Funnily enough I picked up a copy of this game just the other week! I never played it back in the day, but it's lined up ready for when Analogue release the 3D. Can't wait!
1. No-one has ever found anything in the game to reveal the required code. When we consider how much people have played this game it's clear there simply is nothing in game to tell us.
2. Volume of items in jars has never been used as a puzzle or a puzzle hint in any Zelda game. Probably because it's cryptic and that's not in keeping with a Zelda puzzle or indeed Nintendo's style.
3. The puzzle is not particularly complex so it's certainly plausible that the brute force method was adopted.
I think the fact there are only two possible combinations of 1 2 3 whereby the numbers are ALL in the incorrect place of a 1 2 3 order is the most logical rationale.
231 and 312
On balance, a lot of players would see those combinations as having at least some degree of logic. But of course, brute force technique works just fine too.
We had an Amiga 500 - it was a bundle that came with Batman The Movie and I was... 5 I think! I vividly remember playing The New Zealand Story, my first ever game, and watching my old man attempt to complete Batman (he managed it a few times!) and Turbo Outrun (he never managed that one!).
Obviously I never managed to beat The New Zealand Story haha
It was an absolutely brilliant machine with some really remarkable sound and graphics- and Xenon 2 is a brilliant example. Compare the Amiga version to the Mega Drive port and it tells you everything you need to know about why the Amiga was so good.
Xenon 2 and Speedball 2 missing from this collection is pretty criminal... unless they are planning a sequel collection? Those two games are pretty much all I think of when someone says Bitmap Brothers (and Bomb The Base in the case of Xenon 2!)
I have the Amiga Mini now, which is great, but I tell you what... the OpenFpga Amiga core on the Analogue Pocket is superb. Cannot recommend it enough.
In fact, everyone seems to go on about the Nintendo and SEGA cores... They look amateur compared to the work that has been done on this Amiga core. Clearly built by fans with a real passion... and there are so many great games (and so many terrible ones too!!) But yes, so many great games!
Imagine. Every single Amiga game ever made. Not only in your pocket.. but playable too! 5 year old me would never have believed it haha
@RetroGames Yep, I absolutely agree. I just finished playing that Horizons ROM version of Super Mario Kart. I enjoyed it, and I absolutely respect the wonderful hardworking involved but it did leave me a bit underwhelmed in that I was just playing more of the same game I already knew and loved. And whilst I understand that was entirely the point of the Horizons ROM(!) it did just make me think... what about something new and original?
So strange because I literally was reading up on Neo Geo Pocket Color games yesterday, as there's an adapter for the Analogue Pocket, and there are a couple of Metal Slug games that look great!
I've been playing Alien 3 on the Analogue Pocket Game Gear Adapter. Good little game actually - tough, but you can get through!
I remember playing Alien Trilogy at my mate's house the week it launched. I know the game hasn't aged particularly well, but I hope this book manages to capture that special feeling of playing these early 3D games for the very first time. This was a genuinely terrifying experience at the time!
Also hoping for an update to the Analogue Pocket OS and firmware... There are so many basic features missing from the device... like being able to sort the games by length of time played, as one really basic example.
No interest whatsoever in this variant. $500 is too much - I'd sooner use that money to buy a load of Game Gear and Gameboy Advance games since I never owned those consoles back in the day!
This sounds great, but I would encourage the inclusion of the full library of Game Gear games and not just the exclusives.
I would also recommend including Analogue Pocket as the Game Gear adapter is a wonderful, wonderful thing. Would be good to interview them and include it as this is a huge reason for the recent surge in Game Gear interest. Far more than the frankly ludicrous Game Gear Micro.
I've been thoroughly enjoying exploring the Game Gear catalogue for the first time over the past 6 months or so. Crystal Warriors was a highlight and looking forward to starting Defenders of Oasis soon.
Oh also they should include the translation games. Royal Stone is a good example, and Coca Cola Kid. There's loads of them - Japan exclusives but you can buy fan translation carts. Definitely worth exploring.
Will keep an eye on the book, but I think the scope needs expanding - don't need loads of pages on it, but Analogue, Full Library and Translations all should be there in my opinion!
@antdickens Does anyone even know what was happening in Russia in 1984, though? I mean it's no coincidence information is light... finding out anything about Russia can be tricky.
Tetris absolutely could have been on sale in Russia in 1984.
It was the voluntary moderators, Hobbas, along with the Rares that made the game a success back in those days. No idea why Sulake think they can replicate those days without either of those key elements.
The volunteer moderator role was crucial to making people stay with the game, spend money and increase their visits. The success of Habbo dropped from the moment they did away with that feature.
Yes, it was a difficult thing to moderate... and there were a lot of challenges around vetting online players. Sulake never realised it was worth the effort.
@Spider-Kev They've chosen to use that for NSO, but they didn't necessarily have to. Could be a commercial decision as its no doubt a cheap option.
I find it hard to believe that Nintendo don't have multiple copies of every single game that released on every single system safely tucked away in a huge archive at their HQ. I also find it very unlikely they haven't digitally preserved it all too.
It is strange they don't talk about it... but this is Nintendo. What about Microsoft, Sony and SEGA? I remember Sony were always sent multiple copies of a game when it went gold - as standard practice. That's all versions too - including collector's editions! Of course it doesn't necessarily mean they keep it all... but I think it's unlikely they send it to landfill!
I guess the point I'm making is just because WE the consumer don't have access to all the games doesn't mean it hasn't been preserved.
Similarly, if some random guy has bought every game for the NES off ebay over a decade and keeps them all in his lockup... that also doesn't equate to preservation. His kids will likely send it all to landfill when he passes!
Hrmm I'm not liking that headline. The lack of a light is not a failing, it was a deliberate design choice. And this mod is pretty ridiculous, to the extreme, when you consider a clip on reading light for a fiver will achieve the same result...
Nice to see an article on the Playdate though. You should do more articles on it - new releases and such.
We don't even have a proper museum for videogames in the UK - nevermind full on preservation.
The big publishers should all contribute more. More of their time. More of their stories. More of their history. And yes, more of their money too.
Seriously. How is there not a bigger and better Videogames museum in the UK? Think about all the rich videogames history on our shores.
Think about how much money GTA alone makes. Rockstar could do it themselves within a year.
The industry should be embarrassed by how little they give back. It really isn't a surprise the wider entertainment industries still, largely, ignore and belittle gaming.
(And yes, I do not count Sheffield or Bradford's largely poor efforts at a videogame museum! Neither are supported by the industry anywhere near enough).
I'm not convinced a Mini Dreamcast would wash its face, you know. I love SEGA and I love that console... but not many people do. It's a shame, but deep down I think we know this is true.
And before you start throwing mini Amigas and mini Commodores at me... those things are just more evidence. They didn't sell well at all...
Save states will come eventually. The current cores are just the first drafts, rushed through by devs that simply don't care much once its rolled out. They're moving onto the next core and not looking back. Just look at the long list of open issues and the years with no updates as evidence.
But there will be other devs in the future. And there will be other versions of the cores. And they will be far superior than what is currently available.
Everyone seems to be so impatient with retro games. Just relax. Enjoy the systems that have save states and wait for the support to arrive on the others. Let's not forget that there are still a whole load of systems that aren't even on Mister yet - we will reach saturation point soon enough, and then we will start to see revisions and improvements.
Does it play the original carts? I'm struggling to see how this is an Analogue Pocket competitor if it doesn't play the carts...
Are people seriously buying an Analogue Pocket and then NOT playing any carts?! Isn't there a thousand devices, each year, that can play roms for a fraction of the cost of the Pocket?! I find this odd lol
Nintendo should release the Game Boy again - a new screen, rechargeable, online store where you can download games at reasonable prices, SD Card slot.
They should then put one of their dev teams on Game Boy game development. Let's have "Donkey Kong 24", "Super Mario Land 3 (without Wario!)", let's have a secret exit level in Super Mario Land 2's Mario Zone whilst you're at it.
Seriously though... there's a huge appetite for Retro gaming. The investment needed for producing "new old games" is so comfortable for Nintendo right now I can't really see why they wouldn't just go for it.
They would sell millions of new Game Boys. They should have done it 5 years ago - halfway through Switch lifecycle so sales are not impacted, and riding on the wave of the NES and SNES mini consoles.
Imagine how much amazing gaming content we would all be enjoying if Nintendo actually took a risk once in a while? What do they plan to do with all the money in their bank from Switch?! Are they really that paranoid the Switch follow up will be another Wii U/Gamecube?
Surely all the evidence points towards a NES into SNES scenario for Switch into next console. Take some risks and spend some money!
I moved away from physical with the Switch. I think it was the portability that cemented the idea of just having everything loaded and ready to play - anytime, anywhere with anyone, you could say!
But... then Analogue came along... and now I'm buying physical games more than ever before. And not just old ones either! I've bought new Gameboy and GameGear games!
@UK_Kev I couldn't agree more. There's actually a LOT of things I can't believe SEGA haven't done/aren't doing. I guess they're just not in any sort of rush?
I wasn't quite old enough at the time sadly, but amongst the friendship group I remember it being a big decision at the time whether to go for a PS1 or an N64 - Saturn wasn't even in the discussion.
Out of the four of us, 3 had an N64, 2 had a PS1 and no-one had a Saturn (so yes, one lucky git had both - not me incidentally!)
Did anyone have all three or know of someone with all three? That would have been awesome.
Saturn and Dreamcast are both uncharted territory in my gaming life. I'm looking forward to exploring them in a few years time - genuinely as excited for this as I am the third part of FF7 Remake and the next Switch.
I'd be well up for a Saturn Mini also - but I'm happy to wait for Analogue (assuming they continue their journey through gaming history...) and of course there's always Mister - which I believe very recently (earlier this year) has hit a new landmark milestone on the Saturn.
This looks pretty good actually, but at risk of sounding like a tool... "Fallen City Brawl" just seems a really strange name to go with. I don't like it at all.
Streets of Rage - it uses a more edgy reference to the setting by using "streets", it's sharp and to the point by using one connecting word with two main words and it uses "rage" to set the tone and feeling of the game perfectly.
Fallen City Brawl - by comparison this is too clunky. "City" sounds more like where bankers work, "Fallen" doesn't even seem to make sense? Who brawls over a fallen city? And then "brawl" sounds like a couple of posh people slapping each other!
It's like they've put Streets Of Rage in a thesaurus. Or worse... did they ask AI?!
What's in a name they say? A lot when it comes to gaming.
I've been hugely impressed with the Game Gear adapter on Analogue Pocket. Have loved exploring what is a hugely underrated library. Fantasy Zone, Crystal Warriors, Castle of Illusion and Shinobi were all excellent and I have a ton of games lined up: Shinobi 2, Sonic Triple Trouble, Defenders of Oasis, Streets Of Rage, Super Star Wars Return Of The Jedi, Land of Illusion, Ax Battler and an English translation cart of Royal Stone (saving this one for Xmas!)
Early days still, but based on experience to date it seems to me the Game Gear library has a bad rep because of the hardware having poor battery life and a really terrible screen. The games are great!
I'm just not convinced by these... I'd rather save up for one that is full size. And I think I'd rather make it myself too - as a fun project over a year. "One day...!"
Big question is which game do you choose. Bubble Bobble isn't a bad shout actually. 100 levels and 2 player too.
This is awesome. I recently picked up the GG adapter for the Analogue Pocket so I'll definitely check this out.
The combination of the Pocket's fantastic screen and the save state function not only make the entire Game Gear back catalogue accessible in a way they never have before, but it's made the games so much better. GG gets a bad rep, but the screen was the problem (and battery life!) - not the games. So many gems I've uncovered so far!
The target audience for this are, generalisation I know, money rich and time poor. It's not everyone, but it's a huge chunk of the core audience.
So, I'm sorry, but until you set about work on the save state functionality, I really don't care about saving some money on it.
I don't have time to play a game in one sitting. Find me an average 30-40 year old that does! There's a mountain of work that needs to be done on save states, and no-one is doing it.
If we could just fast forward to the moment when they all catch up and realise they have to add this function...
I'm all for projects like this! I hope we see many more projects and I want to see Nintendo doing it too - I want Donkey Kong '24! I want a Super Mario Land 3 that isn't a Wario game!
It still amazes me that Nintendo sold millions of NES and SNES minis... They have millions in the bank from an overwhelmingly successful Switch console... but they just sit and watch while Analogue clean up. I don't understand it personally.
Those mini consoles absolutely should have played original software, and Nintendo should be selling the old games again, and making "new old games"!
I'm so glad I got myself off Apple. I love my iPhone back in the day, but the fact a Gameboy emulator makes headlines in 2024 when it's been playable on android for decades really does speak volumes.
Sounds pretty toxic to be honest. Who knows why. I think people are right to walk away if something is making them unhappy - so credit for that. All the fighting and bickering explains a lot with regards to the quality of many of these projects too. I'm solely a consumer, so who cares what I think, but the state of many of the cores leaves a lot to be desired. No doubt there's immense talent on display, but communication and people skills are clearly lacking. They need someone to manage them all!
@Arcata sorry I realise now my comment is misleading! I mean what I said in terms of an OOT Remake being an inevitability. It's not confirmed at all. Not yet...!
@dmcc0 I just finished Castle Of Illusion too. Looking forward to Land of Illusion and Legend of Illusion - both of which I didn't even know existed until a few weeks ago.
Game Gear gets a bad rep, and to be fair, the original screen and battery consumption was pretty bad... but I've played a lot of very good Game Gear games this year.
It's easy to forget the impact N64 games made when you first played them. You had to be there - and I don't mean to offend those that were not there, but it really is true.
That sense of wonder and discovery is genuinely unrivaled. The closest I've ever come to it is with the freedom of exploration in BotW - but ultimately the gameplay still fell into charted seas, so to speak.
OOT was all new. The possibilities were limitless. (Of course in reality, and we soon learned, they were not limitless at all. But this is my point. Ocarina of Time is the only game I have ever played where I had that feeling).
The remake of OOT that's coming will be great, but again it still won't beat that first time.
I've been picking up N64 games for the past 6 months or so. Got 30 lined up to play!
Oh and weird coincidence... but I've just started a playthrough of the Atlantis Indiana Jones adventure game on the Amiga 500. Never knew the 64 had an Indiana Jones game - will definitely check that out!
@delt75 I've done the same with Game Gear! Always wanted one growing up and now finally getting to play. It doesn't have the strongest library... but there's more than a handful of great games!
Analogue Pocket is at its best when you play the actual physical games on it.
How on earth can "yet another retro handheld" be considered a rival to that?
I've looked at the FPGA cores and most haven't been updated for years, they are plagued with numerous bugs and they do not offer the save state functionality (except for SMS and NES).
Pocket is about the physical games. Picking a single game to load up, play, enjoy and complete. Playing original cartridges with save state is an absolute joy.
This is in no way rivaled by the ability to stare at 100s of roms. And maybe play them for a few minutes before moving on.
The one FPGA project that I appreciate is the Amiga Vision. That is excellent and clearly a labour of love. Everything else I've looked at appears to be a rush job with numerous bugs that never got revisited as they're too busy on the next thing. Look how many of the cores are by the same people. No thanks.
Really useful list, but I'm resisting the temptation. Analogue Pocket's ability to play Gameboy and Game Gear games on such a brilliant screen, combined with the ability to save state (I didn't realise this would work on the actual games!) has led me down the route of buying the games and playing them individually.
I've had so many retro Handhelds down the years and honestly the ability to have everything available just left me playing almost nothing. It doesn't really make much sense, but Analogue Pocket has made me appreciate the individual game again and now I'm playing, and completing, more than ever (and yes, poorer than ever too - but hey, it's a hobby).
Comments 223
Re: The Making Of: Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon, Konami's Underrated N64 Classic
Funnily enough I picked up a copy of this game just the other week! I never played it back in the day, but it's lined up ready for when Analogue release the 3D. Can't wait!
Re: Random: No One Can Agree On The Solution To This Zelda: Ocarina Of Time Puzzle
We have to look at the facts...
1. No-one has ever found anything in the game to reveal the required code. When we consider how much people have played this game it's clear there simply is nothing in game to tell us.
2. Volume of items in jars has never been used as a puzzle or a puzzle hint in any Zelda game. Probably because it's cryptic and that's not in keeping with a Zelda puzzle or indeed Nintendo's style.
3. The puzzle is not particularly complex so it's certainly plausible that the brute force method was adopted.
I think the fact there are only two possible combinations of 1 2 3 whereby the numbers are ALL in the incorrect place of a 1 2 3 order is the most logical rationale.
231 and 312
On balance, a lot of players would see those combinations as having at least some degree of logic. But of course, brute force technique works just fine too.
Re: The Bitmap Brothers Collection 2 Brings Amiga Classics To Evercade
We had an Amiga 500 - it was a bundle that came with Batman The Movie and I was... 5 I think! I vividly remember playing The New Zealand Story, my first ever game, and watching my old man attempt to complete Batman (he managed it a few times!) and Turbo Outrun (he never managed that one!).
Obviously I never managed to beat The New Zealand Story haha
It was an absolutely brilliant machine with some really remarkable sound and graphics- and Xenon 2 is a brilliant example. Compare the Amiga version to the Mega Drive port and it tells you everything you need to know about why the Amiga was so good.
Xenon 2 and Speedball 2 missing from this collection is pretty criminal... unless they are planning a sequel collection? Those two games are pretty much all I think of when someone says Bitmap Brothers (and Bomb The Base in the case of Xenon 2!)
I have the Amiga Mini now, which is great, but I tell you what... the OpenFpga Amiga core on the Analogue Pocket is superb. Cannot recommend it enough.
In fact, everyone seems to go on about the Nintendo and SEGA cores... They look amateur compared to the work that has been done on this Amiga core. Clearly built by fans with a real passion... and there are so many great games (and so many terrible ones too!!) But yes, so many great games!
Imagine. Every single Amiga game ever made. Not only in your pocket.. but playable too! 5 year old me would never have believed it haha
Re: Castlemania Is Super Mario World With Castlevania's Bite
@RetroGames Yep, I absolutely agree. I just finished playing that Horizons ROM version of Super Mario Kart. I enjoyed it, and I absolutely respect the wonderful hardworking involved but it did leave me a bit underwhelmed in that I was just playing more of the same game I already knew and loved. And whilst I understand that was entirely the point of the Horizons ROM(!) it did just make me think... what about something new and original?
Re: A New Metal Slug Game Is Out Today, But Don't Get Too Excited
So strange because I literally was reading up on Neo Geo Pocket Color games yesterday, as there's an adapter for the Analogue Pocket, and there are a couple of Metal Slug games that look great!
Not this though... this looks bad.
Re: GoldenEye 007 & Perfect Dark Artist Brett Jones Has Passed Away
A true legend of the industry, no doubt. Sad news.
Re: ZX Spectrum Classic 'Scuba Dive' Gets Surprising New PC Fan Remake
Looks like they've done a great job here!
Re: Newly Announced Book Will Chart The History of Alien's Xenomorph In Games
I've been playing Alien 3 on the Analogue Pocket Game Gear Adapter. Good little game actually - tough, but you can get through!
I remember playing Alien Trilogy at my mate's house the week it launched. I know the game hasn't aged particularly well, but I hope this book manages to capture that special feeling of playing these early 3D games for the very first time. This was a genuinely terrifying experience at the time!
Re: The Next Analogue Pocket Limited Edition Is Made From Aluminum, Costs $500
Hoping we get some 3D news soon...!
Also hoping for an update to the Analogue Pocket OS and firmware... There are so many basic features missing from the device... like being able to sort the games by length of time played, as one really basic example.
No interest whatsoever in this variant. $500 is too much - I'd sooner use that money to buy a load of Game Gear and Gameboy Advance games since I never owned those consoles back in the day!
Re: Sega's Game Gear Is Getting The Book It Truly Deserves
This sounds great, but I would encourage the inclusion of the full library of Game Gear games and not just the exclusives.
I would also recommend including Analogue Pocket as the Game Gear adapter is a wonderful, wonderful thing. Would be good to interview them and include it as this is a huge reason for the recent surge in Game Gear interest. Far more than the frankly ludicrous Game Gear Micro.
I've been thoroughly enjoying exploring the Game Gear catalogue for the first time over the past 6 months or so. Crystal Warriors was a highlight and looking forward to starting Defenders of Oasis soon.
Oh also they should include the translation games. Royal Stone is a good example, and Coca Cola Kid. There's loads of them - Japan exclusives but you can buy fan translation carts. Definitely worth exploring.
Will keep an eye on the book, but I think the scope needs expanding - don't need loads of pages on it, but Analogue, Full Library and Translations all should be there in my opinion!
Re: Anniversary: Is Tetris Really 40 This Year?
@antdickens Does anyone even know what was happening in Russia in 1984, though? I mean it's no coincidence information is light... finding out anything about Russia can be tricky.
Tetris absolutely could have been on sale in Russia in 1984.
Re: 2000s MMO Game 'Habbo Hotel' Is Getting A Throwback Revival
It was the voluntary moderators, Hobbas, along with the Rares that made the game a success back in those days. No idea why Sulake think they can replicate those days without either of those key elements.
The volunteer moderator role was crucial to making people stay with the game, spend money and increase their visits. The success of Habbo dropped from the moment they did away with that feature.
Yes, it was a difficult thing to moderate... and there were a lot of challenges around vetting online players. Sulake never realised it was worth the effort.
Re: Anniversary: Is Tetris Really 40 This Year?
I'm going to go with what Alexey says, and based on the Tetris website that is indeed June 1984.
I find it extremely unlikely that a PR agency changed the year!
Personally, I'd mark the Gameboy release date as the true anniversary, anyway.
Re: Backlash Against $99 MiSTer FPGA Clone's Name Results In Creator Offering Alternatives
I find it hilarious that they are debating a confusing name like this is ever going to go mainstream lol
Everyone, and I mean every single person that ever goes anywhere near this product... will know exactly what it is. The name is entirely irrelevant.
Re: Talking Point: Is Nintendo Erasing Its Own History In Its War On ROM Sites?
@Spider-Kev They've chosen to use that for NSO, but they didn't necessarily have to. Could be a commercial decision as its no doubt a cheap option.
I find it hard to believe that Nintendo don't have multiple copies of every single game that released on every single system safely tucked away in a huge archive at their HQ. I also find it very unlikely they haven't digitally preserved it all too.
It is strange they don't talk about it... but this is Nintendo. What about Microsoft, Sony and SEGA? I remember Sony were always sent multiple copies of a game when it went gold - as standard practice. That's all versions too - including collector's editions! Of course it doesn't necessarily mean they keep it all... but I think it's unlikely they send it to landfill!
I guess the point I'm making is just because WE the consumer don't have access to all the games doesn't mean it hasn't been preserved.
Similarly, if some random guy has bought every game for the NES off ebay over a decade and keeps them all in his lockup... that also doesn't equate to preservation. His kids will likely send it all to landfill when he passes!
Re: Talking Point: Is Nintendo Erasing Its Own History In Its War On ROM Sites?
Who's to say Nintendo themselves haven't already preserved every single game from each of their consoles?
I don't understand why so many people feel the need to do this themselves... it's all going to end up in landfill when we're gone you know!
Re: This Playdate Mod Solves The Handheld's Biggest Failing
Hrmm I'm not liking that headline. The lack of a light is not a failing, it was a deliberate design choice. And this mod is pretty ridiculous, to the extreme, when you consider a clip on reading light for a fiver will achieve the same result...
Nice to see an article on the Playdate though. You should do more articles on it - new releases and such.
Re: Cleared Hot Is The Desert Strike Spiritual Successor We've All Been Waiting For
This looks good!
Would love to see some futuristic G Police style content in this game too!
Re: Switzerland Granted £2.8 Million To Preserve Its Video Game History - Why Can't The UK?
We don't even have a proper museum for videogames in the UK - nevermind full on preservation.
The big publishers should all contribute more. More of their time. More of their stories. More of their history. And yes, more of their money too.
Seriously. How is there not a bigger and better Videogames museum in the UK? Think about all the rich videogames history on our shores.
Think about how much money GTA alone makes. Rockstar could do it themselves within a year.
The industry should be embarrassed by how little they give back. It really isn't a surprise the wider entertainment industries still, largely, ignore and belittle gaming.
(And yes, I do not count Sheffield or Bradford's largely poor efforts at a videogame museum! Neither are supported by the industry anywhere near enough).
Re: "A Ton Of Money" Has Been Spent On ModRetro's Chromatic Screen To Ensure Accuracy
"3 x AAA batteries" and... I'm out.
The product page does say it will take a lithium battery... but then their store doesn't sell it to you!
Re: Sega Wants You To Know It Isn't Announcing Any New 'Mini' Hardware In 2024
I'm not convinced a Mini Dreamcast would wash its face, you know. I love SEGA and I love that console... but not many people do. It's a shame, but deep down I think we know this is true.
And before you start throwing mini Amigas and mini Commodores at me... those things are just more evidence. They didn't sell well at all...
Re: Soapbox: Here's Why I Can't Ditch Software Emulation Handhelds For The FPGA Analogue Pocket
Save states will come eventually. The current cores are just the first drafts, rushed through by devs that simply don't care much once its rolled out. They're moving onto the next core and not looking back. Just look at the long list of open issues and the years with no updates as evidence.
But there will be other devs in the future. And there will be other versions of the cores. And they will be far superior than what is currently available.
Everyone seems to be so impatient with retro games. Just relax. Enjoy the systems that have save states and wait for the support to arrive on the others. Let's not forget that there are still a whole load of systems that aren't even on Mister yet - we will reach saturation point soon enough, and then we will start to see revisions and improvements.
Re: $150 Analogue Pocket Rival Will Use An AMOLED Screen
Does it play the original carts? I'm struggling to see how this is an Analogue Pocket competitor if it doesn't play the carts...
Are people seriously buying an Analogue Pocket and then NOT playing any carts?! Isn't there a thousand devices, each year, that can play roms for a fraction of the cost of the Pocket?! I find this odd lol
Re: 32 Years Later, Super Mario Kart Gets Fan-Made 'Horizons' Expansion
Got it loaded onto my Pocket ready to play next week. Looks great!
Re: Former Nintendo World Champ Jeff Hansen On Teaming Up With Nintendo Again, 30 Years Later
This is great! Good on them.
Re: Nintendo's Game Boy Is A Hot Item In Japan Again
Nintendo should release the Game Boy again - a new screen, rechargeable, online store where you can download games at reasonable prices, SD Card slot.
They should then put one of their dev teams on Game Boy game development. Let's have "Donkey Kong 24", "Super Mario Land 3 (without Wario!)", let's have a secret exit level in Super Mario Land 2's Mario Zone whilst you're at it.
Seriously though... there's a huge appetite for Retro gaming. The investment needed for producing "new old games" is so comfortable for Nintendo right now I can't really see why they wouldn't just go for it.
They would sell millions of new Game Boys. They should have done it 5 years ago - halfway through Switch lifecycle so sales are not impacted, and riding on the wave of the NES and SNES mini consoles.
Imagine how much amazing gaming content we would all be enjoying if Nintendo actually took a risk once in a while? What do they plan to do with all the money in their bank from Switch?! Are they really that paranoid the Switch follow up will be another Wii U/Gamecube?
Surely all the evidence points towards a NES into SNES scenario for Switch into next console. Take some risks and spend some money!
Re: Ever Wondered What The Symbols On The PlayStation Controller Really Mean?
That explains the use of the shapes... but it doesn't explain the colour choices!
If the circle and cross represent yes and no, wouldn't you make those green and red?
Just looks like it was random to me.
Re: Game Boy Color "Technical Showpiece" Zephyr's Pass Launches This June
Going to pick up the physical. Looks great!
Re: Workshop Of Retro Modder And Engineer Voultar Has Been "Ransacked"
It's the combination of "nothing was stolen" with "no idea who did it" that is unusual.
I'd be spooked to know there was someone living close that has pounced on the one time I didn't lock the door just to trash my business.
I mean... surely the suspect list to fit that scenario is very short?!
Re: AYANEO Is Showing Off Two Game Boy-Style Handhelds This Week
@Bonggon5 I don't think it'll be that long, but yes, the wait continues for now.
N64 and Saturn look set to be soon. The OpenFPGA is finally there and the hardware options are pretty vast now!
Re: Soapbox: The Trouble With Limited Run Games, And How To Fix It
I moved away from physical with the Switch. I think it was the portability that cemented the idea of just having everything loaded and ready to play - anytime, anywhere with anyone, you could say!
But... then Analogue came along... and now I'm buying physical games more than ever before. And not just old ones either! I've bought new Gameboy and GameGear games!
Re: Is It Time To Change The Narrative On The Sega Saturn?
@UK_Kev I couldn't agree more. There's actually a LOT of things I can't believe SEGA haven't done/aren't doing. I guess they're just not in any sort of rush?
Re: Is It Time To Change The Narrative On The Sega Saturn?
I wasn't quite old enough at the time sadly, but amongst the friendship group I remember it being a big decision at the time whether to go for a PS1 or an N64 - Saturn wasn't even in the discussion.
Out of the four of us, 3 had an N64, 2 had a PS1 and no-one had a Saturn (so yes, one lucky git had both - not me incidentally!)
Did anyone have all three or know of someone with all three? That would have been awesome.
Saturn and Dreamcast are both uncharted territory in my gaming life. I'm looking forward to exploring them in a few years time - genuinely as excited for this as I am the third part of FF7 Remake and the next Switch.
I'd be well up for a Saturn Mini also - but I'm happy to wait for Analogue (assuming they continue their journey through gaming history...) and of course there's always Mister - which I believe very recently (earlier this year) has hit a new landmark milestone on the Saturn.
Re: Streets Of Rage-Like Beat 'Em Up 'Fallen City Brawl' Gets Updated Steam Demo
@Poodlestargenerica yea might be an "other side of the pond" thing...!
Re: Streets Of Rage-Like Beat 'Em Up 'Fallen City Brawl' Gets Updated Steam Demo
This looks pretty good actually, but at risk of sounding like a tool... "Fallen City Brawl" just seems a really strange name to go with. I don't like it at all.
Streets of Rage - it uses a more edgy reference to the setting by using "streets", it's sharp and to the point by using one connecting word with two main words and it uses "rage" to set the tone and feeling of the game perfectly.
Fallen City Brawl - by comparison this is too clunky. "City" sounds more like where bankers work, "Fallen" doesn't even seem to make sense? Who brawls over a fallen city? And then "brawl" sounds like a couple of posh people slapping each other!
It's like they've put Streets Of Rage in a thesaurus. Or worse... did they ask AI?!
What's in a name they say? A lot when it comes to gaming.
Re: Modder Uses Raspberry Pi To Create "Game Gear Classic Edition"
I've been hugely impressed with the Game Gear adapter on Analogue Pocket. Have loved exploring what is a hugely underrated library. Fantasy Zone, Crystal Warriors, Castle of Illusion and Shinobi were all excellent and I have a ton of games lined up: Shinobi 2, Sonic Triple Trouble, Defenders of Oasis, Streets Of Rage, Super Star Wars Return Of The Jedi, Land of Illusion, Ax Battler and an English translation cart of Royal Stone (saving this one for Xmas!)
Early days still, but based on experience to date it seems to me the Game Gear library has a bad rep because of the hardware having poor battery life and a really terrible screen. The games are great!
Re: Taito Classic Qix Joins The Quarter Arcades Range
I'm just not convinced by these... I'd rather save up for one that is full size. And I think I'd rather make it myself too - as a fun project over a year. "One day...!"
Big question is which game do you choose. Bubble Bobble isn't a bad shout actually. 100 levels and 2 player too.
Re: The Sword Of Stone Is A New Narrative Adventure For Your Sega Game Gear
This is awesome. I recently picked up the GG adapter for the Analogue Pocket so I'll definitely check this out.
The combination of the Pocket's fantastic screen and the save state function not only make the entire Game Gear back catalogue accessible in a way they never have before, but it's made the games so much better. GG gets a bad rep, but the screen was the problem (and battery life!) - not the games. So many gems I've uncovered so far!
Re: The Cost Of Owning A MiSTer FPGA Is About To Come Down Dramatically
The target audience for this are, generalisation I know, money rich and time poor. It's not everyone, but it's a huge chunk of the core audience.
So, I'm sorry, but until you set about work on the save state functionality, I really don't care about saving some money on it.
I don't have time to play a game in one sitting. Find me an average 30-40 year old that does! There's a mountain of work that needs to be done on save states, and no-one is doing it.
If we could just fast forward to the moment when they all catch up and realise they have to add this function...
Re: This Indie Dev Is Bringing Project Gotham Racing To The Game Boy, Sort Of
I'm all for projects like this! I hope we see many more projects and I want to see Nintendo doing it too - I want Donkey Kong '24! I want a Super Mario Land 3 that isn't a Wario game!
It still amazes me that Nintendo sold millions of NES and SNES minis... They have millions in the bank from an overwhelmingly successful Switch console... but they just sit and watch while Analogue clean up. I don't understand it personally.
Those mini consoles absolutely should have played original software, and Nintendo should be selling the old games again, and making "new old games"!
Re: Game Boy Emulator That Topped iPhone App Store Gets Yanked For Copyright Infringement
I'm so glad I got myself off Apple. I love my iPhone back in the day, but the fact a Gameboy emulator makes headlines in 2024 when it's been playable on android for decades really does speak volumes.
Re: All Is Not Well In The World Of FPGA Retro Gaming
Sounds pretty toxic to be honest. Who knows why. I think people are right to walk away if something is making them unhappy - so credit for that. All the fighting and bickering explains a lot with regards to the quality of many of these projects too. I'm solely a consumer, so who cares what I think, but the state of many of the cores leaves a lot to be desired. No doubt there's immense talent on display, but communication and people skills are clearly lacking. They need someone to manage them all!
(No thanks!!)
Re: Game Informer Readers Label Ocarina Of Time "The Greatest Game Of All Time"
@Arcata sorry I realise now my comment is misleading! I mean what I said in terms of an OOT Remake being an inevitability. It's not confirmed at all. Not yet...!
Re: All Analogue Pocket OpenFPGA Cores And Where To Download Them
@dmcc0 I just finished Castle Of Illusion too. Looking forward to Land of Illusion and Legend of Illusion - both of which I didn't even know existed until a few weeks ago.
Game Gear gets a bad rep, and to be fair, the original screen and battery consumption was pretty bad... but I've played a lot of very good Game Gear games this year.
Recommend Fantasy Zone and both Shinobi games.
Re: Game Informer Readers Label Ocarina Of Time "The Greatest Game Of All Time"
It's a fair choice.
It's easy to forget the impact N64 games made when you first played them. You had to be there - and I don't mean to offend those that were not there, but it really is true.
That sense of wonder and discovery is genuinely unrivaled. The closest I've ever come to it is with the freedom of exploration in BotW - but ultimately the gameplay still fell into charted seas, so to speak.
OOT was all new. The possibilities were limitless. (Of course in reality, and we soon learned, they were not limitless at all. But this is my point. Ocarina of Time is the only game I have ever played where I had that feeling).
The remake of OOT that's coming will be great, but again it still won't beat that first time.
Re: Interview: Factor 5's Julian Eggebrecht On Star Wars, Indiana Jones And Choosing N64 Over PS1
I've said it before but worth repeating...
Christmas 2024. Analogue 3D. Rogue Squadron. Cannot. Wait.
I've been picking up N64 games for the past 6 months or so. Got 30 lined up to play!
Oh and weird coincidence... but I've just started a playthrough of the Atlantis Indiana Jones adventure game on the Amiga 500. Never knew the 64 had an Indiana Jones game - will definitely check that out!
Re: All Analogue Pocket OpenFPGA Cores And Where To Download Them
@delt75 I've done the same with Game Gear! Always wanted one growing up and now finally getting to play. It doesn't have the strongest library... but there's more than a handful of great games!
Re: Analogue Pocket Is Getting A Game Boy Micro-Style FPGA-Based Handheld Rival
Analogue Pocket is at its best when you play the actual physical games on it.
How on earth can "yet another retro handheld" be considered a rival to that?
I've looked at the FPGA cores and most haven't been updated for years, they are plagued with numerous bugs and they do not offer the save state functionality (except for SMS and NES).
Pocket is about the physical games. Picking a single game to load up, play, enjoy and complete. Playing original cartridges with save state is an absolute joy.
This is in no way rivaled by the ability to stare at 100s of roms. And maybe play them for a few minutes before moving on.
The one FPGA project that I appreciate is the Amiga Vision. That is excellent and clearly a labour of love. Everything else I've looked at appears to be a rush job with numerous bugs that never got revisited as they're too busy on the next thing. Look how many of the cores are by the same people. No thanks.
Re: All Analogue Pocket OpenFPGA Cores And Where To Download Them
Really useful list, but I'm resisting the temptation. Analogue Pocket's ability to play Gameboy and Game Gear games on such a brilliant screen, combined with the ability to save state (I didn't realise this would work on the actual games!) has led me down the route of buying the games and playing them individually.
I've had so many retro Handhelds down the years and honestly the ability to have everything available just left me playing almost nothing. It doesn't really make much sense, but Analogue Pocket has made me appreciate the individual game again and now I'm playing, and completing, more than ever (and yes, poorer than ever too - but hey, it's a hobby).
Re: Just Like Streets Of Rage, Altered Beast Is Getting An Action Figure
@Zeebor15 "laws that make sense". Yes... because America has so many of those...!!