Nostr notes by The Retro Timer 💾

For my PS2 with a broken optical drive controller, the only ...

2026-01-02T01:11:33Z

For my PS2 with a broken optical drive controller, the only stable option is to load games over ethernet — its USB ports and memory card slots (MX4SIO) are just too slow.

But the loader (OPL) needs SMBv1 😱 and it bothered me having that enabled on my network, so I finally opted for a dedicated Raspberry Pi: an original 256MB model from 2012.

It's very satisfying to repurpose hardware that has been sitting in a drawer for 13 years. And it works just fine.

#retrogaming #playstation #raspberrypi

"Rendezvous with Rama" (1973) is my favourite sci-fi ...

2025-09-20T11:10:41Z

"Rendezvous with Rama" (1973) is my favourite sci-fi book. In it, a mysterious object enters the solar system, which turns out to be a 50x16 km hollow cylinder.

The theme is of pure exploration, as the gigantic ship does not appear to carry anyone, and its purpose is unknown. In this book, the author (Arthur C. Clarke) doesn't give you any more information than what the characters can see and hear.

It would make for a great point-and-click adventure.

#retrogaming #adventure #books #scifi

What sorcery is this... a 3D platformer on the ZX Spectrum? 😮 ...

2025-08-20T23:46:58Z

What sorcery is this... a 3D platformer on the ZX Spectrum? 😮

Cubix (2025), an entry in the https://yrgb.org competition.

#retrogaming #indie #zxspectrum #gaming

Finding AI slop in #retro content (blogs, videos) is like finding ...

2025-07-24T12:11:11Z

Finding AI slop in #retro content (blogs, videos) is like finding a hair in your curry, or bacon bits in your tofu.

You may think it's OK, or that it adds flavor. But please don't do this, it's disgusting.

#retrocomputing #retrogaming #randomthoughts

Gottlieb's "Mad Planets" (1983) is fun, but likely ...

2025-06-09T19:16:49Z

Gottlieb's "Mad Planets" (1983) is fun, but likely more fun in the original cabinet, given its custom controls.

It expects a joystick to move the ship, and a dial to rotate it. Took me a while to settle on a gamepad mapping that felt halfway decent. 🎮

The sound is cool, and technically interesting. There are no audio samples and no FM synthesizer chip — it's all generated by code running in the secondary 6502 at less than 1 MHz.

1/2 🧵

#retrogaming #arcade #history

Another arcade puzzle game: "Pipe Dream" — also from ...

2025-04-23T10:59:47Z

In reply to nevent1q…fa8m
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Another arcade puzzle game: "Pipe Dream" — also from 1990.

Unlike Klax, Pipe Dream didn't start in the arcades, it started on the Amiga as "Pipe Mania" in 1989 — programmed by The Assembly Line (UK), with artwork by LucasFilm Games (Mark Ferrari¹).

The arcade version has some very japanese graphics (e.g. those firemen). Not sure if any of those two companies had any involvement with it beyond licensing the rights to Video System.

¹ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ggkeTVIzwg&t=1495s

#retrogaming #arcade #puzzle #gaming

Arcade puzzle games are often overlooked, so here's ...

2025-04-22T12:15:09Z

Arcade puzzle games are often overlooked, so here's "Klax" (1990) from Atari.

Colored blocks roll down a conveyor belt, and you must catch them and drop them in rows, columns, or diagonals. Levels have specific goals, like scoring a certain number of diagonals, or surviving a certain number of blocks.

It's a good game to emulate on mobile, while on a waiting room. Which I guess kind of says why we don't usually think about puzzle games in arcades...

#retrogaming #arcade #atari #gaming #puzzle

TikTok bans itself in advance in the US, with a message ...

2025-01-19T18:24:22Z

TikTok bans itself in advance in the US, with a message challenging Trump to swoop in as a savior. Is that it?

#randomthoughts #tiktok

I should also explore the Atari home systems in 2025. It's a ...

2024-12-24T15:44:14Z

In reply to nevent1q…43t9
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I should also explore the Atari home systems in 2025. It's a real blind spot to me, in several ways:

Even though "Atari' is probably the first brand the western mainstream associates with old games, it doesn't feel as impactful as the japanese brands, like Taito, Namco, or Konami.

On the hardware side, in my mind Atari groups with Tandy, RadioShack, or Coleco. Not with Commodore, Nintendo, or Sega.

#retrogaming #atari #computing #history #gaming

There's an updated firmware (1.0.3) for RetroGames' ...

2024-12-24T14:37:06Z

There's an updated firmware (1.0.3) for RetroGames' "The Spectrum" with support for "games and demos that perform per-scanline page flips or palette updates" which sounds like it'll include RetroSouls' Ringo (2022).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTy5BsWtgy4

Yes, it's been a lot of Spectrum lately, but I promise I'll do some C64 in 2025.

#retrogaming #zxspectrum #thespectrum #gaming

How could I not try a game whose title shares my name (albeit ...

2024-12-22T23:26:06Z

How could I not try a game whose title shares my name (albeit misspelled)?

"Karlos und Schätze der Azteken" (2010) is a fun puzzle game for the ZX Spectrum.

The goal is to take the aztec mask and head for the exit, while breaking blocks and stunning enemies with your hammer, pushing blocks into place, etc.

Sadly, it doesn't work in "The Spectrum" as it needs TR-DOS — most popular on former-USSR clones with floppies, although it originated in the UK. 💾

#retrogaming #zxspectrum #indie #gaming

It may be controversial, but I feel the Spectrum isn't a good ...

2024-12-19T19:51:22Z

It may be controversial, but I feel the Spectrum isn't a good choice if you're looking for old games playable on their own merit today.

Sure, Chuckie Egg or Manic Miner (1983) will take you back to your childhood. Or, if you lack such memories, they'll give you a taste of early 80's home computing.

But for actual Spectrum gaming, you may want to look for modern releases, with better gameplay and accumulated platform knowledge.

Change my mind. 🔥

#retrogaming #zxspectrum #nostalgia #gaming

I'm not a sports person, and golf is not exactly the type of ...

2024-12-18T01:34:58Z

I'm not a sports person, and golf is not exactly the type of game that I associate with intense arcade action. ⛳

I'm not yet sure what to think of "Neo Turf Masters" (1996) for the Neo Geo. It looks great, and I didn't get bored playing it, which is good, I guess. Need to play more.

I wonder if they had arcade cabinets running this at golf clubs, though. 🤔

#retrogaming #arcade #neogeo #sports #golf #gaming

"Castlevania: Rondo of Blood" (1993) for the PC Engine ...

2024-12-17T00:48:27Z

"Castlevania: Rondo of Blood" (1993) for the PC Engine CD-ROM² was only released in Japan at the time.

Some years ago, it was unofficially patched into english, based on a version included with the 2007 remake for the PSP (Dracula X Chronicles). 🤔

In both cases the intro is voiced in german, but with different actors. The patched version is particularly awesome:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifP3Afn4HGA&t=19s

The purists might object, and prefer the original:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX38R0-LeYs&t=16s

#retrogaming #pcengine #gaming

I learned that if a game seemed like it should be good but ...

2024-12-14T20:46:58Z

In reply to nevent1q…wlvq
_________________________

I learned that if a game seemed like it should be good but wasn't, it was worth giving another go on the next day. One's mood does affect perception.

After a while, different systems started feeling different. The mix of their capabilities, developers, and context in time and space, really creates a sort of distinct personality.

These two things alone make this whole endeavor feel the opposite of wasted time.

Games are indeed... art. 🕹️

3/3 🧵

#retrocomputing #retrogaming #computing #history

So... my new year's resolution was to go on a journey of ...

2024-12-14T20:28:34Z

In reply to nevent1q…cdjz
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So... my new year's resolution was to go on a journey of retro exploration around games. It's been fun, and it doesn't look that I'm even half-way.

Since January I've played well over 1000 games up until the PS1 era.

I play each game until I've made up my mind about it, which means I've played some games for longer than they deserve, but also that some duds at first glance turned out to be real gems...

2/3 🧵

#retrocomputing #retrogaming #computing #history

I've been into retro for years. It started with a general ...

2024-12-14T19:53:17Z

I've been into retro for years. It started with a general curiosity about the history of computing and slowly included learning about the hardware itself.

But it didn't include much gaming until this year. 2️⃣ 0️⃣ 2️⃣ 4️⃣

Maybe it's part of a mid-life crisis, but it dawned on me that most old systems are now just museum pieces, except for systems where gaming was a thing.

Those still have life in them. Their game libraries keep them alive.

1/3 🧵

#retrocomputing #retrogaming #computing #history

"You’ll never see Infocom’s graphics on any computer ...

2024-12-13T22:27:17Z

In reply to nevent1q…53dw
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"You’ll never see Infocom’s graphics on any computer screen. Because there’s never been a computer built by man that could handle the images we produce. [...] Through our prose, your imagination makes you part of our stories."

#retrogaming #interactivefiction #infocom #text #gaming

Tenebra (2022) — originally for the C64 — is one of the games ...

2024-12-13T22:15:29Z

Tenebra (2022) — originally for the C64 — is one of the games included with Retro Games' "The Spectrum", and it's surprisingly good.

It's a fun puzzle game, visually very barebones and devoid of color. But that's a positive here. Gotta put the most powerful graphics technology in the world to work — your brain, as in the old Infocom advertisement.

It's my suggestion for the weekend:

https://torinak.com/qaop/#128#l=https://zxspectrum.xyz/tenebra.tap ⌨️ 🕹️

In a way, it reminded me of Limbo (2010).

#retrogaming #zxspectrum #indie #gaming

"Old Towers" got a NES port this November. It looks ...

2024-12-12T00:46:24Z

In reply to nevent1q…pfrw
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"Old Towers" got a NES port this November. It looks really good.

What also looks really good is the ZX Spectrum version from 2018 — called "Old Tower", which I believe is the original version of the game. The scroll, so smooth:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0jIODApwRY 🕹️

#retrogaming #nes #zxspectrum #indie #gaming

Nohzdyve is a short ZX Spectrum game written as an easter egg for ...

2024-12-10T00:46:20Z

Nohzdyve is a short ZX Spectrum game written as an easter egg for Black Mirror's "Bandersnatch" (2018).

Even though it's simple, it's quite playable. It would have made a nice full game, for sure.

#retrogaming #zxspectrum #gaming

Tried some demos on "The Spectrum" and, while the most ...

2024-12-09T14:14:50Z

In reply to nevent1q…3fgq
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Tried some demos on "The Spectrum" and, while the most popular one on pouët.net doesn't quite run properly[*], "Sandstorm" (2017) runs nicely.

It's a simple demo as far as content goes, but still funny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dIZjtl37_w

Don't ask about the song, though. 😎

[*] "Mescaline Synesthesia" (2009) does some fancy tricks to fake additional colors that result in significant slowdown under emulation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydH8DvSTD7o 🎨

#retrocomputing #demoscene #zxpectrum #thespectrum #music

Funko (the bobble head figures brand) got the https://itch.io ...

2024-12-09T10:10:14Z

Funko (the bobble head figures brand) got the https://itch.io domain suspended by their registrar. And it's still down because, apparently, customer support in 2024 is an obsolete concept.

The registrar is called "IWantMyName", which seems quite apt given the situation.

✅ Update: Seems like the domain has been restored.

#itchio #homebrew #indie #gaming

In "Böbl" (Morphcat Games, 2019) for the NES, you're ...

2024-12-08T01:33:50Z

In "Böbl" (Morphcat Games, 2019) for the NES, you're a bubble, you're able to dive — which I guess is a super-power for a bubble — and you must use buoyancy to overcome obstacles without popping.

Böbl is cute, and it's always heart-warming to see how new(er) games can give a sense of life to older systems.

#retrogaming #nes #indie #homebrew #pixelart #gaming

Turrican II (1991) had perhaps one of best game soundtracks on ...

2024-12-06T15:06:05Z

Turrican II (1991) had perhaps one of best game soundtracks on the Amiga, by german composer Chris Hülsbeck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAD9qf-M_WQ 🔈🎶

Amiga games often had great music but, to be honest, they also often had great music that didn't really match the pacing of the game. Not so with Turrican II.

#retrogaming #amiga #music #gaming

"There is significant risk that preserved video games would ...

2024-12-05T19:26:18Z

"There is significant risk that preserved video games would be used for recreational purposes." 🙀

That would be a tragedy indeed. Imagine people enjoying old games and celebrating decades-old art work and creativity, for hardware long obsolete and platforms long gone. Just horrible.

#retrogaming #emulation #history #gaming #copyright

The original PlayStation turns 30 today, time to celebrate with ...

2024-12-03T12:47:26Z

The original PlayStation turns 30 today, time to celebrate with some lunchtime gaming. 🎂

Capcom's "Strider 2" came out 25 years ago. First in the PS1's arcade variant (ZN-2) in December 1999, and a few months later in the homes — just as the PS2 was coming out in Japan.

It's a cool game, and it's nice to compare it with the original arcade (CPS-1) "Strider" — a good looking game for 1989 — to see how things had progressed in 10 years.

#retrogaming #playstation #psx #arcade #capcom #gaming

It's early Christmas! First impressions: looks and feels just ...

2024-12-02T20:08:34Z

It's early Christmas!

First impressions: looks and feels just like an original Spectrum 48K. I'm happy. 🤩

Even though it has USB-C for power, it doesn't like USB-C supplies. Didn't work with my Google 30W (sort of), nor with a Pi 5 supply.

The included cable is USB-C to USB-A, and it does work with any USB-A supply, as long as it's at least 1A — including the mentioned Google 30W supply if I use an USB-C to USB-A adapter on it. Interesting...

#retrogaming #zxspectrum #thespectrum #gaming

New arrival to the retro corner: a rescue Sony KV-21FX30E, which ...

2024-12-01T01:28:49Z

New arrival to the retro corner: a rescue Sony KV-21FX30E, which I'm guessing may be from around 2001. 📺

Never two without three, right? And I was looking for a Trinitron.

It's stereo, has RGB, S-Video, and Composite inputs (two SCART + RCA). Supports PAL as well as proper NTSC.

The downside is that it's not quite portable. 21-inches is not that large, but still it weights some 25 Kg.

The picture looks good, but I may try to tweak it a bit from the service menu.

#retrogaming #crt #gaming

"Zanac Neo" (2001) came out late in the PS1's life, ...

2024-11-29T22:20:23Z

"Zanac Neo" (2001) came out late in the PS1's life, and only in Japan. It was one of the two games in the "Zanac X Zanac" pack, with the other being a port of the NES "Zanac" (1986).

It's probably my favorite game on the system. 💯

The pacing is great and the music is spot on. It's a bit hard at first, though — as bullet-hell shooters always are, I guess.

At release time, the original Zanac was 15 years old. Today, Zanac Neo is (exactly) 23 years old. 🤔

#retrogaming #playstation #psx #gaming

In find these two BYTE covers from the late 1970's ...

2024-11-29T15:14:05Z

In find these two BYTE covers from the late 1970's interesting for opposite reasons.

We're not yet in the 23rd century, but we already look at 60 year-old BASIC as ancient technology. Not just as having fallen out of the mainstream, but truly ancient.

And 64 year-old LISP, unlike BASIC, never even went mainstream. It's the language of future past, as futuristic now as the blinking lights on the OG Enterprise's bridge.

And all-caps names? Also ancient.

#retrocomputing #computing #history #art

The original PlayStation turns 30 in a few days, and I'm ...

2024-11-29T01:07:42Z

The original PlayStation turns 30 in a few days, and I'm trying some new (for me) games.

Yesterday it was "Gex" (1995), and I have some mixed feelings...

I feel there's a good game there, but Gex keeps uttering random catch phrases for no discernible reason, trying (but failing) to be funny. It gets annoying pretty quickly.

The 3D sequel let's you lower the voice volume, thank goodness. Gotta play that some more before forming an opinion, though.

#retrogaming #playstation #psx #gaming

Two Stop Bits is just over one year old. It's a clean ...

2024-11-27T10:42:12Z

Two Stop Bits is just over one year old. It's a clean news/link aggregator website focused on retro computing.

https://twostopbits.com 🔌

It isn't as fast moving as Hacker News (from which it derives its style), but slow paced is exactly what we want from retro, right?

The name is a reference to the end-of-frame bits in serial communications.

#retrocomputing #vintage #computing #retrogaming #gaming #news

I'm now weary of newer Pi boards with composite video. I ...

2024-11-25T23:04:25Z

In reply to nevent1q…x998
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I'm now weary of newer Pi boards with composite video. I might give Lakka a go just to see how it behaves (they claim to have good composite support out of the box), or I might try something different like RGB-Pi or Pi2SCART.

But the lesson here is that hobbies are supposed to be fun. Sure, sometimes (often) things don't work as smoothly as expected, but you shouldn't fret about bailing out when it starts feeling like work.

Life is too short.

#retrogaming #emulation #raspberrypi #crt #gaming

"Elevator Action Returns" (1994) runs slow on my Pi 3B + ...

2024-11-25T22:39:55Z

In reply to nevent1q…8wg0
_________________________

"Elevator Action Returns" (1994) runs slow on my Pi 3B + CRT, which gave me an excuse to upgrade to a Pi 4. 🙄

That meant an OS upgrade, and "dt-overlay=vc4-kms-v3d,composite" triggered a cascade of issues. I spent all Saturday on this.

On Sunday I scrapped the whole thing. Elevator Action Returns ran great, though.

This was Type 3 fun. The Pi 3B is fine and isn't my main retro setup anyway. I was just wasting time better spent enjoying it.

#retrogaming #emulation #crt #raspberrypi #gaming

The other day I was introduced to the concept of types of fun: ...

2024-11-25T18:34:09Z

The other day I was introduced to the concept of types of fun:

■ Type 1: enjoyable while you're doing it, and also in retrospect;

■ Type 2: not really enjoyable at the time, but fun in retrospect (i.e. it was worth it);

■ Type 3: painful at the time, and not fun in retrospect (i.e. it was a mistake).

The key insight is that you can easily embark on Type 3 fun believing it's Type 2 — e.g. if you measure success in your hobbies as you do at work — and eventually stop having fun at all.

#fun

Besides the visual impact of these illustrations, what I also ...

2024-11-22T23:31:02Z

In reply to nevent1q…ru20
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Besides the visual impact of these illustrations, what I also find interesting is how they represent a certain era of gaming.

In the early-to-mid 80's, illustrations in magazines and packaging helped seed your imagination, with the games themselves limited to crude graphics.

It may sound like a set up for disappointment, but you don't get disappointed when opening a book with an amazing cover and finding only text, do you?

#retrogaming #history #amstrad #zxspectrum #illustration #art #gaming

I was listening to the latest episode of "This Week in ...

2024-11-22T20:48:05Z

I was listening to the latest episode of "This Week in Retro" podcast when someone mentioned Oliver Frey, and it reminded me of these computer magazine covers from the mid-80's.

His illustrations on these are just amazing.

#retrogaming #amstrad #zxspectrum #graphics #illustration #art #gaming

Speaking of brains... So I was playing Zero Wing the other day ...

2024-11-21T01:24:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…gp2e
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Speaking of brains...

So I was playing Zero Wing the other day and the input response seemed... weird. Like hiccups during fast sequences of presses.

So I fired Artemio's 240p Test Suite and indeed some presses don't register. I immediately thought that (libretro) Genesis Plus GX had gone bad after a recent update.

But no. On my real Mega Drive it's exactly (almost) the same.

Nothing had changed but my perception on that particular day. Funky... 🧠 🤷‍♂️

#retrogaming #megadrive #gaming #brain

Gleylancer was only released in Japan, so the intro is kind of ...

2024-11-21T00:54:02Z

In reply to nevent1q…gp2e
_________________________

Gleylancer was only released in Japan, so the intro is kind of mystifying to me, as it's written in japanese. Not that story matters much anyway.

It's apparent that they were very optimistic about the technological progress by the year 2025, which is just one month away now.

The name also reads suspiciously like a typo. The katakana reads "kureiransā" which should sound like "Grey Lancer". 🤔 🇯🇵

#retrogaming #megadrive #gaming

I'd never heard of "Gleylancer" (1992) until ...

2024-11-21T00:34:42Z

I'd never heard of "Gleylancer" (1992) until yesterday, but it has the potential to dethrone Zero Wing as my favorite shooter on the Mega Drive.

It took me a bit to get used to the parallax scrolling in the first level. It looks good, but is very distracting. It does create a nice atmosphere once your brain tunes it out into the background. And I like the music.

So far I've made it to level three. It's not that it's very hard, I'm just not a very good player. 😅

#retrogaming #megadrive #gaming

If Half-Life 2 is what you'd expect from games in 2004, ...

2024-11-17T12:17:01Z

In reply to nevent1q…278x
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If Half-Life 2 is what you'd expect from games in 2004, here's some examples of what you'd expect games to look like in 1994, and in 1984.

The rapid evolution of general computing power in the 80's and 90's and how it's so visible in games is one of the reasons I'm into retro.

There have been a lot of improvements in both areas the last 20 years, but not so visible by a long shot, IMHO.

#retrogaming #arcade #msdos #gaming #history

Half-Life 2 turned 20 yesterday. Which is rather shocking really, ...

2024-11-17T11:12:19Z

Half-Life 2 turned 20 yesterday. Which is rather shocking really, thinking that's what games already looked like 20 years ago.

I just finished watching the 2-hour documentary, and recommend it. 💯 🕑

HL2 was technically impressive for the time — and creatively it still is — but, at some point I realized that what really impressed me was how they could afford spending 5 years working on it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCjNT9qGjh4

#gaming #halflife

Bomber Man is one of those universally recognizable games. ...

2024-11-16T23:10:32Z

Bomber Man is one of those universally recognizable games. It's hard to find someone who hasn't played one of its many versions, and doesn't have fond memories of it.

Hudson Soft released the first Bomber Man game in 1983, in Japan. But other regions seemingly took issue with the name and called these games variations of "Dyna Blaster" (Europe) or "Atomic Punk" (US) over the years.

Still, they're widely known as "Bomber Man" even in those regions.

#retrogaming #arcade #msdos #pcengine #gaming

Arcade "Mario Bros." (1983) annoys be a bit... You have ...

2024-11-13T23:55:25Z

Arcade "Mario Bros." (1983) annoys be a bit...

You have to punch enemies from below to flip them, then kick them before they recover. If they recover, they'll get faster.

Mario's movement has momentum – it's slippery but that's fine. What's annoying is you have to already be moving to jump in any direction other than straight up.

I find it hard to get used to this, and guess what happens. 💀

#retrogaming #nintendo #arcade #gaming

If you're at stuck at work, here... listen to this ...

2024-11-12T12:01:22Z

If you're at stuck at work, here... listen to this "Megablast" remix by Ahoy to satiate your Amiga nostalgia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vsLK9N10U4 🎼 💾

#retrogaming #amiga #music #tracker

Why you should probably make your own clip leads, part 2: The ...

2024-11-11T12:01:07Z

In reply to nevent1q…uxaz
_________________________

Why you should probably make your own clip leads, part 2:

The wires should make good contact with the clips. They should be soldered. Bad contact increases resistance.

Look at that crimp job... 😱

#electronics #china

Why you should probably make your own clip leads, part 1: The ...

2024-11-11T11:49:27Z

Why you should probably make your own clip leads, part 1:

The wires should not be magnetic. This means the wires they used contain iron, and iron has a much higher resistance than copper (or aluminum). 🧲

#electronics #china

Both "Shadow Knights" (1990) and "Dangerous Dave in ...

2024-11-10T20:03:55Z

In reply to nevent1q…3phj
_________________________

Both "Shadow Knights" (1990) and "Dangerous Dave in the Haunted Mansion" (1991) were published by Softdisk on their bi-monthly "Gamer's Edge" disk magazine.

id Software became famous for pushing the state of the art with Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, and Quake, but their thing in the early days – and before as Softdisk employees – was putting out games at a regular pace. 🏭

📹 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpEBUV_g9vU

#gaming #computing #msdos #history

Shortly after "Shadow Knights" (1990), id Software used ...

2024-11-10T12:37:53Z

In reply to nevent1q…a3hd
_________________________

Shortly after "Shadow Knights" (1990), id Software used the same engine to do "Dangerous Dave in the Haunted Mansion" (1991).

Neither is meant to represent what PC hardware could do at the time. Both are EGA when VGA was readily available, and both do PC Speaker beeps when proper sound cards were becoming a thing.

But you can fit both in a single floppy disk, and run them on most PCs of the time. And they do make good use of hardware limitations. 💾

#retrogaming #msdos #ega #gaming

Will it blend? With a fixed 16-color palette, ninjas blend easily ...

2024-11-10T00:16:18Z

Will it blend? With a fixed 16-color palette, ninjas blend easily into their environment.

"Shadow Knights" (id Software, 1990)

#retrogaming #msdos #ega #gaming

If you regret having thrown away some old system because "it ...

2024-11-08T11:36:48Z

If you regret having thrown away some old system because "it would be worth a lot of money" today, you're doing it wrong.

#retrogaming #computing #history

Also interesting is how Blazing Star looks even better on a CRT. ...

2024-11-04T23:12:51Z

In reply to nevent1q…wka9
_________________________

Also interesting is how Blazing Star looks even better on a CRT. 📺

Even though that's quite hard to capture on camera. You'll have to take my word for it.

#retrogaming #arcade #neogeo #crt #gaming

"Blazing Star" (1998) is... a very japanese shooter. The ...

2024-11-04T22:58:55Z

"Blazing Star" (1998) is... a very japanese shooter. The female announcer's voice, the slightly awkward english, the music, and the whole overall style. 🇯🇵

At first I found the constant voice announcements and text messages a bit annoying, but it's grown on me.

The moving backgrounds in some levels, like the metal columns in Stage 2, are awesome. 💯

It's also very Neo Geo, in that it has its share (i.e. lots) of slowdown in busy areas.

#retrogaming #arcade #neogeo #gaming

Halloween... when some people dress as the undead, or put all ...

2024-11-01T01:38:09Z

Halloween... when some people dress as the undead, or put all sorts of injury-related makeup – a tradition as old as McDonald's in most of the world. 🎃

If you feel like celebrating, but in the comfort of your home, why not play some "Ghosts'n Goblins" (1985) or "Ghouls'n Ghosts" (1988)?

Feel the horror as you lose your armor a couple of minutes into the first level, or the dread of dying over and over in these stupidly tough arcade games. 😡

#retrogaming #arcade #halloween #capcom #gaming

I played a lot of "Rollcage" on the PC back in 1999/2000 ...

2024-10-31T01:56:27Z

I played a lot of "Rollcage" on the PC back in 1999/2000 but had never played the PS1 version until recently. It plays like I remember it, and racing on walls and ceilings is still fun.

It did look better on my RIVA TNT2 Ultra, though. 💣

The TNT2 really set nVIDIA ahead of everyone else, even though it now sits awkwardly between the 3dfx Voodoo series and the original GeForce (released just months later). That, quite literally, a game changer. 🥁

#retrogaming #playstation #psx #gaming #nvidia

It just so happens that Mylo Steamwitz is sort of a loser ...

2024-10-28T12:50:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…ahrw
_________________________

It just so happens that Mylo Steamwitz is sort of a loser protagonist. No word on whether he uses drugs, though. Maybe the sign is meant for him?

From "Crystal Caves" (1991). 💎

If you're wondering, the red border around the screen is a representation of the CRT overscan. The game used the overscan area to indicate when you've collected all crystals in a cave (it turns green).

#retrogaming #msdos #psa #crt #gaming

Today's game is... video test patterns? That's because I ...

2024-10-27T23:38:49Z

Today's game is... video test patterns?

That's because I spent the last couple of evenings chasing a few aspect ratio and double-scanning bugs in DOSBox Pure – scratching an itch, as is said – which can be a game in and of itself. 🐞🐛👾

To me at least, a fun and oddly satisfying game, when I finally figure out a fix in an unfamiliar codebase. And the simpler the fix vs. the reasoning process leading up to it, the more satisfying. 🕵️

#retrogaming #msdos #emulation #debugging #opensource

A few of Grim Fandango's voice actors (plus Jack Black) did a ...

2024-10-23T00:23:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…hat2
_________________________

A few of Grim Fandango's voice actors (plus Jack Black) did a live reading of some of the game's scenes a few years ago. Pretty cool...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfDTMa8jJG4

#retrogaming #lucasarts

Next week there's a holiday that people in many parts of the ...

2024-10-22T23:21:30Z

Next week there's a holiday that people in many parts of the world celebrate in different ways, and on slightly different days...

Yes, it's Grim Fandango's 26th anniversary. 💀 🚅

#retrogaming #lucasarts

TIL that "Rampage", a 2018 movie starring Dwayne Johnson, ...

2024-10-20T23:50:06Z

TIL that "Rampage", a 2018 movie starring Dwayne Johnson, was based on an arcade game from 1986 by Bally Midway.

The game is about three humans turned into monsters, going around punching buildings until they collapse, destroying helicopters, and eating soldiers. It's fun to try, but becomes a bit repetitive after a few minutes.

The graphics are kind of interesting, though: 512x480 with a mix of high-res sprites among quite pixelated backgrounds and fonts.

#retrogaming #arcade #til #movies

The music of its sequel, "Puzzle Bobble" (1994), by ...

2024-10-19T23:38:28Z

In reply to nevent1q…rp6g
_________________________

The music of its sequel, "Puzzle Bobble" (1994), by Kazuko Umino and Yasuko Yamada is no less sticky than Bubble Bobble's. 👂🐛

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeI_AaLiYAg ➿ 🎶

But what really blows my mind is that I'd never noticed that the shades in the bubbles are, in fact, other characters trapped inside. Not until I took these screenshots today. 🙄

#retrogaming #arcade #music #earworm #til

"An earworm [...] is a catchy or memorable piece of music ...

2024-10-19T11:30:12Z

"An earworm [...] is a catchy or memorable piece of music [...] that continuously occupies a person's mind even after it is no longer being played [...]."

If there's a game that triggers an earworm on me, it's "Bubble Bobble" (1986)...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngp4-EDIYrU ➿ 🎶

Thanks, Tadashi Kimijima. I played for 10 minutes and now I'm stuck with it for the rest of the day. 😑

#retrogaming #arcade #music #earworm

I have no stake in DuckStation — never even used it — but ...

2024-10-13T12:19:54Z

In reply to nevent1q…m52h
_________________________

I have no stake in DuckStation — never even used it — but there's some irony in switching to a restrictive license that I hope IP rights holders don't use to strengthen their case against emulation in general.

🧵 4/4

#retrogaming #emulation #playstation #opensource

What the DuckStation license change truly hurts is preservation. ...

2024-10-13T11:51:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…955u
_________________________

What the DuckStation license change truly hurts is preservation.

We can't defend that copyright stops when preservation begins — the PS1 is arguably old enough for this — and then put emulator source code under non-opensource licenses.

Chinese vendors shouldn't be violating licenses, and no one should be profiting from ROMs. But no one should be limited from modifying (and distributing) the code that runs those ROMs.

🧵 3/4

#retrogaming #gaming #history #emulation #opensource #playstation

It's unfortunate that chinese devices embedding DuckStation ...

2024-10-13T11:30:15Z

In reply to nevent1q…qhjq
_________________________

It's unfortunate that chinese devices embedding DuckStation are stripping copyright notices. But the license change wont't hurt them at all. Violating licenses is an integral part of their business, or are they licensing all those 1000's of games they ship with?

And will it stop any end users from reaching out to upstream developers? If anything, it might become worse as this will most likely lead to forks from the latest GPLv3 sources.

🧵 2/4

#retrogaming #emulation #playstation #opensource

The PS1 emulator "DuckStation" switched licenses last ...

2024-10-13T10:52:25Z

The PS1 emulator "DuckStation" switched licenses last month from the GPLv3 into a CC variation that doesn't allow distribution of any modifications, which they clarify with:

"pre-configured settings and packages are considered modifications"

The change is meant to be a "deterrent due to certain parties violating the old license" and seemingly legit, as they claim to "have the approval of prior contributors".

It is unfortunate, though...

🧵 1/4

#retrogaming #emulation #playstation #opensource

It might be middle-aged person syndrome, but I just can't ...

2024-10-11T00:44:01Z

It might be middle-aged person syndrome, but I just can't deal with fast-action touch controls unless I'm actively looking at them.

This means retro-gaming on mobile isn't for me, except for very slow paced games. 😔

Also, without a proper 3.5mm audio jack, the delay on bluetooth headphones is just... awful.

#retrogaming #gaming #emulation #lemuroid

The ice isn't exactly white in those previous screenshots, is ...

2024-10-09T21:17:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…gege
_________________________

The ice isn't exactly white in those previous screenshots, is it?

I'm using a shader to mimic a CRT slot mask, and that makes the picture dimmer. Not really noticeable unless next to something whiter, though.

Yes, shaders are far from the real thing, but this dimming also happened on real CRTs, and that was the selling point for Sony's Trinitron tubes: its aperture grille obscured less area than a slot mask, resulting in a brighter picture.

#retrogaming #emulation #crt #gaming

How many lines of code did Atari Pong have? None, it was all ...

2024-10-09T12:13:23Z

How many lines of code did Atari Pong have? None, it was all hardware, and here's a nice page with interactive circuit-level simulations of Pong's various bits:

https://www.falstad.com/pong/

Paul Falstad's circuit simulator is also a nice way to learn about electronic circuits in general. Take a look at the examples in the "Circuits" menu:

https://www.falstad.com/circuit/

I've used it often in the past. 💯

#retrogaming #arcade #gaming #history #electronics #simulator

I'd totally forgotten about "Antarctic Adventure" ...

2024-10-08T23:06:07Z

In reply to nevent1q…a2zr
_________________________

I'd totally forgotten about "Antarctic Adventure" (1985) until I saw it as the "must see" game for the ColecoVision on "Nostalgia Nerd's Retro Tech" book. I instantly remembered playing it on my cousin's famiclone decades ago.

Playing it now... it's very simple, and a bit repetitive, but cute, I guess.

BTW, the penguin is running at ~10 Km/s (36000 Km/h), which is 1000x faster than a Gentoo penguin can swim, and 25% faster than the ISS! ⚡🐧

#retrogaming #nes #msx #colecovision #nostalgia

Monochrome monitors do make these games look better (sadly ...

2024-10-04T19:00:05Z

In reply to nevent1q…68zt
_________________________

Monochrome monitors do make these games look better (sadly doesn't turn Gauntlet for DOS into a better game).

[@arroz](https://mastodon.social/@arroz ) Art is key – whether artists made the best out of the limitations. That's what I meant with "early EGA era" because there were some good looking EGA games later on, like Loom (1990).

Higher resolutions also made up for less colors on the PC. Just look at Syndicate with its mere 16-color palette (albeit not the fixed EGA palette).

#retrogaming #msdos #pixelart

It depends on each one's taste, of course, but some 80's ...

2024-10-04T17:43:30Z

It depends on each one's taste, of course, but some 80's systems have aged better than others regarding games.

The ZX Spectrum was very limited – low-res, color clash, harsh beeps – yet most games retain some charm. Even if they don't draw me in for long.

The CGA era of the IBM PC doesn't do it for me, though. Those magentas and blues in Alley Cat (1984): not my colors.

Even the early EGA era... Look at Gauntlet (1988). My eyes... they bleed. 😬

#retrogaming #msdos #zxspectrum #pixelart

Another one bites the dust. 🎵 ...

2024-10-03T12:45:02Z

Another one bites the dust. 🎵

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/10/switch-emulator-ryujinx-shuts-down-development-after-contact-by-nintendo/

If we want to define dumped ROMs and emulators for old systems as preservation and fair use, then we may need to accept that emulating platforms that are still very much alive is not preservation.

Yes, preservation needs to begin at some point. But we'd better off demanding full docs and decryption keys, by law, when devices are discontinued and services are taken down. ✊

Can't have the cake and eat it too.

#retrogaming #piracy #nintendo

Tyrian2000 (1999) is an update to Tyrian (1995). Mostly the same ...

2024-09-29T23:51:08Z

Tyrian2000 (1999) is an update to Tyrian (1995). Mostly the same game, with an extra episode and a new Timed Battle mode.

This game turns me into an outlaw, having to run it in a wider aspect ratio because it's full of geometric objects that ignore the fact that 320x200 is supposed to be 4:3, not 16:10.

I use 3:2, because using 16:10 would be outright criminal. It's worth it, though.

#retrogaming #msdos #ocd

"hashtag" CRTLife 📺 #retrogaming #crt #msdos ...

2024-09-29T11:33:20Z

"hashtag" CRTLife 📺

#retrogaming #crt #msdos

Those yellow and blue "THE 100MEGA SHOCK!" happy faces ...

2024-09-29T00:21:30Z

In reply to nevent1q…rwfh
_________________________

Those yellow and blue "THE 100MEGA SHOCK!" happy faces really look like Wilson the volleyball from "Cast Away" (2000)...

#retrogaming #arcade #neogeo

There was a "Super Sidekicks 3" (SNK, 1995) cabinet at ...

2024-09-29T00:02:44Z

There was a "Super Sidekicks 3" (SNK, 1995) cabinet at the arcade near my school. I remember watching schoolmates play, but it never got a single coin from me.

Even now, I can't tell you if the game's any good. I suck at it. I have no idea what I'm doing. Others appeared to love it though. 🐶

It would maybe help if I was even a little bit into football...

This was one of a few Neo Geo games that bragged about being over 100 megabits in size. 🐡

#retrogaming #neogeo #arcade #football

Retro gaming exists in a gray area somewhere between historical ...

2024-09-24T21:25:35Z

Retro gaming exists in a gray area somewhere between historical preservation and piracy.

This is fuel for long discussions, but making money off old games without the author's consent is piracy – e.g. bundling games with commercial products, but also ROM downloads next to ads.

Freeloading off recent enhancements is clear piracy too – e.g. copies of GOG-packaged games, or dumps from rereleases on modern consoles.

If we're serious about retro gaming, we should reject this.

#retrogaming #piracy

The concept for "Comix Zone" (1995) goes back to 1992, in ...

2024-09-23T22:31:55Z

In reply to nevent1q…z45j
_________________________

The concept for "Comix Zone" (1995) goes back to 1992, in the form of a demo by Peter Morawiec called "Joe Pencil trapped in the Comix Zone".

The demo wasn't playable, just a design pitch running on the Amiga (not the Mega Drive), and there doesn't seem to be much trace of it other than this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El55LRmqSOE

#retrogaming #megadrive #demo #amiga

In "Comix Zone" (1995) for the Mega Drive, you're a ...

2024-09-23T22:15:46Z

In "Comix Zone" (1995) for the Mega Drive, you're a comic book artist (Sketch Turner) sent into your own cartoon world by a villain of your own creation (Mortus) that has escaped into the real world.

You jump from panel to panel, disposing of minions drawn in by Mortus, while solving some puzzles here and there.

It's a very enjoyable and unique game. Unique perhaps due to Sega having successfully patented the concept.🤦‍♂️

https://patents.google.com/patent/US6010405A/en

#retrogaming #megadrive #comics #patents

On the PlayStation itself, though, there's a lot of ...

2024-09-21T16:28:48Z

In reply to nevent1q…trsy
_________________________

On the PlayStation itself, though, there's a lot of information around. Rodrigo Copetti has his own summary on it and, unsurprisingly, I recommend it:

https://www.copetti.org/writings/consoles/playstation/ 💯

#retrogaming #hardware #playstation #reading

There isn't much available on the Taito FX-1B. It has a 45% ...

2024-09-21T16:01:24Z

In reply to nevent1q…8vhv
_________________________

There isn't much available on the Taito FX-1B. It has a 45% faster CPU than the PSX, twice the VRAM, plus extra sound chips.

Looks like games run from ROM – you don't want loading screens in the arcades – and there's no CD. Makes sense to add better sound to make up for the lack of CD audio.

The FX-1B has a Taito-branded daughterboard atop a Sony-branded mainboard. Sony's looks identical to the mainboard in the Capcom ZN-1/2, also PlayStation-based.

#retrogaming #arcade #hardware #playstation

RayStorm was first released for the Taito FX-1B arcade board in ...

2024-09-20T23:47:41Z

RayStorm was first released for the Taito FX-1B arcade board in 1996, and for the PSX in 97.

It's a fun shooter, although the music feels out of place, and a bit annoying unless lowered to a minimum.

The FX-1B is one of a number of boards based on the PSX hardware. It's funny how, at some point, home hardware became the reference.

The PSX version looks almost identical to the FX-1B's, and even has optional improved graphics despite the slightly lower specs.

#retrogaming #arcade #playstation

This... is seriously impressive for a 6502-based computer — ...

2024-09-20T15:49:50Z

This... is seriously impressive for a 6502-based computer — albeit a modern one like the Commander X16, with FPGA-based graphics. 😲

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_67sF4onNQM

It is indeed really close to Future Crew's "Second Reality" PC demo from 1993.

#retro #demoscene

Time for some retro in the dark, as arcade games were meant to be ...

2024-09-18T21:09:59Z

Time for some retro in the dark, as arcade games were meant to be played, right?

Konami's "Gyruss" from 1983.

#retrogaming #arcade #mood

The series had an additional title released in the 20th century: ...

2024-09-15T19:49:20Z

In reply to nevent1q…660e
_________________________

The series had an additional title released in the 20th century: "1944: The Loop Master" (2000).

It's still on Capcom's CPS-2 hardware, but was no longer developed by Capcom. Also, it no longer uses a vertical aspect ratio, although it's still a vertical shooter.

It's quite nice. 💯

#retrogaming #arcade

1942, 1943, 1941, 14xx is a series of vertical shooters by ...

2024-09-15T19:35:27Z

1942, 1943, 1941, 14xx is a series of vertical shooters by Capcom, released in 1984, 1987, 1990, and 1995.

Spanning 11 years across 4 arcade boards – the Zilog Z80-based Capcom Z80 / Capcom Commando, and the Motorola 68000-based CPS-1 / CPS-2 – they illustrate the evolution of the underlying hardware quite nicely.

And even if 1942 and 1943 don't look much different, the latter sounds much better.

It's also curious how, being japanese games, the enemy is Japan.

#retrogaming #history #arcade

There was a TurboGrafx-16 there running "Blazing Lazers" ...

2024-09-15T12:57:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…fm8x
_________________________

There was a TurboGrafx-16 there running "Blazing Lazers" (1989), also called "GunHed" in Japan.

The TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine is very rare in Portugal. Collectors may have them now, but it was unheard of back in the day.

Blazing Lazers is a good looking game, with a very arcade-like experience (in gameplay and smoothness). I could've spent a while playing it, but walked away after a minute due to the terrible LCDs.

I didn't see anyone else playing it. What a shame.

#retrogaming #retro #lisbon

There's a small retro exhibit at a nearby mall. Not the most ...

2024-09-15T12:28:19Z

There's a small retro exhibit at a nearby mall. Not the most exciting of places, but it does cover a broad audience.

But... sigh.

At least put a piece of paper next to the items with their names/descriptions. When interactive, add some instructions.

"Oh my $DEITY! Old games looked so bad!"

Don't put old systems on display using LCDs. Their scalers are terrible. No one suffered such an awful image quality back in the day, not even RF with the cheapest of TVs.

#retro #retrogaming #lisbon

Got a copy of Peter Leigh's "Nostalgia Nerd's Retro ...

2024-09-13T22:00:57Z

Got a copy of Peter Leigh's "Nostalgia Nerd's Retro Tech" book. It's not a new book — it's from 2018 — but it's not like it's bound to get out of date, right? 📚

It's a nice book covering a bunch of old systems where running games was a part (or the whole) of their job. 👌

It feels it was meant for a larger coffee-table format, though. Half the type is really small and hard to read, even with glasses — Ironic, given the target audience. 🔍

#retro #retrogaming #vintagecomputing #books

No doping allowed when reaching for the high score in the ...

2024-09-12T09:53:37Z

No doping allowed when reaching for the high score in the arcades. 🖐️

No word on that half-empty pint of beer waiting on top of the cabinet though. 🍺

From Golden Axe (1989). Also seen in the US versions of many other arcade games.

#retrogaming #arcade #psa

This nerdy excursion into the first video game by Stuart Brown is ...

2024-09-08T12:28:34Z

This nerdy excursion into the first video game by Stuart Brown is already a few years old, but it illustrates quite well how games and early computers have always been intimately connected.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHQ4WCU1WQc

This was one of the videos that started shifting my retro interests from old computers to old computers that run games, and I don't think I've mentioned it here before, so it's my lazy Sunday recommendation. 👌

#retro #history #retrogaming #computerhistory #vintagecomputing

Saturday night soundtrack. 🎵 "You are likely to be eaten ...

2024-09-07T21:49:28Z

Saturday night soundtrack. 🎵

"You are likely to be eaten by a grue... If this predicament seems particularly cruel... consider whose fault it could be: not a torch or a match in your inventory."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nigRT2KmCE

#retrogaming #infocom #nerdcore

Alt text isn't just for image descriptions. 💬 You might ...

2024-09-07T20:48:38Z

Alt text isn't just for image descriptions. 💬

You might have noticed that the alt text in my posts almost always contains some bit of extra information.

If you haven't, now you know. 😉

#accessibility #psa

🍓🫙 Jamming it hard in the courtroom. 🎷🎶 DonPachi ...

2024-09-07T18:54:11Z

🍓🫙 Jamming it hard in the courtroom. 🎷🎶

DonPachi (1995).

#retrogaming #arcade #shooter #engrish

I have some trouble understanding japanese bullet-hell ...

2024-09-06T21:51:53Z

I have some trouble understanding japanese bullet-hell shooters...

They tend to be visually appealing, but you can barely pay attention to anything on screen but the bullets (or the safe paths between them).

Also, I find it hard to imagine someone not an expert player approaching such a cabinet and dropping coin after coin while repeatedly dying within the first minute of gameplay.

PS: TIL the term "masocore".

#retrogaming #arcade #shooter

Are there any meetups in Portugal 🇵🇹 about retro computing ...

2024-09-05T11:21:52Z

Are there any meetups in Portugal 🇵🇹 about retro computing and/or retro gaming? Or other events that include these topics in some relevant way (workshops, panels, talks, ...)? 💾🕹️🛠️

Not sure if there's a significant number of people with sufficient interest on these subjects around these parts. These may not exist or not be sufficiently promoted.

Please raise your hand, or boost if you think someone around you might know.

#retro #retrogaming #retrocomputing #vintagecomputing #community #portugal

But rest assured, you are not corrupting history... The word is ...

2024-09-03T23:43:05Z

In reply to nevent1q…tkvz
_________________________

But rest assured, you are not corrupting history... The word is that the 68000 CPU in real Neo Geo MVS hardware could be overclocked to 18MHz just fine — 150% over its canonical 12MHz. 😮‍💨

I'm guessing that, at some point between the first MVS in 1990 and the last in 1997, they started using parts otherwise spec'ed for higher clock speeds.

Some games don't like it, but Metal Slug's OK. 👌

Recommended reading on the Neo Geo hardware:

📕 https://www.copetti.org/writings/consoles/neogeo/

3/3 🧵

#retrogaming #arcade #neogeo

While Metal Slug games are often used as the exemplar Neo Geo ...

2024-09-03T23:32:30Z

In reply to nevent1q…ygnx
_________________________

While Metal Slug games are often used as the exemplar Neo Geo games, they're capped at 30fps while most other games on the platform do 60fps.

But giving itself twice the time between frames isn't enough to eliminate slowdown. Even the "Turbo" patched MS-2 retains some.

Under emulation, boosting the CPU to 150% does the trick. 😱

2/3 🧵

#retrogaming #arcade #neogeo