PCE SYSTEM CARD/ARCADE SYSTEM CARDS

[TonyN]

Hi, another boring newbie question.

I read that in Japan there were different HuCards called 'system cards' and they were used to add RAM so that games like FATAL FURY and other SNK games could be players.  Here is the daft question, are these 'system cards' available as a ROM and if so do they work with the TurboEverdrive?

Thanks.

[phoenixdownita]

System cards do exist as ROMs and they work on TurboED if you have a PCEngine with the ram (TurboDuo/R/RX or SuperCDROM), basically you need to have a PCEngine equipped with SuperCDROM (integrated or not).

The ArcadeCard is instead needed as is.

The TurboED has no RAM whatsoever so it cannot allow the system card to work  for that part unless you have the physical Ram. If you do then the SysCards are usable in ROM form.

A few uses:
Load English CD SysCard 3.0 so memory manager is all in English
Load CD SysCard 1.0 and play Altered Beast CD (it locks in any other version)
Load GamesExpress CD card and play their unauthorized CD games (they are not worthy)

Arcade Card instead adds even more RAM so for that you need the card itself.

All the games we are talking about are CD based so the TurboED really does nothing that you cannot already do if you have TurboDuo/R/RX or SuperCDROM except save you from hunting down SysCard 1.0 or GamesExpress CD card.

[TonyN]

What a really amazing forum this is!!

But sadly mine is the bog standard white PCE, but I do have a CORE GRAFX coming.
Are there any little tips, tricks or treats I am missing out on as a newbie with a TurboED?

Thanks for helping.

[phoenixdownita]

PCE/Core Grafx/Core Grafx II/Super Grafx: no dice if stand alone. You need the Super CDROM peripheral for them if you want to use the System Card ROMs thru TurboED.
The other alternatives are the Duo/R/RX because they are a PCE + Super CDROM in one.

Again System Cards only affect CDROM games, so you need a CDROM player (the Super CDROM) to play them to begin with.

Keep in mind PCE CDROM games never had copy protection to start with, so if you already have a Super CDROM enabled console because it comes comes prewired with the System Card 3.0 , you really are only left out of the Arcade CDROM games. The Arcarde Card (the Duo version is all you need if starting from Super CDROM) has to be bought no matter what.
I don't think Krikzz is interested in making a TurboED "Arcade Edition" given the product although successful is not exactly flying off the shelves, at least that was the answer I got when I asked, and I can understand.

Also there are not too many Arcade CD ROM (called ACD) games: http://www.slowdays.org/kaka/List_of_Arcade_Card_PC_Engine_Games

For completeness there are some SCD games that do take marginal advantage of the Arcade Card if present:
http://www.slowdays.org/kaka/List_of_ACD-SCD_PC_Engine_Games

If you want to dig deeper on PCEngine/PCFX I suggest:
http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums

Check their System Cards version guide:
http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=8411.0

PS: the PCE CD library is interesting and split into 3 main pieces CD, SCD, ACD and then Altered Beast.

Altered Beast requires SysCard 1.0 (will not work on anything else)
CD games need SysCard 1.0 or 2.0 and work fine on 3.0 and Arcade
SCD games need SysCard 3.0 (and the extra RAM it comes with) and work fine on Arcade.
ACD games require the Arcade Card (and the extra RAM it comes with)

This may help: http://pcenginefx.com/main/nec_compatibility_guide.html

PPS: Another nice touch is that PCE CDROM games had little easter egg if someone would try to play with wrong System Card. The game would show up a sometime very nice picture informing you that the wrong System Card was in use. Of course with Super CDROM peripheral or Duo/R/RX except ACD games it would be impossible to see such easter egg without TurboED ;-) but again it is slim picking. Nothing mind blowing.