Gaming News

We're back at it again at the start of a brand new month, and the games keep releasing those retro-geared consoles while they just keep getting those sweet upgrades. The action will always be in full swing, and best believe will be right there with you in the thick of things. This week we have two titles that deal with a lot of blasting and an updated console that's a blast from the past. We keep our retro news hot and fresh, so stick around if you want a nice, good helping. 

LUNAR CITY

Great news for all Commodore 64 enjoyers because it looks like you all are getting something literally out of this world. Our friends over at TND have just released a new game for the good old C64 called Lunar City. And as far as old-school action goes, you'll be over the moon. Lunar City is a fun and challenging space shooting gallery type of game inspired by Atlantis for the Atari but with a twist. Based on what we got, you could expect some game and sound design that just completes that retro feel.

Aside from a nicely presented loaded bit map and cool loading music with a drum and bass vibe, you also get a high score table, 16 action pack levels with an increasing difficulty level, arcade-style, sound effects, 4 different landscapes and 8 different aliens to discover. If you're a space adventurer kind of gamer, you might wanna consider taking a trip to Lunar City, which is currently available to download or play online via itch.io.

CARAVANDALF

Now onto more terrestrial Amiga matters, namely the ongoing AMA Jam competition. So far, we've seen some pretty good titles like King Arthur, the Last Dungeon and Road Craft, which we might take a look at once we get more details. For now, though, we have one Amiga title that we believe you'll either enjoy, but in a weird, slightly intense kind of way, you'll see what I mean.

We're talking about Caravandalf, an extremely fast-paced scrolling shooter brought to us by Peter and Gordon McKay. Despite some vibrant colours and some sound retro gameplay, we don't have a story or any concrete details for release yet. We just figured, “Hey, this game looks pretty good, so let's talk about it”. We also figured you'd agree!

Caravandalf's initial video features some lush Amiga graphics, a smooth scrolling frame rate, and a variety of enemy types and bullets for days. As for the extremely fast pace, Pete and Gordon would like to apologize by saying they were just trying to do something you don't often see on Amiga, and I say that's fine. We all need to quicken the pace every now and then, even if it causes motion sickness. 

ODIN2

And now, of course, we can't forget our retro gadgets. This time we're looking at a nice new update on Indiegogo for the AYN Odin, which is appropriately named the AYN Odin2. Picking up where the original Odin left off and where the AYN Loki prematurely ended, the Odin2 shares a lot of its older siblings' designs, mainly the aesthetic and exterior shell, but that's pretty much where it ends.

For the Odin2, we get some better-sized, nicely shaped and more accessible triggers. Aside from that, we get more buttons, and two speaker grills up front, which is pretty nice. While we don't have any official specs for the Odin 2 as of yet, we can assume that it'll be just as good, if not better, than the original Odin, which was arguably one of the best retro handhelds of 2022. As In's Indigo goes campaign moves forward, we'll make sure to keep y'all posted on any objected specs and new features for the Odin2.

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We're flipping the script just a little bit this week as we veer away from the high-octane retro action for now and celebrate some of the technological marvels that make old-school gaming possible. Of course, we won't keep you hanging when it comes to new titles. We still have one surprise up our sleeve, but we think it's only proper to talk about the consoles that make the magic happen. So buckle up as we travel back a few decades. 

MYSTIC LAND: SEARCH FOR MAPHALDO

Surprisingly, Old-school RPGs never get old, and even in 2023, we still yearn for that late 80s and 90s aesthetics, whenever we fire up a brand new role-playing title. If you're a fan of classics like the Wizardry series or Eye of the Beholder, then the peeps over at MegaVision Software have your number.

Mystic Land: Search for Maphaldo is an old-school RPG crawler that's currently in development and looks to bring back the retro vibe everyone yearns for. From the aesthetics down to the methodical first-person and slightly slower-paced gameplay, this title just might recapture that feeling everyone had a few decades ago. A feeling that eventually we all miss. 

There's no news on which consoles this will be available on, but MegaVision Software is hard at work in ensuring this game comes to life soon enough. Their website has info about the game, and they post regular updates on Twitter. So if Mystic Land: Search for Maphaldo piques your interest, it's best to sit tight. For now.

RETROID POCKET S2

Now, let's talk about modern retro consoles. We've done our share of these old-school handheld gadgets, and while they may not get as mainstream coverage as your Playboxes, X Stations, and Switch decks, you can't deny how a lot more have been popping up as of late. One of which being the Retroid Pocket 2S. It's a new Android handheld from GoRetroid!

It's finally confirmed for release, and based on what we can gather, it's bringing back the old Retroid Pocket 3 aesthetics but with a lot more power under the hood. In terms of the overall design, we're getting a more stylish, barebones look with almost no labels or logos on its chassis. Very no nonsense, which is actually nice. 

Aside from a few buttons repositioned and maybe a slightly larger screen, there's not much to go around, given we only got a short teaser. Still, since we're talking about GoRetroid, we're definitely going to get a more badass chipset and GPU. I mean, it's only logical. Fingers crossed. 

No specific release date as of yet, but we'll keep our eyes peeled for any news on the Retroid Pocket 2S, so make sure to stick around. 

FAMICOM

Lastly, we celebrate one of the most momentous occasions in the history of retro gaming, or even gaming in general. It's something bigger than you and me, and we'd be remiss if we didn't, at the very least, mention it.

We're talking about the granddaddy of old school, the NES brother from Japan. The Nintendo Famicom just turned 40 this year. And yes, in a day and age where a few modern triple-A titles are already considered retro, we pay homage to one of the greats who brought home console gaming into the mainstream.

After bursting into the scene in 1983 with party arcade games Donkey Kong and Popeye, it took its sweet time in gaining popularity across the globe. It's also the reason why we have such timeless classics like Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, and Final Fantasy. The latter becoming a multi-billion dollar franchise that just released its 16th entry into the series.

It's amazing just how gaming has come a long way. Even today, the classics are still being enjoyed either via re-releases on modern consoles or in actual Super Famicoms that stood the test of time. There's a reason why they're classics, and they'll continue to be just as fun as they were back in the early 80s.

So let's tip our hats to the Super Famicom for 40 years of hard work and dedication! You walked so the Nintendo Switch can run. 

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We've covered a few side-scrolling action games in the past few weeks. A variety of them report, summer remakes and remasters, while a few were brand-new games altogether. While they didn't really have an overarching theme, they all had the same fun mechanics that involved moving to the right and leaving a trail of violence.

This week, it's all about everyone's favourite vampire who lives in everyone's favorite castle. We can’t deny how much of an influence Castlevania had on gaming through the years and how it's still going strong today. On the chopping block, we have three titles cut from that same blood-soaked cloth and bring the badassery to you.

DOOMED CASTLE

So if you're the proud owner of a Commodore Amiga, an Amiga Mini, or even an emulator, then you'll be happy to know that we'll have an awesome-looking Castlevania fan game in the pipeline called Doomed Castle by MA Soft Team. Some settings are best left, unchanged, and a supernatural castle will always be at the very top.

Doomed Castle is a game that features high-end graphics and an in-depth UI screen. What's more, is a variety of enemies to defeat. The game is still in its development stages, but we know we'll be getting more than 60 colours on the screen, fast RAM for storage and an accelerated Amiga system.

This game was created to ensure a quality title using Blitz Basic 2, Tiled Promotion, Personal Paint, Gimp, Protracker, Renoise, and Octamed 4. So if you're looking forward to this new Castlevania-inspired castle side-scroller, put Doomed Castle on your wishlist. 

GOTHICVANIA

From Castle, we go to Vania. We're getting yet another side-scroller in the same action-horror vein. Thanks to Earok's Scorpion engine, we have a badass-looking Castlevania-inspired demo for GothicVania. Since it's just a demo, there isn't much information. That said, it's a very nice triple parallax tech demo that might become a full game. Fingers crossed.

GothicVania is a passion project created by Toolkitman as a first attempt using Erik's Scorpion Engine, an engine that's been around for a while and has shown some really good results. Given it's a constantly updated piece of software that gives developers the tools to create graphically impressive games. You can expect the development to go smoothly, and we could see a full GothicVania release.

CASTLEVANIA AGA

Of course, again, we can only hope. And speaking of hope, we have one last Castlevania-related news bit that shows much more promise for those who've been waiting ever so patiently. Do you guys remember Castlevania AGA?

Well, you'd be quite pleased and hyped to know it's coming much sooner than you think. Once again, for the Amiga and once again using the awesome Scorpion engine. Dante Retro Dev is looking to bring this version of Castlevania to Life as soon as possible. 

This brand-new tech demo shows a bit more than before. With some of the secrets and hidden items such as bags, food, and other items being revealed when some tiles are hit. You can't deny that aside from killing creatures of the night, those little mechanics were part of what made Castlevania so cool to play. Castlevania AGA aims to be a playable and pure version of the original Castlevania but with an Amiga flavor.

Unlike the more modern ports, this looked to be a more practical rendition of how OG Castlevania would look in 16-bit or 32-bit. While we're in modern times, we can't forget the retro feel. And if that retro feel is what your heart truly desires, then you better keep your eyes peeled for this one. 

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We're capping off the month with some epic action pack reveals involving a few classics we know you've heard of! While the idea of a sequel does cross everyone's mind in the retro gaming sphere, getting a dedicated port, a remake, or even a fan re-imagining is great news. And this week, that's exactly what we got. All three, more or less, you'll see!

GRIND

Going straight to the Amiga, we're getting a fan-made retro creation. This time, we're getting another Doom-like from  John Tsakiris, who aims to bring that same gritty, ultraviolet experience to one of the best retro consoles out there. 

Grind is a Doom-like that draws much inspiration from steampunk and Lovecraftian themes, as well as the classic game Chaos Engine. It's safe to say there's gonna be a lot of supernatural ass-kickings, just like the old game but with a different flavor. So far,  John Tsakiris has been hard at work making sure the game has all the necessary features to bring all the brutality that grind demands. This includes the game's interface, weapons, terrifying enemies, and more.

If your idea of a good time involves portraying a hardened bloodthirsty brute past his prime, who just wants to rid the world of evil, and on the weekend, then you might wanna get on that Grind.

SONIC GX

Now let's look at a new fast-paced port to the Amstrad GX 4000 and Amstrad Plus. When we say fast-paced, we mean really fast. Sonic the Hedgehog was a staple in both the Sega Mega Drive and Sega Master system that featured a blue speed demon that could spin, run, jump and roll around various stages collecting gold rings. It sounds simple enough, but veterans know that wasn't the case. 

Well, the ones who remember and those who are curious can experience that speed in the modern 2020s. Thanks to Sonic GX, the development team of NoRecess are looking to recreate the classic Sonic experience on the new Amstrad consoles, and it's been a work in progress since 2019. Info says the game will feature full-screen gameplay at a full frame rate with approximately 52 colors on screen and a special stage.

All this is set to come out in 2024, so yes, if you have a GX 4000 or Plus, it's about time to go fast yet again with Sonic GX. 

PRINCE OF PERSIA

Lastly, we've caught wind that the all-time classic platformer Prince of Persia may be getting a ColecoVision and MSX port, all thanks to Under4Mhz. There's no info on whether this will be a fully featured experience or just a piece of a bigger puzzle, but the mere idea of such a classic game getting a conversion for more popular retro console nowadays is great news Indeed.

Currently, we have a simple technical demo of the first level of Prince of Persia that runs on the ColecoVision, MSX and SG 1000 consoles. It's worth noting that these consoles never got a port of the title, so the aim was to see if it was possible to implement the game for these platformers and to see if there is any interest in it. That's pretty much of a no-brainer at this point, as the game is well beloved until today.

The demo is bare as can be and doesn't even have any enemies. So you can tell this was Under4Mhz, just testing the waters. Hopefully, more people show interest so this new port could finally get off the ground, and we can all join the Prince on yet another classic journey. 

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