News

Blog Menu

WEEKLY DOSE OF GAMING NEWS: Super Metal Hero, Tournament Arkanoid ZX, and Starfox EX

Posted by Write Meow · 十一月 22, 2022

2022 brought its fair share of triple-A sequels and reboots, and it's no different when it comes to the retro side of things. Classics were made to be appreciated, and sometimes, reimagined. Thankfully, the retro dev community has enough passion to make all our dreams come true. We'll be taking a look at something new, something we thought was lost in time, and something we didn't think we needed until now.

First up, another surprise for all the Amiga owners and enjoyers out there. The ever-awesome Colin Vella is coding the much-awaited awaited kickass game Super Metal Hero In Blitz Basic.

Working on graphics we got Tenshu and JMD is in charge of bringing the music to life. The development videos are live, and they're looking hot. The game has definitely come a long way since its first few times featured online. Not only has the dev team been optimizing it to work on a stock Amiga 1200, but the game also includes a new world, new levels, new backgrounds, new enemies, and a lot of firepowers. If you're into heavy artillery, and a whole lot of action, then Super Metal Hero just might be the game release you've been waiting for!

Now, it's time for a blast from the past courtesy of a sweet mod for the ZX Spectrum, made by Martyn Carroll. We all remember Arkanoid, and it's about time it got something new. That comes in the form of Tournament Arkanoid, a tribute and callback to the classic.

There's a lot of great artwork to go around, and Jarrod Bentley never disappoints. This mod comes in with a new loading screen crafter by Jarrod Bentley himself, and along with it, everything you've come to know and love about the original game. By that, we mean 32 levels of great difficulty, just like the arcades! It's a recreation of Taito’s official game from the old-school Tournament Arkanoid arcades. Since it was only available in 1987 in North America, it's nice to have it available on a larger scale in the modern 2020s.

So, this one's a bit of a different case. It's not a remake, a reboot, or a brand-new game. It's a ROM hack, but a cool one, if we're completely honest. It's for the classic arcade-style rail shooter Starfox and best believe we're doing a barrel roll into Starfox EX.

What we get from this is a brand new story for the game and dozens of amazing features that take full advantage of the Super NES and the SuperFX chip We also get a brand new map with 17 new levels, new bosses, music, backgrounds enemies, a 3+ page pre-game menu to customize your experience, and a whole lot more. One of the best features is the Multi-Tap, which allows you to play the game a whole new way. It's straight-up old-school multiplayer, either with friends, Al-controlled teammates, or just you controlling ALL the ships. If you want a challenge, you got it. The 90s lives on, and always will, through games like this. Starfox EX opens the door to a variety of possibilities for so many other retro games-and let's be honest, we can't wait to see what comes next!

Check the video here:

Subscribe to our YouTube for more Retro Gaming News!

WEEKLY DOSE OF GAMING NEWS: Submarine Warfare, Tiny Deathmatch, and Castle Escape

Posted by Write Meow · 十一月 15, 2022

Whether multiplayer or solo 2D platformers, the retro sidescroller will always be a classic. Now, we've covered our fair share of titles in the genre, but it's always nice when a few good games align, like the planets, and not like the blood moon that we all saw recently. Halloween is done, people. We're all looking forward to Mariah Carey coming back. So, as we wait, let's take a look at a few retro games that could both pass and kill time.

The Commodore64 has some nice new homebrew, thanks to Mirazulado. Submarine Warfare is an arcade game that has you piloting a submarine to destroy everything up top. Kind of like that game that involves a world full of ships used for war. Yeah, that one.

This game feature lots of levels to play through, with the warships up above becoming stronger as you progress. There's also a level of realism as you got to keep an eye on your oxygen supply that starts to drop the longer it takes for you to complete each mission. It's pretty intense and a bit of fun if you're up for the challenge. So if you’re looking for a game that literally blows everything else out of the water, make sure to check out Submarine Warfare!

Something new for everyone! Tiny Deathmatch just dropped its latest downloadable release for the Amstrad CPC, and it's all thanks to Francesc Alcaucer. It's a brand new game where you either fight against other players or the CPU in a multiplayer deathmatch game programmed by Locomotive Basic. It's a four-player game that's apparently inspired by a game called Gorillas, a turn-based artillery game first distributed with MS-DOS 5 and published in 1991 by Microsoft.

It's the perfect retro game for anyone who's gotten tired of going solo and wants to try a bit of old-timey PVP. A very refreshing concept that gamers often leave by the wayside. It doesn't always have to triple-A fragging. You can always assert your dominance in a classic "Tiny Deathmatch" manner

The ZX Spectrum welcomes a new title to their lineup, Castle Escape, by IrataHack has you playing as a Wee Knight, a struggling warrior who's cursed by the weight of his armor.

You make your escape from a haunted Castle, and progress by collecting lots of loot and avoiding dangerous enemies. Yes, this ain't your usual hack-and-slash. It's a challenge of managing your weight and surviving at the same time. Fall damage is a thing, so tread carefully Purple Eggs are the solution to most of your problems, giving you a quick anti-gravity boost to counter your massive weight, in tum, you prolong your life by collecting the hearts so you don't die instantly when you crash to the ground.

This version for the ZX Spectrum Next includes a few enhancements, like better color attributes, more colorful sprites, more sprite animation frames, and of course, more bad guys. It's a good thing, trust me if you're looking for a game that puts the action in the backseat for a while, and puts your platforming skills to the test, then Castle Escape just might be the game for you!

Check out the video here:

Subscribe to our YouTube for more Retro Gaming News!

Deflemask October Showcase

Posted by Write Meow · 十一月 11, 2022

It may be November already, but we hope you're ready for a treat for your ears alongside all that leftover Halloween candy. We're up for another round of showcasing artists from both Soundcloud and YouTube who work in Deflemask!

Click on the pictures to hear about the masterpieces they made!

Fizzled by Aleksandar Milović

This piece is based on a mix by Abstract64 that was made for Battle of the Bits, Summer Chip 11, and as a unique twist, it also happens to be one of the demo songs included in Deflemask. It's fun, inspiring, and incredible to see how each artist can add their own unique style.

Stage by Verum Corner

This piece was made for a homebrew game project called Space Cobra. It's a 2D pixel art, platformer, and action game about space pirates. Before you know it, this song will have you hyped to Swashbuckle your way across the galaxy.

Impossible Love by Tane

This is an original song heavily based on endless love from the 3DS Port. It's borrowed the style of Fantasy Zone II DX and has other influences thrown in as well. Give it a listen and see what you think.

Veritas by Xiggy

This version was made in Delflemask by Xiggy and was composed by Presti. Deemo is a score-based music video game. The plot centers around a little girl who falls from an open trap door in the sky and a mysterious black being who plays piano music to help the girl return to her own world. The retro style of this cover lends an extra air of mystery and intrigue.

Quick Race by Ethan Quach

This is a 16-bit cover of Battle Quick Race from Sonic Heroes. It was made in Deflemask using instruments from Sonic 3 and Knuckles Balloon Park, which is also by the same original composer. What a fun way to showcase a composer's unique style.

Gunky Thing by Rayjkayj

Are you ready for a funky little looptoberjam? Rayjkayj brought us a little neo- geo inspiration with this fun and original little gunky thing loop, and we can't wait to see what it turns into.

Space Battle by Scowsh

Put your astronaut costumes back on! This is an original piece that was composed using the NES sound trip by Scowsh. It's exciting, mysterious, and absolutely out of this world.

Tidal Rush by Ethan Quach.

This is a 16-bit cover of Tidal Rush from Splatoon two. It's done in the style of Sonic 3 and Knuckles. And honestly, it feels like we really missed out on having a 16-bit version of Splatoon

Check out the video here with Mimi!

Oh before you go, do you like chiptunes? Cats? Maybe Mimi or the Sega Genesis? Well, if you do, let's have a catjam together! Join us on Discord and subscribe to us on YouTube!

WEEKLY DOSE OF GAMING NEWS: Ace Battle Over the Sea, Settle the World, and NEONnoir

Posted by Write Meow · 十一月 08, 2022

The Amiga Blitz Basic Game Jam has been helpful in growing the Amiga community and spreading awareness around programming languages like Blitz Basic and AmiBlitz to create games. It ran from June 1 to November 1 this year, and the showcase was massive.

If you're looking for a game where you shoot down planes, avoided being shot out of the sky, and do barrel rolls, then DarkGiver and his Blitz Basic Game Jam entry will be perfect for your daredevil taste. ACE Battle Over The Sea has some gameplay footage as we speak and is guaranteed to give that classic Capcom 1942' feel that a lot has been craving.

If you're unfamiliar, the game is simple-fly your plane over the sea and destroy all the other enemy planes that come your way. Now, while it seems easy, this can be a challenging game to play with waves of enemies, stage bosses, and bullets flying everywhere. Definitely a nice addition to the Commodore Amiga library and a must-have for bullet hell fanatics.

To all the fans of playing Sid Meier's Colonization, you're in for a treat. Theo Theoderich has a new game in development, and it has everything a colony and economy game-lover could ever want. Settle The World is currently in development for this year's Game Jam as a turn-based building and trading game.

Build settlements, build roads, establish trade relations with fellow players, and explore the map: You can even go to war Sweet. Just make sure that your citizens are satisfied, only then will you succeed in winning the game's next presidential elections. The goal of the game is to stay in power as long as possible. If you're interested, you'll need an Amiga computer with at least 2 MB RAM, a fast processor, and a hard disk with multiplayer in mind. So, keep your eyes peeled for updates!

The Commodore Amiga cyberpunk-like adventure game of NEONnoir by steamknight is here complete with all the neon and vaporwave you can handle. It's a hybrid point-in-click adventure and visual novel game for the Amiga 1200 and an official entry for the Amiga Blitz Basic game Jam.

When it comes to the game's development, steamknight says that the game was created over 5 months for the Amiga Blitz Basic Game Jam with the purpose of bringing a few faces into the community and helping share knowledge of Blitz basic programming. You'd be surprised to know that even steamknight had never heard of Blitz Basic before, but thanks to the community's support, he just had to give it a shot.

It's the longest he's ever worked on a game with the most complex story, something he's really proud of. As he should cuz it's a damn good-looking game. So if you're a fan of anything cyberpunk and can't get enough of visual novels, then you might wanna give good old steamknight some support and check NEONnoir.

Check out the video here:

Subscribe to our YouTube for more Retro Gaming News!

Deflemask September Showcase

Posted by Write Meow · 十一月 04, 2022

Up for a musical ride? Hop in! For today, we're showcasing artists from both Soundcloud and YouTube who work in Deflemask!

Click on the pictures to hear the masterpieces they made!

Insect Level by Tobikomi

This fun piece was made for a game called Do the Same by Rico59. Do the same is a SEGA Master system-style puzzle game involving picture matching of many different types of objects. This particular song is for the insect-themed level, but there are others involving fruit, flowers, and more. The poppy melody is the perfect puzzle-solving motivation.

Network Transfer 2020 by subpxl

Subpxl has given us another amazing track with lots of nods to the series we all know and love. It includes inspiration from games like Megaman Battle Network, Megaman X five, Cross Code, Kuro no Kiseki, and Sora no Kiseki FC, among others. Their Genesis era tracks like this never disappoint.

Speed Demon - Michael Jackson by Diggo Silva

This is a Deflemask cover and arrangement. It would absolutely be a great addition to any road trip playlist. And if a retro racing or GTA-esque game were to be made based on the music video, this cover would set the perfect mood.

Lordess of the Flies by RRThiel

Are you ready for another track from the new indie shoot 'em up Stellanova? Last month we got to hear a piece from Act 1-1, and this time it's the boss one. The funky beat on this is super hype and I honestly can't wait to see what the actual boss fight looks like when it finally comes out. Hopefully, we'll get a sneak peek when the first demo comes out soon, but in the meantime, you can throw this on repeat and dream of the possibility.

Revenge of the Id by Flapsandwich

This next piece is for an upcoming indie game. The game is called Revenge of the Id and is made in the style of Commodore64, and the song is titled the same. It's a moody piece that sets a serious and determined tone, and it will be exciting to see how it integrates into the game once it's released.

Menu by TobiKomi

This piece is the menu theme of Do the Same by Rico59 and feels super nostalgic to the master system era. Put your thinking caps on because this song will have you ready for whatever fast-paced puzzles this game will throw at you.

Mystic Cave Zone from Sonic 2 by 4sythe

It wouldn't be a Deflemask showcase without at least one track from a Sonic game, right? This piece is an arrangement of Mystic Cave Zone from Sonic 2 and it pulls inspiration from Bobby Brown's "We are back", and the origins version of Mystic Cave Zone. Its super funky baseline creates a perfect vibe of adventure and exploration.

Android 808 by TobiKomi

This Jazzy Track was released for 808 day. 808 day is a celebration of the iconic Roland TR 808 drum machine, which is an instrument that was incredibly influential on modern contemporary music. TobiKomi has made a fantastic tribute piece that showcases it perfectly and is incredibly fun to listen to.

Death From Above by Legobuzz

This is an original piece that was made in Deflemask and styled after the battleship theme from Thunder Force IV. They wanted to create a greater sense of urgency while still maintaining the essence of the original and really hitting the mark during an intense space battle. This song will definitely have you on the edge of your seat.

Proto launch-based Zone from Sonic 3 by Cartoons Animate

It rounds out the sound of the piece quite nicely with the addition of some extra elements from the PC and the Origins versions as swell. It's upbeat and a really fun time if you're looking for a bit of sonic nostalgia.

And that's all we have for this month's showcase! If you enjoyed these artists, definitely go check them out and stay tuned for our next Deflemask Showcase!

Check out the video here with Mimi!

Oh before you go, do you like chiptunes? Cats? Maybe Mimi or the Sega Genesis? Well, if you do, let's have a catjam together, and subscribe to us on YouTube!

SUBSCRIBE