retro gaming
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Petit Depotto, 'Gnosia' and the new, obsolete game
Like most of tech culture, the mainstream gaming industry is constantly hungry for next-gen hardware, and for major studios like Epic Games, Blizzard and Ubisoft, there’s an ongoing competition to stay ahead. Last June, a small Japanese indie studio named Petit Depotto unveiled Gnosia -- a werewolf-style role-playing adventure -- on the aging PlayStation Vita, which Sony officially discontinued in March 2019. Adapted from the 1986 Russian social game Mafia, werewolf scenarios require ‘villagers’ to deduce the identity of a ‘werewolf’ hiding among them.
'Streets of Rage 4' arrives with Battle Mode on April 30th
The last 'Streets of Rage' game was released in 1993 for Sega Genesis, but 'Streets of Rage 4' will bring a new dose of side-scrolling action to modern consoles on April 30th.
Analogue’s DAC lets gamers play their throwback consoles on CRT TVs
When you hear the term "DAC," you probably think of the gadgets that audiophiles use to convert digital audio data to headphone-compatible signals. Analogue's DAC, though, converts digital video data to analog signals, allowing gamers to play retro HDMI consoles (such as Analogue's own Mega Sg) on CRT TVs and analog video monitors.
Neo Geo Arcade Stick Pro puts a retro console inside a controller
<p>Last month <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/08/01/neo-geo-next-gen/">SNK promised some "next gen" Neo Geo hardware</a> on the way and it might be here. The company just unveiled details on its <a href="https://www.snk-corp.co.jp/us/press/2019/091003/" target="_blank">Neo Geo Arcade Stick Pro</a>
The next 'Mario & Sonic Olympics' game has a retro 2D mode
Over the past 12 years, Nintendo and Sega have faithfully published their mashup, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, to correspond with the iconic sporting event. The 2020 Olympics in Tokyo will be a homecoming of sorts for the two mascots, who were both created in Japan. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Tokyo Games 2020 will also see them returning to their roots in 10 "Classic Events" that use 2D sprites and environments.
SNK promises 'next gen' Neo Geo hardware to follow its Mini console
Amid the retro gaming console fad, last year's release of the Neo Geo Mini didn't attract as much attention as others, but SNK is back this summer with a $140 Samurai Shodown edition to celebrate the release of Samurai Shodown on PS4 and Xbox One. Unfortunately, according to reviews, despite a reshuffled list of included games this version of the console still suffers from subpar video output over HDMI. The good news is that fans of the arcade/home gaming system may have something better to look forward to. Ahead of the EVO 2019 event this weekend, SNK tweeted that "A Next-Gen NEOGEO hardware is coming after NEOGEO Mini." It promises a modern design and the ability to link to the Mini. The last time we saw modular hardware in this family was with the Neo Geo X, and really all we can hope for is that things are a little better executed this time around.
Westwood’s 1997 ‘Blade Runner’ is playable again on PC
For years it seemed Westwood's Blade Runner might be lost for good. The 1997 adventure game that meticulously recreated the film's universe has becoming increasingly difficult to play on modern PCs. In 2003, the game's source code was lost, and it seemed like Blade Runner would never get the face lift that other retro-games have received. Now, it appears Blade Runner's fate might be changing.
Konami's TurboGrafx-16 mini is ready to ride the retro-gaming wave
Need a sign that the retro gaming console market just won't come to an end? At E3 Konami just announced the TurboGrafx-16 mini, marking a return for the console that debuted in the US alongside the Sega Genesis in 1989, but never quite enjoyed the support or sales of its competitors. There's no price or release date yet for this bit of late 80s / early 90s nostalgia, but when it is released it will include the requisite suite of throwback games including: R-Type New Adventure Island Ninja Spirit Ys Book I & II Dungeon Explorer Alien Crush Other titles have yet to be revealed (where's Bonk's Revenge?) , and outside of North America the box will have different names just like it did way back when. In Europe it's called the PC Engine Core Grafx Mini, and in Japan, where the system originally launched in 1987, it's just the PC Engine Mini. It's unlikely we'll see anything as groundbreaking as the original TurboGrafx-16's CD-ROM add-on -- a first for consoles at the time -- but it's good to see the name in circulation again all the same.
Capcom Home Arcade includes 16 retro games and dual joysticks
Following the likes of Nintendo, Sega and PlayStation, a retro console featuring Capcom games is on the way. The Capcom Home Arcade packs in 16 titles, including Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, Alien vs. Predator, Final Fight and Ghouls 'n Ghosts, using original arcade ROM files.
Sega Genesis Mini will launch on September 19th with 40 games
Last year Sega showed off its own miniaturized retro console to join Nintendo and Sony, but unfortunately it was delayed. Now the company announced during this year's Sega Fest that the Genesis Mini / Mega Drive Mini will launch in the US and Japan on September 19th. It appears this console will feature different localized versions of certain games. Among the 40 games it will have, the company confirmed (at least in Japan) classics like Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Shining Force, Gunstar Heroes and Comix Zone, Space Harrier II, Puyo Puyo 2, Rent-a-Hero, Castlevania Bloodlines and Powerball.
The Analogue Mega SG wins the retro gaming console war
There's never been a better time to be a retro video game enthusiast. Playing old video games on modern screens used to require elaborate cabling and detailed electronics knowledge, or you would have to wade into dodgy ROM sites and tinker with confusing emulators. Today, however, we are blessed with a panoply of options, led by Nintendo's "classic" mini-consoles. But the premium, top-of-the-line retro console maker remains the hipsterish British-American company, Analogue. Analogue's Super NT, a Super Nintendo (SNES) hardware emulator released last year, was a revitalization of the SNES library ready to plug and play (and upscale) to modern HD televisions with a graphical fidelity unmatched by even Nintendo's own offerings. But the Super NT was just the tip of the retro spear, because, as any '90s kid will tell you, some console wars never die. And sure enough, Analogue has just released their take on the other dominant console of the 16-bit era: the Sega Genesis. Analogue's Mega SG is a beautiful little piece of hardware that does for the Genesis/Sega CD/Master System library what the Super NT did for the Super Nintendo -- and is the better value proposition of the two.
iam8bit's Entertainment System to feature in retro art exhibit
Los Angeles gallery iam8bit is hosting an art exhibit in celebration of 1980s games, called "iam8bit Entertainment System." Here's where it gets a tad confusing: It also has a physical console designed specifically for retro gaming, called "iam8bit Entertainment System." So, the iam8bit Entertainment System will be at iam8bit Entertainment System from June 7 to June 20, and the console will be available to order online at iam8bit. Sometimes we just don't understand art. Iam8bit Entertainment System – the exhibit – hosts a ton of work from prominent artists around the globe, including the ones whose installments are shown in the gallery below: Olly Moss, Dadu Shin, DKNG Studios, Hine Mizushima, JC Richard, Jophen Stein, Mark Englert and Steve Courtney. The show will include a treat for DuckTales: Remastered fans, with a 10 foot x 10 foot recreation of Uncle Scrooge McDuck's money bin, complete with giant gold coins and gems, and the Green Cheese of Longevity. It's like a ball pit for kids that's really for adults. Now that we understand.%Gallery-190608%%Gallery-190606%
'Wreck it Richard' is a Hotline Miami parody and classic games killing spree
Imagine Hotline Miami protagonist "Jacket" decided he wanted to follow in Wreck-It Ralph's footsteps and leave his game; instead of going on an adventure of self-discovery like Ralph, "Jacket" stuck to his homicidal ways and killed everything he came across. This is the idea behind "Wreck it Richard," the fan-made mash-up above.Now, we can't say that we've ever wanted to see Pac-Man pounded to death before – why couldn't it have been Blinky? – but don't let that early brutality discourage you from finishing this fine Hotline Miami and classic gaming mash-up in its entirety ... unless you abhor brutality in all forms, in which case hey don't watch this video.
How to set up your Raspberry Pi to play Atari 2600 games
So after your brain hurts a bit and you're tired of learning computer science on the Raspberry Pi, you might want to relax with a bit of nostalgia and exercise your thumbs with some retro gaming. Want to revisit your childhood memories of Pong? Ping away. Maybe your kids have been hounding you for a video game console but you don't have the $300 to spring for a PS3. The Pi can help you with this and help teach your kids something, to boot. After some slight software configurations and a hardware purchase or two, you can relive the days of the almighty Atari 2600. Catch us after the break and we'll show you how to get your Pi to play all your totally legal cartridge backups.
Atari 2600s get PC innards, 22,857 times more processing power
Atari games redesigned in HTML 5 may bring back a flood of nostalgia, but they leave out a key part of the gaming experience: the classic hardware. Hard Drives Northwest filled that void by gutting a limited number of authentic Atari 2600s and stuffing them with modern PC components. Packing a Core i7 3.4GHz processor, the retro console now boasts 22,857 times more processing power than it did in its heyday, according to Microsoft's calculations -- more than enough oomph to handle the recent remakes. Other internals include 8GB of RAM, a 120GB SSD and a Radeon HD 6570 graphics card with 1GB of video memory. With support for USB 3.0 and 2.0, eSATA, DisplayPort, DVI and HDMI, the system is well stocked on the connectivity front. Finally, the signature of Atari founder Nolan Bushnell acts as the cherry atop the faux wood grain-toting package. While the souped-up machines aren't up for sale, a pair of them are slated for a giveaway. Glamour shots and the full set of specs await you at the source.
Gamestop pondering a move into vintage games
GameStop CEO Paul Raines is planning on adding a vintage games store to the company's online offerings. The outlet has been amassing warehouses full of classic titles that were traded in over the years, and the chief sees a "sales opportunity" in going toe-to-toe with sites like eBay. There are still several problems to overcome, including conditioning, sourcing and refurbishing the hardware abused by our younger selves -- but at least we might be able to replace our busted SNES controllers without worrying about getting outbid at the last minute.
15 indie developers re-imagine Pong for iOS, hope to win Atari contract
As far as video games go, it doesn't get much simpler than Pong -- two paddles, one ball, no complications. A classic, to be sure, but definitely not the flashiest game when pitted against the average smartphone title -- maybe that's why Atari is asking indie developers to jazz it up. Yes, the Pong Indie Developer Challenge is in full swing, and Atari has pared down some 90-odd submissions to mere 15. Not familiar with the contest? Here's a quick refresh: Atari is looking for indie developers to re-imagine Pong for iOS as a fun, original, visually interesting and overtly marketable title. The stakes? Winners can score up to $100,000 and a publishing contract with Atari. Many of the semi-finalists' redesigns are as simple as adding multitouch gestures or bending the traditionally square playing field into a more circular court, but a few ambitious developers mixed it up with 3D playing fields, anthropomorphic paddles or augmented reality multiplayer. Check out Mashable's collection of contestant trailers at the link below for a look at the Pong of tomorrow. As for us? We're still pretty pleased with yesterday's model.
Prince of Persia source code freed from floppies, posted online
You wouldn't think it would take more than two weeks to extract some source code from a pile of 3.5-inch floppies and post it online, but getting files from 1989 to play nice with a MacBook Air is no simple feat. That's why we're so appreciative of Jordan Mechner, who put the time and effort into freeing his creation, Prince of Persia, from its magnetic prison. If you want to try and build the platforming classic for your own system, hit up the source link. Or, just wait for someone else to do it for you -- we're sure it wont take long for some friendly binary formats to hit the web.
Atari Pong review (1976)
Multiplayer gaming today has become an inherently and bewilderingly antisocial affair. You grab a controller, take up as much space as possible on your couch at home, then connect to some random game hosted by some random server filled with some random people with whom you do your damnedest to fill with some collection of lead thrown from some assortment of futuristic weaponry. Along the way, you'll be taunted, insulted and, if you're playing a Halo game, quite possibly physically shamed.Back in 1976, of course, things were a bit different. Pong was the height of at-home multiplayer gaming. Two dials, one button and one switch is all you had, and with your opponent sitting in extremely close proximity to you, chances are most of the heckling would be the good-natured variety. It is a vastly simplified experience versus what we have today, but in some ways a vastly superior one. Click on through to see why.
Prince of Persia creator finds lost source code, cues delicate chip fanfare
No, we don't mean the modern interpretation and its moody sequels -- this is the 1989 original. Jordan Mechner created the first Prince of Persia game for the Apple II. However, the source code ended up lost in the sands of time -- until Mechner's dad discovered a box filled with 3.5-inch ProDOS disks. The creator's now attempting to transfer the code across to his MacBook Air and get it working on modern platforms. We just have to remember how to beat our evil reflection.
