👾 Retro Gaming Weekly News #200
Welcome to issue #200! 🥳
In this week’s newsletter we have stories such as a marriage proposal hidden in a Game Boy ROM for three years, the long-awaited Star Fox 64 remake for Switch 2 finally arriving, Atari acquiring the foundational Wizardry RPG series, a playable LEGO Tetris arcade set with a secret room, and loads more besides.
As always, I really appreciate you taking time to read, share and like — it genuinely helps get the word out to more retro fans.
News
🇬🇧 A previously unknown 128k version of Namco’s Xevious has surfaced for the Amstrad CPC, hidden as an Easter egg discovery. RetroShell
👻 Montana Ranch, a PS1-inspired psychological horror game, is now available, drawing from classics like Silent Hill and Koudelka. RetroDodo
📰 Atari has acquired Implicit Conversions, adding PS1 and PS2 emulation expertise to its growing retro studio roster alongside Digital Eclipse. Retro Handhelds
🇬🇧 Bomberplanes, an Amiga game created in the 1990s, has made an appearance on itch.io for modern audiences. Indie Retro News
🧱 A fan-designed LEGO Tetris arcade cabinet featuring playable block-stacking and a hidden room is gathering significant community support on LEGO Ideas. RetroShell
🔧 A niche technical guide shows how to enjoy 3D Blu-Ray content and playback on PC CRT monitors with proper cadence using Raspberry Pi. RetroRGB
🎮 Skateland Adventures brings hints of Mario, Sonic and Wonder Boy to Game Boy with a charming new platformer. RetroDodo
💾 A new Fallout 4 mod lets players run Morrowind via OpenMW on the in-game PipBoy, with original Fallout support in development. Retro Handhelds
🇬🇧 Double Baboon Ninja, an upcoming arcade-style Amiga game by Danlabg, looks excellent in its latest version update. Indie Retro News
📺 Evercade’s indie support continues with the Mega Cat Studios Collection 3, maintaining a steady release cadence. Siliconera
💾 The MiSTer FPGA platform continues rapid expansion with a new graphical user interface, several arcade core developments, and a dedicated JAMMA board. RetroShell
💾 Developer Rich Whitehouse has released BigInstinct, a public Killer Instinct arcade emulator for Windows and Linux with extensive features. RetroRGB
🔧 Krasivoe has revealed their GameCube-inspired dock design for both Switch 1 and Switch 2. RetroDodo
💾 Paper Mario Star Nova is a massive total conversion mod for Paper Mario 64, featuring new chapters, story, characters and over 70 star pieces. Retro Handhelds
⚔️ The 1985 PC-8801 version of Hydlide II is getting an EGG Console port to PC Steam on 15 May. RPG Site
🇬🇧 Broken Crown is a new procedurally generated roguelike for the Commodore 64 by BarracudaBits. Indie Retro News
⚔️ Drecom has clarified that Atari owns only the rights to the first five Wizardry games, not the entire series. Siliconera
💾 Taki Udon’s SuperStation One offers a compelling FPGA-based PlayStation replica, combining cycle-accurate emulation with extensive legacy connectivity. RetroShell
💾 Retro Gaming Cables is now selling an RGB + Composite SCART cable designed specifically for the SuperStation One FPGA PlayStation. RetroRGB
📺 Hallmark is releasing a PS1 Christmas ornament featuring the iconic startup sound, arriving this July. RetroDodo
📰 Sony’s preservation team is working to save classic PlayStation games, teasing a backwards compatibility push ahead of the PS6. Retro Handhelds
📺 Darkest Dungeon II: Anniversary Edition physical release is now available on PS5 and Nintendo Switch. RPG Site
📺 The former Xbox 360 exclusive visual novel Steins;Gate is getting a Re:Boot release for modern Xbox Series X|S. Pure Xbox
⚔️ Limited Run Games comments on Atari’s acquisition of Wizardry rights, noting their friendly relationship with the publisher. Limited Run Games
🇬🇧 Armour Alley, a 1980s real-time war game inspired by Rescue Raiders, has arrived on the Amstrad CPC by Fitosoft. Indie Retro News
🎮 Nintendo has announced enormous sales figures for the GBA Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen eShop ports, reaching over 4 million units despite pricing backlash. IGN
🦊 Nintendo announced a cinematic remake of Star Fox 64, simply titled Star Fox, coming to Switch 2 in June. Eurogamer
📺 Veins of Iron is a new SNES first-person shooter inspired by Wolfenstein 3D and Resident Evil, with a prototype cartridge in development. TimeExtension
🦊 Several Star Fox Switch 2 soundtrack songs are already available on the Nintendo Music app for early preview. Siliconera
⚔️ The foundational Wizardry RPG series has found itself split between Atari and Drecom, with Atari acquiring rights to the first five games. Rock Paper Shotgun
🎮 A developer embedded a marriage proposal within a Game Boy ROM, a secret that remained hidden for three years until he revealed it to the press. RetroShell
🔧 An open-source battery pack for the Sega Nomad using rechargeable 18650 batteries and USB-C charging is now available. RetroRGB
🔧 A suspicious fake Lenovo retro handheld may have hit the market, raising questions about counterfeit products. RetroDodo
🔧 Valve has rebooted Steam Controller sales with an orderly queue system after a chaotic launch saw scalpers clear stock within minutes. Retro Handhelds
⚔️ The 1988 MSX version of Deep Dungeon is getting a port on Nintendo Switch via EGG Console. RPG Site
🕹️ Seventeen Arcade Archives games have quietly released for Xbox Series X|S in 2026 so far, going largely unnoticed by the gaming press. Pure Xbox
🦔 A rumoured Sonic Central broadcast is apparently planned for June, celebrating the Hedgehog’s 35th anniversary with new game announcements. My Nintendo News
🛒 Limited Run Games’ Vault has opened with Star Wars deals and special pricing on classic releases. Limited Run Games
📺 Nirvanna the Band’s classic Wii Shop Wednesday song gets an amazing fan update featuring games now available on the Nintendo Switch. Kotaku
🇬🇧 SDO is a fast vertical shoot-em-up for the Amstrad CPC by Xevimet4l. Indie Retro News
📺 Nintendo has forecasted that PlayStation 2 will likely remain the best-selling console of all time as Switch sales drop off. IGN
🦊 Nintendo’s new Star Fox remake for Switch 2 demonstrates the company’s pledge to keep digital game prices lower than physical retail. Eurogamer
💾 An unofficial PC port of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess has been released, bringing the GameCube classic to modern computers. DSOGaming
🧱 LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog 40926 Sega Genesis Console has been officially revealed for June 2026 release. Bricks Up
Features
🦊 An in-depth retrospective on the making of Star Fox Adventures, where Rare received remarkable freedom from Nintendo. TimeExtension
🇬🇧 A nostalgic retrospective remembers the BBC Computer Literacy Project and its significant impact on British computing culture. Hackaday
🕹️ An interview with Night Striker director Kenji Kaido discusses his 1989 arcade masterpiece and his enduring fanbase for classic games. TimeExtension
📺 Wolfhound is an 8-bit Metroidvania inspired by Wolfenstein 3D and Resident Evil, with a demo already available for hands-on impressions. Rock Paper Shotgun
⚔️ Early piece of Wizardry history, Dungeons Of Despair from Boston Apple Fest 1981, could be lost forever despite recent IP acquisition news. TimeExtension
🎮 Black Fire: Sergio Elisondo’s KUROHI pushes Game Boy Colour to its limit with an incredible technically accomplished project. RetroRGB
🍄 Shigeru Miyamoto considers Zelda II: Adventure of Link to be “sort of a failure,” viewing A Link to the Past as the true sequel. TimeExtension
⚔️ A thorough review of Traysia, the Sega Genesis RPG gem that never made a big name for itself but deserved recognition. RPGamer
📺 The Switch continues inching toward PS2 sales records, though price hikes may damage its chances of surpassing the record-holder. Nintendo Life
🦊 Community discussion on whether Nintendo’s surprise Star Fox remake for Switch 2 delivers the fan experience players were hoping for. Nintendo Everything
🦊 Limited Run Games opines that Star Fox for Switch 2, another Star Fox 64 remake, looks like taxidermy but they’re buying it anyway. Limited Run Games
🍄 Nintendo’s Takashi Tezuka reinvented The Legend of Zelda without overthinking it, drawing on otherworldly influences beyond arcade halls. Kotaku
💾 An Apple Lisa has been successfully implemented on FPGA, bringing this computing legend back to life through emulation. Hackaday
🦊 Takaya Imamura, legendary designer of Fox McCloud, has shared critical opinions about the character models in the Star Fox Switch 2 remake. DualShockers
🍄 An argument is made that an Ocarina of Time remake needs to bring back Yusuke Nakano’s distinctive art style. CBR Games
Lists & Rankings
🏅 The top 10 Super Nintendo games ranked, celebrating the system’s greatest titles. JoBlo
🏅 The best-selling video game consoles of all time, tracking the industry’s most successful hardware launches. IGN
🏅 The ten best-looking box covers for NES games, celebrating iconic cartridge art. Gamereactor UK
🏅 Eight PS1 JRPGs where the villain feels more compelling than the hero, showcasing the exceptional antagonists of the 1990s. DualShockers Lists
🏅 Ten best-selling games on the original Xbox, from Halo 2 to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. ComicBook Gaming
