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NEC TG-16/TE/TurboDuo => TG-16/TE/TurboDuo Discussion => Topic started by: NeoFreak on July 15, 2005, 07:47:18 AM
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Did all import HuCards and CDs come with spine cards and/or registration cards?
Can someone explain the plastic "arm" that I have read about in HuCard auctions; from the look of things, it seems like a brace that holds the HuCard in place while its in the jewel case? Did these break easily?
Also, is Dragon Slayer the only game that came bundled with a map? I'm just trying to get a feel for what kind of extras were available so I dont get screwed over in an auction.
Thanks very much.
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Okay, the arm thing is correct. Not ALL came with spinecards some games that used a double disc case did not, but MOST did. Also US Ys 1 and 2 (the original print not the Duo print) came with a Map.
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I'm not even sure if the original prints of Ys Book I & II included a map, we discussed this before somewhere on here. I believe every HuCard game released in the USA had the arm, but some Japanese HuCard cases did not have the arm; I think Namco games might not have had arms, but I'll have to double check that with the ones I have.
And as far as spine cards go, I don't think the HuCards had them, but the CDs definitley do. Another game that came with a map included was Tengai Makyou II.
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I'm not even sure if the original prints of Ys Book I & II included a map, we discussed this before somewhere on here. I believe every HuCard game released in the USA had the arm, but some Japanese HuCard cases did not have the arm; I think Namco games might not have had arms, but I'll have to double check that with the ones I have.
And as far as spine cards go, I don't think the HuCards had them, but the CDs definitley do. Another game that came with a map included was Tengai Makyou II.
All the Tengai Makyou games had a map (well, Ziria original CD version, ManjiMaru and Kabuki-Den did). I thought he was just asking about domestic releases. I'm sure tons of PCE RPGs had maps.
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alright thanks.
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So-
Dragon Slayer- Map
Sherlock Holmes- some kinda newspaper
Vasteel- poster identifying the planets
Beyond Shadowgate- damn poster
Cosmic Fantasy 3- guide book
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oh great, i'm looking into picking some of those up. thanks for the heads up.
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I'm not even sure if the original prints of Ys Book I & II included a map, we discussed this before somewhere on here.
My original US version Ys Book 1 & 2 has a map. Many PC Engine cds had extras that came with them such as decals, paper dress up dolls etc. which is one of the reasons they are so fun to collect. :D
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I'm not familiar with the US Turbo games, but I don't remember anything extra with my copy Ys 1&2. Then again, if the extras didn't fit into the CD case, then I probably lost/threw them away long ago.
As for Japanese games, I've observed the following:
- No HuCard cases had that "arm" thing. If there is a game that does have one, I'd like to know.
- Pretty much all CD games had spine cards. The exception here are games that came in larger packages like 3x3Eyes + video tape, Forgotten Worlds + Ave Pad 3 set, etc.
- The only HuCards to have spine cards were the ones that came in double CD cases.
- All (more or less :)) officially released games came with registration cards.
This isn't absolute of course, but I'm just speaking from observations of my own collection.
Hope this helps.
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When I bought my first TurboGrafx 16 that included KC, the jewel case did NOT have the arm but instead had a small sticky circle that held the plastic sleeve in place.
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When I bought my first TurboGrafx 16 that included KC, the jewel case did NOT have the arm but instead had a small sticky circle that held the plastic sleeve in place.
I forgot all about that. I still have that neon orange box the system came in too. Wish I had the plastic cover that went on back of the system.
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My original US version Ys Book 1 & 2 has a map. Many PC Engine cds had extras that came with them such as decals, paper dress up dolls etc. which is one of the reasons they are so fun to collect. :D
Oops. What I meant to say was that I wasn't sure if every copy of the original US version of Ys Book I & II included maps. We discussed something about this before. I wish I had a map for mine :( .
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I think I might have an extra Dragon Slayer map somewhere if anyone needs one. Maybe I'll just ebay it.
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- Pretty much all CD games had spine cards. The exception here are games that came in larger packages like 3x3Eyes + video tape, Forgotten Worlds + Ave Pad 3 set, etc.
Do you know if Forgotten Worlds was only released bundeled together with the Ave Pad 3, or was there also a "standalone" version without pad?
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I think I might have an extra Dragon Slayer map somewhere if anyone needs one. Maybe I'll just ebay it.
I'll buy it off you if you can find it.
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I'm pretty sure there were separate versions released but I have no proof. I do know that the Forgotten Worlds + ave pad 3 pack is labelled as "limited Ave Pad 3 pack" so that would lead me to believe there was a "regular" release without the pad.
So if anybody has a version with the spine card, that would pretty much prove there was a stand alone version.
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I'm pretty sure there were separate versions released but I have no proof. I do know that the Forgotten Worlds + ave pad 3 pack is labelled as "limited Ave Pad 3 pack" so that would lead me to believe there was a "regular" release without the pad.
So if anybody has a version with the spine card, that would pretty much prove there was a stand alone version.
As a side question, what is the deal with the three button pad? Is button III the same as the run button only in a more user friendly shape? Is it possible to assign I,II,III, select and run all different functions?
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while we are on the topic of packaging, how many HuCards or CD games came with outer boxes like this? was this just to hold maps and other extras?
(http://www.neo-freak.com/box.jpg)
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Both HuCard and CD games were packaged like that until about the time the Turbo Duo was out, which was in 1992. Steve could probably give a more technical answer to this.
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while we are on the topic of packaging, how many HuCards or CD games came with outer boxes like this? was this just to hold maps and other extras?
(http://www.neo-freak.com/box.jpg)
Most Hucards and CDs did come with both those. Late in the systems life they did away with the hard plastic case and just put them in the box in a tray, so games like Air Zonk, Bonk 3, Magical Chase, Samurai Ghost, probably Somer Assault, Time Cruise had no cd style case. SCDs on the other hand never had outer boxes.
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Here are the general guidelines :).
Japan HuCard:
Jewel Case + Manual + HuCard + Vinyl Sleeve + thin SPONGE FOAM + Registration Card
(not sure if all games included foam, but it was used to keep the HuCard in the tray -- a buffer between the HuCard and the manual when the cover was snapped shut. A FEW games (Namco?) had trays with two SHORT plastic HOOKS that were used to hold the HuCard + Sleeve in place... these special sleeves had two holes punched out -- for the hooks).
Comparison of Japanese vs. US packaging, using the same game. (http://home.comcast.net/~base_nectaris_military_madness/scans-nectaris-pcengine-military_madness-turbografx.html)
TRIVIA: I have 1 or 2 vinyl sleeves that are decorated (i.e. a white concentric swirl is printed on one sleeve). No North American sleeves were decorated.
Japan CD:
Jewel Case + Manual + CD + Spine Card (OBI) + Registration Card
Example of Japanese CD packaging, sorry, no comparison to US packaging. (http://home.comcast.net/~base_nectaris_military_madness/scans-neo_nectaris-FAQ-duo-hudson.html#art)
North America HuCard (NEC era):
Jewel Case (with plastic arm) + Manual + HuCard + Vinyl Sleeve + Cardboard Box + Styrofoam Insert (since the boxes were bigger than jewel cases, you need the styrofoam... same concept as NES packaging)
Note: As previously mentioned, Keith Courage lacked a plastic arm and had double-sided sticker instead.
North America HuCard (TTi era):
Manual + HuCard + Vinyl Sleeve + Cardboard Box + Clear plastic "tray"
(HuCard rested in the middle of the tray, with manual resting on top)
North America CD (NEC era):
Jewel Case + Manual + CD + Cardboard Box + Styrofoam Insert
North America CD (TTi era):
Jewel Case + Manual + CD
BOTTOM LINE: While cardboard boxes were wasteful (trees!), they were seen as a theft deterrent (like the longboxes CDs used to be packaged in). Later, TTi wanted to cut costs, so they revamped the packaging... but for HuCards, I guess it was cheaper for TTi to keep the cardboard boxes and nix the jewel cases.
I've said this before, but the plastic arm in the US jewel cases is a GREAT improvement.
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Very nice, informational post, Steve. Plastic arms do kick ass, indeed!
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While reorganizing the house, I found that I still have two copies of the Ys I& II game map. One of them isn't in the best of shape but the other's in pretty good shape (neither are anywhere near mint though). Talk about a blast from the past. :D
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wow, thanks for the in-depth descriptions.
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While reorganizing the house, I found that I still have two copies of the Ys I& II game map. One of them isn't in the best of shape but the other's in pretty good shape (neither are anywhere near mint though). Talk about a blast from the past. :D
Hey I'll take one off you!