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Arrives on July 18th! The classic Japanese adventure game, Seilane, is making its way to the Nintendo Switch's eShop. Developed by Microcabin in 1987, this PC-88 original features an intricate command system that allows players to interact with their surroundings through verbs such as "talk", "call", and "listen".

Unique Gameplay: With a rich storyline where you control young field mouse Prill, who embarks on a journey to save his sister and rescue animals turned to stone, this game offers a unique experience for fans of classic Japanese adventure games.

Limited English Access: Be aware that the game is unlocalized except for an English how-to-play section and main menu, which might pose challenges for non-Japanese speakers without additional language resources like OCR translators.

Have you played Seilane before? Do you have any tips for non-Japanese speakers?

Nintendo Switch Online Brings Three Adorable GBA Platformers to the West

Three previously Japan-only games, Densetsu no Starfy, have made their way to the West for the first time through Nintendo Switch Online.

• Originally released in Japan between 2002 and 2004, these platformers are now available on the Switch.
• No English translation included; play them in Japanese only.
• Side-scrolling with text-heavy gameplay and dialogue, might require some basic Japanese skills to fully enjoy.

Have you played any of the Densetsu no Starfy games? How do you feel about playing games without translation?

SuperSega's All-In-One Console: Dream Machine or Vaporware?

The team behind SuperSega has unveiled footage of the upcoming "all-in-one Sega FPGA console" in action, offering a glimpse into its functionality and capabilities. This first-time demonstration highlights the cores for Saturn, Master Syste, and Mega Drive/Genesis. Games like Saturn Bomberman, Shinobi, and Golden Axe II showcase the console's potential. The Dreamcast FPGA core, however, is still in development with a few weeks left until it's ready for display.

View the footage on YouTube.

The team also confirmed that they are studying a Compact Flash option to accelerate loading of Saturn and Dreamcast games, allowing for backup copies of physical cartridges stored as ROMs on an SD card. This feature mirrors what's available on Polymega but utilizes FPGA technology.

With production set to start in October, the final product is expected by December, and then the team aims to secure investors for market launch.

Does this footage reassure you regarding the project? Do they need to show off the DreamCast core before you take it seriously?

Metal Gear Solid's E3 Reveal and Its Impact on Syphon Filter Team

Background: Metal Gear Solid, a PS1 masterpiece, made an unforgettable impression at its 1997 E3 reveal. Meanwhile, Syphon Filter was a rival title in the stealth action genre that faced significant competition from Kojima's creation.

Key Points:

• Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid showcased its iconic trailer on a giant jumbotron screen, leading to intense viewing experiences at every hour of E3. It captivated large crowds with its cinematic gameplay and camera angles, setting it apart as an industry-level production.

Impact: The Syphon Filter team experienced a wave of despair after witnessing the trailer, recognizing that Metal Gear Solid was excelling in many areas they were focusing on. Richard Ham, now at Sony Bend (formerly Eidetic), acknowledged that Konami had executed elements such as cinematic gameplay and camera locks better than his team had achieved.

Outcome: Despite this challenge, Syphon Filter managed to perform well in the market and went on to release five sequels. This competition helped set a benchmark for action stealth games but didn’t overshadow its own unique qualities.

Do you think the Syphon Filter sequels would have been as good as they were if it hadn't have been for this experience?

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, a game that has surpassed over 21 million copies sold on Nintendo Switch after its release last year, now gets a fascinating twist in retro style. A dedicated gamer named ‘It’ has crafted Game Boy-style cutscenes for the sequel to Breath of Wild.

With limited animation but an exceptional musical score, these remastered scenes offer a fresh perspective on Hyrule and its floating islands in the Sky as well as the underground Depths. This unique take showcases creativity at its best while celebrating the iconic Zelda series.

How do you feel about revisiting Tears of the Kingdom through retro lenses?

'Out Of The Vortex': An Unannounced Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Brawler

In the vast library of video games that never made it to market, there's a hidden gem known as Out Of The Vortex. This side-scrolling fighter is based on a comic book by the same name and was being developed for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive systems.

Developed by Cryo Interactive, known for their FMV-based titles like Mega Race, Dragon Lore, and Lost Eden, Out Of The Vortex is notable for its music and sound design by David de Gruttola. Today, he's better known as the talent behind titles such as Beyond: Two Souls, Detroit: Become Human, and Heavy Rain.

With a reported 95% completion stage before cancellation around September 1995, Out Of The Vortex has now seen the light of day. Thanks to Pipozor, the original programmer and game designer, the last build and source code have been made available through Hidden Palace.

Recent Discovery and Prototype Access

Hidden Palace recently published information on the development of Out Of The Vortex, making this game accessible to a broader audience for the first time.

Have you played or heard of any previously unreleased games from your favorite platform, and do they hold a special place in your heart?

The Game Boy Camera Reborn as a Webcam

A 26-Year-Old Toy Camera Receives a Second Wind!

Are you ready for some retro tech revival? The Game Boy Camera, once a playful gadget for the beloved Nintendo handheld, has now been given new life as an actual webcam. This incredible transformation is thanks to GB Operator by Epilogue.

How it Works:

The GB Operator acts like a small dock, slightly larger than its counterpart Game Boy cartridges, connecting easily via USB-C to Windows, macOS, and Linux devices. Simply pair this sleek device with Playback software, which will soon support reading image data from the Game Boy Camera cartridge.

A Look Back on Past Efforts:

This isn't a first for turning the toy camera into a modern webcam, as seen by Retro Game Couch's build using additional adapters and hardware. However, such setups can be quite complex and costly, making them less accessible to enthusiasts.

The GB Operator's Convenience:

With its compact design, the GB Operator makes it much easier for users to use their 26-year-old camera as a webcam without requiring an actual Nintendo handheld console. This is especially exciting when paired with devices like the Copilot+ Microsoft Surface Pro, allowing for the unique experience of lo-fi photography on-the-go.

Limited Availability:

While Playback software isn't currently supported on Android, iOS, or iPadOS devices, users can still enjoy this novelty feature on PCs. The compatibility with Windows tablets is a particular highlight!

A Long Wait for Compatibility:

Despite GB Operator being around since 2021, the addition of Game Boy Camera support came after three years of development by Epilogue. However, it may have been worth the wait for fans who can now find new uses for their old toy camera.

Do you have any Game Boy cameras lying around that you wish were used more?

Taito, a renowned developer of classic arcade games, starting way back with titles like Space Invaders and Bubble Bobble, announced that its 90s football title Hat Trick Hero will be released on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch on July 18th in Japan.

This game was originally released in arcades in 1992. A slightly altered version of Taito's 1990 arcade game Football Champ, it swaps out the Spanish and French teams for Japan and the USA, offering a total of 8 teams to choose from, including Argentina, Brazil, England, Germany, Netherlands, and Italy.

Key features include an enthusiastic announcer that delivers energetic voice lines and a violent tackling system. The game also boasts an unconventional 'star player mechanic', allowing players to select one person on the pitch for special moves and skills like a hilarious super shot that can send the opponent's goalkeeper flying.

Did you play this game in the arcade? Do you plan to pick it up on Switch or PS4?

A Retro Collector's Dream: Neo Geo Glass Cleaner Goes Under the Hammer

Imagine stumbling upon a piece of arcade history in the form of a rare Neo Geo glass cleaner. Originally distributed to arcades by SNK, this bottle is now being auctioned off at an astronomical price - 300,000 yen. Its golden age origins have transformed it into a sought-after collectible among retro gamers and enthusiasts, thanks to its scarcity.

This particular cleaner, found salvaged from a closed arcade, is still intact in its original packaging. Once destined to be used by operators with water dilution for cleaning purposes, this Neo Geo glass cleaner represents a piece of nostalgia and gaming history.

Question: Could you afford to pay 300,000 yen for such a relic from the golden age of arcades? Would you consider it an investment in retro gaming heritage or simply too steep a price for cleaning supplies?

After a long silence, an unreleased Dreamcast game from Japanese studio Nextech has finally seen the light of day with footage surfacing online. This technical demo of Farnation, discovered after years of searching and speculation, reveals gameplay that was thought to have been lost for over two decades.

Watch the video footage here

What potential impact might this game have had on Dreamcast's legacy if it had been released? Imagine the possibilities that a fully developed MMO could bring to console gaming at its peak.

FPGA developer Jotego has announced the upcoming release of a core for Moonwalker, the iconic 1990 Sega System 18 arcade game. Known for its isometric beat 'em up gameplay and distinctive visual style, Moonwalker originally captivated gamers on the Sega Genesis and Master System, but now it’s making its way to modern platforms through Jotego’s MiSTer FPGA and Analogue Pocket devices.

System Compatibility Expansion: This core marks another addition to the expanding library of games compatible with the Analogue Pocket and MiSTer. Fans can look forward to reliving this classic experience on portable hardware that’s gaining a reputation for its high-quality emulation capabilities.

Exclusive Access: However, the Moonwalker core will not be available to the general public. Players seeking this nostalgia-filled adventure must sign up to Jotego’s Patreon to gain access.

The wait is on for more details about release dates and what additional games might follow in Jotego’s System 18 library expansion.

Are you eager to play Moonwalker on your favorite retro gaming platform?

The original Xbox shipped with 64MB of RAM, which was quite a lot for its time in 2001 but seems small by modern standards. A modder called Prehis2oricman has quadrupled the amount of available RAM to 256MB using a custom RAM module that consists of two parts: a RAM chip and an interposer allowing use of all eight memory slots including those typically empty on the console's motherboard.

This modification was achieved through months of reverse engineering, hardware engineering, software hacking, and perseverance. However, there's little reason to install this mod currently as existing applications don't utilize it. The potential for new BIOS updates that unlock additional features could change the situation in the future.

Do you think modifying console hardware like the Xbox to quadruple its original RAM is worth pursuing, considering the current state of software support?