Post-Lifespan Console Games

[Toast Rider]

The thread regarding Earthion’s availability in the repo from earlier today got me thinking about games released for consoles well after the console stopped receiving official support. It’s extraordinary to me that people take the time and effort to make games for retro hardware/emulation when it would likely be easier to stick to Windows. Whether that’s the growing homebrew Gameboy scene or the odd mysterious hidden gem, I want to hear about them! Indie, homebrew, bootleg, anything goes (and that line is blurry to begin with). Heap some praise on modern games for retro consoles that you feel deserve the buzz (or even a purchase!)

I’ll start with a PSX/Dreamcast game I recently discovered: Zia and the Goddesses of Magic. I haven’t actually had the chance to play it yet, so all I can share is the story of how I came across it. I’m undertaking a personal project to build a complete library of English-language retro JRPGs (which the repo has been a vital resource for!) including fan-translations, bootlegs, and homebrew games. In my research, I came across the name mentioned on some forum or other. I started looking for an ISO and instead found an itch.io page for it. I was impressed enough with the game’s concept and reviews that I took a chance on a purchase, happy to support someone putting out new games for the PSX and DC. If you want to check it out, here’s the store page. $15 for all three ports (PC included) is a steal.

Zia and the goddesses of magic by OrionSoft

16bits RPG with Magic Spells [PS1 / Dreamcast / PC]

orionsoft.itch.io

Tell me some of your favorites! Especially if you know of any homebrew RPGs I may have missed.

 

[RustySK]

This instantly has me thinking of the infamous Metal Slug hommage Kraut Buster - to this day it's an exclusive for the NeoGeo MVS/AES and only available in physical form.

People have been begging for a digital release for years now, but so far it looks like this will remain an obscure gem only some very lucky enthusiasts get to enjoy.

KRAUT BUSTER FOR NEOGEO

Official web site of KRAUT BUSTER

www.kraut-buster.com

 

[qw90700]

The thread regarding Earthion’s availability in the repo from earlier today got me thinking about games released for consoles well after the console stopped receiving official support. It’s extraordinary to me that people take the time and effort to make games for retro hardware/emulation when it would likely be easier to stick to Windows.

Then you don't appreciate the specific hardware video game consoles have and therefore how particular video games requires an analogue way of how hardware works for the best experience the developer had in mind.

Let's just say it's not about technology difference but hardware difference modern hardware lacks that can have good necessary use for developers.

For example Sega Genesis' sound chip because of the way it is matters if your game idea require that kind of sound for your music. Would Streets of Rage series and Top Gear 2 be the same without the kick-ass soundtrack thanks to its sound chip producing its sound and the sound comes from your CRT TV? Hell no.

Then you may question "IDK you can certaintly produce pretty much Sega Genesis musics on your PC" but then I would argue agains that because this is a topic of how laws of physics makes the hardware work in the way it does and how analogue technology effect the way how sound and visuals are produced. You cannot emulate it. That's why there is a difference between listening to the vinyl and MP3 file!!!

In that regard the way how PS2 used its DRAM can enable you to produce specific video games that has tons of things on screen and is heavy on visual effects like producing a video game like Metal Gear Solid 3 that was only possible on PS2 because of the way hardware works. You may notice how other versions of MGS3 lacks the visual effects and how it having a hard time processing particles and stuff that they had to reduce them even on the PC port because of the way these devices doesn't work in the way PS2 and XBOX 360 works regarding it.

For example these days pixel art became a BS topic of "visual style" that people has no idea pixel art's point is making visuals look good on CRT TV and this is why when you develop a video game for CRT TV you would prefer pixel art because otherwise it looks like shit. These years people have no idea about this and have an ignorant romance over just "visual style" of pixel art that was the way it is just because of CRT TV. So if I had developed pixel art video game I would target a console that would need CRT TV to work due to the low resolution it inputs for game displayed on a higher resolution + non-CRT screen would make it look like shit.

In the end if I had wanted to develop a NES-like game there is no point for me to develop it for PC or something. If you want retro game you better play it on retro consoles for best experience!!!!! And if you are video game developer you don't say "how hard it would be", no point to work on a video game that wouldn't be the very best for you so naturally it doesn't matter if you develop it for Sega Dreamcast or NES if the goal justifies its means lol.

I may have sound negative but I'm just too passionate about it!!! Sorry bro lol. Another topic is just playing your game on your favorite console. For this reasons I would want to demake Persona 5 to play it on PS2 because it would have a great vibe about it for me lol.

 

[solnK!]

Red Moon Lost Days (Homebrew) Saturn ISO – RGT Repository

Red Moon Lost Days (Homebrew) Saturn ISO for SEGA Saturn. Genre: Homebrew, Visual Novel. Published and developed by Neuromage Studio

retrogametalk.com

Haven´t played it yet but it seems cool