For action and adventure on NEC’s PC Engine—and its North American counterpart, the TurboGrafx-16—start with Castlevania: Rondo of Blood for side-scrolling combat, Ys Book I & II for a story-led action RPG, or Dungeon Explorer for cooperative dungeon runs. The systems share a library, but regional releases and CD-ROM formats differ, so check the exact version and hardware before choosing an original copy.
Which PC Engine or TurboGrafx-16 game should you play first?
Choose by the kind of action you want rather than treating these games as one ranked list. Konami’s official lineup identifies the PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16 editions and describes the games’ formats and core play styles.
| Game | Best for | Core appeal |
|---|---|---|
| Castlevania: Rondo of Blood | Side-scrolling action-platforming | Gothic combat, alternate routes, and hidden levels |
| Ys Book I & II | Story-led action-RPG exploration | Two Ys adventures combined as one CD-ROM experience |
| Neutopia and Neutopia II | Overhead exploration | Finding dungeons and bosses in a fantasy quest |
| Dungeon Explorer | Co-op dungeon action | Weapons, magic, labyrinths, and up to five players |
| Ninja Spirit | Weapon-focused platform action | Ninja weapons and an illusionary-clone technique |
Best action-platformer: Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
Rondo of Blood is the strongest first pick if you want direct, stage-based combat with room to explore. Konami identifies it as the first Castlevania released on CD-ROM for the PC Engine Super CD-ROM2. The format supports voice acting, animated cutscenes, and a prominent soundtrack; Richter Belmont and Maria Renard are playable.
Konami’s publisher history calls it “an extremely polished game” and says it “is often regarded as the best action title in the history of the PC Engine.” That is Konami’s assessment, not an objective ranking. Its Requiem page describes nine stages, hidden levels, alternative routes, and villagers to rescue—useful reasons to choose it if you like discovering more than one path through a side-scrolling adventure.
#1 Best Overall
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Konami describes the broader Castlevania series as known in Japan as Akumajo Dracula (“Dracula: The Demon Castle”) and renowned for side-scrolling gothic-horror platforming on its PC Engine mini lineup page. That combination of combat and gothic atmosphere is central to Rondo’s appeal.
Best story-led action RPG: Ys Book I & II
Pick Ys Book I & II if you want a longer fantasy adventure rather than a sequence of discrete platforming stages. Konami describes this CD-ROM release as combining Nihon Falcom’s Ys and Ys II into one seamless experience, with improved sound and graphics. Its draw is the linked action-RPG journey and CD presentation, not the route-by-route platform combat of Rondo. Konami lists it in the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 mini lineup.
Rank #2
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Best overhead adventures: Neutopia and Neutopia II
For overhead exploration and a fantasy-quest structure, try Neutopia. Konami’s lineup describes a mission to rescue a princess and recover eight stolen medallions; a “Charmed Compass” helps point players toward dungeons and bosses. Neutopia II continues the approach, sending its hero to find labyrinths and fight bosses. These are better fits for players who want to search a world and locate objectives than for those looking primarily for side-scrolling combat.
Best for cooperative play: Dungeon Explorer
Dungeon Explorer turns its action-RPG formula into a group activity: players take weapons and magic through labyrinth dungeons and choose among eight character classes. Konami says it supports up to five simultaneous players, making it the clearest co-op recommendation here. On the PC Engine mini, three-to-five-player sessions require a Multitap and a controller for each player; that accessory detail applies specifically to the mini hardware.
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Rank #3
- Turbo Grafx 16 Game
- Action Game
- Improved Graphics
Best weapon-heavy platform action: Ninja Spirit
Ninja Spirit is a side-scrolling platformer set in Edo-period Japan. Its appeal is a broad selection of ninja weapons and the “Alter Ego” technique, which creates a clone to fight alongside the hero. The revenge story supplies the adventure framing, while the combat is the main reason to play.
More action-adventure options by tone
- J.J. & Jeff: A slapstick detective platform adventure about solving a kidnapping, using kicks and spray-can attacks. Choose it for comedy rather than gothic horror or fantasy.
- The Legend of Valkyrie: Konami describes a blend of action, adventure, shooting, RPG, and puzzle elements. It suits players who want more than one kind of challenge in the same game.
- Splatterhouse: Horror action built around rescuing the protagonist’s girlfriend. Weapons have limited or unlimited uses, but a weapon is restricted to the area where it is collected.
How to choose the right version and way to play
Match the format to the game
Rondo of Blood is a PC Engine Super CD-ROM2 release, and Ys Book I & II is also described as a CD-ROM title. PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16 labels, as well as CD-ROM formats, vary by release. Before buying or connecting original hardware, verify the exact game edition and console configuration; the official pages cited here do not provide a complete compatibility matrix.
Rank #4
- Plays on Turbo Grafx 16 system
Consider the documented modern options
Konami documents Castlevania Requiem: Symphony of the Night & Rondo of Blood for PlayStation 4, released October 26, 2018; the package includes Rondo of Blood. That confirms a modern release route, but does not establish current store stock or price. The PC Engine mini lineup lists several games in this article, including Ys Book I & II, Neutopia, Dungeon Explorer, and Ninja Spirit. Inclusion on that lineup does not mean every original PC Engine or TurboGrafx-16 game is included, and current retail availability was not established.
Quick Recap
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