The hucard pack-in was apparently random. From the Wiki (I know, I know):Originally Posted by TurboGenesis
"The system was also packaged with one random HuCard game which varied from system to system (Dungeon Explorer was the original HuCard pack-in for TurboDuo, although many titles were eventually used, such as IREM's Ninja Spirit and NAMCO's Final Lap Twin, and then eventually a random pick)."
And a user in this thread on PCEngineFX mentions Ninja Spirit, Splatterhouse and DE1.
I picked up Ninja Spirit way back in the day. It was/is probably one of the best games on the TG16. The graphics are simply gorgeous and made the Genesis look bland by comparison. Pretty much everything about the game; sound, feel, playability just rocked. I remember thinking it was like Ninja Gaiden on steroids.
One of the few glimmers of hope for a doomed system.
My only complaint is that I beat it in a few sittings. The default mode was just about a walk through. They could have upped the difficulty just a bit on the default mode and it may, in fact, have been the perfect game.
Thanks, but I don't have a spare TG16 case.
Man, that was one hell of a package, wasn't it? It's like they were eager to prove how awesome the Duo was, just in case you made the mistake of not being interested in those games.
Every great game system has a great ninja game. Ninja Spirit is the TG16's.
Great quote, old man!
Just thought I'd add to the Ninja Spirit love: next to Splatterhouse, it's my favorite HuCard. I have to play through it at least once a year.
Finished. Wolves are running against a scenic backdrop as some kind of murky vengeance was satisfied. It is difficult to say that the experience was worth all the frustration and cursing, but, regardless, I have now beaten that damn game twice on Arcade mode. After the credits finished rolling, I ripped through the game on PC Engine mode like a mythological god (who only needed one continue). It was a nice release/reward.
Last edited by treismac; 01-05-2012 at 01:09 AM.
I rented Ninja Spirit and Aeroblasters around the same time and was blown away by both. I was lucky enough to receive them as Christmas and birthday gifts not long after. Neither game has gotten boring or aged for me and I love the original soundtrack of Ninja Spirit. The game has such style and stands apart from similar ninja games.
I think that the whole random TurboDuo pack-in claim is bs. The rumour was likely started by people who bought OEM aftermarket TurboDuos from Turbo Zone Direct. Dungeon Explorer was originally reported and marketed as the HuCard pack-in for the TurboDuo but TTi changed it at the last minute to Ninja Spirit. Ninja Spirit balanced out the pack-ins better than Dungeon Explorer, even if DE is one of the greatest games of all time.
Ninja Spirit was one of the first games, if not the first game, I bought with my TurboGrafx-16. It is an awesome game all the way through, really shows off what the Turbo can do with its 2-layer backgrounds and gobs of sprites/objects on screen, not to mention huge well animated bosses. If it wasn't more like Legend of Kage I would put Ninja Spirit right up there with the early Shinobi games. As it is, Ninja Spirit is a totally unique high quality 16-bit ninja title.
Excellent game. Love it. When I first owned it on the TG16 back when it was fresh, I initially wasn't too impressed. But it grew on me. In fact, the older I get the more I love it. Especially the music. When I hear Ninja Spirit music from the TG16 version, I think to myself "That IS TG16 music". It has a sound that only the TG16 seems to be able to produce.
IMO aside from the graphics, the plot and the soundtrack, the true test of a really awesome game is if you continue to enjoy the game no matter how many times you have started and finished it over and over again, and ninja spirit has that quality.
I just beat the Japanese Gameboy version of Ninja Spirit, and I have to say there are a few differences that stood out to me:
a) The boards were way easier as the screen was not filled with enemies nor enemy fire.
b) The bosses were noticeably harder on the Gameboy than the Turbografx-16 version.
c) The infamous leap into the great chasm was more like a hop off a three step staircase. Vast difference between the two final jumps.
d) The final message after beating the last boss is actually readable as it does not stay up for a mere two to three seconds.
All in all, not a bad way to spend ten or so minutes if you're a fan of the TG-16 classic.
I just bought this game, im working on expanding my turbo collection... which is pretty much nonexistent at this point... wont get here for a few days though...
Hardware Collection
Nintendo: NES, SNES (Model 1 and 2), N64, GCN, Wii, Gameboy Classic, Gameboy Pocket (Model 1 and 2), Gameboy Color, GBA, SP (Model 1), DS, DS Lite, DSI
Sega: SMS (Model 1), Genesis (Model 1, 1.5, 2, 3), 32X, Saturn (Model 2), Dreamcast, Nomad, Game Gear
Atari: 2600 (Heavy Sixer, Sixer, Four Switch, Sunnyvalle, Vader, JR Short rainbow, JR, Sears Four, Sears Sixer), 5200 (4 Port), 7800 PRO
MIS.: Magnavox CD-I, 3DO FZ-1, 3DO Goldstar, TG 16, Intellivision, Action Max, XBox, 360, PSX, PS3, PSP, Wonderswan B/W, Game Com, NEO GEO Pocket Color
Awesome! The Ninja Spirit is fun as hell on PC Engine Mode and hard as hell on the Arcade Mode, and it is definitely one of the TG-16's finest games. I hope you enjoy it.
Just got it today... was able to play for a few min in between jobs... and boy you're right, haha... can't wait to spend some time with it... this is the kind of game I wanted for my TG, I have the first bonk and it just wasn't really doing it for me... didn't have the edge I was looking for... but this is just right...Awesome! The Ninja Spirit is fun as hell on PC Engine Mode and hard as hell on the Arcade Mode, and it is definitely one of the TG-16's finest games. I hope you enjoy it.
But slightly off topic, im still new to the TG and I was just wondering about this... the turbo switches are part of the stock controller, and I've always considered using them on other consoles kind of cheating... since the tg has them stock (and turbo is even part of its name) is this viewed the same way or is it acceptable to use them? I was just wondering about this for awhile...
Hardware Collection
Nintendo: NES, SNES (Model 1 and 2), N64, GCN, Wii, Gameboy Classic, Gameboy Pocket (Model 1 and 2), Gameboy Color, GBA, SP (Model 1), DS, DS Lite, DSI
Sega: SMS (Model 1), Genesis (Model 1, 1.5, 2, 3), 32X, Saturn (Model 2), Dreamcast, Nomad, Game Gear
Atari: 2600 (Heavy Sixer, Sixer, Four Switch, Sunnyvalle, Vader, JR Short rainbow, JR, Sears Four, Sears Sixer), 5200 (4 Port), 7800 PRO
MIS.: Magnavox CD-I, 3DO FZ-1, 3DO Goldstar, TG 16, Intellivision, Action Max, XBox, 360, PSX, PS3, PSP, Wonderswan B/W, Game Com, NEO GEO Pocket Color
Personally, I don't consider turbo switches cheating, unless you and I were playing a game against each other and I had turbo ability and you did not. I mean, it is bad ass the way Takahashi Meijin could hit a button 16 times per second back in his prime, but I don't see using a turbo feature as unethical in gaming. Slow motion or save states in emulators, on the other hand, are another issue...
On another side note: I can't imagine trying to spin properly in the first Bonk for the TG-16 without the use of the turbo feature. I am fairly certain that the spinning jumps were created with the built in turbo feature of the controller in mind.
I suppose that makes sense, in the world of only trying to beat your own high score. And now that im playing this game more I don't know what id do without that turbo switch...
Hardware Collection
Nintendo: NES, SNES (Model 1 and 2), N64, GCN, Wii, Gameboy Classic, Gameboy Pocket (Model 1 and 2), Gameboy Color, GBA, SP (Model 1), DS, DS Lite, DSI
Sega: SMS (Model 1), Genesis (Model 1, 1.5, 2, 3), 32X, Saturn (Model 2), Dreamcast, Nomad, Game Gear
Atari: 2600 (Heavy Sixer, Sixer, Four Switch, Sunnyvalle, Vader, JR Short rainbow, JR, Sears Four, Sears Sixer), 5200 (4 Port), 7800 PRO
MIS.: Magnavox CD-I, 3DO FZ-1, 3DO Goldstar, TG 16, Intellivision, Action Max, XBox, 360, PSX, PS3, PSP, Wonderswan B/W, Game Com, NEO GEO Pocket Color
In his prime he could hit the button 16 times per second with his humming bird wing fingers. To paraphrase Wu-Tang Clan, Takahashi Meijin (aka Master Higgins) ain't nuthing ta f*ck wit.
Great game, me and my friend actually sat down one afternoon and beat this bad boy. It wasn't too hard, but that damn part where you had to drop down past all the other ninjas was pretty terrible. we had to go online to see how to get past that mess.
Thank you for starting this thread. My introduction to Ninja Spirit began with the purchase of a heavily-discounted Turbo Duo ($99). To this day, it remains one of the best ninja games that has ever been created. Long before Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon it captured the absurdly gigantic leaps we all apply to ninja tradecraft. Legend of Kage sucked. Ninja Spirit rocked. I love the colors, the huge bosses, the various weapons, the two different modes of gameplay. I'd pop it into my TurboDuo right now if the HuCard hadn't mysteriously disappeared from my parents' house. In short, this game is the bizzomb. Good call.
I run TimeWarpGamer, dedicated to 8/16-bit retro gaming. I'm also on Twitter, which is ideal for following the latest retro updates.
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