Retro News, Tips, Tricks & Ideas

Newly launched game Sonic Superstars, Sega's latest platformer in the retro 2D side-scrolling mould, hits all the nostalgia points that you may associate with the blue blur, from ingenious ideas to absolute controller-throwing rage.

Snake? Snake?! Snaaaake!!! Ah, those were the days. The good news is that those days can be relived once again thanks to the arrival of the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection on PC and console.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Battletoads, it was a series of games that Rare made before they started to make good games. Hey-oh!

In case you’ve somehow missed it, GamesBeat is holding its Next event early next week in San Francisco. As always, I’ll be there, probably in a costume of some kind, to participate. If you’re interested in seeing what the future of games looks like and what some of the most interesting new ideas in the industry are shaping into, then come and join us! I’ll be moderating the Women in Gaming breakfast panel with several exceptional women in the industry, as well as a panel on mixed reality ahead of the Apple Vision Pro. Registration is still open here.

A Shiba Inu called Peanut Butter will soon be competing at speedrunning event Awesome Games Done Quick, playing retro Nintendo platformer Gyromite - and I couldn't be prouder.

Almost ten years ago, the online phenomenon “Twitch Plays Pokémon” convened over a million people to play Pokémon Red at the same time, with each player’s keystrokes registering as commands for the one pixelated avatar. Now, like a Magikarp growing into a Gyarados, the evolution of technology begs a new question: can AI play Pokémon?

Here are the games leaving Xbox Game Pass at the end of October 2023, with one of the best roguelikes, an almost peerless JRPG and more leaving.

Retro console manufacturer Analogue has claimed that even Nintendo couldn’t deliver a better modern Nintendo 64 experience than its upcoming Analogue 3D game system.

PLAY #33 is out now! Honkai: Star Rail shines on the cover as we talk to HoYoverse all about their cosmic-sized release on PS5. Plus: we go hands-on with both Dragon’s Dogma 2 and Resident Evil 4’s PSVR update, and deliver huge verdicts on Baldur’s Gate 3, Mortal Kombat 1, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, and loads more!

Hardware manufacturer Analogue has just announced its latest device, the Analogue 3D, which appears to be a Nintendo 64 for the modern era.

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Analogue, the boutique console manufacturer known for its work building slick machines capable of playing classic retro cartridges, has announced the Analogue 3D — a «reimagining of the N64» that's coming in 2024.

Retrogaming fans unite - Analogue Inc. has announced the Analogue 3D; an upcoming Nintendo 64 imagining supporting 4K resolution with original display modes.

Analogue, the retro console manufacturer behind Analogue Pocket, Super Nt and more, has announced that its next system will be “a reimagining of the N64.”

By Jay Peters, a news editor who writes about technology, video games, and virtual worlds. He’s submitted several accepted emoji proposals to the Unicode Consortium.

Retro game console maker Analogue, the manufacturer behind the Game Boy-like Analogue Pocket, and 16-bit consoles Super Nt, Mega Sg, and Analogue Duo, is taking on the Nintendo 64 next. A new, FPGA-powered console called the Analogue 3D is coming in 2024, Analogue announced Monday, and it will play Nintendo 64 games at 4K resolution.

By Andrew Webster, an entertainment editor covering streaming, virtual worlds, and every single Pokémon video game. Andrew joined The Verge in 2012, writing over 4,000 stories.

Playing N64 games in 2023 can be a bit of a pain, but the brains behind the Analogue Pocket are cooking up what could be my dream console. Dubbed the Analogue 3D, the company’s next project plans to reimagine the Nintendo 64 as a modern FPGA device, complete with 100% cartridge compatibility and original controller ports. Better still, 8bitdo is working on a matching gamepad that’ll help make playing the classics feel a little more contemporary. 

The Analogue Pocket is a retro handheld marvel, capable of playing your favorite Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games on its beautiful screen with modern sensibilities and technology – simply put, it's the best way to play a Game Boy game, assuming you can get your hands on the always-sold-out device. Now, Analogue is targeting the Nintendo 64 catalog with its next device, the Analogue 3D. 

We talk about retro and throwback game releases being a "blast from the past", but in this case, it's more like you're strolling down a sunny path amid soothing birdsong, and then one particular, innocent-looking paving stone swivels underfoot with a rustle of gears, dropping you into a dingy, yellow-panelled room. There are vacuum tubes mounted on one wall, doors to either side, and a ladder leading further down into darkness.

After going through the Valis series and finding them fascinating but not especially great, I kind of lumped Gley Lancer in there with them since they’re all part of a care package Retro-Bit sent me. I figured it would be a niche title that was forgotten because it wasn’t especially noteworthy. That is not the case. Gley Lancer is beyond rad.

When it comes to Masahiro Sakurai, you can’t always expect him to do the “traditional” things over and over again because he doesn’t like to do that. He’s always wanted to find new and fresh ways to do things while respecting what came before. When it comes to his “Creating Games” YouTube Channel, he’s proven that repeatedly via some of the topics he’s done, including some that might not seem “worthy” in the viewers’ minds. Recently, we talked about how Sakurai would do a special “Let’s Play” episode with a famous YouTuber. Now, the person he’s playing with has been revealed, and the first episode with him has dropped!

Dotemu has released a big update for their retro revival sequel Windjammers 2, adding new playable characters, modes and full cross-play for the game.

Elden Ring is a massive hit, and while some of that is certainly down to the brilliant world-building, combat, exploration, and the wide variety of approaches and tools for every situation, a huge part of the charm are the characters.

I remember some years ago thinking about how cool it would be if some modern developers created games in old engines. Specifically, I was thinking about Ken Silverman’s legendary Build Engine, a cluster of technical trickery that stands as, perhaps, the best 2.5D raycasting engine ever designed.

Dotemu has released a big update for their retro revival sequel Windjammers 2, adding new playable characters, modes and full cross-play for the game.

Some people out there may already know who the new voice of Mario is.

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The creator of the popular Analogue Pocket retro handheld has posted a cryptic image to social media.

It’s been a long time coming, but Retro-Bit has announced that their Sega Saturn Pro Controllers are finally up for pre-order. These were teased quite a while back and then shown off at the Portland Retro Game Expo last year, but they’re ready to go now. Almost.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy spinoff series I Am Groot expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the most inconsequential ways. Across two seasons of zippy animated shorts, Baby Groot has a fist fight with a space bonsai tree, enjoys a spa day, and meets (and stomps on) a Lilliputian alien civilization, all while the other Guardians are somewhere out of frame.

We know the setup: A whole group of people life in an elaborately fake place that's actually the set of a sprawling reality show where they—and their lives—are the entertainment. Upcoming «cinematic puzzle game» American Arcadia is just that, a retro futuristic 1970s world constructed for entertainment purposes. Except for one thing: If you're not popular, if your ratings with the audience at home drop too far, you're killed.

You Will Die Here Tonight is as interesting as it sounds. The name is eye-catching, but the gameplay and premise are even more so. If you take a look at any of the game’s screenshots or trailers, you may notice a nostalgic chill go down your spine. Developer Spiral Bound Interactive created its debut game as a “love letter” to beloved classics, including the first two Resident Evil games and The House of the Dead. The developer has just revealed You Will Die Here Tonight’s specific release date, and it’s right on time for the most spooktacular holiday.

Ziggurat Interactive and Limited Run Games have announced that their two-for-one classic pack, A Boy and His Blob Retro Collection will release on Switch, PS4, and PS5 on October 17, 2023. A PC version is in the works for a later date.

NES puzzler platformer A Boy and His Blob and its Game Boy sequel are getting digital re-releases later this month.

"But what if there were dinosaurs???" is a setup that goes a long way with me, as a Jurassic World Evolution player and defiant fan of Capcom's Exoprimal, and in this case, that setup rests atop a tasty-looking fruitcake of references to Warcraft and Stronghold.

One of 2024's most promising games looks like a terrific blend of Faster Than Light and Slay the Spire. 

If you only play one thing today, you should make it the excellent free demo for Islands of the Caliph, an '80s style first-person CRPG with heavy Elder Scrolls: Arena and Ultima vibes.

In an exclusive interview with GamesRadar+ ahead of the release of VHS85, director Scott Derrickson shared that the biggest inspiration behind his VHS segment Dreamkill was his past movies, "I didn't draw inspiration from any other films except for Sinister and The Black Phone." The Doctor Strange director explained that he used Super 8 footage to add a layer of evocative erieness to the piece just as he had done in Sinister, but in terms of the storyline, Derrickson was majorly influenced by his latest feature film The Black Phone.

If you're picking up a new Microsoft Surface laptop, you could now indulge in a bit of retro gaming while waiting for Windows to finish crawling through the interminable setup and updates process. Here's hoping it comes to the DIY Windows installation, too. It will certainly be something to do while setting up a new office test rig.

I technically never stopped playing retro games. When I had my Gamecube, I was still playing games on my SNES. However, around that time, I also bought an NES. The games I got with it – games like Total Recall and Kid Icarus – had me convinced that I just hated games on the NES. It wasn’t until I was introduced to a couple of games on this list, that retro gaming truly opened up to me.

Funko has released more than 13,000 Pop! figures so rather than trying to collect them all, which would be almost impossible, you need to pick a lane or two and stick it to. Whether that be focusing on Pops from a particular series like Pokemon or DC, or maybe sticking to a particular type like the special edition flocked figures. If you're thinking of starting a Funko Pop! selection from scratch, you may want to consider the new Retro Reimagined collection.

Nintendo has announced that online play for the 3DS and Wii U will end “in early April 2024”.

An indie shooter called El Paso, Elsewhere is making waves on Steam with some gorgeous retro aesthetics and a blend of Max Payne-style action and vampire-fueled supernatural horror.

Dene Carter, perhaps best known as the co-creator of the original Fable and developer Bullfrog's much-loved Dungeon Keeper, has released his brand new Ultima-inspired roguelike RPG Moonring on Steam, and he's made it completely free.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is set to debut on the Switch on October 20, and it’s looking incredibly colorful and sleek. But if you’re looking for something a little…older, this fan-made commercial should do the trick.

Retro-Bit has announced that the next in their line of retro reissues is Cybernator under the name that the Gods of Nomenclature intended: Assault Suit Valken.

Sad Cat Studios announced today that it has raised $5 million in funding, an investment in the studio that it plans to put towards its future games. The studio is currently working on its retro-style action-platformer Replaced, which it announced in 2021. GEM Capital invested in the studio in part to help it launch Replaced sometime in 2024.

The greatest ever catchphrase in a Capcom game has been revealed, following a public vote.

Attempting to recapture that same feeling that kids in the 90s got from the Sonic the Hedgehog series, Sonic Superstars is throwing the titular character – and his friends – into another acceleratingly quick 2.5D platformer. Based on the same Retro Engine that brought the critically praised Sonic Mania to life, Sonic Superstars might just be the game that fans have been begging for.

Fable's co-creator has released a new roguelike inspired by the games that influenced Todd Howard's work at Bethesda - and it's free.

A rare Nintendo 64 controller found in an attic is set to sell for up to £1,000 in the UK. 

Moonring is a turn-based RPG made by a former Fable designer and it's now free to play on Steam.

Ion Fury: Aftershock, an expansion pack for Voidpoint's retro FPS featuring new weapons, enemies and game modes, launches today 2nd October 2023, and there's a trailer below awaiting your fervent appreciation.

Dusk, a retro throwback shooter inspired by genre legends like Quake and Blood, is getting an HD overhaul in time for its fifth anniversary on Steam.

Following the release and enormous success of Baldur's Gate 3, the first cRPG with a triple-A budget, fans of the genre are now also wondering about a similar treatment for games like Pillars of Eternity 3.

The superb throwback FPS Dusk is celebrating its 5th birthday in style with a full HD Remaster coming later this year that remakes practically every asset.  

A rare N64 controller is set to sell for around £1000 after its owner found the item in his attic after being gifted the now hard-to-find Foxdata N64 pad on their fourteenth birthday.

As part of the Realms Deep 2023 showcase, 3D Realms has shown off the first post-early access launch addition to Cultic, an absolute steal of a shooter that PC Gamer contributor Dominic Tarason dubbed "2022's grungiest retro FPS."

Too many people only know Shin Megami Tensei as the dungeon-crawler JRPG franchise that ultimately spawned the much more popular Persona series, but MegaTen is still an amazing, ongoing bunch of games in its own right, with 2021's Shin Megami Tensei 5 being its crowning achievement for my money. But old-school MegaTen DRPGs still have their following, and a new game in the impossible-to-pin-down Touhou universe has now recreated this retro style so perfectly that fans are asking MegaTen owner Atlus to hire the dev.

The next issue of Retro Gamer is on sale now and features a tremendous Star Wars double bill. Daron Stinnett looks back at the original Star Wars: Dark Forces, while members of Nightdive Studios reveal what’s in store for the new remaster. The Star Wars fun continues with a look at both Star Wars: Starfighter and Jedi Starfighter, two console shooters that were designed to capitalize on the PC success of games like Star Wars: X-Wing and TIE Fighter.

While most Baldur's Gate 3 players are still blissfully making their way through Larian's lavish and expansive world, others are taking it upon themselves to do the essential work of memeing its memorable cast of characters.

Gaming on Mac becomes more of a reality every day, with powerful Apple Silicon processors and the Game Porting Toolkit unlocking surprisingly decent performance in a wide range of modern games and emulated titles alike. We don't normally cover Mac gaming here, but I thought you might want to know that the latest M2 Mac Mini is down to $499 at B&H Photo in the US, a $100 reduction on the base-spec unit that makes it quite a powerful computer for the money.

Before there was PlayStation and Xbox, before there was Sega, even before there was Nintendo, at least in your home, there was Atari. The studio created Pong which should tell you everything you need to know about how influential it has been on the video game industry. It also got into the home console game by the late 1970s, and if you have been longing to relive that iconic era of gaming, or introduce it to the next generation of gamers, a modern recreation of the Atari 2600 is coming this holiday season.

Cyberpunk 2077 is not afraid to include the odd reference the another game or TV show here and there. You can find several scattered throughout Night City, including little nods to Death Stranding, Mortal Kombat, Blade Runner, and a lot more. You also probably won't be surprised to hear that CD Projekt Red loves to reference its previous work too, as you'll find several references to The Witcher 3 on top of all the other cool easter eggs.

There’s a lot to do in the 2.0 version of Cyberpunk 2077. You can engage in some high-speed vehicle combat, or re-do all your cyberware. Or, maybe, go find an old retro cabinet to while away the hours in Night City. There’s still a secret or two to find in Cyberpunk, it seems.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 was released in September of 2020, and unlike the “HD” re-releases, 1+2 garnered a degree of critical acclaim. It managed to recapture the lightning in the bottle of the original two releases, and wouldn’t you know it: they’re still extremely good games. Well, the two-pack release is coming back in a new format, as a listing for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 just popped up on Steam.

I've been greatly looking forward to sci-fi immersive sim shooter Fortune's Run, despite absolutely sucking at the demo. Scandalously, we don't appear to have covered this indie sci-fi FPS on these golden pages, so here's a quick overview: you're the high-jumping, sword-wielding, bullet-pumping lovechild of Deus Ex and DOOM, galloping through a world that recalls the Imperial bases and sewers of Dark Forces, taking down grungy pixelart sprites by means of precision parries, grabs, combos, headshots, terrain traps and much more besides. Between dust-ups, you can play basketball and leave crayon graffiti for other players care of a Dark Souls-style messaging system. It's a feast!

In the week Radio Times celebrates its 100th anniversary, RadioTimes.com is launching a new gaming podcast called One More Life.

Cyberpunk 2077's latest version 2.0 update adds two new arcade machines, joining Roach Race added last year. Now, we can also play through Trauma Drama, as well as Arasaka Tower 3D - a boomer shooter very clearly inspired by Doom.

CD Projekt's retro game-focused digital storefront, GOG, has been with us for a whopping 15 years now. To celebrate, GOG's having a storewide sale and giving away free copies of the 2013 point-and-click adventure game, The Night of the Rabbit.