Retro Recap All The Classic Gaming News From The Past Week (June 7th 2026)

Welcome to Retro Recap, a regular feature we run each and every weekend which rounds up all of the best retro gaming news and content of the past week in one place.

Utopia Is Getting A New Physical Release On SNES

33 Games is a new boutique publisher which aims to create physical collector's editions of classic games – and it has already announced its first project, a re-release of Zool on the Mega Drive / Genesis.

We can now exclusively reveal the company's next project – and it's another cult classic from legendary UK studio Gremlin.

Originally released on 16-bit home computers in 1991, Utopia: The Creation Of A Nation has been described as "SimCity in space" and would come to the SNES in 1993. It is that version which is getting a new physical release via 33 Games.

Super Play Artist Wil Overton Reimagines The Debut Issue's Cover

Super Play was one of the greatest SNES-focused magazines to come out of the 1990s, and its main artist has just reimagined what the debut issue's cover might have looked like had it been published today.

Published by Future and spanning 47 issues (plus a special one-off 48th edition that was given away with Retro Gamer in 2017), Super Play was famous for its import focus, and this love of Japanese gaming would extend to the look and feel of the mag – right down to an extensive anime section and Overton's unmistakable artwork.

"Thought I'd give it another go," says Overton on Instagram, alongside an image of the updated issue one cover. "Now, what would I have picked for all the other issues? Coming soon to a Patreon near you."

Developer Kai Magazine Software Accused Of Using Stolen Artwork

YouTuber Goati_ has put together perhaps the most comprehensive look yet at how Kai Magazine Software's Death & Lead leverages stolen and AI-generated artwork, with the stolen elements appearing without credit to the original artists.

Kai Magazine is operated by Oscar Kenneth Albero, and has released several games on Sega's 16-bit console. Two of them – Metal Dragon & Life On Mars – have been published on Evercade (Time Extension previously contacted the Evercade maker, Blaze, about this issue, but the company has declined to comment).

"This is stealing and selling for a profit," says the YouTuber. "This is the most evil Mega Drive game. This time, [Albero] product isn't even trying to look good at the beginning."

The Vectrex Mini Gets The Blessing Of The Original Creator As Game Lineup Is Revealed

The team behind the forthcoming Vectrex Mini has revealed that Jay Smith, who created the original back in 1982, is now on board as a consultant.

"My goal was to secure the rights for the launch-era Vectrex games originally developed under Smith Engineering in 1982, but even more importantly, I wanted Jay Smith’s support and guidance for the future of the project," says David Oghia, the guiding light behind the resurrected Vectrex.

"You simply cannot build a new Vectrex console without the blessing and support of its original creator. It took us several months to finalize our agreement, and I used this opportunity to travel to Colorado to meet Jay in person. And honestly… it was magical."

Sega Might Be Releasing A Low-Cost Handheld With Removable Game Carts

An employee of a "small specialist electronics manufacturer" has posted on Reddit that they suspect Sega might be looking to release a low-cost handheld games console.

SeraphHS reveals that the company they work for received a quotation request from "a company that’s done licensed Sega hardware before," citing the Genesis / Mega Drive Mini as an example. "Not Sega directly, but definitely in that orbit – think Tectoy, AtGames, etc."

R-Type III SNES's Original Director "Deeply Concerned" With Launch Quality Of ININ Games' Recent Remake

Since its release last month across PC and consoles, R-Type Dimensions III has taken a bit of a battering online, with hardcore shmup fans pointing out a number of major issues with the title, ranging from hitbox/collision problems to strange enemy and weapon behaviours, incorrect sound effects, and much, much more.

In the aftermath, ININ Games has begun putting out patches to try to address some of the most pressing issues, and has announced what it is calling a "comprehensive improvement initiative for R-Type Dimensions III," which promises to tackle "important concerns regarding several aspects of the release" from "members of the dedicated R-Type community."

But this hasn't stopped people from criticising the company for releasing the game in this state in the first place, with R-Type III's original director Kengo Miyata lending his voice to those "deeply concerned" with the state it was allowed to go out in.

'90s-Inspired Roguelike 'Dungeon Lurker' Unveiled With "Era-Accurate" Diorama & Website For Maximum Nostalgia

As much as we all like to pretend to be insusceptible to clever marketing tricks and gimmicks, there are always those rare exceptions where we have to throw our hands up and praise a developer or publisher for coming up with effective ways of standing out from the sheer tidal wave of new releases that clog up our inbox on a daily basis.

One great example of this is the sidescrolling action-adventure roguelike Dungeon Lurker from 13AM Games, which was announced earlier this week at the MIX Summer Game Showcase 2026.

Evercade Boss Says The Games Industry Is Failing Older Players

Game companies are missing a trick when it comes to catering to older games, says Blaze CEO Andrew Byatt.

"We find there's a lot of lapsed gamers," Byatt says. "They really want to re-experience stuff that they did when they were younger. If all developers are focusing on these huge cinematic experiences, and they're aiming at teenagers and [people in their] early 20s, that kind of age group, then I think they are missing a trick."

The Making Of Sega's Cyber Razor Cut - "I Spent The Entire Shoot Expecting It To Explode"

If you grew up in the UK in the early '90s, then you'll no doubt be aware of Sega's 'Cyber Razor Cut' commercial.

Aired in 1992 just as the console wars between Sega and Nintendo were about to heat up, the advertisement featured Peter Wingfield (Highlander: The Series) and Steve O'Donnell (Bottom) and was set in a steam-filled cyberpunk barbershop. The suave and handsome Jimmy (Wingfield) enters, demanding a 'Cyber Razor Cut' from O'Donnell's character – a request which sees Jimmy being cybernetically enhanced to cope with the intense challenge posed by "over 100" Mega Drive games.

The commercial was shot by award-winning cinematographer Geoff Boyle, who sadly passed away in 2021. I was lucky enough to have spoken to Boyle many years ago for a feature on the entire Sega Pirate TV campaign, and he explained exactly how he achieved its incredible visual effects.

Feature: Kingdom Hearts' Translator On Chocobo Racing, Naming Tidus & Vagrant Story

In the past, we've had the amazing opportunity to interview a number of veteran translators and editors, such as Richard Honeywood, Leslie Swan, Alexander O. Smith, Brody Phillips, and Tom Shiraiwa, and this week, it was the turn of former Square employee and localisation specialist, Amanda Jun Katsurada.