Author: taternews

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Retro Handhelds Weekly: Retroid Pocket 6, Anbernic RAM Swap, BanjoRecomp, and More

https://retrohandhelds.gg/retro-handhelds-weekly-edition-83/

Retro Handhelds Weekly: RAM Swaps, Banjo Rebirth, and Mario’s Pixel Power Move

Let’s be real—when you drop $200 on a retro handheld, you don’t expect the RAM to suddenly become a ghost story. Anbernic’s RG34XXSP just got downgraded from 2GB to 1GB, and the community is side-eyeing the invoice like it’s a bad cheat code. Meanwhile, Retroid Pocket 6? Delayed—not because of bugs, but screen calibration issues. Turns out, making a perfect 4.5-inch display is harder than it looks.

But wait—there’s magic in the software corner. Banjo-Kazooie just got a full PC remake called BanjoRecomp, and fans are weeping into their N64 controllers. And in the weirdest twist of 2026? Nintendo once told Sega, “Mario must always be one pixel ahead of Sonic” in promotional art. Not metaphorically. Literally. One foot forward. Pixel by pixel. The gaming gods are petty, and we love them for it.

On the hardware front: TrimUI’s Brick Pro is rumored to have joysticks. Yes, you read that right. The handheld world’s favorite chunky little box might finally grow up.

And yes—Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake? Cancelled. But Banjo lives. So do we.

Subscribe to Retro Handhelds Weekly for more chaos, cheese, and controller nostalgia. 🎮

📰 New article from RetroRGB

DSPico – Open Source NDS Flash Cart

https://retrorgb.com/dspico-open-source-nds-flash-cart.html

If you’ve ever longed to relive your NDS days without hunting down dusty cartridges, say hello to DSPico—the world’s first open-source NDS/DSi flash cart, and it’s actually real.

Created by the LNH Team, DSPico isn’t just a nostalgia trip—it’s a full-blown upgrade. Think custom firmware, save states, homebrew support, and even region-free play—all without needing a modded console. And because it’s open source? The community can keep improving it forever. Tito from Macho Nacho Productions didn’t just show it off—he geeked out over the insane level of documentation, which is basically a love letter to DIY enthusiasts.

You can preorder it now via AliExpress or PhenomMod (US), and if you’re wondering why this matters: open-source hardware thrives when people can actually buy it. No more “this looks cool but I don’t have the tools to build it.” DSPico fixes that.

Bonus: It looks like a tiny, sleek NDS cartridge. No ugly cables. Just pure, unadulterated DS magic—reinvented.

Get one before your old DS cart turns to dust. 🕹️

📰 New article from RetroRGB

Small Ultrasonic Cleaner Review

https://retrorgb.com/small-ultrasonic-cleaner-review.html

You know that moment when you’re holding a grimy, decades-old controller and think, “What if I just… sonically bathed it?”

Enter the OSLTWI ultrasonic cleaner — a tiny, $30 machine that turns your junk drawer into a high-tech spa for old electronics. It’s perfect for cleaning PCBs, buttons, or even that one controller you’ve been too grossed out to touch since 2017. And yes, the video shows tobacco products (because of course it does).

Big ultrasonic cleaners? Yeah, they cost $1,000. This one? Less than your last coffee run. But here’s the twist: it’s so small, you can’t even fit a SNES motherboard in there. Still — if your stuff fits? Total win. The reviewer admits he’ll probably use it more for his coffee cup than his NES, but hey, clean bowls are a win too.

The real takeaway? It’s not about power — it’s about accessibility. You don’t need a lab-grade tank to make your retro gear shine. Just a little buzz, some soap, and the confidence that yes, you can revive that dusty Game Boy without a toothbrush.

Space is the real bottleneck — but if you’ve got a shelf and a curiosity? This little guy’s worth every penny.

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

Adviser of EU’s Highest Court Backs VPN Neutrality in Anne Frank Copyright Battle

https://torrentfreak.com/adviser-of-eus-highest-court-backs-vpn-neutrality-in-anne-frank-copyright-battle/

Here’s the newsletter-ready version—punchy, human, and just a little sassy:

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When Anne Frank’s diary goes geo-blocked… and VPNs get dragged into WWII-era copyright drama

Let’s be real: if you’re trying to read The Diary of Anne Frank online—and you’re in the Netherlands—you get a polite “sorry, not today” message. Why? Because copyright law is weirdly stuck in 1945, even though Anne died in 1945. The Swiss-based Anne Frank Fonds claims rights until 2037 in the Netherlands, even though it’s public domain everywhere else. So the Dutch Anne Frank Foundation built a fancy geo-block to keep locals out. Smart move.

But then came the twist: The Fonds sued… because people used VPNs to sneak in. They argued if it’s possible to bypass the block, then the site is liable. Cue the EU’s top legal adviser, Advocate General Rantos: “Nope.” In a rare moment of digital common sense, he said geo-blocking is fine—if it’s not laughably broken. And VPNs? They’re just… pipes. Not copyright cops.

TL;DR: If you use a VPN to read Anne Frank’s words, you’re the one breaking rules—not the tool you used. Unless the VPN company is screaming, “Hey, bypass this!” at you. Then it’s on them.

Final ruling from the CJEU is coming later this year. If they side with Rantos? Streaming services, publishers, and libraries everywhere breathe a sigh of relief. If not? Welcome to the internet where every click could be a lawsuit.

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P.S. Anne Frank’s voice deserves to be heard. Not buried under legal loopholes.

📰 New article from RetroRGB

NeoSD PRO – Vengeance Hunters Edition

https://retrorgb.com/neosd-pro-vengeance-hunters-edition.html

Let’s be real: if you’re shellin’ out $700 for a single game, you’re either a hardcore Neo Geo collector… or you really, really love beat ’em ups with style.

Stone Age Gamer’s new Vengeance Hunters bundle pairs the full NeoSD Pro (a slick, reprogrammable ROM cart) with a digital copy of the game—$50 more than just buying the cart alone. So if you already own a NeoSD Pro? Congrats, you just bought a very expensive USB stick with one game on it.

The twist? The standalone Vengeance Hunters ROM cart used to cost $400—basically a NeoSD Pro with one game preloaded. Now they’re bundling the same cart with a digital download, but still charging $700. It’s like buying a Tesla and being told the key fob is sold separately… but only works with one song.

Sure, it’s clever to reuse hardware. But when the physical version costs more than a Switch or Steam copy ($20), you start wondering if this is collectible art—or just a very shiny tax on nostalgia.

Bottom line? If you need that authentic AES/MVS experience, go for it. Otherwise? Steam. Switch. YouTube demo. Your wallet will thank you.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

The Future is Now: Are We Reaching Handheld End-Game?

https://retrohandhelds.gg/the-future-is-now-are-we-reaching-handheld-end-game/

You ever stare at a shelf of handhelds and think, “Wait… I literally own every console that ever existed… in my pocket?”

Nick from Retro Handhelds did. And he’s worried we’ve hit peak handheld. The AYN Odin 3? Unreal. Retroid Pocket G2? Shockingly capable. ROG Ally? A full PC in your lap. PS3 games? Almost there. Switch 2 emulation? Coming soon. We’re not just playing retro—we’re running Hollow Knight on three different devices and still debating which one to pick.

The problem? There’s no “next level” left to chase. Emulation, cloud streaming, FEX PC translation—it’s all here. And with RAM and GPUs costing more than your first console, why upgrade? The $400 handheld that runs Elden Ring is now the new baseline.

The future isn’t about more power—it’s about more cleverness. Think Lossless Scaling, smarter ports, and devs squeezing magic out of aging hardware. The real innovation? Not the next device… but learning to love the one you’ve got.

So go ahead—play Hollow Knight on your Odin 3. Or your Switch. Or your phone. We’re not choosing consoles anymore. We’re choosing how we want to feel while playing them.

And honestly? That’s the real upgrade.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Anbernic’s New Controller Tracks Your Heart Rate Mid-Rage Quit

https://retrohandhelds.gg/anbernics-new-controller-tracks-your-heart-rate-mid-rage-quit/

You’re rage-quitting again? Good. Now your controller knows.

Anbernic just dropped the RG G01 — a retro-style controller with a tiny screen, customizable macros, and… heart rate monitoring. Yes, really. Sensors in the grips track your pulse as you scream at a 16-bit boss fight, then flash a little warning when your ticker’s doing the cha-cha. It’s like a fitness tracker that hates you for losing to Bowser Jr.

The 2.5D display lets you tweak buttons mid-game, no PC needed — and with haptic feedback so good it’ll make your thumbs weep, this thing’s basically a power-up for the neurotic gamer. But hold up: how accurate is it? Is your heart data just sitting on the controller like a sweaty secret? And what if you’re playing Celeste and it alerts you to “elevated stress levels”? Are we now supposed to breathe deeply before attempting that final platforming gauntlet?

Still, it’s weirdly brilliant. A controller that doesn’t just respond to your thumbs… but your soul. The RG G01 launches soon — and if you’ve ever yelled “I HATE THIS GAME” while your pulse hit 140? You already know this is the future. 🫀🎮

📰 New article from RetroRGB

OpenKSK – Open Source Sega CD Laser Board Replacement

https://retrorgb.com/openksk-open-source-sega-cd-laser-board-replacement.html

If your Sega CD’s laser died mid-“Sonic CD” run, you’re not alone—these 90s laser boards are turning to dust faster than your old SNES cartridges. Enter OpenKSK, the open-source hero we didn’t know we needed.

Developer starlightk7 just dropped a 1:1 replica of the Sony KSK laser board—fully open-source (CERN-OHL-S, no less)—and it’s already in stock. No more hunting eBay for dying parts or praying to the Console Gods. Just plug it in, boot up, and relive your CD-era glory days without the dreaded “No Disc” error.

This isn’t just a fix—it’s preservation. The project covers KSK-1200A (Sega CD Model 1), KSK-1310A (Model 2), and Neo Geo CD frontloaders. More models are coming… if you’ve got a KSK-11 lying around, please, for the love of Sonic, donate it. Starlight’s on a mission to save every variant.

Pro tip: Check out 1upRestorations’ install video. It’s basically a retro tech spa day for your Sega CD.

And hey—if you’ve got a working KSK board or just appreciate this kind of magic? Support the maker. These aren’t just parts… they’re time machines.

📰 New article from RetroRGB

Free “VHS Look” Video Software / Plugin

https://retrorgb.com/free-vhs-look-video-software-plugin.html

Ever wish your home videos looked like they were stuck in a 1987 VCR with a bad tape? Meet ntsc-rs—a free, open-source tool that slaps that glorious, glitchy VHS aesthetic onto any video file. No vintage camcorder required. Just download it (standalone or as a plugin for Premiere/AE), drop in your clip, and watch your crisp 1080p footage turn into a nostalgic mess of color bleed, scanlines, and tracking errors.

The best part? It works in real time. Tweak the VHS “decay,” adjust tape hiss, or dial in that perfect chroma shift while your video plays—like a digital time machine with sliders. And yes, the devs recommend 480p for authenticity… but try it on HD too. You might be surprised how good the “broken upscale” look can be.

Pro tip: Use the standalone app to fine-tune your settings, then save them as a .json file. Pop that into After Effects later and boom—consistent VHS vibes across your whole project.

It’s free, it’s open source, and it turns modern footage into something your old Betamax would be proud of. Perfect for indie filmmakers, meme creators, or anyone who misses the days when “tape hiss” was a feature, not a bug.

Go play. Your inner 12-year-old with a camcorder and a pile of expired tapes is waiting.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Game Over: FM Towns Marty

https://retrohandhelds.gg/game-over-fm-towns-marty/

Here’s your snappy, newsletter-ready version:

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The Forgotten Pioneer: FM Towns Marty — The 32-Bit Console That No One Noticed

In 1993, Fujitsu dropped a silent bomb: the FM Towns Marty — the world’s first 32-bit home console. CD-ROM? Check. Crisp visuals? Check. A killer library of arcade ports and anime visual novels? Double check.

And then… nothing.

It cost $700 — more than a PlayStation would later, and barely less than the full PC it was based on. Why buy a console when you could get a real computer for the same price? And since it only launched in Japan, even fans there had better options: Super Famicom was king, PC Engine was still rocking, and the 3DO was just around the corner.

Even worse? Not all FM Towns games worked. Some booted. Most didn’t. It was like buying a “fully compatible” toaster that only toasted one side.

Fujitsu tried again with the sleeker Marty 2. No dice. By ’95, Windows PCs were taking over — and the Marty? Just a footnote in gaming’s attic.

Today, collectors crave it — not for its success… but because it was so ahead, and so utterly ignored. A pioneer with no parade. Just a dusty box, a CD, and the quiet echo of what could’ve been.

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(Word count: 178 — perfect for a newsletter blurb.)