Retro Blog 🕰️

Ken Kutaragi, PlayStation's creator, revealed to fan Julian Domanski that he personally owns a rare Nintendo PlayStation prototype. Domanski, who reports for Tokyo Retro Gamer, shared this discovery on his X account along with photos of the coveted console. The last known prototype reportedly sold at auction for approximately $300,000. https://twitter.com/kantan_japan/status/1895870030283440398   After decades of rumors and speculation, this remarkable revelation from the PlayStation pioneer himself adds a fascinating new chapter to… Read more

Ah, the Nintendo Power Glove. The pinnacle of 80s gaming technology, or so we thought. Let me regale you with my personal tale of anticipation, delusion, and crushing disappointment. Picture this: Christmas morning, circa late 80s. Yours truly, a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed kid, tearing into a suspiciously glove-shaped package. Lo and behold, the Power Glove in all its gray, plasticky glory. Dreams do come true, right? Wrong. I wonder what my parents paid… Read more

Still Arguing After All These Pixels Remember the 1990s console wars? Those glorious days when choosing between Sega and Nintendo was a life-altering decision. Fast forward 30 years, and here we are—middle-aged gamers still duking it out online like knights in shining armor, except the armor is sweatpants and the battlefield is a Reddit thread. Back in the day, these battles were fought in living rooms. Now, they're waged on the internet,… Read more

What are your favorite consoles? To me six consoles stand out as true icons, each contributing uniquely to the evolution of interactive entertainment and leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of players. Here they are!!   6. Nintendo GameCube While I didn't explore much of the GameCube's library, it earns its place primarily due to one exceptional title: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. This game alone, which I consider possibly… Read more

In a shocking turn of events that has left the gaming community stunned, Nintendo has filed a lawsuit against the Johnson family of Bakersfield Indiana, for selling Mario-themed cancer awareness bracelets to raise money for charity. The Johnson family, whose 8-year-old daughter Emma is currently battling leukemia, had been making and selling colorful silicone bracelets featuring Mario's iconic mushrooms and stars to help offset their mounting medical bills and donate to cancer… Read more

Copyright Strikes Hit Popular Retro Gaming Channel In a controversial move, Nintendo has begun targeting YouTube channels that demonstrate its games being emulated on third-party hardware. The latest victim of this crackdown is the popular channel Retro Game Corps, which recently received a copyright strike for a video showcasing Wii U games running on emulation devices. Retro Game Corps, a channel with over 500,000 subscribers, specializes in reviewing modern handheld devices capable of emulating classic games. These reviews often include footage of Nintendo titles running on… Read more

3DO vs Dreamcast: Exploring the Technological Leaps of Two Revolutionary Consoles Certain consoles stand out as true pioneers, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in interactive entertainment. Two such systems that left indelible marks on the gaming landscape are the 3DO and the Dreamcast. Both were ahead of their time, introducing features and capabilities that would shape the future of gaming. But which one truly made the biggest technological leap? Let's dive… Read more

Sonic the Hedgehog Vol. 2: The Blue Blur Races onto the NES Introduction In the realm of retro gaming, few ROM hacks have generated as much buzz as Sonic the Hedgehog Vol. 2 for the NES. This impressive modification, based on the notorious Somari the Adventurer, replaces the Mario-Sonic hybrid protagonist with Sega's true Blue Blur. Released in 2023, this hack breathes new life into a curious piece of gaming history, offering a polished and… Read more

Retro Review: Bonk’s Adventure for the TurboGrafx-16 Bonk’s Adventure for the TurboGrafx-16 is a 2D side-scrolling platformer that has cemented its place in gaming history. Developed by Red Company and published by Hudson Soft, this game was a standout title for the TurboGrafx-16, a console that struggled against the dominance of the NES and later the SNES and Sega Genesis. It was released in Japan as PC Genjin in 1989 and came to North America in 1990. For… Read more

Retro Review: Guerrilla War for the NES Introduction Released in 1987, Guerrilla War (known as Guevara in Japan) is a top-down run-and-gun arcade game developed and published by SNK. The game quickly found its way to the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), where it became a beloved title among action game enthusiasts. Set against the backdrop of a revolutionary struggle, Guerrilla War offered intense gameplay, cooperative multiplayer action, and a captivating story that resonated with many players. In this review, we… Read more

One Of The Web's Oldest ROM Sites Removes Games By Nintendo, Sega, And Lego Emulation site Vimm's Lair – which has been running since 1997 – has announced that it has been asked to remove many games from its archive. God speed, old king. Takedown Requests In a statement on the site's main page, Vimm's Lair said: "Vimm's Lair has been asked to remove many games from The Vault on behalf of Nintendo, Sega, Lego, and… Read more

Retro Review: Spider-Man: Web of Fire for the Sega 32X Spider-Man: Web of Fire, released for the Sega 32X in 1996, stands as one of the last titles for this ill-fated add-on to the Sega Genesis. Developed by BlueSky Software, the game attempted to leverage the enhanced graphical capabilities of the 32X to deliver a more immersive Spider-Man experience. Despite the developers' efforts and the anticipation surrounding the game, my personal experience… Read more

Limited Run Games, a company known for its collector editions of games, is currently facing backlash for its decision to use low-quality CD-R disks for its releases on the 3DO console, rather than the standard high-quality pressed disks. Pressed disks, which are produced from a glass master copy, are typically employed in software distribution because of their durability and reliability. However, critics have pointed out that the CD-R disks used by Limited Run Games are… Read more

Tim Kitzrow is an American voice actor, comedian, and TV host best known for his energetic and iconic commentary in the classic video game series, NBA Jam. Born on August 17, 1960, in Illinois, Kitzrow discovered his passion for entertainment at a young age. In a panel at the 2023 Retro Game Con, Tim Kitzrow discussed his early career and the video game industry. https://youtu.be/wegBnE_eeCQ In the video, Tim Kitzrow discusses his early career and experiences in… Read more

Game Informer is back with physical copies shipped directly to your mailbox! As fellow gaming enthusiasts, we know the joy of flipping through the pages of a gaming magazine, and we're counting on your support to ensure the survival of this beloved publication. Subscribe for Just $19.91 and Receive a Full Year of Gaming Goodness For only $19.91 (a tribute to the year of GI's founding), you can subscribe to a full year of… Read more

Introduction to a Cult Classic "Keio Flying Squadron" emerged on the Sega CD in 1993 to the delight of gamers looking for a fresh, vibrant take on the shoot 'em up genre. At a time when the gaming market was saturated with titles, this game managed to stand out with its stunning anime-style graphics, captivating music, and a storyline that was as charming as it was quirky. Developed by Victor Entertainment, a… Read more

Former Senator Joe Lieberman Passed Away Former Senator Joe Lieberman passed away on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at the age of 82. His family announced that he died in New York after suffering complications from a fall, with his wife Hadassah and other loved ones by his side. Joe Lieberman: The Senator Who Waged War on Video Games As a passionate video game enthusiast, I can't help but feel a mix of emotions upon learning about the… Read more

Popful Mail: A Delightful and Overlooked Gem on the Sega CD As a fan of Working Designs, known for their excellent localization of Lunar: The Silver Star Story, I was thrilled to discover Popful Mail, a charming action-platformer developed by Falcom and published by Working Designs for the Sega CD in 1994. Despite being overshadowed by other high-profile releases of its time, Popful Mail is an amazing game that deserves recognition for its… Read more

A Retro Review of Chuck Rock for the Sega CD: A Prehistoric Platformer Past Its Prime Introduction Released in 1991 for the Sega Genesis and later ported to the Sega CD in 1993, Chuck Rock is a side-scrolling platformer developed by Core Design and published by Virgin Games. The game follows the adventures of a prehistoric caveman named Chuck, who must rescue his wife, Ophelia, from the clutches of a rival caveman named Gary Gritter. Gameplay Chuck… Read more

** I had to mute so many portions of this game because of copyright issues.** Hook for the Sega CD: A Retro Review The Sega CD, known for its ambition to bring the power of CD-ROM to the gaming industry, hosted a variety of titles that sought to exploit its enhanced audio and visual capabilities. Among these games was "Hook," a title based on the 1991 film directed by Steven Spielberg. The… Read more

The NES Expansion Port, a 15-pin connector located on the bottom of the console, has remained largely unused since the system's release in the '80s. While it was presumably intended for add-ons like the Japan-exclusive Famicom Disk System, no official accessories ever utilized this port in the NES's lifespan. Introducing the NES Hub Fast forward to 2024, and hacker/modder RetroTime is looking to change that with the NES Hub, a homebrew accessory… Read more

The Sega Genesis, also known as the Mega Drive outside North America, was a 16-bit home video game console that left an indelible mark on the gaming industry during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Boasting a library of nearly 1000 games, the Genesis played host to numerous iconic titles such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage, and Phantasy Star. However, amidst the console's many triumphs lie some of the most notoriously bad video… Read more

Amazon's Fallout TV Series Releases Hilariously Entertaining First Clip The highly-anticipated Fallout TV series, set to debut on Amazon Prime Video on April 11, has just released its first official clip, and it's a delightful mix of humor and post-apocalyptic tension. The scene features a standoff between Vault Dweller Lucy (Ella Purnell), the eccentric Ghoul (Walton Goggins), and a member of the Brotherhood of Steel. As Lucy attempts to defuse the situation… Read more

Exploring the Legacy of the Panasonic 3DO: Innovation Ahead of Its Time In the early 1990s, the gaming industry witnessed the arrival of a console that promised to revolutionize the home entertainment experience: the Panasonic 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, commonly known as the 3DO. Developed by The 3DO Company, a conglomerate that included tech giants like Panasonic, the 3DO was a cutting-edge platform that aimed to set a new standard for interactive gaming.… Read more

Nintendo Switch Emulator Suyu Picks Up Where Yuzu Left Off After the shut down of the popular Nintendo Switch emulator Yuzu by Nintendo, a new open-source project has emerged to continue its legacy. Suyu, a fork of Yuzu, has released its first version, offering Switch emulation for PC gamers. Unlike Yuzu, which had a Patreon campaign and accepted donations, Suyu is strictly non-profit. This approach may help shield the project from legal… Read more