They split the screen three ways, so nobody had to sit out.
Most racing games in 1989 stopped at two players. If three friends showed up, someone watched. Human Entertainment looked at the PC Engine's small screen and made a choice: split it three times horizontally. Each racer got a narrow strip. The screen became smaller, but nobody was excluded. Years later, they brought the same three-way split to the Super Famicom — not as a novelty, but as a design commitment. When you build for three instead of two, you're saying the third person counts. The screen shrinks, but the circle grows.
About this game
Released in December 1989, F1 Triple Battle was a Formula 1 racing game for the PC Engine. The screen splits three times horizontally, allowing up to three players to race simultaneously — a technical novelty at the time. The game features a single-player World Championship mode, a Test Run training mode, and a multiplayer Battle mode. In 1991, it was remade with slight alterations for the Sega Mega Drive under the title Fastest 1.
The Story Behind
Human Entertainment developed F1 Triple Battle during the early years of the PC Engine, when multiplayer racing games were rare on home consoles. The triple-split screen allowed three players to race against each other simultaneously — a novelty for the platform. The game's success led to a Sega Mega Drive port titled Fastest 1 in 1991.
Tricks & Tales
When playing in single-player or two-player mode, the top portion of the screen displays a map of the course. The game was later remade for the Sega Mega Drive with slight alterations and published under the title Fastest 1 in 1991.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
The PC Engine (Japan) and TurboGrafx-16 (North America) share the same physical HuCard slot shape but are not compatible with each other's software. NEC deliberately reversed the data bus wiring between the two regions: data pin D0 on the PC Engine corresponds to D7 on the TurboGrafx-16, and so on through all eight lines. Beyond the hardware wiring difference, most North American HuCards contain region-checking code that detects a Japanese console and immediately crashes. Converters that electrically flip the data bus do exist and allow cross-region play. CD-ROM² discs themselves carry no region protection and play freely on both systems—however, the System Cards required to boot CD software are region-locked in the same way as HuCards, so a Japanese System Card cannot be used in a TurboGrafx-16 and vice versa.
Maintenance Tips
HuCard contacts are the most common maintenance point on the PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16. The card's edge connector oxidizes over decades of storage, causing failure-to-read and graphical glitches. Cleaning with 90%+ isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab—gently wiping the gold contacts on the card itself—resolves most contact issues; stubborn oxidation responds to dedicated contact cleaners such as DeoxIT. Never blow into the card slot with your mouth, as moisture accelerates the very corrosion you are trying to remove. On systems equipped with the CD-ROM² or Super CD-ROM² add-on, the optical drive is subject to the same age-related laser and sled degradation seen in any CD system of that era; the laser assembly uses a KSS-220a-type unit on the Super CD-ROM² and replacement parts remain available.
Going deeper
Explore the machine this game ran on, and what to check before you buy or care for one:
What to Watch Out For
Before buying, these are the points worth knowing — from someone who handles original Japanese F1 Triple Battle copies regularly.
Does F1 Triple Battle save my progress?
F1 Triple Battle supports saving, but PC Engine HuCards do not have built-in save batteries. To save your progress, you need an external save device like the TurboBooster Plus or Tennokoe Bank. The game requires 196 blocks of save space. If you're buying this game, it's worth checking whether you have compatible save hardware — without it, you'll need to finish each session in one sitting.
Will a Japanese PC Engine game work on my TurboGrafx-16?
No. HuCards are region-locked — the data line order is different between PC Engine (Japan) and TurboGrafx-16 (North America), so a Japanese F1 Triple Battle will not run on an unmodified TurboGrafx-16. If you want to play Japanese HuCard games, you'll need a PC Engine console or a modified TurboGrafx-16.
Before You Buy
Things worth knowing before you buy F1 Triple Battle
A short checklist for buying used PC Engine software wisely — useful with any seller, anywhere.
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Choose a seller who tests it before shipping
A copy that has actually been powered on and checked is a known quantity. An untested one is a gamble you only settle after it arrives.
Look for a seller who states it was function-tested and says what they confirmed. A serious seller can tell you exactly what was checked.
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Make sure it fits your console
Japanese PC Engine HuCards and CDs are not compatible with the North American TurboGrafx-16 — the formats differ. Use a Japanese PC Engine system.
Play it on a matching Japanese console or a region-free system, and confirm the listing states the region.
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HuCard or CD-ROM² — know which you're buying
PC Engine games come on HuCard chips or on CD-ROM². CD titles also require the right CD system and a working System Card.
Confirm the format in the listing, and for CDs check the disc surface and that saves are supported.
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Check that the contacts are clean
Dirty edge contacts are the most common cause of startup and sound trouble in cartridges of this age.
Choose a seller who cleans the contacts before shipping. A note that it was tested and cleaned means the basics were handled.
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Read the seller's reviews and return policy
A 100% positive record across thousands of sales is close to a guarantee — packing, communication and problem-solving all work for everyone. A return policy protects you if something is off.
Read the feedback and confirm a clear return window before you buy.
The last step before buying anywhere is knowing what it's worth.
See the unit we have →Unexpected Discoveries
Games you weren't looking for — but might be glad you found.
Rooms this game lives in
Wander deeper — explore the themed rooms where F1 Triple Battle sits alongside its kin.
Memories from around the world
This is a young museum, and this page is still waiting for its first voices. The memories people send reach Taisei personally, and the ones that move him find a home here over time — always with the writer's blessing. Yours could be the very first for this game.
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