# PC Engine Mini Announced



## subcon959 (Jun 13, 2019)

https://www.konami.com/games/pcemini


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## linuxares (Jun 13, 2019)

Well that is nice and all but...
https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/fuckonami


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## subcon959 (Jun 13, 2019)




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## ital (Jun 16, 2019)

So surprised they actually made this. Hands on says its 85% of the size of the original with the controllers still being the same size. Would've imported the Japanese version for extra geek points but they've gone proper old school and used the non Turbo Pad version (which the US/EU gets as standard). 

Wonder how the emulation quality will be? Mini Megadrive is shaping up to even better than the SNES thanks to M2 being involved, lets hope this follows suit instead of taking Sonys approach.


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## BL4Z3D247 (Jun 16, 2019)

I'm going to go broke collecting all of these minis.


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## CMDreamer (Jun 16, 2019)

It all boils to quality, not quantity...

"That lame brand owner" (Sucky, I mean, sony) can't understand that.

Hope Konami does.

Nintendo did put the flag way up and away from most copycats!


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## subcon959 (Jun 17, 2019)

I heard a rumour it could be M2 for emulation again but that seems unlikely to me. The fact that they've announced CD titles is huge though. If they go a step further and do Arcade card compatibility I'm pre-ordering.

I was considering an SSD3 earlier this year but so glad I waited now.


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## ital (Jun 17, 2019)

The only thing that makes sense from the M2 rumor is that they did help out Konami with some collection on another console but the link is very tenuous. Still it would be great if they were. 

Are you getting a EU/US or JAP version @subcon959? I really want to keep it funky and get the original white one but the lack of Turbo pad seems like a huge oversight so it might have to be the not so sexy UK one.


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## subcon959 (Jun 17, 2019)

replicashooter said:


> Are you getting a EU/US or JAP version @subcon959? I really want to keep it funky and get the original white one but the lack of Turbo pad seems like a huge oversight so it might have to be the not so sexy UK one.


My first choice is a white one as I've already got a CoreGrafx and TurboGrafx (oddball PAL version). The controller thing is a real issue though since I mostly like the shmups so I guess I'll see if they sell extra pads or just get a UK one too.


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## ital (Jun 17, 2019)

Yepm, shmups without turbo? Eughck! Its such an odd choice, super keeping it real as thats what the first gen shipped with but really strange considering they added the Turbo Pad to the other releases but not the JAP one. I mean this:







Just looks absolutely wonderful. This:






Not so much...

WHITE POWER!


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## the_randomizer (Jun 17, 2019)

Oh sure, Japan gets Rondo of Blood, and we don't. I mean, it's not like we never got it (Wii VC service and the like) so please, Konami, include it, thanks.


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## ital (Jun 22, 2019)

Interesting development. Konami JP are asking the people what they want to see on the machine and the top 20 requested are:






Konami JP's customer support account put out the call for people to request their most-wanted PC Engine Mini titles on twitter (see here https://t.co/r5KmIKDCWs) and now they've updated their website with a list of the 20 most requested games https://t.co/2TJHOh0qVm🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/OKdiLdNpXx— GSK | https://cohost.org/gosokkyu (@gosokkyu) June 22, 2019

from Konami's 🇯🇵 support account:"the PC Engine Mini is go! our support account is monitoring replies and inquiries posted to this tweet, including requests for your favourite titles, so feel free to send your requests! you can email us here: https://t.co/fjZIcMIDdm" https://t.co/7nWowAGTOu— GSK | https://cohost.org/gosokkyu (@gosokkyu) June 13, 2019


https://www.konami.com/games/inquiry/jp/


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## ital (Jun 23, 2019)

Did an interview with someone from the Japanese side, and while they can’t say who yet, Konami is working with a “very, very good company” for the emulation on the #TurboGrafx16Mini / #PCEngineMini.Dare we hold our breath for M2? pic.twitter.com/MdIypaxSIX— Mollie L Patterson 🇺🇦 (@mollipen) June 13, 2019


Looking gooooood!


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## subcon959 (Jun 24, 2019)

What if it's AtGames? 

(even joking about it hurts)


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## ital (Jun 24, 2019)

subcon959 said:


> What if it's AtGames?
> 
> (even joking about it hurts)



NOT EVEN IN JEST!!!1111!!

One thing I am wondering is how they're going to decide region specific games? If you look at the release list:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_TurboGrafx-16_games

You see how loads of the best titles stayed in Japan. The initial PCE foray into the UK/EU was via that semi official French company and before them the importers so they must know there is a market, just how will they cater to it?

Going by the NA Wii U VC list is probably going to be a good guess as we know those titles have no licensing issues and were their first round picks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...s_for_Wii_U_(North_America)#NEC_TurboGrafx-16

Really quite hyped for this, hopefully enough people email them about the white PCE needing a Turbo Pad and then I can just import that although I have started to come round to the CoreGRAFX a bit more as the design is quite a nice refresh but that huge blue logo, eugchk! Maybe its just the OG associations with the white one same as the Super Famicom was - which is another case of the USA getting the crappiest design again! Still its very impressive that they are actually making three different types instead of just giving Japan fanservice and leaving the other regions out in the cold. 


Personally I think these Mini consoles are wonderful as I dislike rPi and its emulation/nerdiness. Ease of use, instant boot, emulator features, super cute looks, original control pads, HDMI output, quite decent emulation and the ability to customize - whats not to enjoy?


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## subcon959 (Jun 24, 2019)

I've set up an email notification for Play Asia to tell me when ordering starts. I've decided to definitely get the white one as anything else just won't feel right. The game list won't be a huge issue as they are bound to get hacked, and hopefully something will be done about the auto-fire issue by then.


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## ital (Jun 24, 2019)

Drop a link once its on there please, am tempted to import one myself. 

As for the Turbo Pad make sure you email them here:

https://ja-support.konami.com/app/ask

To let them know you want them to include it with the Japanese PCE release.


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## subcon959 (Jun 24, 2019)

Will do but to be honest I'm pretty sure the final product will be fine. We've probably only seen renders so far that were made from the original pad.


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## ital (Jun 24, 2019)

Yeah, thats what I'm hoping as the stream said the console models were only prototypes and it would be a strange omission. That said it would be very Konamiesque to sell the white PCE with the standard pad and then rinse a few more bucks from people who want the Turbo upgrade like they've hinted they'll do with the USB hub in a shell aka multitap. 

Such a classic machine though, speaking of which the size has been confirmed as 85% of the real one:
















Controllers stay the same size. This is also worth paying attention to:



> Finally, the various versions of the TurboGrafx-16 mini are only set to be sold in their respective regions. However, Konami have said that *they are willing to look into releasing the other versions as Limited Editions in each respective region if there is enough demand over social media* and the like.



https://www.siliconera.com/2019/06/14/a-first-look-at-the-turbografx-16-mini-from-e3-2019/


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## subcon959 (Jul 7, 2019)

If it was me, I would release all 3 in each region. When you're mostly relying on nostalgia for sales you're more likely to get people who are willing to double-buy.


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## ital (Jul 7, 2019)

True but they know the proper OG otakus will import anyway so its less of a financial risk. Gotta say that out of all the Minis ever this is the one that most surprised me and the fact that they didn't just go for the easy money and make it Japan only is wonderful. 

After all outside of people who frequent boards such as these how many people ever knew anything about a PCE back in the days or even now? It was super niche. 

Was going to order a Jap MD Mini the other day just for those 6 button pads but decided to give it a miss as I'm going to get the white PCE as I'm sure it'll get a lot more play.


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## subcon959 (Jul 7, 2019)

I think it is more of a surprise for us as we never got a release back in the day, but I'm told it did alright in the US (still niche compared to other consoles). So yeah, I really thought it would be Japan-only if it ever happened.


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## DjoeN (Jul 10, 2019)

Yes, another Mini i like to add to my other mini's


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## subcon959 (Jul 12, 2019)

Some extra info turned up on Amazon Japan.. https://www.amazon.co.jp/b/?ie=UTF8&language=en_US&node=6974564051


> *The compact version of the classic console currently features a range of 50 retro games containing select titles that overlap in both the TurboGrafx-16 and PC Engine lineup.
> 
> The console will be available exclusively on Amazon from March 19th 2020, with an Amazon Prime exclusive pre-order period starting from July 15th.*



This is turning into something epic.. I see Sapphire on there so it's not just standard CD games but Arcade Card compatible too, and Daimakaimura which is SuperGrafx!

*TurboGrafx-16 Titles
(in English)*

*Air Zonk*
*Alien Crush*
*Blazing Lazers*
*Bomberman ‘93*
*Bonk’s Revenge*
*Cadash*
*Chew-Man-Fu*
*Dungeon Explorer*
*J.J. & Jeff*
*Lords Of Thunder*
*Military Madness (Nectaris)*
*Moto Roader*
*Neutopia*
*Neutopia II*
*New Adventure Island*
*Ninjaspirit*
*Parasol Stars*
*Power Golf*
*Psychosis*
*R-Type*
*Soldier Blade*
*Space Harrier*
*Victory Run*
*Ys Book I&II*
*PC Engine Titles
(in Japanese)

Akumajō Dracula X Chi No Rondo (Castlevania: Rondo Of Blood)
Aldynes
Appare! Gateball
Bomberman ‘94
Bomberman Panic Bomber
Chō Aniki
Daimakaimura (Ghouls ‘N’ Ghosts)
Dungeon Explorer
Fantasy Zone
Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire
Gradius (Nemesis)
Gradius II – Gofer No Yabō (Nemesis II)
Jaseiken Necromancer
Nectaris (Military Madness)
Neutopia
Neutopia II
Ninja Ryūkenden (Ninja Gaiden)
PC-Genjin (Bonk)
Salamander
Snatcher
Star Parodier (Fantasy Star Soldier)
Super Darius
Super Momotarō Dentetsu II
Super Star Soldier
The Kung Fu (China Warrior)
Ys I&II
*


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## ital (Jul 12, 2019)

Woop! 













    POINT 01
    Save at any time with Quick Save!
    The console features a Quick Save function that allows you to save at any point during a game.
    Save your progress and continue playing when it's convenient for you!
    POINT 02
    Choose from various display modes!
    Not only is the console ready to plug and play using the included HDMI cable, it also features different modes that let you choose how your games look, such as by replicating the scanlines on a CRT TV.
    POINT 03
    Simultaneous five-player gaming with a multitap!*
    By using a multitap to connect additional controllers, up to five people can play together simultaneously.
    *Multitap sold separately.





Turbo Pad is a separate addon, boo! But yay as well! Speculated price is $100 for the PCE and it may be an Amazon exclusive. 

Hype!


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## DjoeN (Jul 12, 2019)

Damned i wish a few of those Japanese Titles where on the EU version.

OH, wait they are, so


Dames Nice, see, Sony, that's how you put out a mini


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## ital (Jul 12, 2019)

People on other sites are actually complaining that the EU/US releases will feature Jap games! Moaning that they should either translate, leave them out or region lock, WTF? Some people just want to hate for no reason, putting everything as one is dope because that means you don't need to buy multiple SKUs. It does show that they know their Otaku styled audience quite well though as this may be the most fanservicey Mini yet. 

Importing the white one suddenly seems like less of an important thing really when you consider the extra cost, import duty and having to buy another pad. But those memories! Arrrghh! 

The March 2020 release date only adds fuel to the produced by M2 rumors as it makes sense they don't want this to cut into the MD Mini sales so they can keep those residuals rolling in. Either way, still hyped!

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

https://twitter.com/gosokkyu/status...iframe/2/twitter.min.html#1149650492751921152

Looking very M2 with the menus here.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Hands on:

https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/kikaku/1195989.html

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Price confirmed at ¥10500 (around £80) and an Amazon exclusive that you need to be Prime for to preorder.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Decisions..


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## subcon959 (Jul 12, 2019)

The part I'm not sure about is whether it's an Amazon Japan exclusive or not as there is no mention of it on UK Amazon. If the pre-order date is accurate (3 days from now) then that is a bit strange. I'm pretty sure Prime membership doesn't carry over between regions so that would be a big thumbs down.


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## ital (Jul 12, 2019)

Yeah, thats seems really weird because right now it does appear to be that way which is crap. Prime is region locked but I've thought of signing up for a 30 day trial to order it then cancelling but that may cause an issue with the shipping. Hopefully the vocal nerds who are vocally nerding out will get them to see sense. 

Sneaky suspicion that Konami might make this scarce on purpose, wait till the scalpers kick in and then join the resellers themselves because thats how they roll...


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## subcon959 (Jul 12, 2019)

They went a weird (lazy) direction with the game list so who knows. It seems like it's gonna be a cool little console so it would be a shame if it's impossible to get hold of, but it does seem likely to me that they would deliberately make fewer units to begin with.


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## ital (Jul 12, 2019)

Amazon as exclusive distributors confirmed:

This morning Konami announced the 50 games included in the Mini PC Engine, now comes new details about the European release date and the price of the new mini console, available from the beginning of 2020. [19659002] *PC Engine Mini will be on sale starting March 19, 2020 exclusively on Amazon for the price of 89.99 euros*, *Prime passes will be able to pre-order from July 15*, the day of launch of the Amazon Prime Day 2019, at the moment we do not know when the preorders will open for all customers.

*Konami then chooses to contact the giant Amazon for the European distribution of the CoreGrafx Mini PC Engine* (this is the official name on our continent) thus ignoring physical stores, chains of electronics and department stores.


https://freegamesapk.org/2019/pc-en...n-prime-day-the-price-in-europe-revealed.html

The Turbo Pad in white isn't official as its made by Hori as are the accessories. 

Can't do the free Prime/cancel thing in Japan as you apparently need to have an active account when it ships. 

UK/FR/GB Amazon will be listing the PAL model, the States gets that nasty looking thing and Japan gets the original. 

90 bucks retail is quite steep all things considered, they really are screwing the handful of people that actually want to buy this.


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## subcon959 (Jul 13, 2019)

Damn they're really trying their best to make it difficult for fans to get hold of one of these. I guess Amazon won't take any money for the pre-order so there's nothing to lose but still.. limiting to Prime-only members is a shitty move.


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## ital (Jul 13, 2019)

Was reading earlier that the reason for the Amazon exclusivity and huge lead time is so they can secure the funding, know how many to expect to sell and then manufacture accordingly so they don't end up in PS Classic land. The other side says that its all due to Amazon wanting to have something new to list on Prime Day to get the traffic. Either way it does seem Konami is cheaping out everywhere it can...

They've also botched a few of the game select screens due to not licensing the cover art and that looks really crap as it sticks out so much. Here's hoping its easily hackable at least so we can fix that. 

Part of me isn't keen on dropping nearly a hundred on this with so little info and so much speculation because the emulation could be crap even though its hard to mess up the PCE you never know with Konami and their cash grabs.


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## ital (Jul 13, 2019)

They've just listed the Hori Turbo Pads on Amazon US so it looks like the earlier rumor of being able to order the items directly in your country is true:

https://www.amazon.com/Hori-Turbo-C...regrafx+turbo&qid=1563047418&s=gateway&sr=8-3


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## subcon959 (Jul 13, 2019)

The Prime day thing is weird because if they wanted some big launch event then why haven't they been advertising the crap out of it for the last few weeks? Even a couple days before Prime day there is zero mention of it on UK Amazon.

It's also really strange that a company as big as Konami is taking such a cautious approach instead of just concentrating on delivering a solid product.


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## ital (Jul 13, 2019)

Its a quick money grab, thats all. Konami have evidently cut corners everywhere on it and are aiming to maximize profits whilst limiting their own exposure. Advertising costs money so they're obviously counting on nerds like us to spread the word for free, having Amazon handle all the distro cuts the overheads whilst maximizing profits as well. 

This Mini is going to be as niche as the original was way back when it seems.


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## ital (Jul 14, 2019)

Great video for those unaware of this system and its games:


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## ital (Jul 14, 2019)

Links are up on Amazon Japan:

JP:

EUR:

USA:

Multitap:

Turbo Pad:

Spoke to Amazon UK and they didn't have a clue about this release so it appears we may just have to import them all, irrespective of where you are. You'll need to click the 30 day Prime trial to order the JP PCE to the UK. 

Can cancel the preorders anyway unlike the JP MD Mini so dive in in case this is the way they're going to go.


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## subcon959 (Jul 14, 2019)

Are you sure they even ship to UK?

Edit: meant to say ship *free* to UK.


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## ital (Jul 14, 2019)

No free shipping, they calculate that at checkout along with prepaid import duty which brings the cost in at around 15000 Yen that exchanges to £110. 

It really is looking more and more like this is going to be the only way to get them because why else would they list all 3 SKUs on the Japanese site, complete with regional shipping restrictions depending on the model you pick?  

Odd that the accessories are already listed on the US site so thats a glimmer of hope that you will just be able to the order the Core Grafx on the UK site for the £90 as stated earlier. Latest update is from Express who say it should be listed tomorrow:

https://www.express.co.uk/entertain...ndo-Sony-PC-Engine-Core-Grafx-mini-games-list

Theres been no prehype, talk and even the staff didn't have a clue about the UK listing so we shall see.


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## subcon959 (Jul 14, 2019)

Well, I think I'm gonna struggle to justify this unless it's on UK Amazon with free postage. They priced it too high in the first place, so with duty and shipping it's just too much for what it is. I really hope they stick with selling all 3 in each region.


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## ital (Jul 15, 2019)

Nothing listed on the EU/UK pages or in the Prime launches categories so it looks like its staying true to its Jap import roots...


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## subcon959 (Jul 15, 2019)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Konami-Bethesda201985-Engine-CoreGrafx-Mini/dp/B07SLM7N9J/ref=sr_1_2

It looks like we just get the CoreGrafx and the price is £99.99. I don't think I'm gonna pre-order afterall


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## DjoeN (Jul 15, 2019)

More JPN roms should be translated to English, PC Engine was way underrated for it's time


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## ital (Jul 15, 2019)

Odd how the UK version only lists 40 games though?


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## ital (Jul 15, 2019)

Konami confirmed that the UK version has 50 titles like everywhere else so thats just a typo. 

https://twitter.com/KonamiUK/status...iframe/2/twitter.min.html#1150692576837668864


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## subcon959 (Jul 15, 2019)

Tell you what, that price of £99.99 seems even higher now that Playstation Classic is £15.99 in Prime sales!


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## ital (Jul 15, 2019)

Yep yep, I've actually just ordered on of those PS Classics as its worth it at that price and I'm going to use it purely for Retro Arch as it seems like a nice all in one solution. 

Depending on how the PCE is emulated I may not even get that Mini (or the MD one) and just stick to the PSC emulating everything as the controllers are pretty decent and the modding scene is quite solid now.


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## subcon959 (Jul 15, 2019)

Yeah, I already had one but couldn't resist another at that price. It's worth it just for the 2 controllers.

It's funny, the PC Engine was top of my wish list for mini consoles but I don't think I'll end up with one thanks to how Konami has decided to handle distribution. Maybe they will make some changes over the next 9 months but I'll probably wait for price cuts way after release.


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## ital (Jul 15, 2019)

Yeah, I agree that they've handled it a bit shitty in quite a few respects and I'm still wondering who is behind the emulation as there are only rumours it actually M2 which was what had me hyped. That and the hacking potential.


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## subcon959 (Jul 16, 2019)

Something interesting I noticed on the JP ordering page. Where it says "Platform" you can choose between "Normal edition" and "With Prime Day commemorative bonus". If you choose the normal edition you can only order the CoreGrafx or TurboGrafx-16, but if you choose the Prime Day version you can order all 3.

I'm not really sure what to take from that, and I doubt there is any actual "bonus" for ordering the Prime Day one. One possibility though is that they are only allowing us to order the white one on Prime Day and after that only the CG and TG16 will be available outside Japan. This could be the "Special Edition" thing they mentioned in the tweet about making all 3 available in each region in limited form.

In any case, I've decided to stick a pre-order in for the white one (there's only a couple hours left as of now) just in case it turns out as some sort of rare limited release opportunity. I'm fully expecting to cancel the pre-order at some point in the next 9 months but maybe something cool will be announced (like M2 doing the emulation).


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## subcon959 (Jul 16, 2019)

double post


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## ital (Jul 16, 2019)

You know it makes sense! 

That said I'm actually starting to dig the EU model with its design and colours plus the included Turbo Pad just sweetens the deal. The fact that the white PCEs Turbo Pads are made by Hori and not official is meh because its got to feel right and with 3rd party you never know. 

From what I could decipher it seemed that you needed have the Prime signup in effect in order to be able to order the white PCE outside of Japan. You can be pretty certain that this isn't going to be a huge seller and will probably do just a bit better than the Neo Geo Mini as it is such a super niche console in the first place. 

Busy sorting out all the bits and bobs for the PSC mod I mentioned in the other thread, if that ends up delivering a great experience then it might be all the Minis I want.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------












You gotta admit that it does start growing you as an alternative outfit as the updated design and colour scheme is quite decent even though the original is so iconic.


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## subcon959 (Jul 16, 2019)

Oh yeah, I've got a CoreGrafx already and love the design. I just wanted the OG experience for the mini though.

BTW @replicashooter you might get a kick out of this video..


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## ital (Jul 17, 2019)

Looks like most of them have sold out on Amazon JP now.


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## subcon959 (Jul 22, 2019)

I guess that's it for PC Engine hype till March lol.

Can't believe how poorly planned this all was, no one is gonna give a crap by the actual launch.


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## FANDROID_SWIMBOIS (Jul 22, 2019)

rondo of blood machine


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## subcon959 (Jul 28, 2019)

replicashooter said:


> Looks like most of them have sold out on Amazon JP now.


I think the whole Prime thing was bollocks.. just a way to get people to sign up and hopefully forget to cancel.

Looks like anyone can pre-order them now:
https://www.amazon.co.jp/コナミデジタルエンタテインメント-PCエンジン-mini/dp/B07QHNRVYV/ref=dp_ob_title_vg


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## subcon959 (Aug 8, 2019)

Some extra games announced..

Splatterhouse.
Dragon Spirit.
Galaga '88.
Seirei Senshi Spriggan.
Spriggan mark2.
The Genji and the Heike Clans.
The Legend of Valkyrie.
Spriggan is a great addition. As much as I loved playing the Splatterhouse arcade machine back in the day, I don't really get the demand for it on the mini.

The only game I think is a glaring omission now is Magical Chase.

Also, there seems to be a disparity between regions at the moment as Japan has 58 games compared to 57 for EU/US.

Konami said it's the final list but it would be nice if they surprised us with another game before release.


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## subcon959 (Aug 9, 2019)

BTW there was also this nice confirmation.. M2 

With seven more titles added to the TurboGrafx-16 & PC Engine lineup, Konami is proud to be partnered w/ developer M2 to painstakingly emulate all 57 titles for the retro console, ensuring that every game is playable at the highest quality. #retro #turbografx16mini pic.twitter.com/gYCXbPnv15— Konami (@Konami) August 8, 2019


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## wiewiec (Aug 9, 2019)

I have question about international version if something changed - are it still will have untranslated games?


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## subcon959 (Aug 9, 2019)

wiewiec said:


> I have question about international version if something changed - are it still will have untranslated games?


Nothing changed, and I really doubt they will bother doing any translations. It seems they couldn't even be bothered doing properly curated game lists for each region. I'm sure it will get hacked eventually though.


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## DjoeN (Aug 9, 2019)

I'll wait till it gets sold outside of Amazon only. (even if it means never  )


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## ital (Aug 9, 2019)

https://www.konami.com/games/corporate/ja/news/topics/20190808/

Its been confirmed that M2 are handling the emulation and one of the filter modes gives you a handheld experience via border and 4 others. 

















Really impressed with the PSC though as it does what it does so well with loads of platforms so am wondering whether or not to get one of these now.


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## ital (Dec 9, 2019)

You can see the CRT filter in effect in the latest promo video at 12:50



Looks like crap. Also considering how hard its been to mod titles into the MD Mini I think this will be the same. 

Anyone else cancelled their preorder?


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## ital (Jan 5, 2020)

Rumor: PC Engine Mini Pre-Orders Are Faring Very Poorly

An unnamed Konami executive has spoken to Business Journal about the sales of PC Engine Mini in Japan.

According to this unnamed Konami executive, pre-orders for the PC Engine Mini are currently faring very badly on Amazon Japan. Amazon Japan is the only retailer that’s carrying stock for this, as part of an exclusive deal between Konami and Amazon Japan. The reason behind this is to prevent price cuts by brick-and-mortar retailers.

The lack of price cuts and Amazon’s exclusivity for the PC Engine Mini could have also contributed to the lukewarm sales.

The Konami executive added that due to the poor sales, they will “definitely” distribute to brick-and-mortar retailers in Japan in the near future.


https://nintendosoup.com/rumor-pc-engine-mini-pre-orders-are-faring-very-poorly/


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## JuanBaNaNa (Jan 5, 2020)

Not gonna lie... for a moment I thought it was going to be like:

_Featuring all time classics:

Adventure Island
Bonks Adventure
Bonks Revenge
Bonks Big Adventure
Air Zonk
Bomberman
Bomberman 93
Bomberman 93 Special
Bomberman 94
Wonderboy
Wonderboy III

_


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## ital (Jan 6, 2020)

The one thing that makes me wonder about this is that due to the presales being crap they'll probably only produce a handful of extra units beyond that as its obvious they locked down distribution to Amazon only to cut out 3rd party markdowns whilst making maximum profit with as little exposure as possible ala PSC. 

The fact that the PSC does PCE so well does make this pointless in that respect as you could easily buy a controller and hook that upto the PSC for a more authentic vibe with arguably better emulation as that M2 CRT filter is crap but the console itself looks so dope and is overloaded with retro memories...


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## spotanjo3 (Jan 6, 2020)

Third one and 2nd one looks better than ugly American version. However, no games interested me at all.


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## subcon959 (Jan 7, 2020)

My interest level in this peaked and then disappeared fairly quickly after pre-orders were open. They made a huge mistake making it exclusive to Amazon. The funny thing is, if they end up pulling the plug instead of opening up distribution then it could become quite a collector's item. I'm not risking it though, I'll only bite if it ever comes down to the £50 mark.


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## ital (Mar 4, 2020)

Predictably the PCE Mini has flopped in terms of preorders:

Rumor: PC Engine Mini Pre-Orders Are Faring Very Poorly


An unnamed Konami executive has spoken to Business Journal about the sales of PC Engine Mini in Japan.

According to this unnamed Konami executive, pre-orders for the PC Engine Mini are currently faring very badly on Amazon Japan. Amazon Japan is the only retailer that’s carrying stock for this, as part of an exclusive deal between Konami and Amazon Japan. The reason behind this is to prevent price cuts by brick-and-mortar retailers.

The lack of price cuts and Amazon’s exclusivity for the PC Engine Mini could have also contributed to the lukewarm sales.

The Konami executive added that due to the poor sales, they will “definitely” distribute to brick-and-mortar retailers in Japan in the near future.


Expect retail and price cuts in Japan at least. Interesting thing is they must've already done a manufacturing run so we may yet see it around £50 which is where it should be, especially as it'll have that same crappy CRT filter as the MD Mini.


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## ital (Mar 6, 2020)

https://twitter.com/Cheesemeister3k...iframe/2/twitter.min.html#1235806351357399043

"Regarding the TurboGrafx-16 mini console... facilities in China have encountered an unavoidable suspension... As a result, the delivery of all TurboGrafx-16 mini products, which was originally scheduled for March 19th, 2020, will be delayed until further notice."

LOL, thats handy considering no one bought one.


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## spotanjo3 (Mar 6, 2020)

It is going to be failed miserably. Indeed!


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## ital (Mar 6, 2020)

It seem their crappy distribution model, whilst authentic to the original, really did them in as they were trying to be as Konami as possible by spending as little as possible to make the most so got the hype up, released those preorders and thought "We'll make this many and that way we have none sitting around". 

Except it was overpriced and lots of people didn't want to jump through the hoops. I had a white and black one preordered and canceled them a while back as I imagine others did too so their actual, valid preorders will only be from the hardest of hardcore nerds. 

Given M2s track record with the MD Mini I'm not expecting emulation quality anywhere near the PSC/Retroarch which does really well with shaders and good scanlines but it would've been nice to have the proper controllers/official hardware. 

I get the feeling they'll go for a proper bricks and mortar relauch for the festive season this year instead which means you'll get one on amazon for £50 next year...


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## subcon959 (Mar 7, 2020)

This is what happens when you open pre-orders stupidly early, people change their minds..

Why is everyone other than Nintendo so crap at this? I bet this is going to be a better product than the NES mini, yet they are trying so hard to make it fail. Amazon exclusive? Seriously?


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## ital (Mar 19, 2020)

Japanese preorders have started shipping but UK ones are pushed to 2021. At least we'll get some in the wild news now and be able to check its potential as well as though mehtastic scanlines that M2 like to use. 

Predicting it'll be the same as the MD Mini with no access to internal emu therefore just another RA forwarder box.


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## subcon959 (Mar 25, 2020)

I'm a hypocrite but PC Engine is my weakness, and with the way things are at the moment I figured what the hell and grabbed one from Amazon JP. The only problem is that it's such a cute little thing I now want all 3 models :/


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## djricekcn (Mar 26, 2020)

I'm actually enjoying the PC-ENgine, especially since it has Manjimaru and Dungeon Explorer


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## subcon959 (Mar 26, 2020)

djricekcn said:


> I'm actually enjoying the PC-ENgine, especially since it has Manjimaru and Dungeon Explorer


Do you need to know Japanese to play TM2?


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## ital (Mar 26, 2020)

subcon959 said:


> I'm a hypocrite but PC Engine is my weakness, and with the way things are at the moment I figured what the hell and grabbed one from Amazon JP. The only problem is that it's such a cute little thing I now want all 3 models :/



How bad is the input lag/sound delay and are those terrible dark scanlines from the MD Mini still present? For a laugh try it side by side with your PSC as with the right shader/scanline overlay it looks and plays absolutely stunning but I do agree the console itself has a huge retro cachet.


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## subcon959 (Mar 26, 2020)

replicashooter said:


> How bad is the input lag/sound delay and are those terrible dark scanlines from the MD Mini still present? For a laugh try it side by side with your PSC as with the right shader/scanline overlay it looks and plays absolutely stunning but I do agree the console itself has a huge retro cachet.


It's decent enough apart from the scanlines which are utter crap. M2 is not what it used to be and can't really compete with RetroArch. Also it's definitely overpriced as it's basically a Megadrive mini in a different shell. I wouldn't recommend it over a PSC to anyone who isn't a die hard fan. It's definitely more of a niche product than all the other minis as a lot of the games haven't aged well if you don't have nostalgia for them. Having said all that, I love it.


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## ital (Mar 26, 2020)

Yeah, I had a feeling that would be the case. Thanks for sharing your impressions. 

Enjoy the nostalgia!


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## ital (Mar 27, 2020)

5:40 



It seems like its got graphical interpolation issues baked in along with the input lag and audio delay. Yuck! 

Both of the M2 helmed minis appear to ace it in looks but fumble on substance and considering when modded all you can do is run RA anyway as the OG emulator is encrypted it really makes no sense to get one compared to a PSC if its inferior quality gameplay. 

@subcon959 If possible could you run the same title on both the Mini and PSC then switch back and forth to see how it is in the real world as I know some reviewers just gripe for no reason and it would be nice to get some insight.


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## subcon959 (Mar 27, 2020)

I'm sure RA would be better regardless of which console it was running on. Don't forget the PSC was widely regarded as the worst mini ever before it got hacked. For me, they are all nice collectibles that are good for a bit of fun now and again. I don't take them seriously enough to care about a bit of lag here or there, but I do think the emulation should have been perfect for the price (you can't unsee the shimmer on R-type once someone points it out).


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## ital (Mar 27, 2020)

Yeah, the PSC really over delivers on the emulation front compared to standard but it also has way more grunt than any other Mini which is why PCE with scanlines and HQ2X shaders looks/plays phenomenally good. The SNES has been the best Mini out of the gate though as it did what it was supposed to so well. Those M2 glitches really put me off both of their versions as I don't expect perfection but come on, these consoles aren't hard to emulate well on low spec hardware so there really should be no excuse.

If you do ever do a side by side test of both the PSC/RA and PC E Mini on the same titles I'd be interested to hear what the difference is like. Still really dig the look of the console but not £100 dig! Half that and its worth a punt. 

That said I'm tempted to get a Shield TV as that is a total powerhouse with what it can emulate and how well but something about OG controllers on an official dedicated device just does it.


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## redunka (Mar 28, 2020)

replicashooter said:


> and considering when modded all you can do is run RA anyway as the OG emulator is encrypted


Both Hakchi2 CE and Project Lunar allow using stock emulator, there's a compatibility list for it.
The latter app offers some additional features, like tweaks for scanlines and performance.
Sorry for getting offtopic here (though, those same tools will likely get PCE mini support later),


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## ital (Mar 28, 2020)

redunka said:


> Both Hakchi2 CE and Project Lunar allow using stock emulator, there's a compatibility list for it.
> The latter app offers some additional features, like tweaks for scanlines and performance.
> Sorry for getting offtopic here (though, those same tools will likely get PCE mini support later),



Thank you, not owning either I don't really stay up on the latest news for them. Hakchi especially is good news as thats always been a great utility but again I haven't checked for it since the SNES was released as I only added a handful of titles to enjoy. 

With Minis - well SNES mainly as thats all I can compare - I prefer using the stock emulator as opposed to being another RA box, plus the SNES had some awesome quality of life features (Does RA have anything like that Ambilight pulsating border which extends the on screen colours into the 16:9 area beyond the 4:3 playing field?). With the PSC it _is_ just a RA box so it doesn't matter. 

I wonder if you can use the PCE Mini controllers on the PSC? I think the MD Mini ones don't work properly but that would be a great workaround to get the best of both worlds if possible.


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## spotanjo3 (Mar 28, 2020)

I will skip it since many games are bad on this system. Only good games: Bonk and Castlevania. Not good enough so I am not wasting my money yon it. However, Europe PC Engine looks stunned console and beautiful, thought. It will be missed anyway. Save my money for PS5 instead.


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## redunka (Mar 29, 2020)

replicashooter said:


> Thank you, not owning either I don't really stay up on the latest news for them. Hakchi especially is good news as thats always been a great utility but again I haven't checked for it since the SNES was released as I only added a handful of titles to enjoy.
> 
> With Minis - well SNES mainly as thats all I can compare - I prefer using the stock emulator as opposed to being another RA box, plus the SNES had some awesome quality of life features (Does RA have anything like that Ambilight pulsating border which extends the on screen colours into the 16:9 area beyond the 4:3 playing field?). With the PSC it _is_ just a RA box so it doesn't matter.
> 
> I wonder if you can use the PCE Mini controllers on the PSC? I think the MD Mini ones don't work properly but that would be a great workaround to get the best of both worlds if possible.


To be honest, I don't actually own any of those mini consoles myself, I just like reading news about them. 
ModMyClassic might have some useful resources regarding new hacks and stuff, if you're interested.
P.S. It's sad seeing how Konami kinda screwed up this release, because, in my opinion, the original PCE was one of the most underrated consoles of its time.


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## subcon959 (Mar 29, 2020)

I wouldn't go as far as to say they screwed it up. It's actually a great little system and tons of fun. It's just that people were expecting it to be perfect and of course it was never going to be. When I first plugged it in, I was only going to give it a quick test just to make sure I didn't get a defective one, and I actually ended up playing for a couple hours. The only really bad thing is the scanlines but most people seem to prefer to play without them these days.

The lag thing is too variable and subjective to really judge from other peoples accounts. Some TVs do a lot of post-processing and even in the so-called "game mode" they are still terrible. Plus, some people are just way more sensitive to it than others. The only game I found it an issue on for me was Ninja Gaiden, but I could probably get over it with practice, and I'm sure the original was kinda crappy to control anyway.


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## ital (Mar 29, 2020)

Hey, you don't have to explain yourself to me. If you like it, you like it. I don't have one so can't comment but its interesting how you won't do a side by side with the PSC just to see how the emulation compares. 

I do agree that a lot of people online shriek over the tiniest things but the MD Mini was so far behind the SNES Mini in terms of experience that it made me cautious of this and you know how interested I was in it.


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## redunka (Mar 29, 2020)

subcon959 said:


> I wouldn't go as far as to say they screwed it up. It's actually a great little system and tons of fun. It's just that people were expecting it to be perfect and of course it was never going to be. When I first plugged it in, I was only going to give it a quick test just to make sure I didn't get a defective one, and I actually ended up playing for a couple hours. The only really bad thing is the scanlines but most people seem to prefer to play without them these days.
> 
> The lag thing is too variable and subjective to really judge from other peoples accounts. Some TVs do a lot of post-processing and even in the so-called "game mode" they are still terrible. Plus, some people are just way more sensitive to it than others. The only game I found it an issue on for me was Ninja Gaiden, but I could probably get over it with practice, and I'm sure the original was kinda crappy to control anyway.


Well, I have no doubts that it's quality enough, I just wish they advertised it a little bit more, and also made it easier to get one (i.e. not just through Amazon). ¯\(ツ)/¯


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## subcon959 (Mar 29, 2020)

redunka said:


> Well, I have no doubts that it's quality enough, I just wish they advertised it a little bit more, and also made it easier to get one (i.e. not just through Amazon). ¯\(ツ)/¯


Yeah, Konami made some pretty stupid decisions along the way. The game list has some glaring omissions for a start, and then the Amazon deal was ridiculous (kinda reminds me of Epic Games exclusive deals).


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## subcon959 (Apr 2, 2020)

If anyone is interested there are now some CG and TG16 minis in stock on Amazon JP.


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## ital (Apr 5, 2020)

Reviewers really seem reticent about going at M2 in regards to the emulation flaws this time compared to the MD Mini:



Even in the way they're phrasing it and bouncing around the topics. Odd. Good news is that they said the CRT filter is slightly improved from the MD Mini which is great as that was my main issue. Audio and input lag seem to be present though. 

If anyone has got one and a hacked PCE please do side by sides and let me know which has the better emulation experience. Gotta admit that real controller and nice looking case thing makes it very tempting but not £100 tempting.


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## djricekcn (Apr 12, 2020)

subcon959 said:


> Do you need to know Japanese to play TM2?



sorry, don't go on GBA much and just noticed this.

Yes, everything that was not released outside of Japan is Japanese only


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## ital (Apr 13, 2020)

People complaining of controller ports not working on the Mini:

https://www.reddit.com/r/TurboGrafx/comments/fq192r/pce_mini_controller_port_issues/

Could be a factory flaw or due to the PSU you use so check the thread if you're buying one.

Anyone who has one comment on the input lag in Lords Of Thunder?


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## subcon959 (Jun 5, 2020)

CoreGrafx released on Amazon UK today.. £99 seems so expensive when you compare it to the very reasonable £48 Megadrive mini is on sale for at the moment. The real question is 6 months from now will it reduce like SEGA or is it gonna be like Nintendo who apparently have figured out how to emulate Ferrari.

Also, why the frik are the extra controllers still not out till December?? Not that it matters when there will be a much better option in July from 8bitdo.


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## ital (Jun 5, 2020)

Meh. This will drop to half, easily. 

Everyone who is an ubernerd with poor impulse control already imported so there will be stock lying around just like all the other Minis not made by Nintendo. MD Mini will be worth it once it drops to £30 but really a modded PSX just does it all so much better... Playing retro without shaders and crisp scanlines just doesn't cut it although I do like the original controllers even though the PSX ones are perfectly serviceable and its emulation quality (especially sound for MD and shimmer on PCE) is far ahead of the officials. 

These mini half cards are a nice touch though:







That 8bitdo controller (and all of their crap in general due to how bad the dpads are) isn't what its cracked up to be due to the weird turbo functionality for PCE so look into that before buying and crying salty tears of disappointment.


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## FamicomHeero (Jun 5, 2020)

I'm still waiting for the virtual boy mini.  I want the Japanese model so bad.


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## ital (Jun 7, 2020)

Great, non starry eyed review here which just made this slide further down the interesting waste of money list than it was as they've carried forth all the negatives from the MD Mini as suspected. 

Crap, dull CRT filter with no gamma tweak? Check
Shimmer? Check
7 frames of audio lag? Check
4 frames of input lag? Check

If anyone who owns both a RA modded PSC and PCE Mini doesn't feel too butthurt for some reason and would like to do a side by side to see which one has the more accurate emulation feel that would be appreciated as I tend to notice these kind of things so its a bit of a deal breaker. 

Maybe I was spoiled by the SNES Mini which comes really, really close to the original feel because everything else has been pretty much "almost but not quite" in full effect.


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## subcon959 (Jul 15, 2020)

@replicashooter Amazon sold off Coregrafx stock this morning at £79, I wonder if its due to VAT cut or something else.


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## ital (Jul 16, 2020)

Let me know after they've cleared them for £39 as thats what they're realistically worth:

Cheap, plasticky tat thats a good few notches below the rest in all respects.


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## subcon959 (Jul 22, 2020)

replicashooter said:


> Cheap, plasticky tat thats a good few notches below the rest in all respects.


I have to push back a little on this comment since you've based it purely on reviews. It's a fine product with a premium feel, and I'd rate the interface highest of them all so far. Other than a few letdowns it's more than most PCE fans could've wished for.

You have to remember the main audience for these things are not modders who want yet another Retroarch box. None of the minis will ever beat the PSC for that (which was ironically pretty useless as an actual mini Playstation).


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## ital (Jul 23, 2020)

Hey man, you don't have to justify your purchase to me. If you like it, you like it, enjoy it. To me its worth £39 and I'm firm with my value and seemingly have better impulse control as you went from:



subcon959 said:


> I'll only bite if it ever comes down to the £50 mark.



To:



subcon959 said:


> M2 is not what it used to be and can't really compete with RetroArch. Also it's definitely overpriced as it's basically a Megadrive mini in a different shell. I wouldn't recommend it over a PSC to anyone who isn't a die hard fan.



After all you know yourself that if you honestly compare the console and controllers it terms of feel, quality and general heft they are nowhere near the SNES Mini (which is the high water mark) and aside from the GUI the rest of the emulation is lacking based on points previously raised. 

I haven't seen one in the flesh yet but the cheap plasticky feel came from someone on another forum who was quite disappointed in what they dared charge £100 for as he said it felt underwhelming in comparison to the SNES which over delivered (as a standard, non modded device). Ultimately there is no disagreement here, we both think its overpriced with under par emulation - the only difference is you feel you've got to justify your spend when I'm saying you don't have to.


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## subcon959 (Jul 24, 2020)

@replicashooter  Nah, I never need to justify my spending to anyone (sometimes not even myself). Btw, I'm well aware of the tactic to accuse someone who likes something of trying to justify their purchase, it's such a lazy way to argue. In fact, I'm glad you quoted those comments I made early on as they make my point perfectly. I didn't actually have any personal experience at the time and was going off what I'd seen and read, which is exactly what you're doing.

Btw, I am a die hard PC Engine fan (NEC not Konami), I have several original consoles including a SuperGrafx with a SSD3 (which as you know is a £500+ combination in itself). If anyone didn't need a mini PCE it's me, therefore I'm probably more likely to give a fair opinion on it than most others. I bet some of these people weren't even alive when the original came out otherwise they would know how cheap and tacky the real controller was 

The console itself is solid though. Plus the UI is objectively better than the Nintendo efforts I can't see how anyone can argue with that if they've used both. Yes, the NES and SNES minis have better emulation overall, I've never refuted that. I also never said I think the PCE mini is worth £99 either, I just said they delivered a product fans would be happy with. Plus the hack is almost ready so the glaring omissions can be rectified too.


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## ital (Jul 24, 2020)

For someone that feels they don't have to justify themselves you sure typed a lot of words that I didn't read.


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## subcon959 (Aug 19, 2020)

Come back to the thread when you've learned to read then


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