I have to say, I'm surprised at how many emails I keep receiving regarding my PC Engine collection and those who would like to start a collection of their own. The PC Engine has to be one of the most collectible of the classic game systems out there, and although I'm not exactly sure why that is, it continues to gain value around the internet as the years pass. Today I'll give you the first part of a three-part series on PC Engine collecting and tell you what you need to put together a solid collection you can be proud of.
Before you do anything else, you need to find a seller online that you can trust and that knows their stuff when it comes to PC Engine systems and games. These people can be a real lifesaver when it comes to putting together a good collection. I lucked out and found an absolute dream of a seller on ebay, rather by accident I might add, and he's responsible for about 85% of my collection at the moment and he continues to be able to find me some of the absolute rarest titles and in mint condition as well. He also tends to give me a really good deal on some of the more expensive titles as he knows I'll keep coming back to buy more games and this helps save me some dinero as well. Look around, and always check for feedback. Even go so far as to email some of the buyers who've done business with them recently and find out how they stack up as a seller. A good seller can be your ace-in-the-hole when it comes to finding some of these older systems and games.
The next thing you need to do is your homework. Research the PC Engine system and its games and find out about compatibility issues, like what games work with what system, and which System Card you'll need to play certain games. Also find out about region protection and some ways around it. Talk to collectors who are already very familiar with the system and the games and don't be afraid to ask questions, no matter how silly you think they might be. There's no substitute for knowing what you're doing and what you need to play PC Engine games. You'll easily save yourself time and money if you have a good idea of what you're doing when you start collecting PC Engine or even TurboGrafx-16 items. You can check out www.virtual-turbo.com to find a set of links to some of the best PC Engine web sites available. Visit them often.
Another very important lesson to be aware of when it comes to PC Engine collecting is that if you want to build a great collection, you're going to have to spend some money - in some cases, a lot of it! Some of the best games available for the system are also some of the most expensive. This can be due to their being rare or just in high demand, as some of the better titles always are. Visit the PC Engine Catalog Project listed on Virtual-Turbo and make you a list of what games you're most interested in and start from there. If you want to get the expensive titles out of the way first, that's a good way to start because it gives you a solid foundation for your project. Check ebay every day if you can as some of the really hard-to-find titles don't pop up for very long, and occasionally you might even get a real bargain if you can jump on it fast enough. Also list the games you want on a game trading site so people can see it. You can sometimes find someone who's desperate for another game you might have that leads you to a title you're really interested in as well. Also try to remain patient when it comes to certain titles you really want but aren't available for sale anywhere at the moment. They'll turn up, you just have to be persistent in your searching. Believe me, it makes it so much better when you finally land that title that you've really been searching for. It's one of the best parts of PC Engine collecting, if you ask me.
Tomorrow we'll talk about specific PC Engine systems and their pros and cons as well as the various System Cards you'll need to play most of these titles.
Hudson has released the action/platformer "Shockman" onto the Wii Virtual Console today. While the game feels a lot like a simple Mega Man clone, the addition of the shooter levels adds a nice touch to an already enjoyable title. If you can appreciate an action game without a lot of bells and whistles, this might be one you'll want to check out. Don't forget to click on the box art to visit the full review at Virtual Turbo.
