Konami Announces PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 Mini

The PC Engine was a hybrid 8/16-bit system by NEC Corporation (formerly NEC Home Electronics), designed by Hudson Soft (now owned by Konami). Outside of Japan it became known as the TurboGrafx-16, and it was particularly known for its shooters and visual novels. In Japan, it actually outsold the Sega Master System and the Mega Drive. It used an 8-bit CPU along with a 16-bit GPU. There were over 15 different models, including some with support for CDs. While it was quite big in Japan, its later release date overseas didn't help it achieve great notoriety internationally.

Now, as the mini console craze burns bright in both Eastern and Western markets, Konami decided to remake the classic console in a mini format, following Nintendo's hits with the NES Mini and SNES Mini and Sony's PlayStation Classic, more recently followed by Sega's announcement for the Mega Drive/Genesis Mini, as well as Atari's announcement for two other mini consoles. It's a booming market, and even the most niche consoles can get a piece of it.

The official website of the PC Engine Mini doesn't include a whole lot of information for now, but Konami announced it will feature a range of classic retro games, with part of the line-up having been announced at E3 2019. While the console itself will be a palm-sized miniature, the controller will be full-sized. The announced catalog of pre-loaded titles include:

• R-Type
• New Adventure Island
• Ninja Spirit
• Ys Book I & II
• Dungeon Explorer
• Alien Crush

The Japanese edition will get a slightly different set of initial titles that were more popular in the country. One of the oddities is that Bonk's Adventure was only announced for the Japanese edition at this time.

• Bonk’s Adventure
• Dracula X
• The Kung Fu/China Warrior
• Ys Book I & II
• Super Star Soldier
• Dungeon Explorer

First Konami intends to release the PC Engine Core Grafx Mini in select European countries, which will then be followed by two additional variants in North America and Japan, which will be called TurboGrafx-16 mini and PC Engine mini respectively. The company will announce more details, including the full game line-up, pricing, and availability at a later date.

The PC Engine Mini was well-known for introducing several historical firsts, including the first console with a CD-ROM add-on and the first console to offer multi-tap support for up to five players. More than that, however, the console has become a collector favorite thanks to the quality game line-up; many of which will be included in this re-release.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOXlnZqPUuE

Are you hyped for the PC Engine Mini? Will it join your collection of great mini consoles? Let us know in the comments below!