openMSX version 18.0 has been released, bringing support for a new machine, the Sega SG-1000 console. Although not an MSX machine, the console has a very similar architecture, allowing the emulator to support it.

“I am not an MSX!”

Besides the new console, the new version includes several bug fixes aiming to improve the overall emulation perfection.

The emulator can be download for free and it disponibilizes versions for Windows, Linux, and macOS – Intel and Apple Silicon. Be aware that as of this writing, the ARM version binaries seem corrupt.

Link: openMSX

It’s time again for a new episode and this time we welcome Dixon Wu! He is the founder of the RETRO.HK Gaming Expo and an avid videogamer since earliest childhood days. Currently residing in Hong Kong, Dixon is an Entrepreneur, UX/Gaming Consultant + Designer, who has taken part in numerous mobile applications, online game platforms and startup projects as the lead consultant. Tune in for some interesting insights! (Interview starts at 2:29 minutes)

listen or watch at https://scene.world/retrohk

In the new episode of our podcast we are very happy to welcome again the one and only David Pleasance! The prolific Ex Commodore + Amiga executive (and musician!) gives us some exclusive , spicy insights and tells us about the German translation of his book ‘Commodore – The Inside Story’. (Interview starts at 22:40 minutes)

Listen to it/watch it at: https://scene.world/germaninsidestory

“Logiker” has been running some amazing competitions for people to show off their art skills using the low-res characters available on the 8-bit computers, including PETSCII (Commodore), and ATASCII (Atari). This time around is another chance for the Amstrad CPC enthusiasts to display their artwork in the 2nd AMSCII Compo!

The compo is an online event and will run throughout the month of June. The submissions can be sent until June 24. On June 25 and 26, the contestants will be published, and the winners will be announced on July 1/2.

You can read all about the contest, including the rules following the link below. If you are curious, check here the 2021 results!

Link: Logiker

Psytronik Software is pleased to announce that Miner 2019er will be available on pre-order on Monday 16th of May 2022.

Developed by Dan Avery, Miner 2019er is a prequel to Bill Hogue’s Miner 2049er and is officially endorsed by the original game author himself – granting Dan the license to use the original game assets and mechanics.

Miner 2019er aims to provide a faithful gaming experience that will sure to please all fans of Bounty Bob himself. The game reproduces the look and feel of the original game and features 25 levels including ports of three Colecovision exclusive levels – now available on the C64 for the first time ever! The game also introduces several new elements such as hidden items, bonus levels, speed medals and more!

Miner 2019er will be available in disk, USB cassette and digital formats from Psytronik’s website. Pre-orders of physical editions will include a digital copy of the game that is made available within 24 hours of pre-orders being placed.

Retro Gamer Nation has been provided an exclusive to the final build of the game and has posted a video showcase for Miner 2019er.

We had such a great talk with Isaiah that we decided to invite him again! This time we are talking about the recent Esports scene in Jamaica. It’s alive and kicking!

https://scene.world/triforce2

Scene World #31, the C64 NTSC & PAL Diskmag has been released, downloadable for your C64 now!

https://sceneworld.org/issues/

There is also an online version, for which we strongly suggest using a computer & Firefox.

ABBUC, the ATARI Bit Byter User Club, runs its traditional yearly software competition, and it is open to all Atari 8-Bit developers (no membership required!).

As a general rule, all entries should be able to run on an Atari 8-Bit computers and submitted on a maximum of two unprotected 90KB or 130 KB 5.25“ floppy disk sides or ATR-Images. The authors are allowed to provide additional disk images for download under the condition that those images cannot run standalone, e.g. level disks.

The club members will choose the winners. Any submitted program can get a rating from 0 (very bad) to 10 (very good).

The ABBUC awards monetary prizes with a total of €2,850. Of this total, €850 is shared among the first three places. €2,000 is divided by the number of points given to the respective entry concerning the total number of points given to all participating entries.

The program, including its documentation, has to be sent to the head of the ABBUC software resort via e-mail or via the ABBUC Software Contest portal (http://asc.abbuc.de). The contestant must submit his entry no later than July 31st, 2022. Corrections of already submitted programs are allowed until the same date.

The complete information and rules can be obtained in German and English here.

This time we welcome Isaiah “TriForce” Johnson, a true Esports veteran in Jamaica! He told us so many interesting things about his beginnings in Esports and it was a pleasure to listen… Tune in and get educated and entertained!

https://scene.world/triforce

there is also a video version here:

To celebrate ZX Spectrum’s 40th birthday, Quantum Sheep reached out to some awesome Spectrum game developers who have very generously agreed to participate in the Game Bundle with all proceeds destined for charity.

The bundle is hosted on itch.io using the “pay what you want” price (above $10.00) and gives you access to 30+ games for the ZX Spectrum. The vast majority of the games in the bundle are commercial titles, but the sale also includes some free games as well.

All proceeds will go to the awesome charity Special Effect which helps enhance the quality of life of severely physically disabled people throughout the world through access to video games. You can read about some of the amazing work they do here. 

You can see what are the games and purchase the bundle following the link below:

Link: itch.io

Dokoban for the Amstrad CPC 464 – One of the few that got almost a perfect score

The 2022 Basic 10 Liners contest is over and, once again, brings very clever and impressive programs that are hard to believe were made using 10 lines of BASIC, sometimes very encrypted 10 lines, but still an amazing accomplishment!

Nothing less than 82 programs were submitted, giving a lot of work and amusement to the 8 judges, including myself! This year, the first places were distributed among many different platforms, showing that the contest is maturing and becoming more attractive to enthusiasts of probably all 8-bit platforms. As a clear example of this trend, this year’s PUR-80 category winner is an Oric game, followed by a BBC Micro one.

Below you can check the ratings from the judges as well as the people’s choice:

Expert’s rating PUR-80

1. Snake Temple /Oric    /8.63
2. Floodit    /BBC       /7.88
3. Zombie A Sim /Atari   /7.81

Expert’s rating PUR-120

1. S Zombie A Sim /Atari   /8.25
2. Freeball   /MSX         /8.15
3. Chickens Freeway /Atari /8.13

Expert’s rating EXTREM-256

1. Dokoban      /Amstrad /9.93
2. NLAW         /MSX     /9.88
3. Dimens 10    /MSX2    /8.50

WILD

1. AlexK Rock-Paper/Spectrum
2. As*Hole         /TI 99/4A
3. Wizard of Woz   /Apple II

SCHAU

1. 8-Bit Sunset /TVC     /6.80
2. 81sketch     /ZX81    /5.63
3. Window       /C16     /5.23

“PUBLIC’S CHOICE” 80

1. Tuneup    /Atari      /214
2. Bastilude /Spectrum   /183
3. Welcome to/C64        /181

“PUBLIC’S CHOICE” 120

1. Bert        /Atari      /907
2. Harry Dotter/BBC        /304
3. Blitz       /Spectrum   /166

“PUBLIC’S CHOICE” 256

1. STOP THE micro /Spectrum /456
2. Dokoban        /Amstrad  /425
3. 10LinesGame    /Spectrum /269

To check all the scores, please visit https://gkanold.wixsite.com/homeputerium/results-2022

Jeremy Rand has released ListenerGS, a free New Desk Accessory (NDA) for the IIGS. When paired with either its macOS, iOS, or iPadOS counterparts (available for free from the App Store), ListenerGS allows verbal dictation to be converted into written text on any Apple IIGS running Marinetti. Desktop apps from word processors to text adventures can now accept voice input via ListenerGS!

We’re delighted to welcome Polaria Poyon in our new episode. She’s a genius composer of chiptunes for the Sega Master System and Game Gear. AJ, Joerg, and Denis get to know about her and her new projects, as well as some interesting tech insights. Enjoy the tunes and tune in! (interview begins at 23:00)

https://scene.world/Polaria-Poyon

AJ and Joerg start off their series to dig into what’s going on about gaming in Jamaica – For this episode we’re happy to welcome Wayne Benjamin. He is one of the most influential video game and Esports journalists from Jamaica. Enjoy! (interview begins at 18:00)

https://scene.world/thelabvideogametv

Volume 27, Issue 1 (March 2022) of Juiced.GS, the longest-running Apple II publication in print, has now shipped.

This issue features a breakdown of accelerator technology and options; an interview with Peter Easdown, developer of ORCA/Modula-2; a reflection on the history and future of once-Apple II game publisher Activision; a review of the book The Making of Nox Archaist; an introduction to Woz’s SWEET16; a retrospective of the edutainment title Operation: Frog — and much, much more!

This is Juiced.GS‘s first quarterly issue of 2022, its twenty-seventh year in print. Subscriptions for 2022 are available for $20 each for United States customers, $25 for readers in Canada and Mexico, and $28 for international customers.

Retroaccion, the organizers of the event RetroMañía, has announced a new programming contest which objective is to pay homage to the first video game ever written – SpaceWar!, programmed in 1962 for the PDP-1 by Steve Russell in collaboration with Martin Graetz, Wayne Wiitanen, Bob Saunders, Steve Piner, and others.

The contest asks for the participants to write a game based on SpaceWar! The game can be for PC, browser, or any retro computing platform. The main rule is that the game has to be heavily inspired by SpaceWar’s main elements. At least, it must have the elements that the original game had, two ships that can move and shoot, where the player or players will have to survive the opponent’s attacks. There will be a star attracting the two ships. After satisfying these requirements, your imagination is the limit.

The winner will get 100 Euros, and the second place, 50€. The deadline is tight, though. All the games can be submitted until  April 6, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. (CET).

For the complete rules (in English and Spanish), please follow the link below. If you want to play SpaceWar! in your browser, click here.

Source: https://www.retroaccion.org/concurso-internacional-de-programacion-del-videojuego-spacewar

Bitmap Soft has opened pre-orders for the physical cartridge edition of Zeta Wing for the Commodore 64.

Originally released as a digital only version back in September 2020, Zeta Wing has received critical acclaim for its high quality vertical scrolling blasting action which saw it being voted as the winner of the RGN C64 Gamers’ Choice Award for 2020.

The Zeta Wing Deluxe Edition contains a professionally produced glossy big box, the Zeta Wing game on Cartridge, instruction manual and other special gifts.

But that is not all. We can confirm that the Bitmap Soft version of Zeta Wing contains a hidden second game (no spoilers) that can be unlocked by deciphering clues within the Zeta Wing game manual.

To find out more about Zeta Wing and the physical edition and to see whether the bonus game is revealed, check out the latest RGN video below.

To order your copy of the Zeta Wing Deluxe Edition, simply head on over to Bitmap Soft.

A new release of SDCC, the portable optimizing C compiler for STM8, MCS-51, DS390, HC08, S08, Z80, Z180, Rabbit, SM83, eZ80 in Z80 mode, Z80N, TLCS-90, 6502, Padauk and PIC microprocessors is now available. Among many new features, the ubiquitous compiler has started to support 6502 output. The development is still ongoing but progresses fast.

SDCC 4.2.0 New Feature List:

• C23 memset_explicit
• Support for –oldralloc has been removed from the z80, z180, tlcs90, z80n, ez80_z80, r2k, r2ka, r3ka backends.
• gbz80 port now uses more efficient block-initialization of global variables (users of a custom crt0 need to adapt theirs).
• Full support for __z88dk_callee for the z80, z180, gbz80, tlcs90, z80n, ez80_z80, r2k, r2ka, r3ka, stm8 backends.
• Support for __raisonance, __iar and __cosmic calling conventions for stm8.
• Support for a new __sdcccall(1) calling convention in the stm8 port AS NEW DEFAULT.
• Support for a new __sdcccall(1) calling convention in the gbz80 port AS NEW DEFAULT.
• Support for a new __sdcccall(1) calling convention in the z80, z80n and z180 ports AS NEW DEFAULT.
• Support for a new __sdcccall(1) calling convention in the r2k, r2ka, r3k, tlcs90 and ez80_z80 ports.
• Removed support for –profile for gbz80, z80, z180, tlcs90, z80n, ez80_z80, r2k, r2ka, r3ka backends.
• The z80n port Z80N Core minimum version has been raised from 1.0 to 2.0.
• Improved rematerialization support in the stm8, gbz80, z80, z180, tlcs90, z80n, ez80_z80, r2k, r2ka, r3ka backends.
• The gbz80 port was renamed to sm83.
• New in-development mos6502 port.

Numerous other new features and bug fixes are included as well.

You can download the release from:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/sdcc/files/

When The Classics Are Getting Stale…

If you live in my world, you’ve sought out all of the classic platformers, beat ’em ups, shoot em’ ups, sport sims and arcade hits.  And though I seldom get sick of any of them, my curiosities have started to wander.  That has led me down a rabbit hole that I had previously ignored, the “ROM Hack”.

Whether the hack is a simple fix to a broken mechanic, addition of a new feature or a downright deconstruction and re-imagining of a classic title into something completely different, these ROM hacks of the last ten years have grown in quality exponentially.  Even a couple of these have replaced the originals title I played as a kid.

Let’s take a look of a bunch great examples!  We’ll start off simple and progress in complexity.

Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest – English Re-translation (+Map)

Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest is loved by some, hated by others.  With new RPG elements, a day/night cycle and an open world, the average Castlevania fan was left a bit puzzled.  It didn’t help that there were details of the game that were incredibly obscure, including misleading and poorly translated dialog as well as an incredibly tedious password system.  Ultimately, making completion of the game unlikely by the average gamer, at least without a hint guide.  On top of all that, Simon’s Quest was brutally difficult.

Enter the “English Re-translation (+map)” ROM hack with the following fix and improvements:

• Improved music via the MMC4 chipset (there are also MMC3, MMC1, MMC5, UNROM and VRC6 options, see the vending machine)
• Reintroduced some features that the English releases removed from the Japanese version — Includes the extended ending text, as well as Konami-style Start text on the power-on screen.
• Map function — An in-game map is included. It helps understand the layout of the game world, and to know the name of whichever place the player currently is in. It compensates for the lack of actual game manual, which in the Japanese releases included a map. Press the select button to view the map in the game.
• SRAM save function — Game can be saved at any time into internal battery-backed memory and loaded later.
• Cinematic prologue
• Seamless fading between night and day times
• Quality-of-life improvements to game controls: Jump down stairs with down+A, hit stun on stairs, Simon blinks when hurt
• Extra dialog in select locations — Small changes that improve the game experience without changing the nature of the game

The fixed dialog and save function makes this life-improvement ROM hack a better experience then the original itself, but the extra prologue sequence and improved music really are the icing on the cake.

Streets of Rage 2: Ultra 2018

In my opinion, Street of Rage 2 (SOR2) is THE premier 16-bit beat ’em up.  With brilliant sound, graphics and gameplay, who would think anyone would need to improve upon it.  But that’s exactly what Hou Yan (User name: Wangtao) did.  Much of the SOR2 hack community features the addition of new characters, such as the Simpsons, Street Fighter 2 Cast Members or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

SOR2: Ultra 2018 features the following additions:

• Adjusted color to make characters look more smooth.
• All playable characters can now run. Their weapon is shown while running.
• Fixed the voice of Axel with his uppercut.
• A new and complete set of weapon attack moves.
• Max has different front throw and back throw.
• All playable characters have new super moves, while some less functional old moves were removed.
• Blaze now wears her BK3 outfit.
• Some shadows were removed to reduce the size of the hacked ROM.

Just the addition of Axel’s new uppercut and Max’s run and slide attack make this ROM hack shine.  And it doesn’t have to have feature vast changes to be relevant in the ROM hacking world.

Tecmo Super Bowl 2022, NHL 94 2022 and NFL 2K22

Sick and tired of spending money on updated rosters and not all that much improvement to gameplay?  Are you like me and think that Tecmo Super Bowl, NHL 94 and NFL 2K5 were the best of best sports titles of all-time?  Then you need to check out the teams at www.tecmobowl.org, nhl94.com and NFL2K5-Resurrected.  Each game does feature small bits of feature improvements, but the main goal is to update the roster on these classic sport sims.

Super Mario Bros 3Mix

Super Mario Bros. 3 is a masterpiece.  On top of the excellent graphics, sound and music, the level designs, power-ups and complex enemies make it the pinnacle of the Super Mario franchise.  ROM hacker Southbird took a brilliant game and essentially made an equally brilliant sequel.  Southbird wanted to create a new experience, but still remain true to the subject content.

Super Mario Bros 3 Mix features:

• All new levels (and a few “remixed” Mario 3 levels somewhere in there)
• Many new songs added from other Mario games (kept some SMB3 classics!)
• Play as Mario, Luigi, or Toad (cosmetic only) in any configuration
• New power-ups (Penguin replaces Frog, Carrot replaces Tanooki)
• Star Coins (which are used to unlock portions of the game!)
• Ability to re-enter past worlds (with level completion intact!)
• Ability to re-enter past levels (to get all of your Star Coins)
• Alternate exits in some levels
• Ability to save progress
• Many new enemies, typically some special ones for the world theme
• All new bosses (many are “remixes” of bosses from other Mario games)
• All kinds of gameplay changes to meet the theme of a level/world!

This game is brilliantly crafted and worth checking out for every Mario fan!

Sonic Classic Heroes

Sonic The Hedgehog was my introduction to the 16-bit era.  My cousins introduced it to my brother and I, which inspired us to purchase a Sega Genesis over waiting for the release of the Super Nintendo.  Sonic Classic Heroes combines Sonic 1 & 2 with unique features such as:

• The ability to choose between 1, 2 or 3 simultaneous characters
• The playable cast of Sonic, Tails and Knuckles as well as Espio, Vector and Charmy from Knuckles Chaotix
• The ability to rotate the lead character mid-game.
• Custom AI for the CPU controlled characters that follow the strengths and trends
• The ability for three-player games with a Sega Multitap
• Individually control power up and shield for each player character
• All levels from Sonic 1 & 2

Though there’s a handful oddities and a couple glitches, Sonic Classic Heroes is a nicely crafted addition to the 16-bit era game series.  The ability to use Tails and Knuckles thru the original Sonic 1 levels is a unique experience.

These are just a handful of the solid ROM hacks that make up a vastly brilliant world of excellent titles.  Romhacking.net is an excellent source, currently featuring thousands upon thousands of brilliant ROM hacks.