【PC Engine】Released on October 30, 1987! What is the history of PC Engine, a stationary game console released by NEC Home Electronics that showed off cutting-edge visual beauty of those days!?

On October 30, 1987, a single machine blowing a new wind into the history of home game consoles appeared. That was “PC Engine” released by NEC Home Electronics. Those days were an era when Nintendo's Family Computer, Sega's Sega Mark III, Master System, etc. were competing for popularity. Jumping into such a battleground, what makes you surprised first with PC Engine is the compactness of the console body. Width and depth are only about the size of a CD case, and even comparing with current PlayStation 5 software packages, that smallness should be transmitted. It makes you want to doubt like “Eh, can full-scale games be played with this?”, but its true ability is guaranteed. Furthermore, adopting the thin card medium “HuCARD” for game software, there was also convenience where no matter how many copies you carry around, it hardly becomes baggage. Being able to easily take to friends' houses or travel destinations, it was an extremely unique game console for those days.

One of the reasons why PC Engine fascinated many game fans was visual expression that was conspicuously beautiful for home game consoles of those days. The title symbolizing that true ability is “The Kung-Fu”. The scene where giant characters fighting each other to the extent of occupying most of the screen was truly shocking. People who were surprised like “On a home TV, do such large characters move!?” were probably not few. Dynamic productions reminiscent of kung fu movies delivered excitement slightly different from games until then. Vivid colorings and powerful character expressions unleashed from the small console body are things strongly impressing PC Engine's technical capabilities. The apparent size and gorgeousness of visuals, precisely that gap was also the fun of this machine.

If you thought “games are things to be played thoroughly alone”, PC Engine enjoyably overturns that common sense. Connecting the dedicated peripheral device “Multi-Tap”, a maximum of 5 controllers became usable, and with compatible software, 5-player simultaneous play could be enjoyed. Multi-player play that is not rare now, but with home game consoles of those days it was an epoch-making mechanism. For example, setting bombs against each other in “Bomberman”, competing with friends in “Super Momotaro Dentetsu”, etc., ways of playing were truly colorful. “Moto Roader”, “Pro Tennis: World Court”, “Formation Soccer”, “Fire Pro Wrestling”, etc. are also works livening up places where friends gather. Winning and shouting cheers, losing and feeling frustrated, laughing with everyone at unexpected developments. Gathering with friends on weekends, noticing having been absorbed until late at night, aren't there people who have such memories?

Of course, charms of PC Engine are not battle or cooperative play alone. In games that can be enjoyed alone as well, masterpieces rich in individuality were lined up. What wants attention paid especially is ported works from arcade games. The shooting game “R-TYPE” released divided into first and second parts surprised many players with its degree of completion. Also, Namco works of those days were substantial, and charming titles like “Splatterhouse”, “The Legend of Valkyrie”, “Genpei Touma Den”, “Yokai Douchuuki”, “Wonder Momo”, “Dragon Spirit”, etc. appeared one after another. Furthermore, in addition to popular works like “Bikkuriman World”, “Bonk's Adventure”, “Super Star Soldier”, the pinball game “Alien Crush” possessing unique worldviews could also be enjoyed. Wide genres from action to shooting lined up, it was a lineup where even the time choosing software to play felt enjoyable.

If talking about the history of PC Engine, support for CD-ROM cannot be omitted either. By connecting the dedicated drive “CD-ROM²”, it realized the system adopting CD-ROM as a game medium for the first time in the world as a home game console. Compared to ROM cassettes which were mainstream until then, large-capacity data came to be handled, and possibilities of game expressions expanded greatly. Furthermore, CDs were easy to mass-produce by pressing, possessing advantages where manufacturing costs could be suppressed as well. Small console bodies, beautiful visuals, mechanisms capable of playing with multiple people, and challenges to new recording media. PC Engine is not simply an old, nostalgic game console. Anticipating the future of home games and expanding the fun of playing in various directions, it is a masterpiece console wanting handed down even now.