{"id":16589,"date":"2018-04-04T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-04-04T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2018\/04\/hardware_review_terraonion_super_sd_system_3_unlocks_the_entire_pc_engine_library"},"modified":"2018-04-04T15:00:00","modified_gmt":"2018-04-04T15:00:00","slug":"hardware-review-terraonion-super-sd-system-3-unlocks-the-entire-pc-engine-library","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2018\/04\/04\/hardware-review-terraonion-super-sd-system-3-unlocks-the-entire-pc-engine-library\/","title":{"rendered":"Hardware Review: Terraonion Super SD System 3 Unlocks The Entire PC Engine Library"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"picture embed centered picture-900x img-900x\">\n<div class=\"img\"><a title=\"IMG_7747.JPG\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/news\/2018\/04\/hardware_review_terraonion_super_sd_system_3_unlocks_the_entire_pc_engine_libary\/attachment\/0\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/news\/2018\/04\/hardware_review_terraonion_super_sd_system_3_unlocks_the_entire_pc_engine_libary\/attachment\/0\/900x.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7747.JPG\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>It&#8217;s almost impossible to not fall in love with the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2013\/03\/hardware_classics_nec_pc_engine\">NEC PC Engine<\/a>. In its original Japanese form it remains an engineering masterpiece; it&#8217;s the tiny console that could. Even after all these years it&#8217;s easy to see why the system took Japan by a storm and gained legions of fans among &#8220;grey importers&#8221; in the west\u00a0\u2013 not only did it look fantastic, it played host to some astonishingly brilliant titles, including an (almost) arcade perfect version of Irem&#8217;s\u00a0<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/tg16\/r-type\">R-Type<\/a><\/strong>, which \u2013 for many \u2013 was the system&#8217;s killer app in those early years. The PC Engine is also historically significant because it was the first console to genuinely rival the Nintendo Famicom in its homeland; released in 1987, it entered a market dominated by Nintendo, yet it managed to find a foothold and even kept a resurgent Sega \u2013 with its 16-bit Mega Drive \u2013 at bay.<\/p>\n<p>Playing the PC Engine today is a massively rewarding experience due to the relatively low cost of entry and wide selection of excellent software. However, it&#8217;s also something of a minefield for newcomers because NEC was addicted to releasing as many iterations and add-ons for the system as humanly possible. The base console was revised twice (the Core Grafx and Core Grafx II) while the CD-ROM\u00b2 attachment \u2013 a first for the games industry \u2013 came in two variants. Then there&#8217;s the PC Engine Shuttle, SuperGrafx, Duo, Duo-R and Duo-RX to consider. Confused yet? Throw in multiple memory-boosting &#8220;System Cards&#8221; which are required to play certain CD games, and it&#8217;s easy to see why the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2012\/11\/feature_the_making_of_the_pc_engine\">PC Engine<\/a> is regarded as something of a mystery, even by seasoned retro gamers.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"picture strip\">\n<div class=\"img\"><a href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/news\/2018\/04\/hardware_review_terraonion_super_sd_system_3_unlocks_the_entire_pc_engine_libary\/attachment\/1\/original.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/news\/2018\/04\/hardware_review_terraonion_super_sd_system_3_unlocks_the_entire_pc_engine_libary\/attachment\/1\/900x.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7743.JPG\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Thankfully, Spanish company <a class=\"external\" href=\"http:\/\/www.terraonion.com\/\">Terraonion<\/a> \u2013 which is behind the superb <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2018\/01\/feature_neo_geos_first_flash_cart_is_here_so_what_now_for_switch-owning_snk_fans\">NeoSD Neo Geo flash cart<\/a> \u2013 has come up with an all-in-one solution which not only overcomes the limitations of the original PC Engine, but adds in all of the CD-based goodness required to fully explore the console&#8217;s library of titles. The <a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.neosdstore.com\/shop\/index.php?id_product=12&amp;controller=product&amp;id_lang=1\">Super SD System 3<\/a> is a module which bolts onto the back of the standard PC Engine and, via a MicroSD card, allows you to load HuCard ROMs and CD-ROM\u00b2 ISOs.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It also includes support for the Arcade Card, the final card released for the console which introduced an additional 2MB of RAM for graphically complex titles like <strong>Fatal Fury Special<\/strong>, <strong>Strider<\/strong> and <strong>World Heroes 2<\/strong> \u2013 as well as previous CD-ROM\u00b2 and Super CD-ROM\u00b2 games. As if that wasn&#8217;t enough, the module also comes with RGB output, something that is only possible on the original hardware via modification (composite AV is the best most PC Engine variants can manage, but in the case of the white PC Engine, RF is the only output option). To cap it all off, save data can be committed to the MicroSD card without having to use the Ten no Koe Bank add-on device\u00a0\u2013 which is fortunate, because the\u00a0Ten no Koe Bank connects to the same port that the Super SD System 3 occupies, so it&#8217;s impossible to use them both at the same time.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"picture strip\">\n<div class=\"img\"><a href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/news\/2018\/04\/hardware_review_terraonion_super_sd_system_3_unlocks_the_entire_pc_engine_libary\/attachment\/4\/original.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/news\/2018\/04\/hardware_review_terraonion_super_sd_system_3_unlocks_the_entire_pc_engine_libary\/attachment\/4\/900x.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7742.JPG\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>As you can imagine, all of this makes the Super SD System 3 something of a dream ticket for PC Engine fans; it even allows you to play SuperGrafx ROMs\u00a0\u2013\u00a0as long as you connect it to a SuperGrafx console, of course. The AV multiport also handles composite video (more on that in a bit, though) and the RGB signal via SCART is absolutely stunning (especially when run through an upscaler like the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2017\/09\/hardware_review_the_open_source_scan_converter_is_every_retro_gamers_dream_come_true\">Open Source Scan Converter<\/a>); it even has stereo audio. When you consider that many modders charge quite a bit to add RGB-out to existing PC Engines, the relatively high cost of this unit is easier to stomach \u2013 even more so when you add up the combined cost of buying items like Super CD-ROM\u00b2 drives, Arcade Cards and (of course) the games themselves. <a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.neosdstore.com\/shop\/index.php?id_product=12&amp;controller=product&amp;id_lang=1\">$290 \/ \u00a3210 \/ \u20ac240<\/a> sounds pretty appealing.<\/p>\n<p>Like the NeoSD, the Super SD System 3 comes with a lovely front-end which is easy to navigate and pretty to look at. To access the menu you have to hold down Start when booting up the system; you can then toggle between HuCard games and CD-based titles. Load times are short and we didn&#8217;t encounter any issues with the titles we tried; everything runs like a dream without the headache of failing CD drives or the need to plug in several different pieces of hardware to get everything working. You just drag-and-drop ROMs and ISOs onto a MicroSD card, load it up and the Super SD System 3 does all the rest.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gallery\">\n<div class=\"col\"><a href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/news\/2018\/04\/hardware_review_terraonion_super_sd_system_3_unlocks_the_entire_pc_engine_libary\/attachment\/5\/original.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/news\/2018\/04\/hardware_review_terraonion_super_sd_system_3_unlocks_the_entire_pc_engine_libary\/attachment\/5\/445x245.jpg\" width=\"445\" height=\"245\" alt=\"20180402_234228.jpg\"\/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/news\/2018\/04\/hardware_review_terraonion_super_sd_system_3_unlocks_the_entire_pc_engine_libary\/attachment\/6\/original.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/news\/2018\/04\/hardware_review_terraonion_super_sd_system_3_unlocks_the_entire_pc_engine_libary\/attachment\/6\/445x245.jpg\" width=\"445\" height=\"245\" alt=\"20180323_192350.jpg\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"col\"><a href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/news\/2018\/04\/hardware_review_terraonion_super_sd_system_3_unlocks_the_entire_pc_engine_libary\/attachment\/7\/original.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/news\/2018\/04\/hardware_review_terraonion_super_sd_system_3_unlocks_the_entire_pc_engine_libary\/attachment\/7\/445x245.jpg\" width=\"445\" height=\"245\" alt=\"20180323_192153.jpg\"\/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/news\/2018\/04\/hardware_review_terraonion_super_sd_system_3_unlocks_the_entire_pc_engine_libary\/attachment\/8\/original.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/news\/2018\/04\/hardware_review_terraonion_super_sd_system_3_unlocks_the_entire_pc_engine_libary\/attachment\/8\/445x245.jpg\" width=\"445\" height=\"245\" alt=\"20180323_191953.jpg\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Of course, it&#8217;s necessary to leave your morals at the door when you&#8217;re using a device like this; downloading ROMs and ISOs is an infringement of copyright, and by doing so you&#8217;re not supporting the companies that made these games possible in the first place. Given the age of the PC Engine it&#8217;s to be expected that there are a great many games which are no longer in active circulation, and the studios and publishers behind them have long since passed into memory. ROMs are, for many people, the only realistic means they have of experiencing these past classics.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>However, titles like <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/tg16\/castlevania_rondo_of_blood\">Dracula-X: Rondo of Blood<\/a>,<\/strong> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/tg16\/bonks_adventure\"><strong>Bonk&#8217;s Adventure<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/tg16\/soldier_blade\">Soldier Blade<\/a><\/strong> <em>have<\/em> been re-released on several different platforms, giving you the chance to legally own them. We&#8217;re not going to lay down any guilt-trips here \u2013 if legal avenues exist which allow you to support content-makers, then you should take them \u2013 but we&#8217;re also not going to pretend that the world of ROM distribution doesn&#8217;t exist, and that it doesn&#8217;t provide a valid means of keeping the past alive. Given that both CD and HuCard formats have a limited lifespan \u2013 not to mention that CD drives will eventually burn out and become useless \u2013 devices like the Super SD System 3 represent a vital lifeline to gaming&#8217;s history.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"picture strip\">\n<div class=\"img\"><a href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/news\/2018\/04\/hardware_review_terraonion_super_sd_system_3_unlocks_the_entire_pc_engine_libary\/attachment\/3\/original.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/news\/2018\/04\/hardware_review_terraonion_super_sd_system_3_unlocks_the_entire_pc_engine_libary\/attachment\/3\/900x.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7744.JPG\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>If you&#8217;re interested in the PC Engine then you&#8217;ll no doubt be reaching for your wallet as we speak, but there are few caveats to mention here. Shortly after launch, a fault with the Super SD System 3&#8217;s RGB output was spotted, and production was halted while Terraonion addressed the issue. More recently, <a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Voultar\/status\/980951324610170880\">it has been discovered<\/a> that the AC coupling cap for composite video is the wrong way around, which has the potential to cause <a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=tySCg4-Q11U\">catastrophic failure<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s worth stressing that this <em>only<\/em> impacts people using the AV port for composite video, which is likely to be a small percentage of users. Most will opt for the superior RGB\u00a0\u2013 we used a <a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.retrogamingcables.co.uk\/packapunch-range\/packapunch-cables-for-sega-consoles\/sega-mega-drive-2-sega-genesis-2-rgb-av-scart-cable-tv-lead-packapunch\">Retro Gaming Cables Mega Drive Mk2 RGB SCART lead<\/a> and didn&#8217;t encounter any problems. Terraonion is amending the spec moving forward but at the time of writing a recall for existing units is unlikely; however, if you have even the most limited soldering skills it&#8217;s easy enough to remove the capacitor in question, turn it the right away around the re-solder. If you&#8217;re thinking of making a purchase then you might want to make sure you&#8217;re getting the revised version which fixes this issue.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"picture strip\">\n<div class=\"img\"><a href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/news\/2018\/04\/hardware_review_terraonion_super_sd_system_3_unlocks_the_entire_pc_engine_libary\/attachment\/2\/original.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/news\/2018\/04\/hardware_review_terraonion_super_sd_system_3_unlocks_the_entire_pc_engine_libary\/attachment\/2\/900x.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_7741.JPG\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Niggles aside, the Super SD System 3 is a remarkable piece of kit which grants complete access to the <em>entire<\/em> PC Engine library. Granted, the price of entry is high, but compared to what it would normally cost for you to amass the required hardware and software, it&#8217;s a drop in the ocean. If you&#8217;ve always wanted to learn more about Nintendo&#8217;s biggest rival in Japan during the Famicom era, then this system is the best place to start; loose white PC Engine consoles can be picked up online relatively cheaply, making the Super SD System 3 itself your only large investment on the route to HuCard and CD-ROM\u00b2 heaven.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It&#8217;s almost impossible to not fall in love with the NEC PC Engine. In its original Japanese form it remains an engineering masterpiece; it&#8217;s the tiny console that could. Even after all these years it&#8217;s easy to see why the system took Japan by a storm and gained legions of fans among &#8220;grey importers&#8221; in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nintendo-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16589","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16589"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16589\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16589"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16589"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16589"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}