If you're looking for a cult-classic shoot-'em-up with a truly unique aesthetic, this is fantastic news. The Legend of Steel Empire—which UK and US fans may remember as Empire of Steel—is officially OUT NOW digitally on PlayStation, fully playable on both PS4 and PS5. This game has always had a special place in the retro canon. Originally hitting the scene in 1992, it earned its cult status by blending frantic action with a gorgeous, unique setting that mixes…

This is exactly the kind of retro-modern hybrid that hits my sweet spot. Publisher Meridiem has announced they are bringing Dinopunk: The Cacops Adventure to Steam on November 24, 2025, and this one looks like a pure injection of colorful, 2D Jurassic action. Developed by The Dude Games, this platformer is all about capturing the golden age of 2D platformers…

Here is a genuinely clever concept for a puzzle-action game: MotionRec is built entirely around a tape recorder mechanic where you record your movements and play them back to solve puzzles. It’s the kind of inventive, physics-bending idea that always grabs attention. I'll be honest: I think this is one of the best game mechanics I've ever seen. Not only is it almost certainly unique, it also mirrors the current vogue for retro games to have a rewind/forward option.

Simon the Sorcerer Origins, the long-awaited prequel to one of the most iconic adventure series of all time, has just joined Steam Next Fest. Developed by Smallthing Studios and published by ININ Games, the demo is available now for the duration of the festival, giving players an exclusive peek at a specific section of Chapter 3. If you’ve been waiting to revisit the magical misadventures of the sarcastically-inclined Simon, this is your chance.

This is precisely the kind of release that keeps the 8-bit world spinning! A completely new game has landed for the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), and it's perfect for the spooky season. CALGAMES has just released Mister Scary - Where Are You? in digital ROM form. Meanwhile, backers of the Kickstarter will be getting a physical copy. A Halloween quest inspired by an imaginary friend…

Interested in the technical side of retro gaming? A brand-new engine specifically designed to develop and play modern-looking Tomb Raider levels is in development. Called TombForge, this is currently a work-in-progress engine that’s incorporating a lot of advanced features. TombForge: PBR and physics for realistic tomb raiding The goal of TombForge is clearly to retain the classic level design structure of the original games while injecting modern rendering fidelity.

Michael Ironside is back as Sam Fisher, in that game from 2004 that you forgot because of Splinter Cell: Conviction. In news that has surprised everyone, and bewildered even more, Tom Clancy's Spinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow has appeared on Steam, completely unannounced. The game, which stars Michael Ironside as Sam Fisher, is considered the least-good of the series, which are among some of the best stealth games ever released on PC.

Death by Scrolling launches October 28—keep scrolling, it might save your life Well, if there's one thing we can all relate to in 2025, it's that feeling of endless, potentially fatal scrolling. MicroProse and Terrible Toybox NZ are taking that modern dread and turning it into a fast-paced roguelite called Death by Scrolling, and it officially launches on Steam…

Chaotic Crazy Castle is a charming little Amiga 500 game, inspired by Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy, and I'm already addicted. The inspiration for this game is squarely in the lineage of classic, single-screen platforming—a genre that demands precision and memorization. The core gameplay is inspired by the great 8-bit classics Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy by Matthew Smith…

Now this is a very cool idea. Solo developer Payne Robinson is dropping Execute onto Steam in November, and while the goal—wiping out the world's 8 billion people—is pure, dark satire, the interface is what caught my eye. This game doesn't just borrow an aesthetic; it's set entirely on a cursed Win98 Desktop. For me, that's a massive draw, especially as I played a lot of strategy games on Windows 98, from…

Here's some excellent news for fans of classic adventure games: Microids has just unveiled the story trailer for Syberia Remastered, confirming the game will launch on November 6, 2025. For many of us, the original Syberia—the first game in Benoît Sokal's acclaimed series—is an iconic piece of gaming history. Its distinctive artistic identity and narrative depth have inspired generations, and this remaster is shaping up to be a true revival of that emotional journey.

So, I spent last Saturdat at PLAY Expo Blackpool and that is the main subject of this week’s episode. I cover everything from the journey and motorway services to the weather…. And of course, the event itself, who I saw, and, importantly, the games I checked out and played. Shownotes Planckman 8 Bit Space 2 Overencumbered in Another World…

Does your heart still yearn for that uniquely desolate atmosphere pioneered by games like King's Field? Well then, pay attention: a new dark fantasy RPG called Verho – Curse of Faces could be about to fill that void. Developed by Kasur Games and published by CobraTekku Games, it promises merciless battles and hidden paths within a gloomy world where a deadly curse makes showing your face a death sentence.

Now this is how you run a Kickstarter. The campaign for the 2026 annuals covering legendary magazines like ZZAP! 64 and CRASH didn't just meet its £15,000 target—it absolutely smashed it, and with 18 days left to go! Clearly, the passion for these classic 8-bit magazines is alive and well. The team is offering four publications: ZZAP! 64…

Fantastic news for anyone who spent their formative years glued to the gorgeous worlds of 16-bit adventures—we're talking the absolute classics like Chrono Trigger and A Link to the Past. That era was defined by deep stories and beautiful sprite work, and now a new contender is poking fun at the whole genre. Jaggy Snake Games has just announced that the demo for their unique…

I don't know about you, but my retro collection is less like a hobby and more a carefully managed obsession. Looking for a particular game is often stressful, even if you enjoy the thrill of the chase. Tracking sales across a dozen sites, trying to figure out if a rare Amiga game is a good deal, and maybe even maintaining a list -- perhaps on a spreadsheet -- to keep track of prices and availability so you can strike when the deal is best for you.

Stop the presses! This is absolutely massive news for anyone who remembers staying up way too late staring at a green screen, desperate to find the next wonderkid and finance them with a cheeky sale. For us who were utterly obsessed with the 97/98 edition of Championship Manager, this is a huge moment. The dedicated folks behind ManagerOld have just released…

Following on from my earlier update today, as promised, here is a video look at PLAY Expo Blackpool. Specifically, this is the main room (I omitted to take video of the trade room, but you can see a snap from it below). As I explained in our latest newsletter: Walking into the main room of the event is insane. Divided into coin ops (no coin required!) and classic computers, there is also a serious bank of LAN action, where the games of choice appeared to be DOOM and Counter Strike.

Hello! Quick update on what is coming up: Immediately (i.e. later today), some images and video from PLAY Expo Blackpool. Raspberry Pi DOS PC project: aiming to get the second half of this project -- the OS and running games -- complete this week BBC Model B project: the gear is here, it just needs me to remove the damaged PSU components.

If you're anything like me (someone who grew up dragged by their dad to every airshow just to get a glimpse of aviation history) then the name MicroProse and the arcade flight sim B-17 Flying Fortress are pure nostalgia gold. MicroProse -- the company that defined 16-bit flight sims for a generation -- has pulled the silk off an absolutely massive expansion of the…

Just when you thought your list of essential remasters was complete, Revolution Software drops a bombshell that should make any adventure game fan—or indeed, anyone who lived through the golden age of point-and-clicks—sit up and take notice. They’ve officially lifted the lid on Broken Sword - The Smoking Mirror: Reforged, a "faithful reimagining" of the second game in their multi-award-winning series.

Stop what you’re doing and clear your schedule. MicroProse—the legendary name behind classics that shaped my childhood, like Dune II and so many others—has just announced that Dying Breed is OUT TODAY in Early Access on Steam. If you were a fan of that golden age of RTS games, the era of Command & Conquer (which you can…

I was 10 feet away from John Romero, and you probably weren't (although there's a fair chance you were closer...) I live - by road - between 130 and 163 miles from the Norbreck Hotel in Fleetwood, Blackpool, the venue for this weekend’s PLAY Expo event. An early start should have got me there by 10, giving me 5 hours before heading home to pick up my children from a dance class.

Well, if you thought you’d seen everything a Rubik’s Cube could possibly do, think again. Cubios, Inc. and Spin Master are about to shake up the puzzle world—literally and figuratively—with the Rubik’s WOWCube. This isn't your dad’s puzzle toy. It's being pitched as a handheld smart device and gaming platform, and it goes on sale on October 9 with a price tag of…