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For articles on Famicom items, please look at the list on the right. For more pictures of games and hardware, check the galleries above.

As for why I don't update every day, part of the reason must go to the PC88, the greatest Japanese computer in the universe!

This Z-80A jobbie, first sold in 1983 by NEC and upgraded and ran through different configurations until it finally gave way to the PC98 in 1992, is exactly the computer I would have had if I was living around there back then... mainly because it reminds me of the super-powered-up Apple II. It's got two graphic modes: 640x400 monochrome, and 640x200x8 out of a palette of 512.

Meaning it's in the same boat as the NES - although the PC88 has a big color palette and can do really nice looking fade ins and outs, the graphics themselves aren't gonna drive the game home. (Music can do it, though - the 88's got a Yamaha chip in it for cool-o FM sound, making it the computer in Japan for music until fairly recently.) What matters most is the substance of the game, and the PC88 reigned the East.

All I've been playing, though, is Sorcerian from Falcom. How should I describe the game? Basically imagine Faxanadu, except with parties, real magic, scenarios, quests, and muzic from Yuzo Koshiro. Each scenario is a sort of mini-RPG in itself, and the game comes with fifteen of 'em (plus another 20 or so on add-on disks). You make up some characters, send them to town to buy stuff, go on quests, and if you're successful you get gold and experience from your lord.

Plus - and this is important for me - you can cheat really easily, using a disk-swapping trick that old timers who played the Ultima series on the Apple should be familiar with. You choose a scenario, put the wrong disk in, get thrown into a garbage filled dungeon, magically escape out, and you get rewarded with far too much experience and gold. So, all you need to do is repeat that a few times, make yourself invincible for the battles, sit back, and let the plots of the scenarios unfold over you. My idea of a perfect game. (Note that I talk a lot about the substance of a game, yet cheat day and night. Sorry.)

News

Software

Just Breed from Enix
Boku Dracula-kun from Konami

Kart Fighter from ?
Somari from ?

4WD Racer from Konami
Barcode World from Sunsoft/Epoch
Dragon Quest 1-4 from Enix

Exed Exes from Tokuma Shoten
Gradius (Special Edition) from Konami

Enjoyable Horse Racing from Super Mega

Exciting Boxing from Konami
Galaxian from Namco

Idol Shisen Mahjong from Hacker International
Miss Peach World from Hacker International

Keiba Simulation from Nichibutsu
Kyudan Shogi Hiden: Honshogi from Seta
Lagrange Point from Konami
Shijo Saikai no Quiz-oh Ketteisen from Yonezawa/PR21
Space Harrier from Takara/Sega
Twinbee 3 from Konami

Hardware

Honey Bee from Honey Bee Soft

ASCII Stick L5 from ASCII

Datach Joint ROM system from Bandai
Karaoke Studio from Bandai
Power Glove from PAX
Twin Famicom from Sharp

You may already own a Famicom-to-NES adapter! Check this handy guide to read about the adapters inside certain old NES carts!

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