Official catagorization for Us released Turbo-Grafx 16 games

[Zeon]

As compiled, and posted originally by me on risingstuff forums:

These are the official categories of Us released tg-16 games as taken from the color band from the box or manual/jewel case insert. As you can see many don't make any sense and later down the road things got real messy with many inconstancies. Bomberman being a strategy game and then becoming an action game when '93 rolled around comes to mind, and when the hell did Bonk become an action game? Adventure was in the freaking title! Also why oh why did we have four categories with different shades of blue, and some cases there is a single game in a certain categories. Also I noticed that with later releases within the same category, the color often was consistent, just look at the shade of blue on the Military Madness box and then look at Bomberman's box. Sigh...

Unless otherwise mentioned assume that the categories for hu-cards follow this standard format:

16-BIT GRAPHICS
(insert catagory here) GAME

Catagories:

Arcade: red
Shooting: orange
Action: purple
Sports: yellow-green
Strategy: Blue
Adventure: green
Driving: Lightish Blue (kinda like cyan)
Flight Simulation: Light Blue (kinda like turquoise)
Role-Playing: Yellow
Simulation - Yellow-Orange
Pinball - navy blue
Family - pink

CD-ROM/Super CD-ROM exclusive categories: (Note: Prior to T.T.i taking control of US operations, the same standards for the hu-cards were pretty much adhered to. After having the reins handed over to them, T.T.i. pretty much said said "screw it" to all of the existing categories and existing standards, and made their own new ones. Most notably for all CD-ROM/Super CD-ROM games there was no longer an outer box and the spine of the jewel case inlays was changed to look more like their Japanese counterparts in style and layout. There was either a green color code for CD-ROM, or a reddish-pink for Super CD-ROM games. (Thanks for the correcton Arjak, as I suspected I had it backwards)

Action Adventure - Green-Blue (uh oh too categories in one!)

Adv-Rpg - Red (Yeah I know, you can thank T.T.i. for screwing this one up as this category's shade of red is pretty much the exact same shade of red as the original arcade category)

Fighting - Red (Yep yet another category that uses the same shade of red as arcade, thus proving that as this point T.T.i. no longer cared. The lone game to be in this category, Godzilla, was a very late US release, almost near the end of the pc-engine's life in the US which also lends some truth to my "they had pretty much given up and no longer cared at this point" argument.)

Mystery Role Playing - pastel blue (T.T.i. strikes again! Despite the prequel being in the Strategy category, they made an all new one. Granted "Mystery Role Playing Game" probably fits it better than Strategy they could have at least chosen a shade of any color OTHER than blue!)

Hu-Cards:
Aero Blasters - Arcade
Air Zonk - Shooting
Alien Crush - Action 1
Andre Panza Kick Boxing - Sports 2
Ballistix - Action 3
Battle Royale - Sports
Blazing Lazers - Shooting 1
Bloody Wolf - Arcade
Bomberman - Strategy
Bomberman '93 - Action
Bonk's Adventure - Adventure
Bonk's Revenge - Adventure
Bonk III: Bonk's Adventure - Action (your guess is as good as mine)
Boxyboy - Strategy
Bravoman - Action
Cadash - Arcade
Champions Forever Boxing - Sports 2
Chase H.Q. - Driving
Chew Man Fu - Action
China Warrior - Action 1
Cratermaze - Action 1
Cyber-Core - Shooting 1
Davis Cup Tennis - Sports 4
Dead Moon - Shooting
Deep Blue - Shooting 1
Devil's Crush - Action
Disney's Darkwing Duck - Action
Disney's Tale Spin - Adventure
Double Dungeons - Role-Playing
Dragon Spirit - Arcade 1
Dragon's Curse - Adventure
Drop Off - Action
Dungeon Explorer - Role-Playing 1
Falcon - Flight Simulation
Fantasy Zone - Shooting 1
Final Lap Twin - Arcade 1
Galaga '90 1
Ghost Manor - Adventure
Gunboat - Simulation
Hit The Ice - Sports
Impossamole - Adventure
J.J. and Jeff - Action 1
Jack Nicklaus Turbo Golf - Sports
Jackie Chan's Action Kung Fu - Action
Keith Courage In Alpha Zones - none 5
King of Casino - Strategy
Legend of Hero Tonma - Action
The Legendary Axe - Adventure 1
Legendary Axe II - Adventure
Magical Chase - Shooting
Miliatry Madness - Strategy 1
Moto Roader - Driving 1
Night Creatures - Adventure
Ninja Spirit - Adventure
Neutopia - Role-Playing 1
Neutopia II - Role-Playing
New Adventure Island - Action
Order of the Griffon - Role-Playing
Ordyne - Shooting 1
Pac-Land - Action 1
Parasol Stars - Action 3
Power Golf - Sports 1
Psychosis - Shooting
R-Type - Arcade 1
Raiden - Arcade
Samurai-Ghost - Action
Shockman - Adventure
Sidearms - Arcade 1
Silent Debuggers - Action
Sinistron - Shooter 1, 6
Soldier Blade - Shooting
Somer Assault - Shooting
Sonic Spike - Sports 1
Space Harrier - Arcade 1
Splatterhouse - Arcade
Super Star Soldier - Shooting
Super Volleyball - Sports
Takin' it to the Hoop - Sports 1
Tengen Klax - Arcade 1
Tiger Road - Action
Time Cruise - Pinball
Timeball - Strategy
Tricky Kick - Family 1
Turrican - Action 7
TV Sports Basketball - Sports
TV Sports Football - Sports
TV Sports Hockey - Sports 8
Veigues Tactical Gladiator - Shooting
Victory Run - Driving
Vigilante - Action 1
World Class Baseball - Sports 1
World Court Tennis - Sports 1
World Sports Competition - Sports
Yo' Bro - Action

For CD-ROM games expect this standard, unless otherwise noted:

CD GRAPHICS
(insert catagory here) GAME

CD-ROM
The Addams Family - Adventure
Buster Brothers - ?? 9
Cosmic Fantasy 2 - Role-Playing
Exile - Action/Role-Playing 10
Final Zone II - Shooting
Forgotten Worlds - ?? 9
Fighting Street - Action 1
It Came From The Desert - Adventure
J.B. Harold Murder Club - Strategy
Jack Nicklaus Turbo Golf - Sports 14
Last Alert - Action
Loom - ?? 9
Lords of the Rising Sun - Strategy/Action 16
Monster Lair - Shooting 1
Magical Dinosaur Tour - Family
Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective - Strategy
Splash Lake - ?? 9
Valis II - Adventure
Valis III - Adventure
Vasteel - Arcade Action/Strategy 20
Ys Book I & II - Role-Playing
Ys III - Role-Playing/Action * 10, 21

For Super CD-ROM assume the following standard unless otherwise noted: A color band at the bottom of the front cover/manual about an inch tall with a logo that contained "DUO", "T.T.i", and "Distributed by T.T.i." Also, the category name was put in the left margin about an inch down from the top.

Super CD-ROM
Beyond Shadowgate - Action Adventure
Bonk 3: Bonk's Big Adventure (cd version) - Action
Cotton - ?? 9
Dungeon Explorer 2 - Adv-Rpg
Dungeon Master: Theron's Quest - Adv-Rpg
The Dynastic Hero - Action - 12
Exile: Wicked Phenomenon - Action/RPG - 11
Gate of Thunder - ?? - 13
Godzilla - Fighting
John Madden Duo CD Football - 15
The Legend of Heroes: Dragon Slayer - ?? 9
Lords of Thunder - ?? 9
Might and Magic III - Role playing 17
Prince of Persia - ?? 9
Shadow of the Beast - ?? 9
Riot Zone - Action 18
Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective Vol.2 - Mystery Role Playing Game
Sim Earth - ?? 9
Super Air Zonk - Shooting
Sydmead's Terra Forming - Shooting 19

Legend:
1 Lacks "16-BIT GRAPHICS" or "CD GRAPHICS" above the category as well as mention of the word game ex: "ACTION GAME" In most, but not all cases, these were the games with the classic orange spine (or in the case of Fighting Street, green) labels.
2 Mentions being "1 OR 2 PLAYER" before the category
3 Mentions being "1-2 PLAYER" before the category
4 Mentions being "1-4 PLAYER" before the category
5 The only Us distributed Hu-card game that was never released with an outer cardboard box (it was the tg-16's pack-in), which means no official color band and no official category.
6 Probably an oversight as it has the same color as the Shooting category
7 "16-Bit" is mentioned instead of "16-BIT GRAPHICS". Also the print is capitalized and not in all caps.
8 Mentions being "1-5 PLAYER" before the category
9 Later released CD-ROM or SUPER CD-ROM game and as such lacked an outer box(cost cutting measures near the end of the Pc Engine's life in America.) Without looking at the spine or a possibly a picture of the back inlay, I have no idea what if any category they officially belong to as these are the ones that did not have the "DUO" logo, color band, and category on front. From what I can gather on these games there was no mention of any category whatsoever anywhere on the game itself except arguably Loom.
10 Although they lumped "action" into it the color band is still the same as the one for Role-Playing, and should probably be categorized the same.
11 Color band is a shiny metallic gold with the text "Super CD-ROM Action/RPG Game in stylized font on a single line. This was Working Designs trying to make their game stand out more or seem more deluxe and broke the standard for categories.
12 Following with T.T.i.'s usual break in standards but keeping in the spirit of NEC's minor inconsistencies, the color for action on this game became more of a fuchsia , even though Bonk 3: Bonk's Big Adventure, it was more of a deeper purple. Maybe it's just my eyes playing tricks on me again...
13 Being only ever distributed in the US as a pack in with the Turbo Duo, and containing 4 full games on one cd: Gate of Thunder, Bonk's Adventure, Bonk's Revenge, and Bomberman as a hidden game, it's safe to say this one never had an official category.
14 I could not find a box shot for this one, however considering it had a hu-card release that followed standard format, I assume the same is true for the CD-ROM version.
15 Another screw you from T.T.i. The sports category is now a hard, dark blue.
16 Similar with note 10 except it is Action that they lumped in with Strategy. The color band is still the same as the one for Strategy.
17 Gasp! T.T.i. actually didn't break the old standard for Role-Playing category, they did however type it as "Role playing" instead of "Role-Playing". For all intents and purposes they are they same though.
18 Action was apparently made black of all things on Riot Zone, despite it being shades or purple on both Bonk 3 CD, and Dynastic Hero. I give up trying to comprehend what the heck they were doing.
19 Similar thing as note 18, Despite Super Air Zonk using the original color orange for Shooting, and Riot Zone having black for action, this one ALSO uses black, but this time for shooting. Why T.T.i.? Why?!?!?!
20 Exact same as note 11 except with the text "CD-ROM Arcade Action/Strategy Game instead. On the same note they combined three categories into one!
21 The "Role-" part of "Role-Playing" is on the same line as "CD GRAPHICS" with the rest on the second line.

[Arjak]

I think you do have the later CD game colors backward. All of my Super CDs are pink or blue on the insert spine. And I believe that Buster Bros., which is a normal CD game has a green spine.

Anyways, great analysis!

[Duo_R]

good catch, he did note that it might be backwards.

[Zeon]

I think you do have the later CD game colors backward. All of my Super CDs are pink or blue on the insert spine. And I believe that Buster Bros., which is a normal CD game has a green spine.

Anyways, great analysis!

Could you check for me when you get the chance, I don't have my cases up here with me. I'll make any corrections if necessary.

[Arjak]

*I look over at the stack of games on the shelf next to my computer*

I'm right. 

Sorry I can't show you a picture, but I don't have my own digital camera. Also, I don't own Buster Bros, I'm just telling you what I've seen in pictures...

[ooPo]

Here's a quick picture of my US collection:


Buster Bros. is in the middle of the stack on the right. Dragon Slayer is right above it. the next two above that are Fighting Street and Monster Lair.

If you need me to scan stuff, or at least take a picture with a real camera, I can do that.

[Duo_R]

notions Oopo to move pan the camera to the right...

hey let's check out the JP games!  PS - are any of those labels reprints? thanks for the snap of your US collection!

[ooPo]

Here's some better pictures:





Only the copy of Alien Crush on the top left pile and Sinistron have replacement labels, the rest are all original.

[Duo_R]

I realized that I don't have alot of purple in my collection. Like 1 or 2, and I thought I was an "action" sort of guy.... 

[Sparky]

well a hell of a break down Zeon!!!!

ooPo whats in the bubble wrap that needs preserving...

[ooPo]

Those are sealed SuperGrafx games, I need to find a good supplier of poly bags to properly store them.

[Duo_R]

Oobo what do u have there on the JP titles?  Do I see doubles?