GunHed !!!!
This is kind of a wierd queston, IMO. They are the same console with with only differences being:
1) Terrible orginal TG-16 design. Huge, black, and awkward. The stupid flimsy shell thing covering the expansion bus will not stay on the back, and adding the CD just makes a huge t-shaped thing. The same can be said for the Supergrafx w/ Super CD combo I guess, but considering that set-up is way more capible, and virtually nobody has it, I forgive it. The Turbo is litterally twice as big as a PCE just because they thought (probably correctly at the time) that Americans like stuff that is big for no other reason that it being big. Considering the subsequent popularity of SUVs, I'd have to say maybe they were onto something, but that shit doesn't appeal to me.
2) Pathetically small selection of games that are more expensive, and have super crap covers.
3) Virtually everything for TG-16 is harder to find than PCE.
I don't see the appeal of the US stuff now that things have changed so much. Sure, I had a US Duo back in 1992, but that was when the JP systems were $400-500, even the crap games were $60-100. SFII was $120. The Arcade Card was $130. Now you can get tons of PCE stuff for very very little cash.
I think the TG-16 is just for people that like spending more money, and getting less. The TG-16 only has a two button pad, and Fighting Street is (I think) the only fighting game for it. There is no Arcade Card, no Strider, no Sapphire, no Y's IV, no Dracula X, no Bomberman '94, no Fray, no Macross. Most of the shooters are Japan only too. Bazaar de Gozaru...TG-16 people don't have Bazaar de Gozaru. So sad.
I have the US versions of the Duo pack-ins, as well as GoT, but that's about it. I'll take a $3 copy of Gunhead over a $15 copy of Blazing Lasers any day.
You're crazy! The TG-16 console has great aesthetics (compared to the hideous, goofy Genesis/MegaDrive and the ugly, awkward SNES). Sure, TG-16 was wide, but it was still slim with a low-profile (the cover on the bus stays snugly in place for me). I think TG-16 (sans logo) would look contemporary alongside today's electronics. Can you say this of any other console? Now, the TurboBooster (Plus) doubled the depth of the console and consequently stripped away the elgance of the core TG-16 design, but, on the other hand, I always liked the aesthetics of the TG-16 + TG-CD combo. It's quirky, but it is actually a lot cleaner (aesthetically) and more streamlined than the PCE suitcase combo, IMO. Sure, this might not be saying much (since the suitcase looks as if it was "slapped together"), but I offer TG-CD as evidence of the neat, uniquely North Amercian aesthetic that too few folks appreciate. The Genesis stacked atop a Sega-CD forms a big ugly brick... tell me, is the TG-CD really so bad?
For comparison: In my humble opinion, the NES had a great utilitarian design and the SMS was the most "futuristic-looking" console design of the 80's (not a bad thing, in my book, since I dig the odd angles and sharp corners and shiny surfaces of the SMS).
On North Amercian artwork: Well, I've beaten this dead horse one too many times, but there is a kitchsy appeal to the NA coverart. I don't think it was wise for NEC in terms of marketing (back in the day, I thought the artwork was unforgiveably lame and really hurt the image of the TG-16). Now, however, after all these years, I really do enjoy the art because, again, it was unique.
Clearly, my feelings have changed over the years: whereas once I wanted re-cycled Japanese covers, now I realize the GIFT that NEC bestowed upon us
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