Board 8 > Recommendations for an obscure video game system?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Don't say Dreamcast.....

My brother's birthday is coming up and I kinda wanna get him a weird system we never played.

Any you recommend? Bonus points if it has a fun game somewhere for survival horror or family-friendly multiplayer.
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WiiU

More seriously, I dunno. N-Gage?
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TurboGrafx 16
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I'm a big fan of 3DO, and it's got some great horror titles on it: Killing Time, Doctor Hauzer, D, Escape from Monster Manor.
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OliviaTremor posted...

TurboGrafx 16

I think this is typically seen as the best "obscure" console.
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yeah tg 16/turbo duo has a bunch of interesting games and some multiplayer stuff but everything is probably insanely expensive.
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This topic has already taught me two things:

1) 3DO, not 3D0.
2) Turbografix isn't a handheld.

Huh.
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Ouya

The answer is always Ouya.

2500 games
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pippin
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Is Sega Saturn obscure enough for you
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Wonderswan
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tazzyboyishere posted...

OliviaTremor posted...

TurboGrafx 16

I think this is typically seen as the best "obscure" console.

This. And I believe it has the definitive Splatterhouse if you want horror.
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redrocket posted...

Ouya

The answer is always Ouya.

This was my first thought.

Maybe Neo-Geo?
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RCA Studi---

HaRRicH posted...

Bonus points if it has a fun game

oh, forget that
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Zodiac Job
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32X?
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Game.com

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game.com
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Commodore 64
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If you want something actually good, TurboGrafX/PC-Engine is the best choice. Neo-Geo is good but even today is too expensive.

If you want something just as a joke, gotta go with the FM Towns Marty
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redrocket posted...

Ouya

The answer is always Ouya.

2500 games

Couldn't think of the name of this earlier! I told my brother about the weird game Terry Cavanagh made for it.

Meow1000 posted...

Is Sega Saturn obscure enough for you

Yes. Based off our convo earlier, we decided the Genesis and Dreamcast were mainstream while 32X, CD, and Saturn were not.

(Game Gear's mainstream too)
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What's the selling point of the TurboGrafix? I understand the Bonk games were pretty good. What else?
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so the first thing to know is that it was much more successful in Japan than the US, so there are tons of good JP-only games. This is why I would recommend a PC-Engine (the Japanese version) over a TurboGrafX. (There may be some means to override region restrictions, but Ive never looked into it.) The crown jewel of the system is Castlevania Rondo of Blood, which is indeed JP-only. The other important thing to know is that it had a CD add-on device, and unlike most consoles weird add-ones, this actually got a lot of games. They did release versions with the CD function built-in, too, but I dont know which route is cheaper to buy.

When I get home Ill give some game recommendations, but for now Ill say the two main things it excelled at were high quality arcade ports (frequently better than SNES and Genesis, despite technically being an 8-bit system) and shoot em ups.
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If you get the 3DO get Star Control 2
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HaRRicH posted...

This topic has already taught me two things:

1) 3DO, not 3D0.
2) Turbografix isn't a handheld.

Huh.

Get ready to have your mind blown son because
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/cd/5b/23/cd5b2331b6340e27b4dd0aa3a7a87afa.jpg
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if Sega CD is obscure enough go for that

I had one as a kid and it has some fun games on it
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https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/avision

The Adventure Vision!

Its so obscure I want one

Gotta do the Vectrex. I'm pretty sure it has a second controller. This thing was released before the crash of 1983 and has a lot of fun arcade games on it. No survival horror though.

Most of the super obscure consoles are gonna be older ones that aren't gonna be worth anyone's time anymore, but there's definitely a couple that are alright.
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Back when the NES Classic came out, my brother told me I'd be better off getting an Ouya, and he was dead serious about it, he thought the thing was going to be revolutionary (should be noted that it had long-since failed and died at that point).
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Playstation 2.
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HaRRicH posted...

What's the selling point of the TurboGrafix? I understand the Bonk games were pretty good. What else?

A list of exclusive recommendations I collected from the board once

TG16
Blazing Lazers
Alien Crush
Legendary Axe
Ninja Spirit
Devil's Crush
Splatterhouse
Air Zonk
Bonk 3: Bonk's Big Adventure

TGCD
Fighting Street [the only standalone home console port of Street Fighter 1 in the US]
Gate of Thunder [includes Bonk's Adventure, Bonk's Revenge, and Bomberman]
Lords of Thunder
Ys Book I & II

EDIT: these are US releases. As mentioned above, you can find a number of great Japanese games (though most, if not all, of them are not exclusives)
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Was going to say 3DO, there's a nice selection of games.

CD-i is another fun one mainly because of the terrible Mario and Zelda games. I don't think that system ever had any actual good games though.
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No one mentioned the Jaguar so I will. That and the 3DO are the two "forgotten" systems that borderline have something to offer (but not really imo).
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ZX Spectrum
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I like New Adventure Island and Battle Lode Runner, but they might not appeal to everyone.

I think the main recommendations would be like Bonk series, bomberman series, star soldier series, the crush pinball games, chew man fu, neutopia series, ys series, lords of thunder and gates of thunder, and rondo of blood.

but a lot of those would probably have the price jacked up through the roof by collectors.
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bryans7 posted...

Was going to say 3DO, there's a nice selection of games.

CD-i is another fun one mainly because of the terrible Mario and Zelda games. I don't think that system ever had any actual good games though.

You have vaporwave Tetris
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Nelson_Mandela posted...

Ninja Spirit

That stage where you fall down and tons of Ninja are in the air and you somewhat has to dodge them
I couldn't beat it forever..and it was before Youtube

The Bonk games are good, I also played (and recommend) Bloody Wolf, Coryoon, Wonder Boy 3, Bomberman, Jackie Chan, Parasol Stars : Bubble Bobble 3, Parodius Da!, New Adventure Island, Ninja Spirit (besides that god awful final stage I mentioned)
Hell, even Chew-Man-Fu is good (very obscure puzzle game though)
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Tapwave Zodiac

Basically a hybrid handheld games console and PalmOS PDA. Nearly bought one back in the day but settled on the non-gaming-centric Palm T|X instead. Kind of regret it now, the Zodiac was cool (and apparently would have played NetHack, which the T|X couldn't handle).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mz3nNKQRnNQ" data-time="
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Vectrex or bust
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MrGreenonion posted...

HaRRicH posted...

This topic has already taught me two things:

1) 3DO, not 3D0.
2) Turbografix isn't a handheld.

Huh.

Get ready to have your mind blown son because
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/cd/5b/23/cd5b2331b6340e27b4dd0aa3a7a87afa.jpg

Jeezy Chreezy. I never knew da POWAH
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Woah, even my mind is blown by that.

In that I never knew it existed.
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bryans7 posted...

CD-i is another fun one mainly because of the terrible Mario and Zelda games. I don't think that system ever had any actual good games though.

Laser Lords is kinda neat.
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