@Alex79uk Under emulation, the Sinden works with the arcade versions, I believe. Been a while since I tested it. This gun, I think, is only compatible with the Polymega and there's no DC support for that (currently).
@gingerbeardman I've linked to plenty of examples in the piece (many factual) which back up my opinion (but, this is an opinion-based article, as you so rightly point out).
As I also said at the start of the piece, AI is an incredibly powerful tool and I'm not entirely blind to its appeal and usefulness. But if you find it "tiresome" that I'm annoyed that Gen AI is being used to rip off human works to produce slop which is often pushed as a suitable substitute for human talent, then we couldn't be more apart in terms of how we feel about AI.
@KingMike I was thinking the exact same thing. There's a patch which allows you to run KOF 95 on flash carts like the Saroo, so perhaps that's how this works? (You can patch games on Polymega.) I have KOF 95 in the office somewhere, so I'll give it a try and report back!
@Coalescence They're working on the Super Nt issue. Apparently it only impacts certain revisions of the system. I'd imagine this will be solved by the time the game is released.
@SlangWon Not sure what your point is regarding Metal Slug, this device uses the original ROMs so if there's no auto fire in the game, it won't be present here (forgive me if I'm misunderstanding your question).
And yes, the lack of Turf Masters is a shame. What a game!
@Martin_H That's always going to be the issue here though, isn't it? Those Chinese emulation handhelds are packed with copyright-breaking ROMs which cost the manufacturer nothing, but Blaze has to pay a license for the games it pre-loads onto the Super Pockets. I prefer to be supporting the IP holders with devices like this, even if SNK is now owned by people I'd rather not be giving my money to.
@The_Nintend_Pedant I dunno, man. Even at the time, I remember the appeal of Loaded wearing off pretty quickly, despite it being the shiny new thing. I enjoyed playing it but it was traded in fast for something with more bite, if memory serves (the PWEI tracks are / were great, though).
@axelhander You're correct, we have been over this. AI isn't a human brain and can't be "inspired" in the same way a human can. It can't create anything; everything an AI produces has been taken from a human's work.
There's plenty of evidence, too, that AI firms like OpenAI are actually retaining copies of items used in training on it's servers, which isn't the same as a human being inspired by the work of someone else.
Plus, we have plagiarism and copyright protection when a human copies something directly.
@axelhander I think the fact that we can't meet in the middle is because we have very, very different opinions on what the current AI hype train is all about. GenAI is, in almost all cases, a tool which exploits the work of others and steals without permission. As a creative person who takes pride in their work, I'm naturally not keen on that at all, which I assume is easy to understand.
I can absolutely see the benefit of AI in other ways (medical research etc) but the way GenAI is being used at the moment breaks all kinds of ethical rules, and now that Disney is on the hunt I imagine we'll see legal guardrails put in place very quickly, because companies like OpenAI are already burning through cash; add in fines and lawsuits and the company is basically sunk.
@Robbo870 You realise people have been using long hyphens for decades, right? I can pull multiple articles from this site which use long ones, as well as books where it's the norm, all written before the AI theft machines turned up. In fact, most American sites have been using the long hyphen approach for years and years.
Seriously, you're accusing precisely the wrong person of using AI here
@Say_Yas The connection is that the instance mentioned here relates specifically to a piece about Space Harrier, and Retro Gamer was one of the outlets mentioned - but this impacts the whole of games journalism and all journalism, potentially, and I thought it was worth highlighting.
@Nischenliebhaber I'm well aware that AI has some really useful applications, especially in the world of medicine and science. And yes, there are applications like the ones you mention which definitely save time.
However, the way AI is being marketed and sold to consumers is dishonest, IMO, and is likely to cause more harm than good over the next few years.
When you have situations like here in the UK, where teachers have been told it's now ok to use AI to mark homework (which is presumably also done by AI), it's clear the technology comes with massive risks - so the more scepticism, the better!
@-wc- It feels like less than that when you watch the film tbh; fighting isn't really the focus! An open-world RPG would have been a really cool idea, but they kinda tried that with Final Fight Streetwise and it didn't really work
@Sketcz I think it's probably my favourite console of that gen, too. While PS1 and N64 are home to some of my favourite games, the Saturn was, pound for pound, utterly tuned into what I wanted as a gamer back then.
@GuyIncognito2k25 You're perfectly entitled to your opinion, but I have to say you couldn't be more wrong. Lee and all of his staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and keen to please, and the stock they have is brilliant - certainly a cut above what many other similar stores sell in the UK.
@Arcticpandapopz I've literally never been in there and had a bad customer service experience (and I visit multiple times a year) so I can only guess you must have caught someone on an off day.
@mashk You're 100% right, PC games of that era even felt different from those of the 2000s, 2010s and today. Something really unique about them which is hard to revisit today, I find
@Guru_Larry There are a few games which suffer from slowdown and sluggish frame rates (like Road Rash, Abrams Battle Tank, F22, etc). These are apparently smoother with the overclock.
Comments 825
Re: Review: Polymega GC01 Gun Controller - Is This Next-Gen Light Gun Worth The Four-Year Wait?
@Alex79uk Under emulation, the Sinden works with the arcade versions, I believe. Been a while since I tested it. This gun, I think, is only compatible with the Polymega and there's no DC support for that (currently).
Re: After Almost 14 Years, Retro Retailer Rose Colored Gaming Is Closing Its Doors
@Null2 I ran out of fingers. Fixed!
Re: Talking Point: If You Think AI Can Make SNES Games, We Have Some Magic Beans We'd Love To Sell You
@MarioLinkSamus And that's a problem because...?
Re: Talking Point: If You Think AI Can Make SNES Games, We Have Some Magic Beans We'd Love To Sell You
@KingMike I unironically love the SNES LotR. The music alone makes it worth a look.
Re: Talking Point: If You Think AI Can Make SNES Games, We Have Some Magic Beans We'd Love To Sell You
@gingerbeardman I've linked to plenty of examples in the piece (many factual) which back up my opinion (but, this is an opinion-based article, as you so rightly point out).
As I also said at the start of the piece, AI is an incredibly powerful tool and I'm not entirely blind to its appeal and usefulness. But if you find it "tiresome" that I'm annoyed that Gen AI is being used to rip off human works to produce slop which is often pushed as a suitable substitute for human talent, then we couldn't be more apart in terms of how we feel about AI.
Re: Review: DaemonClaw: Origins of Nnar (Mega Drive) - An Old-School Action Romp With Surprising Depth
@h3s I think the Neo Geo version is the same in terms of gameplay but the visuals look better, and I imagine the sound will be better too.
Re: Review: Super Pocket Data East Edition - A Solid Handheld, But One With Too Much Duplication
@KingMike Yep, it's the arcade version.
Re: Polymega's 1.1.35 Update Finally Brings Light Gun Support - Here Are The Games You Can Play
@KingMike I was thinking the exact same thing. There's a patch which allows you to run KOF 95 on flash carts like the Saroo, so perhaps that's how this works? (You can patch games on Polymega.) I have KOF 95 in the office somewhere, so I'll give it a try and report back!
Re: Hands On: 30 Years On, DOOM's "Super FX 3" Upgrade Gives SNES Players A More Polished Way To Rip And Tear
@GravyThief It's not, this is a pre-release cart. You can see what the final retail version will look like here: https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2024/08/doom-is-getting-a-new-and-improved-definitive-release-on-super-nintendo
Re: Hands On: 30 Years On, DOOM's "Super FX 3" Upgrade Gives SNES Players A More Polished Way To Rip And Tear
@Coalescence They're working on the Super Nt issue. Apparently it only impacts certain revisions of the system. I'd imagine this will be solved by the time the game is released.
Re: Review: Super Pocket Neo Geo Edition - Unlike SNK's Original, This Handheld Won't Break The Bank
@SlangWon Not sure what your point is regarding Metal Slug, this device uses the original ROMs so if there's no auto fire in the game, it won't be present here (forgive me if I'm misunderstanding your question).
And yes, the lack of Turf Masters is a shame. What a game!
Re: Review: Super Pocket Neo Geo Edition - Unlike SNK's Original, This Handheld Won't Break The Bank
@Martin_H That's always going to be the issue here though, isn't it? Those Chinese emulation handhelds are packed with copyright-breaking ROMs which cost the manufacturer nothing, but Blaze has to pay a license for the games it pre-loads onto the Super Pockets. I prefer to be supporting the IP holders with devices like this, even if SNK is now owned by people I'd rather not be giving my money to.
Re: Review: PowKiddy V90S - A GBA SP Lookalike That Won't Break The Bank
@jesse_dylan Of course it is. I should have remembered that Anbernic's numbering makes zero sense. Fixed (and thanks)!
Re: Review: Gremlin Collection 2 (Evercade) - We Wanna Get Loaded And Have A Good Time
@The_Nintend_Pedant Hogs of War is really, really good. I'm so glad it's getting a chance to find new fans!
Re: Review: Gremlin Collection 2 (Evercade) - We Wanna Get Loaded And Have A Good Time
@The_Nintend_Pedant I dunno, man. Even at the time, I remember the appeal of Loaded wearing off pretty quickly, despite it being the shiny new thing. I enjoyed playing it but it was traded in fast for something with more bite, if memory serves (the PWEI tracks are / were great, though).
Re: Physical Collectors "Should Plug In" Switch, 3DS And Vita Game Cards "Every 5-10 Years" To Avoid Data Loss
@mariteaux Disc rot is sadly very much a 'thing' and is impacting products that aren't even that old:
https://www.techradar.com/televisions/home-theater/warner-bros-is-replacing-some-dvds-that-rot-and-become-unwatchable-but-theres-a-big-catch-that-undermines-the-value-of-physical-media
Re: ChatGPT Translated An Article About Space Harrier, Then Suggested "Tailoring" It For Retro Gamer
@axelhander You're correct, we have been over this. AI isn't a human brain and can't be "inspired" in the same way a human can. It can't create anything; everything an AI produces has been taken from a human's work.
There's plenty of evidence, too, that AI firms like OpenAI are actually retaining copies of items used in training on it's servers, which isn't the same as a human being inspired by the work of someone else.
Plus, we have plagiarism and copyright protection when a human copies something directly.
Re: ChatGPT Translated An Article About Space Harrier, Then Suggested "Tailoring" It For Retro Gamer
@axelhander Yeah, I didn't get that either. Em dashes aren't a sign of AI use.
Re: ChatGPT Translated An Article About Space Harrier, Then Suggested "Tailoring" It For Retro Gamer
@PHEAL AI is a direct threat to this site and many others. If we stop highlighting this, there may not even be a website in a few years.
What kind of world do you think you'll have when AI is the only thing producing written content?
Re: ChatGPT Translated An Article About Space Harrier, Then Suggested "Tailoring" It For Retro Gamer
@axelhander I think the fact that we can't meet in the middle is because we have very, very different opinions on what the current AI hype train is all about. GenAI is, in almost all cases, a tool which exploits the work of others and steals without permission. As a creative person who takes pride in their work, I'm naturally not keen on that at all, which I assume is easy to understand.
I can absolutely see the benefit of AI in other ways (medical research etc) but the way GenAI is being used at the moment breaks all kinds of ethical rules, and now that Disney is on the hunt I imagine we'll see legal guardrails put in place very quickly, because companies like OpenAI are already burning through cash; add in fines and lawsuits and the company is basically sunk.
Re: ChatGPT Translated An Article About Space Harrier, Then Suggested "Tailoring" It For Retro Gamer
@Robbo870 You realise people have been using long hyphens for decades, right? I can pull multiple articles from this site which use long ones, as well as books where it's the norm, all written before the AI theft machines turned up. In fact, most American sites have been using the long hyphen approach for years and years.
Seriously, you're accusing precisely the wrong person of using AI here
Re: ChatGPT Translated An Article About Space Harrier, Then Suggested "Tailoring" It For Retro Gamer
@axelhander If you've read the piece fully and still think it's just a tool, then I'm not sure we have much more to say to one another.
AI is certainly useful, but in this instance, it's promoting plagiarism, pure and simple.
Re: ChatGPT Translated An Article About Space Harrier, Then Suggested "Tailoring" It For Retro Gamer
@avcrypt Thanks for the kind words - your support is truly appreciated!
Re: ChatGPT Translated An Article About Space Harrier, Then Suggested "Tailoring" It For Retro Gamer
@WileyDragonfly I realise the classic meaning of the word is to reduce by one tenth, but it has gained a more considerable meaning in recent times.
Re: ChatGPT Translated An Article About Space Harrier, Then Suggested "Tailoring" It For Retro Gamer
@Deway Very true!
Re: ChatGPT Translated An Article About Space Harrier, Then Suggested "Tailoring" It For Retro Gamer
@Say_Yas The connection is that the instance mentioned here relates specifically to a piece about Space Harrier, and Retro Gamer was one of the outlets mentioned - but this impacts the whole of games journalism and all journalism, potentially, and I thought it was worth highlighting.
Re: OpenAI's ChatGPT Lost A Game Of Chess Against The 48-Year-Old Atari 2600
@Nischenliebhaber I'm well aware that AI has some really useful applications, especially in the world of medicine and science. And yes, there are applications like the ones you mention which definitely save time.
However, the way AI is being marketed and sold to consumers is dishonest, IMO, and is likely to cause more harm than good over the next few years.
When you have situations like here in the UK, where teachers have been told it's now ok to use AI to mark homework (which is presumably also done by AI), it's clear the technology comes with massive risks - so the more scepticism, the better!
Re: OpenAI's ChatGPT Lost A Game Of Chess Against The 48-Year-Old Atari 2600
@Nischenliebhaber "Do you really need that?"
Absolutely. AI is overhyped trash, much of which is built on content taken without permission.
Re: Remember That Annoyingly Expensive WonderSwan Headphone Adapter? It's Been Cloned
@KingMike The SwanCrystal is a huge improvement over the WSC when it comes to the screen.
Re: The Making Of: Fight Club, The Game David Fincher Didn't Want You To Play
@-wc- It feels like less than that when you watch the film tbh; fighting isn't really the focus! An open-world RPG would have been a really cool idea, but they kinda tried that with Final Fight Streetwise and it didn't really work
Re: Japan's Game Preservation Society Is Safe For Now, And It's All Thanks To You
@gingerbeardman We'll definitely be keeping tabs on developments 👍
Re: Please Don't Sleep On This Genesis Mecha Cult Classic, Now Available On Switch, PS4 And Xbox
@NinChocolate @ThomasHobbes Yeah, it used to get me every time!
Re: Tomohiro Nishikado On Making 'Space Invaders' And What Makes Games Fun
@Frmknst What a bizarre comment to make on a site devoted to retro gaming.
Re: Hot On Diddy Kong's Tail, Mario Kart 64 Has Now Been Successfully Decompiled
@gingerbeardman Thanks, I've updated the piece!
Re: 30 Years Ago, Sega Took Its Biggest Gamble With Saturn And Failed
@Sketcz I think it's probably my favourite console of that gen, too. While PS1 and N64 are home to some of my favourite games, the Saturn was, pound for pound, utterly tuned into what I wanted as a gamer back then.
Re: Let's Pour One Out For The Dreamcast's Best Controller
@-wc- I love my DC stick, but it's big and bulky, and sometimes you just want a pad, you know?
Re: This Retro Game Store Is So Good It Has Its Own Video Game
@GuyIncognito2k25 You're perfectly entitled to your opinion, but I have to say you couldn't be more wrong. Lee and all of his staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and keen to please, and the stock they have is brilliant - certainly a cut above what many other similar stores sell in the UK.
Re: This Retro Game Store Is So Good It Has Its Own Video Game
@Arcticpandapopz I've literally never been in there and had a bad customer service experience (and I visit multiple times a year) so I can only guess you must have caught someone on an off day.
Re: This Retro Game Store Is So Good It Has Its Own Video Game
@MysticWangForce I understood that reference.gif
Re: Footage Of Taito's Cancelled F-Zero-Style Racer 'Vertexer' Appears Online
@gingerbeardman You'd hope the ROM will be dumped soon!
Re: Footage Of Taito's Cancelled F-Zero-Style Racer 'Vertexer' Appears Online
@gingerbeardman Hence the word "new" in front of "footage" at the start of the piece
The lead image is taken from that attract mode video. Such a cool intro! Hope we get to play this one day soon.
Re: The Story Of Ecstatica, The Groundbreaking Survival Horror With Plenty Of Balls
@mashk You're 100% right, PC games of that era even felt different from those of the 2000s, 2010s and today. Something really unique about them which is hard to revisit today, I find
Re: Limited Run Refutes Accusation It Violated GPL In Tomba! Special Edition
@gingerbeardman https://github.com/LRG-CarbonEngine/PCSX-ReARMed
I've seen the video you mention and will be asking Josh / LRG about it.
Re: Yuzo Koshiro Explains What Inspired Him When Creating Streets Of Rage's Iconic Soundtrack
@jesse_dylan Same! I love them all, but the first one was mind-blowingly good.
Re: Next Week's Evercade Showcase Will Reveal "Upcoming Neo Geo Products And More"
@Bod2019 This is what I get for rushing. Thanks for the save!
Re: New Genesis / Mega Drive Mod Upgrades Sega's Console For A "New Era"
@Guru_Larry There are a few games which suffer from slowdown and sluggish frame rates (like Road Rash, Abrams Battle Tank, F22, etc). These are apparently smoother with the overclock.
Re: GBA Xeno Crisis Is The Most Portable Version Of The Most-Ported Game Of Recent Times
@NewBond I wasn't aware of the L and R thing, have added that in! Thanks!
Re: Palmer Luckey Just Invoked 'The Matrix' To Tease A New Nintendo 64 Console
@Bod2019 Good question, not heard anything as yet.
Re: Random: This Two-Sided NES Cart Is Blowing Our Tiny Minds
@Sketcz I really didn't need to recall that ending! XD
Re: Review: Octopus TR Fight Stick - You'll Never Need To Buy An Arcade Stick Again
@Ryu_Niiyama It's definitely robust enough. It's built like a tank, honestly.