👾 Retro Gaming Weekly News #0165

Here is issue 165, coming in hot - the highlights from this weeks newsletter are -finding the rarest Famicom game for $12, re-imagining the SNES as a 2003 computer, how Pokemon saved the Game Boy and a load more.

Thanks for reading, sharing and supporting this newsletter every week ❤️.

News

🎮 A copy of the rarest known Nintendo Famicom game, Battle Rush: Build Up Robot Tournament, was discovered in a U.S. retro game store priced at $12 before being recognised for its value. Time Extension

🎼 Nintendo has released the Fire Emblem Awakening original soundtrack digitally on major streaming platforms worldwide. Final Weapon

🧩 LEGO will launch a 769-piece Sega Genesis controller set, scheduled for release in January 2026. TechEBlog

🕹️ Jaleco’s 1992 arcade game 64th Street: A Detective Story is receiving an official NES port more than 30 years after its original release. Time Extension

📱 Nintendo Switch Online has added four new Game Boy Advance titles to its service, including Golden Sun: The Lost Age. ComicBook

🎨 A ROM hacker has released full-color versions of all Final Fantasy-branded titles for the original Game Boy. GBAtemp

🔫 Nintendo has added Forsaken 64, a mature-rated post-apocalyptic FPS, to its Nintendo Classics Mature app. NotebookCheck

🆓 A Zelda-inspired fan game is currently available for free on Steam under the name The Legend of Nyssa. GamingBible

📼 Footage has surfaced of the Analogue 3D console successfully playing Nintendo 64 cartridges in action. RetroDodo

👾 The developer behind one of the earliest SNES emulators has returned with Endurance 8Bit, a UFO 50-style retro game compilation. Time Extension

📱 AYANEO has announced the Pocket Air Mini, its first budget retro handheld, positioned to compete with Anbernic and GoRetroid devices. RetroDodo

🔧 Retroid has issued an OTA update fixing compatibility issues with its dual-screen accessory. Time Extension

💿 A new emulator for the Pioneer LaserActive system has been released, allowing preservation of its rare library. Gigazine

💻 Microsoft’s original 1977 Altair BASIC, created by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, has been made open source after 48 years. Red Hot Cyber

👕 Atari’s CEO outlined future brand expansions including T-shirts, energy drinks, footwear, and headphones. Time Extension

🦖 A new AI tool transforms ASCII-based games into real-time rendered 3D graphics, though latency and visual consistency remain challenges. Tom’s Hardware

💿 The Dreamcast homebrew community has released multiple new projects, marking a significant day for fans of the console. Time Extension

🐉 Edia will bring Nihon Falcom’s Ys, Xanadu, and Dragon Slayer titles from the PC Engine to modern platforms worldwide. RPG Site

📱 Atlus’s lost mobile spin-off to Stella Deus is being revived for Steam and Nintendo Switch. Time Extension

🎮 A new test build of AetherSX2 successor ARMSx2, a PS2 emulator for Android, has been released. Android Authority

🚗 Sega Rally 2’s unofficial 25th Anniversary Edition for PC has received a major new update with improvements and fixes. Time Extension

Features

🖥️ A modder has reimagined the Nintendo Famicom as if it were a 2003-era Windows-style family computer. Hackaday

🔴 Pokémon Red and Blue are credited with saving the Game Boy during its declining years, revitalizing the handheld’s sales. GameMite

👻 The NES version of Ghostbusters is highlighted as a rushed movie tie-in plagued by poor design and development issues. 24matins

📖 The History of the Pokémon Games book will release in 2026, with a foreword by Veronica Taylor, the original voice of Ash Ketchum. Time Extension

🎮 The ModRetro Chromatic handheld earns praise for its authentic Game Boy experience with modern durability upgrades. MobileSyrup

📱 A canceled South Park Game Boy Color title has resurfaced, revealing gameplay details and why it was scrapped. CBR

🎨 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 director shared his admiration for the Sega Genesis and other classic consoles as inspirations. Automaton

🕹️ After five years of searching, a Sega fan finally obtained an Astro City Mini arcade unit mainly to play a forgotten sequel. GamesRadar

🎶 Atari CEO Wade Rosen expressed interest in remastering classics such as Snatcher and Panzer Dragoon Saga. Time Extension

😴 Reports reveal Sega’s office crunch culture included nap rooms and showers until 2012, with overnight stays being common. GamesRadar

☁️ The sixth issue of Forgotten Worlds magazine focuses on Sega’s iconic “Blue Blue Skies” theme in its games. Time Extension

🔧 A new guide explains how to set up RetroAssembly, a tool for customizing and building retro handheld UIs. Retro Handhelds

📈 Atari CEO Wade Rosen discussed the company’s acquisition of Thunderful, outlining future plans for the brand. GamesIndustry

🎮 Hyperkin’s Retron GX is reviewed as a versatile retro console clone, though with some performance trade-offs. GamesRadar

📀 Mattel’s short-lived 2006 Hyperscan console, which used RFID cards for gameplay, is revisited in detail. TechEBlog

🕷️ The PlayStation 1’s Spider-Man remains remembered as a strong exclusive with lasting influence. Radio Times

🔌 A PlayStation 2 owner shared how they modernized the console with HDMI output and digital game access. BoingBoing

🎮 A review of the third-party Nintendo Switch GameCube controller finds it lacking in quality compared to official options. Retro Handhelds

Lists & Rankings

🌌 A feature highlights the top 7 most atmospheric SNES games, including Super Metroid and Chrono Trigger. EarlyGame

🎮 A list of the best N64 games argues which titles justify subscribing to Nintendo Switch Online’s Expansion Pack. DualShockers

📖 A roundup showcases retro games with standout storylines, such as Final Fantasy VI and Metal Gear Solid. Hardcore Gamer

🏎️ Readers selected the five greatest Sega racing games from the Mega Drive and Saturn, including Daytona USA. Metro

🐆 An overview of the five rarest Atari Jaguar games details titles like AirCars and Battlesphere Gold that are nearly unobtainable. XDA Developers