I'm sure it hasn't escaped your attention that the internet is in a pretty grim spot at present.
Media sites are either getting gobbled up by massive conglomerates or closed down (or both), GenAI is filling the web with clanker-made slop, and social media is literally addicting people to doom-scrolling.
Here at Time Extension (and Hookshot Media in general), we like to think that we're a beacon of hope amid all of this – you might disagree, of course, which is why I've pulled together this list of retro gaming sites I think you should support.
That might mean contributing to a supporter's scheme (we have one of those, hint, hint) or simply giving them a daily visit, ideally with ad blockers turned off – advertising is often the only way websites operating in this space can afford to create the content you consume for free, so your clicks mean everything.
Retro Dodo
Retro Dodo founder Brandon Saltalamacchia was one of the first people to help me out back when I was getting into the world of modern-day emulation handhelds, and even gifted me one of his own Anbernic systems to mess around with.
Since we launched Time Extension, we've often cited Retro Dodo as a source, and it's an attractive, content-rich retro gaming portal that's well worth a look. It also has a great YouTube channel, so be sure to check that out as well.
Indie Retro News
Indie Retro News is a brilliant source of information on unofficial home computer ports and mods, and we've been sourcing relevant news from it for quite some time now. If you're a fan of classic home computers like the C64, Spectrum, Amiga and Amstrad CPC, then it's worth a daily look, for sure.
Read Only Memo
Delivered as both a website and a bi-weekly email newsletter, Read Only Memo covers all kinds of topics when it comes to retro gaming, including emulation, game preservation, FPGA development and much, much more. What makes Read Only Memo so refreshing is that it often has exclusive interviews with the people behind this amazing work.
Retro Handhelds
As you'll know if you're a long-time reader of Time Extension, we cover a lot of emulation handhelds – so there's a fair amount of crossover with Retro Handhelds, a site which is devoted entirely to documenting this fascinating sector of gaming hardware. If you're looking for the latest news, reviews, and guides on emulation portables, it's highly recommended.
Shumplations
Don't let the name fool you – Shmuplations covers all kinds of genres, and is primarily a selection of freshly-translated interviews with Japanese gaming legends from the '80s, '90s and 2000s. This archive is pretty much indispensable these days, and gives us a fascinating glimpse into the minds of some of Japan's biggest designers and developers, including Shigeru Miyamoto, Akira Yasuda, Koji Igarashi and more.
GamesRadar+
While GamesRadar+ covers a wide range of topics, its retro coverage – headed up by the likes of Phil Hayton and Dustin Bailey – is some of the best you'll find on the internet, period. Brilliantly written and exhaustively researched, we often source news from GamesRadar+ – and they do some amazing hardware reviews, too.
Retro Game Corps
Russ from Retro Game Corps has quickly become the web's leading expert when it comes to breaking down emulation handhelds from the likes of Anbernic, AYANEO, AYN, and more, and his YouTube channel is approaching 1 million subscribers – which should tell you all you need to know.
IGN
Like GamesRadar+, IGN is a multimedia behemoth which covers everything from video games to movies, comics and TV shows – but gaming is still one of its core focuses, and it does a good job of covering retro news.
It's got a fine pedigree, too; former Games-X scribe Alex Simmons is IGN's UK Studio Head, and ex-Eurogamer superstars Tom Phillips and Wesley Yin-Poole are senior staffers. Even if you're only interested in vintage gaming news, IGN is always worth a daily visit.
Forgotten Worlds
Forgotten Worlds isn't just a website – it's also a physical magazine which is devoted to celebrating the legacy of print media. Created by Time Extension contributor Mikolai Napieralski, this stylishly designed publication is the perfect tonic for any '90s kid who craves the good old days of monthly mags.
The Retro Hour Podcast
If you want to give your eyeballs a rest, I'd highly recommend tuning into the Retro Hour Podcast, which has been running for hundreds of episodes and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the industry.
Each show features a roundup of the latest retro gaming news, followed by a lengthy and insightful interview. It's been running for ten years now, so there's plenty of content to catch up on if you're a newcomer.
My Perfect Console Podcast
Hosted by the one and only Simon Parkin, My Perfect Console has a unique hook – on each episode, Parkin chats with a different celebrity or games industry legend about their life, peppering the conversation with five games they'd pre-install on their 'perfect' console.
Previous guests include Peter Molyneux, Ed Fries, Mark Cerny, Shuhei Yoshida, Eugene Jarvis and Rhianna Pratchett, and Parkin regularly sprinkles in comedians, writers, musicians and more.
...and, of course, the wider Hookshot Media Family
It would be remiss of me not to mention that Time Extension is part of the Hookshot Media network, an independent family of sites that includes Nintendo Life, Push Square, and Pure Xbox. We're also partnered with the knowledgeable folks over at Digital Foundry.
All of these sites should be on your bookmark list, in my totally unbiased opinion.
Have I missed a retro gaming site you use regularly? Be sure to post a comment to let me – and the world – know.