This is a nice, accessible turn-based strategy game in the vein of games like Advance Wars. Here the aim is to try to move your units around the map into the best strategic positions (terrain, and supporting units play a big part on how much damage is done), as the battles go on your forces gain experience with every successful attack, and factories and bases can be captured. All in all its a great strategy game for its time, and all the different elements really come together to add real depth.

The third game in the Bubble Bobble series heralded a return to what the series knew best, 2-player, simple gameplay with you dispatching the enemies in new and interesting ways! Here you can pick up the assortment of different enemies and throw them at each other to clear each screen, there's a parasol which can be used to float, as well as collect other weapons that can be released on the enemies, and some memorable boss fights too. Definitely a must for anyone wanting something to play with a friend on their PC-engine.

Here's a smart, attractive looking shooter that contains many more ideas than the average shooter fare. Magical Chase showers you with a multitude of different control, and power-up features, you get hovering stars which can be set in place anywhere you want which deflect enemy shots, your shot direction itself can similarly be fixed or moved, giving you full multi-directional firing that's independent of movement, and on top of that there's a bunch of weapon and health upgrades that can be acquired from shops. Outside of those elements the levels never fail to be interesting, and engrossing. I'll add though that its worth playing the game on hard mode to get the most out of it, as for a game as pricey as it is Magical Chase can be beaten without too much trouble on the lower difficulties.

A very cool little Taito platform game which has their classic Bubble Bobble feel to it, except in this instance transferred to a more traditional platform game set-up with horizontal scrolling and moving platforms. The game has you throwing water (which bounces along the ground and runs down slopes) at the enemies to incapacitate them, at which point they can be shoved off screen (combo-ing and taking anything in their way with them). This has tons of charm, the levels are well designed, with great pacing and memorable boss fights, and there's even multiple routes to choose from to add some variation.

This is an enhanced port of the Master System's "Dragon's Trap". Dragon's Curse is an action adventure game which has you exploring a big world filled with enemies and hazardous jumps, every time you defeat a boss it changes you into a different creature, with each having different abilities that allow you to take routes in the world which were previously un-passable. Overall its a good port, the most noticeable improvements being the smoother scrolling, and some improved graphics here and there. Its probably not quite as improved as it should've been, but its a great version of an all time classic regardless.

Parodius Da!

Konami's excellent parody of their Gradius series of shooters was transferred brilliantly to NEC's small box of wonders. Here you pilot your craft through some of the most imaginatively wacky, and memorable levels in shmup history, the power-up system is as fun to use as it ever was, and slowdown is kept to a minimum. This doesn't have quite as many extras as the SNES version did, but it does have its own exclusive points-attack level.

One of my favourite Bomberman releases, Bomberman 94' (known more commonly for the Mega Drive port, Mega Bomberman) had numerous improvements to the single player gameplay to make it more focused, increasing the pacing and keeping the action moving. Here they're added much more interesting, now scrolling stages which really bring Bomberman's world to life for the first time, they've also made it so you no longer have to blow up every single enemy to proceed, just the new shield generators protecting an artifact in each stage. The ever important multiplayer is as fun as ever here, with this one introducing Rooeys to the series (ride-able creatures which give you an extra hit point, and an ability). This is much better than the later Mega Drive release, with more detailed, better coloured graphics, superior animation, less slowdown, and 5-player support instead of Mega Bomberman's 4-players.

This just has to be the best Bonk release on the system. With this sequel the levels were much more ambitious, they were huge stages brimming with stuff to find, from heart containers, to bonus games. The graphics from the original were overhauled, creating a much more impressive looking world filled with offbeat, memorable characters, and much more polished visuals. All of this, and they still managed to retain all the humour, and rewarding gameplay of the original.

This is the Hu-Card to prove to non-believers that the PC-Engine can stand up to its more famous 16-bit competition, an excellent port of the archetypal 1 on 1 fighting game which easily manages to rival the SNES and Mega Drive games. Every one knows the drill here by now, its just you vs the opponent, deplete their energy to zero by using combinations of punches, kicks, and special moves (activated by specific button presses) and you win the match and fight the next guy.

Hudson managed to hone their shmup making skills even further with this, the 3rd, and last of their Soldier series games to appear on PC-Engine. Here we have the tried and true formula of the series, frenetic action, exciting boss fights, and brilliant weapons, except now with better graphics, even more awesome set-pieces than ever, and some of the most impressive music to come from the PC-Engine sound chip. This has to be the number one Hu-Card shoot-em-up on a system that is world famous for its high quality shooters.