Soon you'll be able to play Diddy Kong Racing natively on your PC

The Diddy Kong Racing Decompilation project is around 80% complete.

The Trend of Decompilation

This process allows the homebrew community to recompile native versions of classic games like Star Fox, Super Mario 64, and Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Diddy Kong Racing's Place in N64 History

Released in 1997, Diddy Kong Racing is one of the best examples of a kart-based racer on the N64. Fans even claim it trumps Nintendo's own offering on the same console.

Creating motion capture and being in control of a set of fighting characters was like a dream for me. But after taking a break from two ‘pretty gory’ and dark games, Diddy Kong Racing was like a breath of fresh air and happiness.

-- Kev Bayliss, former Rare staffer (2023)

The Road Ahead

The project is 80% complete. It should be noted that, in these projects, the final percentage points often take the longest to complete.

Potential enhancements include

• 4K resolution
• Ultra-wide screen support
• Improved frame rate
• Support for mods like new characters and tracks.

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How do you think Diddy Kong Racing compares with Mario Kart?

I get why people love lost media. There's something thrilling about the idea that a half-forgotten cartoon or bootleg VHS might still be out there, waiting to be found. The internet eats that stuff up—forum deep dives, YouTube essays, decades-long hunts for proof.

But here’s what gets me: the flip side. The stuff that was everywhere. Huge hits. Critically adored. Easy to find. And yet... somehow, no one remembers. Not lost media. Lost consciousness. And it’s way weirder.

One of them is the band Everclear. They were a major part of the ‘90s alternative scene. They sold millions of albums, were critically respected, and you couldn’t escape their music videos on TV. But now? No one talks about them. Somehow, one-hit wonders like Harvey Danger get more nostalgic shoutouts than Everclear. And damn it—I still love that band. Yet their subreddit has only 874 subscribers. That’s shockingly low for a group that should be iconic.

Another example—this time from film—is Road to Perdition. It was a box office smash, earning $180 million. Nominated for six Oscars. Won Best Cinematography. And yet… it’s like it never existed. When people talk about Tom Hanks movies, this one rarely comes up. Even in gangster movie lists, it gets ignored. If you’re in your 20s or younger, you probably don’t even know this movie exists.

Now here’s another case of lost consciousness: Trine.

It came out in 2009. Sold over a million copies. On Steam, it has a 95% positive rating across 12,000+ reviews—one of the most beloved games of its year, at least on paper. It launched a five-game franchise, and each sequel sold millions in turn. And yet… no one talks about Trine.

You have to understand how significant this was. In the 2000s, 2D platformers were mostly dead on PC and consoles. If you wanted one, you had to go handheld—Game Boy Advance, maybe DS. On other platforms, there were a few indie exceptions: Cave Story, Braid. But back then, “indie” wasn’t what it is now. In the 2000s, no one even knew what indie meant. And most indie platformers of the time? They lacked polish. Great ideas, sure—but not a lot of visual flair or technical sophistication.

Then came Trine.

It was gorgeous. The visuals still hold up today. Beautiful sprite work, luminous lighting, detailed backdrops. Trine had a beauty that other 2D platformers didn’t. And I know it was special because I actually finished it—and I don’t finish most games. I even left a review on Steam. I said something like: "Trine is about entering a vibrant world where you solve problems through unique characters. In this, it shines. It’s a true PC classic." And I still believe that.

It wasn’t just the art. The physics-based puzzles were brilliant. You had to think in terms of motion, weight, momentum. And instead of one playable character, you got three: a wizard, a thief, and a knight, each with unique abilities. The wizard could conjure boxes and teleport. The thief had a bow and a grappling hook. The knight had a sword and shield. Super fresh.

Also? Co-op mode. That was a huge draw. Not many 2D platformers—especially in 2009—had that. I didn’t play much co-op myself, but I know people who bought the game just for it.

So yes. Trine is incredible.

And yet… obscure. Forgotten. Go to YouTube—no retrospectives. No nostalgia posts. No "remember this?" energy. It’s like it’s disappeared from memory.

Why?

I think part of it is that Trine was ahead of the curve. It brought back the 2D platformer before the revival fully kicked in. It helped revive the genre—but didn’t get the credit. Another factor? It was made by an indie studio—Frozenbyte, based in Finland. And while Trine became their flagship, they’ve made other titles too: Nine Parchments, Has-Been Heroes, Boreal Blade. I even liked their earlier top-down shooter, Shadowgrounds.

But Frozenbyte isn’t Nintendo. They’re not Capcom. Not even Devolver. They’re small. And even when the little guy wins, they rarely get their due.

Another reason: Trine’s fanbase was mostly on PC. Yes, it came to PS3, but physical copies are rare. So I suspect most players were PC gamers. And for some reason, PC gaming classics don’t get the same nostalgic glow as console games. You don’t hear about Hexen or Divinity the same way you hear about old Nintendo or Sony titles. That’s something I’ve noticed for a while.

I hope it changes. But I’m not holding my breath.

Still—I’ll scream it to the heavens: Trine is amazing. It deserves to be remembered. It’s one of the most compelling, fun platformers I’ve ever played. Every minute I spent with it was worth it.

It's a platformer with a twist: you can destroy walls with ammo, blow up strategic spots with dynamite, and build bridges to help you move to platforms that would otherwise be too far.

Also, just like Super Mario World, you can ride a character to give yourself more abilities. In this case it's a goose.

I'm surprised at good it is for a 1993 release. In terms of graphics and sound, this is quite competitive with SNES and Genesis games. And if I had this in 1993, I would have been quite happy.

This game was also released on Atari ST, Amiga, iPhone, Android, and Windows. Amiga is probably the best version due to superior sound and graphics -- though I haven't played it.

Sadly, the iPhone, Android, and Windows versions have disappeared completely. Not only are they abandonware, they've become lost media.

I should also mention there's an unofficial port to PSP.

Now how does it compare to platformers of the era? Well, you won't mistake this for Super Mario or Sonic -- it doesn't have the same level of polish. But it does have a surprising amount of depth that has entertained me for hours. It's at least as good as Commander Keen and Jill of the Jungle.

I once had the Japanese version of Digimon world 2 for the PS1 and I remember it having a separate game mode that, by default, would put you in an arena with Metal Greymon vs Were Garurumon. For whatever reason, the fight played fully automatically, no input needed, but if you messed around with buttons, you could sometimes change the attack of M.Greymon to the breast missile. After the fight was over, you'd be thrown back at the main menu.

I've never seen anyone comment on it and even searching right now doesn't show any results. So, does anyone know what it was supposed to be and how to "properly play" it? Cutting room floor only mentions that western releases completely removed all compatibility with the Japanese gadgets and graphics related to that

I’m thinking about getting a Retroid Pocket Classic but was wondering whether or not I might be able to use the same SD Card I use for my Retroid Pocket 4 Pro. I was hoping I could resume my saves between devices.

Is this is possible?

EDIT: had originally written RP4P. Updated to Retroid Pocket 4 Pro

That's probably my biggest complaint with the looter shooter genre - they're all made with ps3-gen and later design sensibilities. When I play games like Quake, I want those to have rpg mechanics, loot, and an open-ish world structure like Borderlands.

And when I play Borderlands I wish it didn't have the iron sights (semi optional as they are), and combat mechanics that promote cover-style shooting. My character feels like a snail. I want to bunny hop around these open environments in fast chaotic skirmishes.

Anybody else feel similarly?

Predators was released in 2010, and was a tie in to the movie of the same name. It was never available for iOS or Android, and it's still exclusive to J2ME.

And because this is based on licensed IP, it is highly unlikely to ever be officially re-released.

April 27th 2000, Breath of Fire IV first captured hearts as one of Capcom’s most beloved RPGs. 25 years later, it returns – revived by popular demand and fully updated for modern PCs, this iconic classic is now available DRM-free on GOG!

The game joins the GOG Preservation Program with essential upgrades: our enhanced version is fully optimized for modern systems, with Windows 10 and 11 compatibility. Players can enjoy both English and Japanese localizations, along with improved graphics powered by an upgraded DirectX renderer, new display options like Windowed Mode, V-Sync, Anti-Aliasing and refined gamma correction for better visuals. The audio engine has also been upgraded, restoring missing environmental sounds and adding new configuration options.

This is the ultimate way to experience Breath of Fire IV like never before – now, to celebrate on its silver anniversary, and for years to come!

Oblivion Remasterd Deluxe Edition is reminding us all of the fall of gaming.

That ~~smile~~ horse armor. That damned ~~smile~~ horse armor.

When I was 10 years old, a friend and I went into the forest and started digging.

Now, the exact reason why we were digging escapes me. But we often did a lot of digging. Kids—particularly boys—like to dig. It's just fun. Started with sandboxes. But we decided to move further afield. And there we were with our big shovels, just digging a hole.

Four feet in, we found something.

A shoe.

One with a bright red high heel, to be exact. A pointy heel.

And when we saw it, both my friend and I looked each other in the eye, dropped our shovels, and ran home in a panic. We had a distinct fear—that if we kept on digging, we'd find something grisly. Something macabre.

Now that I’m older, I laugh. Because the reality is: if we’d kept digging, maybe we would’ve found nothing. Or maybe we would’ve found another shoe. Perhaps the pair. Perhaps a different shoe entirely. Beats me.

But there was just something about that shoe—cartoonishly red—that created in us a sense of panic. We never went back to that spot in the forest.

My parents got really angry at me. Because I lost a shovel.

When I first played Oozi: Earth Adventure on PC, it was like uncovering something buried. And bright.

To give you context, I gotta tell you a little bit about what Oozi is.

So, Oozi is a 2D platformer about a fun little alien guy who crash-lands on Earth. He has to recover his space suit, spaceship, and dignity. Along the way, he encounters numerous creatures—all of which want to kill him. You hop through each level from A to B, gradually progressing. There are four worlds, each with a distinct theme, a variety of enemies, and boss fights.

Okay—so far, this seems par for the course.

But once you dig further into what Oozi is, it uncovers something bright and distinct. Something I’ve known about for decades but couldn’t exactly put into words. Something familiar. But I haven’t been able to articulate it—until now.

I’m talking about the Euro platformer.

Now, what is a Euro platformer? Well, obviously—it’s a platformer game. But it’s distinct. For cultural reasons, platformers developed in Europe diverged from the ones made in Japan and North America.

Euro platformers tend to be extremely colourful—almost surreal. Punishing in their difficulty. And if you’ve seen a Euro platformer, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

I mean games like Rayman, James Pond, Zool, Rick Dangerous, Dizzy, and Mayhem in Monsterland.

Actually, before I go further—let me talk about the mechanics that make Euro platformers different.

They often have floaty jumping physics. Specific tropes—like dripping water from ceilings that can kill you. Europeans, for whatever reason, really loved that trope. And they often pushed the puzzle aspect of platforming into the foreground.

I first encountered Euro platformers on my Commodore 64—which makes sense, because the C64 was huge in Europe. Probably bigger than in North America. Which is impressive, because here in Canada, the C64 was pretty popular too. That was my main gaming platform instead of an NES. And because it was so popular in Europe, I’d often find Euro platformers—sometimes pirated on floppy disks if they weren’t available in stores.

The first Euro platformer to really make an impression on me was the Dizzy games. Funny enough, you play an egg. Not an animal—an egg. Like I said, those Europeans loved their surrealism.

Later, I moved onto something more fantasy-themed: Stormlord. To this day, I think that game is a hidden gem. People don’t talk about it enough.

Then, when I got myself a 16-bit console, I got exposure to even more Euro platformers. Again—we didn’t call them that back then. They were just platformers. But I distinctly remember going to Blockbuster and renting Euro platformers like James Pond, Chuck Rock, and Zool.

Risky Woods is kind of a deep cut—probably because it was made in Spain—but that one’s definitely worth playing.

By the mid-90s, you could argue that Euro platformers were the best platformers.

Donkey Kong Country, made by Rare in the UK, might be the best Euro platformer of all time. Others might argue for Rayman, made by Ubisoft in France. Both those games have the hallmarks of the Euro platformer: overwhelmingly cheerful and bright, a touch of surrealism, and a real degree of difficulty. Their shiny, colourful exteriors masked real trial and tribulation.

As the '90s went on, the Euro platformer—like all platformers—went 3D. Rayman 2, Kao the Kangaroo… and most notably, Croc.

Croc is notable because it was supposed to be a second-party Nintendo game starring Yoshi. It’s highly probable that Croc inspired Mario 64, because Argonaut Software—based in the UK—showed a demo of Croc to Nintendo before they started work on Mario 64.

Nintendo passed on it. So Croc became a crocodile instead of a Yoshi—and launched on the rival PlayStation. One of the first 3D platformers ever made.

Because of the rush to 3D, 2D Euro platformers fell by the wayside. Which shouldn’t surprise anyone—most 2D platformers did. And the few that stuck around were often callbacks to Japanese or American styles, with pixel art aping the NES.

But in 2011, a small independent game studio in Poland picked up a shovel—and dug up the Euro platformer.

And just like that bright red shoe, Oozi was bright. And it hinted at something else that could’ve been discovered, if we’d only kept digging.

I still feel that Oozi is way more significant than people give it credit.

This game came out at a time when indie games were just becoming a thing. Most of it started with Flash games, then shifted to XNA development and Xbox Live Indie Games (XBLIG)—now defunct, but important. It gave bedroom coders a way to publish on consoles without a middleman.

Now, by 2011, XBLIG was already waning. A lot of it was low-budget throwaway garbage. But Oozi stood out. It proved that the tools still worked—for someone with ambition. Indie could mean quality.

And what Oozi offered was one of the first revivals of the 2D platformer we’ve all come to love—games like Shovel Knight or Owlboy. But Oozi didn’t just revive any 2D platformer.

It revived the Euro platformer.

Everything in Oozi—what made it special—was a callback to C64, Amiga, Genesis, and SNES platformers that defined the Euro platformer. Oozi was bright. Surreal. Unapologetically 2D. And insanely, but rewardingly, difficult.

This wasn’t a roguelike. There was no procedural generation. No gimmicks. No meta-narrative.

It was purely a Euro platformer.

It didn’t try to innovate. It tried to unbury something.

You could see it in the big, expressive sprites. Another hallmark of the genre.

You gotta understand—back in 2011, a lot of indie platformers followed the same script. Ironic. Artsy. Self-aware.

Oozi rejected all that. It was unapologetically light. Nice.

And while it was hard—it wasn’t NES-hard. It was C64-hard. Euro-hard.

Unfortunately, the Euro platformer revival didn’t quite take. But I’ll note this:

The same year Oozi was released, Ubisoft dropped Rayman Origins—the first 2D Rayman game in decades. And a year later, we got Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams, a sequel to the classic Giana Sisters for the C64.

For a brief moment—too brief—we had a real Euro platformer revival.

And Oozi might’ve been the most original of them all because it wasn’t based on an older franchise. It was made by a small indie team in Poland.

Oozi later got ported to Steam in 2012—not 2013, as some say—and that’s where I mainly play it now. Two years ago, it got ported to the Nintendo Switch, rebranded as Super Cute Alien’s Adventure.

Not a fan of that name. Kind of generic. But I respect that the dev has stuck with Oozi—and that a new generation can now appreciate it.

I’ll say this much: The devs behind Oozi had a good idea.

The Euro platformer deserves to be unburied. We should experience this style of game again.

Because it was special.

“Due to changes in U.S. tariff policies, we will be suspending all orders shipping from China to the United States starting today,” writes Anbernic. “We strongly recommend prioritizing products shipped from our U.S. warehouse, which are currently not affected by import duties and can be purchased with confidence.”

Super Mario 64, a masterpiece in gaming history, continues to captivate fans with every new discovery. Recently, an archived interview with its director, Shigeru Miyamoto, has resurfaced online, shedding light on the early stages of development.

The Interview

The video footage, uploaded by Kanpei Hagama, features an interview with Mr. Miyamoto conducted around the game's release. While the interview is entirely in Japanese, fans have dissected it to extract fascinating insights. Find a link to it in the original article.

Key Insights from the Interview

• Garden Dioramas: Miyamoto describes the levels as 'garden dioramas', suggesting a creative approach to level design.
• Product-Testing: The game was tested by both adults and elementary students, indicating an emphasis on accessibility and gameplay appeal across different audiences.

Early Build Differences

The footage also includes several differences from the final version of Super Mario 64:

• Bowser dialogues were altered.
• The Penguin you race in Cool Cool Mountain had a different size.
• Missing assets and early textures can be observed.

Why This Matters

Given the influence Super Mario 64 has had on gaming, finding out more about its creation remains exciting for fans and developers alike. This rare interview offers new perspectives that could contribute to our deeper understanding of one of Nintendo's most beloved titles.

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What do you think these differences in early builds tell us about the development process? Do you have any additional insights or curiosities about Super Mario 64?

Some pretty messed up stuff.

Not sure why the Youtube link is in German - the video is in English, and I don't live in Germany.

Lost In Cult's Next Project Is A Celebration Of A Video Game Icon

Lost In Cult has announced an exciting new project in honor of the legendary video game musician and designer, Kenji Eno. The 7LP vinyl box set titled Kenji Eno 55: Soundworks will feature a curated collection of 55 tracks, including remastered classic soundtracks, archival recordings, and previously unreleased material.

Key Points from the Article:

• Project Details: A 7LP vinyl box set dedicated to Kenji Eno's iconic music from titles like Enemy Zero, D2, newtonica, and You, Me, and the Cubes.
• Availability: Pre-sale openings on May 5th. Standalone releases for individual soundtracks in the series are also teased.
• Sign-Up Interest: Interested parties can sign up to register their interest through a dedicated link.

This project not only pays tribute to a video game music legend but also offers fans an immersive collection of his work on premium vinyl, presenting a unique opportunity for collectors and enthusiasts alike.

Learn More

Discussion Question: How do you think 7LP vinyl collections can enrich the video game collecting experience, and which soundtracks would you want to have on your collection?

Looks Like 3DO Might Be Getting An Unofficial Port Of PS1 Classic WipEout

The original 3DO promised to revolutionise the video game industry in 1993. Despite initial success, it couldn't compete with more powerful consoles like the PlayStation and Saturn.

However, modern homebrew programmers are once again showing interest in this platform. Recently, programmer XProger_san—known for his work on OpenLara and Tomb Raider I\III Remastered—has shared a comparison between the original PS1 classic, WipEout, and a potential 3DO version.

# Differences in 3D graphics capabilities:
[XProger\_san] The #PSX is known for polygon jitter due to integer positioning of vertices relative to the screen grid. Meanwhile, the #3DO GPU supports subpixel positions, as seen in the comparison.[/XProger\_san]

While it's currently unclear if this will be a full port, it's an exciting opportunity for fans and retro game enthusiasts.

Would you like to see WipEout on 3DO? Let us know with a comment below!

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EDIT: Fixed some links.

City Connection Celebrates 20 Years With Two New Famicom Games

Japanese company City Connection has announced a pair of new games for the Nintendo Famicom, marking their 20th anniversary. These releases are part of a celebration that also includes a sale and live broadcast across various platforms.

The first game is Soldam, a previously cancelled port of the 1992 arcade game which was refocused in 2017 as Soldam: Drop, Connect, Erase for modern systems. The second and more interesting release is City Connection: Clarice's Wedding Bell, an intriguing take on the 1986 coin-op game Momoko 120%. This one is based around City Connection’s protagonist, Clarice.

Illustrator Edoya inu8 has created a special piece of artwork for these celebrations. Check it out at the top of the article if you haven't already!

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What do you think about the idea of remaking Momoko 120%?

News Update: US RetroTINK Shipments Now Temporarily Suspended

RetroTINK, maker of the popular RetroTINK 4K upscalers, has announced that it will temporarily suspend shipments to the United States due to the lack of guidance on upcoming tariffs from President Donald Trump. Mike Chi, the founder and CEO, explained that without proper procedures for pre-paying tariffs, risks related to delays or lost packages were too high.

Due to lack of guidance on how tariffs will be collected starting May 2nd, we've made the difficult decision to temporarily suspend US shipments:

April 23rd - Last day for non-expedited orders April 28th - Last day for expedited orders

-- Mike Chi https://bsky.app/profile/retrotink.com/post/3lmsr6nja6k2x

Chi emphasized that this suspension only affects US customers. Orders to other countries will remain unaffected, stating: "As before, service to the rest of the world will continue without interruptions and policy-induced complications.”

Without proper procedures in place, the risk of delays and lost packages is simply too high

Although some supplies exist within the USA, pausing shipments will allow the company more time to plan ahead

We also expect that this will be resolved eventually.

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What do you think about the impact of these tariffs on retro gaming enthusiasts in the US? Will it affect your purchasing decision?