Retro News (Page 4)
Guide 50 Best NES Games Of All Time
Our guide to the greatest games on the NES
The Nintendo Entertainment System, or NES (ness? nezz? enn-eee-ess?), is the archetypal home video game console. Earlier machines such as the mighty Atari 2600 pioneered the basic concept of an under-the-TV console with interchangeable software and accessories, but the utilitarian design and hardware...
Anniversary Nintendo Famicom, The NES' Japanese Sibling, Is 40 Years Old
History was made
40 years ago today, video game history changed for the better. That might sound a bit hyperbolic, but there's no denying that Nintendo's first home console — or at least the first one with interchangeable cartridges in a form we still recognise as a 'console' today — made a huge impact. Video games would not be where they would...
Feature 21 Vintage Nintendo Games You Can Now Only Buy For Original Hardware
'80s and '90s Nintendo games on the 'endangered' list
You may have read a recent study by the Video Games History Foundation that suggests an eye-watering 87% of video games are "critically endangered". The organisation, which is devoted to video game preservation and archiving, found that just 13% of games released prior to 2010 were still 'in...
Round Up Every Switch Game Announced At Limited Run's 2023 Showcase
More than 20 announcements!
Limited Run today aired another major showcase announcing all sorts of new, old and returning games. It was a pretty packed-out show in all honesty, so we've put together this round up highlighting not only the major announcements but also the ones we didn't get to spotlight. In the coming months Switch owners can look...
News Disney Remastering Sega Genesis Platformer Gargoyles, Switch Release Confirmed
Update: LRG physical release coming "this fall"
Update [Thu 13th Jul, 2023 04:55 BST]: A Switch release of the Gargoyles Remastered has now been officially confirmed. Additionally, Limited Run Games will be handling the physical release. It's due this fall, and a proper reveal is coming "later this year". Original article [Sat 10th Sep, 2022...
News Shantae's Cancelled Game Boy Advance Project 'Risky Revolution' Is Being Revived
But there's no mention of a Switch release right now
WayForward's Shantae director Matt Bozon has today announced the revival of Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution - a previously cancelled Game Boy Advance project. This game was meant to come out in 2004/05 and covers an "entire missing chapter" of the series. Risky Boots has found a "secret...
News Brand-New Game Boy Color ARPG 'Far After' Is Now Up For Pre-Order
Bitmap Soft back at it again
It's easy to forget that there are still new games being made for Nintendo's classic handhelds today, with developers pushing the platforms to their limits and publishers getting on board with some sweet physical releases. Bitmap Soft is one of these very publishers (you might remember its two Game Boy releases from...
News Sonic Chronicles Sequel Details Revealed By Former BioWare Lead Designer
The Dark Brotherhood ended on an unresolved cliffhanger
BioWare's DS RPG Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood was always intended to be the first entry in a series, however, the sequel never came to light due to a number of reasons, including BioWare being purchased by Electronic Arts. Now, however, Did You Know Gaming has uncovered some...
News Nintendo Has Apparently Retired Its Gulf War Game Boy
It's going back to Redmond
Nintendo was known in its earlier years of video game development for its durable and long-lasting hardware, but one system that trumped all was the legendary Game Boy. In fact, there's one famous Game Boy as you might recall that was damaged in a bombing during the Gulf War and still works! In an update, the Game Boy has...
Guide Best Nintendo 64 Platformers - Every N64 3D Platformer, Ranked By You
Golden years
The launch of Super Mario 64 ushered in what is now commonly referred to as the Golden Age of 3D platformers. In the years before the arrival of online gaming when first-person shooters came to dominate the console landscape for a period, these colourful solo experiences represented the medium's adventures into a new frontier, with...
Guide Every Nintendo Switch Online Sega Genesis / Mega Drive Game Ranked
All the Sega Mega Drive games, ranked by you
Remember, the ranking below is dynamic and will change according to each game's User Rating in our database. If you haven't previously, feel free to rate the new games and let's see where they settle on the list. Enjoy! The selection of Sega Mega Drive / Genesis games that form part of the 'Expansion...
Guide Best Game Gear Sonic Games, Ranked By You
Drop dashing into Origins
With the release of Sonic Origins Plus on the Switch, Sonic fans can now not only play as the severely underutilised Amy in all four mainline titles, but there are now 12 Game Gear Sonic games to peruse and play at your leisure from the compilation's 'Missions' menu. Now, we're probably never going to recommend playing the...
Review Fire Emblem - The Blazing Blade Is Still As Sharp As Ever
So much to love Lyndis game
This review originally went live in 2015, and we're updating and republishing it to mark the game's arrival in the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack GBA library. Before Fire Emblem: Awakening kicked off 2013 (the Year of Luigi, you'll recall) with a bang, there was a great deal of concern at Nintendo regarding its...
Random Some Square Enix Staff Really Want A Final Fantasy VI Remake
But it would be "difficult", says Square Enix VP
We've already got Final Fantasy VI on modern consoles thanks to the Pixel Remaster, but what if Square Enix decided to remake its beloved 1994 RPG? Apparently, some staff at the studio want to see it, according to vice president and Final Fantasy VII Remake producer Yoshinori Kitase (via @Genki_JPN)...
Feature The Mysterious Absence Of A Famicom Gem On Switch
Castle's in the air
Update [31st Oct 2023]: Well, would you believe it? Nintendo only went and dropped the game on Switch Online as a Halloween treat. Enjoy! Something very mysterious is going on with a sadly obscure but fondly remembered gem from the Famicom era. It was built on the same game engine as the original Legend of Zelda, but unlike...
News Atari's Neo-Retro Platformer, Mr. Run And Jump, Hops Onto Switch Next Month
Stick (man) the landing
Atari has today announced that its upcoming neon adventure-platformer Mr. Run and Jump will be coming to Switch on 25th July. Revealed just last month, the game is a frantic platformer set in a neon-drenched world that immediately had us thinking of VVVVVV with its tight, spike-dodging gameplay. Mr. Run and Jump is developed...
Feature A Kou Shibusawa Production - Changing History With Koei Tecmo's OG Strategy Studio
“The more we learn…the more it fuels our creativity”
History fans love to ask a good 'what if?' question. A completely hypothetical situation to explore how small changes could impact the course of world events. Video games that explore these kinds of questions usually fall into the grand strategy genre, putting players at the head of a...
News GB Studio Central Launches Gorgeous Magazine That Evokes Nintendo Power
Studio Central in your hands
GB Studio Central — the online community-led publication that focuses on games created in the popular GB Studio — has announced that it's releasing a magazine. Yes, an actual magazine! And it's absolutely gorgeous. Announced last week, GB Studio Magazine aims to curate articles from the GB Studio Central site and...
News Capcom's 40th Anniversary Site Is An Incredible Digital Museum With Playable Retro Games
A beautiful nostalgia trip in Capcom Town
Capcom has launched a beautiful 40th-anniversary website which celebrates the company's history, as well as shares artwork and design docs, and acts as a hub for some of the developer's biggest titles. Capcom Town is bursting with colour, characters, and chiptune music, which will get anyone who's ever...
Feature Nintendo's Satellaview Blazed A Trail For Today's Season-Based, Ephemeral Games
Total BS-X
The most considerable game industry development in the last decade has been the rise of live-service games. When MMOs first launched, the idea of an always-online game was considered a novelty, but today most AAA studios are making live-service titles, and most non-live-service games from those companies have online features. The modern...
Soapbox Obstinate And Addictive - Playing Final Fantasy For The First Time In 2023
OG fantasy
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Henry experiences his very first Fantasy... I admit it – I’ve never played Final Fantasy. It wasn’t on my radar as a kid, and by the time I was paying attention, it had jumped to...
Anniversary LostWinds First Launched 15 Years Ago Today
Let's Toku 'bout it
Today marks the 15th anniversary of LostWinds in North America, a launch title for WiiWare and (in this writer's opinion) one of the console's finest bite-sized games. The title was developed and published by Frontier Developments out West, though Square Enix took care of publishing duties for LostWinds' Japan release in...
Soapbox Game & Watch Still Scratches A Very Particular Itch, And I Need More
An itch the Switch can’t fix
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Nile is pining for something a little smaller and simpler on his commute... Not too long ago, my niece taught me something heartening about the staying power of old...
Random Nintendo Apparently Wasn't A Fan Of Tiger & Hasbro's Pokédex Toy
"They didn’t like us very much"
Remember the original Pokémon Pokédex toy released by Tiger Electronics and Hasbro Toys back in the day? Well, apparently Nintendo's Japanese team made it an absolute nightmare to bring to market. Speaking to Johto Times recently, former Tiger & Hasbro senior game producer Chris Nicolella (between 1997 -...
News The Jurassic Park Games Are Getting A 30th Anniversary Retro Collection
"Hold on to your butts"
If you're eager to sink your teeth into some more retro game collections, you'll be pleased to know physical distributor Limited Run Games has announced a Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary Collection. This collection will be released at some point later this year. No platforms have been announced just yet. Attached to this...
Anniversary Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade First Launched 20 Years Ago Today
The West's first Fire Emblem game
Today marks the 20th anniversary of Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade, the seventh entry in the Fire Emblem series, in Japan. But what makes this title extra special is that this was the game that brought the tactical RPG series to the West. A North American release followed in November 2003, with Australia and Europe...
News This Kirby's Dream Land 2 ROM Hack Adds Colour To The Game Boy Classic
Includes other features "enhancing the overall experience"
Although Nintendo has officially called time on Kirby's 30th anniversary, fans of the pink puff are seemingly still going with all sorts of creations. One, in particular, that's caught the attention of the wider Nintendo community is a new ROM hack for the 1995 release Kirby's Dream Land 2 -...
Random Fan Collects Over 1 Thousand Copies Of The Original Dragon Quest
Technically 'Dragon Warrior'
One person's quest (get it?) to accumulate a 'Mega Collection' of NES games has finally been achieved. FerrisonNA — who also goes by the username Ferris Bueller — is the proud owner of one thousand copies of the original Dragon Quest on the NES. Or, Dragon Warrior as it was known in the west back in 1989. FerrisonNA...
News Nintendo Director Wanted To Adapt 'Megami Tensei' Series, Says Novel's Author
SMT was almost a Nintendo franchise
Japanese author Aya Nishitani — most well-known for writing Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei, the first of a trilogy of novels that the whole Megami Tensei series from Atlus spawned from — has revealed that the director of Nintendo himself once approached the novelist about adapting his novel. In a detailed...
News Two Brand-New Game Boy Platformers Are Up For Pre-Order
Bitmap Soft is back with more neo-retro titles
Although you might not believe it, the Game Boy remains a vibrant platform for small devs continuing to explore the handheld's potential several decades after its 1989 launch and publishers are still producing physical games for it. Bitmap Soft is one of the most prolific publishers in this neo-retro...
News Surprise! Eight Classic PolyGame Master Arcade Titles Are Out Now On Switch
Update: The IGS Classic Arcade Collection is out now worldwide
Update [Thu 13th Apr, 2023 17:20 BST]: IGS Classic Arcade Collection is now available to download worldwide on the Switch eShop. For £24.00 / $29.99 USD / 27,00€, you can pick up eight arcade classics from IGS' history. This could be a must-have collection for fighting game and...
Review Pokémon Stadium - The Original 151 Brought To Life With Style
Your stadium tour awaits
This review originally went live in 2016, and we're updating and republishing it to mark the game's arrival in Switch's N64 library via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack. With the Pokémon franchise being as super effective as it was during the late '90s due to its handheld games, trading cards, television anime...
Random Rare Co-Founder Tim Stamper Teases 'Dream 64' Development Cartridge
"Dream 64 does exist after all"
Update [Tue 11th Apr, 2023 00:05 BST]: Tim Stamper has now posted a follow-up tweet featuring video footage of Dream 64. In it, he notes how it was "probably" shown at Japan's Nintendo Shoshinkai show (Space World) in 1996. In the video, there's a pirate mentioning how "the Nintendo 64 treasure does exist after all"...
Anniversary Capcom's Breath Of Fire Series Is 30 Years Old, And We Miss It
Come on, Capcom...
Today marks a milestone anniversary for Capcom's very first traditional RPG series. Breath of Fire launched on the Super Famicom on 3rd April 1993, kickstarting what would become a beloved franchise for many turn-based RPG fans. While North America would have to wait until the following summer to get their hands on Capcom's first...
News After 30 Years, Cannon Dancer Will Finally Be Out On Consoles Next Week
The unofficial sequel to Strider is almost here
Cannon Dancer - Osman — affectionately dubbed "the unofficial sequel to Strider" — will finally be playable on consoles from 13th April 2023 with both a physical and digital launch. After its original eShop release date slipped from both January and March to April (spotted by gosokkyu, via Tim
Ninterview Menko Cards And Niche Nintendo History - The Hunt For Mario's Rookie Card
A different kind of 'game card'
If you have ever read up on the history of Nintendo, you know that before it went into the video game business, the company began life by making cards and other novelties. The hanafuda and playing cards which Nintendo produced from its formation in 1889 took a back seat following the popularity of toys like the Ultra...
Random Bridgerton, Dungeons & Dragons Star Regé-Jean Page Is A Fan Of Chrono Trigger
Breath of Fire, too!
It's a pretty great time for movies about video and tabletop games right now. The Tetris movie just dropped on Apple TV+, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is out next week, and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is out in cinemas today. And it turns out one of the movie's stars, Regé-Jean Page, is a pretty big fan of RPGs...
News Project EGG Could Bring MSX, PC-98, And Neo Geo Titles To Switch
From Wii retro specialists D4 Enterprise
D4 Enterprise has revealed that it's bringing games from its online digital storefront, Project EGG (Engrossing Game Gallery), to Switch in the future. The retro games distribution service acts as a place to play officially emulated rereleases of older Japanese PC, arcade, and console games. Announcing the...
M2's Masanori Yagi talks Assault Suits Valken Declassified
The Assault Suits mecha action games arguably deserve a little more attention than they enjoy here in the West. Back in the 1990s, their distinct blend of platforming and run ‘n’ gun design did indeed see ports from their native Japan to the rest of the world – sometimes in a heavily...
Review Assault Suits Valken Declassified (Switch) - A Great Treatment Of A Mecha Classic
Assaulting the senses
Within a few steps into the world of Assault Suits Valken Declassified, it is immediately apparent that something distinct is going on. That’s because the steps themselves feel different. Compared to traditional run ‘n’ guns such as Metal Slug, for example, the movement in the Assault Suits Valken remaster is...
Talking Point What's The Best Year In Gaming?
Cream of the crop
Games are so good, right? Looking back over the years and decades, it's difficult to actually think of a year that's been objectively bad in terms of gaming output; generally speaking, with the wealth of consoles and developers out there, there's always been at least a handful of games every year that spoke to us in a meaningful...
Random Street Fighter II Features In Japanese Commercial For Eye Drops
Wait till Ryu see this!
Unusual video game adverts aren't uncommon, but more and more we see product placements and advertisements for other items that use video games. But an ad for Rohto eye drops in Japan has caught people's attention because the whole commercial uses edited Street Fighter II footage. (Thanks for the tip, GreatSong1!) Posted on...
News Super Mario World Prototype Map Has Been Discovered
Mushroom island
The Nintendo Gigaleak has delivered once again. A prototype map from Super Mario World (that was found in the Gigaleak) has been fixed, and we can see what could've been for the first time ever. MrTalida shared the world of Super Mario World hacker and researcher
News These Game Boy Posters Are Up For Grabs At My Nintendo Store (Europe)
Mario, Link and Samus for mere Platinum Points, plus postage
Nintendo has made the fetching Game Boy poster set above available in European My Nintendo Stores. Featuring key art from three handheld classics — Super Mario Land 2, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, and Metroid II: Return of Samus — these My Nintendo Store exclusives are...
News Nintendo Highlights Classic Super Mario Games In New Switch Online Graphic
Celebrating MAR10 Day
MAR10 Day has been packed with all sorts of surprises this year from movie trailers to LEGO announcements, and if that's still not enough, you can always turn your attention to Mario's video game history. With this in mind, Nintendo has taken to social media to promote some of Mario's retro experiences - from the original
News Never-Before-Seen Footage Of Scrapped Official GameCube LCD Screen Uncovered
Crystal clear
Footage of an official LCD screen for the GameCube from E3 2002 has been discovered. The footage has been shared by Adam Doree on YouTube, a media executive who has been in the industry for over 25 years and has worked at IGN, Ziff Davis, Mashable, Segaweb, Gamerweb, and Kikizo (via Eurogamer,
Review Metroid Fusion - An Infectious, Portable Pleasure
SA-Xcellent
This review originally went live in 2014, and we're updating and republishing it to mark the game's arrival in Switch's GBA library via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack. Released a full eight years after its phenomenal Super Nintendo predecessor, Super Metroid, 2002's Metroid Fusion is a well-paced, tense, atmospheric game and...
News The Original Pokémon Trading Card Series Is Returning As A "Premium" Set
Own a slice of Pokémon TCG history
If you've ever had dreams of owning the original Charizard card from the first Pokémon TCG series, you'll be pleased to hear The Pokémon Company is reviving this classic set. In the latest Pokémon Presents, Pokémon president and CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara teased this return with a brief clip showing two players...
News Valis: The Fantasm Soldier Collection II Scores A Surprise eShop Release
Three classics + more
Remember that second collection of Valis that arrived on the Nintendo Switch last September in Japan? Well, Edia has now released it locally on the eShop for $44.99 USD. Valis: The Fantasm Soldier Collection II comes packed with three more entries in the Valis series. Players can revisit Valis IV (PC Engine), Syd of Valis...
Soapbox Alone In The Dark On GBC Is A Bizarre Relic You Should Play At Least Once
Be afraid?
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Ollie sits down with the least loved entry in the current Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy library and finds an odd, twisted version of a game he loves... Alone in the Dark: The New...
