Why the PCE? Why Not the Genesis or Snes???

[TheClash603]

Super Punch-Out and Pilotwings are #2 and #3 after SMW.  I kinda liked Super Mario RPG too.  Harvest Moon maybe too.

[nodtveidt]

For me, the main attraction of the PCE is development. As a game developer, I like a system that is both easy to develop for as well as powerful. The PCE is both of these and more. The other two consoles of the era have some serious limitations that I cannot overlook... the Genesis sorely lacks colors and the SNES sorely lacks CPU power and viable media for game distribution. I could give a snot about the game libraries for any of them, really... but if I have to look at the libraries in totality, the PCE also has the best good:crap ratio out of the three. Sure, one can pick out a specific title and say "but this game blows all games on all the others away so this console's the best", but that's vacuous fanboyism which is the bane of proper game appreciation. I have my favorite games on all three systems, but many of them I like mainly for their technical ability, and I utilize that knowledge in my own development style.

[nat]

The SNES is special to me because of:
-Super Mario World (best Mario game ever.  Period.)
-F-Zero
-Pilotwings
-ActRaiser
-Super Adventure Island (best Adventure Island ever.  The rest are just Wonder Boy sprite hacks so screw 'em).
-Super Castlevania IV
-Super Metroid
-Jaki Crush (the only good pinball game that isn't on the PCE)

...and probably a few more I can't think of right now.  But most of the library is mediocre, in my opinion.

My "SNES best" list is surprisingly similar, although I'd swap Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts for Super Adventure Island.

I'd also add Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Chrono Trigger and maybe Super R-Type 2 (I know, I know, I'm strange).

Well, you guys are forgetting these SNES classics- 

Super Turrican 1&2
Contra 3
Yoshi's island
Donkey kong Country series
Super Aleste (Space megaforce)
Lufia 1&2
Megaman X-X3 (although not saying much at this point)

Donkey Kong Country series, maybe if you're feeling nostalgic. Turrican, no f*cking way. The first MegaMan X was good, but the rest of the series felt like it was revisiting old ground (except MegaMan X4 on the Playstation, awesome game). SMW2/YI I'll give you (see above), but Super Aleste is a long, drawn-out borefest. Worst Compile shooter that I've ever played.

[Joe Redifer]

There was a Super R-Type 2?  Chrono Trigger was good if perhaps a bit overrated.  The story wasn't amazing or anything.  Super Ghouls n' Ghosts just feels so crippled compared to regular, run-of-the-mill un-super Ghouls n' Ghosts (too slow, can't shoot up, etc).

Super Turrican 1&2

I liked the music, but that's about it.

Contra 3

Definitely good, yes, but it's not one that really sticks with you.

Yoshi's island

Maybe this is one of those games that you need to play for a while to appreciate, but I really don't like it.  The worst sound in the entire world is that of a crying baby and this game has it in spades, decreasing the enjoyment substantially because of that sound effect alone.

Donkey kong Country series

Ug.  The first game was kind of cool, but I really did not like the graphics.  The music is even worse (but the underwater theme is awesome).

Super Aleste (Space megaforce)

I still haven't played this game, but I hear it has Blazing Lazers Disease™ in that is has super-long, boring levels full of nothing.

Lufia 1&2

I may have rented Lufia 1.  I don't really remember anything about it.  The one thing that pops into my mind, however, is that it had good title screen music.  Does it?  If so, +1 rep to my memory.

Megaman X-X3 (although not saying much at this point)

I really don't like any Mega Man games besides part 2.

[nat]

There was a Super R-Type 2? 

R-Type 2, Super R-Type, whatever you call it. The sequel to the first R-Type.

[Tatsujin]

R-Type 3 aka R-Type the 3rd lighting

Big sleeping pile but with some cool moments. especially the final boss fight.

hated that steel factory level the most. uber boring and nerve killing stage with awful graphics.

[nat]

No, not that one. R-Type 2.

[Joe Redifer]

For a second there I thought there was a sequel to Super R-Type (which has elements of R-Type 2 but is really its own game).  I like that game as well, though I think it is too hard.  Fantastic music, though.

[Tatsujin]

For a second there I thought there was a sequel to Super R-Type (which has elements of R-Type 2 but is really its own game).  I like that game as well, though I think it is too hard.  Fantastic music, though.

So yeah, then there is only Super R-type left, which was kind a remixed/downgraded R-Type 2 (arcade).

sure the real R-Type 2 (Arcade) was multiple times better than what the sfc got.

[Arkhan]

who am I kidding, I play and collect for all of these equally.

Theres just more good PCE games than the other systems, SO I BUY MORE OF IT.

[nat]

For a second there I thought there was a sequel to Super R-Type (which has elements of R-Type 2 but is really its own game).  I like that game as well, though I think it is too hard.  Fantastic music, though.

So yeah, then there is only Super R-type left, which was kind a remixed/downgraded R-Type 2 (arcade).

Exactly. I feel like they downgraded some of the parts they felt the SNES couldn't handle properly (ie, without mega slowdown). The level they tacked on the beginning is really dumb and superfluous, though. The rest of the game is pretty much R-Type 2 except for one or two levels substituted for reasons I mentioned.

I actually prefer the SNES version to the arcade, though. The music is much better, as Joe mentioned.

[ddd1234]

I much prefer the SCD titles over the Hucard games. For once, the hardware was upgraded to rival the SFC/Genesis.
I am Loving the graphics in Rayxanber 3, Lords of thunder and Terraforming.
On the other hand, there aren't many special effects in the card games, and many pf em tend to look flat.
So, i guess this is another unique thing about this system. What started as a 8-bit machine was upgraded to a 16-bit hardware with the "Super system card".
This was really creative for Nec.

[Tatsujin]

I actually prefer the SNES version to the arcade, though. The music is much better, as Joe mentioned.

You like the orchestral hit?

[Tatsujin]

So, i guess this is another unique thing about this system. What started as a 8-bit machine was upgraded to a 16-bit hardware with the "Super system card".

In fact the system never was any hardware uprgaded other than added some more of ram (which I do not call a hardware upgrade). All visual things you can see in sapphire you could also do on the '87 core

That is what makes it really unique.

The MCD got all kind of extra hardware crap, but beside some rarely good used mode7ish effects, you won't really notice.

[Mathius]

Count me in the fascination crowd. Reading EGM back in the early 90s would always get my hyped up for the next great wave of Japanese Imports that I would never play (at that time). I never even KNEW what a PC Engine looked like until the advent of the internet. I would see screenshots and read gameplay info about all these games, and it all just fascinated me like nothing else ever! Sure, like Zeta said most of us collect for all other retro systems. It's just that NEC's consoles have undeniable charm.