In 1988, the first peripheral for the console appeared, a CD reader called CD-ROM². The reader was connected to the interface unit, which powered both the console and the reader itself. Competing companies such as SEGA or Sony... See more
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In 1988, the first peripheral for the console appeared, a CD reader called CD-ROM². The reader was connected to the interface unit, which powered both the console and the reader itself. Competing companies such as SEGA or Sony would create the reader and the console, respectively. <br /> <br />With the first accessory, the CD-ROM² System, it was the first console that had the option of a CD add-on allowing to obtain the improvements for using a CD-based system: 64 kB of memory, cheaper costs, improved sound based on Dolby Surround in some games like Super Darius and compatibility with Red Book. Super CD-ROM² System increases to 256 kB of memory and is a requirement for games created on Super CD-ROM², but requires the Super System Card 3.0 to play on the original CD-ROM². <br /> <br />The PC Engine was a popular system in Japan, outselling Nintendo's Famicom in the early stages since its release, something quite difficult considering that between 1987 and 1993 a total of 17 variants were released worldwide, including its PC Engine CoreGrafx variant, 3 portable models, 2 models supporting only HuCards and 4 models incorporating both HuCard and CD-ROM²/Super CD-ROM² readers in a single console. <br /> <br />Despite the system's success, it began to lose steam when SEGA's SEGA Mega Drive (SEGA Genesis in America) in 1989, and then Nintendo's Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990, both consoles with 16-bit central processors, unlike the PC Engine whose central processor is 8-bit, and only the video processor is 16-bit.
Uses the TurboGrafx-16 CPU
64 KB (system), 64 KB (sound), plus TurboGrafx-16 Video RAM
Uses the TurboGrafx-16 GPU
Oki MSM5205 @ 1.53 MHz
256x224p, 352x224p, 512x224p, 256x240p, 352x240p, 512x240p, 256x448i, 352x448i, 512x448i, 256x480i, 352x480i, 512x480i
NEC Corporation, Hudson Soft
NEC Corporation, Hudson Soft