Hmm, this is interesting to me personally as I literally have a loft-full of the original Empire Interactive's paperwork, disks, CD's and stuff like Iomega Jaz media which I excavated from their North Finchley offices when they moved to Muswell Hill back in the late 00's.
I have never done much with all this stuff outside of reach out to Frank Gasking to discuss a couple of potentially 'lost' games - the issue is while there is some late 80's and early 90's media there, much of it is from the late 90's onwards and does not hold much personal interest for me.
Maybe I should finally dig it all out and get it in the hands of someone who can preserve it.
@murty Interesting thing with Uniracers/Unirally is despite the various tickboxes (Nintendo published, DMA Design, Pulled from Sale) it's not actually expensive on the second-hand market at all.
Makes for a refreshing change, they must have managed to get quite a few copies out before the lawsuit.
It's definitely not a Master System or Master System II pictured in the video - it's not Sega hardware - but I guess they would not have been able to show that as they don't have a license.
It does imply a Master System game, however. The look of the system and controllers, plus the cart label and the game case are all very much 8-Bit Sega!
Looking at the game in the video, there's no parallax scrolling, and with programming techniques more advanced these days than back in the 80's or 90's, it definitely could be running on a Master System. That boss screen is impressive, but the only animation is on the faces, so again, it could well run on a Master System.
I was gutted that Fusion Retro Book's revival of Sega Force only lasted a handful of issues... I see Amtix also only made it to issue 12, so it seems the major nostalgia draw for retro magazines is still the Sinclair/Commodore duopoly.
I wasn't into Newsfield magazines back in the day, and to be honest I found Sega and N Force a bit 'downmarket' compared to C&VG, Mean Machines, MegaTech, Game Zone and the like. Having said that, I received the modern revival with new articles much more positively, hence why it was such a shame it didn't last.
While we are discussing Super NES import adapters, who can forget that crappy Spellbound adapter which was advertised in C&VG, and Mean Machines, with the two 'attractive' young ladies in knickers, leaning on a TV with Wrestlemania running on the console?!
I think my first import adapter was some skinny thing in a red plastic case, which was pretty standard for playing NTSC Street Fighter 2 on a PAL system. This more or less did the trick until StarFox came out, and then everyone had to buy a new one as the game required the extra pins! Around that time, Blaze released a decent one which had the carts sit one behind the other, this was all good until they started doing software HZ checks and you ended up with messages on the screen, rather than the game! Then you just had to keep buying newer versions to get past the tricks to stop the game running.
I remember some kind of scaremongering about blowing the fuse in the console if you used two carts at the same time. While I am sure that was bollocks, I bet the setup wobbling around may well have some truth in it.
I always had a bit of a soft spot for this, but it's absolutely not as good as Devil Crash MD (or the PC Engine original).
Never really played Alien Crush, but I know it's well regarded.
While the Super NES was so good at many games, some -like this- just didn't seem to translate well. There are some decent pinball games on the system, so it can't be that. Maybe the developers couldn't really get the hang of the hardware?
I also think the PC Engine/Mega Drive games look a lot crisper and vibrant. The Super NES resolution was another issues at times for some games.
@adamh31 I bought both at release as HoH is one of my favourite games of all time, and I have a conflicted 16-Bit history as I was bought an STFM for my 13th Birthday in 1989, but got an Amiga a couple of years later... I love both computers for different reasons and they both have their strengths and weaknesses, IMHO.
I have not played RtB on real hardware yet, but I have played both versions on RetroArch and there isn't much between the two. IIRC the ST was the lead 16-Bit platform back in the late 80's, so there isn't much different in the Amiga version. As you would expect, the ST version is central to the screen with border, and the Amiga is more 'widescreen' across the top 2/3rds of the screen with the PAL gap at the bottom. The music in both suits the system - the ST had chiptunes, and the Amiga has a MOD, I assume. I do prefer the Amiga version's sound, but there's not much in it.
Nice piracy anecdote (combines my previous comment here and the one I made in the Neo Geo Everdrive article).
I have a distinct memory of visiting a car boot sale at a place called Crockford Bridge in Surrey, back in 1992, around the time Zool was due to be released. There was a guy there every week who had a number of pasting tables of hundreds of pirated Amiga games (I never knew how he could get away with it) and at that time he was always saying 'I'd pay an arm and a leg for a copy of Zool' - it had been hyped up in the Amiga gaming press that much, I guess his 'customers' were asking for it.
Christ, who would want this?! (apart from Slider1983!)
Plus, if you really need to scratch the Zool itch in 2026, I can't see the MegaDrive is the version you'd want. The Amiga is the purest way to play it I would have thought. AGA probably as good as it gets.
I find the whole 'piracy' angle on decades old retro games absolutely ridiculous.
If you are ripping off Steam titles, I would consider you to be a pirate in 2026. If you are looking to stick a load of ROMs on an Everdrive, or Android emulation handheld, I don't look at it the same way.
I am sure the makers of some of the modern retro systems would disagree, as would Blaze with their Evercade. Then on the other hand, you have Retro Games with all their 8 and 16-Bit computer remakes which fully accept an SD card of every game released for that computer.
It appeals to totally different markets. Someone buying a New Geo + will be doing it for the physical game releases, and will continue to buy the individual games they want. Having the same game on a Neo Geo Everdrive will make no difference. I speak from experience!
I guess I’m in the minority based on comments above, but who are these aimed at?
The full sized recreation of the Spectrum is a thing of beauty, the Neo Geo + with its nostalgia kick for all of us who couldn’t afford one back in the day, I get it, but a random ‘branded’ handheld - surely just get an Android device and stick RetroArch on it?!
Love a bit of Head over Heels (all the way back to getting it on my Speccy as part of Ocean's fantastic 'The Magnificent Seven' compilation for Christmas in 1987!)
Will definitely be getting this, I just hope that Jon Ritman has been looked after as part of the deal - I seem to remember something went a bit tits-up when it was licensed for release on a modern format some years back as it seemed that Piko Interactive had got the IP and he was not aware or something (I have likely got this wrong!) I was surprised to see the IP had since made it's way to Atari -of all places- but maybe not that surprising as Ocean>Infogrammes>Atari, but how it ended up with Piko in the middle of all that I have no idea.
FWIW, the Switch version seemed like a poor port to me. Maybe I am being a snobby purist, but you can't beat the 8 and 16-Bit versions IMHO.
Hmm, politics (as religion) seems to do nothing but bring the worst out in people these days, driven by the total binary left/right views of much of social media, and the lack of any common ground.
Personally, I would say the simplest thing to do if you find yourself angry by reading the occasional political article on a gaming website would be to avoid reading the article that is likely to upset you.
@gojiguy - Bloody better be! They had my money (for the Parasol Stars portion) for getting on for two years, if not more.
TBH I am not too fused any more - I would never have bought Spica, and would rather just have the Parasol Stars case artwork to go with my Amiga and PCE versions. I think they were scraping the barrel a bit with both games, if I am honest - think the issue was not enough interest in either physical, that led to them having to combine them for release...
@Thad - No, not really. Similar story to US, all the magazines of that time hyped up the PlayStation and to a lesser extent N64. Obviously CD-ROM was a new(ish) technology in terms of a home console, so while the Saturn was also CD based, the titles coming to PlayStation drove consumers that way.
@Thad - I don't know... I have never subscribed to the whole mid-90's '2D is bad' approach. I see you are in the US, where I think it was more of an issue to approach a big title from a 2D perspective, and (allegedly) saw Sony ban much of the great 2D stuff coming over from Japan.
Here in the UK, it never seemed much of an issue. We were happy to have 2D and 3D coexist.
In fact, following on from my post above, look at 32X Knuckles' Chaotix to see how Sega at that time somehow made something as simple as making an incredible 2D platformer (which they had done countless times) so difficult.
The stupid 'rubber band' mechanic is just not fun. Fish-eye lens perspectives are not fun. They needed to give such an important title as 'Saturn Sonic' to a proven team, done away with anything that seemed too 'next gen' or 'innovative gameplay mechanics' and just focused on a great looking fast 2D platformer with more of everything that made the Mega Drive games so popular.
I agree with some posts above - Sonic X-treme looks rubbish, it appears that at least some of the engine was used in Bug/Bug Too! which were also not much fun, and had it been released, although I imagine it would have done well, I don't think it would have been the system saviour some believe it would.
Unfortunately, Sega created a confusing and difficult to code architecture, bungled the launch of the system in the US, although Virtua Fighter was popular in Japan, that was not the case overseas, and there was simply no killer app for it. Add to all of this the Sony juggernaut was thundering forward, with stuff like Ridge Racer, Tekken and WipEout not far off, and it was game over for them.
I still believe, 30 years later, that had there been a Sonic Team or STI 2D follow on from Sonic 3 / Sonic & Knuckles, with gorgeous pixel art, great audio and loads of levels (maybe with an overworld map structure) - maybe a Sonic CD 2, then it could have made a huge difference, but that was not to be.
@N64-ROX - I am certainly no Limited Run apologist, and have not personally ordered from them for a while, but a lot of this boils down to the usual internet ***** of a very vocal group of people on forums, Reddit, comment sections etc. vs. what actually is going on in real life.
There absolutely must still be an awful lot of people ordering from Limited Run (and all the other FOMO physical 'boutique' publishers) otherwise they would simply cease to exist, and this clearly is not the case.
Strictly Limited is just as bad - they actually do have a couple of orders of mine that have not shipped for a couple of years, and if you really want to read about a car crash, check out First Press Games (I think both of these companies are based out of Germany). Seems the business model is exactly the same regardless...
All of these places have the same thing in common, they talk bollocks, the wait for things you order is ages, this then often slips so it's even longer than you expect, if you are crazy enough to pay the extra for various trinkets they are usually poor quality and if you buy legacy system media from them (as in NES or Mega Drive carts, or 3DO discs), then expect some shoddy quality. If you are prepared to wait for the item to be delivered and factor in the likely issues, then you won't be surprised or disappointed!
Bottom line, there is still a niche market for physical media, and these companies are the only way that people will be able to source it. While it would clearly be fantastic if they all had the customer in mind first, they don't and it would appear many people are still happy to pay and then play the waiting game, with a number of those then becoming vocal about the wait or other issues.
I must admit, I was unaware of the drama surrounding this emulator, and someone had already complied this guy's source on the Odin 3 Discord, so I originally got it from there. The 1.1.3 update is doing the rounds now, and I assume that is what this story is referring to.
Sounds like this guy has previous form, with a PlayStation 2 emulator, and he's also behind the Play Store version of Super 3, the Sega Model 3 emulator, which I did buy and runs the games fantastically.
On my Odin 3, performance is not too bad on a number of games I tried - I have seen posts about people tweaking to get stuff like Halo running, but for now if there's a Game Cube or PlayStation 2 port, you would be better off emulating the title on one of those systems.
I am sure when xemu is finally released, everyone will move to that, but as it's not currently available and this guy has stepped into the void, it's hardly surprising people are going after it.
@PopetheRev28 - You know that, do you, for a fact? Or are you making an assumption.
I know for a fact that customs destroyed an item I sent by opening it, trashing it, then putting it in a bag and allowing it to continue to it's destination.
So you are incorrect that 100% of the time a poster destroys their own packages.
I sold a copy of Merlin Racing for the Nuon on eBay last year, it sold for around £200 and was bought by someone in Canada. It was shrinkwrap sealed, with an adhesive strip that had title, format etc. along the top of the case, as was common on disc based media back in the late 90's.
When it arrived with the buyer he sent pictures of the condition it turned up in - helpfully, customs had torn off the wrap, literally run a knife through the top of the case, not only destroying the adhesive strip, but also cutting into the plastic of the case itself! Presumably as it was obviously a cartoon racking game, they weren't worried about any kind of pornography, and must have thought it had drugs inside it, or something.
I have sold sealed games many times, and this was the first time anything like that had happened. I guess in all honesty that the schmuck in customs was just doing their job, and a sealed game like that on a format I guess they didn't recognise maybe flagged it up more than a Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft game. I can't understand why they would not x-ray a sealed item before opening it only if they still had suspicions.
Anyway, I couldn't claim for it as technically customs had done nothing wrong - I was lucky and the buyer was more relaxed about it that I would have been, and didn't even request a refund.
Bottom line - if you are importing something expensive/rare/obscure across boarders, and there is any doubt in your mind that it could be opened for whatever reason, best not to chance it...
@Gs69 100% - pre-control pad, the Konix joysticks were the go-to for me as well, prior to that I think I used an Atari CX-40 for most of the 80's, as I was so used to them from my 2600 and 800XL.
II do oddly remember going through a phase of using Cheetah 125+ sticks before the Navigator, as they were cheap from Argos. Similar to a Quickshot II, I am not sure why I was doing that - maybe I couldn't find replacement CX-40 local to where I lived (or maybe it was the auto-fire?!)
These days, it's usually a Mega Drive or Super NES pad, or a variation of them via bluetooth.
Looking at those receipts... I remember buying SNES and N64 games from them when they used to stick the label with price and other details on the cardboard box! While they weren't too bad to get off, for some reason every time you bought something from them, the person serving you had to scribble their signature (in biro!) on that label, and even after removing you would see the imprint of their signature on the box!!! I'll definitely have some NTSC N64 games in my collection with some random signature pressed into the bottom left of the cover...
I actually applied for a job managing one of their stores around 1998, and got it! This would have been when they were expanding, and I was bored working as a department manager at a large DIY store. I bottled it, and given I ended up working for that DIY store for over 30 years on a decent salary, it was probably for the best. I am sure it would have been a blast, at least for the first few years, though.
Prior to DVD's, then mobiles and tablets, used to be a fantastic place to visit, as the article does a fantastic job of describing.
My first visits were jumping on the train to Tottenham Court Road, itself a tech mecca back in the 80's and 90's, and a quick walk off the side through some office complex into Rathbone Place got you to this utterly amazing shop, with incredible import titles at great prices. Shelf after shelf of NTSC Mega Drive, Super Nintendo, PC Engine and later PlayStation, Saturn, Nintendo 64 and Dreamcast titles. The staff were amazing, knowledgeable and passionate about what they did.
Later in the 90's there was the PC focussed shop on TCR itself, then a Retro shop around 1999 -that didn't last all that long- in the original Goodge Street building. I got my Nomad and a bunch of other bits from there, but also parted with a boxed Jaguar CD! After they closed it down, Retro moved downstairs at Rathbone Place and I always remember walking down the stairs to a cacophony of Neo Geo games and other such delights!
I moved to Harrow and as it expanded, Computer Exchange opened in the town. While not as exciting as going down to Rathbone Place, there was still a treasure trove of import and 16-Bit titles at crazy prices as everyone else turned their attention to PlayStation and Nintendo 64.
Unfortunately, around 2001 Nintendo told them they would not supply the business with PAL Gamecubes, unless they stopped stocking import titles, which killed that side of the business literally overnight. Obviously it made more sense for them to stock PAL consoles and software, but back then it was utterly gutting to see it happen.
From that point, as my interest in what they stocked waned and my personal life changed, I went in less and less. Every time I visited from that point it seemed as though they were getting further away from what I enjoyed about the shops in the first place. These days I might walk in to see how much they are asking for Retro titles, can't actually remember the last time I bought anything from them.
But... For a few years mid-90's to the turn of the century, it was magical! An utterly essential visit in any town that had a branch...
This is going to be an uncharitable comment from me, but does anyone really care? Look at the state of it? I can fully imagine how that game would play - bland, slow, mediocre, mid 90's style PC gaming. Seriously, in this day and age would anyone really want to slog through it?
I really don't understand the Jaguar homebrew scene in general. People getting excited over Atari ST ports of games that take no advantage of the hardware and cost a fair bit! What is that all about? Just get the game on an ST, surely?
I guess in this case, at least it's pushing the hardware a bit, as opposed to another basic ST port.
@SBan83 I've been running the PS3 version through an emulator recently, and it's definitely NOT Model 2 - it's widescreen, for starters.
Having said that, it's very faithful to the original, and the best way you can play the game at home on a console, if you have a PS3 or 360 hanging about.
Can't believe those two systems are 20 years old this year. Absolutely disgusting!
The Extreme Green was definitely a thing in the mid/late 90's at Nintendo - I have an N64 controller in that colour, and an imported Game Boy Pocket as well. Sure the grey one is the same as my 'Smoke' Japanese N64...
Jesus! These are the kind of articles that make me feel old.
I think it's important to state that any perception that Edge was elitist or 'stuck up' was driven by the desire of the launch team to deliver a different type of magazine. The UK magazine market at the time was full of titles which were fairy juvenile, or aimed at a younger market (and to be fair, there is nothing wrong with these, titles like Your Sinclair, Amiga Power etc are hugely popular in their own right). I think for a lot of people entering their college years, who had grown up with C&VG and Mean Machines, they were looking for a more grown up approach to videogame journalism. It really did convey a different style of writing - also remember this was some years before the Internet became popular, so titles like Edge were the only way you'd read about stuff like the FM Towns Marty, or such in-depth coverage of 3DO or Atari Jaguar.
I was there, all the way at the beginning. I waited for the launch issue (it had been hyped in other Future magazines for a couple of months). I was doing a BTEC in Computer Studies at the time, and with a bunch of like minded lads. Those first 50 issues are some of my favourite magazines, the first 20 issues in particular with the coming (and going) of some 32-Bit systems really felt on the cutting edge at the time. The issues building up to the launch of the PlayStation (and to a lesser extent Nintendo 64) conveyed a type of hype I can't really remember since.
I can map out some key points in my lift with those issues of Edge! My time in higher education, the early days of my career, people I knew back then, places I went.
The funny thing is, after all these years I am still a subscriber, although approaching the dreaded 50, don't find much that interests me in 'modern' videogaming, and I am more at home with Retro Gamer these days! For some reason every time I think of cancelling my subscription, I think of those early issues and can't bring myself to do it, even though it's a bit like being in a loveless marriage these days, just going through the motions!
@Martin_H The simple answer to Stu Campbell's question I would say is in the case of the other devices, they lend themselves to a smartphone perfectly.
In my opinion, a gaming device must have physical controls. Try and play one of the Mega Drive releases like Sonic on an iPhone screen - total crap. For 95% of games (notable exceptions like Angry Birds or Doodle Jump) they don't translate well to a flat screen.
As some others have said, while I agree with the sentiment, the 2DS isn't a handheld I have any interest or time for. I bought a 3DS at launch, then I bought a New 3DS when that released. Have to say I wasn't a massive fan of the original 3DS, but like the DS before it, the hardware revision made for a much nicer system overall.
I did end up buying two 2DS, though - for my twins who were around six and a half at the time. They both got the light blue Pokemon system, one got Sun and the other got Moon, so at one point we had four 3DS variants in the house!
Love NewZealand Story - even have the original PCB rotting up in my loft somewhere!
As others have said, the graphic style isn’t all that fantastic, but it’s not horrendous either. We had a remake on the DS years back and that also had a bit of an odd style, plus pointless touch screen sections, so hopefully any puzzles in this don’t stray too far from the original.
I always think people doing these kind of updates or remasters should look to Lizardcube’s Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap to see how to update and at the save time stay faithful to the original.
I remember when Computer & Video Games had news that US Gold had licensed Sonic for the 8 and 16-Bit computers in the UK, but I guess Sega quickly realised the title as mascot material and didn't go through with the deal.
Can you imagine what a US Gold version of Sonic back in 1992 would have played like?!
@Quick_Man See this is where I disagree with you, I think due to the niche nature of the products, people that complain still willingly spend more with them and then continue to complain, or see all these posts around quality or lead times, place orders and are surprised when it takes ages for what they have bought to be sent, or it's not the quality they were expecting.
I personally believe from multiple reports that items they make for vintage hardware are often not the quality you would expect them to be, and I would advise avoiding these. I would have no problem buying a PS5/Switch title from them (outside of wondering how long it would take to arrive), because I don't see the same issues with modern media. I personally would rather buy the title from Japan if possible, leaving the limited print companies as a last resort.
I'm simply stating my opinions. I am not '/going/ for' anything.
I’d follow my comment up with (specifically relating to vintage system versions) and the Rondo of Blood comment further above - just go the way of PCE Works if you are after that.
Yes, it’s just a high quality knockoff, but (these days) it’s got identifying marks to not be confused with the real thing, and due to their unlicensed nature, anything they put out has the correct company branding and system logos on it - no idea how they still get away with it, but they do, so at this point I don’t really see the harm.
All I ever see on comments relating to any of these ‘limited print’ companies is wave after wave of negativity. There’s two things to point out that seem to get lost in that noise;
1) ***** loads of people are still buying from the likes of LRG and SLG, despite all the bad press and long wait times.
2) In most cases, the only way you’ll see physical copies of niche digital titles is through these outfits, hence why point 1 occurs.
I am certainly not defending them, and have had plenty of experience of being mugged off myself (I did amazingly get my copy of Paprium from Watermelon, although First Press is clearly never going to send my Crimzon Clover!) I just don’t understand why all the moaning about business practise in terms of waiting for titles to release. At this stage we all know you are looking at 9-12 months, or longer. Go into it with your eyes open and you’ll feel less pain.
Outside of supply issues, seems that anything most of them do for vintage systems always has issues, so just avoid that (get an Everdrive if you can’t afford the real thing - who the hell wants a Mega Drive or Super Nintendo game without the correct Sega/Nintendo branding on the packaging anyway?!) and the ‘Collectors Editions’ are usually stuffed full of cheap tat, so sticking to the regular editions will save you money and get what’s important anyway - the physical game.
Just my opinion, but the above has seen me right most of the time.
Yeah, what a load of toss - on the other hand, if the AI bubble bursts, the flood of cheap RAM available would benefit everyone. It might also have the benefit of some of these companies not announcing a different handheld variant every other week...
Anyway, specifically in terms of emulation handhelds, I cannot complain, my Odin 3 Ultra was delivered a week ago, and it's fantastic, so that should be all I need for a couple of years.
Awful news, I have bought a few of his DivMMC devices, and he helped me out with an Opus Discovery I got hold of a few years back - a very knowledgeable and helpful chap. Always put a smile on my face when I found the Stroopwafel he included in the box with an order. Looking at his recent Facebook posts it must have been sudden, can't think of anything more awful for his family, especially at this time of year. Rest in Peace Ben Versteeg.
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Re: 3DO's New Owner "Working Carefully Through Complexities" To Return To The Hardware Arena
I'd say there's about at much chance of seeing a 'Gizmondo Classic' as there is of seeing some new hardware come from 3DO.
Re: "I Do Not Claim To Be A Veteran Or An Expert" - We Spoke To The Person Supposedly Bringing 3DO Back From The Dead
Hmm, this is interesting to me personally as I literally have a loft-full of the original Empire Interactive's paperwork, disks, CD's and stuff like Iomega Jaz media which I excavated from their North Finchley offices when they moved to Muswell Hill back in the late 00's.
I have never done much with all this stuff outside of reach out to Frank Gasking to discuss a couple of potentially 'lost' games - the issue is while there is some late 80's and early 90's media there, much of it is from the late 90's onwards and does not hold much personal interest for me.
Maybe I should finally dig it all out and get it in the hands of someone who can preserve it.
Re: Review: Super Pocket Rare Edition - Banjo-Kazooie Alone Makes This A Must-Buy At £50
@murty Interesting thing with Uniracers/Unirally is despite the various tickboxes (Nintendo published, DMA Design, Pulled from Sale) it's not actually expensive on the second-hand market at all.
Makes for a refreshing change, they must have managed to get quite a few copies out before the lawsuit.
Re: "The Single Largest Upgrade The Game Has Ever Had" - Sega's Ghostbusters Is Getting A Massive Overhaul
@slider1983 Never really liked The Real Ghostbusters arcade game - IIRC it's actually a re-skin of an unrelated Japanese release.
Remember the home computer versions by Activision - always preferred the original 8-Bit game.
Re: Analogue Pocket's Adapter Set Is Back In Stock This Week
Never understood why they don't sell these separately...
Re: Surprise! The Developers Behind Cuphead Just Announced A New 8-Bit Spin-Off For The Sega Master System
It's definitely not a Master System or Master System II pictured in the video - it's not Sega hardware - but I guess they would not have been able to show that as they don't have a license.
It does imply a Master System game, however. The look of the system and controllers, plus the cart label and the game case are all very much 8-Bit Sega!
Looking at the game in the video, there's no parallax scrolling, and with programming techniques more advanced these days than back in the 80's or 90's, it definitely could be running on a Master System. That boss screen is impressive, but the only animation is on the faces, so again, it could well run on a Master System.
Guess we wait and see how this pans out!
Re: 'Final Fight 64' Made Possible Thanks To New Tool That Could Change N64 Homebrew Development Forever
Didn't pay attention to the title before playing the video assuming this was a Commodore 64 title! Whoops...
Re: Iconic Issues: Sega Force #1 - Oli Frey And Roger Kean's Attempt To Crack Consoles
I was gutted that Fusion Retro Book's revival of Sega Force only lasted a handful of issues... I see Amtix also only made it to issue 12, so it seems the major nostalgia draw for retro magazines is still the Sinclair/Commodore duopoly.
I wasn't into Newsfield magazines back in the day, and to be honest I found Sega and N Force a bit 'downmarket' compared to C&VG, Mean Machines, MegaTech, Game Zone and the like. Having said that, I received the modern revival with new articles much more positively, hence why it was such a shame it didn't last.
Re: Random Game Saturday: Jaki Crush (Super Famicom)
While we are discussing Super NES import adapters, who can forget that crappy Spellbound adapter which was advertised in C&VG, and Mean Machines, with the two 'attractive' young ladies in knickers, leaning on a TV with Wrestlemania running on the console?!
I think my first import adapter was some skinny thing in a red plastic case, which was pretty standard for playing NTSC Street Fighter 2 on a PAL system. This more or less did the trick until StarFox came out, and then everyone had to buy a new one as the game required the extra pins! Around that time, Blaze released a decent one which had the carts sit one behind the other, this was all good until they started doing software HZ checks and you ended up with messages on the screen, rather than the game! Then you just had to keep buying newer versions to get past the tricks to stop the game running.
I remember some kind of scaremongering about blowing the fuse in the console if you used two carts at the same time. While I am sure that was bollocks, I bet the setup wobbling around may well have some truth in it.
Re: Random Game Saturday: Jaki Crush (Super Famicom)
I always had a bit of a soft spot for this, but it's absolutely not as good as Devil Crash MD (or the PC Engine original).
Never really played Alien Crush, but I know it's well regarded.
While the Super NES was so good at many games, some -like this- just didn't seem to translate well. There are some decent pinball games on the system, so it can't be that. Maybe the developers couldn't really get the hang of the hardware?
I also think the PC Engine/Mega Drive games look a lot crisper and vibrant. The Super NES resolution was another issues at times for some games.
Re: Random Game Saturday: Jaki Crush (Super Famicom)
That title screen... 'JAK CRUSH'!!!
Re: "It's Been A Labour Of Love" - 81-Year-Old Developer Colin Porch On The 'Head Over Heels' Sequel That Took 37 Years To Arrive
@adamh31 I bought both at release as HoH is one of my favourite games of all time, and I have a conflicted 16-Bit history as I was bought an STFM for my 13th Birthday in 1989, but got an Amiga a couple of years later... I love both computers for different reasons and they both have their strengths and weaknesses, IMHO.
I have not played RtB on real hardware yet, but I have played both versions on RetroArch and there isn't much between the two. IIRC the ST was the lead 16-Bit platform back in the late 80's, so there isn't much different in the Amiga version. As you would expect, the ST version is central to the screen with border, and the Amiga is more 'widescreen' across the top 2/3rds of the screen with the PAL gap at the bottom. The music in both suits the system - the ST had chiptunes, and the Amiga has a MOD, I assume. I do prefer the Amiga version's sound, but there's not much in it.
Re: "Celebrate The Legacy Of Zool With Taste And Restraint" - Zool Is Getting A Physical Re-Release On The Sega Mega Drive
Nice piracy anecdote (combines my previous comment here and the one I made in the Neo Geo Everdrive article).
I have a distinct memory of visiting a car boot sale at a place called Crockford Bridge in Surrey, back in 1992, around the time Zool was due to be released. There was a guy there every week who had a number of pasting tables of hundreds of pirated Amiga games (I never knew how he could get away with it) and at that time he was always saying 'I'd pay an arm and a leg for a copy of Zool' - it had been hyped up in the Amiga gaming press that much, I guess his 'customers' were asking for it.
Arr! Those were the days...
Re: "Celebrate The Legacy Of Zool With Taste And Restraint" - Zool Is Getting A Physical Re-Release On The Sega Mega Drive
Christ, who would want this?! (apart from Slider1983!)
Plus, if you really need to scratch the Zool itch in 2026, I can't see the MegaDrive is the version you'd want. The Amiga is the purest way to play it I would have thought. AGA probably as good as it gets.
Anyway, whatever floats your boat...
Re: "I'm Considering That Possibility" - The Neo Geo AES Might Be Getting The EverDrive Treatment
I find the whole 'piracy' angle on decades old retro games absolutely ridiculous.
If you are ripping off Steam titles, I would consider you to be a pirate in 2026. If you are looking to stick a load of ROMs on an Everdrive, or Android emulation handheld, I don't look at it the same way.
I am sure the makers of some of the modern retro systems would disagree, as would Blaze with their Evercade. Then on the other hand, you have Retro Games with all their 8 and 16-Bit computer remakes which fully accept an SD card of every game released for that computer.
It appeals to totally different markets. Someone buying a New Geo + will be doing it for the physical game releases, and will continue to buy the individual games they want. Having the same game on a Neo Geo Everdrive will make no difference. I speak from experience!
Re: The C64 And ZX Spectrum Are Being Reimagined As Nintendo-Style Clamshell Handhelds
I guess I’m in the minority based on comments above, but who are these aimed at?
The full sized recreation of the Spectrum is a thing of beauty, the Neo Geo + with its nostalgia kick for all of us who couldn’t afford one back in the day, I get it, but a random ‘branded’ handheld - surely just get an Android device and stick RetroArch on it?!
Re: "No Vibe Coding" - ZSNES Has Been "Re-Written From Scratch" And Now Enhances Your Favourite SNES Games
@Brambles I emailed zsknight and he got back to me to say it should be back available, and sure enough it was, so I have now got it on my Odin 3!
Re: "No Vibe Coding" - ZSNES Has Been "Re-Written From Scratch" And Now Enhances Your Favourite SNES Games
Am I being thick? I couldn’t find ZSNES on Google Play store, so clicked the link through the ZSNES website and it says it’s not available in the UK?
Anyone else had this on Android?
Re: For Over 35 Years, A Sequel To 'Head Over Heels' Has Been Developed By One Man In Secret, And It's Coming To Amiga And ST Next Month
Love a bit of Head over Heels (all the way back to getting it on my Speccy as part of Ocean's fantastic 'The Magnificent Seven' compilation for Christmas in 1987!)
Will definitely be getting this, I just hope that Jon Ritman has been looked after as part of the deal - I seem to remember something went a bit tits-up when it was licensed for release on a modern format some years back as it seemed that Piko Interactive had got the IP and he was not aware or something (I have likely got this wrong!) I was surprised to see the IP had since made it's way to Atari -of all places- but maybe not that surprising as Ocean>Infogrammes>Atari, but how it ended up with Piko in the middle of all that I have no idea.
FWIW, the Switch version seemed like a poor port to me. Maybe I am being a snobby purist, but you can't beat the 8 and 16-Bit versions IMHO.
Re: Talking Point: "We, The Consumers, Need To Vote With Our Wallets" - The Moral Dilemma Of Supporting SNK In 2026
Hmm, politics (as religion) seems to do nothing but bring the worst out in people these days, driven by the total binary left/right views of much of social media, and the lack of any common ground.
Personally, I would say the simplest thing to do if you find yourself angry by reading the occasional political article on a gaming website would be to avoid reading the article that is likely to upset you.
Re: After Last Year's Delay, ININ Games' 'Parasol Superstars' Is Now Less Than A Week Away
@gojiguy - Bloody better be! They had my money (for the Parasol Stars portion) for getting on for two years, if not more.
TBH I am not too fused any more - I would never have bought Spica, and would rather just have the Parasol Stars case artwork to go with my Amiga and PCE versions. I think they were scraping the barrel a bit with both games, if I am honest - think the issue was not enough interest in either physical, that led to them having to combine them for release...
Re: Yuzo Koshiro Warns The "Current Global Situation" Could Impact Earthion On Genesis
Is the physical 16-Bit cart still a Limited Run only release?
Re: "This Is A Regret In My Life" - Sonic X-treme Designer On The "Fork In The Road" That Killed Saturn's Most Famous Unreleased Game
@Thad - No, not really. Similar story to US, all the magazines of that time hyped up the PlayStation and to a lesser extent N64. Obviously CD-ROM was a new(ish) technology in terms of a home console, so while the Saturn was also CD based, the titles coming to PlayStation drove consumers that way.
Re: "This Is A Regret In My Life" - Sonic X-treme Designer On The "Fork In The Road" That Killed Saturn's Most Famous Unreleased Game
@Thad - I don't know... I have never subscribed to the whole mid-90's '2D is bad' approach. I see you are in the US, where I think it was more of an issue to approach a big title from a 2D perspective, and (allegedly) saw Sony ban much of the great 2D stuff coming over from Japan.
Here in the UK, it never seemed much of an issue. We were happy to have 2D and 3D coexist.
Re: "This Is A Regret In My Life" - Sonic X-treme Designer On The "Fork In The Road" That Killed Saturn's Most Famous Unreleased Game
In fact, following on from my post above, look at 32X Knuckles' Chaotix to see how Sega at that time somehow made something as simple as making an incredible 2D platformer (which they had done countless times) so difficult.
The stupid 'rubber band' mechanic is just not fun. Fish-eye lens perspectives are not fun. They needed to give such an important title as 'Saturn Sonic' to a proven team, done away with anything that seemed too 'next gen' or 'innovative gameplay mechanics' and just focused on a great looking fast 2D platformer with more of everything that made the Mega Drive games so popular.
Re: "This Is A Regret In My Life" - Sonic X-treme Designer On The "Fork In The Road" That Killed Saturn's Most Famous Unreleased Game
I agree with some posts above - Sonic X-treme looks rubbish, it appears that at least some of the engine was used in Bug/Bug Too! which were also not much fun, and had it been released, although I imagine it would have done well, I don't think it would have been the system saviour some believe it would.
Unfortunately, Sega created a confusing and difficult to code architecture, bungled the launch of the system in the US, although Virtua Fighter was popular in Japan, that was not the case overseas, and there was simply no killer app for it. Add to all of this the Sony juggernaut was thundering forward, with stuff like Ridge Racer, Tekken and WipEout not far off, and it was game over for them.
I still believe, 30 years later, that had there been a Sonic Team or STI 2D follow on from Sonic 3 / Sonic & Knuckles, with gorgeous pixel art, great audio and loads of levels (maybe with an overworld map structure) - maybe a Sonic CD 2, then it could have made a huge difference, but that was not to be.
Re: "We Know Trust Is Something You Earn Over Time" - Limited Run Games Reveals "Renewed Fan-First Focus"
@N64-ROX - I am certainly no Limited Run apologist, and have not personally ordered from them for a while, but a lot of this boils down to the usual internet ***** of a very vocal group of people on forums, Reddit, comment sections etc. vs. what actually is going on in real life.
There absolutely must still be an awful lot of people ordering from Limited Run (and all the other FOMO physical 'boutique' publishers) otherwise they would simply cease to exist, and this clearly is not the case.
Strictly Limited is just as bad - they actually do have a couple of orders of mine that have not shipped for a couple of years, and if you really want to read about a car crash, check out First Press Games (I think both of these companies are based out of Germany). Seems the business model is exactly the same regardless...
All of these places have the same thing in common, they talk bollocks, the wait for things you order is ages, this then often slips so it's even longer than you expect, if you are crazy enough to pay the extra for various trinkets they are usually poor quality and if you buy legacy system media from them (as in NES or Mega Drive carts, or 3DO discs), then expect some shoddy quality. If you are prepared to wait for the item to be delivered and factor in the likely issues, then you won't be surprised or disappointed!
Bottom line, there is still a niche market for physical media, and these companies are the only way that people will be able to source it. While it would clearly be fantastic if they all had the customer in mind first, they don't and it would appear many people are still happy to pay and then play the waiting game, with a number of those then becoming vocal about the wait or other issues.
Re: "Grifters Will Grift" - New Android Xbox Emulator Comes Under Fire From Xemu Developer
I must admit, I was unaware of the drama surrounding this emulator, and someone had already complied this guy's source on the Odin 3 Discord, so I originally got it from there. The 1.1.3 update is doing the rounds now, and I assume that is what this story is referring to.
Sounds like this guy has previous form, with a PlayStation 2 emulator, and he's also behind the Play Store version of Super 3, the Sega Model 3 emulator, which I did buy and runs the games fantastically.
On my Odin 3, performance is not too bad on a number of games I tried - I have seen posts about people tweaking to get stuff like Halo running, but for now if there's a Game Cube or PlayStation 2 port, you would be better off emulating the title on one of those systems.
I am sure when xemu is finally released, everyone will move to that, but as it's not currently available and this guy has stepped into the void, it's hardly surprising people are going after it.
Re: "Literally Crying Right Now" - 50 Copies Of This Adult-Only Visual Novel Demo Exist, And One Just Got Destroyed In Transit
@PopetheRev28 - You know that, do you, for a fact? Or are you making an assumption.
I know for a fact that customs destroyed an item I sent by opening it, trashing it, then putting it in a bag and allowing it to continue to it's destination.
So you are incorrect that 100% of the time a poster destroys their own packages.
I ABSOLUTELY DOUBT YOU. Poxy troll!
Re: "Literally Crying Right Now" - 50 Copies Of This Adult-Only Visual Novel Demo Exist, And One Just Got Destroyed In Transit
@PopetheRev28 - You are totally wrong... You don't know what you are talking about as you have had no experience of such a situation.
Re: "Literally Crying Right Now" - 50 Copies Of This Adult-Only Visual Novel Demo Exist, And One Just Got Destroyed In Transit
I sold a copy of Merlin Racing for the Nuon on eBay last year, it sold for around £200 and was bought by someone in Canada. It was shrinkwrap sealed, with an adhesive strip that had title, format etc. along the top of the case, as was common on disc based media back in the late 90's.
When it arrived with the buyer he sent pictures of the condition it turned up in - helpfully, customs had torn off the wrap, literally run a knife through the top of the case, not only destroying the adhesive strip, but also cutting into the plastic of the case itself! Presumably as it was obviously a cartoon racking game, they weren't worried about any kind of pornography, and must have thought it had drugs inside it, or something.
I have sold sealed games many times, and this was the first time anything like that had happened. I guess in all honesty that the schmuck in customs was just doing their job, and a sealed game like that on a format I guess they didn't recognise maybe flagged it up more than a Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft game. I can't understand why they would not x-ray a sealed item before opening it only if they still had suspicions.
Anyway, I couldn't claim for it as technically customs had done nothing wrong - I was lucky and the buyer was more relaxed about it that I would have been, and didn't even request a refund.
Bottom line - if you are importing something expensive/rare/obscure across boarders, and there is any doubt in your mind that it could be opened for whatever reason, best not to chance it...
Re: Review: The QuickShot II - We've Come A Long Way Since This Joystick Ruled The Roost
@Gs69 100% - pre-control pad, the Konix joysticks were the go-to for me as well, prior to that I think I used an Atari CX-40 for most of the 80's, as I was so used to them from my 2600 and 800XL.
II do oddly remember going through a phase of using Cheetah 125+ sticks before the Navigator, as they were cheap from Argos. Similar to a Quickshot II, I am not sure why I was doing that - maybe I couldn't find replacement CX-40 local to where I lived (or maybe it was the auto-fire?!)
These days, it's usually a Mega Drive or Super NES pad, or a variation of them via bluetooth.
Re: They Buried My Beloved CeX
Looking at those receipts... I remember buying SNES and N64 games from them when they used to stick the label with price and other details on the cardboard box! While they weren't too bad to get off, for some reason every time you bought something from them, the person serving you had to scribble their signature (in biro!) on that label, and even after removing you would see the imprint of their signature on the box!!! I'll definitely have some NTSC N64 games in my collection with some random signature pressed into the bottom left of the cover...
I actually applied for a job managing one of their stores around 1998, and got it! This would have been when they were expanding, and I was bored working as a department manager at a large DIY store. I bottled it, and given I ended up working for that DIY store for over 30 years on a decent salary, it was probably for the best. I am sure it would have been a blast, at least for the first few years, though.
Re: They Buried My Beloved CeX
Aah, mid-90's Computer Exchange!
Prior to DVD's, then mobiles and tablets, used to be a fantastic place to visit, as the article does a fantastic job of describing.
My first visits were jumping on the train to Tottenham Court Road, itself a tech mecca back in the 80's and 90's, and a quick walk off the side through some office complex into Rathbone Place got you to this utterly amazing shop, with incredible import titles at great prices. Shelf after shelf of NTSC Mega Drive, Super Nintendo, PC Engine and later PlayStation, Saturn, Nintendo 64 and Dreamcast titles. The staff were amazing, knowledgeable and passionate about what they did.
Later in the 90's there was the PC focussed shop on TCR itself, then a Retro shop around 1999 -that didn't last all that long- in the original Goodge Street building. I got my Nomad and a bunch of other bits from there, but also parted with a boxed Jaguar CD! After they closed it down, Retro moved downstairs at Rathbone Place and I always remember walking down the stairs to a cacophony of Neo Geo games and other such delights!
I moved to Harrow and as it expanded, Computer Exchange opened in the town. While not as exciting as going down to Rathbone Place, there was still a treasure trove of import and 16-Bit titles at crazy prices as everyone else turned their attention to PlayStation and Nintendo 64.
Unfortunately, around 2001 Nintendo told them they would not supply the business with PAL Gamecubes, unless they stopped stocking import titles, which killed that side of the business literally overnight. Obviously it made more sense for them to stock PAL consoles and software, but back then it was utterly gutting to see it happen.
From that point, as my interest in what they stocked waned and my personal life changed, I went in less and less. Every time I visited from that point it seemed as though they were getting further away from what I enjoyed about the shops in the first place. These days I might walk in to see how much they are asking for Retro titles, can't actually remember the last time I bought anything from them.
But... For a few years mid-90's to the turn of the century, it was magical! An utterly essential visit in any town that had a branch...
Re: "Nobody Approached Me To Obtain My Consent" - Revival Of "Abandoned" Jaguar RPG 'The Owl Project' Thrown Into Doubt
This is going to be an uncharitable comment from me, but does anyone really care? Look at the state of it? I can fully imagine how that game would play - bland, slow, mediocre, mid 90's style PC gaming. Seriously, in this day and age would anyone really want to slog through it?
I really don't understand the Jaguar homebrew scene in general. People getting excited over Atari ST ports of games that take no advantage of the hardware and cost a fair bit! What is that all about? Just get the game on an ST, surely?
I guess in this case, at least it's pushing the hardware a bit, as opposed to another basic ST port.
Re: "The Father Of Sega Hardware", Hideki Sato, Has Passed Away
This is the passing of a man who could look back and see he left behind an amazing legacy.
How many of us are familiar with even one piece of hardware he created, and the countless hours of amusement it has provided.
R.I.P Sato-San...
Re: Random: Fan-Made 'Star Fox CD' Adds The Hornet From Daytona USA, Because Why Not
@SBan83 I've been running the PS3 version through an emulator recently, and it's definitely NOT Model 2 - it's widescreen, for starters.
Having said that, it's very faithful to the original, and the best way you can play the game at home on a console, if you have a PS3 or 360 hanging about.
Can't believe those two systems are 20 years old this year. Absolutely disgusting!
Re: Random: Fan-Made 'Star Fox CD' Adds The Hornet From Daytona USA, Because Why Not
@SBan83 The original was ported to PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 years ago (if you count those as 'modern platforms'!
Model 2 emulation in Mame has recently really improved as well...
Re: "We're Finishing History, Decades Later" - Analogue 3D's Latest Limited Editions Are Based On Unreleased N64 Prototypes
The Extreme Green was definitely a thing in the mid/late 90's at Nintendo - I have an N64 controller in that colour, and an imported Game Boy Pocket as well. Sure the grey one is the same as my 'Smoke' Japanese N64...
Re: "Yes, It Was Elitist, And No, That Wasn't A Bad Thing" - EDGE Alumni On Why The Mag Is Still Going Strong, Over 30 Years On
Jesus! These are the kind of articles that make me feel old.
I think it's important to state that any perception that Edge was elitist or 'stuck up' was driven by the desire of the launch team to deliver a different type of magazine. The UK magazine market at the time was full of titles which were fairy juvenile, or aimed at a younger market (and to be fair, there is nothing wrong with these, titles like Your Sinclair, Amiga Power etc are hugely popular in their own right). I think for a lot of people entering their college years, who had grown up with C&VG and Mean Machines, they were looking for a more grown up approach to videogame journalism. It really did convey a different style of writing - also remember this was some years before the Internet became popular, so titles like Edge were the only way you'd read about stuff like the FM Towns Marty, or such in-depth coverage of 3DO or Atari Jaguar.
I was there, all the way at the beginning. I waited for the launch issue (it had been hyped in other Future magazines for a couple of months). I was doing a BTEC in Computer Studies at the time, and with a bunch of like minded lads. Those first 50 issues are some of my favourite magazines, the first 20 issues in particular with the coming (and going) of some 32-Bit systems really felt on the cutting edge at the time. The issues building up to the launch of the PlayStation (and to a lesser extent Nintendo 64) conveyed a type of hype I can't really remember since.
I can map out some key points in my lift with those issues of Edge! My time in higher education, the early days of my career, people I knew back then, places I went.
The funny thing is, after all these years I am still a subscriber, although approaching the dreaded 50, don't find much that interests me in 'modern' videogaming, and I am more at home with Retro Gamer these days! For some reason every time I think of cancelling my subscription, I think of those early issues and can't bring myself to do it, even though it's a bit like being in a loveless marriage these days, just going through the motions!
Re: The Best Mistake Nintendo Ever Made? Why 2DS Is The Perfect Embodiment Of Gunpei Yokoi's Core Principles
@Martin_H The simple answer to Stu Campbell's question I would say is in the case of the other devices, they lend themselves to a smartphone perfectly.
In my opinion, a gaming device must have physical controls. Try and play one of the Mega Drive releases like Sonic on an iPhone screen - total crap. For 95% of games (notable exceptions like Angry Birds or Doodle Jump) they don't translate well to a flat screen.
Re: The Best Mistake Nintendo Ever Made? Why 2DS Is The Perfect Embodiment Of Gunpei Yokoi's Core Principles
As some others have said, while I agree with the sentiment, the 2DS isn't a handheld I have any interest or time for. I bought a 3DS at launch, then I bought a New 3DS when that released. Have to say I wasn't a massive fan of the original 3DS, but like the DS before it, the hardware revision made for a much nicer system overall.
I did end up buying two 2DS, though - for my twins who were around six and a half at the time. They both got the light blue Pokemon system, one got Sun and the other got Moon, so at one point we had four 3DS variants in the house!
Re: Commodore's Official Remake Of Taito's The NewZealand Story Launches Next Month
Love NewZealand Story - even have the original PCB rotting up in my loft somewhere!
As others have said, the graphic style isn’t all that fantastic, but it’s not horrendous either. We had a remake on the DS years back and that also had a bit of an odd style, plus pointless touch screen sections, so hopefully any puzzles in this don’t stray too far from the original.
I always think people doing these kind of updates or remasters should look to Lizardcube’s Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap to see how to update and at the save time stay faithful to the original.
Re: Sonic Comes To The Commodore Amiga (In Tech Demo Form, At Least)
What is the purpose of the 16 colour version? Does it run faster, or smoother, or something?
Given the OCS/ECS Amiga is 32 colour as standard, I don't understand why a 16 colour version would be necessary.
Re: Sonic Comes To The Commodore Amiga (In Tech Demo Form, At Least)
I remember when Computer & Video Games had news that US Gold had licensed Sonic for the 8 and 16-Bit computers in the UK, but I guess Sega quickly realised the title as mascot material and didn't go through with the deal.
Can you imagine what a US Gold version of Sonic back in 1992 would have played like?!
Re: "Limited Run Games Has Been My Life For Ten Years" - Josh Fairhurst Announces He's Stepping Away
@Quick_Man See this is where I disagree with you, I think due to the niche nature of the products, people that complain still willingly spend more with them and then continue to complain, or see all these posts around quality or lead times, place orders and are surprised when it takes ages for what they have bought to be sent, or it's not the quality they were expecting.
I personally believe from multiple reports that items they make for vintage hardware are often not the quality you would expect them to be, and I would advise avoiding these. I would have no problem buying a PS5/Switch title from them (outside of wondering how long it would take to arrive), because I don't see the same issues with modern media. I personally would rather buy the title from Japan if possible, leaving the limited print companies as a last resort.
I'm simply stating my opinions. I am not '/going/ for' anything.
Re: "Limited Run Games Has Been My Life For Ten Years" - Josh Fairhurst Announces He's Stepping Away
I’d follow my comment up with (specifically relating to vintage system versions) and the Rondo of Blood comment further above - just go the way of PCE Works if you are after that.
Yes, it’s just a high quality knockoff, but (these days) it’s got identifying marks to not be confused with the real thing, and due to their unlicensed nature, anything they put out has the correct company branding and system logos on it - no idea how they still get away with it, but they do, so at this point I don’t really see the harm.
Re: "Limited Run Games Has Been My Life For Ten Years" - Josh Fairhurst Announces He's Stepping Away
All I ever see on comments relating to any of these ‘limited print’ companies is wave after wave of negativity. There’s two things to point out that seem to get lost in that noise;
1) ***** loads of people are still buying from the likes of LRG and SLG, despite all the bad press and long wait times.
2) In most cases, the only way you’ll see physical copies of niche digital titles is through these outfits, hence why point 1 occurs.
I am certainly not defending them, and have had plenty of experience of being mugged off myself (I did amazingly get my copy of Paprium from Watermelon, although First Press is clearly never going to send my Crimzon Clover!) I just don’t understand why all the moaning about business practise in terms of waiting for titles to release. At this stage we all know you are looking at 9-12 months, or longer. Go into it with your eyes open and you’ll feel less pain.
Outside of supply issues, seems that anything most of them do for vintage systems always has issues, so just avoid that (get an Everdrive if you can’t afford the real thing - who the hell wants a Mega Drive or Super Nintendo game without the correct Sega/Nintendo branding on the packaging anyway?!) and the ‘Collectors Editions’ are usually stuffed full of cheap tat, so sticking to the regular editions will save you money and get what’s important anyway - the physical game.
Just my opinion, but the above has seen me right most of the time.
Re: AI's Insatiable Hunger For RAM Is Going To Play Havoc With The Emulation Handheld Industry In 2026
Yeah, what a load of toss - on the other hand, if the AI bubble bursts, the flood of cheap RAM available would benefit everyone. It might also have the benefit of some of these companies not announcing a different handheld variant every other week...
Anyway, specifically in terms of emulation handhelds, I cannot complain, my Odin 3 Ultra was delivered a week ago, and it's fantastic, so that should be all I need for a couple of years.
Re: "He Will Be Missed By The Spectrum Community" - ByteDelight's Ben Versteeg Has Passed Away
Awful news, I have bought a few of his DivMMC devices, and he helped me out with an Opus Discovery I got hold of a few years back - a very knowledgeable and helpful chap. Always put a smile on my face when I found the Stroopwafel he included in the box with an order. Looking at his recent Facebook posts it must have been sudden, can't think of anything more awful for his family, especially at this time of year. Rest in Peace Ben Versteeg.