Tag: retro games

Retrogames in 2023 had quite the year

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The video game industry saw plenty of high-profile releases and announcements in 2023. Retrogames were no exception to this. Even going into 2024, I can’t shake the feeling that 2023 was one of the best years in gaming ever. From Tears of the Kingdom to Baldur’s Gate 3, there was plenty to talk including some of the remakes. Here is a not so all encompassing and a not so chronological list of the retrogame related happenings from the past year.

Two scary good horror remakes start off the year

Capcom

                Both Dead Space and Resident Evil 4 stun players by recreating their genre defining gameplay.

Persona 4 Golden widens its release and Persona 3 Reload announcement

Atlus / Sega

                Fans of the series can finally play these JRPG staples in more places and an ambitious remake for Persona 3 are announced in 2024.

Goldeneye comes to Xbox

Rare / Nintendo

                Not much else to say here, this FPS legend deserves every bit of its praise.

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition also arrives for Xbox platforms

Microsoft

                This undisputed classic needs no introduction, and this particular entry is always welcome.

Metroid gets a prime remaster

Nintendo / Retro Studios

                It’s a fantastic release and a very welcome update, full of graphical enhancements and modernized controls.

Final Fantasy music and gorgeous pixels

Square Enix

                The Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters see a much needed console release and we get a wonderful collection of works from veteran video game composers in Theatrhythm Final Bar Line.  

Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection

Capcom

                A much beloved series of games is rereleased for modern systems with better-than-expected sales. Mega Man Legends ports anyone?

System Shock comes back

Nightdive Studios               

This release reviewed well, the cult classic is finally given justice.

Double Dragon barely leaves a trail

Maximum Games

                Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons looks cool but is barely mentioned after its release.

Long dormant mechs rise again

FromSoftware Inc., Bandai Namco Europe S.A.S

                Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon went on to become one of the best action games of the year and Front Mission 2 Remake is released.

Sea of Stars releases

Sabotage

                Comparisons to Chrono Trigger were made and excellent art styles brought this to the forefront of many headlines this year.

Gargoyles Remastered

Disney

                Another Disney platformer sees a formal release away from the confines of history.

Metal Gear Solid Master Collection is a master of none

Konami

                These broken and wonky ports receive heavy criticism from hardcore fans and Konami promises to fix them with updates and support into 2024.           

November brings us two amazing remakes from the golden era of RPGs

Nintendo / Square Enix

                Star Ocean: The Second Story R gets new features and a well liked 2D/3D visual update. Meanwhile, Super Mario RPG is recreated from the ground up, but remains largely faithful to the late SNES release.

Fortnite brings back the original map

Epic Games               

Perhaps for pandering reasons, but still a wild success.

Square Enix has us drooling for more Final Fantasy

Square Enix

                The second installment of the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy is shown in 2023 and is set for the early months of 2024.

Retro Releases: December 2015

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This month we see the PlayStation 4 get some PS2 emulated games and a classic PS1 JRPG. The Wii U gets a beloved 3D platformer from its predecessor.

PlayStation Store:

War of the Monsters

Grand Theft Auto III

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

The Mark of Kri

Rogue Galaxy

PaRappa The Rapper 2

Dark Cloud

Twisted Metal: Black

FantaVision

FINAL FANTASY VII

Nintendo eShop:

1080º Snowboarding

Super Mario Galaxy

MEGA MAN BATTLE NETWORK 5 TEAM COLONEL and MEGA MAN BATTLE NETWORK 5 TEAM PROTOMAN

MEGA MAN ZERO 4

8-bit Cinema!

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Popular YouTube channel CineFix hosts a number of clever, creative and entertaining shorts styled in the theme of retro games! They are basic recreations of movies with pixel graphics from early generations of console gaming. If you haven’t seen these awesome animations and are a fan of classic gaming and movies, you’ll definitely get a kick out of them.

Why would you throw away the game box?

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I always keep the packaging from a game and its contents (manual, map, inserts etc.)… Whenever I walk into my local game store I see plenty of games without their home: a jewel case or cardboard box.

The thought of it is quite disheartening for a collector and fan of old school games. When I was younger, my father would always tell me to keep the instructions and box for anything I bought, even if it was something as simple as an alarm clock. That same principle applies to games new and old. Games these days don’t really come with that much besides a little DLC redemption slip inside the box. It’s a step to be environmentally sound and a sign that game distributors are ready for consoles to embrace digital distribution.

Even the last generation still had manuals that spanned over 20 pages and other inserts stuffed into them. Games before this digital age we play in now were meant to be kept with their instructions and in their original packaging. So again, I have to the fathom the idea of why these games might be found in a store without a box and manual.

Before the game is sold back to the retailer in its “naked” condition, what did the game go through to deserve such treatment? Did the dog eat it? But, being realistic, it is probably more of a personal preference. Keep the box or ditch it?

The older a game gets, the more value it will fetch the closer it is to its original state. Take care of your game and not just because of the price aspect. Take care of it because somebody down the line will appreciate it when it comes with the box and manual.

Sega Mega Drive shipment found hidden away for decades

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What’s it like finding unopened video game products in a warehouse? It has to be one of the most invigorating feelings in the world!

From the RetroCollect piece:

This recent find by a member of the Sega Galaxy Board has seen four Sega shipping boxes taken home containing 20 unused and unopened PAL-Asian Mega Drive II consoles along with multiple copies of 18 different 16-bit classics – including Sonic The Hedgehog 2 and Streets of Rage 2. Luckily enough for us, this new owner of this buried treasure has made it clear that he doesn’t have enough room or need for such vast quantities of Sega’s past and has begun selling the spares online. Those interested in getting their hands on a pristine Sega Mega Drive II will need to set aside 70 Euros, whilst the majority of untouched games will set you back 10 Euros a piece.

Surely there has to more consoles and games yet undiscovered in even weirder places …