Gaming News

The longest January in the history of January is finally done. 2023 can finally be set in motion, and we can shift gears to what might be the longest February. In any case, time never stands still with all things retro, and we’ve been treated to some awesomely cool new things this time.

While we mainly talk about the highly retro side of gaming, we tend to forget that the 90s will fall under that category nowadays. We’ve been drawing inspiration from the most old-school things, and they do help inspire us with newer creative ideas.

We also like to reminisce on simpler times back when life was much slower and in a good way. We also want to recognize greatness and show appreciation through something nice. Let’s talk about that.

A Space for the Unbound

First up, we have to game the looks and feels retro but is newer than your average modern title. We’re talking about A Space for the Unbound. It’s a gorgeous pixel art experience brought to us by Mojiken Studios and produced by Toge Productions. Released in January of this year, the plot of this pixel art masterpiece revolves around teenagers Atma and Ryan and is set very nicely in the late 90s’.

It takes us on a journey to Indonesia but highlights all of the elements one would find in your favorite Japanese anime. With a compelling story and a gorgeous art style, you’ll likely pick this up if you like slower, less action-packed, slice-of-life titles that add a little bit of the supernatural.

It’s always nice to unwind now and then, right? So if you’re keen on developing and reliving that feeling of youthful exuberance, then it’s best to check out A Space for the Unbound on your favorite console.

GoldenEye 007 

We all love a thrilling action movie, especially if it came from a few decades ago. I’m sure they just hit differently and in more ways than one.

While the James Bond franchise has been around for the longest time and has yet to wrap things up, we can’t deny how one particular installment made a considerable mark in gaming. Yes, I’m talking about GoldenEye 007.

The pioneer of competitive first-person shooters. According to many, the Nintendo64 catalog has been on switch online for a while now, and GoldenEye 007 has been a Nintendo fan favorite since it gained popularity way back. Since Nintendo teased it in September last year, everyone’s been waiting. Thankfully the wait is up. Just before January ended, GoldenEye 007 for Switch online came to be. Complete with its glorious full multiplayer expansion.

Yes, it’s here, and all the now grownup fans can relive its classic competitive PVP whenever they wish whether it’s on the go or your gorgeous widescreen. GoldenEye 007 experience is here, and it’s here to stay. Given that news update, we hope you’re all shaken and not stirred.

Final Fantasy VII

Lastly, here is some nice feel-good news, especially if you live in Japan. We all know Final Fantasy and how massive of a franchise. With 15 major titles so far, a variety of spinoffs, and a critically acclaimed MMORPG, you’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone who hasn’t at least heard about it. That being said, we can’t deny that the seventh installment had the most significant impact on mainstream gaming.

We love our Cloud, our Aerith, and our Sephiroth. With a movie, a remake, and copious amounts of fan art, we can’t deny how massive final Fantasy VII is. So huge that it got its official day. Yes, you heard it. Japan’s anniversary association has officially declared January 31st as the final fantasy VII day.

While we’re not too keen on the details, like whether or not you don’t have to come in for work, it’s nice that a game with such a legacy now has its place in history. Imagine if you just so happen to be playing Final Fantasy on Final Fantasy VII day, that could be quite the epic story many years from now. An epic story that could be told by the grandkids. Gather around to play final fantasy 30 or 25 at least.

Check the video here:

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If you've been a follower of our Retro News series, you know we do our best to find the most action-packed, riveting, and awe-inspiring classic titles this side of the retro-sphere. 

This week, of course, is no different. It's how we run things, after all. So, we've got three games that'll pique the interest of possibly any gamer who enjoys a quicker pace in their gameplay. They’re not all run-and-gun, but you won’t sit still for hours. And it’s about time we checked ’em out!

CAIM

Speaking of classics, good ol' Haplo just dropped a sweet Commodore64 port for the brand new game, 'Caim- a top-down action-adventure title that's available to download right now. We get a top-down action-adventure game tailor-made for the Commodore64 It features action, exploration, and puzzles with an intriguing story to boot.

As the main character, you take on the role of an unnamed amnesiac hero who wakes up in a strange place for reasons unknown. It's up to you to explore the facility, avoid danger and uncover the mystery behind your history. Good stuff!

As you learn more about the place, the world, and yourself, you get closer to putting together all the clues and reaching the exit. So, if you want to uncover these mysteries and have a good time while at it, Caim might be worth the time.

Super Bomberman 2 Remix

We're moving on to an explosive classic! Bomberman, or Dynablaster in Europe, is a game first released way back in 1983 by Hudson Soft, which was eventually published by industry juggernaut Konami. In terms of fun and gameplay, it was and still is an awesome title that can still be played on a variety of modern consoles right now.

That being said, it looks like we're getting something new in the Bomberman Universe as Super Bomberman 2 Remix, a remake of the original is coming to the ever-reliable ZX Spectrum 128k. According to Alexey Khaydukov, who’s in charge of the remake, development is nearing its conclusion with a few loose ends to clean up.

A few more things were implemented to keep things interesting but won't take away from the overall feeling of the classic. With music written by the notorious n1k-O and graphics completely redrawn by Joe Vondayl. It's no wonder people are hyped. Friends, rejoice. It looks like we can relive our collection childhood the best way we can, blowing things up just for funsies.

Agonman

Last but not least, we have an Amiga announcement featuring a much-awaited original game, Agonman by Pixorra Games, based on an older game named Agony, which was a clear inspiration. As players were put in the boots of Johnny, an absolute badass who's forced to battle dangerous monsters in a dangerous land, all to protect the earth and find his way home.

Pixorra Games tells us more. Confirming Agonman is a platform game that combines a variety of elements. Graphics, get some more modern touch alongside the gameplay. In terms of system requirements. Make sure you're packing a 68020 and 2MB RAM for the game. Of course, anything more than that would guarantee a better experience.

Agonman needs to find his way home. So if you're the kind of player who can help a man out best to download the game and save the world.

Check the video here:

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The wheels of the hype train stop for no one, especially for the retro gaming folk, as we're constantly treated to game, after game, after game. As you all know, we've been getting a number of remake hacks and brand-new titles in the past year, and it looks like 2023 is gonna be the same, if not a lot more exciting. So sit back, relax, and let's tear through a few titles that might tickle your fancy. 

THE LAST NINJA

Let's take a trip to 1987 where System 3 released one of the greatest action-adventure games ever to be made available for the C64, The Last Ninja. It was a great time for this title since it did make its way onto a variety of other consoles. But finally, in 2023, this legendary title is making its way to the Atari XL/XE. 

You follow the exploit of the Ninja Armakuni on his journey to the palace of the evil shogun, Kunitoki, to assassinate him, avenge his clan, and retrieve the sacred scrolls.

Very anime and very badass. The original game combined adventure, exploration, puzzle solving, and ninja-based combat. So in terms of mechanics, you can expect something familiar with a modern port. This version of Last Ninja is being created for the Atari XL/XE by Jakus Husak and will be a complete port of the BBC Micro version, which is good news all around. So if Slain Baddies from the Shadows is your kind of weekend getaway, then you just might be The Last Ninja.

CREEPING ME OUT HEX NIGHT

Mixel's upcoming Amiga platformer Creeping Me Out Hex Night is looking to be an absolute banger. It's a scorpion engine-created platformer that doesn't just feature complex levels, but it also delivers an intriguing story and a whole lot of action that one would expect from a game of the genre.

The game's creator has just released a new demo, which he says Features much better game performance, and now works smoothly on A1200s without the use of Fast Ram.

If you're interested, imagine a combination of Turrican, Castlevania, and a little bit of Addams family thrown into the mix.

You can expect a variety of playable characters, passwords, save game support, enhanced graphics, and a huge campaign with hours of gameplay, it's a nice, fun, challenging adventure that's worth your time. If you don't mind diving into the weird and quirky.

WIZARD OF WOR

If you're a fan of Pac-Man but aren't really fond of the cutesy roundish aesthetic, then this arcade classic just might pique your interest. The 1980s classic arcade game, Wizard of Wor was quite the hit back in the day and also appeared in other systems like the Atari 8-bit, Atari 2600, and 5200. Bally Astrocade, and of course the C64.

Right now we're looking to get its enhanced edition for the Commodore Plus/4, and it is looking pretty damn good. A lot of care was put into making sure that this release stays as faithful to the original as possible.

The game looks, plays, and sounds like a classic and features all the action-packed two-player monster shooting fund that most retro gaming veterans will remember. Hey, it's never too late to fall in love again, so why not with the Wizard of Wor?

Check the video here:

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Once again, we're getting a whole truckload of retro games to satisfy your old-school cravings focusing on the Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum, our good game devs have been hard at work, mastering their craft and cranking out some quality titles

If you think about it, endless runners are always great-fast-paced and action-packed, but then again, so are sweet metroidvanias bringing all the mechanics that require the best tactics. Yeah, you know what I'm talking about. 

NICO'S RUN

First, we got one of the best endless runner games we've seen in a long while. Nico's Run by OldSkoolCoder is a brand new C64 game based on the Chrome Easter Egg Game T-Rex! and it's currently been entered into the Phaze101's Retro Programmers inside Group or RPI Game Jam.

The original game was that fun little Easter Egg on Chrome featuring a T-Rex dinosaur: Having no wifi was, at least, bearable. This game, however, doesn't just feature obstacles like before but is also themed around the creator's two dogs "Nico" and "Aston".

According to OldskoolCoder, it's also thanks to the viewers who helped chime in, building a brand new game about the good of Nico trying to run away from his brother Aston-who just won't leave him alone. Sounds relatable. We always love a good story, and given how it all started, Nico's Run looks quite promising

LESTER

This time we're looking at an upcoming C64 title courtesy of KnifeGrinder that's a tribute to the classic game, Bounder, an old-school title that came out in 1985, developed by Gremlin Graphics. Lester is a high-quality metroidvania for the C64 that puts you in control of the AR2020, a robot sent to liberate a space station taken over by you guessed it, an evil Al. 

The creator says "Lester takes inspiration from modern MSX Metroidvanias like Ghost and Minighost, and the old Kanami's productions like The maze of Galious. It originally started as a Hello World project, filling with the TRSE tutorial. Within three years, it became a graphic adventure engine, a Zelda-like engine, a single-screen platform engine, an attempt to convert mini ghosts, and then a standalone game." The game features an entire space station to explore over 60 rooms of Metroidvania action, special powers, 11 tracks of music, and so much more.

If you happen to have a Commodore 64 just lying around, then Lester might be right for you. 

RAMIRO EL VAMPIRO IV

The Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum have a new title in town and it brings all the sides scrolling. Goodness, you could want in an adventure. The Mojon twins just dropped the Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum game of Ramiro El Vampiro IV, A game that puts you in control of Ramiro the Vampire.

On a quest to collect some ancient scripture from an ancient pyramid. We're getting a game that features high-quality music and well-designed levels set with an Egyptian theme. It features multiple enemy types, such as bats and skeletons, moving platforms, deadly traps, and challenging gameplay.

That's sure to bring out the side. Scrolling badass in every game room. So if you wanna help out Ramiro El Vampiro in beating up a Pharaoh, then this might be a game you'd wanna dive into. See you at the catacombs!

Check the video here:

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