After covering my first part of top 5 PC Engine/TG16 Games which focuses on HuCard titles that the system had first started back in late 80's, so I've already picked 5 favourite games that I fully enjoyed it thanks to solid overall gameplay, impressive graphics design, and quality soundtrack which really defines the system's own libraries.
Now I'm going to focused on a CD based titles that I will cover these much further on this top 5. As you may not been aware of the system's own add-ons which was came out 2 or 3 months after the release of the standard console, so that is a PC Engine CD-ROM² (A.K.A TurboGrafx CD in US) is an add-on attachment for the PC Engine/TG16 that was released in Japan on 1988, and the United States on 1989.
This add-ons allows the core versions of the console to play PC Engine games in CD-ROM format in addition to standard HuCards making it the first video game console to use CD-ROMs as a storage media which is way ahead at the time before the SEGA Mega CD, Panasonic 3DO, Philips CDi, and Atari Jaguar CD at early 90's.
While the US region doesn't have a huge libraries of CD-ROM based games only has 45 as opposed to Japan region has over 300 games which is the reason what I've previously mentioned on my PC Engine CoreGrafx mini review before, the system wasn't quite successful in US whereas it succeed in Japan.
To be fair on this, it's actually not as bad compared with the later CD based consoles like SEGA Mega CD and 3DO which these two are nowhere near good as the PC Engine/TG16 CD in terms of system's own libraries and lifespan.
It had fair shares with titles like Gradius II, Cho Aniki, Super Darius and others which I got to say it had an impressive list of CD-ROM games that are actually pretty good which is the reason to play system's own addons.
Thankfully the PC Engine CoreGrafx mini has included some of the CD-ROM based games that I've managed to enjoy playing these kinds of games, so this is a second and final part of the top 5 PC Engine/TG16 Games which I will pick my 5 favourite CD-ROM titles that I consider as being the best on the system's library.
So without go further do, here is my top 5 PC Engine/TG16 Games (Part 2 - CD-ROM titles).
5 - Star Parodier
Like Konami did with their own spin-off series like Parodius which is a shoot em ups game based off the parodies of Gradius, Hudson Soft did the same attempt with their own shoot em ups parody based off the Star Soldier series, so that is Star Parodier developed by Kaneko who was responsible of creating their arcade titles like Air Buster, Shogun Warriors, and DJ Boy.
The game's approach is more of cutesy and cartoonish as opposed to games like Star Soldier are just a hard sci-fi atmosphere which I liked the idea of changing into a different presentation that aims for the younger audiences.
It is a shoot em ups title where you take control of 3 playable craft such as Paro Ceaser, Bomberman, and of course PC Engine Kun to complete all stages as possible to save the galaxy.
Each of playable craft has different weapon loadouts that will alter both the difficulty and strength of the player's shots such as Paro Ceaser's basic shots, Bomberman's large explosives, and PC Engine Kun's controllers and CDs.
The gameplay is fairly simple to play, so all you do is to shoot down the enemies, avoiding the projectiles, and collecting power-ups to increase your shot which makes the playstyle feel much basic and easy to get into for children.
The presentation of the stages is quite an appealing for those who likes very cutesy things starting from space colony to amusement park, toy factory to city, beaches to frozen continent, and sandy desert to large factory filled with bunch of little minions approaching you and facing with the big bosses at very end.
The graphics is filled with colourful environments and comical animation adds the charm of the game's itself, and the whole soundtrack is sounds very good for CD based title despite the CD-based addons has ability to use redbook audio format is somewhat innovative for gaming technology at the time which allowing to play a higher CD quality music.
Star Parodier is a decent title that the fans of the shoot em ups genres can get a hands on with this game, so the price of the actual copy is slightly bit expensive from the site like ebay ranging from £50 to £100 which is only recommended to big video game collectors. The game did get a re-release for Wii Virtual Console back in 2008, but unfortunately the Virtual Console services has already shut down for Wii which is a damn shame, so I wish the game could have deserve another re-release for current platforms like Switch (via eShop) or PS4/PS5 (via PS Store) for future perfect.
4 - Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire (Galaxy Policewoman Legend Sapphire)
Another shoot-em-ups title that I finding it quite impressive for the CD-based addons which is Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire (A.K.A Galaxy Policewoman Legend Sapphire) created by CAProduction.
It follows all-women police force in future year traveling through time to stop the terrorists committing crimes across the past and future.
You get to choose any of 4 playable police women has their own ship with a unique movement speed and 3 unique weapons such as straight shot, wide angle, and a rear-facing shot which can be powered up by coloured gems.
When powered up, the player will able to absorb enemy fire and unleash powerful shots that deal much heavier damage.
These choices of 3 different weapons and accuracy of speeds works effectively well throughout the stages with smooth hit detections, ranged firing-shots, and less sluggish movements that made the game controls feels responsive and engaging to play.
What makes the game even more impressive is that it showed off the system's powerhouse that requires extendable RAMs such as Arcade Card which increases the amount of onboard RAM of the PC Engine's Super CD-ROM² adding the enhanced graphical effects which including pre-3D polygon of enemy's ships making it the most technically achievement title for CD-ROM libraries can able to pull off the 3D animation really well and the game does have an outstanding FMV opening scenes filled with cool looking anime sequences and has fully voice-overs which is also quite impressive for the CD based system are being capable of enhancing the game's features.
The game has produced in low numbers at the end of the PC Engine's lifespan which is likely that the price of the actual copy has skyrocketed up to £500 and over making it a rarest game of PC Engine's CD-ROM libraries for video game collectors, so the only way to play this game is go for the cheaper options by grabbing the PC Engine CoreGrafx Mini for less than £100 or simply get it on software emulator which includes fan-made English translations.
3 - Lords of Thunder
Finally a very last best shoot-em-ups for my top 5 list is definitely Lords of Thunder created by a Red Company, a same team bought to you by Bonk's Adventure, and it is a unofficial follow-up title to Gate of Thunder.
It was originally released for PC Engine/TG16 CD-ROM in 1993, while it was later ported to SEGA Mega CD in 1995.
You are taking control of legendary Blue Knight to fight off against evil god Deoric and his dark generals, who have torn the world asunder, through 7 different stages.
The game plays very similar to other shoot em ups games like Thunder Force IV, so you have an option to select any of stages as well as 4 armors with different elements of shots and bombs such as fire, water, earth, and wind, and then you get to purchase any of useful items which increasing your health, power-ups, shields, bomb, and elixir may improve your playability.
The style of gameplay is dead-on straightforward, so you will have a firing shot as basic weapon and close range melee attack. When powering up your firing shot will allow you to fire a much bigger projectiles such as curved flame, 4-way wave shot, 2-way lighting zap, and 4 vertical beamy plasma.
These are the 4 shot elements worked effectively against top to bottom screen of the enemies and these bombs will allow you to unleash the powerful attacks works against the tough bosses, and having to upgrade with the items through the shop may help you with your health and strengths giving you an advantages to fight through the level smoothly.
The game's presentation is looking damn impressive for its concepts art and graphical design, so I really liked the settings of level visually such as deserted type palaces and underground caves filled with sandworms and bugs everywhere, dark and gritty lava mountain with underground castle, gloomy looking forrest, and large icey hills fits really nicely on these areas.
I also liked the use of parallax scrolling from the level's backgrounds and foregrounds, special effects of firing shots, and detailed enemy's animation is looking so great on PC Engine/TG16 CD-ROM standards.
The game does have an outstanding heavy metal soundtrack running on redbook audio format gives a high quality music throughout the game with intense guitar riffs and gritty drum percussion is just feels like you're listening to Yngwie Malmsteen solo style music is what made the game feels more action packed shoot em ups.
Lords of Thunder is surprisingly one of the best shoot em ups for CD-ROM based game so far, and it cost over £100 for the PC Engine/TG16 CD-ROM actual copy, while the SEGA Mega CD is more expensive to buy which cost over £300.
The game did get the release for Wii Virtual Console in 2008, but then again it's no longer active, so this game should deserve another re-release for current platform today such as Switch (via eShop) or PS4/PS5 (via PS Store) for future perfect.
2 - Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
As a long time fan of the Konami's vampire hunter franchise known as Castlevania, one of the version of this game that I never knew it was existed back then since I only remember playing the SNES version known as Castlevania: Dracula X (AKA Castlevania: Vampire Kiss).
I've discovered the game through the software emulation site in my late teens days, so I've played the hell of it for over 2 hours of fun and yes I really enjoyed the PC Engine/TG16 CD-ROM version of the original game had done something better than what I've expected.
It is a 2D side-scrolling action where you take control of Richter Belmont goes out to save his lover Annette, who was abducted by the evil vampire leader Dracula.
This game has 9 stages with 4 multiple routes resulting with different alternative levels, so you will have a whip as a main weapon and various of sub-weapons such as throwing daggers and axes, holy water, spinning crosses, pocket watch, and grimoire which you will need these to fight off against the hordes of vampires or monsters throughout the level before facing with the bosses and you will have some sub-goals is to rescue 4 maidens including 12 year old Maria Renard, who then becomes a playable character, has ability to use attacks using her doves and one of 6 sub-weapons such as a white tiger kitten, dragon whelp, baby phoenix, turtle, egg and musical notes as well as being able to perform double jump.
I got to say that I was impressed with the game because I did not expect PC Engine/TG16 CD-ROM version to be more superior than the SNES port has to offer due to technical marvel of CD add-ons system was capable of utilising the graphical power and arranged soundtracks that really adds up the game's atmosphere and action.
It has well builted level structures that has tons of hazardous objects and many enemies that requires memorising patterns and the bosses are quite satisfactory that keeps you well entertained.
I also liked the use of multiple routes which relying on rescuing 4 missing maidens and leads you to alternative stage adds the overall replay values.
Sadly it is one of the first Castlevania game that never got released outside of Japan in 1993 which is kinda bummer because it could have been a system's biggest killer apps that might helped the system's sales, and it's kinda strange to see the PC Engine/TG16 CD-ROM version of the game is also getting a reprint copy from Limited Run Games which was announced in 2021 is what Konami should have done the same with the English release in early 90s for first place.
The original game from Japanese release is ridiculously expensive on PC Engine/TG16 CD-ROM which cost around over £100 to £200, while the price of the reprint copy from Limited Run Games is yet to be confirmed soon.
Thankfully this game also included for later ports such as Dracula X Chronicles for PSP/PS Vita (via PS Store) and Castlevania Requiem for PS4 (via PS Store) which I highly recommend you to get it cheap on both version, and it is also included on PC Engine CoreGrafx Mini as well.
1 - Ys Book I and II
First of all, I've previously enjoyed playing Ys Origins for PS4 which is a overlooked Action-RPG title that is one of my very first game of the series I've played, so I was interested to play another title in the series which is the reason I had PC Engine CoreGrafx Mini to play Ys Book I and II.
It is a video game compilation and enhanced remakes of the first two Ys games created by Nihon Falcom.
Unlike the original platform release (such as PC-8801, FM-7, X1, and MSX2) of the both games in Japan, the PC Engine/TG16 CD-ROM finally got released outside of Japan in 1990 making it the only version of Ys II that received an official English release just like they did with the Ys I for SEGA Master System release in late 80's.
It was one of the first video games to use CD-ROM which was utilised to provide enhanced graphics, animated cutscenes, redbook audio format, and voice acting uses over 500 MB of CD-ROM storage.
It focuses on red-haired swordman named Adol Christin where in the first game he must seek out the six books of Ys which contain the history of the ancient, vanished land of Ys, and will give him knowledge he needs to defeat the evil, where as in second game continues his quest to unravel the secrets of the land.
It played on top-down perspective view where you take control of Adol on a main field as you start roaming around and explores dungeons, while encountering with numerous of enemies which you must battle in order to progress.
The battle system is takes sometime to practice as you automatically attack the enemies by walking into them off-centre, so you need to be precise to attack them in the right spot causes their health bar to be depleted depending on how much damage you're able to attack them.
You can also grind your skill level by killing many of the enemies will increase your EXP that will improve your system such as attack, defense, and health that you will need a higher skill level in order to defeat bigger and stronger enemies and bosses.
I got to say the gameplay is pretty good for its combat system even it lack the sword attack animation which didn't bother me as much because you need to take practice of hitting and bumping into enemies in right spot doesn't ruin the game for me. What matters the most is being able to get best possible weapons and armors, finding key and items that leads to the new locations, and grinding up levels to become stronger fighter is what kept you playing the game more.
The game's segments has maze-like castle that teleports you into different rooms, exploring dark caves, large lava caverns, and some puzzle-aspects levels that keeps you feel busy to play the game further, and it clearly has the amazing boss battles which requires you to memorise their weak patterns and evading projectiles as possible that made the game so much fun to play.
I was impressed with the game's presentation in all thanks to animated FMV cutscenes and voice acting did showed off the CD-ROM capabilities, and they did such incredible job on the story are much easier to get into to know what exactly the game's plot is all about and has memorable protagonist that became a long-time major character of the whole series is the reason I loved the game so much.
The arranged soundtrack for this version was remixed by Ryo Yonemitisu had done a great rendition of original soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro (a well known Japanese composer behind Street of Rage and Actraiser) which it labelled Yuzo's original score as one of the best video game music ever composed and considered as one of the finest and most influential RPG scores of all time.
These music are sounds fantastic especially with this version with high quality CD format does add the game's atmosphere and action which is the reason why it sounded so memorable starting from main theme to exploration and inside castle to boss theme which is worth listening to these kinds of epic tracks throughout the game.
It is by far one of my top favourite CD-ROM games for PC Engine/TG16's addons and it is one of the better version of two original games in my opinion. I am happy with the version I've played had turnout to be a finest Action-RPG title for PC Engine/TG16 CD-ROM owners can get a hands on with the game.
Unfortunately the original copy is much harder to find it online which cost around £30 to £70, and alternatively this video game compilation are also included on PC Engine CoreGrafx Mini and you could also get it on software emulator instead.
It did get a modernised remake as Ys I and II DS for NDS in 2009, and Ys I and II Chronicles for PSP in 2011 and PC (via Steam and GOG.com) in 2013 which is entirely different from the PC Engine/TG16 CD-ROM version.
The physical Japanese copy for PSP cost around between £40 to £50, so I highly recommend it to get a digital copy for PC and PS Vita/PSP through available digital store platform is much cheaper option which cost around nearly £10.
Honorable mention:
Cotton - Fantastic Night Dreams
Gate of Thunder
Cho Aniki
Zero Wing
Valis series
Bomberman: Panic Bomber
Gradius II
Super Darius
Snatcher
Seirei Senshi Spriggan
Spriggan Mark II - Re Terraform Project
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