Retro Blog 🕰️

Stan Lee Dispels Myth That X-Men Were Originally Envisioned as LGBTQ Allegory In a 2007 radio interview that has recently resurfaced, comic book icon Stan Lee directly refuted a widespread assumption that his X-Men characters were conceived as an allegory for the LGBTQ+ community. Speaking on Coast to Coast AM with guest host Ian Punnett, Lee stated unambiguously that the analogy was not his intention when creating the X-Men in …

Disclaimer: My father, disconnected from the internet in many ways, will most likely never read this. And that is OK. On a frost-touched morning in December 1987, nestled beneath the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree, a gift unwrapped would forge an unbreakable bond between a father and his child, a Nintendo NES. This is the tale of that bond, a story woven through the fabric of fantasy, adventure, and …

The Sega Genesis: A Historical Overview and System Review Enjoy our comprehensive retrospective as we showcase each and every one of the classic games developed for the Sega Genesis in this captivating video journey, or read up on the system and review below! The Sega Genesis: An In-depth Look at the Console That Defined an Era The Sega Genesis, known as the Mega Drive outside North America, is a 16-bit …

Sega has revealed that the upcoming reboot of the classic arcade racing game Crazy Taxi will be a big-budget, triple-A release. This news came from Takaya Segawa, president of Sega’s Sapporo Studio, in an interview with the Japan Times. Sapporo Studio is one of the developers working on the new Crazy Taxi game. When discussing the studio’s current projects, Segawa said “We are also participating in the development of triple-A …

In The Hunt: A Deep Dive into the Underwater Classic on PS1 “In The Hunt,” a title often overshadowed by its terrestrial counterparts, is a gem of the PlayStation 1 era that deserves more recognition. Developed by Irem, a company known for creating the legendary “R-Type” series, “In The Hunt” was released on the PS1 in 1995. The game, which I affectionately refer to as the “Metal Slug of the …

Galloping Ghost Arcade – The Massive Retro Gaming Wonderland Near Chicago Just 15 miles outside Chicago in Brookfield, Illinois sits the largest classic arcade in the United States – the sprawling paradise known as Galloping Ghost. As a life-long arcade enthusiast, I recently made a pilgrimage to this retro gaming mecca and spent hours exploring its jaw-dropping collection of over 600 cabinets. Read on for a tour through this digitally …

A Nostalgic Fan’s Lament: The Confounding Rumors of a “Woke” Hogwarts In the dim glow of my desk lamp, surrounded by shelves sagging under the weight of Harry Potter books, merchandise, and the memories of midnight releases, I find myself grappling with a peculiar kind of sadness. Recent rumors hint at a casting decision for a potential Harry Potter series that suggests a radical departure from the characters as described …

A Heartbreaking Farewell to the Tangible: Best Buy’s Betrayal with Digital Transition It’s with a heavy heart and a sense of betrayal that I must report a devastating blow to collectors, nostalgists, and anyone who cherishes the physical touch of media: Best Buy has ruthlessly cleared its shelves of all physical media. This isn’t just a business decision; it’s a knife in the back to those of us who have …

“Shapeshifting Beyond Gender: X-Men’s Morph Redefined in ’97 Reboot – Progress or Politics?” As the countdown to the eagerly anticipated “X-Men ’97” ticks away, a storm of debate has ignited over the latest news to hit the mutant fandom: Morph, the beloved shapeshifter whose first appearance captivated audiences in the early ’90s animated series, is reportedly being re-introduced as a non-binary character. This revelation has sparked a fiery conversation across …

Blowing the Dust Off: The Truth Behind the Nintendo Cartridge Ritual   For decades, gamers around the world have sworn by a seemingly magical fix for glitchy Nintendo game cartridges: blowing into them. Despite Nintendo’s own warnings that this practice could actually harm the delicate circuitry, many have felt the satisfying click of a cartridge that only started working post-puff. But what is the truth? Did blowing into those cartridges …

Watch the video above or read below. “Super Mario 64,” a gem in the gaming world, celebrated for its vibrant landscapes and pioneering 3D gameplay, holds an eerie secret within its first level—a secret that evaded the eyes of millions, until now. Danni from the Retro Replay Message Boards has peeled back the cheerful exterior of “Bob-omb Battlefield,” exposing a grim reality that casts a shadow over the Mushroom Kingdom …

The Ultimate Showdown: Top 10 Most Popular Fighting Games Ranked The evolution of fighting games has been a spectacle of the gaming world, showcasing the adrenaline-fueled drama that only this genre can provide. Each title on this list has contributed to the genre’s legacy, creating a competitive and vibrant community. Here’s a look at the top 10 most popular fighting games that have defined the genre, each a specific title …

Retro Review: “The Adventures of Little Ralph” – A Hidden Gem on the PS1 It’s not every day that one stumbles upon an obscure classic that should have been a household name. “The Adventures of Little Ralph,” a 2D platformer released exclusively in Japan for the PlayStation in 1999, is one such title. I had the pleasure of discovering this game only in 2024, and it’s a damn shame it …

Remembering Jennell Jaquays: A Beacon of Creativity and Inclusivity in Gaming It is with a heavy heart that we reflect on the life of Jennell Jaquays, an iconic figure in the gaming industry whose influence shaped the way we play and design games today. Jennell passed away on January 10th, 2024, but her legacy endures in the countless worlds she crafted and the barriers she broke down throughout her illustrious …

Retro Review: Global Gladiators – The Sega Genesis Classic that Championed Environmentalism In the year 1992, nestled beneath the Christmas tree, lay a gift from my parents that I hadn’t asked for—Global Gladiators for the Sega Genesis. Little did I know, this game would become a significant part of my childhood, its graphics etched into my memory, even though I wouldn’t conquer its challenges until many years later. Developer’s Vision …

The Rise and Fall of the INDREMA L600: The Console That Never Was In the 1990s, video game enthusiast John Gildred envisioned an open source console that would democratize game development. The technology wasn’t there yet, but the idea lingered. By 1999, after witnessing firsthand the modding potential of PC games like Quake, Gildred was inspired. What if anyone could be a developer? In early 2000, he made that vision …

The Overhyped Debacle: Dissecting “Rise of the Robots” In the annals of video game history, few titles have managed to garner as much pre-release hype and post-release disappointment as “Rise of the Robots.” This was a game that promised the moon but delivered a handful of space dust. Let’s dive into the gritty details of how this high-budget, low-return venture became a cautionary tale for the industry. “Rise of the …

Unveiling the True History Behind the Video Game Cartridge In the annals of video game history, few innovations have had as profound an impact as the video game cartridge. For decades, one name has been held aloft as the father of this game-changing technology: Jerry Lawson. However, recent findings have prompted a reevaluation of this narrative, revealing a story of collaboration and innovation that extends beyond Lawson’s considerable contributions. The …

Retro Review: Parodius – A Delightfully Punishing Trip Through Konami’s Madhouse When Konami unleashed “Parodius” upon the Sega Saturn, it gifted the shoot ’em up (shmup) community with a title that would become notorious not just for its off-the-wall humor, but for its brutal difficulty. This is a game that lures you in with its cheeky charm and vibrant sprite work, only to unleash a bullet hell that would test …

Retro Review: Robo Aleste – Mechanical Majesty As the Sega CD spun to life, heralding the arrival of “Robo Aleste,” it promised a journey to an era where the line between man and machine blurred amidst the backdrop of feudal Japan. This shoot ’em up title, developed by Compile, was a spectacle of technical prowess that demonstrated the Sega CD’s capabilities. It was a game that made an indelible mark, …

Retro Review: Golden Axe: The Duel – A Mixed Bag of Steel and Silence When you boot up “Golden Axe: The Duel” on the Sega Saturn, it’s like stepping through a portal to an era where arcade fighters reigned supreme. This 1995 title aimed to carry the legacy of its side-scrolling predecessors into the burgeoning realm of one-on-one fighters. While it reached for the stars visually, it stumbled in an …

In this modern era of unlimited digital content, the boundaries meant to protect the innocence of childhood are being pushed and, in some cases, completely ignored. The heart of this issue currently lies with Twitch, the premier live streaming platform that has recently come under fire for its increasingly lax approach to mature content. With the revelation that children as young as 14 are being exposed to adult-themed streams, including …

Retro Review and Longplay: R-Type Delta – A Timeless Shmup Classic for the PlayStation 1 R-Type Delta, released in 1999 for the PlayStation 1, marked the series’ explosive entry into the 32-bit era. As a venerable member of the shoot-’em-up (shmup) genre, it was tasked with carrying the weighty legacy of its arcade forebears. Now, more than two decades later, it’s time to revisit this classic and see how it …

Sega of America to Cut 61 Jobs – QA and Localization Hit Hard, Union Responds In a move that has sent shockwaves through the gaming industry, Sega of America has announced plans to lay off 61 staff members next month. This restructuring, which significantly impacts the Quality Assurance (QA) and localization departments, is a sobering reminder of the volatile nature of the gaming business. According to the union representing the …

Hold onto your rings, Sonic fans! In a whirlwind turn of events that has the internet buzzing faster than Sonic chasing down a Chaos Emerald, Hollywood’s master of rubber-faced comedy, Jim Carrey, is reportedly stepping out of retirement and straight into the mad scientist shoes of Dr. Robotnik for “Sonic the Hedgehog 3”. Just when we thought we’d seen the last of Carrey’s iconic mustache-twirling villainy, whispers from the depths …