OK, I finally picked up a Core Grafx, I have a few questions

[stargate]

I am psyched to finally get this system. I actually got one from ebay a few months ago. The guy listed it in mint condition, but the one I got looked it was kicked down the street a few times. It also was not compatible with my tv even though the seller said it would be. he did refund my money.

I got a new one delivered today off ebay. It is a Core Grafx II and looks very clean. I have a few questions, however, for the experts.

1.) Every time I start the unit with a game in it, I get a blank white scereen before the game starts up. I don't remember the ones I played in the past doing this. Is this normal?
2.) It seems like all the PC Engine games have both Japanese AND Englush writing in them. What's up with that? Why do the games have English in them if they are Japanese releases?
3.) The games I got are as follows:
-- W Wing: actually a pretty cool game. decent shooter.
-- Super Star Soldier: reminds me of Blazing Lasers. very cool.
-- Darius Plus: sort of sucks.

What are the 3 best games for this system? I can only afford like
games right now.

THANKS EVERYONE!!

[Ed Oscuro]

1.) Every time I start the unit with a game in it, I get a blank white scereen before the game starts up. I don't remember the ones I played in the past doing this. Is this normal?
2.) It seems like all the PC Engine games have both Japanese AND Englush writing in them. What's up with that? Why do the games have English in them if they are Japanese releases?

Don't know anything about part 1.

2. ? That's just the way it is, I guess. It's not just PC-Engine games that do this, either. I'm pretty sure it's not just to make them easily portable to European/US systems, though.

Best games?

Try to find a copy of Shinobi; it's not too common but cheap. Be warned that it's just the sidescrolling levels, no nice stuff like the extra rounds.

That Super Star Soldier is good doesn't surprise me one bit, the original just got an enhanced budget re-release.

I'm not even going to mention the CD-ROM games, but if you ever have some extra money get ahold of the CD-ROM attachment plus whatever system card (arcade or duo? forgot) it is that plays everything.

[stargate]

Thank you...

can anyone else comment on the white screen thing? Does anyone else have a CoreGrafx up and running that they can check this out with?

Thanks!

[zektor]

I had a Coregrafx and a Coregrafx II and both showed the white screen for a second or two before a game would show up, so I would say it's fine. If you have no game in at all you would just see a white screen BTW.

[maxlords]

TG16s do the white screen too, it's normal.

As for the Jp/English writing, MANY Japanese games, especially action ones, tend to have some or all English in them, especially in the menu screens. I think it's great, but I have no clue why.

As for recommends...I don't have a ton of Jp huCards, but I do recommend:

Soldier Blade!
Sidearms
Image Fight (very hard)
Download

[zektor]

Ninja Gaiden is really good for it as well. Like the NES version. I also really like Rabio Lepus. If you like R-Type-ish shooters you'll like this one as well.

[Ed Oscuro]

The only problem with that version of Ninja Gaiden would be the background scrolling, which is pretty awful (at least in the current Magic Engine, maybe I'm wrong?) Besides that, though, lots of detail...you can see the coca-cola logo on the signs you cling to in level one!

[stargate]

cool. thanks for the input everyone !!

[jaydubnb]

Here are some good Jp HuCards to pick up:

Outrun
Gunhed (aka Blazing Lazers)
Devil's Crash/Crush
Street Fighter II: CE
PC Kid 1-3 (Bonk)

I've never played it, but I hear good things about Jackie Chan.

[Mayhem]

The reason for English in Japanese games is likely for 3 possible reasons:

1) It's cool to the Japanese to have English text.
2) Storage space limitations, it takes less space to hold English text as opposed to Japanese.
3) Some English words have no Japanese equivalent.