📰 New article from RetroRGB

5X-Y-Z SCART Adapter – Open Sourced

https://retrorgb.com/5x-y-z-scart-adapter-open-sourced.html

If you’re a fan of the RetroTINK 5X, you know that managing a sea of thick SCART cables can feel a bit like trying to untangle a bowl of spaghetti. Enter Kyle from Kytor Industries, who has just dropped some great news for the retro gaming community: the 5X-Y-Z SCART adapter is now officially open source.

The goal of this little gadget is simple—it reorients your SCART cable so you can route it toward the back of your setup rather than having it jut out awkwardly. It’s a lifesaver for anyone who likes a clean, “display-ready” aesthetic. Plus, if you’re the type to constantly plug and unplug cables, using this adapter acts as a sacrificial layer to protect the expensive SCART port on your RetroTINK from wear and tear.

The best part? You don’t have to pay $35 to get in on the action. Because it’s under a CC BY 4.0 license, you can download the files and 3D-print your own at home. Since there’s no active circuitry involved, you won’t lose any signal quality or features like composite video sync. It’s pure, passive, and perfectly seamless.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

PortMaster Roundup: March & April 2026

https://retrohandhelds.gg/portmaster-roundup-march-april-2026/

The PortMaster Spring Cleaning: New Games for Your Handheld

If your retro handheld has been feeling a little lonely lately, it’s time to clear some storage space. The March and April 2026 PortMaster roundup has officially landed, and it is a massive haul of everything from “free-to-play” gems to high-budget classics.

The “ready-to-run” list is particularly wild this season. You can dive straight into Super Ultra Mustard Man (yes, that’s the name) or try your luck at running a Polish convenience store in the Papers, Please-inspired Which Sausage, Mate. If you’re feeling techy, there’s even an on-device AI chatbot called SpruceChat—perfect for when you just need to vent to a tree.

For those willing to open their wallets, the “Pay to Play” section is where the heavy hitters live:

The Big Names: Dead Cells, Counter-Strike 1.6, and Crypt of the Necrodancer*.

Indie Hits: Shotgun King (chess with a shotgun!) and Nuclear Blaze*.

Whether you’re looking for a quick round of Space Invaders or a deep-dive Metroidvania, there is plenty to keep your device humming for months. Happy gaming!

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Late to the Party: Anbernic RG DS

https://retrohandhelds.gg/late-to-the-party-anbernic-rg-ds/

### Don’t judge an Anbernic by its stock OS

We’ve all been there: a new handheld drops, you look at the specs, and decide to skip it because the software looks like a buggy mess. That was the exact vibe surrounding the launch of the Anbernic RG DS. It lacked 3DS power, had questionable scaling, and the stock OS left much to be desired.

But as any seasoned retro enthusiast knows, you shouldn’t judge an Anbernic device until you’ve seen it running custom firmware.

Enter GammaOS. Once this custom software is installed, the RG DS transforms from a “deeply compromised” gadget into a precision tool for Nintendo DS nostalgia. The display issues are ironed out, the experience becomes seamless, and suddenly, you have a handheld that might actually make you retire your original DS Lite for good.

What to expect:

• The Good: A much more ergonomic design for those with larger hands, excellent D-pads, and the addition of analog sticks (a nice bonus for certain titles).
• The Trade-off: Don’t expect 3DS performance; this is strictly for the DS era.
• The Pro Tip: Wait a few months for the community to work their magic before buying.

If you want the perfect way to revisit classics like Chrono Trigger without the headache of clunky software, the RG DS (with GammaOS) is currently the king of the clamshell hill.

📰 New article from RetroRGB

PolyGame Master ROM Cart Progress

https://retrorgb.com/polygame-master-rom-cart-progress.html

If you’ve ever spent too much time hunting for rare cartridges only to realize your collection is basically just a pile of plastic, this one is for you.

James from RetroHQ just dropped a demo of his upcoming “Game Drive” ROM cart for the IGS PolyGame Master (PGM), and it looks incredibly slick. The footage shows multiple games running with impressively fast load times—essentially giving your PGM hardware a massive, digital library upgrade without the physical clutter.

While we don’t have an official price or release date yet, James is aiming for a late-year launch at a price point similar to other ROM carts on the market. A quick heads-up: there won’t be any pre-orders, so you’ll just have to grab it once the stock hits the shop.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Compatibility: It already handles Type 1, 2, and 3 ASIC27A games, plus IGS022 and IGS025.
• The Long Game: Even if your favorite Cave shooter isn’t supported on day one, James has a stellar track record of frequent firmware updates.

It’s not quite a complete library yet, but for PGM enthusiasts, this is a huge step toward making those classic shooters much more accessible.

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

Report Links Piracy to Drugs, Weapons, and the Mafia; Calls for U.S. Site-Blocking

https://torrentfreak.com/report-links-piracy-to-drugs-weapons-and-the-mafia-calls-for-u-s-site-blocking/

### The “Piracy as a Service” Problem

Remember when piracy was just some tech-savvy hobbyist sharing a cool movie file in a forum? Those days are officially over. According to a new report from IP House and the Digital Citizens Alliance, the era of the “anarchist downloader” has been replaced by something much more sinister: organized crime.

The report argues that modern streaming networks—specifically IPTV services—have evolved into sophisticated, franchise-style operations. We’re talking about a “Piracy as a Service” model where wholesalers sell turnkey kits to resellers, making the core operations incredibly hard to dismantle.

And it’s not just about stolen movies anymore. The report cites recent law enforcement raids that uncovered:

• Cryptocurrency and large cash reserves
• Illegal weapons and narcotics
• Links to notorious groups like the Italian Mafia

The big takeaway? This isn’t just a copyright issue; it’s a money-laundering issue. Because of this, lobbyists are currently hitting U.S. Congress hard, pushing for new “site-blocking” legislation. They argue that by cutting off these high-margin revenue streams, they can starve the broader criminal ecosystems. Whether blocking a website actually stops a global syndicate or just pushes them toward even darker trades remains to be seen.

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

MPA Renews Push for U.S. Site-Blocking Legislation, Citing Live Sports Piracy

https://torrentfreak.com/mpa-renews-push-for-u-s-site-blocking-legislation-citing-live-sports-piracy/

### The Return of the Site-Blockers

Remember the SOPA debacle? That era of internet censorship drama might be making a much more polished—and bipartisan—comeback.

For years, major copyright holders stayed quiet in the U.S., focusing their energy on blocking piracy sites in Europe instead. But the Motion Picture Association (MPA) is officially back on the offensive. They are currently lobbying Congress for new legislation that would allow for “judicially supervised” site-blocking within the United States.

The big selling point? Live sports. The MPA argues that while all piracy is bad, live sports piracy is “uniquely corrosive.” Their logic is simple: once the final whistle blows, the value of a live stream evaporates. To save the revenue, they want the power to shut down pirate domains in real-time.

What to watch for:

• Bipartisan momentum: Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are reportedly working on unified bills.
• The “Global” Argument: The MPA claims over 55 countries already use these tools effectively without killing free speech.
• The Catch: While ISPs and DNS giants like Google have been quiet so far, the real drama will start when we see if these blocks accidentally take down legitimate websites sharing the same servers.

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

EU-Funded DNS Provider Must Block Pirate Sites, French Court Rules

https://torrentfreak.com/eu-funded-dns-provider-must-block-pirate-sites-french-court-rules/

### No More Free Rides for F1 Fans in France?

If you thought your favorite VPN or DNS provider was a “get out of jail free” card for streaming illegal sports, the French courts just threw a massive wrench in those plans.

In a sweeping move to protect broadcasting rights for Formula 1 and MotoGP, the Paris Judicial Court has significantly expanded its list of targets. We aren’t just talking about your standard Internet Service Providers anymore. The court is now going after the “middlemen” that help pirates bypass blocks—specifically DNS resolvers and VPN providers.

The most surprising name on the list? DNS4EU. This service, which was originally co-funded by the EU to promote “digital sovereignty,” has been ordered to block dozens of pirate streaming domains. While some giants like Google and Cloudflare fought back in court (and lost), DNS4EU’s parent company, Whalebone, essentially rolled up its sleeves and complied.

The takeaway:

• Total Lockdown: The court is bundling orders against ISPs, search engines, and VPNs all at once to create a “wall” of blocking.

Global Reach: Interestingly, Whalebone confirmed that while the order is French, they are applying these blocks globally*.

• The Goal: To make it much harder for fans to find alternative routes to unauthorized live streams.

It looks like the era of relying on a simple DNS tweak to bypass regional restrictions is getting a lot more complicated.

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

Filmmakers Drop Piracy Liability Lawsuit Against ISP RCN

https://torrentfreak.com/filmmakers-drop-piracy-liability-lawsuit-against-isp-rcn/

It looks like the “Piracy Police” are hitting a bit of a roadblock.

A group of heavyweight movie studios—the folks behind Rambo V and London Has Fallen—just dropped their massive lawsuit against ISP RCN. Since 2021, these filmmakers have been trying to hold the internet provider responsible for the “repeat offenders” on its network, essentially arguing that if an ISP doesn’t cut off pirates, they’re part of the crime.

So, what changed? While the legal paperwork is suspiciously quiet about a specific settlement, the writing was likely on the wall thanks to a recent Supreme Court decision in the Cox case. The court effectively narrowed the rules, making it much harder to sue ISPs unless you can prove they actually intended for their service to be used for piracy.

The fallout from this dismissal is more than just a closed case:

• No site-blocking (for now): The studios’ dream of forcing RCN to block sites like The Pirate Bay has vanished with this lawsuit.
• A legislative push: With the courts making it harder to sue ISPs, rightsholders are now pivoting toward lobbying Congress for new laws that would mandate site-blocking.

For now, the internet remains a bit more “wild west” than the studios would like.

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week – 04/27/2026

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

If you thought the streaming wars were over, think again. The latest piracy charts are out, and it seems people are still finding ways to bypass those monthly subscription fees.

The big news this week? We have a fresh face at the top of the leaderboard. Project Hail Mary has officially crashed the party, swooping in to claim the #1 spot. It’s currently the most shared title on torrent sites, proving that sci-fi fans are eager to get their hands on it—even if they aren’t waiting for a formal release on a major platform.

The rest of the top five is looking like a heavy hitter lineup:

• The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender holds steady at #2.
• Avatar: Fire and Ash remains a fan favorite at #3.
• The Super Mario Galaxy Movie rounds out the top four.

While the list is mostly composed of established heavyweights, a few climbers like Crime 101 are making moves. Whether it’s blockbuster sequels or much-anticipated adaptations, one thing is clear: if there’s a hype train running, someone, somewhere, is trying to download it for free.

📰 New article from RetroRGB

240p Test Suite for NTSC Nintendo 64

https://retrorgb.com/240p-test-suite-for-ntsc-nintendo-64.html

If you’ve ever spent a rainy afternoon squinting at an old CRT television trying to figure out if your signal is actually sharp or just blurry magic, we have some good news. The legendary 240p Test Suite has officially arrived for the Nintendo 64.

For those who don’t know, this suite is basically the “gold standard” toolkit for retro gamers. It helps you calibrate your hardware to ensure your classic games look exactly as they were intended—crisp, clear, and without that dreaded signal bleed. While only the NTSC version is ready for prime time right now, a PAL version is already on the roadmap.

This isn’t just a digital download, either. Mega Cat Studios is planning to release a physical cartridge once the software moves past its testing phase.

What you need to know:

The Tech: Developed using libdragon and tiny 3D*, this version is incredibly precise—so much so that it’s actually being used to redesign monoscopes for other platforms.

• The Cost: The ROM is free to download, but the creator, Artemio Urbina, relies on Patreon and tips to keep these essential tools alive.

Time to break out the old tube TVs and get calibrating!