Weekly Roundup #121 Posted
Here’s this week’s roundup! Audio-only version here: http://www.retrorgb.com/podcast/?name=2018-10-31_121.mp3
I’m Bob, the founder of RetroRGB. If you’d like to support my work, please consider following me on social media, or even supporting via paid platforms; Those support services are what keeps the work I’m involved with and this site going. More about me below the links:
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Like many people who are probably reading this site, I grew up playing consoles like the SNES and Genesis, which featured styles of games that aren’t nearly as common today. While I love new games and in many ways they can be far superior, they’re not always the style or experience someone is looking for. Some of the biggest pet peeves of modern games are loading times, constant software updates and often long “training sessions” required before the gameplay even starts. Heck, even many of the games are significantly longer! Someone looking to game during the small bits of free time they might have, often look to classic consoles and handhelds that provide a way to just jump in and start playing; Many classic games can be completed within an hour and are a satisfying experience.
The most common styles of games found on those platforms are different too. There are similar games available for newer consoles, like Shovel Knight, The New Super Mario Bros, Ori and the Blind Forest and (of course) Axiom Verge. Still, the amount of 2D vs 3D graphic games made is very small, so I often find that to enjoy that style, you need to go back to some of the classic consoles, which was the original catalyst for this site…
The journey to experience retro video game awesomeness started in October 2011 when I discovered a (low quality) Retro Controller Adapter for the Wii. After a few months of playing virtual console games on my Wii via the adapter, it started to feel like a tease; I got to use the original controller, but I missed the look of a CRT, as well as not having any lag on my games!
I soon realized if I wanted a “real” experience, I had to get the real thing and as a result, I ended up building the Retro Cart. I was happy playing all the old games the way they were meant to be played, on the original hardware, on a high quality CRT TV that brought out the best in the older games. After that project, I thought I was done…
Then, I re-discovered RGB and my retro video game life changed forever (I knew about RGB as a kid, but it was so unfathomably expensive back then that I just put it out of my mind). Even though it was less than three months from the time I completed the Retro Cart, I knew I had to start over. I was able to use most of the same equipment I already purchased, but there were some key differences. I dug so deep into it, that I decided to document exactly what I went though via a Google Doc, just in case “a few of my friends” ever wanted to do the same. I eventually gathered so much information that Cousin Scott suggested I make it into a website, so if other people wanted to walk down the same path, they could skip all the research and follow one easy to read guide. Hopefully I succeeded!
Here’s this week’s roundup! Audio-only version here: http://www.retrorgb.com/podcast/?name=2018-10-31_121.mp3
I just posted a video that showcases my favorite Dreamcast mods. Please note that I didn’t cover every mod available, just the ones I felt would be relevant to your average retro gamer. The video is below and here are links to everything discussed: VGA+SCART Cable from thefoo.83: https://ebay.to/2OVIFL3 Retro Gaming Cables: https://bit.ly/2EOKp4c OSSC (Open Source Scan Converter): […]
Dark Horse Comics has just released the Super Mario Encyclopedia on hardcover and digital. It’s a colorful guide of everything Super Mario related and has info from all the games and spinoffs. More information can be found here and a link to purchase the hardcover book is below: https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2018/10/23/check-out-an-exclusive-trailer-for-the-super-mario-bros-encyclopedia Watch the trailer for the Super Mario Bros. […]
Someone has just purchased a prototype wiimote and sensor bar that was a prototype for the GameCube! Read the full story on arstechnica: https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/10/japanese-auction-reveals-nintendos-first-wii-remote-for-the-gamecube/ UPDATE: While I’d still call this a very cool find, this is not the first time the controllers have been seen. Someone on the AssemblerGames forum found a similar prototype a […]
The team behind Yooka-Laylee is planning on adding video filters to emulate the look of an N64 game, as a free upgrade. I guess this was a throwback to the N64’s Banjo-Kazooie, which is great for nostalgic N64 lovers, but bad for those of us who never liked the look of N64 games. More info here: https://www.playtonicgames.com/a-novel-update/ […]
Sony has just reveled the list of games for the PlayStation Classic emulation console, due to arrive December 3rd for $100. Unsurprisngly, Castlevania Symphony of the Night is missing from this list, most likely to prevent taking away from the latest Playstation 4 re-release of the game. The list of games and launch video is […]
The Kickstarter campaign for the CollectorVision Phoenix has just announced that they’ll be including an Atari 2600 core with their console, should it reach funding. No word on if cartridges will be supported, or just ROMs. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1408938247/collectorvision-phoenix-an-fpga-colecovision-conso/posts/2321563
Limited Run Games was amidst controversy the past few days, after word got out that they’ll be selling some of their games at Best Buy…but will not be re-releasing any previously manufactured “rare” games. LRG owner Josh Fairhurst seemed genuinely concerned on Twitter and to be honest, I’m still not 100% sure what the full controversy was about, but here’s my […]
Here’s an interview with Hennadiy aka superg, the creator of high-end SCART and component video switches. An audio-only version of the podcast can be found here: http://www.retrorgb.com/podcast/?name=2018-10-26_interview_superg.mp3 You can pre-order the switches here: http://www.gretrostuff.com/store/gscartsw/ Forum topic here: https://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?t=50851
A huge thanks to Smokemonster for stepping in while I was away! Please consider supporting him on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/smokemonster Audio-only version here: http://www.retrorgb.com/podcast/?name=2018-10-23_120.mp3