Top 25 Best TurboGrafx-CD Games of All Time

The Turbografx-CD is one of the most underrated consoles/add-ons in my opinion. It never got a fair shake in North America thanks to being largely mishandled, but in Japan it was an absolute beast. It also didn’t help that the hardware was super expensive as well. Now that I have disposable income I’ve amassed a fair collection of Turbografx-CD/PC-Engine CD titles. Today I was in the mood to dust some of these off, and thought it would be a good time to do a top 25 best Turbografx CD games list considering most gamers haven’t experienced the library. For this write-up I’m including both domestic and import titles. I had a lot of fun writing this one because the system has one of my favorite libraries with a lot of diversity. Without further adieu, here is the top 25 best Turbografx CD games of all time!

#25. – Ane-San

We’re starting the list off right with a classic beat’em up game exclusive to the PC-Engine CD! There’s a lot of text but if you’re like me and don’t speak Japanese you won’t be able to tell what’s going on. No matter, because even in strict gameplay terms Ane-San is one of the best Turbografx CD games around! You wander from left to right across various scenes set within a city playing as the titular character. She can punch, kick, use special moves, and jump, and once you get into the rhythm you can dish up knuckle sandwiches like a pro. One thing I really love about Ane-San is the over-the-top soundtrack. It sounds like circa 1960s rock music, and paired with the colorful aesthetic is really striking. Ignore the inappropriate parts of this game because it’s absolutely worth playing.

#24. – Gate of Thunder

The PC-Engine was well known for being a powerhouse when it comes to scrolling shooters, and Gate of Thunder is one that’s often highlighted. This is with good reason; the fantastic graphics (some of those backgrounds are just, wow), and screens full of enemies and bullets really draw you in. You have to get good right away if you want to be successful, and Gate of Thunder will keep you hooked because you’ll want to see what comes next. I especially like the screen filling power-ups as well as the frantic yet somehow slower pacing. Some of the environmental hazards are really well thought out and will force you to hang back to come up with a strategy to bypass them. Some of the stages get very tight which some gamers won’t like, but I did.

#23. – Faussete Amour

Here’s another import only title. Most gamers that have played Faussete Amour are divided on this one. On one hand it has too much fan service. It’s also a slow paced action title where the main character has a grappling hook. It’s nothing too original considering we already saw this in Bionic Commando. Personally I like it, and I think it’s one of the best Turbografx CD games. The pacing could have been kicked up a few notches because Faussete walks like she’s stuck to the ground. Also, swinging takes too long and is far from fluid. Despite this the level designs are top notch. I really like the enemy variety, and swinging to reach higher platforms is mildly entertaining. There are better action platformers from this era, but Faussete Amour is a fun romp.

#22. – Bomberman: Panic Bomber

Yeah I get it. No one wants to purchase an expensive CD add-on for their console just to play the same puzzle games they can get on other platforms. Still, there’s something special about this version of Panic Bomber. I’ve always been partial to the game, and the redbook audio adds a ton of charm to the experience. The graphics are also bright and colorful, and this version looks better than any other edition of the game I’ve played. There’s also a cute story mode included as well. Gameplay is basically like Tetris, but bomberman heads and bombs fall. You have to eliminate them with strategic placement. The computer opponent is easy enough, but getting a second player in on the action is always best. Panic Bomber is one of my favorite puzzle titles of all time, and this version is easily one of the best Turbografx CD games around.

#21. – Cosmic Fantasy 2

I’m a huge fan of publisher Working Designs. Their translations are always top notch, and this was one of the first RPGs they brought to the West. It deals with a sci-fi medieval scenario with space pirates, time travel, and a quirky cast of characters. Sounds amazing, right? Well unfortunately the gameplay is a bit basic. It’s a Dragon Quest clone with some infuriating backtracking and a brutal encounter rate. What’s more is that it takes until about halfway through the adventure for things to really take off. When it does however, you’re in for one heck of a ride. Cosmic Fantasy 2 was one of the only role playing titles localized for the add-on, and in my opinion it’s easily one of the best Turbografx CD titles we got.

#20. – Super Darius 2

While it has long been forgotten I still have a soft spot for Darius. The strange bionic fish and aquatic creatures you encounter is unlike anything else in the genre. Super Darius 2 won a spot on the list of the best Turbografx CD games for me because it’s more of everything I love about the franchise. It has an excellent power-up system, some of the most interesting enemies in any shooter, and clever placement of hazards. It also has some of the best boss encounters in the entire genre. In these you’ll have to plan which power-ups to use because the enemy often gets behind you. If you’re not smart then this can leave you helpless. It seems that Super Darius II was kinda lost in the mix of amazing shooters for the platform, but in my opinion it’s well worth a look.

#19. – Tengai Makyou Ziria

This is another game that I have a real soft spot for. The Tengai Makyou series was almost as popular as Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy in Japan during its heyday, but we never got any of the titles localized for the West. I powered through this one with a translation guide, and although it wasn’t painless, I fell in love with it. I can see why the game was so popular because it’s clearly one of the best Turbografx CD games ever released. This is a traditional RPG wherein you guide a party of three characters across a world map, towns, and dungeons fighting monsters at almost every step. The battle system is basic, but the setting is what makes this one special. It’s sort of a re-imagining/parody of Japan. It’s neat, and I’m still holding out hope it will one day get a full translation.

#18. – Asuka 120% Maxima Burning Fest

I used to believe that Rival Schools popularized the school days fighting style games. It turns out that Asuka 120% had that on lock down long before that generation began. It’s a one on one fighter in the vein of Street Fighter II. You select your character from a roster of high school girls each with their own abilities based on the club they’re representing. I was surprised the hardware could handle such an intense game with virtually no slowdown. The graphics are almost on par with Street Fighter II, and on such limited hardware at that! I particularly liked the combo system which was extremely rewarding to string together punches and kicks with special moves. It’s fantastic. Additionally the soundtrack is incredible. This is an import only title like all the other fighters for the platform, but one you need to check out.

#17. – Bonk 3: Bonk’s Big Adventure

Bonk was the mascot for the original Turbografx in North America. The series represents some of the best platforming action around. This is also the only installment that was released as a standalone title for the CD add-on, but it’s largely a port of the Turbografx version. Unfortunately it actually features a few graphical downgrades, but you won’t notice these unless you’re paying close attention. The best new feature of Bonk 3 is the ability to play with a friend simultaneously. You can even jump atop each other’s heads to access new areas, or warp to the other player should you be separated. The new power-ups are inspired and add a lot to gameplay as well. While the Hucard version is technically superior that doesn’t mean Bonk 3 isn’t still one of the best Turbografx CD games around.

#16. – Dragon Slayer: Legend of Heroes

Here’s another traditional role playing game. This one comes complete with animated sequences, voice overs, and of course redbook audio. Unfortunately the storyline is kind of a drag, but the gameplay is top notch if you’re a fan of Dragon Quest clones. The translation is reminiscent of what you would expect from Working Designs’ work with plenty of jokes inserted in. I really like how each character plays a role in battle, and they come and go throughout the adventure. In my opinion what pushes this one above Cosmic Fantasy 2 is that the encounter rate isn’t nearly as bad. The graphics are a bit poor and look like what you’d expect as an early Turbografx title. The soundtrack however is one of the best on the platform. Personally I love these classic RPGs, but I understand how many may not.

#15. – Strider Hiryuu

Strider was one of Capcom’s first major hits, and also one of their original releases for the Sega Genesis. Little did I know that they released a port for the PC-Engine CD, but only in Japan of course. It’s a shame because a title like this would definitely have made waves and helped push the platform. Gameplay is largely the same, but it feels like the action had to be cut down a bit. The enemies are less frequent, and there are some pretty big graphical issues. Strider Hiryuu is far from being an arcade perfect port, but it makes up for it in other ways. First of all the soundtrack is all redbook audio and sounds great. Unfortunately you won’t hear it most of the time because the attacking effect overwhelms the audio output. The big highlight here is additional content in the form of a few original levels.

#14. – GoTzenDiener

What we have here is a very original take on the action adventure genre. The game begins with you in control of a damsel in distress being rescued by a valiant hero. Unfortunately he perishes during the fight against the big bad guy, and now it’s up to you to escape the labyrinth alone. The action is displayed from an isometric perspective which means the controls take some getting used to. For some reason this view helped me not get as lost as I expected to be, but maybe it’s just my imagination. Combat is a bit slow paced as a hack and slash, but it’s surprisingly rewarding. One thing I absolutely love about GoTzenDiener is the atmosphere. Few video games have made me feel so lonely as this one, and it’s really haunting. Exploration is surprisingly fun here.

#13. – Flash Hiders

With fighting games being all the rage in the 90s it’s downright shocking that this one didn’t make it over to the West. Perhaps it was the unmistakable anime aesthetic, but I’m sure this would have been at least a mild hit. Here’s another one-on-one fighter in the Street Fighter II vein. You select a character from an absolutely zany roster of personalities. One of the main things that sets Flash Hiders apart from the pack is that several characters transform into animals for special attacks. It’s a short lived but neat effect, and I can’t think of any other fighting games that used this mechanic back then. Flash Hiders isn’t nearly as good as Street Fighter II, but it’s still one of the best Turbografx CD games when all is said and done.

#12. – The Dynastic Hero

This is an exclusive conversion of Wonder Boy in Monster World which originally premiered on the Sega Genesis. The core release just happens to be one of the strongest entries in the series which makes this a clear contender as one of the best Turbografx CD games. Hudson Soft did make some questionable changes in the porting process however. They changed the entire theme from medieval anime style knights to, well, insects and their natural predators. I’m not sure exactly why they did this but I don’t mind, and personally I prefer this version when all is said and done. It’s a side scrolling action RPG where you explore a series of environments completing story objectives all the while fighting foes. The redbook audio, and colorful graphics really help to set this one apart from the Sega Master System and Genesis releases.

#11. – Super Air Zonk: Rockabilly Paradise

The original Air Zonk on the vanilla Turbografx console is one of my favorite shooters of its era. I love how it’s an alternate take on Bonk taking place in the far future. It’s also a colorful and crazy shooter instead of platformer, and has some of the most memorable boss characters and set pieces around. Super Air Zonk is the lone sequel. Thanks to the CD quality redbook audio soundtrack the composers were able to turn it up to 11 and really hone in on the punk pop aesthetic of the presentation. It has one of the best soundtracks of all time if I’m honest. The stage designs and power up mechanics are some of my favorite across the entire genre. While it doesn’t quite reach the heights of the Turbografx original, Super Air Zonk is still one of the best Turbografx CD games ever released.

#10. – Ai Cho Aniki

Now this one I don’t blame the developers for leaving in Japan. Right from the start it’s easy to see why this one may be a bit too crazy for the conventional gamer. For one thing it’s a side scrolling shooter, but instead of playing as a space ship you’re in control of a muscular strong man. The enemies aren’t any more normal, and the crazy music that plays throughout the course of this game fits the action surprisingly well. What I really like about this shooter is that it makes use of fighting game inputs for special attacks. This requires a whole different skillset to be successful here because you can’t just hold down a button and dodge enemy fire. Ai Cho Aniki is a beloved franchise in Japan, and it’s clear to see why because it’s an absolute blast to play.

#9. – Ys Book I & II

I was late to the party with this one. I didn’t get my chance to experience this widely beloved franchise until decades after it was released. Ys Book I & II on the Turbografx CD was my introduction, and it’s easily one of the best action RPGs ever released. This is actually a package containing remakes of both the first Ys and it’s sequel. You can’t play the latter until you’ve completed the first one unfortunately, but they’re both an absolute blast. The thing that will no doubt turn many modern gamers off however is your method of attacking. You cannot swing a sword in this game. Instead you ram into enemies. You have to hit them at just the right angle to avoid taking damage which takes a lot of practice and more skill than your typical hack and slash. It’s still incredible to this day.

#8. – Gradius II: Gofer no Yabou

Gradius II is easily one of my favorite installments in what is perhaps the best known scrolling shooter series of all time. Unfortunately this sequel just couldn’t catch a break. On the Famicom it was never localized, and it’s the same story for this PC-Engine CD edition. It’s still the same core gameplay; you guide the Vic Viper through a series of treacherous stages avoiding enemies and environmental hazards. Some leave behind power-ups when destroyed, but you activate these at will. The big change with this sequel is that you can change which power-ups you have access to, and this greatly changes the way it’s played. Gradius II gets some big upgrades in this release with enhanced graphics and one of the greatest redbook audio soundtracks of all time. The first stage’s theme gives me goosebumps because of how well done it is.

#7. – Kabuki Ittouryoudan

Here’s another one-on-one fighter, but this time it’s based off of the Tengai Makyou series. Specifically, the star of the show here is the runaway character Kabuki. It’s a fairly typical Street Fighter II clone with special moves and combos, but a few elements push this one above the others. For starters the graphics. This is an absolutely beautiful game. Everything is bright and colorful, and the character sprites are the perfect size in my opinion. They also animate wonderfully. Furthermore the controls are absolutely on-point, and the game has a wonderful sense of humor. Few have heard of this release because it’s yet another Japan only title, but it’s easily one of the best games for the Turbografx CD no matter how you look at it. If you’re a fan of fighting games then this is one you’re going to want in your collection.

#6. – Ryuuko no Ken

This is actually the Japanese version of Art of Fighting. It’s a little known fact that the PC-Engine CD had several ports of SNK’s big arcade hits. It’s an even lesser known tidbit that these are absolutely incredible and far better than they were on more powerful hardware like the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo. Ryuuko no Ken has no business looking this good on such old hardware. The good news is that it plays just as good as it looks. The camera even zooms in and out relative to the distance between you and your foe. The roster is a bit limited with just two fighters, but the supporting cast represents some of the most memorable characters across the entire genre. I love Art of Fighting, and it is absolutely one of the best Turbografx CD games of all time.

#5. – Tengai Makyou II: Manji Maru

Manji Maru is by far the most popular installment in the franchise. This is the game that made the series a household name in Japan. Unfortunately this is yet another case where the game was never translated into English. If you want to play Tengai Makyou II: Manji Maru you’re going to be stuck following a translation guide. You’ll be glad you put in the extra effort because it’s easy to see that this is simply one of the best Turbografx CD games of all time. It improves on the original in numerous ways. It features a more complex battle system (which is still an alternative take on the classic Dragon Quest series), redbook audio, and a more involved story with animated sequences. Manji Maru is an absolute blast and the game’s sense of humor is incredible.

#4. – Serei Senshi Spriggan

Developer Compile made a big name for themselves on the Sega Genesis with MUSHA. That one title is often hailed as the single best shooter for the platform. Given the console’s pedigree that’s not something to take lightly. Spriggan continues the same basic gameplay. This is a vertically scrolling overhead shooter where you guide a mecha character with a variety of different weapons. The thing that sets this one apart from so many others is the absolutely crazy enemy designs and placement. Environmental hazards are carefully crafted, and boss encounters are incredible. I absolutely love the power-ups and how they really force you to plan out some of the crazier encounters. Spriggan is not only one of the greatest shmups of all time; it’s also one of the best Turbografx CD games by a country mile.

#3. – Ginga Fukei Densetsu: Sapphire

Let me start of by saying ‘wow.’ This is one absolutely beautiful game. In motion this game can easily be mistaken for a 32-bit title. That’s mighty impressive given the fact that this is 8-bit hardware. This is an overhead vertically scrolling shooter. You can choose from a few different characters to play as and each have their own abilities and handling. You can even take on the main quest Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire has some of the absolute craziest enemies and boss characters. Screens are full of moving backgrounds and bullets with almost no slowdown. You’ll be amazed at the pseudo 3D they managed to pull off here with building perspectives animated. It’s an absolutely incredible effect. Despite being one of the most expensive titles on any platform Sapphire is absolutely one of the best Turbografx CD games of all time.

#2. – Garou Densetsu Special

For the uninitiated this is Fatal Fury Special. Remember how I mentioned the Art of Fighting port was over the top good? Well, Fatal Fury Special is even better. It’s pure witchcraft that the developers managed to fit such an amazing port of the Neo Geo game on simple 8-bit hardware. It not only looks amazing but plays great too. It’s crazy that the Turbografx CD was capable of anything nearly on this level. Fatal Fury Special is sort of an ‘ultimate’ version of Fatal Fury 2 which includes many of the missing characters from the original as well as bosses too. You can even play as Geese Howard here. It’s not canonical in the story, but who cares? The most unique element of gameplay here is that you can move between two different planes, and will need to do so in order to dodge attacks.

#1. – Akumajou Dracula X: Chi no Rinne

For years this was the lost Castlevania game. It was the only one released for an NEC platform, and came out exclusively in Japan. It’s shocking that Konami didn’t bring it over considering the fact that they did almost every other game in the series. It was also a popular franchise in the West which makes their decision that much more of a head scratcher. Either way, while Konami was experimenting with the series on the Super Nintendo they stuck more to their roots here. Rondo of Blood (as it’s known in English) offers a more traditional Castlevania experience here, but with super enhanced graphics and one of the absolute best redbook audio soundtracks of its generation. Castlevania: Rondo of Blood is easily the best Turbografx CD game. If the original release is too expensive it can be had on the PSP for cheap.