Retro Gaming
Ongoing coverage on Retro Gaming.
Latest coverage
Evening Reading - October 2, 2026
This Friday reading covers a variety of gaming news including updates on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Fortnite, Minecraft, and Monster Hunter Wilds. It also touches on the cancellation of PUBG's Black Budget, Deadlock's Rat King, and Team Fortress 2's Scream Fortress event. Additionally, there are mentions of game deals, a review of Star Wars: Galactic Racer, and updates for World of Warcraft and Marvel Snap.
7 Retro Games That Brought Casino Vibes to Classic Gaming
This article explores seven retro video games from the 1980s and 1990s that incorporated casino themes and mechanics. Games like Casino for Atari 2600, Leisure Suit Larry, Dragon Warrior IV, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Vegas Stakes, Pokémon Red and Blue, and Final Fantasy VII are highlighted for their unique implementations of gambling elements, from blackjack and slot machines to elaborate amusement parks.
Retro-Inspired Platformer Game For PS5, PS4 Is Out Today on PlayStation Store
The retro-inspired 2D platformer Antonblast, developed by Summitsphere and directed by Tony Grayson, has launched on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. Previously released on Nintendo Switch and PC, the game features fast-paced destruction mechanics and Game Boy Advance-inspired visuals, earning an 87/100 on Metacritic.
Alien Breed 35th Anniversary and the return of Commodore interview
Commodore is relaunching as a publisher, starting with the Alien Breed 35th Anniversary Collection. The company, which has reacquired its original trademarks, aims to preserve classic games and hardware, with plans for future publishing ventures. The Alien Breed collection features all six original games, updated controls, and extensive museum content, highlighting the importance of game preservation.
The 8Bitdo FlipPad isn't my absolute favorite way to play Game Boy games, but it could win me over this time next…
The 8Bitdo FlipPad offers a sleek, USB-C connected retro gaming experience for mobile phones, making it a good alternative to the chunkier GameSir Pocket Taco. While its $29.99 price is already competitive, it's expected to see further discounts during Prime Day, potentially dropping to around $20. The FlipPad excels in its compact design and direct connection, ideal for casual Game Boy sessions.
The 8Bitdo FlipPad doesn't quite perfect turning your phone into a Game Boy, but I'd absolutely recommend it for cheeky Pokemon sessions
The 8Bitdo FlipPad offers a sleek and tactile way to turn a smartphone into a retro handheld, particularly for games like Pokemon and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Its clever hinge mechanism allows quick access to the phone screen, and the clicky dome buttons provide satisfying input. However, its reliance on a specific phone case thickness for a flush fit and the lack of Bluetooth connectivity limit its versatility compared to competitors.
First-person RPG Queen's Domain pitches you against an island of gorgeous freaks with naught but a flying sword and infinite throwing daggers
Freshly Baked Games and Future Friends Games announced that the first-person RPG Queen's Domain will be released on October 30 for PC. The game features a holy sword for blink-jumping, infinite throwing weapons, and a stamina bar, drawing comparisons to King's Field and Morrowind.
Outrun 2026 - An Arcade racing classic gets an AI Amstrad CPC 128k port by Oldschool Is Beautiful
A new port of the classic SEGA Master System game Outrun, titled Outrun 2026, has been developed for the Amstrad CPC 6128 by Oldschool Is Beautiful. Notably, the entire game engine, utilities, and music conversion were programmed using Anthropic's Claude Opus 5.5 AI model, with the human creator acting solely as director and tester.
Chack’n Pop is this week’s Console Archives game for Nintendo Switch 2
The classic arcade game Chack’n Pop is being released for the Nintendo Switch as part of Hamster's Console Archives series. The title, originally developed by TAITO in 1985, will be available digitally on October 1, 2026, featuring modern enhancements like customizable controls and save points.
This week’s Arcade Archives game is Ballon Bomberfor Nintendo Switch 2, and Switch
Hamster is releasing the classic TAITO arcade game Balloon Bomber as part of its Arcade Archives series for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 on October 1, 2026. The game features original mode with various convenience features, as well as high score and time attack modes with online rankings. The Arcade Archives 2 series also introduces VRR support for a more accurate original arcade experience.
The Tower of Zeldaga is a free retro mash-up of Zelda and Druaga in which you rescue Ganondorf from some evil blonde queen
The Tower of Zeldaga is a free, browser-based retro mash-up game created by Osmose, blending elements of the original The Legend of Zelda with Namco's The Tower of Druaga. The game features a challenging maze structure and puzzles, with the developer anticipating players might try to cheat using browser tools.
The upcoming C64 and ZX Spectrum handheld just got hit with a six-month delay due to quality issues
The upcoming clamshell C64 and ZX Spectrum handhelds have been delayed by six months, now slated for an April 22, 2027 release. The Retro Games Ltd and Blaze collaboration faced production issues that did not meet high quality standards. This delay does not affect the Evercade Nexus.
Ayaneo launches its Pocket Block for $79, and I'm glad the Game Boy clone has ditched the AI pitch
Ayaneo has launched its Konkr Pocket Block, a vertical Android handheld, for $79, notably dropping the AI marketing that accompanied its initial unveiling. The device aims to compete with rivals like the Anbernic RG35XX Plus by offering a Helio G85 CPU capable of emulating systems up to PlayStation 1 and potentially PSP. While the company plans a future AI-focused broadcast, the current marketing emphasizes its retro cyber design and emulation capabilities.
Evening Reading - September 28, 2026
This edition of Shacknews Evening Reading covers various game reviews and previews, including The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered, Minecraft Dungeons 2, and Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve. The article also touches on the state of retro gaming, the increasing involvement of AI in various fields, and the importance of art style in Halo.
Solseed: Journey to Spring - An updated retro adventure for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum 128K by marinovic
Solseed: Journey to Spring, an updated retro platformer by developer marinovic, has been released for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum 128K. This version features 42 screens, AY music, and redefinable keys, offering a larger and more magical world than the original 48K release.
Lost in the Middle Ages - Another fantastic game is in the works for the Amiga 500 by HooGames2017
HooGames2017, known for its Commodore Amiga titles, has announced its new Scorpion Engine game, Lost in the Middle Ages, for the Amiga 500. This adventure game features a medieval setting with a prophesied hero and traditional RPG progression, drawing inspiration from Wonder Boy with an emphasis on exploration.
Vette! - A 90's game by Spectrum Holobyte arrives on the Amiga via Vesuri
A fan-made port of the 1991 Macintosh street racer "Vette!" has been released for the Amiga. Developed by Sphere, Inc. and originally published by Spectrum HoloByte, this port runs the original codebase and features the full 1.02 version of the game, allowing players to race Chevrolet Corvettes through San Francisco. While it lacks network multiplayer and features a choppy frame rate due to the era's hardware limitations, it captures the charm of the original.
Neon Revenant - An in dev native MSX pseudo-3D rail shooter
Kanon-AI is developing Neon Revenant, an experimental pseudo-3D rail shooter for the MSX system, pushing the hardware's boundaries with multiple ROM editions tailored for different chipsets. The game features optimized performance and varying campaign lengths, with advanced versions offering a three-zone campaign and the MSX1 version boasting an expanded five-zone campaign and a multi-stage boss fight. The prototype is currently available as an 'AS IS' release, primarily tested via emulation.
The next retro games coming to Steam are a pair of extremely 1990s run-and-gunners where Spanish Goku fights mutants
Retro specialists QUByte Interactive are bringing two of Gaelco's 1990s arcade games, Thunder Hoop and its sequel TH Strikes Back, to Steam on October 8. The collection will feature modern quality-of-life features like save states and rewind, with the sequel including local co-op.
Addams Family Amiga: The Backgrounds Edition - OCS and AGA Amigas, now with restored backgrounds! ( Coming October )
A modified version of Ocean's 1992 Amiga game, The Addams Family, is set for release in October 2026. This "Backgrounds Edition," developed by DJ Mike, restores detailed background artwork that was originally omitted from the Amiga port due to hardware limitations. The project leverages different Amiga hardware capabilities, with AGA-powered machines offering enhanced parallax scrolling.
