👾 Retro Gaming Weekly News #0181
Coming to you live from Malaysia, welcome to issue 181. My retro gaming finds have been somewhat limited in Malaysia thus far, and Laos is not reccomended for retro game hunting (but is recommended for many other things).
In this weeks issue we have how retro gaming helps fight burnout , is the Analogue 3D retro gaming hardware of the year(?), an even bigger Lego Game Boy and a lot more.
Thats as ever to you all for reading, there have been times this year when I have come close to stopping this (the amount of time it takes versus the number of subscribers I have hardly makes it worthwhile, but I am very determined to continue) - but a like, comment (feel free to let me know how I can make this better) or an email alert for a new subscriber, gives me a power up ❤️.
News
🕹️ New gameplay footage of the unreleased Famicom JRPG Dream Traveler: Midnight Adventure has surfaced online, showcasing turn-based battles and anime-style graphics — unseen for over 30 years. GoNintendo
🛫 Boston Logan Airport has installed free-to-play arcade cabinets featuring retro games to entertain travelers during layovers and delays. Retroshell
🐉 Dragon Ball Super Saiyan Goku: Kakusei — an unreleased Famicom RPG — revealed a drastically different original character design for Goku in newly discovered assets. CBR
👻 ESP Soft has released Sweet Horror, a haunted house text adventure game for the Amstrad CPC, complete with sound effects and hand-drawn graphics. Retroshell
🎮 The Analogue 3D is praised as the best retro gaming hardware of 2025, offering FPGA-based N64 gameplay with modern enhancements. Time Extension
🏍️ A new Super Hang-On-style racing game titled Speed Racing has arrived for the Commodore 64, featuring smooth scrolling and multiple tracks. Retroshell
🦁 Sabre Wulf has received a visually impressive remaster for the Commodore 64, courtesy of the Genesis Project team. NotebookCheck
📼 Lost ZX Spectrum prototypes Thomas the Tank Engine and Sooty & Sweep 2 have been recovered and released by preservationists. Retroshell
🎲 The Super Game Boy has been reimagined as a massive handheld device capable of playing original arcade titles (below). Yanko Design
🔧 A teardown of the Analogue 3D reveals its use of an open-source Bluetooth stack, allowing for extensive controller compatibility. Retroshell
🧪 An unofficial PC port of Dr. Mario 64 is now available for download, featuring improved resolution and performance on modern systems. DSOGaming
🧝 The full decompilation of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess paves the way for native ports and modern enhancements. Retroshell
👕 UNIQLO is launching a Pokémon 30th Anniversary UT Collection featuring designs inspired by every generation of the franchise. Lifestyle Asia
🧩 Classic PlayStation puzzle game Intelligent Qube is returning on April 26, remastered with updated graphics and new features. Retroshell
⚠️ The upcoming sequel to the controversial SNES game Harvester has been delisted from Steam due to undisclosed reasons. OpenCritic
🧛 A new ROM hack of Gargoyle’s Quest adds full Super Game Boy support with custom palettes and borders. Retroshell
📦 The Analogue Pocket now supports cartridge dumping, allowing users to back up their Game Boy games digitally. Time Extension
⚾ A rare Hanshin Tigers-themed GameCube console has surfaced online, showcasing unique branding and packaging. Retroshell
Features
🎮 Shuntaro Furukawa’s rise from a childhood Famicom enthusiast to the CEO of Nintendo highlights a lifelong passion turned leadership at one of gaming’s most iconic companies — The Tradable
🥋 After leaving Capcom, Street Fighter creator Takashi Nishiyama launched Fatal Fury, a 1991 arcade hit that helped redefine fighting games — ComicBook.com
🎄 A long-time Nintendo fan reflects on a cherished holiday ritual of replaying a specific SNES game every Christmas — Nintendo Life
🧠 A recent study suggests that revisiting nostalgic 1980s video games can help reduce burnout and boost mental well-being — Newsweek
🕹️ Released 37 years ago, Mega Man 2 is credited with rescuing the franchise from cancellation and establishing its long-term success — ComicBook.com
⚔️ Frequently cited as the best SNES game ever, Chrono Trigger remains one of the most powerful and influential RPGs in gaming history — CBR
🚫 The fan-made web version of GTA: Vice City has been taken offline following a DMCA takedown request — Yardbarker
📈 The Evercade handheld and console ecosystem saw its strongest year in 2025, with significant releases and growing community support — Games Asylum
Lists & Rankings
🎮 A look at Nintendo’s lesser-known pre-Mario titles highlights the company’s early ventures into arcade and console gaming, from games like Sheriff and Devil World to Urban Champion — SVG
🐵 Every Donkey Kong game is ranked, showcasing the franchise’s evolution from arcade roots to modern platformers and spin-offs — ComicBook
🧩 A scrapped data transfer feature in Banjo-Kazooie called Stop ‘N’ Swop was originally intended to connect with Donkey Kong 64, revealing deeper ties between Rare’s N64 games — GoNintendo
🧻 A retrospective on South Park for the Nintendo 64 revisits the controversial FPS’s crude humor, unique snowball mechanics, and impact on adult-themed gaming in the late 1990s — ComicBook
📘 Five standout GameCube games are explored for their surprisingly deep narratives, with titles like Baten Kaitos and Eternal Darkness receiving praise for storytelling — ComicBook
🎬 A roundup of the top 10 movie-based video games highlights titles that managed to rise above typical licensed fare, including GoldenEye 007 and Spider-Man 2 — Yardbarker
🕹️ A look at canceled game consoles reveals obscure systems like the Sega Neptune and Nintendo PlayStation that never reached the market — GameRant
⚠️ A list of controversial retro games explores titles like Night Trap and Custer’s Revenge, which drew criticism for violence, sexual content, or cultural insensitivity — SVG
🧠 Twenty must-play tactical RPGs are showcased, covering classics from Final Fantasy Tactics to Tactics Ogre for fans of turn-based strategy — Time Extension
