Ooooof. I've heard great things about Lower Decks, but I really didn't like any of that trailer. Painfully unfunny, and looked pretty bland art-wise too.
"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command."
It's only slop AI James Pond, but this is a frequent reoccurrence across games and more serious news. In this case it's so obvious it's patently ridiculous to claim it's not AI!
@Sketcz Well said! A fantastic game, can't see myself ever getting bored of going back to it...in fact I hope I'm still able to be blasting around Facility with other 90's veterans once I'm senile in a care home!
Just not as fun for me too, why I play so much retro stuff!
In all seriousness, he's 70 and had a strong career, so totally reasonable. Enjoyed many games he worked on. For me personally, "Deus Ex" is the clear highlight of the games he worked on (and simply one of the greatest PC games of all time). Everyone that made it can be proud.
I wonder if assuming the N64 has an Expansion Pak in might help with the performance? It (3D towns and interiors) was one of the improvements in Majora's Mask, which required the Pak. So I assumed (perhaps naively!) that more RAM was a key part of it (keeping more textures and models in memory?).
Also am I right in thinking the 3DS version rendered them in 3D, at least somewhat, for the 3D screen, despite locking the camera?
I have some fondness for what the store is now as well tbh. It's keeping genuine trading alive, they are fair and transparent. When I got a fake cart by mistake as a present they sorted it out and got a real one (despite the cost to them).
@CookieByte I loved Doom on the GBA at the time, but I think it was more the technical marvel of it! Still with a few others here that a collection of old Doom's across console would have been nice, but a native port I'm pretty happy with. I take the pocketable Evercade EXP about a lot more than my big Switch 2.
Native ports! Also I am super excited about the split-screen multiplayer!
The VS is my favourite model of Evercade, but the overall game collection for the console has been sorely lacking in multiplayer games for it, particularly 4 player games (and Street Fighter 2 stuck on the EXP!).
Doom collection and the Banjo collection (with the wealth of multiplayer modes in Tooie) will both be lovely, and might push me to finally get 2 more controllers for the VS! Hope there is more coming!
I think Goldeneye is probably out of the question due to licencing, and Perfect Dark technically (love to be proved wrong, but its a very high-end N64 title to emulate all the way down to a Super Pocket). But I'd love them to follow up Doom with some Quake or Quake 2; maybe see if Turok licence holders are interested in Rage Wars or Turok 3 (the Nightdive native port lacked multiplayer it as they had to rebuild the game, but a emulated port could keep it in). I'd love Micro Machines but since EA bought Codies they don't seem keen on keeping its legacy alive.
This is very nice! It's a shame about the lovely looking Red Dwarf map, but understandable. Probably play on a PC to start, but might be nice for a Retro Games A1200 at Christmas time!
Fantastic interview and a game I loved to bits. I'm excited for Galactic Racer, but they will have to work their socks off to square up to Episode 1 Racer IMO. The track design, the handling, the music, the parts/junkyard...it felt great all round! Was only sad it was capped at 2-player multiplayer back in the day.
I remember this, it was one of the many bang-average shooters of the era. The fact all 3 elements are under Microsoft really highlights the spending spree they went on! Also, an aside, but does the tweet quoted say it will be a sad QuakeCon? Are they referring to the id job losses?
It's just so pointless! The people using these AI cores would taxi a 747 to Tesco instead of driving their Vauxhall Astra; while bemoaning the "luddites" telling them it's designed to fly 500 people across oceans, not pop out to get the milk.
I did, was in a magazine review of the era (can't recall if it was NOM or N64/NGC). There's a GBA unique ring in there? I actually played quite a bit of the Oracle's on GBA (as I couldn't afford an actual GBA game for it at launch!)
Just a small correction @damo , it's Member of Parliament, not Minister of Parliament. (Although if the PM wanted to appoint him as Minister for Gaming Affairs I wouldn't object!)
This looks fun! Hearing Thalamus is publishing I'm hoping it appears on a Evercade cart (although could just emulate or use a Retro Games Ltd C64/C64 Mini type device...)
@Jimgamer8 100% with you. Evercade has nice hardware, a great range of games, and the physicality is lovely. I've played it more than my "proper" consoles some years! Hoping more success for them will help the big players see the value in physical releases.
Honestly I love the idea in many ways (not all,, I'd like the OS to be more open), but no. I just got a Nothing Phone and I'm pretty happy with it, this also looks costly. If it wasn't so much might be a good shout for a kid (50/50 on if other kids like it or bully them for it tho!)
Nice to see the pico chip (slightly older 1st gen RP2040 in this case I think?) doing well! I love electrionics and was worried that RPi were going to get burnt making their own chipsets. But it seems to be doing great! Bitmap Buearu used the pico for their Doom SuperFX upgrade too IIRC!
I can't see why this wouldn't be possible for other console carts too, access speed depending?
Bonkers how many AI bros are willing to get up in arms over anyone not liking AI. We've had the job losses, energy shortages, price shocks, political corruption and (as is obvious from the other comments) the general upsetting of the vast majority of creative people though a lack of even disclosure (which as an AI lover I can't see what wrong with disclosing it and letting consumers decide what to back? Or worried your AI horse won't make it if consumers have a clear eyed choice?)
Not seen any of these much touted AI benefits myself yet, just seems like everything costs more, is lower quality, social fabric is fraying and frankly evil mega-corps are getting more and more power over every aspect of life, in exchange for a bit of slop digital content. But I'm sure I'll get a ChaptGPT-made lecture in a bit on how great it is, that doesn't address a single point directly!
2012, still in the 360/PS3 era, London Olympics....this article feels like it's come from a different era!
Always stunned by how Starfox Adventure ran. It looked (and sounded) incredible, really high-grade effects, smooth animation, top soundtrack... I chose it as my first GC purchase (after the pack in Pikmin) and those two really felt next-gen! I will say I understood and agreed the reviews of the time (80% ish) that the gameplay was solid but unspectacular.
I did (and do) wonder where the YouTube era screeching-disgust for the game came from. It was a lukewarm reception at worse in 2002, and it clearly wasn't a bad game by any stretch of the imagination, particularly for that era. It was fun and well made, better than 4/5ths of what you'd see coming out, even if it wasn't quite good enough go compete with the very best in the genre (namely Wind Waker the next year). But for some reason around the early 2010s time of this article, the YouTuber hive mine decided it was the worst thing ever!
Great interview! Sounds like a larger than life character.
One thing I find fascinating is how much other big UK businesses sprung from the computer games revolution here is the 80s (had no idea Deep mind came out of someone from Bullfrog!).
The talk about who gets the credit for games and the lack of power the developers have sounds prophetic now, given this was in 2019 before the mass firings of the last couple of years.
I adore the form factor of the PSOne, I think it's one of the nicest mini machines, so it's nice to see the SuperStation mimic it!
It's a shame it's the size of the PSOne, but lacks the CD-ROM drive. I can see it's getting one as an add-on but...that slightly invalidates the swish form factor? It's not like it has a screen attachment like the the PSOne either as far as I can tell (which would have been lovely, but obviously complex to produce), so I feel like it wastes its looks a tad.
One question I have is on the AV side, and it's pure curiosity for anyone who knows! I know the actual PSOne was considered inferior to the early model PlayStations when it came to its CD audio output capability. I'm no audiophile, but how do the sound outputs on FPGA devices like this compared? If one has the SuperDock, would it be an amazing Hi-Fi CD player, or is the D2A stuff in there just not as high grade?
This is odd because if you really wanted to relive the scantily clad ads and (in my memory far more common) magazine covers of the era, their are plenty of real ones. So many complaints about what is "lost" or "taken", but ironically not only were these images not lost to time, they were made and widely spread around using the latest consumer tech! So not so lost or taken really!
There is the more serious point of AI being used to fake history. These might not amount to much but titillation with a bit of "fall of the West to Woke" sprinkled on...but the volumes of AI fakeries getting made, and the shovelling outwards and promotion social media allows it, does raise serious worries about history getting re-written and people's views being shaped by algorithms controlled by untouchable CEOs.
@Zenszulu was hoping someone mentioned this! Didn't stop the 15 BBFC cert in the UK, assumed it was for other markets or to please Nintendo?
I always remember the warning screens in old Resi's ( "this game contains...." White text on black), always made it feel more serious and adult to my teen brain.
Side note, Blaze seem to be doing a good job manufacturing wise (with whoever they get to make these for them in China). A complete guess, but I guess they use older chips and RAM that aren't heavily effected by the AI boom (like how the DDR2 Raspberry Pi 1-3 don't have the insane prices rise the DDR4 Pi 4-5 have suffered). I remember seeing a while ago the VS (their beefiest spec) was very simialr to a Pi 3.
£110 with a screen for these is decent (and the VS at £90/EXP at £100; never mind the insanely cheap £50 Super Pockets with a screen and licenced games).
Cart pricing has gone up, but has stayed below inflation/general SD card prices rises, particularly with design and management in the inflation smacked UK (staff NI, energy costs etc) and with Trump tariffs hitting too. Others seem to have done well in this regard too, particularly Chinese emulator handhelds with funky designs (like those DS-esque ones).
With 6 year old home consoles hitting over £560, with high energy consumption, expensive games and subscription services, and with genuine retro pricing and interest spiking too; I think Blaze and other retro/emulator console makers with similar specs/costs in are a good place right now! Could even get some market outside of old-nostalgic types like me, I find kids generally like retro games; our families little ones are less graphics-impressed than we were as kids!
I'd love a deep dive into the retro market generally if someone at TE could get some data on it, how it does by region and compared to the proper games market in terms of retro fairs, emulator console sales etc.
I maybe would have gone for the Spectrum one as I'm a massive sucker for Blaze and Retro Games Ltd; but got a "The Spectrum" and, given how old the games are, I kinda like experiencing them on the rubber-y keys! I didn't use one much (I was too young, played on older cousins) but even without nostalgia I like it, it feels closer to how the games were expected to be experience (for better or worse) back in their own time.
Might get a C64 one...but I really don't need it haha! Should probably just hang on for the Nexus, my EXP still works fine and plays a lot more.
@MysticWangForce Tom Baker was a highlight, but also loved hearing Burt Kwouk (Entwhistle from Last of the Summer Wine) and Sean Pertwee (Alfred in Gotham) in there too! For all the jank it had, I really enjoyed exploring 40k in such a "ground level" way back then!
I would say, I have the GoG and PS2 versions still, and I did a quick compare last year. While sharper, the "modern" PC version is far rougher than the PS2 version IMO. There's loads of sound balance issues, it has extra bugs in some scenes (I think related to game speed?) and it lacks always-fun the split-screen mode.
If you are feeling nostalgic (and crucially) have access to a PS2, I'll personally recommend digging up a PS2 copy at CeX/ebay etc, it's not beloved, so is often going even cheaper than the Steam/GoG copy!
I don't really understand this. Not a owner and don't intend to be (so no skin in the game!) but it's pretty standard to say that you don't support sideloading firmware on paper (and a pop-up on the machine, a warning if you do it etc.) and just move the risk on.
Anyone loading 3rd party firmware likely knows this, but a text pop-up on first boot making it clear you do it at your own risk and there is no support for issues that arise should be all that is needed?
My Evercade machines have outshone my next gen consoles in recent years. I've enjoyed a few modern next gen titles for sure... But I only got in on the Evercade train with the launch of the EXP in late 2022, if I think back over the "generation" so far, it dominates my memories! I think fondly of new indie games (Roguecraft DX, Full Void), replaying classics from my childhood to get much further (Final Fight, Cannon Fodder, Glover) and discovering classics I never played (Tomb Raider, Top Gear, Sensible Soccer; sidenote the best footy game ever despite its age!)
I'm still playing it a lot (Hogs of War and Turrican right now!). The EXP and Super Pockets have been great as truly pocketable consoles, and the VS is just lovely to use at home. Excited to see what they come up with next!
I'm not sure this would ever be for me. StreetPass had a vibe, the kooky Mii characters, the mini games, the links to content in your games...it was unquestionably Nintendo!
This looks kinda soulless? And I find the privacy thing a bit weird to focus on, one cos StreetPass wasn't bad for privacy anyway, but two, if it's AI coded (icky, but he's forthright and it's not hurting people, a rare AI win), so it's unlikely to be as robust as you would want on that front.
I can get to the end of the first level, but never completed it! Also no challenges for a while @JackGYarwood , taking a break? Imagine it tough to keep coming up with them!
I'm not super sold on the GB style graphics personally, it's so green! Would get to my eyes on a PC montior. Maybe if I had a smaller device to run it on...
Would understand more if it was true game boy content underneath, this looks like the wrong screen format and far too sharp for an actual GB, plus the actual Metal Gear Solid on GBC it draws from was colour exclusive! Wish the green was an option and we could get a colour image. I did adore MGS on GBC so I might love the gameplay.
@mjparker77 a few days ago Funstock announced a free to join "Funstock VIP" and they claimed that members will have access to legacy carts.
Wording on the site is "All legacy Evercade carts will be available exclusively to VIP Club members only, in the future. So join today to complete your collection." https://funstock.co.uk/pages/vip-membership
I'm not that bothered myself as I only buy the games I think looks cool or fun to try, but hopefully they've come to some accommodation with licence holders that will help them get around scalpers?
I really hope a Rare Collection 2 is coming cos it'd be annoying to have a Super Pocket with Banjo and maybe Blast Corps but not having it available on the Evercade cart!
@YENKMAN amazing! That is some serious effort/skill, most of those challenges were pretty steep, I only managed Bronze! And thanks, username is a deep cut for fans of the mag. I do miss those days!
Nice, I'll deffo give this a go Monday night!
I've got the OG PS1 version, upstairs although it's PAL game so times will probably be a bit behind the PS5 re-release (I assume that's the NTSC version at its core).
Your mention of magazine high score tables was a blast from the past! I love slightly more localised leaderboard (your friends/country/the last day or week etc) for those of us that could never trouble a world rankings!
In a similar vein: Did you see that occasional N64 youtuber Glenn Plant was attempting all the Skill Club 64 challenges from the legendary N64 Magazine?
I've not had the time to try these challenges (hopefully one time I'll have the freedom to dig into a game for it...), but I do love reading about them regardless, so please keep them up!
Comments 216
Re: Here's The First Trailer For Golden Axe's Animated TV Series, From The Creator Of Star Trek: The Lower Decks
Ooooof. I've heard great things about Lower Decks, but I really didn't like any of that trailer. Painfully unfunny, and looked pretty bland art-wise too.
Re: "Who Are They Kidding?" - System 3 Insists No GenAI Was Used In James Pond Legacy, But Fans Aren't Convinced
"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command."
It's only slop AI James Pond, but this is a frequent reoccurrence across games and more serious news. In this case it's so obvious it's patently ridiculous to claim it's not AI!
Re: After 9 Years Of Work, GoldenEye 007 N64 Is Now 100% Decompiled
@Sketcz Well said! A fantastic game, can't see myself ever getting bored of going back to it...in fact I hope I'm still able to be blasting around Facility with other 90's veterans once I'm senile in a care home!
Re: "It's Just Not As Much Fun For Me Anymore" - Ultima & Deus Ex Legend Warren Spector Announces His Retirement From Games
Just not as fun for me too, why I play so much retro stuff!
In all seriousness, he's 70 and had a strong career, so totally reasonable. Enjoyed many games he worked on. For me personally, "Deus Ex" is the clear highlight of the games he worked on (and simply one of the greatest PC games of all time). Everyone that made it can be proud.
Re: This Zelda: Ocarina Of Time ROM Hack Will Let You See Hyrule From A Whole New Perspective
Very cool idea!
I wonder if assuming the N64 has an Expansion Pak in might help with the performance? It (3D towns and interiors) was one of the improvements in Majora's Mask, which required the Pak. So I assumed (perhaps naively!) that more RAM was a key part of it (keeping more textures and models in memory?).
Also am I right in thinking the 3DS version rendered them in 3D, at least somewhat, for the 3D screen, despite locking the camera?
Re: CeX Is Revisiting Its 'Retro-Only' Store Concept And Returning To The World Of Imports, According To New Rumour
I have some fondness for what the store is now as well tbh. It's keeping genuine trading alive, they are fair and transparent. When I got a fake cart by mistake as a present they sorted it out and got a real one (despite the cost to them).
Re: Donkey Kong Land For The Game Boy Has Just Got An SNES-Style Fan Remake, Inspired By Donkey Kong Country
Looks cool, surprised it isn't more zoomed out tbh, screen crunch was a common complaint in reviews about DKL games.
That trailer tho, don't it full screen, I'm dizzy from the flashing!
Re: Mario Kart 64 In VR Looks Just As Bananas As You'd Expect
@Agent_P this one: https://youtu.be/xBewGDbuZ2Q?is=E3N7dQTt4OH9Mroj
Re: Mario Kart 64 In VR Looks Just As Bananas As You'd Expect
Reckon the infamous Rainbow Road shortcut would be proper stomach-churning in VR (particularly if you missed!)
Re: Evercade DOOM Collection + Evercade Nexus DOOM Edition Officially Announced
@CookieByte I loved Doom on the GBA at the time, but I think it was more the technical marvel of it! Still with a few others here that a collection of old Doom's across console would have been nice, but a native port I'm pretty happy with. I take the pocketable Evercade EXP about a lot more than my big Switch 2.
Re: Evercade DOOM Collection + Evercade Nexus DOOM Edition Officially Announced
Native ports! Also I am super excited about the split-screen multiplayer!
The VS is my favourite model of Evercade, but the overall game collection for the console has been sorely lacking in multiplayer games for it, particularly 4 player games (and Street Fighter 2 stuck on the EXP!).
Doom collection and the Banjo collection (with the wealth of multiplayer modes in Tooie) will both be lovely, and might push me to finally get 2 more controllers for the VS! Hope there is more coming!
I think Goldeneye is probably out of the question due to licencing, and Perfect Dark technically (love to be proved wrong, but its a very high-end N64 title to emulate all the way down to a Super Pocket). But I'd love them to follow up Doom with some Quake or Quake 2; maybe see if Turok licence holders are interested in Rage Wars or Turok 3 (the Nightdive native port lacked multiplayer it as they had to rebuild the game, but a emulated port could keep it in). I'd love Micro Machines but since EA bought Codies they don't seem keen on keeping its legacy alive.
Re: 'Worms: The Director's Cut' For Amiga Just Got A Free Expansion Pack, From The Game's Original Creator
This is very nice! It's a shame about the lovely looking Red Dwarf map, but understandable. Probably play on a PC to start, but might be nice for a Retro Games A1200 at Christmas time!
Re: The Making Of: Star Wars Episode 1 Racer - "Maybe We Can't Make A Great Racing Game, But We Can Make An Excellent Toy"
Fantastic interview and a game I loved to bits. I'm excited for Galactic Racer, but they will have to work their socks off to square up to Episode 1 Racer IMO. The track design, the handling, the music, the parts/junkyard...it felt great all round! Was only sad it was capped at 2-player multiplayer back in the day.
Re: Fans Are Convinced This Wolfenstein Game Is Getting A Remaster
I remember this, it was one of the many bang-average shooters of the era.
The fact all 3 elements are under Microsoft really highlights the spending spree they went on!
Also, an aside, but does the tweet quoted say it will be a sad QuakeCon? Are they referring to the id job losses?
Re: "There Is A Reason They Are Banned" - The Amiga Community Turns Against "Awful" AI-Generated Website
Awful slop sites existed before AI, but these tools are really accelerating the sloppification of the vast bulk of the internet.
Re: "You Might As Well Play On A Raspberry Pi" - The World Of MiSTer FPGA Remains Divided Over "AI Slop" Cores
It's just so pointless! The people using these AI cores would taxi a 747 to Tesco instead of driving their Vauxhall Astra; while bemoaning the "luddites" telling them it's designed to fly 500 people across oceans, not pop out to get the milk.
Re: Poll: Did You Know About The Secret Shop In Zelda: Oracle Of Seasons / Ages?
I did, was in a magazine review of the era (can't recall if it was NOM or N64/NGC). There's a GBA unique ring in there? I actually played quite a bit of the Oracle's on GBA (as I couldn't afford an actual GBA game for it at launch!)
Re: Random: "That Would Be Wonderful" - Count Binface Wants To Reboot London's SegaWorld
Love Binface!
Just a small correction @damo , it's Member of Parliament, not Minister of Parliament. (Although if the PM wanted to appoint him as Minister for Gaming Affairs I wouldn't object!)
Re: Thin Ice Is A "Fun New Arcade Action Experience For The Commodore 64" From Ex-Gremlin & Core Design Devs
This looks fun! Hearing Thalamus is publishing I'm hoping it appears on a Evercade cart (although could just emulate or use a Retro Games Ltd C64/C64 Mini type device...)
Re: Agent 64 Is The Perfect Dark & GoldenEye 007 Successor We've Been Waiting For, And It Arrives Next Month
I'll give it a go as I miss this type of game (since Timesplitters ended); but I played the demo and I wasn't impressed by the way it handled tbh.
Re: Limited Run's Co-Founder Once Had Aspirations To Make A "Physically-Focused Platform"
@Jimgamer8 100% with you. Evercade has nice hardware, a great range of games, and the physicality is lovely. I've played it more than my "proper" consoles some years! Hoping more success for them will help the big players see the value in physical releases.
Re: A Musical Treat Isn't The Only Secret Hiding Inside Banjo Kazooie's New Handheld Edition
I love that they've gone to this effort! I don't have the Super Pocket, but I have the Nexus on order with the cart so looking forward to it then.
Re: Poll: So, Will You Be Buying Commodore's Callback 8020 Flip Phone?
Honestly I love the idea in many ways (not all,, I'd like the OS to be more open), but no. I just got a Nothing Phone and I'm pretty happy with it, this also looks costly. If it wasn't so much might be a good shout for a kid (50/50 on if other kids like it or bully them for it tho!)
Re: Review: DSpico - This Insanely Cheap Open-Source Nintendo DS Flash Cart Is Utterly Essential
Nice to see the pico chip (slightly older 1st gen RP2040 in this case I think?) doing well! I love electrionics and was worried that RPi were going to get burnt making their own chipsets. But it seems to be doing great! Bitmap Buearu used the pico for their Doom SuperFX upgrade too IIRC!
I can't see why this wouldn't be possible for other console carts too, access speed depending?
Re: Feature: How Did Resident Evil's Tyrant Become Mr. X? I Decided To Investigate
Really excellent article! Interesting, well written, and plenty of good research (but honest enough to say what wall you hit!)
Think this could be a definitive (for now) bit of work on why Mr X is called Mr X!
Re: "You Cannot Claim Ignorance" - Myst Co-Creator Under Fire For Using GenAI Art In Riven Soundtrack Release
Bonkers how many AI bros are willing to get up in arms over anyone not liking AI. We've had the job losses, energy shortages, price shocks, political corruption and (as is obvious from the other comments) the general upsetting of the vast majority of creative people though a lack of even disclosure (which as an AI lover I can't see what wrong with disclosing it and letting consumers decide what to back? Or worried your AI horse won't make it if consumers have a clear eyed choice?)
Not seen any of these much touted AI benefits myself yet, just seems like everything costs more, is lower quality, social fabric is fraying and frankly evil mega-corps are getting more and more power over every aspect of life, in exchange for a bit of slop digital content. But I'm sure I'll get a ChaptGPT-made lecture in a bit on how great it is, that doesn't address a single point directly!
Re: The Making Of: Star Fox Adventures - "Nintendo Was Really Trusting Of Our Ability To Make A Great Game"
2012, still in the 360/PS3 era, London Olympics....this article feels like it's come from a different era!
Always stunned by how Starfox Adventure ran. It looked (and sounded) incredible, really high-grade effects, smooth animation, top soundtrack... I chose it as my first GC purchase (after the pack in Pikmin) and those two really felt next-gen! I will say I understood and agreed the reviews of the time (80% ish) that the gameplay was solid but unspectacular.
I did (and do) wonder where the YouTube era screeching-disgust for the game came from. It was a lukewarm reception at worse in 2002, and it clearly wasn't a bad game by any stretch of the imagination, particularly for that era. It was fun and well made, better than 4/5ths of what you'd see coming out, even if it wasn't quite good enough go compete with the very best in the genre (namely Wind Waker the next year). But for some reason around the early 2010s time of this article, the YouTuber hive mine decided it was the worst thing ever!
Re: Interview: "I Thought Of The Biggest Number I Could Think Of, Which Was A Million Dollars. Then I Doubled It" - Jez San On Argonaut, Nintendo And Star Fox
Great interview! Sounds like a larger than life character.
One thing I find fascinating is how much other big UK businesses sprung from the computer games revolution here is the 80s (had no idea Deep mind came out of someone from Bullfrog!).
The talk about who gets the credit for games and the lack of power the developers have sounds prophetic now, given this was in 2019 before the mass firings of the last couple of years.
Re: Review: SuperStation One - This $210 FPGA PlayStation Puts Sony's PS Classic To Shame
I adore the form factor of the PSOne, I think it's one of the nicest mini machines, so it's nice to see the SuperStation mimic it!
It's a shame it's the size of the PSOne, but lacks the CD-ROM drive. I can see it's getting one as an add-on but...that slightly invalidates the swish form factor? It's not like it has a screen attachment like the the PSOne either as far as I can tell (which would have been lovely, but obviously complex to produce), so I feel like it wastes its looks a tad.
One question I have is on the AV side, and it's pure curiosity for anyone who knows! I know the actual PSOne was considered inferior to the early model PlayStations when it came to its CD audio output capability. I'm no audiophile, but how do the sound outputs on FPGA devices like this compared? If one has the SuperDock, would it be an amazing Hi-Fi CD player, or is the D2A stuff in there just not as high grade?
Re: Random: "This Isn't Real, Is It?" - These Annoying Gen AI Adverts For Retro Consoles Are Fooling A Lot Of People
This is odd because if you really wanted to relive the scantily clad ads and (in my memory far more common) magazine covers of the era, their are plenty of real ones. So many complaints about what is "lost" or "taken", but ironically not only were these images not lost to time, they were made and widely spread around using the latest consumer tech! So not so lost or taken really!
There is the more serious point of AI being used to fake history. These might not amount to much but titillation with a bit of "fall of the West to Woke" sprinkled on...but the volumes of AI fakeries getting made, and the shovelling outwards and promotion social media allows it, does raise serious worries about history getting re-written and people's views being shaped by algorithms controlled by untouchable CEOs.
Re: "The OS Isn't Yet Where It Needs To Be" - The Full-Size Amiga Replica 'THEA1200' Has Been Delayed
Damn, well should make a fun Christmas gift at least!
(It is quite depressing how these US Tech Bros have crippled so many fun things of late. Got forbid you want to get a kid and upto date Raspberry Pi!)
Re: Shuhei Yoshida Reveals Resident Evil Almost Had Green Blood
@Zenszulu was hoping someone mentioned this! Didn't stop the 15 BBFC cert in the UK, assumed it was for other markets or to please Nintendo?
I always remember the warning screens in old Resi's ( "this game contains...." White text on black), always made it feel more serious and adult to my teen brain.
Re: The C64 And ZX Spectrum Are Being Reimagined As Nintendo-Style Clamshell Handhelds
Side note, Blaze seem to be doing a good job manufacturing wise (with whoever they get to make these for them in China). A complete guess, but I guess they use older chips and RAM that aren't heavily effected by the AI boom (like how the DDR2 Raspberry Pi 1-3 don't have the insane prices rise the DDR4 Pi 4-5 have suffered). I remember seeing a while ago the VS (their beefiest spec) was very simialr to a Pi 3.
£110 with a screen for these is decent (and the VS at £90/EXP at £100; never mind the insanely cheap £50 Super Pockets with a screen and licenced games).
Cart pricing has gone up, but has stayed below inflation/general SD card prices rises, particularly with design and management in the inflation smacked UK (staff NI, energy costs etc) and with Trump tariffs hitting too. Others seem to have done well in this regard too, particularly Chinese emulator handhelds with funky designs (like those DS-esque ones).
With 6 year old home consoles hitting over £560, with high energy consumption, expensive games and subscription services, and with genuine retro pricing and interest spiking too; I think Blaze and other retro/emulator console makers with similar specs/costs in are a good place right now! Could even get some market outside of old-nostalgic types like me, I find kids generally like retro games; our families little ones are less graphics-impressed than we were as kids!
I'd love a deep dive into the retro market generally if someone at TE could get some data on it, how it does by region and compared to the proper games market in terms of retro fairs, emulator console sales etc.
Re: The C64 And ZX Spectrum Are Being Reimagined As Nintendo-Style Clamshell Handhelds
I maybe would have gone for the Spectrum one as I'm a massive sucker for Blaze and Retro Games Ltd; but got a "The Spectrum" and, given how old the games are, I kinda like experiencing them on the rubber-y keys! I didn't use one much (I was too young, played on older cousins) but even without nostalgia I like it, it feels closer to how the games were expected to be experience (for better or worse) back in their own time.
Might get a C64 one...but I really don't need it haha! Should probably just hang on for the Nexus, my EXP still works fine and plays a lot more.
Re: 'Warhammer Classics' Brings 7 Beloved PC Titles Back From The Dead
@MysticWangForce Tom Baker was a highlight, but also loved hearing Burt Kwouk (Entwhistle from Last of the Summer Wine) and Sean Pertwee (Alfred in Gotham) in there too! For all the jank it had, I really enjoyed exploring 40k in such a "ground level" way back then!
I would say, I have the GoG and PS2 versions still, and I did a quick compare last year. While sharper, the "modern" PC version is far rougher than the PS2 version IMO. There's loads of sound balance issues, it has extra bugs in some scenes (I think related to game speed?) and it lacks always-fun the split-screen mode.
If you are feeling nostalgic (and crucially) have access to a PS2, I'll personally recommend digging up a PS2 copy at CeX/ebay etc, it's not beloved, so is often going even cheaper than the Steam/GoG copy!
Re: "We Know This Might Feel Restrictive" - Commodore Explains Why It's Locking Down The C64 Ultimate
I don't really understand this. Not a owner and don't intend to be (so no skin in the game!) but it's pretty standard to say that you don't support sideloading firmware on paper (and a pop-up on the machine, a warning if you do it etc.) and just move the risk on.
Anyone loading 3rd party firmware likely knows this, but a text pop-up on first boot making it clear you do it at your own risk and there is no support for issues that arise should be all that is needed?
Re: 'Warhammer Classics' Brings 7 Beloved PC Titles Back From The Dead
I got most of these on GoG (many via a free code in White Dwarf!) but more places to access them is always good.
Not many are essential, but they are often good fun, and capture the ever-shifting feel of Warhammer during whatever era they were made!
Re: We Find Out What The 'Evercade Nexus' Is Tomorrow
My Evercade machines have outshone my next gen consoles in recent years. I've enjoyed a few modern next gen titles for sure...
But I only got in on the Evercade train with the launch of the EXP in late 2022, if I think back over the "generation" so far, it dominates my memories! I think fondly of new indie games (Roguecraft DX, Full Void), replaying classics from my childhood to get much further (Final Fight, Cannon Fodder, Glover) and discovering classics I never played (Tomb Raider, Top Gear, Sensible Soccer; sidenote the best footy game ever despite its age!)
I'm still playing it a lot (Hogs of War and Turrican right now!). The EXP and Super Pockets have been great as truly pocketable consoles, and the VS is just lovely to use at home. Excited to see what they come up with next!
Re: "The Sega Saturn Was Truly Ahead Of Its Time" - Here's Why Modern Games Use 'Dithering' Instead Of Transparency
Ah, I did find it odd how many AAA games would dither, but never thought as to why!
Re: "If That Bothers You, I Understand" - Android Devices Get A Nintendo StreetPass Successor, But Of Course There's A Catch
I'm not sure this would ever be for me. StreetPass had a vibe, the kooky Mii characters, the mini games, the links to content in your games...it was unquestionably Nintendo!
This looks kinda soulless? And I find the privacy thing a bit weird to focus on, one cos StreetPass wasn't bad for privacy anyway, but two, if it's AI coded (icky, but he's forthright and it's not hurting people, a rare AI win), so it's unlikely to be as robust as you would want on that front.
Re: Community Challenge: How Far Can You Get In Ghosts 'N Goblins NES Without Taking A Hit?
I can get to the end of the first level, but never completed it!
Also no challenges for a while @JackGYarwood , taking a break? Imagine it tough to keep coming up with them!
Re: The National Videogame Museum Has Acquired A "Mythical" Nintendo PlayStation
@Skunkfish Ah missed that completely, thank you!
Re: The National Videogame Museum Has Acquired A "Mythical" Nintendo PlayStation
I live a short walk away, always recommend to people but not gone myself in a while! Definitely a good piece to have in there!
Re: Spy Drops Gaiden Might Just Be The 2D Metal Gear Spiritual Successor You've Been Waiting For
I'm not super sold on the GB style graphics personally, it's so green! Would get to my eyes on a PC montior. Maybe if I had a smaller device to run it on...
Would understand more if it was true game boy content underneath, this looks like the wrong screen format and far too sharp for an actual GB, plus the actual Metal Gear Solid on GBC it draws from was colour exclusive! Wish the green was an option and we could get a colour image. I did adore MGS on GBC so I might love the gameplay.
Re: Evercade Games And Hardware - All Evercade Cartridges And Systems Released So Far (2026 Edition)
@mjparker77 a few days ago Funstock announced a free to join "Funstock VIP" and they claimed that members will have access to legacy carts.
Wording on the site is "All legacy Evercade carts will be available exclusively to VIP Club members only, in the future. So join today to complete your collection."
https://funstock.co.uk/pages/vip-membership
I'm not that bothered myself as I only buy the games I think looks cool or fun to try, but hopefully they've come to some accommodation with licence holders that will help them get around scalpers?
Re: Evercade Range Expands With Two New Carts And A Banjo-Kazooie-Packing Super Pocket
I really hope a Rare Collection 2 is coming cos it'd be annoying to have a Super Pocket with Banjo and maybe Blast Corps but not having it available on the Evercade cart!
Re: Community Challenge: How Fast Are You On Ridge Racer's Most Difficult Course?
@YENKMAN amazing! That is some serious effort/skill, most of those challenges were pretty steep, I only managed Bronze! And thanks, username is a deep cut for fans of the mag. I do miss those days!
Re: Community Challenge: How Fast Are You On Ridge Racer's Most Difficult Course?
Nice, I'll deffo give this a go Monday night!
I've got the OG PS1 version, upstairs although it's PAL game so times will probably be a bit behind the PS5 re-release (I assume that's the NTSC version at its core).
Your mention of magazine high score tables was a blast from the past! I love slightly more localised leaderboard (your friends/country/the last day or week etc) for those of us that could never trouble a world rankings!
In a similar vein: Did you see that occasional N64 youtuber Glenn Plant was attempting all the Skill Club 64 challenges from the legendary N64 Magazine?
Re: Community Challenge: Can You Overcome Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Deadly Technodrome Level?
I've not had the time to try these challenges (hopefully one time I'll have the freedom to dig into a game for it...), but I do love reading about them regardless, so please keep them up!
Re: Who Created The Term "Metroidvania"? Gaming Historian Critical Kate Tries To Find Out
Samus Belmont, of course!
Always found the term interesting. You know what it means, even though there are some marked differences even between the two namesakes!