Category: Tater News

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Game Console R36T MAX Review

https://retrohandhelds.gg/game-console-r36t-max-review/

Let’s be real: if you’re buying a handheld that looks like an old TV set threw up plastic and called it “CRT-inspired,” you’re not here for specs—you’re here for vibes. And the R36T MAX? It delivers those in spades.

AISLPC didn’t just slap a 4” screen on the original R36T—they refined it. Wood grain? Check. Tidier ROM menus? Check. Even a help line for confused noobs? Bold move for a clone brand. The battery’s just… resting on the speaker like it doesn’t care? Yeah, that’s a red flag. But hey, at $40, you’re not buying an Apple Watch—you’re buying a nostalgia trip with a side of plastic echo.

The D-Pad? Looks like a doorknob that got into a fight with a joystick. Turns out, it works fine. The screen? Glowy CRT bubble = instant 2001 bedroom energy. Add some scanline filters, crank up the static snow in the menu, and you’re basically playing Super Mario Bros. on your grandpa’s TV… if your grandpa had a 2025 AliExpress budget.

Is it perfect? Nah. The speaker pops, the boot times drag, and yes—you’re paying for a Rockchip RK3326 that’s been in every budget handheld since 2021. But it looks cool. It feels charmingly shabby. And if you want a pocket-sized retro TV that screams “I miss the 90s but also my Wi-Fi signal,” this is your guy.

Just don’t screw it shut without checking the battery first. You’ll thank me later.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

PortMaster Roundup: November 16th – December 15th

https://retrohandhelds.gg/portmaster-roundup-november-16th-december-15th/

Hey there, retro rebels—Jim Gray didn’t check the calendar this month. And honestly? We’re not mad. November 16 to December 15 was a gold mine of handheld gems, and your pocket-sized console just got a serious upgrade.

First up: the ready-to-play crew. Think Super Metroid meets jellyfish in Azimuth, or a rhythm game where you’re Frogger… but for bars. (Bar Hop? Yes, please.) Then there’s Operius DX, the arcade shooter that remembers when “fast” meant “your fingers caught fire,” and The Death of Santa, because nothing says Christmas like platforming a jolly fat guy to his doom.

Want something weird? Voidbeat is a rhythm game where the world pulses like a dying heartbeat. Merp In Merpworld lets you glide on leaves through flower fields like a zen woodland fairy. And Unwin? A Sokoban game with an “un-collect” button. Yes, that’s a thing now.

For the tinkerers: April Dabble Dazzle (fruit-based rituals, naturally) and Bushido Panda (8-bit samurai chaos). And if you’ve got a Steam or GOG library? Driven Out and Astronautilus are gorgeous, load-screen-free masterpieces waiting to haunt your handheld.

Your new favorite games? They’re all in one place. Now go forth—play, ponder, and maybe don’t let Santa fall off the platform. Again.

(P.S. If you fish up something interesting in Pengu Never Left, send pics. We’re watching.)

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

Judge: GoDaddy Must Unmask Owners of 100+ “Copyright-Infringing” Domains

https://torrentfreak.com/judge-godaddy-must-unmask-owners-of-100-allegedly-infringing-domains-251216/

Here’s your punchy, newsletter-ready summary:

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Judge says GoDaddy must out 100+ “copyright clone” site owners — and no, anonymity isn’t a get-out-of-jail-free card

Let’s be real: if you’re running 104 copies of a gaming platform, complete with stolen logos and code, calling it “free speech” is like calling a bank heist “performance art.”

Tamaris (aka Pragmatic Play) flagged these sites to GoDaddy, got a $52 DMCA subpoena, and asked for the owners’ info. One anonymous operator — let’s call him “John Doe Jr.” — tried to block it, claiming overreach, privacy violations, and First Amendment rights. Cute. But the court wasn’t buying it.

Judge Sullivan laid down the law:

• DMCA subpoenas don’t need individual proof for each domain — mass unmasking is legal.
• “Commercial” speech (like selling pirated games) gets zero First Amendment love.
• Your IP address and payment info? Not sacred. Especially when you’re running knockoff casino software.
• And no, waiting a month to file your motion doesn’t count as “timely”… unless GoDaddy was slow to notify you. (They were.)

Bottom line: If your website looks like a copy-paste job of someone else’s billion-dollar product, don’t hide behind “anonymous speech.” The law doesn’t protect pirates. It just gives them a subpoena.

And yes — GoDaddy’s now got to hand over 104 sets of personal details. The internet just got a little less anonymous.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Over 100 Lost Sega Genesis ROMs Recovered by VGHF

https://retrohandhelds.gg/over-100-lost-sega-genesis-roms-recovered-by-vghf/

You know that feeling when you’re binge-watching a show and suddenly realize all the deleted scenes just dropped? That’s what happened to Sega Genesis fans this week.

The Video Game History Foundation just unearthed 144 lost Sega Channel ROMs—yes, the ’90s service that delivered games over your cable TV. Think Netflix… if it required a special box, cost $20/month in 1995, and occasionally froze mid-game while your mom yelled about the phone bill. When Sega shut it down in ’98, most of the games vanished like a dial-up connection mid-download. Poof.

But thanks to a lucky tape backup from a former employee and an old exec’s dusty filing cabinet, we now have everything: rare exclusives like Garfield: Caught in the Act – The Lost Levels, The Flintstones with extra levels, and even unreleased prototypes like Popeye in High Seas High-Jinks (yes, Popeye on a pirate ship). There’s also proof of Express Games, Sega’s secret plan to turn PCs into game boxes. Imagine that.

The best part? This means we now have digital copies of every U.S. Genesis game ever released. No more “I heard it existed…” rumors. Just pure, crunchy, 16-bit nostalgia. And no—we won’t give you the ROMs. But we will say: if you’ve got a Genesis and a time machine, you’re officially ready.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

AYN Delays Odin 3 ‘Ultra’ Pre-Orders, Offers Alternative Solutions

https://retrohandhelds.gg/ayn-delays-odin-3-ultra-pre-orders-offers-alternative-solutions/

Looks like the Odin 3 Ultra’s big debut got a little… memory-locked.

AYN just dropped the news: due to skyrocketing RAM prices and a global chip shortage, your pre-ordered Odin 3 Ultra (24GB + 1TB) won’t ship until mid-January. Oof. No surprise, really—when memory costs spike like a TikTok trend, even the coolest handhelds get stuck in limbo.

But here’s where AYN gets bonus points: they didn’t ghost anyone. Instead, they offered two solid moves:

• Swap to Odin 3 Max and get it shipped before Christmas (they’ll refund the price差).
• Keep your Ultra order and wait patiently. No extra steps—just chill.

Meanwhile, the Base, Pro, and Max models are still available to pre-order. So if you’re itching for a new handheld now, there’s still time to jump in—without the 24GB hype.

It’s not ideal, but it’s transparent. And in a world full of silent cancellations? That’s kind of a win.

Pro tip: If you’re not in a rush for 24GB, the Max is basically the Ultra’s chill cousin—with all the power and none of the wait.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

AYANEO Pocket Air Mini: First Impressions

https://retrohandhelds.gg/ayaneo-pocket-air-mini-first-impressions/

You spent what on a $70 handheld? Yeah, we see you, Ban. And honestly? We’re kind of impressed.

The AYANEO Pocket Air Mini is the retro handheld equivalent of buying a $5 taco that somehow tastes like Michelin-starred carnitas. For under $100, it packs a Mediatek Helio G90T, a crisp 4.3-inch 4:3 screen, and enough juice to run PS1, N64, and even some Dreamcast games—without melting your wallet (or your thumbs). The controls? Light as a feather. Too light sometimes—like trying to press a button with a cotton swab. But hey, if you like your inputs whisper-quiet and low-effort, this is your jam.

Android 11 feels like a step back, sure—but it’s lean, fast, and surprisingly stable. The UI is clunky, but the pop-up performance menu? Chef’s kiss. Storage’s tight (32/64GB), and yes, some modern Android games won’t run. But for classic emulators? It’s a steal.

Compared to rivals like the Mangmi Air X, it wins on raw power—and loses on screen ratio. If you’re Team 4:3 (looking at you, N64 purists), this is your new BFF. If not? Walk away.

Bottom line: AYANEO didn’t just make a cheap handheld. They made one you’ll actually want to play with. And that’s rare.

📰 New article from RetroRGB

New Test Reveals Possible Source of SAROO Problems

https://retrorgb.com/new-test-reveals-possible-source-of-saroo-problems.html

Here’s your punchy, newsletter-ready version:

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SAROO’s Secret Glitch? A Race Condition in Disguise

You plug in your SAROO, launch Shining Force III, and—bam—audio glitches, crashes, weird freezes. For years, Saturn fans shrugged it off as “just how it is.” Now, a new test proves it’s not random. It’s a bug.

A developer named TrekkiesUnite118 built a simple checksum tool that loads and verifies game files over and over. On every other ODE, emulator, or modded Saturn? Perfect runs. But SAROO? Failed checksums—12 times in 3,000+ tries. One failed load = one game crash. Not okay.

The kicker? Someone added a sector delay of 10,000… and the glitches vanished. That’s not a fix—it’s a band-aid hiding a deeper issue: a race condition in the FPGA code. Data arrives out of order, and the system panics.

TPUnix, SAROO’s creator, just responded: “Looks like the FPGA firmware has some problem. I’ll debug it later.” (Yes, that’s the official response.)

Meanwhile, AliExpress sellers are cashing in on an unfinished product. JT Studios’ version? Still your safest bet—until this gets patched.

The SAROO’s promise is huge. But if the foundation’s shaky, even 1M of RAM won’t save you.

— From Sega Saturn SHIRO!

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

Hollywood Warns: ‘Extortionary’ Codec Patent Fees Could Hike Streaming Subscription Prices

https://torrentfreak.com/hollywood-warns-extortionary-codec-patent-fees-could-hike-streaming-subscription-prices/

Hollywood’s got a new enemy—and it’s not pirates. It’s the patent troll behind your favorite streaming shows.

InterDigital, a company with 10,000+ video codec patents (yes, those H.264 and H.265 ones that make your Netflix binges possible), is suing Disney and Amazon for using tech they claim wasn’t properly licensed. But here’s the twist: device makers like Samsung and Sony already paid for these patents to build your TV. Now InterDigital wants streaming services to pay again—for the same video.

The Motion Picture Association (MPA), usually the guy screaming “PIRACY IS CRIME!” just dropped a fiery amicus brief calling this a “global holdup campaign.” Double-dipping? More like triple-dipping—while charging you $18/month for Squid Game.

The MPA’s warning? If InterDigital wins, your subscription bills will rise. Streaming platforms can’t just switch to “non-standard” codecs—your phone, TV, and tablet all rely on H.264/H.265. It’s like demanding you pay tolls twice to drive down the same highway.

Disney’s fighting back with antitrust claims, and courts in Delaware, Germany, and Brazil are now weighing whether InterDigital’s tactics cross the line from smart business to extortion.

Bottom line: The real pirates might not be torrent users—they’re the ones trying to monetize the infrastructure we all depend on. And you? You’re just getting the bill.

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week – 12/15/2025

https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-torrented-pirated-movies/

This week, the big bad wolf of piracy isn’t a wolf at all—it’s a Predator. Predator: Badlands crashed the top spot like it just dropped from a helicopter in the middle of a jungle stream. No surprise, really—when your movie’s got Arnold-level legacy vibes and a killer tagline (“He doesn’t need a gun. He is the gun.”), people are gonna torrent it.

And look who’s back in the building: The Running Man—yes, that 1987 Arnold classic—is suddenly trending again. Either we’re all feeling nostalgic… or someone just discovered that 80s dystopias are way more fun than modern ones.

Newcomers Wake Up Dead Man and F1: The Movie are stealing the spotlight too—both with strong IMDb ratings, proving audiences still crave a good mystery or high-speed drama. Meanwhile, Tron: Ares and Bugonia are quietly dominating in the “weird but fascinating” category.

Fun fact: One Battle After Another (8.1!) is the highest-rated film on the list—and it’s not even in theaters yet. Guess people really do believe “if you build it, they will pirate.”

TL;DR: Predator rules. Nostalgia wins. And yes, people still pirate movies more than they stream them legally. 🎬💥

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Retro Handhelds Weekly: KTR1 S, AYANEO, Mangmi, GammaOS, and Much More

https://retrohandhelds.gg/retro-handhelds-weekly-edition-77/

Hey there, retro radars — buckle up. The handheld world didn’t just nap in December… it threw a rave.

KTR1 S just dropped with a Dimensity 7300 chip, turning last year’s also-ran into a legit contender. Meanwhile, AYANEO is going full Xperia Play 2.0 with the Pocket Play — a phone-handheld hybrid that’ll make your inner 2010 gamer weep with joy. And Mangmi? They’re not just riding the $100 wave—they’re building a whole surf park. The Pocket Max is coming, and it’s not just “bigger Air X.” It’s Air X with ambition.

But wait — Abxylute’s $69 E1? Looks suspiciously like a rebranded Anbernic. We see you, budget wizards. And GammaOS Next? Now on every Anbernic device under the sun. If your handheld runs Android, it probably has GammaOS by now. And if it doesn’t? You’re just mad.

Meanwhile, in the software lane: Xcavator—a lost NES game from 1985—is finally real, complete with a physical cartridge and a museum-worthy manual. And CATii? A new Android frontend that started by calling out AI code… then got called out for using it. The drama’s thicker than a Game Boy Color screen.

Bottom line: There are more retro handhelds in 2025 than there are reasons to be excited about your phone. And honestly? We’re not mad about it.

— Grab a coffee. The next release is already on the way.