Turbo Memories

Dear List:

Well well well, aren't we a sentimental lot?  :)

ACT ONE:  ENCOUNTER

My first encounter with the Turbo came when the NES was at its pinnacle,
when games like Bionic Commando, Life Force, The Guardian Legend, and Battle
of Olympus provided us an escape from reality...  One summer day my friend
Julian was staying over at my house.  He said on the phone that if his
friend Nic could come too, then he would bring his TurboGrafx.

"TurboGrafx?"

Can't say I fell in love at first sight.  My NES was routed through A/V
cables to my television and stereo.  When Nic brought his Turbo without a
(you guessed it!) TurboBooster, we had to play with the blown television
speaker.  I saw Bonk's Adventure and Keith Courage that night, but didn't
really think it was all that great.  I'd seen the Genesis, and what it could
do.  I felt that whoever designed the TurboGrafx was a tightwad, making you
pay for A/V output.  We played for awhile, but spent most of our time
wandering out in the countryside and camping.  Memories of the machine and
this Nic dude faded from memory...

As the years went by, the NES fell from glory and gave way (at least in my
social circle) to the Sega Genesis, with its hefty lineup of quality games
such as Phantasy Star II, Sword of Vermillion, Shining in the Darkness,
Strider, etc..., and to the Commodore Amiga, with all the great graphics and
music software.  Many a day was spent in front of the screen, battling
through a game, composing a little tune, or creating a hilarious and
adolescently perverted animation.  We were young, the grass was green, and
life was a kick in the cobblers.

Then, one day, I was spending the night with my friend Julian, and so was
Nic.  And Julian told me that Nic was bringing his TurboGrafx.  I kind of
snickered inwardly.  I felt that machine had no place in Julian's impressive
entertainment center, alongside the Genesis and Amiga.  Later that
afternoon, Nic arrived.

"Hey, I don't remember that big black case..."  :)

The time was 4:00pm.  The location was Amity, Oregon.  The game ...was Ys.

To this day, I have never encountered any form of video entertainment which
could dazzle me, stun me, MOVE me, like the intro cinemas of Ys did.  The
animation, so crisp and vivid.  The stereo CD music and VOICE(!), the most
riveting experience in gaming I can remember.  I don't doubt that my jaw
dropped wide open and remained there for quite awhile.  I was in love.

Memories here are one big fuzzy warm bug-eyed blur.  Ys...  Super Star
Soldier...  Ninja Spirit...  Neutopia... Jimi Hendrix CD+G...

Ever so slowly descending from my euphoric cloud of bliss, I asked Nic to
tell me everything.  I wanted a TurboGrafx, and that was that.  Nic was the
messiah, and the TurboGrafx was the promised land...

END OF ACT ONE

Well, my fellow listers, perhaps I'll run this as a sort of 'mini-series',
as I feel that in order to accurately convey the way in which the TurboGrafx
made its home in my heart, I must be extremely descriptive.  The story is a
grand one, full of love, betrayal, regret, and redemption.  It is a story
shared by many :)

Earnest
xxxxxx@valleyint.com