Sonic CD) So, we have to wonder how the system will handle the larger of these games. After all, a filled-to-capacity CD-ROM can easily dwarf the Wii's puny 512MB of on-board memory, and all those orchestral scores and spoken-word introductions aren't small. Then again, the games that ended up filling discs back in those days were mostly FMV crap, so maybe it's no great loss.
[Update: Edited headline to note the story is about the Japanese VC only]
[Via PalGN]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
NATO_Duke @ Sep 14th 2007 1:33PM
Get off your butts and release Night Trap on VC already!
vidGuy @ Sep 14th 2007 1:51PM
Man, Night Trap was a cool game for that time. Now it would be so worth $8 or $10 just to experience the corny scenes again.
Night Trap, All Sequences Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUinUNuM3xk
Rubang B (NDF - Heart) @ Sep 14th 2007 4:52PM
Thank you vidGuy, from the bottom of my heart.
Rich @ Sep 14th 2007 1:34PM
Sewer Shark, crap?! NO WAY! ^_^
Chris @ Sep 14th 2007 1:34PM
They will do what Microsoft did to Castlevania SotN and take out the video cut scenes.
Yoshi Likes Boys @ Sep 14th 2007 1:45PM
This combined with Nintendo's theoretical willingness to bring over and release games that never came out in the West before could mean really great things. There are a LOT of gems in the PCE-CD library.
OnimushaSoki @ Sep 14th 2007 1:45PM
SonicCD is... okay. But I'd rather have SNATCHER, SILPHEED, and FINAL FIGHT CD(LoL, I used to be able to quote the whole corny ass intro...).
And yeah, I bought a SegaCD(and a CDX for a short while)back in the day. My reasoning?:
"Blast processing on a CDROM? LIEK WHUT?!
Fernando Rocker (NDF - Water Ring) @ Sep 14th 2007 1:50PM
Maybe its a hint: USB HD Storage support.
Oh, and demos.
NNTPgrip @ Sep 14th 2007 1:55PM
Back in those days, most of the CD was taken by plain ol' redbook audio. The first track was data. The genesis emulator I have supports an iso image for the first track, and mp3s for the audio tracks. Sonic CD I beleive takes up less than 100meg like that(or even less, I don't remember for sure, and I usually go overboard on the bitrate for mp3).
Fernando Rocker (NDF - Water Ring) @ Sep 14th 2007 1:57PM
Speaking of old systems: Anyone remember a movie from the 90's, about a guy named Munchie or something like that, that can grant wishes, and a boy want a very advanced videogame system? What was the system?
Rubang B (NDF - Heart) @ Sep 14th 2007 5:14PM
No, but I did watch Brainscan a thousand times.
Sam @ Sep 14th 2007 1:57PM
Chou Aniki!??!?!?!?!??!?!?!?! REALLY?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?
Johari @ Sep 14th 2007 2:00PM
I'm surprised that you guys aren't more concerned that Chou Aniki is a Wii VC game.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cho_Aniki
Rubang B (NDF - Heart) @ Sep 14th 2007 4:55PM
I seriously don't believe it, and that's why I'm ignoring it.
Rubang B (NDF - Heart) @ Sep 14th 2007 5:01PM
I seriously don't believe it, and that's why I'm ignoring it.
WiNG @ Sep 14th 2007 2:05PM
ok let's bring it.
-Sylpheed (one of the greatest shmups of all time)
-Sewer Shark (just for nostalgia!)
-Sonic CD
-NightTrap, to put Manhunt 2 in perspective
-Double Switch (like night traps but better actors)
-Monkey Island
and also nobody cares about TFXCD. Bring on Sega CD
Gambit @ Sep 14th 2007 3:36PM
*sighs* The only reason nobody seems to care about it, is because it was very obscure in the US. If you went to Japan, you would hear about it a lot more than you do here.
Vidikron @ Sep 14th 2007 4:01PM
Meh... PCE CD > Sega CD anyday.
Highlar @ Sep 14th 2007 2:12PM
All I know is, if they bring that over here then they will have answered one of my prayers for the VC. Ever since I knew they were releasing TurboGrafx games, I've been hoping they could find a way to do the CD's...and I WANT Y's I & II. I loved that compilation disc on my TGX when I had it back in the day. Crossing my fingers that they find a way to get them over here! Also, there really were quite a few Turbo-CD games that were pretty good. Leaps and bounds over the regular Hu Card games.
phattie @ Sep 14th 2007 2:19PM
There goes your 512mb of storage ... doh!
Matt @ Sep 14th 2007 2:21PM
Come on, usb HDD support....
Highlar @ Sep 14th 2007 2:26PM
I think if not USB HDD support, at least better access/use of the SD card slots, or maybe USB flash drive support from the USB ports? Something to help expand the memory has got to be coming, I think, with an announcement like this.
Poisoned Al @ Sep 14th 2007 2:43PM
Wow, that thing looks more like a grill then the PS3 does.
megaStryke @ Sep 14th 2007 2:44PM
I think this pretty much confirms that Rondo of Blood will find its way onto the VC.
Shadow Hog @ Sep 14th 2007 3:38PM
It'd better.
And if Sonic CD comes to the Wii VC - not saying it will - I'd like to choose to play with the Japanese/European soundtrack. For once. Please, Sega?
WiNG @ Sep 14th 2007 2:47PM
you know looking back on it, when I was real young some friend of my parents had some weird game system that I vaguely remember. I am pretty sure this is it!!! Mystery solved!
DarthDavid @ Sep 14th 2007 2:51PM
Lords of Thunder/Gates of Thunder please.
Paul P. @ Sep 14th 2007 3:03PM
Yeah, vid and sound compression is literally decades ahead of where it was back then(er, about two decades).
You can convert files to .ogg and stuff. Anyway, Rondo of Blood!
FM @ Sep 14th 2007 3:09PM
C'mon Rondo of Blood...
BUT it is highly likely to appear only on Japan's store.
Alex @ Sep 14th 2007 3:22PM
I would love to see a U.S. localized version of Ys Book IV.
Gambit @ Sep 14th 2007 3:34PM
We need Lords of Thunder, Gate of Thunder, Ys Books I and II, and Dracula X.
Vidikron @ Sep 14th 2007 4:04PM
They'll easily be able to cut down the size of these games. As others have pointed out, the bulk of content on these CDs is the audio tracks. It's very common for people to trade/pirate these games in ISO/MP3 format because they are much smaller than a straight image of the CD. Something similar will likely be done here.
That said, they will still take large chunks out of the Wii's puny internal storage. Between these and the NeoGeo games people are going to running out of room FAST.
HelloMe @ Sep 14th 2007 4:05PM
The author has no clue about TurboGrafx games. The FMV in those TurboGrafx CD games are what make it great. At that time, games are cartriges and cannot store FMV. But TurboGrafx CD makes it possible. Including those FMV are important to bring back those important essence of TG CD games. Importantly, Y I&II has excellent FMV, and even today, they look great. FMV are must for RPG.
voodoomage @ Sep 14th 2007 4:07PM
I want Loom.
Russell Carroll @ Sep 14th 2007 4:09PM
Lord's of Thunder is a fabulous game that came out far too close to the end of the TGX for most people to have played it.
Dungeon Explorer 2, Exile, JB Murder Club, Gates of Thunder, Ys I & II, Monster Lair, and Cosmic Fantasy 2 are worth buying.
Dracula X and Neo Nectarus 2 I would love to see in the US.
Final Zone 2 is a guilty pleasure of mine.
...but the game I'd love to see most is Beyond Shadowgate. One of the best games ever released in my opinion...and VERY few people have played it. Even fewer have played to the end. (one of the endings?)
Rubang B (NDF - Heart) @ Sep 14th 2007 4:54PM
I seriously don't believe it, and that's why I'm ignoring it.
Rubang B (NDF - Heart) @ Sep 14th 2007 5:05PM
Apparently I really don't believe it and I'm really ignoring it? Damn errors. ::eats computer::
Rubang B (NDF - Heart) @ Sep 14th 2007 5:17PM
All I want is the Sega CD game Heart of the Alien, the sequel/remake of Out of This World through the alien homie's point of view instead of the human's. If you haven't played Out of This World (aka Another World aka Outer World), then you're a chump. It's up there with Flashback and Blackthorne and the old Prince of Persias, but it's my favorite. And it's even Suda51's favorite game ever.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Another_World_%28video_game%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_of_the_Alien
teitoku @ Sep 15th 2007 5:21PM
"So, we have to wonder how the system will handle the larger of these games. After all, a filled-to-capacity CD-ROM can easily dwarf the Wii's puny 512MB of on-board memory, and all those orchestral scores and spoken-word introductions aren't small."
MP3s and OGGs are small.