HuCard & CD-ROM² Catalogue
Fifteen key PC Engine titles from 1988 to 1993. Filter by format - HuCard or CD-ROM² — to explore the platform’s distinct library halves.
HuCard vs CD-ROM²
HuCards are the PC Engine’s proprietary ROM cartridges — credit-card-sized chips in a plastic housing. CD-ROM² titles run from standard audio CDs and unlock the CD-ROM expansion’s additional RAM, full-motion video, and redbook audio. Both formats coexisted throughout the platform’s life.
HuCard · 1988
Japan: 1988 / NA: 1989
Irem’s legendary horizontal shooter, ported by Hudson Soft. Originally released on two HuCards in Japan (later merged to one), it remains one of the finest arcade conversions of its era. Force pod mechanics, detailed enemy design, and punishing difficulty.
HuCard · 1989
Japan: Gunhed / NA: 1989
A vertical shooter developed by Compile, known for the best shoot-em-up mechanics of the era. Power-up chains, relentless enemy waves, and a difficulty curve that rewards mastery. One of the TurboGrafx-16’s defining launch titles.
HuCard · 1989
Japan: 1989 / NA: 1990
Hudson Soft’s Zelda-inspired action RPG. Overhead-view dungeon exploration, eight labyrinthine dungeons, and a world that rewarded thorough exploration. Considered one of the best non-Nintendo RPGs of the 8/16-bit era.
HuCard · 1990
Japan & NA: 1990
Namco’s brutal side-scrolling horror action game. Rick Taylor in his iconic hockey mask fighting through mansion horrors. The TurboGrafx-16 version was the most faithful home conversion of the arcade original available in 1990.
HuCard · 1990
Japan: Devil Crash / NA: 1990
Naxat Soft’s demonic pinball masterpiece. A multi-screen table populated with monsters, bonus chambers, and a gravity-defying physics engine. One of the most inventive games on any platform of the era, with a soundtrack by Hironobu Okita.
HuCard · 1990
Japan: PC Genjin / NA: 1990
Hudson Soft’s mascot platformer. Bonk the caveman headbutts his way through prehistory in a colourful, inventive side-scroller. Designed to be the PC Engine’s answer to Mario, it succeeded in Japan and found fans worldwide.
HuCard · 1990
Japan: 1990 / NA: 1990
Hudson’s Star Soldier series returns for the PC Engine with spectacular results. A technical showcase for the hardware’s sprite capabilities with enormous bosses, smooth scrolling, and a power-up system that rewards aggressive play.
HuCard · 1992
Japan & NA: 1992
The last and finest entry in Hudson’s Star Soldier lineage for the PC Engine. Refined mechanics, an excellent power-up system, and technically stunning visuals for a HuCard title. Frequently cited as one of the best vertical shooters of the 16-bit era.
CD-ROM² · 1989
Japan: 1989 / NA: TurboGrafx-CD 1990
Falcom’s landmark action RPG duology with full voice acting, animated cutscenes, and a redbook audio soundtrack. Two complete games on a single CD, demonstrating the medium’s potential years before the competition. Adol’s adventure in Esteria remains a high-water mark for the platform.
CD-ROM² · 1992
Japan & NA: 1992
Hudson Soft’s technical showcase for the TurboDuo. Five stages of horizontal shooting with parallax scrolling, enormous bosses, and a redbook audio soundtrack that showcased what CD audio meant for game music. Frequently bundled with Bonk’s Adventure and Bomberman.
CD-ROM² · 1993
Japan only, 1993
Konami’s masterpiece for the platform — Richter Belmont against Dracula in the most technically and artistically accomplished Castlevania game of its era. Japan-exclusive until 2007. Voice acting, animated cutscenes, multiple paths, and Maria Renard as a playable character.
CD-ROM² · 1993
Japan: 1993 / NA: TurboDuo 1993
Hudson Soft’s heavy metal shooter. Four elemental armours, non-linear stage order, and a redbook rock soundtrack by T’s Music that remains one of the finest video game soundtracks of the early 1990s. Enormous bosses and relentless action.
CD-ROM² · 1990
Japan: 1989 / NA: 1990
Telenet Japan’s magical warrior action game with fully voiced anime-style cutscenes. An early showcase for the CD-ROM²’s storytelling capabilities. Yuko Asou battles the demon king across multiple worlds with a weapon-upgrading progression system.
CD-ROM² · 1993
Japan only, 1993
Quest Corporation’s technical tour de force for the Arcade Card. Transparent visual effects, rotation, and scaling effects deployed beyond anything previously seen on the platform. A shooter’s shooter, Japan-exclusive and now one of the most valuable PC Engine titles on the collector market.
HuCard · 1988
Japan & NA: 1988
Naxat Soft’s first pinball masterwork before Devil’s Crush. An alien-themed multi-screen table with the most sophisticated physics of any pinball game on home hardware to that point. Predecessor to one of the platform’s most celebrated series.