Category: Tater News

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

War Of The Gems Redux Finally Lets Wolverine Heal

https://retrohandhelds.gg/war-of-the-gems-redux-finally-lets-wolverine-heal/

If you ever wondered why Wolverine’s claws felt more like paper cuts than adamantium, a fresh ROM‑hack has finally given the mutant his proper “healing factor.” BillyTime! Games—renowned for polishing vintage licensed titles instead of gutting them—has dropped War of the Gems Redux, a tidy patch for Capcom’s 1996 SNES brawler that leaves the core gameplay intact while nudging each hero toward their comic‑book roots.

What’s new?

• Wolverine now passively regenerates health on his yellow bar, so he can shrug off hits like the indestructible X‑Man we know.
• Captain America and Hulk get modest defense bumps, making them sturdier without turning the game into a cakewalk.

The Infinity Gems got their own upgrades too: Soul doubles health pickups, Reality doubles item drops, Space grants Iron Man endless jumps (and infinite underwater air), and Power lets you bust through previously solid walls for secret routes.

A hidden cheat (hold Select + Start at the intro) unlocks all gems instantly—perfect for veterans who just want to experiment. In short, this tweak smooths out rough edges, makes each character‑gem combo feel distinct, and finally lets Wolverine live up to his name without a full‑blown remake.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Relive A Different Kind Of 90s Nostalgia With Washington Prime

https://retrohandhelds.gg/relive-a-different-kind-of-90s-nostalgia-with-washington-prime/

Ever wanted to fire off a 90‑s action‑movie script instead of battling demons? Enter Washington Prime, a new indie shooter built on GZDoom that trades hellish corridors for rain‑slick malls, construction sites and corporate parking garages.

You step into the shoes of Blake Kincaid—a former special‑ops agent turned real‑estate broker—who gets pulled back into the game when a buddy vanishes in Washington State. Think tense stakeouts, gritty urban infiltrations, and shoot‑outs that feel ripped straight from Heat or Clear and Present Danger. The vibe is deliberately low‑budget thriller: clean typography, moody neon lighting and delightfully cheesy FMVs.

Why it matters:

• Retro tech, modern polish – GZDoom gives you high‑resolution graphics and slick level design while keeping the classic feel.
• Controller support – rare for a Doom engine title, hinting at broader accessibility.
• Indie ambition – despite its “weekend WAD” roots, the presentation looks like a polished, narrative‑driven FPS.

If the final build lands as promised, Washington Prime could be the first GZDoom project that feels less like a DOOM clone and more like an interactive 90s thriller. Keep an eye on its Discord; the parking‑garage showdown might just become your next nostalgic fix.

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

Anna’s Archive Loses .PM Domain, Adds Greenland (.GL) Backup

https://torrentfreak.com/annas-archive-loses-pm-domain-adds-greenland-gl-backup/

Ever feel like you’re watching a high‑stakes game of digital whack‑a‑mole? That’s Anna’s Archive these days—one day its .org address disappears, the next a .pm domain gets “blocked,” and now the library is sprinting to a Greenland backup.

The trouble started when Spotify and several record labels sued the shadow archive for planning to dump hundreds of terabytes of scraped Spotify data, full tracks included. A New York court slapped a preliminary injunction on domain registrars, forcing the .org, .se and .in sites offline. French registry AFNIC shrugged—U.S. orders don’t bind France—so the .pm takedown likely came from Dutch registrar Openprovider after pressure from Dutch anti‑piracy group BREIN.

Undeterred, Anna’s Archive registered annas‑archive.gl this week, using the same Njalla/Immaterialism setup that powers its .li domain. Greenland’s .gl registry is a clever dodge; it’s far removed from U.S. jurisdiction and has historically resisted takedowns (think The Pirate Bay’s brief .gl stint).

Bottom line: Anna’s Archive is still online—just hopping between domains—while the music industry keeps firing legal arrows. Stay tuned; the next domain could pop up anywhere with a decent DNS record.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

This Romhack Gives Phantom Fighter Its Mr. Vampire License Back

https://retrohandhelds.gg/this-romhack-gives-phantom-fighter-its-mr-vampire-license-back/

Ever tried beating up a hopping corpse and wondered why it felt oddly… generic? Turns out the NES brawler Phantom Fighter was originally a straight‑up movie tie‑in, stripped of its spooky pedigree when it crossed the Pacific.

Back in ’85 Hong Kong’s cult classic Mr. Vampire spawned a Famicom game called Reigen Doushi, complete with jiangshi, Taoist priests and all the goofy horror‑comedy flavor. When Nintendo shipped it to the U.S., the license vanished—names were scrubbed, logos erased, and players got a bland “phantom fighter” instead of a proper homage.

Enter the newest romhack: built on an English translation of the original Japanese version, it reinstates every missing reference. Expect:

• Authentic character names and movie‑specific dialogue
• Restored Mr. Vampire logos and terminology
• A revived horror‑comedy vibe that matches the film’s quirky charm

The gameplay stays the same side‑scrolling beat‑’em‑up you love—village hopping, temple healing, jiangshi boot‑kicking—but now it reads like a faithful adaptation rather than a generic “spooky China” filler. For longtime fans, it’s a delightful Easter egg; for newcomers, it finally gives the game its rightful cinematic license back.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Space Station Silicon Valley Gets Decomp Treatment

https://retrohandhelds.gg/space-station-silicon-valley-gets-decomp-treatment/

Ever feel like some ’90s gems are stuck in emulator purgatory? Well, Space Station Silicon Valley just broke out of that digital jail and landed straight on your PC.

The cult‑classic from DMA Design—where a tiny robo‑microchip hops into animal bodies to solve physics puzzles—has been “recompiled.” In plain English, the original N64 code was translated into C, then compiled into a native Windows executable. You still need a legit ROM, but once you’ve fed it in, the game runs like any modern title, with higher‑resolution graphics, widescreen support and even plans for ray tracing.

Why it matters: This isn’t a fancy emulator wrapper; it’s the same gameplay with PC comforts—smooth framerates, customizable controls, and camera tweaks—without rewriting the whole thing. And Space Station Silicon Valley is just the latest in a wave that includes Banjo‑Kazooie, Ocarina of Time, Harvest Moon 64, and even Star Fox 64.

So if you’ve ever stared at screenshots in retro magazines and thought, “I’d love to play that,” now’s your chance. Plug in the ROM, fire up the .exe, and let a squirrel‑powered robot take over your desktop. Happy recompping!

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Perfect Dark’s N64 Campaign Is Being Rebuilt As A Standalone Quest VR Port

https://retrohandhelds.gg/perfect-darks-n64-campaign-is-being-rebuilt-as-a-standalone-quest-vr-port/

Ever imagined sneaking through Carrington Institute while literally ducking behind your couch? A dedicated fan crew has turned that day‑dream into reality: the classic Perfect Dark campaign is being reborn as a standalone VR experience for Meta Quest.

What’s happening?

• The team ripped the N64 levels, weapons and objectives out of their original code and rebuilt them from scratch in Unreal Engine 5.
• Motion controls let you grab pistols, dual‑wield, and interact with terminals using hand tracking—no clunky emulator overlay.
• Early footage shows the first missions fully playable, complete with head‑shot‑ready iron sights instead of a joystick.

Why it matters: This isn’t a quick Unity wrapper; it’s a labor‑of‑love proof‑of‑concept that proves even beloved legacy shooters can feel fresh in VR. While still experimental and not ready for a public drop, the project signals what fan‑driven passion can achieve where official studios haven’t ventured.

Bottom line: If you grew up hunting dataDyne on a CRT, strap on your Quest, lean around virtual corners, and relive the nostalgia—now with actual physical ducking. Keep an eye on updates; the next level might be just around the corner… literally.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Aero, Zero, and Friends Land in New Sunsoft Collection

https://retrohandhelds.gg/aero-zero-and-friends-land-in-new-sunsoft-collection/

Ever feel like your childhood game cabinet got a glow‑up? Sunsoft’s doing just that, dropping Aero, Zero, and Friends in a shiny new physical bundle for PS5 and Switch—set to hit shelves summer 2026.

The star of the show is the high‑flying trio: Aero the Acro‑Bat, its sequel, and the GBA makeover Rascal Rival Revenge. Tagging along are the under‑appreciated squirrel hero Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel and two newly localized SNES brawlers—Feudal Bros and Justice Ninja Casey. Think of it as last year’s digital reissues, neatly stitched onto one disc or cartridge.

What makes this more than a nostalgic cash‑grab? The collection keeps all the modern comforts: rewind, save states, art galleries, and visual filters. You can finally beat Aero’s notorious level design without pulling an all‑nighter (or proving anything to your younger self). Pricing lands in the budget‑friendly zone, so you won’t need a treasure map to afford it.

Bottom line: whether you rented these cartridges back in the day or discovered them on a random ROM dump, Sunsoft’s new anthology promises fresh playthroughs and a slick trailer that says “we’re serious about retro.” Grab one, hit rewind, and let the circus begin.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

New Mod Turns Streets Of Rage 2 Into An RPG-Lite

https://retrohandhelds.gg/new-mod-turns-streets-of-rage-2-into-an-rpg-lite/

Ever wanted to turn Streets of Rage 2 into a choose‑your‑own‑adventure brawler? A fresh romhack called Streets of Rage 2 Sandbox does exactly that, swapping the classic beat‑‘em‑up for a toolbox of modifiers and a light‑weight RPG spin.

The hack lets you toggle everything from enemy AI quirks to hazard frequency, then stack those options into custom runs. Feeling nostalgic? Dial down the chaos and stroll through Axel’s city. Craving pain? Mix random difficulty spikes with an XP system that boosts your damage as you rack up points—think “level‑up while you punch”.

Why it matters: the original 1992 title is a Sega staple, beloved for its slick art, tight combat, and Yuzo Koshiro’s iconic soundtrack. Over the years fans have built whole new games on its engine (Beats of Rage, fan‑made Avengers/Persona crossovers). This sandbox hack revives that spirit, giving streamers, modders, and retro junkies a fresh reason to dust off their legally owned ROMs.

Bottom line: you still get the classic Axel run when you want it, but now you can also craft “cursed” challenges that will make even Mr. X sweat. Ready to remix some street‑fighting nostalgia?

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Square Enix Pays Tribute To Final Fantasy XI Grandma

https://retrohandhelds.gg/square-enix-pays-tribute-to-final-fantasy-xi-grandma/

Ever played an MMO long enough to out‑age your own grandparents? In February 2026, Square Enix did just that—sending a heartfelt condolence note for a 91‑year‑old Japanese fan who’d been adventuring across Vana’diel for nearly two decades.

Her granddaughter posted the sad news, reminding the community that her grandma had logged in almost every day until health issues forced her to quit. The post went viral on Japanese forums, with veteran players recognizing her character name and swapping stories of late‑night raids together.

Square Enix’s producer Yoji Fujito and director Yoji Akimasa replied via the official channels, thanking her for “making the world we built feel alive.” The tribute sparked a wave of nostalgia: gamers recalled other long‑lost friends, some even logging back in just to visit favorite hangouts and leave virtual flowers.

Why it matters:

• Shows how MMOs become intergenerational meeting places.
• Highlights the deep emotional bonds players form with digital worlds—and each other.

In a game that’s been running since 2002, a grandma’s pixel‑footsteps are proof that some friendships truly stand the test of time (and age).

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Don’t Starve Together Coming To Mobile

https://retrohandhelds.gg/dont-starve-together-coming-to-mobile/

Ever imagined surviving a pixel‑perfect apocalypse while commuting on the subway? That fantasy is finally getting a Wi‑Fi boost: Don’t Starve Together is heading to iOS and Android in 2026.

Klei has teamed up again with mobile veteran Playdigious to bring the full multiplayer survival sandbox—seasonal cycles, creepy critters, and inevitable friend‑induced grief—to your pocket. It isn’t the first Don’t Starve phone experiment (Pocket Edition, Shipwrecked), but it’s the first true co‑op experience, meaning you can now watch your buddy sabotage a campfire from across town instead of the couch.

The road here was bumpy. A 2024 Netflix partnership fizzled out after internal cuts, prompting rumors that the port was dead. Playdigious refused to quit, posting a “first playable build” on Reddit in late 2025 and promising more news soon. No firm launch date, cross‑play details, or controller support have been confirmed yet—just a broad 2026 window.

So if you’ve been stuck solo on mobile while your crew raids the PC world, consider this the long‑awaited lifeline: a proper Together client is finally on its way.