👾 Retro Gaming Weekly News #0197
Welcome to your 197th roundup of all things retro gaming.
This week we feature stories such as a new Neo Geo that plays original carts, lots of emulation updates, the voice of Star Fox passes away, and a whole lot more (a lot less lists this week).
Thanks for reading, I would not do this otherwise.
News
⌨️ Keychron has unveiled the G4 mechanical keyboard in a retro Famicom-inspired colour way alongside the G5 with a premium carbon fibre body. Notebookcheck
🕹️ A spiritual successor to Konami’s Road Fighter and Koei’s Famicom simulation Ishin no Arashi are both confirmed for modern console releases. Time Extension
🩹 A new ROM patch finally properly fixes the long-broken US prototype of Final Fantasy I-II that has circulated among collectors for years. Retro Dodo
🔧 The creator of a new 3DO FPGA core has admitted the hardware limitations of the MiSTer platform make a truly accurate emulation impossible. Time Extension
📱 A newly surfaced Nintendo patent hints at a Game Boy revival featuring a touchscreen display built into the handheld’s design. IGN
🪵 The man responsible for the disastrous SuperSega scam has resurfaced, this time trying to sell people a wooden PC. Time Extension
🎮 Gamesir’s well-regarded Pocket Taco Game Boy-style controller has finally appeared on Amazon, though its unusual pricing is raising eyebrows. GamesRadar
🤖 An obscure Mega Man title has received an unofficial Game Boy-style remake that fans largely weren’t clamouring for. Time Extension
📸 A leaked image has revealed the TrimUI Brick Pro, a Game Boy-inspired handheld that appears to be nearing its official launch. Android Authority
🎉 A beloved SNES emulator for PSP and PS Vita has received its first update in eight years, bringing a wave of improvements. Retro Handhelds
🕹️ The newly updated SNES emulator for PSP and PS Vita makes now the best time to revisit classic Super Nintendo titles on those handhelds. Android Authority
🏆 The Nintendo 64 emulator Gopher64 has added RetroAchievements support, letting players earn trophies in classic N64 games. GamingOnLinux
😢 Fans are paying tribute to the beloved Star Fox voice actor who passed away at the age of 76. Metro
🚀 The team behind Noah and the Poohloudies has shared a progress update on their ambitious ports for the Nintendo 64 and Dreamcast. GoNintendo
⛏️ A fan-made port is bringing the original Tomb Raider to the Nintendo 64, a console it notably skipped at the time of release. Retro Dodo
🌙 An unofficial port of Zelda: Majora’s Mask has been released for the PS Vita, giving the N64 classic a new lease of life. Time Extension
🐾 Nintendo has officially brought back the original GameCube version of Animal Crossing as part of a special anniversary release. Screen Rant
💾 Another Nintendo 64 launch title has been fully decompiled, with a native PC port already reported to be in early development. Time Extension
🔄 Nintendo’s GameCube app has been updated to version 1.6.1, resolving a persistent crashing bug affecting Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. My Nintendo News
🎲 A solo developer has produced a playable native PC port of Mario Party 4, releasing an early alpha build for fans to try. TechEBlog
🎵 Legendary composer Yoko Shimomura has been tapped to write the main theme for upcoming indie title Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard. The Outerhaven
🛒 Afterplay has launched a storefront where players can purchase and instantly play new indie games built in classic retro styles. Retro Handhelds
📦 The classic Sega Genesis RPG Traysia has been confirmed for a Nintendo Switch release, bringing the obscure title to modern audiences. Nintendo Everything
💿 The Polymega Remix has been announced as a new portable device designed to digitise and preserve physical retro game cartridges. GBAtemp
📀 Polymega has confirmed it is adding support for two additional CD-based retro consoles, expanding the device’s already impressive library. Time Extension
🕹️ SNK has unveiled a Neo Geo console remake that supports original cartridges and outputs via HDMI for modern displays. Engadget
🔌 A hardware enthusiast has successfully modernised an original PlayStation with updated components, bringing the console into the contemporary era. Hackaday
📺 The season two finale of The Pitt on Max features a pitch-perfect parody of a classic PS2-era video game. Kotaku
Features
📱 One writer transformed their iPhone into a capable retro gaming handheld simply by configuring RetroArch, and the results are surprisingly impressive. XDA Developers
🕹️ A passionate argument for why gamers should spend more time exploring the growing catalogue of new titles built in classic retro styles. The Gamer
👀 A hands-on preview of the most exciting retro handheld devices expected to launch before the end of the year. Retro Dodo
💾 A nostalgic look back at ten media formats that once felt like the future but have since been rendered completely obsolete. BGR
🛁 One creative modder managed to turn a Nintendo GameCube into a fully functional console housed inside a real working hot tub. TechEBlog
📺 A deep dive into Sega’s bizarre CX-1 experiment — the Dreamcast that was built directly into a television set. HappyGamer
😱 A look at the technically staggering PlayStation 1 ports that pushed the hardware so far beyond its limits they seemed genuinely impossible. Cultured Vultures
🎮 A former Xbox executive has revealed he lobbied hard for Final Fantasy to become an exclusive franchise on the original Xbox. The Gamer
Lists & Rankings
🏆 A ranked look at the single best survival game to represent each major console generation from the earliest hardware to the present day. ComicBook
✨ Ten Nintendo GameCube games singled out as absolute masterpieces with no meaningful flaws to speak of. CBR
💪 Three notoriously brutal SNES games that modern players would likely find far more manageable thanks to improved skills and online guides. ComicBook
🌀 Seven Sega Dreamcast games that came agonisingly close to perfection but have largely faded from the collective gaming memory. CBR
😤 A countdown of the six most punishing and infuriating levels ever designed for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. ComicBook
💀 A ranking of the most brutal and unforgiving boss encounters ever programmed into a PlayStation 1 game. CBR
🕹️ The definitive best Atari game chosen to represent each console generation the iconic brand was involved with. ComicBook
🚀 A ranked list of the ten strongest launch titles that accompanied the debut of Microsoft’s original Xbox console. CBR
