📰 New article from TorrentFreak

Research: Major Pirate Site Shutdown Boosted Visits to other Pirate Sites (and Netflix)

https://torrentfreak.com/research-major-pirate-site-shutdown-boosted-visits-to-other-pirate-sites-and-netflix/

When Brazil’s cyber‑cops finally pulled the plug on MegaFilmesHD in late 2015, they weren’t just busting a single pirate hub—they sparked a little “digital whack‑a‑mole.”

A new study from Chapman and Carnegie Mellon tracked thousands of Brazilian users before and after the raid. The results? Pirates who once flocked to MegaFilmesHD migrated 20% more often to other bootleg sites, and they actually spent 61% more time there. In other words, shutting down one giant only redirected the traffic, not eliminated it.

But the crackdown did have a silver lining: Netflix saw a modest surge—visits rose 6% and viewing time jumped 11%, with many former MegaFilmesHD users converting to paid subscribers. The boost wasn’t uniform, though. Students and unemployed viewers stayed on the cheap side, while women were more likely to abandon piracy altogether; men tended to double‑down on new illegal sources.

Takeaway: Enforcement can nudge some users toward legal options, but without affordable, appealing services it’s mostly a game of musical chairs for pirates. The real win? Making legit streaming as convenient—and cheap—as the bootleg alternatives.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

AYANEO’s KONKR Fit is Now Up For Pre-order, But Won’t Ship Until ‘End of April’

https://retrohandhelds.gg/ayaneos-konkr-fit-is-now-up-for-pre-order-but-wont-ship-until-end-of-april/

If you thought AYANEO was already moving at warp speed, buckle up: the KONKR Fit just hit its pre‑order button—no Kickstarter drama, straight from the company’s own store. The catch? It won’t land in anyone’s hands until “the end of April” at the earliest, and history suggests that timeline could stretch.

What you’re getting is a serious Windows handheld: a 7‑inch OLED panel (1920×1080) that can hit 144 Hz, an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 or HX 470 CPU, Radeon 890M graphics, up to 32 GB of LPDDR5x RAM, and a massive 80.85 Wh battery—enough juice for marathon sessions. Storage tops out at 1 TB, and the device packs full‑size ports (USB‑C PD, DisplayPort, microSD, headphone jack) plus hall‑effect triggers with dual‑mode locks.

Pricing starts at $999 for the base HX 370/16 GB/512 GB “Early Bird” model, but only 200 units are available at that rate. After they’re gone you’ll be looking at $1,299 or $1,699 depending on configuration.

Bottom line: a premium handheld with eye‑popping specs, a tempting early‑bird discount, and a delivery window that feels more like a waiting game than a launch party. If you can tolerate the wait, it might just be worth the hype.

📰 New article from RetroRGB

The Jumpy Scrolling and Graphical Glitches of NES Commando – Behind the Code

https://retrorgb.com/the-jumpy-scrolling-and-graphical-glitches-of-nes-commando-behind-the-code.html

Ever tried guiding your squad through NES Commando only to have the screen hiccup like a nervous squirrel? That jittery scroll and those “oops‑I‑died‑in‑pixel‑art” glitches aren’t just retro charm—they’re symptoms of a game that shipped before its bugs got the boot.

The YouTube crew at Game Sack recently flagged the issue, prompting DisplacedGamers to dig into the code. Turns out the scrolling isn’t smooth because the NES’s limited hardware struggled with the way the developers handled background tiles—each frame gets re‑drawn in chunks, causing that familiar “jump” as the camera catches up. When the player loses a life, the routine that wipes the screen glitches, leaving behind garbled graphics before the game resets.

Why does it matter? For modern retro fans, those quirks are a reminder that even classic titles weren’t flawless masterpieces; they’re a peek into the constraints and shortcuts of 80‑era development. And for anyone tinkering with emulators or homebrew, fixing the scroll logic is a satisfying low‑level puzzle.

Bottom line: Commando still nails the action, but its visual stutter is a nostalgic reminder that polish sometimes came after launch—especially when cartridges were rushed to market. If you love digging into the nitty‑gritty, consider backing DisplacedGamers on Patreon—they’ll keep unearthing these hidden code stories.

📰 New article from RetroRGB

MSDEXP – Injection Molded Version

https://retrorgb.com/msdexp-injection-molded-version.html

Ever wanted your Sega Genesis / Mega Drive to launch CD‑based games straight from a modern flash cart? Mobius Strip Tech just made that painless. Their new MSDEXP adapter lets the Terraonion Mega SD plug into the console’s expansion slot, so you can fire up Sega CD and 32X‑CD titles without pulling cables or swapping hardware.

The kit comes in two flavors: a full adapter for $70 (in stock now) or just a replacement injection‑molded shell for $20 if you already have one. Only one per order, so act fast. A quick reset after power‑up is required to actually load the Mega SD—easy once you remember it, but easy to forget and start “troubleshooting” (we’ve all been there).

A couple of caveats:

• It works only with the Mega SD, not Krikzz’s Everdrive Pro.
• You still need a 32X attached for CD games; the adapter simply bypasses the bus limitation that prevents ROM carts from launching CDs.

If you don’t own a 32X or never play CD titles, you can safely skip this gizmo. Otherwise, it’s a tidy way to keep your Mega SD on hand and swap between cartridge‑style loads and CD runs without a hardware circus. Check out the live‑stream demos for a hands‑on look—and consider backing Bob on Patreon if you love the retro hustle!

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

[Video] My FAVORITE Handhelds to Play Games of the Month On (and why)

https://retrohandhelds.gg/video-my-favorite-handhelds-to-play-games-of-the-month-on-and-why/

If you’ve ever dreamed of a pocket‑sized arcade, this week’s Retro Handheld showdown is the perfect excuse to dust off that nostalgic itch. Stubbs and Andrew sit down, swap their top‑pick devices for each classic system, then fire up February’s “Games of the Month” lineup—plus a surprise “Game of the Week.”

First on the roster: The Legend of Zelda (NES) gets a fresh spin on whatever handheld you trust to keep those 8‑bit chiptunes crisp. Next up, Metal Gear Solid 2 (PS2) proves that even a modern mini‑PC can handle Snake’s cinematic stealth without choking. The GBA/DS crowd gets Mega Man Zero, a perfect match for any retro‑friendly button layout. And the weekly spotlight? Metroid Prime Pinball on DS, a pinball mashup that feels oddly satisfying in your lap.

Why does it matter? It’s a quick reminder that today’s handheld market—think AYANEO Pocket AIR Mini, AYN Odin 2 Portal, MagicX Zero 40, MANGMI Pocket Max, and Retroid Pocket 6—is more than just novelty. These devices let you pick the perfect tool for each game, turning “I wish I could play that on the go” into a reality.

Bottom line: Pick your favorite console, match it with a handheld from the featured list, and start with whichever title tickles your retro fancy first. Happy gaming!

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

The New NEW Worst Game Boy Setup

https://retrohandhelds.gg/the-new-new-worst-game-boy-setup/

If you ever thought Excel was just for boring budgets, think again—someone just turned a spreadsheet into a Game Boy.

Developer Katrina “KatGoesPurr” Zathey has crammed a full‑blown emulator into an .xlsm file. Open the workbook, click “Enable macros,” and the familiar 160×144 grid becomes a tiny screen you can control with your keyboard. Underneath, VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) steps through Game Boy instructions and paints each frame straight into cells—essentially turning Excel’s formula engine into a pixel‑pusher.

It’s not exactly “Game Boy Pro,” though. Frame rates are sluggish, audio is practically non‑existent, and you’ll have to wrestle with macro security prompts that scream “I’m running code!” at any vigilant IT department. Still, simple puzzle titles run recognizably, making it a delightful proof of concept for anyone who loves absurd tech hacks.

Bottom line: this is the newest (and arguably worst) Game Boy setup—because if you can squeeze Tetris or Pokémon onto a spreadsheet, there’s no limit to what else might end up in your inbox.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Denshattack Turns Japan’s Rail Network Into One Big Combo Line

https://retrohandhelds.gg/denshattack-turns-japans-rail-network-into-one-big-combo-line/

All aboard the most over‑the‑top rail ride ever imagined! Denshattack turns Japan’s immaculate train system into a giant skate park, letting you grind, flip and wall‑ride commuter rails like a Tony Hawk‑style board. Director David Jaumandreu—self‑declared rail‑fanatic—spent three years mapping real prefectures into sprawling, open‑world “parks” that feel as much like Tokyo’s Yamanote Loop as they do an extreme‑sports arena.

You’ll crank up the speed, dodge derailing, and string together insane combos while battling rival crews in a near‑future dystopia where a megacorp hoards the tracks. The story leans hard on shōnen tropes: found family, rival‑turned‑ally crews, fully voiced English/Japanese dialogue, and boss mechs that literally emotify like anime characters.

What makes it pop:

• Visuals inspired by Jet Set Radio, Hi‑Fi Rush and Persona.
• Soundtrack from Sonic Mania’s Tee Lopes.
• Deep train customization that lets each locomotive “express” itself.

Mark your calendars: Denshattack lands spring 2026 on PC, Xbox Series (Game Pass friendly) and PlayStation, with a live demo at this month’s Convergence Games Showcase. Get ready to ride the rails like never before—no ticket required, just a love for high‑octane tricks.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Future Knight Mixes Game & Watch Vibes With Run‑And‑Gun Chaos

https://retrohandhelds.gg/future-knight-mixes-game-watch-vibes-with-run-and-gun-chaos/

Picture this: a classic Game & Watch screen gone full‑metal‑jacket, blasting away with laser‑fire and absurdly goofy physics. That’s Future Knight, the newest “LCD Neo‑Retro” shooter from Aeternum Game Studios (Aeterna Noctis) and Studio Koba (Narita Boy).

You play as a chrome‑clad knight trapped inside a calculator‑style LCD display, racing against an eight‑hour apocalypse clock. Each hour spawns its own biome—think monochrome‑plus landscapes where ink blots replace pixels and alarm‑clock Kaiju serve as bosses. The twist? You can instantly swap between the armored Future Knight and his gooey sidekick Two More, chaining “lethal choreographies” that feel half ballet, half bullet‑hell.

Mechanically it’s more than a nostalgic gimmick: horizontal and vertical scrolling, physics‑driven set pieces, and dual‑character synergy keep the action fresh. The story leans into dark humor—cult‑like pyramid schemes and memory‑wiping villains add a tongue‑in‑cheek flavor.

Heads up, gamers: it’s coming to PC and consoles (no actual LCD hardware required) and is already wishlisted on Steam. If you love retro aesthetics with modern chaos, this one’s worth the click.

📰 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.