From the Vault columnist. Grew up feeding quarters to the Ms. Pac-Man machine at his uncle's pizza place; still owns his childhood SNES and every Nintendo Power he ever begged his mother for. Writes the retrospectives and the hidden-gem hunts.
A Quest-developed cute-’em-up became the most sought-after North American TurboGrafx game of all. The story of Magical Chase — the game, the witch, and the grail.
A caveboy, a dinosaur empire and gaming’s greatest head-butt. Bonk’s Adventure built the TurboGrafx-16’s identity — and it’s still a joy to play. Reviewed.
Irem’s methodical masterpiece, complete on one HuCard where Japan needed two. R-Type on TurboGrafx-16 is as close to the arcade as 1989 got — reviewed.
Cursed into animal forms, Wonder Boy explores a connected world years before ‘Metroidvania’ was a word. The TurboGrafx-16 Dragon’s Curse is the definitive version — reviewed.
The battle mode that defined multiplayer for a generation, plus a proper single-player adventure. Bomberman ’93 is the TurboGrafx-16’s party essential — reviewed.
Thirty-two hexes-and-counters battles on the Moon, years before console strategy was fashionable. Military Madness is the TurboGrafx-16’s thinking game — reviewed.
Compile and Naxat turned pinball into a dark-fantasy battle across a living, three-screen table. Devil’s Crush remains the greatest video pinball game of its era — reviewed.
A knight, four elemental armours, seven demon warlords and the loudest soundtrack on any console. Lords of Thunder is the TurboGrafx-CD’s shooter masterpiece — reviewed.
Adol, two books, six-hundred-year-old evil and a Red Book soundtrack for the ages. Ys Book I & II was the TurboGrafx-CD’s killer app — reviewed.
Eight medallions, a kidnapped princess and an overworld built to Zelda’s blueprint — but faster, prettier and with ideas of its own. Neutopia, reviewed.