Author: taternews

📰 New article from RetroRGB

Weekly Roundup #497

https://retrorgb.com/week497.html

You know you’re living in the future when your retro gaming fix comes with 4K textures, FPGA deep dives, and a vinyl soundtrack for Chrono Trigger—because why just play the game when you can own it?

Bob from RetroRGB’s latest roundup is a love letter to the old-school with a modern twist. He’s testing a cheap magnifying headset that makes SNES pixels look like Renaissance paintings, and yes—he’s figured out how to bypass the Genesis’ subcarrier for cleaner video (because analog purists never sleep). There’s also a Quest 64 recompilation for your PC, HD Mario Kart textures that’ll make your eyes weep with joy, and a Virtual Boy in slow-mo (yes, really—you’ve never seen those 3D visuals until now).

But wait—there’s drama. Bob warns about “fake CRTs” and dodgy SNES units floating on eBay, because nobody wants to drop $200 on a brick that looks like a console. Meanwhile, OpenMenu is breathing new life into the GD-ROM system, and Lu’s MiSTer FPGA updates are dropping like it’s 1995 again—Apple IIGS? CD-I FMV? Sign us up.

And if you’re feeling generous? Support Bob. He’s not just making videos—he’s preserving gaming history, one pixel at a time.

P.S. The Chrono Trigger vinyl? Pre-order now. You’ll thank us when it arrives with a cassette of “One-Winged Angel” stuck to the inside.

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

Unsealed: Spotify Lawsuit Triggered Anna’s Archive Domain Name Suspensions

https://torrentfreak.com/unsealed-spotify-lawsuit-triggered-annas-archive-domain-name-suspensions/

Spotify just pulled the plug on Anna’s Archive—literally.

You knew Anna’s Archive as the shadow library that hoarded pirated books. But in December, they dropped a bombshell: they’d also scraped 86 million Spotify tracks. No music yet—just metadata. But the labels panicked. Within days, Spotify and the Big Three (UMG, Sony, Warner) filed a sealed lawsuit accusing Anna’s Archive of brazen DRM-busting, mass copyright theft, and planning to “freely distribute” millions of songs. The goal? Stop them before they even hit “upload.”

And it worked—fast. A judge issued an emergency restraining order in January, and boom: Anna’s .ORG and .SE domains vanished. Even Cloudflare got dragged in—not because they hosted the files, but because they helped them load. The court didn’t wait for a hearing. They went full legal nuke: domain registries, hosting providers, even India’s internet exchange were ordered to cut ties.

Then came the twist: Anna’s Archive quietly removed its Spotify downloads. No fanfare. Just… gone. Coincidence? Probably not. It’s the digital equivalent of a thief dropping the loot when the cops show up.

The lawsuit is still ongoing, and Anna’s Archive hasn’t surrendered—other domains still work. But for now? Spotify’s secret stash is back under lock and key. For the first time ever, the shadow library got shadowed.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Nintendo Wouldn’t Let Sonic Stand in Front

https://retrohandhelds.gg/nintendo-wouldnt-let-sonic-stand-in-front/

Let’s be real—Mario and Sonic are basically the Mario Kart and Forza of their respective universes. One’s a plucky plumber who jumps on turtles; the other’s a blue blur who outruns time. So when Nintendo insisted Sonic literally not stand in front of Mario on box art? Yeah, that wasn’t just branding. That was war.

Ryoichi Hasegawa’s anecdote is peak Nintendo: a 2008 crossover game, Sonic still reeling from the disaster that was Sonic ‘06, and Mario fresh off winning hearts (and awards) with Super Mario Galaxy. Yet somehow, the real battle wasn’t on-screen—it was in Photoshop. One pixel too far forward? Fix it or we kill the deal.

And guess what? Nintendo held firm. From Beijing to London, Mario’s boot was always the first thing you saw. Even when Sonic could theoretically outrun a bullet, he had to settle for second place… in art. Only by Rio 2016 did they finally let Sonic stand tall.

It’s absurd. It’s hilarious. And honestly? Kinda beautiful. Nintendo didn’t just protect Mario—they worshipped him. And somehow, in the most petty way possible… they won.

(Also, imagine being the artist who got that email: “Can you nudge Sonic back? Like, a lot.”)

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Another Japanese PS2 Game, MabinoxStyle, Gets Translated

https://retrohandhelds.gg/another-japanese-ps2-game-mabinoxstyle-gets-translated/

Let’s be real: if you’ve ever daydreamed about being the awkward human in a magical academy where everyone’s got a spellbook and a crush, Mabino×Style is the PS2 time capsule you didn’t know you needed.

Out in 2005 and all but forgotten, this Japanese visual novel — where you juggle classes, magic stats, and romantic subplots like a caffeinated wizard — has just gotten its first full English patch. Thanks to Brazilian fan Gopicolo (and crew), you can now navigate the school halls, flirt with witches, and accidentally trigger a 50-hour romance arc without knowing a single kanji. No half-translated FMVs here — the whole thing, from menus to voice lines (yes, Riya’s mid-2000s bop included), is now 100% English.

It’s not just another dating sim. Kid, the studio behind it, planned a whole multimedia universe — manga, novels, maybe even more games. But like so many PS2 gems, it vanished into the void… until now.

The patch dropped last week on romhack.ing, and fans are already streaming it with subtitles. Think Harvest Moon meets Harry Potter, but with more blushes and fewer Quidditch matches. Your weekend just got a spellbook.

Go ahead — you know you want to pick “Study Magic” over “Talk to the Cute Girl.” (We see you.)

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

TrimUI Brick Pro: Everything We Know So Far

https://retrohandhelds.gg/trimui-brick-pro-everything-we-know-so-far/

Meet the TrimUI Brick Pro — because sometimes, a 3.2-inch screen just isn’t enough when you’re craving PS2-era glory on the go.

Rumor has it TrimUI’s cult-favorite vertical handheld is getting a glow-up: a juicy 4-inch display, dual RGB joysticks (yes, actual sticks — no more thumb-squishing), and, shockingly… Android. That’s right. No more Linux. The system’s new brain is rumored to be powerful enough to run NetherSX2, meaning PS2 games might soon be playable in your pocket. (RIP, your old GameCube controller collection.)

The original Brick and Hammer were beloved for their minimalist charm — but the Pro? It’s basically a Switch Lite if it dated a PC enthusiast. We don’t know the exact chip yet, but it’s definitely not the A133 Plus. And that’s fine — we’ll take a little less “retro purist” if it means Silent Hill 2 on the subway.

Leaked videos show an Android home screen, app drawer, and emulators already running. TrimUI’s suddenly not just a retro brand — they’re an entertainment platform. Who saw that coming?

Drop your thoughts below. Are you team “keep it simple” or team “give me PS2 and RGB”? 🎮

📰 New article from Wololo.net

Optimizing a 2D Godot Game for the Nintendo Switch. My first-hand experience

https://wololo.net/2026/01/21/optimizing-a-2d-godot-game-for-the-nintendo-switch-my-first-hand-experience/

Your 2D Godot Game Runs at 10 FPS on Switch? Here’s How I Fixed It (Without a Time Machine)

So you built a slick 2D card game in Godot, proudly tested it on your beefy PC… only to watch it crawl at 10 FPS on the Nintendo Switch? Welcome to the club. Spoiler: It’s not the Switch’s fault—it’s you (and your overzealous Node tree).

The fix? Start dumb-simple. Lower resolution to 720p. Yes, really. Your gorgeous 1080p art? Cute. But the Switch doesn’t care—just like your roommate doesn’t care if you “have to” use 12 napkins. Dropping resolution gave me +7–10 FPS instantly.

Then: Stop making things over and over. Caching card data? Done. Reusing card nodes instead of spawning new ones every time? Genius. I now treat Nodes like expensive takeout—you don’t order a new one if you’ve got leftovers in the fridge.

And _process()? It’s not your best friend. If it’s not moving, animating, or reacting to input—get it out. Cache results. Use signals. Or just… wait 2 frames to check if anything changed. (Shhh, nobody’s watching.)

Also: Delete unused Nodes from the scene tree. Seriously. If a card’s face-down in your deck, do you need 20 child nodes calculating its aura? No. Just hide it. Or delete it. Cache the blueprint, not the full ensemble.

Final pro tip? Lazy load. If startup feels like a slow-loading menu screen, pre-load assets in the background. Make it feel fast—even if it’s not.

Result? 20–25 FPS. Not perfect. But playable. And hey—if your game’s fun, nobody’s gonna notice the lag… until you tell them.

(And if they do? Just say “it’s a feature.”)

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

RetroAssembly Updated to Version 5

https://retrohandhelds.gg/retroassembly-updated-to-version-5/

RetroAssembly just dropped v5—and if you’ve ever lost a save because your browser died, this is the update you’ve been waiting for.

Auto-save? Check. Now it quietly pockets your progress every few minutes (though you can turn it off if you’re into suffering). No more “I was this close to beating Bowser!” tears. Plus, the search bar got a brain transplant—it remembers your favorite games and serves them up like a caffeinated librarian.

Shader lovers, rejoice: 29 new visual filters just landed. Want your NES games to look like they’re viewed through a 1987 CRT? Done. Want your SNES to feel like it’s glowing through a lava lamp? Also done. And yes—you can assign different shaders per system. Because why settle for one nostalgic aesthetic when you can have six?

But the real game-changer? Multi-user support. Self-hosters can now turn a single Docker container into a full family gaming hub—each person gets their own library, saves, and settings. No more fighting over who last played Metroid. It’s like Plex for your ROMs… but with more pixel art and less subtitles.

Grab it via Docker or just use the hosted version. Your NES deserves this upgrade.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Now It’s an Xbox: Microsoft Emulation on The ROG Xbox Ally

https://retrohandhelds.gg/now-its-an-xbox-microsoft-emulation-on-the-rog-xbox-ally/

Let’s be real: Microsoft calls the ROG Xbox Ally an “Xbox”—but if you can’t play your old digital games on it, is it really? Spoiler: Nope. Thankfully, the internet’s nerdiest hobbyists have stepped in to fix this injustice.

Enter: emulation. Thanks to Xemu and Xenia, you can now run your original Xbox and 360 games right on the Ally—no streaming, no Xbox console required. The OG Xbox? About 80% of games work. Just dump your BIOS (yes, you have to source it yourself—no links here!), hit reset after loading the ISO (weird, we know), and boom: Halo on the go. The 360? Even smoother. No BIOS needed. Just load a game, and Xenia Canary does the rest. Think of it like time travel for your old favorites—NBA Jam HD, anyone?

The best part? This isn’t just nostalgia porn. It’s liberation. Your purchased games belong to you, not a subscription gate. The Ally, with its Windows 11 guts, turns into the ultimate retro Xbox vault—no Microsoft permission needed.

So if you’ve got a backlog of dusty digital treasures, now’s your chance to dust ‘em off. Emulation isn’t about piracy—it’s about preservation. And maybe, just maybe, it’s the only way Microsoft will ever truly deliver on its “This is an Xbox” promise.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

AYANEO Debuts KONKR Fit and Gives Another Look at the Pocket S Mini

https://retrohandhelds.gg/ayaneo-debuts-konkr-fit-and-gives-another-look-at-the-pocket-s-mini/

AYANEO didn’t just drop a new gadget—they dropped two like it’s nothing.

First up: the Pocket S Mini. It’s basically a nostalgic pocket-sized arcade cabinet with a 4:3 LCD screen, Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 chip (yes, the same one that crushed retro games on the original Pocket S), and now a sweet “Retro Power” colorway to match your 2003 Game Boy Advance SP. No price yet, but if it’s anything like its siblings? You’ll be able to run Doom and Mario Kart with your coffee in hand—for under $300.

Then came the real bombshell: KONKR FIT. This isn’t just another Windows handheld—it’s a thicc little beast with an 80Wh battery, a 7-inch OLED screen, and AMD’s brand-new Ryzen AI HX 470 chip (basically an overclocked HX 370, because why not?). It’s designed to be the ultimate portable PC powerhouse—and yes, “Dragon Cheese” is coming.

No pricing. No release date. But we already know what you’re thinking: “When do I preorder?” Stay tuned, because AYANEO’s back—and they’re not playing nice anymore.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Retro Handhelds Weekly: AYN Odin 3, Ghostship Port, Doom on a Pressure Cooker, and More

https://retrohandhelds.gg/retro-handhelds-weekly-edition-82/

Retro Handhelds Weekly: Doom on a Pressure Cooker? Yes, Really.

Let’s be real—this week’s retro handheld news reads like a sci-fi fever dream. AYN just dropped the Odin 3, and instead of drama over RAM speeds (they did clarify it’s fine, phew), we got Doom running on a pressure cooker. Wait—what? Yeah. Someone actually ran Doom inside a kitchen appliance. We’re not sure if it’s genius or arson, but we’re impressed.

Meanwhile, the PlayStation Portal might finally get an OLED upgrade after two years of silent treatment. And the N64 controller? Now works on Dreamcast. Someone out there is living their best GoldenEye meets Phantasy Star Online life.

Software’s not slacking either. Ghostship just dropped a fresh Super Mario 64 port, Last Crown Warriors mashed up Zelda with RTS chaos, and Cory in the House is being hailed as “the greatest game of all time.” (We’re not judging. We’ve all had that one NES game we pretend is a masterpiece.)

And if you’re into emulators, EmuDevz—a game about building emulators—just hit Steam. Yes. It’s a meta sandbox where you debug SNES chips for fun.

Subscribe to the Retro Handhelds Weekly newsletter. It’s free, ad-free, and includes Russ’s music recs. Because nothing says “weekend chill” like 8-bit synth and a pressure-cooker Doom run. 🎮🔥