📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Retro Handhelds Weekly: AYANEO Reveals KONKR Pocket Block, E5 ModX Gets Real, and Smash 64 Hits PC

https://retrohandhelds.gg/retro-handhelds-weekly-edition-100/

### Hardware Hype & Smash Bros. Surprises

If your wallet isn’t sweating yet, the latest wave of handheld news is about to make you reconsider your savings account. It’s been a massive week for hardware enthusiasts, with AYANEO leading the charge and some unexpected software ports stealing the spotlight.

AYANEO held a marathon four-hour sharing session, unveiling the KONKR Pocket Block and a special Arcade Home edition of the Pocket AIR Mini. If you prefer your handhelds modular, new footage of the GAMEMT E5 ModX shows just how much customization is on the table. Meanwhile, over in the budget corner, Roybeila quietly dropped the RG36B MAX—a solid little device that’s easy on the eyes (and the bank account).

On the software side, things are getting surprisingly modern:

Smash 64 arrives on PC: A new port called BattleShip v1.0* brings Nintendo 64 greatness to Windows, Linux, and macOS.

• Google Play is here: Anbernic’s RG Vita Pro just got a massive update (v1.1.4) that officially adds Google Play Store support.
• Performance tuning: GPD released “GPDTool,” letting users fine-tune TDP and lock frame rates without needing third-party headaches.

Whether you’re looking to rip GameCube games via Blu-ray or just hunt for AliExpress coupons, the retro scene is moving fast. Grab a coffee—you’re going to need it.

📰 New article from RetroRGB

SegaXtreme Saturn 31st Anniversary Showcase Features 31 Entrants

https://retrorgb.com/segaxtreme-saturn-31st-anniversary-showcase-features-31-entrants.html

### The Saturn is 31 and feeling itself

It turns out 31 is the magic number for Sega Saturn fans this year. Not only are we celebrating the console’s 31st anniversary in the West, but the SegaXtreme Saturn 31st Anniversary Showcase has officially unveiled its lineup—and there are exactly 31 entries to keep us busy.

Forget the high-stress competition vibes of years past; the organizers have pivoted this event toward a pure celebration of the community. The lineup is a massive spread of talent, including:

• 14 original games (ranging from shooters to particle generators)
• 8 translation patches (bringing much-needed English text to Japanese gems)
• 3 non-translation hacks/patches
• 6 handy utilities to keep your hardware running smooth

Whether it’s a brand-new homebrew title or a patch that finally lets you play Sakura Wars 2 in English, there is plenty to obsess over. Expect the full festivities to kick off around July 8—the anniversary of the Saturn’s European launch—with digital magazines, livestreams, and even some well-deserved cash prizes for the standout creators.

If you’ve been looking for a reason to dust off that old chunky console, this is it.

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

Premier League Wants Domain Registrar Tucows to Unmask Sports Streaming Pirates

https://torrentfreak.com/premier-league-wants-domain-registrar-tucows-to-unmask-sports-streaming-pirates/

### The Premier League is on a Warpath

If you thought the intensity of the Premier League season was reserved for the pitch, think again. The league’s legal department is currently playing a much more aggressive game of “hide and seek” with sports pirates.

In a recent move in a California federal court, the Premier League filed for a DMCA subpoena to force the domain registrar Tucows to unmask the people behind dozens of illegal streaming sites. We aren’t just talking about small-time operations; the list includes heavy hitters like Totalsportek and Sportsurge, with some domains pulling in over 12 million monthly visits.

If the court clerk signs off, Tucows will be forced to hand over the “smoking gun” data: names, physical addresses, IP addresses, and even payment histories of the site operators.

It’s a high-stakes legal gamble, though there’s a catch. The actual video streams often live on massive servers owned by giants like Amazon and Google, not the domains themselves. While the league is hunting for the names attached to the URLs, the actual content might still be hiding in plain sight within the cloud. For now, the pirates are still running—but the spotlight is definitely on.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Close Enough 2: The Spiritual Successor Sequel

https://retrohandhelds.gg/close-enough-2-the-spiritual-successor-sequel/

### The Art of the Spiritual Successor

Ever finished a legendary retro game and thought, “I wish there was a sequel that actually captured this exact magic”? You aren’t alone. While official sequels can sometimes miss the mark, modern developers have mastered the art of the “spiritual successor”—games that don’t just copy the oldies, but honor their DNA.

From pixel-perfect tributes to full-blown love letters, some recent hits are doing the heavy lifting for our nostalgia. For instance, Sea of Stars feels like the Chrono Trigger sequel we’ve been waiting decades for, complete with that iconic Active Time Battle system.

If you’re looking for a trip down memory lane, keep these on your radar:

The Messenger: A brilliant nod to the Ninja Gaiden* trilogy that even lets you flip between 8-bit and 16-bit graphics.

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair: A challenging 2D platformer that captures the tight controls of Donkey Kong Country*.

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk: The ultimate gift for Jet Set Radio* fans, dripping with cel-shaded style and rhythm.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night: Produced by the legend behind Castlevania: Symphony of the Night*, it’s a modern Metroidvania done right.

Whether you want a new challenge or just a warm hug from your childhood, these titles prove that sometimes, looking backward is the best way to move forward.

📰 New article from RetroRGB

OSSC Pro Firmware + Composite & S-Video Output Module

https://retrorgb.com/ossc-pro-firmware-composite-s-video-output-module.html

If you thought your OSSC Pro setup was already complete, think again. Markus just dropped firmware v0.82, and it’s bringing some seriously impressive upgrades to the table.

The headline news here is the finalized Lumacode support. For those of us obsessed with retro accuracy, this means NES color palettes should finally behave much more like the original OSSC. It’s a small tweak that makes a massive difference in visual fidelity.

But the real “wow” factor? The upcoming Extra AV-Out adapter. This new module will allow you to output Composite and S-Video signals directly from your scaler. While these aren’t high-def formats, it’s a game-changer for downscaling power users who want to bridge the gap between old-school signals and modern displays.

A few other highlights worth noting:

• Enhanced UI: Better OLED contrast and timeout options.
• Expanded Presets: New sampling presets for 288p and improved GBI settings.
• Simultaneous Outputs: You can run VGA, Composite, and S-Video all at once.

We don’t have a release date or price for the new adapter yet, but if you’re looking to polish your retro setup, it might be worth keeping an eye on your wallet.

📰 New article from RetroRGB

FightBox Arcade Sticks w/ Spinner & Trackball Options

https://retrorgb.com/fightbox-arcade-sticks-w-spinner-trackball-options.html

If you’ve ever felt that your modern controller lacks that “authentic arcade” soul, Stone Age Gamer might have just found your new obsession. They’ve started stocking a fresh lineup of FightBox arcade sticks that are basically a love letter to retro gaming enthusiasts.

These aren’t your run-of-the-mill plastic sticks, either. We’re talking about high-quality builds featuring everything from standard layouts to specialized twin-stick setups for those SmashTV cravings. If you’re a fan of the classics, they even offer versions with integrated trackballs and spinners—and yes, there is even a wheel option that comes with foot pedals for when you want to channel your inner street racer.

The real magic, however, is under the hood. These sticks use Raspberry Pi Pico-based boards running GP2040-CE firmware. For the hardware nerds out there, this means we’re looking at ultra-low latency (1ms or less), making them a dream pairing for MiSTer or Raspberry Pi arcade builds.

The quick highlights:

• Versatile layouts: Choose from standard, twin-stick, or spinner/trackball hybrids.
• Pro-grade performance: Minimal lag for competitive-level play.
• All-in-one convenience: Trackballs and spinners run through the same USB cable as the stick.

📰 New article from RetroRGB

8BitDo Ultimate 3 with Force Ring Adjustable TMR Joysticks

https://retrorgb.com/8bitdo-ultimate-3-with-force-ring-adjustable-tmr-joysticks.html

If you’ve ever felt like your controller’s joystick was either too loose for precision aiming or too stiff for quick turns, 8BitDo might have just found your new obsession.

Pre-orders are officially live for the updated Ultimate 3 Wireless Controller, and it comes with a feature called the “Force Ring.” This isn’t just a fancy name; it’s an adjustable TMR joystick that lets you physically turn a ring to change the tension. You can dial it in for tight, surgical control or loosen it up for rapid-fire movement.

It sounds like a dream for competitive gamers, but there is a catch (or two):

• The Price Tag: At $100, this is roughly double the cost of the standard Ultimate 3.
• The Aesthetic: Currently, the only color option is “Lavender Dusk.” If you aren’t feeling the purple vibes, you might have to wait for a restock.

While the tech sounds promising, we’ll have to wait until they ship in late August to see if this extra tension comes with extra value—or just extra cost. For now, it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on if you love high-spec gear.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Game Store Rentals: PlayStation Edition

https://retrohandhelds.gg/game-store-rentals-playstation-edition/

### The Glory of the Rental Shelf

Ever feel like you missed out on the “big” hits because you weren’t part of the cool crowd? For many of us, greatness wasn’t found in the latest blockbuster releases, but in the dusty, overlooked bins at the local video game rental shop.

While everyone else was obsessing over Final Fantasy VII, some of us were busy discovering the “leftovers”—the gems that stayed on the shelf because they weren’t trending. From car combat to pink-haired platformers, these are the PlayStation classics that found a home through sheer availability:

• Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense: Pure vehicular mayhem featuring missiles, disco vibes, and enough explosions to make your dad regret letting you play.
• Fighting Force: A classic beat-’em-up where “smashing things with a cop car” was a perfectly valid gameplay loop.
• The Legend of Dragoon: An epic RPG that rewards you for actually paying attention during combat thanks to its unique “Addition” system.
• Tomba!: A colorful, wild adventure driven by the sheer charm (and questionable box art) of a feral boy with pink hair.

These weren’t just games; they were the unexpected treasures of the rental era. They might not have been the most talked-about titles in town, but they certainly made for the best after-school memories.

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

Spanish Court Declines to Fine NordVPN Over LaLiga Piracy Blocking Order

https://torrentfreak.com/spanish-court-declines-to-fine-nordvpn-over-laliga-piracy-blocking-order/

If you thought catching a pirate stream was hard, try doing it when the IP addresses change faster than a celebrity’s hair color.

A Spanish court just handed NordVPN a bit of a win by refusing to slap them with fines over LaLiga piracy blocking orders. Back in February, a court in Córdoba ordered VPN providers to actively block IPs hosting illegal football matches. LaLiga, feeling the sting of lost revenue, tried to penalize NordVPN for not being “compliant” enough.

However, the judge wasn’t so quick to throw the book at them. NordVPN argued that the requested “blanket” blocking was technically impossible and would have accidentally nuked thousands of perfectly legal websites—a phenomenon known as overblocking.

The court essentially said: “We hear you.” While the judge didn’t officially declare NordVPN “right,” they declined to issue fines because there wasn’t enough evidence that the company was deliberately ignoring the order.

This isn’t a total victory just yet, as the main legal battle is still ongoing. But for now, it’s a much-needed reality check on whether courts can actually demand technical feats that defy how the internet works.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

AYANEO Announces KONKR Pocket Block, Pocket AIR Mini IGS, and Teases Pocket Play

https://retrohandhelds.gg/ayaneo-announces-konkr-pocket-block-pocket-air-mini-igs-and-teases-pocket-play/

### AYANEO is Throwing Everything at the Wall (and Some of It Looks Great)

If you thought AYANEO was done playing with retro hardware, think again. After a massive four-hour livestream, the company dropped enough news to keep handheld enthusiasts busy for months.

First up is the Pocket AIR Mini × Arcade Home Limited Edition. This isn’t just a new coat of paint; it’s a fancy maroon and gold beauty officially licensed by IGS. It comes pre-loaded with arcade classics like Knights of Valour, making it a ready-to-play nostalgia trip for anyone looking to spend around $130.

But the real conversation starter is the KONKR Pocket Block. While we were all hoping for a candybar-style device, AYANEO is going vertical instead. It’s aiming to compete with heavyweights like the Miyoo Mini Plus, but with a twist: it runs Android. That’s a rare powerhouse move for such a small form factor.

Here’s the quick breakdown of what else is brewing:

• Pocket Play: AYANEO’s first-ever smartphone is officially in development.
• REMAKE Initiative: A new retro-focused handheld is on the horizon.
• AYANEO AI: The mysterious “coming soon” tech is finally on the roadmap.

Whether they’re building phones or retro clones, one thing is clear: AYANEO isn’t slowing down.