Gaming News — Amiga

We believe it's about time we fulfill the desires of our old-school hearts. And by that, we mean more retro games and more handy dandy gadgets for you to splurge on for yourselves or your lucky dates. But let's be honest; there's no better way to bond than over gaming. Yes, both physical and emotional damage this week, so stick around, toughen up, and let's get started.

TROJAN

For any fans of the post-apocalyptic genre or anything that has the overall vibe of the Fist of the North Star but with swords, well, we got a treat. If you remember the 80s classic by RomStar and Capcom, the Amiga AGA is getting a sweet new port of the classic arcade beat 'em up, Trojan. For those unfamiliar, Trojan is basically what happens when nuclear war and the Odyssey have a weird, badass crossover.

Not much technology, and a whole lot of whacking people with a sword. Then you take on the role of Hero Trojan, a young warrior who's out to free the post-modern world from evil dictator Achilles. There's less Greek mythology to go around but more kickass beat 'em up of action to enjoy. Thanks to skyzoo73 and the old reliable Scorpion engine, the Amiga AGA will be getting its much-needed port. 

While the game is still a work in progress, there's already some working early footage going around, and it's just as good as it was in the 80s. So if reliving Homer's epic with demons and weird science is your jam, watch out for Trojan.  

FINAL FIGHT

Amiga users are eating well this month. We got another classic beat 'em up port that's worthy of the classic fan-favorite console. A rather infamous one at that. We got news that Brick Nash just dropped the enhanced 1991 US Gold version of the popular beat 'em up Final Fight for the Amiga. If you played this game back when it was originally released back in the 90s, you know its history. Just like Street Fighter II of the same vein, it just didn't kick as much ass as you'd expect. This enhanced version addresses those issues.

Rick Nash explains that after three solid years of learning how to code and 68000 assembly language, he managed to develop a passion project that takes place in its own universe separate from the Capcom timeline. Yes, this one's non-Capcom, and it features a number of changes and a few compromises that were necessary just to make the port happen.

Still, if you're a Final Fight fan and want to experience having a playable Maki in 2024, it's best to check this out.  

NINTENDO 3DS & Wii U

Now, on to some sad but inevitable news for all the 2000s handheld console players, both modern and retro. We already knew this time was coming but never really figured it would be so soon. It's recently been confirmed that Nintendo 3DS and Wii U's online services will be officially shut down at 4 pm PDT on April 8th, 2024. 

Last October, Nintendo dropped the news about the servers shutting down but didn't elaborate on when exactly. Now that we actually know, well, it's safe to say it stings a little bit.

According to their official statement, at 4 pm PDT on April 8, 2024, online play and other functionality that uses online communication will end for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software. This also includes online cooperative play, internet rankings, and data distribution.  Nintendo also made sure to thank players for using these services through the years and apologized for the inconvenience.

The end of an era, ladies and gentlemen. While the Wii U wasn't as popular as it could have been, the 3DS was a daily driver for a lot of gamers, young and old. Either way, these two handhelds will be sorely missed and will forever be part of our collective gaming experiences.  

For most peeps around the globe, it's prep time for the yuletide season, but in the US of A, we still got Thanksgiving rolling in, which is right on the ground because there's definitely a lot to be thankful for, especially in the realm of retro gaming.

We've covered new games and consoles every week, and this time, it's no different. If you're looking for a new title to get lost in for hours or a new handheld that can keep up with your badassery, you've come to the right place. Many thanks. So hang on to your seats because this ain't your average retro turkey dinner.

WORRIORZ

We're kicking things off with an absolute arcade classic. If you've been around and spent your fair share of coin currency, then you probably remember the 1980s arcade game Wizard of War. If not, maybe you played it on the Atari and C64, which was equally fun. Well, that brings us to a modern version named Worriorz, and its C64 release is coming to the Commodore Amiga thanks to 2ndMoon.

This is some really early news, as there's very little news to go around. We know it's at a very early work-in-progress state with a very early downloadable demo. Worriorz have up to four players battling against each other around the Pac-Man-like maze, while many disappearing enemies try to take you out first. For a game this cute, it's pretty intense for sure. 

So, if you want to be a warrior and go to war against your closest friends, best keep your eyes peeled for this title. 

CRIMBO

As we said earlier, Christmas comes early for many people. Mariah Carey is good to go, and so are we. So, for anyone who played on an old-timey PC or emulates using DOS Box, you might enjoy the wholesome Christmassy family game Crimbo by Blackjacket.

All we're getting is an unofficial ZX Spectrum to DOS conversion by Little Shop of Pixels, which, as we all know, is already a ton of fun. The mission is clear and simple. You're jolly old St. Nick, and it's your job to collect all the scattered presents while avoiding some holiday-hating duck demons and surprisingly dangerous pine trees.

Yes, we never knew the Yuletide foliage could be so deadly. Of course, once you clear each area, you've essentially saved Christmas. And you can do it all again next year, or maybe immediately if that tickles your fancy.

GORETROID GUNMETAL RETROID POCKET 2S

It's only been a couple of weeks since Retroid gave us all a taste of the Pocket 2S, and this time, we're getting quite the snazzy update that not only looks good but feels even better. Safe, even. While people clamoured for something badass, GoRetroid gave an equally badass answer with the GoRetroid Pocket 2S Gun Metal version. Make no mistake, colorful hard plastic is all well and good, but there's something satisfying about wielding a solid steel handheld console. So badass. Currently, there's no news of the release, only an official teaser.

Still, with GoRetroid saying it's coming soon, we can at least be relieved to know that it's actually going to happen. So, if you want a bit more, GoRetroid's Gunmetal Retroid Pocket 2S might just be up your alley. 

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We're now starting a new month, and while we did slow things down a bit in the past few weeks, we need to kick things up a notch to make up for last time. We never forgot about the fast-paced nature of retro gaming friends, so don't worry. 

From Atari to MS-DOS to Commodore 64, we're going coast to coast with three different titles that'll pique a variety of interests. It's always great to have options when choosing a game to keep you company over a busy week. It's time to make a choice, so watch on to see what you're working with.

TRAX

The year was 1993, and the Bitmap Brothers dropped one of the hottest games of that year. The original Chaos Engine initially made for the Amiga. It pits one or two players against horrible demonic entities in an intense top-down shooter. Fast forward to 2023. We have a very sweet love letter from Shanti77, to the OG Chaos Engine called Trax.

This time around, It'll come out on the Atari XL/XE. It's still too early to say if it'll be turned into a full game, but we're getting some development notes from the developer. So far, Trax features a variety of enemies, items to pick up, keys to collect, sound effects, three new levels, improved AI and some graphical improvements. So far so good. It looks like Atari XL and XE owners have a great game to look forward to. 

GOLD MINE RUN

It's quite a special occasion as we don't get that many MS-DOS releases, especially on GOG. This retro title comes from Juan J. Martinez, an absolute Chad who's released other great games like Hyperdrive for the CPC and Night Knight for the MSX.

This time we're getting a sweet MS-DOS game called Gold Mine Run, a high-quality platformer inspired by the classics, but with a twist. You have to collect all the gold throughout each of the 30 stages to progress. Now that's intense. So far, we know that Gold Mine Run is a single-screen arcade platformer that totally channels that old-school nostalgic vibe of eighties arcade classics.

The game's design was strongly influenced by Night Knight for the MSX, and Juan J. Martinez made sure of that. As for the requirements, of course, you’ll need MS-DOS to run it, plus a 386 DX at 33 megahertz, VJ Graphics, a sound blaster, and at least 4 megabytes of RAM. So to anyone on GOG who runs with the MS-DOS crowd, it's high time you checked out or took part in the Gold Mine Run.

BILL & TED'S EXCELLENT GAME BOY ADVENTURE

Last but not least, we get a very hip and cool blast from the past on the Commodore 64. If you're a fan of the nineties and, at the very least, own an old school Game Boy, then you'll be psyched to know that this latest release by Roman Werner is a wonderful Port of Bill and Ted's excellent Game Boy adventure for the C64. 

This title will definitely rekindle some of those very late eighties and early nineties memories because Keanu Reeves, even if it's just tiny pixels of him. Yes, LJN and Beam Software's legendary game has finally made its way to the Commodore 64 more than 30 years later.

Currently available on itch.io., this is a very accurate conversion of the legendary Bill and Ted Game Boy game for modern C64 sensibilities. It's remained from scratch, optimized for the C64 and features SID Music by Nordischsound. Did we mention that Pixel Keanu Reeves is in it? Yes, of course. What's more is, it's absolutely free on itch.io. So, if you wanna relive the glory days of the early nineties, best to download Bill and Ted's excellent Game Boy Adventure for the C64. 

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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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