Sony Interactive Entertainment has launched a new interactive timeline website celebrating the 30th anniversary of the PlayStation brand, which falls on December 3, 2024. This website provides an extensive look at the history of PlayStation consoles, highlighting key milestones and sales achievements across all generations.

One notable revelation is that the PlayStation 2 has officially surpassed 160 million units sold worldwide, cementing its position as the best-selling video game console of all time. This figure exceeds previous estimates by confirming the milestone for the first time. Other significant sales figures include:

• PlayStation (1994–2006): 102 million units
• PlayStation 3 (2006–present): 87 million units
• PlayStation 4 (2013–present): 117 million units

The timeline reflects on past successes and looks toward future innovations.

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What are your thoughts about the PlayStation's legacy in gaming? How do you think the brand should evolve as it moves forward?

Metroid Prime 2 Remaster

The remaster of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is reportedly set for release in early 2025, following successful reception of the first game.

• Release Date: Early 2025 (pending official announcement)
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch
• Features: Enhanced visuals, quality-of-life updates, modern enhancements including improved controls and higher-resolution textures.
• Fan Hope: Tweaks to streamline complex backtracking elements.

This news follows the success of Metroid Prime Remastered, which launched in 2023 and garnered critical acclaim. The game is expected to retain its darker tone while providing enhanced visual and gameplay experiences familiar from its original release.

> It is very peculiar how Nintendo has handled the 3 games, with releases more than a year after their completion, in fact they can release them whenever they want. > > - Samus Hunter

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What did you think of Metroid Prime: Remastered? How do you think Metroid Prime 2: Remastered will compare?

Breath of Death VII: The Beginning, a critically acclaimed Xbox 360 RPG developed by Shadow Layer Games, is making its way to Steam. Originally released in 2010, this retro-inspired JRPG has gained immense popularity over the years, earning high scores and maintaining a fanbase. The port, titled Breath of Death VII: The Beginning Reanimated, will be available starting December 12th, 2024.

• Developer: Shadow Layer Games
• Platform: Xbox 360 (originally)
• Release Date: December 12th, 2024 on Steam
• Price: $5

Key Features of the Remake:

• Renewed Graphics and Sound: Complete rebuild of the original code with a new 16-bit art style and a brand-new soundtrack.
• New Modes and Gameplay Enhancements: Additional game modes, quality-of-life features, UI/UX improvements, and user-friendly controls.

> Breath of Death VII: The Beginning Reanimated is a complete, ground-up remake of the original, top-rated Xbox Live Indie Game. > > - Bill Stiernberg, Shadow Layer Games.

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What are your favourite memories of the original Breath of Death VII: The Beginning?

Nintendo has expanded its retro library on the Nintendo Switch by adding three classic Sega Mega Drive/ Genesis games to the service: Mercs, ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron, and Vectorman.

• Mercs (Wolf of the Battlefield: Mercs): A fast-paced arcade action shooter where players take on the role of a U.S. mercenary unit rescuing a kidnapped former president, featuring multiple modes and a variety of weapons.
• ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron: A side-scrolling adventure with quirky humor and colourful levels, returning the iconic duo to their home planet while combating Earthlings.
• Vectorman: Set in a dystopian future where players control Vectorman, stopping a rogue leader. Known for its fluid animations and high-speed action, this is one of the most visually impressive games on the Genesis/Mega Drive.

These additions are now available for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers through the SEGA Genesis app on their consoles.

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What's your favorite Sega Mega Drive/Genesis game from these new additions?

Fighters Megamix is one of Saturn's must-play fighting games, bringing together beloved characters from titles like Virtua Fighter and Fighting Vipers. Yutaka Ito, the game's developer, has revealed a secret about it after nearly three decades:

• In 1996, the developers found that breaking a wall in the secret stage or using powerful moves would freeze the game before they could fix the bug.
• This issue prevented them from publicly announcing the hidden Ohshima Stage until now.
• The secret can be accessed only if specific conditions are met; however, the game freezing bug remains unfixed.

Now that Fighters Megamix marks its 28th anniversary, Yutaka Ito decided it was time to share this secret and X user memory_fallen followed the clues; he's made a video with instructions.

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Have you ever found a significant bug in an old game?

RetroTime has developed an innovative solution to breathe new life into the nearly 40-year-old Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). By utilizing the rarely used expansion port on the bottom of the console, the NES Hub provides modern functionality by adding Bluetooth connectivity. This allows up to four wireless controllers to connect seamlessly without any soldering or hardware modifications.

Key Features:

• Bluetooth connectivity for four wireless controllers
• Mimics capabilities of Nintendo's 1990 NES Four Score accessory, enabling support for four-player games like Bomberman 2 and Gauntlet 2
• Enhances audio experience by unlocking expansion audio channels for certain Famicom games
• Includes three extra ports for connecting peripherals such as a $26 add-on for connectiong SNES controllers

Additional Features:

• Connects to a PC via Bluetooth for web-based configuration tool
• Offers button remapping or keyboard/mouse mode

Availability: The NES Hub is available for preorder at $57.28 and set to ship in December 2024.

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Is bluetooth connectivity the NES QoL upgrade you've been waiting for? Or do you have reservations when it comes to latency?

PlayStation Preservation Milestone

An Important Job for Garret Fredley

Recently, a PlayStation preservation expert named Garret Fredley has reached an impressive milestone: 500 terabytes (TB) of Sony’s gaming history have been safely stored.

Fredley shared this achievement on Twitter, writing: > "We have crossed the 500 TBs threshold of preserved PlayStation history at work🥳 > > It's weird to consider what half a petabyte looks like considering the size of modern AAA titles. It's an honour to preserve it all, but copying hundreds of millions of files is super slow

Objectives and Challenges

• Preservation Practices: The PS Studios IP Preservation team, which Fredley oversees, focuses on establishing preservation practices for future titles and archiving past games as comprehensively as possible.

Relevance and Future Benefits

The work done by Fredley's team will be extremely important for future endeavours in the gaming industry:

• Reduction of Loss: With readily available source code, artwork, and resources, reproducing or re-releasing games will become easier. This means a significant reduction in the risk of losing crucial game data.
• Historical Significance: It also preserves historical data which could be invaluable for future research and development within the industry.

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Given that Sony is now taking these steps, one might wonder if other major gaming companies are doing similar preservation efforts? Do you think Nintendo, Microsoft, or any other company should follow suit?

Nintendo has added Donkey Kong Land to their Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy emulator.

Key Points:

• Donkey Kong Land is a different game from its SNES counterpart and offers unique levels.
• The Nintendo DMG (Game Boy) version features a distinct graphics style with influences from Super Mario games like Super Mario Land and Wario Land.
• Fun gameplay involving collecting bananas and defeating foes can be enjoyed by subscribers to the base-level package of Switch Online.

The game marks another step in celebrating Donkey Kong Country's 30th anniversary and continuing retro gaming nostalgia.

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Did you prefer the DMG or SNES version of Donkey Kong Land?

Key Facts:

• Evercade Alpha: Global release expected between November 28th and December 16th, with UK and US shipments by the end of November. Western and Northern Europe might face delays due to logistical challenges.
• Toaplan Arcade 3 and other latest cartridges (Data East Arcade 2, Metal Dragon & Life on Mars) are set for shipment at the same time as Evercade Alpha, arriving earlier than expected in several territories.
• Evercade EXP-R: Available by end of November with optional TATE grips for comfortable vertical play mode.

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Are you planning to order any of these?

Virtua Fighter 5, the legendary fighting game series' fifth mainline installment, is set to arrive on Steam in Winter 2024. Known as Virtua Fighter 5: R.E.V.O, this will be the first time the game becomes available through the popular digital storefront.

Key Facts:

• Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
• New Features: Rollback netcode support, 4K visuals with updated HD textures.
• Based on: Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown (2021).

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Do you think Virtua Fighter 5: R.E.V.O is a worthy addition or just another rehashed cash-grab?

Ocean Software's 1991 Commodore 64 port of the arcade platformer TOKI is receiving an unofficial fan remaster after Davide Bottino spent over two years working on the project.

• Developer: Davide Bottino (a pixel artist and game creator)
• Platform: Commodore 64
• Period: Over 20 months of work

David called Ocean's work on their original C64 port“Decent and above average” but with crude sprites that left "a lot to be desired", so he set out to see if he could do a better job. His updates include redrawn and recoloured character sprites (more similar to the arcade originals), new music and sound effects, bug fixes, and improved controls.

Bottino has shared some of his work on Twitter.

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Were you disappointed by Ocean's original C64 port?

Arcade Archives Sale: Up to 50% off Selected Titles

Hamster Corporation is offering a special sale on selected Arcade Archives titles. Valid until December 2, 2024, the sale includes retro classics like:

• Neo Geo League Bowling (Switch)
• Neo Geo Aero Fighters 2 (Switch, PS4)
• Neo Geo Stakes Winner (Switch, PS4)
• Tetris: the Grand Master (Switch, PS4)

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Do you remember when you had to pay hundreds for Neo Geo games?

Celebrating 30 Years of Donkey Kong Country: New ROM Hacks for Experts!

Overview

The retro-gaming community is commemorating Donkey Kong Country's 30 anniversary in a special way. This includes three new ROM hacks designed exclusively for aficionados and experts who consider themselves skilled at playing the game.

Key Information

• Available Hacks:
• Challenge Edition: Inspired by the hidden difficulty mode from Donkey Kong Country 2. Removes DK barrels and warp barrels, making it impossible to bring back lost characters or perform level skips.
• Expert Edition: Similar to Challenge Edition, but takes its cue from the Game Boy Advance version of Donkey Kong Country 3, stripping out all checkpoint barrels. This means completing every level in one go without dying!
• Hero Edition: Specific to Diddy Kong and based on the unlockable '1 Player Hero mode' in Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Advance).
• Editor Used: The hacks were created using RainbowZ Editor, a powerful tool for Donkey Kong Country that allows users to edit level attributes and other aspects of the game.

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Are these challenging rom-hacks just what you need to get back into Donkey Kong Country for its 30th anniversary?

Identity of Bleem Resurfaces

In a surprising turn of events, Piko Interactive, the company that took on Sony in an infamous legal battle over emulation rights back in 2001, is now crowdfunding for what it calls the 'largest retro gaming project' ever.

The Story Behind Bleem

Bleem was founded to bridge the gap between Sega and PlayStation consoles by allowing PS1 games to run on Dreamcast. Although Sony lost the ensuing lawsuit, reinforcing the legality of certain forms of emulation, it led to Bleem's bankruptcy in 2001 due to overwhelming legal expenses.

Evolving into a Nostalgia Portal

Fast forward to today, Piko Interactive is resurrecting the Bleem brand under new ownership. Rather than focusing on emulation, this time around, Bleem.net aims to be an all-encompassing nostalgia portal featuring:

• Digital ROMs and physical releases of retro titles
• Merchandise based on iconic video games, cartoons, and toys
• Digital comics

Crowdfunding Campaign

The crowdfunding campaign promises to bring these offerings to life. It stands as a testament to the continued interest in retro gaming.

Community Reactions

Community reactions to this development are mixed, with some nostalgic about Bleem’s previous iterations while others criticizing Piko Interactive for past missteps and subpar product releases.

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What do you think might be the key to success for Bleem.net? How can a retro gaming project today balance nostalgia and profitability without alienating fans of classic games?

When Yuzo Koshiro announced Earthion in late 2023, gamers worldwide were eagerly anticipating a new shooter for the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive.

Key Points:

• Developer: Ancient Games
• Expected Release Date (initial): Late 2024
• Current Status: Delayed until 2025
• Current State of Development: On track, nearing completion

Developer's Statement

> The development of Earthion is on track and it looks like the project has entered the home stretch. Though it is taking slightly longer than planned.

Upcoming Events

Earthion will be playable at the upcoming Retro Game Summit in Ota Ward Industrial Plaza PiO on November 30th.

Physical Release

Limited Run Games (LRG) have been contracted to handle physical distribution, however, some fans are concerned about this choice. Suggestions for alternative distributors include Retro-Bit, known for high quality releases and meeting deadlines.

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What do you think? Is the delay concerning or exciting given that it promises a more polished gaming experience?

Key Points:

• Suigi has secured all five major speedrunning categories in Super Mario 64, effectively declaring the game's speedrunning community 'dead'.
• Suigi's dominance is so profound that his records in all 5 main categories remain largely unchallenged.

The Five Star Categories:

• 120 star: Completes every single star in the game.
• 70 star: Completes all normal requirements to reach the final level.
• 16 star: Uses glitches and techniques to significantly reduce required stars.
• 1 star: Further optimizes the 16 star run for a single star collection.
• 0 star: Eliminates stars entirely, focusing on time.

Background Details:

• Some of Suigi's records were set over a year ago; his 16-star record alone still leads by 6 seconds.
• Suigi estimates it could take up to a couple of years before someone else beats his current world records.

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How do you feel about the dedication and skill demonstrated in these ultra-optimized speedruns? Do such efforts bring value to gaming or are they more of an academic exercise?

Retro publisher Limited Run Games is bringing back BattleTanx and its sequel, BattleTanx: Global Assault, to the Nintendo 64 console. Originally released in the USA, these games are known for their over-the-top action and destruction which captured a cult following when they hit shelves.

• Games Set to be Rereleased: Both versions of BattleTanx will see pre-orders starting on November 22nd until December 22nd with an expected release date in August 2025. The sequels and original modes, including deathmatches and capture the flag, will also be supported.

• Preserved Features: As part of Limited Run Games' signature style, the games retain support for the Rumble Pak and Memory Pak, ensuring an authentic N64 experience.

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Do you remember playing BattleTanx? What do you think about its return to the market?

Key Facts:

• Title: Xeno Brigade Extinction
• Publishers:
• Technoshed: Publisher of the ZX Spectrum Next software.
• Event: Crash Live UK-based ZX Spectrum event taking place in England’s Midlands – where the game will be launched this coming weekend.
• Developer: Greenman Soft

Context:

The ZX Spectrum Next is a modern revision of the 1980s classic, promising both advanced specs and nostalgic charm. It targets a dedicated community of retro enthusiasts while aiming to expand its reach in today's gaming scene.

Game Details:

• Format: Strategy game for single or two-player.
• Inspiration: Turn-based strategy games from the original ZX Spectrum era.

Why is this noteworthy?: This launch demonstrates how modern technology can be used to revive and preserve classic gaming genres, making them accessible to a contemporary audience while honouring their heritage.

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What do you think about reviving the Spectrum in the form of the ZX Spectrum Next?

With the likes of the NES and SNES Classic Editions, Nintendo kicked off a craze for micro-consoles that continues to this day. Despite Nintendo's absence in creating another 'mini' console, the community is stepping up with an impressive creation: a GameCube Mini.

The device, powered by an x86 Intel-based mini PC and running emulation, stands as a testament to the creator's robertdunnart's talent and dedication. It’s worth noting that this project is entirely in the hands of one person, so getting your hands on one involves a bit of waiting.

Given that the creator is literally a one-man band, there's no room for a disc drive, and it might take some time to receive your unit if you're interested. Head over here to contact him directly.

Previously, Robert lamented feeling like the 'black sheep' of the retro gaming + emulation community and stated that he was "literally invisible" after the failure of his previous Kickstarter project, Kawaii-cade. This new venture might just gain some traction with its success.

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What do you think is the perfect GameCube Mini size?

Edia, the Japanese company known for re-releases of classic games like Valis and Tenshi No Uta, has announced they're bringing back a retro trilogy originally developed by Wolf Team: El Viento, Earnest Evans, and Anett Futatabi.

These titles are action platformers, with El Viento and Earnest Evans coming from the Mega Drive/Genesis console, while Anett Futatabi was released on Sega CD. Despite some challenges like a North American release that only featured a port of Earnest Evans and lacked cutscenes, the games have garnered a cult following.

• El Viento (1991) - An action platformer available in 2024 via Retro-Bit Gaming on Genesis.
• Earnest Evans (1991) - Another action adventure with unique gameplay that some say was ahead of its time.
• Anett Futatabi (1993) - A side-scrolling fighter game, often criticized but appreciated for its cutscenes.

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Are you eagerly awaiting El Viento and Earnest Evans?