Gooday Gaming Guests - PC Engine HU Cards and CD Game Boot Process

Episode Date: January 25, 2025

I did not realize a System HU Card is Needed to run CDs that are Not a Duo.

Alright, so for a system today, we're gonna do PC Engine. I swapped out my lens on my PC Engine Duo and it did not fix my issue. I did order an original game though, so we'll just check when that comes in. Really found the cheapest original game for my PC Engine Duo.

So the PC Engine has the HU cards and they have the discs too so there's a PC Engine duo as a PC Engine core which is the original one so we're gonna look at that so we're gonna do PC H-U card boot code process. Let's see what's on those little cards. So also known as the graphics, TurboGrafx-16. These H-U pods are ROM based. When the console is powered on the PC Engine CPU it's a Hudson Soft. Those are all Hudson Soft, a lot of those games. And the CPU is an HU C6280 based on the architecture of a C502 so let's see what what it does here so it

powers on to that and then the reset vector instructions to CPU to execute the power on points to start address of the boot code boot coding execution the boot code is you initialize the software setting up the stack pointer initializing memory configuring IO IO ports setting up audio chip which is HUC 6280 APU output. The graphics initialization of the VDC loads the sprites into the VRAM. Setting screen resolutions and display preparing tile map and sprite. So sprites are a combination of a lot of little dots to make little explosions or characters. They're called sprites.

Never knew what that was until I started doing this. These podcasts here. That's why I do them, so I can learn some stuff too here. So loading game does all the level data, sprites, music, and then it's starting the game loop. Once the game is initialized, the CPU enters the main loop, pulling in not like a disk where there's a wobble groove. This disk checks for specific values, patterns, and the HU header to determine if the game matches the region. So you either have a PC engine or you have TurboGrafx.

Modifications or adapters are needed to bypass this restriction. Since HU cards are read-only memory, the CPU directly executes instructions from the HU card without loading them into RAM. So just reading it off the card. Minimum OS, the PC Engine does not have an operating system to the modern sense. card is so how different is the super graphics graphics H you cards how different the each so there'll be a it was only eight made but you was I was shocked essentially the same in the physical form. We know they're the same.

It says, but there's a significantly difference in how the system handles them due to the upgraded hardware of the SuperGrafx. Let's dive into the distinctions. A key difference between SuperGrafx and a standard PC Engine a to card standard a to card supergraphs is backwards compatible I had one at one time pretty cool super graphics specific a to cards these contained design

specifically for the turbo graphics. There's only five. I thought it was eight. It was only five. Only five were released, and they utilize features unavailable on the PC Engine. SuperGrafx use the same kind of video display controller, higher sprite limits, more sprites, parallel scrolling,

multi-background layers can move more independently a second video display processor a vdp alongside the existing one so we're talking about the super graphics here but there's only five cards uh the system also doubles the ram from 64k and oh, it has 64 kilobytes of RAM instead of 32. Super Graphics included game code to configure the use of all the additional stuff.

Code adjustment vector, reset vector, initialization routines. Or basically the same region lock, it out like it had a region lock game so these are the game specific features ghouls include optimism features tailored to enhance hardware for example ghouls and ghosts use the additional VDC for smooth parallel scrolling, increased number of

sprites, 1941 Counter-Strike took advantage of the higher sprite limits and better VRAM for detailed graphics. Physical and internal differences are identical the same. So the key difference gives me a little graph here the uh the it's pretty much the same just double the ram uh that's some some extra graphics so let's see what's what were the five games or the five games i don't have this anymore but it was pretty fun i didn't realize there was only five games. I don't have this anymore, but it was pretty fun. I didn't realize there was only five games for it. Oh, we don't do it.

All right, here we go. So we got Ghouls and Ghosts, and that was from Capcom. Let's see. The second one we already said was the 1941 Counter-Attack. It came out in 1991. Ghs and ghosts came out we'll check reference that one see if it's worth so now i'm on ebay here we'll do some check referencing i like to see what things are worth i would never get one of these again i just was curious i've i've had one so i've kind of been there done that kind of thing

so and there's videos of me doing... I made a category just for $179 for Ghouls N' Ghosts. For an HU card. $116. It's Capcom, though. How can you go wrong with Capcom? Oh, that's pretty cool. Alright, so that's how much that one is.

1941. Would be some sort of a shoot-em-up. Oh, it's Capcom also. Adelis, The Mission Code of Rage Crisis. A horizontal scrolling shoot-em. Battle Ace, Hudson Sauce,

first-person 3D shooter. And Mandu Kanhungla, a side-scrolling action game based on animated. Two dual compatible games. While the five games were exclusive, there were two additional games that worked on both PC Engine and SuperGrafx. Optimize used the extra capacity. And then Darlis Alpha. Why so few games? It was a commercial failure due to its high cost. It was a 5-inch game.

Pretty interesting. So that gives me the PC Engine. let's look at this other game here just want to crush reference a couple of these other games here hudson soft was a big that was part of this whole pc engine so hudson soft in general would be lots of stuff out there for that let's see what this one is the mission code Code of Reach. $310. Whoa. In stock. $310. $350. So that's an expensive one. What was the other one? I thought it was Counter-Attack wouldn't work for me. Let's try this out on number five. The Mando Uga one. I just don't know how to say it. Let's see what that one is.

I'd like to see what kind of games they're outpaced. Let's see what this one is. I'm not seeing any. Didn't come up as anything, actually. Let's get rid of the oh gee.

King model kit. I've not really seen a game for that one. It's probably just hard to find. $50 but I don't think it's a cassette. Yeah it's based on a character, a cartoon character. Hmm. All right, so let's go on to now.

We'll go to, so I have a PC Engine Duo, meaning it also can do, it does the HU cards. Now, let me ask a question here. I don't know this. Does the PC Engine, I don't know this yet, Duo play the Super

Graphics games? Graph graphics games. Graphics games. I would think it would. No, it doesn't. No, the duals do not play the super graphics. This is why. Key difference between the PC Engine Duo. So my Duo does not play it.

So it doesn't have upgraded... It doesn't have the Dual VDCs. Lack the hardware. VDCs, VD-RAM. What the Duo can play, standard PC cards, CD-ROM, Super CD-ROM games, arcade CD-ROM games. And Duo also run these games backwards compatible. Super Graphics games backwards compatible super graphic is backwards compatible with PC however the PC engine does not have a forward to that and you don't hardly ever have a forward compatibility how would that be possible

it wouldn't been made yet unless you're in a time machine or something. All right, so now let's look at the PC Engine CD code boot process. Because now we're on to CDs. So it just kind of goes right into that. So the PC Engine CD-ROM with the little 2 on the top is the successor to the Super CD-ROM 2 and the Arcade CD-ROM 2. So there's three different kinds. Adding CD-ROM functionality for the PC Engine. Allowing you to play larger assets

more details graphics acting voice Here's a process so we're looking at a CPU of a H against still Hudson soft HUC 628 Instructions By Ron because I have a problem.. My duo won't read the game. Although it's not an original. But I know that that game played on my other duo I had. The SD.

The SD. The system card is required to boot CD-ROM games. And provide the operating system to handle CD functions. The system card is required. What is that? It's required to boot CD-ROM games? Maybe that's in the other one. I'll have to find that on the Duo.

The CD-ROM 2, I think that's the little side card. I have a suitcase. PC Engine System something CD 2. I think it has a separate CD that comes out. Player and a separate PC that comes out player and a separate PC engine core maybe that's what this is PC CD-ROM 2 contains a small operating system in ROM initializing CD-ROM VDC system communicates with the CD-ROM. It reads the system area.

System area then the game boot code. Table of contents, boot code, execution. So I'm trying to figure out, I'm still trying to figure out why my Duo won't play. I just put a new lens in it and it didn't help it. Which a lot of times that does happen. It's not the lens. Usually it's a motherboard unlike the HU cards which execute directly from the ROM CD-ROM games load in a chunk of the disk into RAM so this actually the RAM goes onto

the system so once the boot is complete, the game begins. System, Variance, and Compatibility. So System Card Versions. System Card 1, 2, 2.1 used the original CD-ROM System 2. These cards have basically fundamentally unlimited RAM. So the System Cards. This I didn't know. I'll just learned this now this super system card 3 used for the super CD ROM includes more RAM so let's look for that then I'll ask him what do I need that in the duo my other

do I didn't that's why I didn't even think about that. You have to boot from that thing. But it didn't say anything about needing a card. I just wasn't reading it. Super System Card 2. $44.

It's for the PC Engine Japan. $95. $95. $40. Supersystem Card CD 3.0. There's lots of them out there. They're around $100. Well, some of them are a little bit cheaper.

Alright, so. Let's look over here. Alright, so. Obviously, you'd want a better card. Arcade card adds even more RAM for the arcade CD-ROM games, which requires

significant memory. PC Engine CDs games are not region locked at a CD level, but system cards can be. You may play Japanese games and a Turbo 16 system card is needed in both. The difference between the CD-ROM 2, Super CD-ROM 2 and Arcade CD-ROM 2. In terms of RAM, newer system cards like Super CD-ROM 2 and and arcade can load and manage more data

allowing advanced games to run. Boot process is the same. Do I need a system card for Duo? Do I need it? No, you don't. So, no, I don't need a system card. So, there's two system Duos. One is the PC.

It says, no, you do not need a separate system card for the PC Engine Duo. Duo R or Duo RX. I think I have a Duo R. These systems have the system card fundamentally built into their hardware. Duo R or Duo RX. I think I have a Duo R. The system, these systems have the system card fundamentally built into their hardware. So it's part of the system. Okay, good.

I don't want to buy something I don't need. So for my suitcase that I have, that's up for sale. You need a, I need to make a note of that. You need to get a Super System card. Obviously we don't want 3.0, although the other one's probably cheaper.

What's the other one? Super System Card 1.0. Let's see. So let's just put Super System Card. Without any O's. Let's see if anything comes up. PC Engine Super System Card, let's try that. So still seeing three. I want to see if there was a And then of course there's HU got cards

Well, most of them are just the 3.0 Arcade. Super. How about Arcade system card? So Arcade was supposed to be better, right? Isn't that what they said? R. I don't know. Is it better than that? Oh, I just lost it.

So I don't need one there. So that's not the reason why I'm like... I know my other duo I had was the newer one and it worked I don't know where to go now no it's not I'm trying to find where it said about

arcade oh there it is A-R I don't know how to spell it A-R C-A-D. So, PC Engine Arcade System card. Let's see how different that is. I'm not seeing it coming up. Well, I see the 3.0 Super System. That's it.

Not seeing. Let's see the games. But that's it. Not seeing. Let's see the games. So that seems to be the only one out there. I don't see an arcade. So the PC Engine Duo with controller. 1991. Yes, mine is.

It's the PI-T88. The power supply was so hard to find. It was so expensive. Oh oh there it is I found it PC Engine duo system card $ is so it's definitely it's the arcade card duo system card so that's arcade duo system card all right so there is one i see it now it's 50 bucks let's say i don't need one uh so it's still for that suitcase I believe I get to that next level that's what I like to cross-reference eBay here so I can see what's going on alright so let's finish up with a piece PC engine HU Card Library.

How many games are out there for those? Not including TurboGrafx. We'll see if it does it both. So, over 400 titles. Released between 1987 and 1994.

This includes the PC Engine and TurboGrafx. And a few of those five of the other ones. Notable ones. Action and Platformers. Bonkers. Bonk. Legend of Axe. Legendary Axe 2. Shoot'em Ups, lots of different ones, role playing, fighting, puzzles, sports, Adventures YS1 and 2, remade version, better known on CD. I have the CD, I can't get that to work. So it was a compact size. It holds up to 20 megabytes or 2.5, no, 2.5 megabytes of data.

Compatible with, they're compatible with, are not natively compatible with TurboGrafx-16 system due to a slight difference in pin configuration. That's why I have a TurboGrafx HU EverDrive, and you have to put the switch from one to the other. That's why. The pin out is different. And then the TurboGrafx,

we were told there's only a few of them. Famous PC Engine ones. Kazama Guzaga, kind of like Mega Man, it says. Koryan. Magical Chase. Rare and expensive.

Let's try Magic Chase. Let's cross reference that one. Let's see what we get for it. PC Engine Magic Chase. $160. $900. Whoa. One from $160.

Well, that's the HU card. And then if you want to get it on CD, it's $900. Whoa. Palsoft. $2,250 from Japan. $1,000. I don't know why one guy is really cheap.

Cheaper. So that's real expensive. Alright, let's try another one. TurboGrafx. Splatterhouse. I used to have a TurboGrafx too. Alien Crush. I had that on TurboGrafx.

$16. I had the whole setup too. I sold it to a guy TurboGrafx too. Alien Crush. I had that on TurboGrafx. 16. I had the whole setup too. I sold it to a guy local. The back part. All of it. It's pretty cool. Keith Courage. There's another one.

Multitap. There's a Bomberman. 94. Five Player Chaos. I had Bomberman in 93 or 94. But I don't have that. Riddhi U cards with Air Zonk. There are too many titles

to list. Okay, about... PC Engine only. PC Engine Only Game Library. Oh, PC Engine CD Only Game Library. I'm not really worried about Turbo Crack 16. So that's the three.

They said PC Engine CD2, Super CD2, and then Arcade CD2. That's a mouthful. Castlevania. Rondo of Blood. Valus. Action. Browning. A Mecha. Side Scrolling. Side Arms Special. valus action Browning and a Mecca side scrolling sidearm special let's look at

Castlevania of course I haven't been seen a care Castlevania I didn't like So let's try this one. Castlevania Mecca. No, Castlevania Rondo, $280. $500. It's like they're averaging around $300. Someone's got them for $800. So all these old Japan games are worth so much money now. Shoot'em Ups.

Gate of Thunder. Lords of Thunder. RPGs. Y1 and Y2. Oh, there's another one. It's a Y3 too. It's kind of like a Zelda kind of experience. Let's see what that one is.

But everything's in Japan, so it makes it almost impossible to play it. However, as soon as my AI gets built in the future, I'll be able to read it for them. Oh, $9. I can handle that. Where's that? Oh, that's a YS. Nine dollars. YS3

The Wanderers. Huh. Nine dollars. Twenty-three dollars. I like to count this as nine dollars. I actually might get that one Last time I did this I bought something And then he

Guy returned it on me I mean he YS 1, 2, and 3 Yes we'll get that one That's pretty cool Yeah a really cool game He had it for cheaper than way cheaper than i've seen

it and i bought it and two days later the guy canceled on me then no no message nothing i'm still going on i'm still right i'm still going on about that i he of course i always give five full star feedback no matter what but i was i was what? So we'll get that one too. YS3 Wanderers. It was only like $14 with shipping. It's all for this guy to delete on me. All right, so that's PC Engines. I learned a lot today, actually, all about the duos

and that I needed to have a card to play CDs on the duos. I mean, not on the duos, on the other ones. When you have it in the suitcase, over 400 CD titles there was. So he said there's over 400 CD titles. I didn't think there were that many. And what did we say, about 400 or so

for the HU cards? Something like that. Cool. What did we say? About $400 or so for the HU cards? Something like that. Cool. So next thing we'll go on to is PCN, I mean PCFX. There's a really, it's like a little desktop. It's pretty cool. I had one, I had a bunch

of games. Those also had some like 18 plus games. Some kind of Japanese adult games. I have no idea how they work but i think i did have a couple i never really tried them but there was a couple in there that i had i had a good little library of them again of course i sold it local but i do have videos you can check it out all right so that's my thing for today i was on a little bit longer pc engines are really fun lots. Lots of information

to get off of about those. Alright, so we'll leave it at that. I'll see you guys in the morning. Have a good night. Bye.