👾 Retro Gaming Weekly News #0191
Welcome to issue 191!
This weeks news is a little lighter for some reason, maybe due to Mar10 week this week and potentially some big announcements?
Regardless, this weeks newsletter covers the Nintendo Playstation gets a new home, SNES games that still hold up, more plans for ModRetro, a GameCube in a briefcase, playing 2p Game Boy games on the VMP Pro and much more.
News
🎮 The Pokémon Company is marking its 30th anniversary with the release of retro-styled, sepia-toned merchandise inspired by the franchise’s original pixelated Game Boy aesthetics (below). DesignTaxi
🚀 The NES shoot ‘em up Changeable Guardian: Estique is receiving a modern sequel currently in development for the Nintendo Switch. Time Extension
🕹️ The National Videogame Museum has officially acquired the rare Nintendo PlayStation prototype, a significant artifact from the aborted partnership between the two electronics giants. Dexerto
📜 Koei’s classic 8-bit historical simulation title is being re-released for the PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch platforms. Time Extension
⚔️ The original Nobunaga’s Ambition has been added to the Console Archives collection, making the strategy classic available on modern hardware this month. Niche Gamer
🔧 Palmer Luckey has announced a 1 billion dollar investment through ModRetro to revitalise and manufacture hardware for 1990s-era gaming consoles. NewsBytes
🛠️ Developer Moss has issued an apology regarding the technical state of the Raiden Fighters Remix Collection and confirmed that a fix is currently in progress. Time Extension
🔋 A new modification for the Sega Dreamcast Visual Memory Unit enables wireless multiplayer functionality for Game Boy titles. Retro Handhelds
📟 Analogue has announced a restock of its FPGA-based Game Boy handheld, the Pocket, alongside a revised retail price. MMORPG
📖 Independent magazine Sega Mania is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a special issue featuring cover art by renowned illustrator Wil Overton. Time Extension
⚾ A series of hidden developer codes for the Super Nintendo title Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run have been discovered decades after the game’s release. Nintendo Everything
🥊 A previously unreleased Sega Saturn version of the FMV boxing game Prize Fighter has been discovered and preserved online. Time Extension
🍄 Nintendo is celebrating Mario Day by adding three classic titles to its retro gaming library for Switch Online subscribers. Rolling Out
🤠 The FMV western Mad Dog McCree and six other titles are now compatible with the ScummVM emulation software. Time Extension
📱 The original Xbox emulator Xemu is reportedly being ported to Android devices, potentially allowing for high-performance mobile emulation of the console. Android Authority
Features
🎮 An analysis reveals that the SNES controller protocol is nearly compatible with the Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) Mode-1 standard, requiring only a minor hardware buffer to function correctly with modern microcontrollers. Hackaday
📺 The 1986 animated film Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach! is identified as the first isekai anime to feature a protagonist trapped within a virtual video game world. CBR
🔧 A hobbyist successfully restored the majority of 23 broken Nintendo handheld devices, ranging from the original Game & Watch to various DS models, documenting the process of cleaning corrosion and replacing screens. Supercar Blondie
📖 This educational guide provides a comprehensive overview of the history of video games, tracing the evolution of the medium from early laboratory experiments to modern high-definition consoles. BBC Bitesize
💼 A Reddit user has constructed a custom portable GameCube system integrated into a stylish briefcase, featuring a seven-inch IPS screen and internal storage for accessories. GoNintendo
🕹️ Recent hardware releases from China, including the SOGGY-1000 and the MD3, demonstrate the ongoing international effort to keep legacy Sega consoles alive through modern, optimized PCB designs and 3D-printed cases. Adafruit
🔍 A former Sega employee has confirmed the existence of a cancelled graphics accelerator for the Saturn, codenamed “TRIP”, which was originally intended to bolster the console’s power to handle ambitious titles like Shenmue. Time Extension
Lists & Rankings
🎮 Ten classic Super Nintendo Entertainment System titles are highlighted for maintaining high quality and playability decades after their original release DualShockers.
🕹️ This retrospective identifies the premier Nintendo Entertainment System title released during each year of the console’s active lifespan Gamerant.
🏰 Six influential Nintendo titles from the 1980s are recognized for their enduring design and continued relevance in the modern era ComicBook.
⚔️ The classic Super Nintendo action RPG Secret of Mana is noted for delivering a powerful and bittersweet concluding narrative (below) CBR.
❄️ Several commercially successful Nintendo 64 titles, including 1080° Snowboarding and Wave Race 64, are identified as significant releases that have largely faded from public memory SVG.
📟 The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap leads a ranking of the ten most exceptional and mechanically sound titles released for the Game Boy Advance Sportsdunia.
🌀 Every major Sega home and handheld console is ranked according to its commercial impact, technical capabilities, and software library ComicBook.
