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Lovely interview with Mike Wikan, who was a Senior Game Designer on all three Metroid Prime games!

Goes over his time at Retro, how he butted heads with Kensuke Tanabe over the difficulty of Boost Guardian & Spider Guardian, how the games were built and lots of other awesome little tidbits (apparently the written Luminoth language is based on sign language!).

Well worth a watch! :peace:

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We need a new F-Zero game dammit! :bouncy: Hell, even a remaster of GX with added online play would be great.

The way Nintendo continues to sit on this franchise is so frustrating. :shakehead

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So it looks like the Polymega is FINALLY now shipping out to people who preordered (about 4 years ago!).

Did anyone here order one?

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12 minutes ago, Dcubed said:

So it looks like the Polymega is FINALLY now shipping out to people who preordered (about 4 years ago!).

Did anyone here order one?

I didn't even know what it was (or had completely forgotten about it :blank:) until just now, so I didn't order one... I think. :heh:

Looks sweet though! :cool: Very cool idea indeed.

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1 hour ago, Dcubed said:

So it looks like the Polymega is FINALLY now shipping out to people who preordered (about 4 years ago!).

Did anyone here order one?

Yep, and I cancelled the pre-order a while back, as the refund was more useful to me.

Interesting to learn that the units are finally getting shipped out, I'm sure that those who still wanted one will be glad to receive them.

It's not even that I didn't think the machine would come out, I just decided that I didn't need it, as while the support for most 32-Bit and below CD machines is nice, the reality is that it probably wouldn't get used that much, and although the unit saves space, plus you can apply patches etc, regions... all that, the machine is better off going to someone else who will really make proper use of it.

I'm happy with most of my original hardware, and the limited number of excellent FPGA machines from Analogue that I already have, but even then, I cancelled an NT Noir for the same reason, I don't need it, I have a Mega SG and a Super NT which I use, and I may now consider an Analogue Duo if it's around £250 or less, but it would still be a considered purchase even then.

Edited by S.C.G

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This is amazing!!

This person is actually making a real-life GBA Remix! :D 

Just tried out the demo, it works surprisingly well!

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Got an email from Analogue. The Pocket looks like it's actually shipping on 13th December.

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On 22/11/2021 at 1:54 PM, Ike said:

Got an email from Analogue. The Pocket looks like it's actually shipping on 13th December.

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Ruddy hell! Honestly shocked that they actually made 2021! Was the last device I expected to actually make its ship date (so ironically, it would end up being the only one that did :laughing:).

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HOOOOOOOOOOLY SHIT!!

 

Someone actually managed to find an actual, real Nintendo Iris development kit!! AND IT'S FULLY FUNCTIONAL!!!

For those that aren't aware, the Nintendo Iris was originally supposed to be the successor to the GBA, before it was eventually refitted into Project Nitro (AKA, the Nintendo DS).
This is the first time we've ever seen an actual functioning Iris prototype (circa 2003, before it was turned into the Nitro/DS), and as it turns out... It's... well... looking very much like a DS with only a single screen!

A facinating piece of Nintendo history, never before seen either way though :D 

Edited by Dcubed
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Dug my old Game Boy Camera and Printer out. Turns out it still works. The printer paper has seen better days, hence the faded print, but the hardware works as it should, which is impressive given that the old batteries had leaked quite spectacularly.

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Hey there, don't mind me, I'm just here to promote Kiwi Talkz' channel and highlight some fantastic interviews with ex Retro Studios staff that he has done over the past few months! He just put out a new interview with former Retro Studios Lead Engineer Jack Mathews and it's an absolute corker!

Brilliant interview that gives some behind-the-scenes insight into his time at Retro Studios! Well worth a watch/listen :D

He's also done interviews with plenty of other ex Retro Studios staff including Bryan Walker (Metroid Prime 2 & 3, DKCR and Mario Kart 7 Lead Producer), Kynan Pearson (Metroid Prime 2 & 3 and DKCR Level Designer), Clark Wen (Metroid Prime 1 & 2 Audio Designer) and Mike Wikan (Metroid Prime Trilogy Lead Designer), that I highly recommend checking out! :hehe:

Edited by Dcubed
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New update from Karl Jobst about the ongoing Wata Games/Heritage Auctions scam.  The whole video is well worth a watch (it includes a breakdown of the case, commissioned by an actual registered lawyer), but just to give you a brief summary of some of the biggest takeaways...

1: Wata Games and Heretage Auctions not only have shared founding staff, but they are now (since Karl's previous video on the matter) literally now owned by the same holding company.  The sheer conflict of interest on display is so brazen that it borders on cartoonish.

2: Wata Games have knowingly and demonstratebly violated US FTC regulations with their promotion of the value of their items (with numerous accounts of undisclosed product endorsement).

3: Wata Games are proveably mis-grading games with higher scores than they should be giving.

@RedShell, you might enjoy watching this follow-up vid!

Edited by Dcubed
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1 hour ago, Dcubed said:

Oh! Speaking of @RedShell

https://hiddenpalace.org/News/Go_Go_Goemon!_Mystical_Ninja_Goemon_Zero

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The long-lost Working Designs localised version of the PS2 Goemon (Go, Go, Goemon!) has been found!!

Nice! Thanks a lot for sharing. :)

That was a fascinating read, if somewhat depressing too. Man, I really do miss the golden era of quirky video games. :weep:

Also, I wasn't actually aware of Sony's part in all of that, guess I shouldn't be surprised though. :indeed: Didn't think it was possible for me to dislike that pretentious company more than I already do, but here we are.

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HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Someone has FINALLY made a wireless controller adapter for the N64... AND IT JUST GOT UPDATED TO SUPPORT THE N64 SWITCH ONLINE CONTROLLER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08VNJ48M6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Just bought 4 of these bad boys, can't fucking wait :D Will be sure to give you all my impressions as soon as they arrive! (The adapter includes a slot to plug in a Memory Pak and a Rumble Pak; and apparantly rumble DOES work with the controller when used with the adapter + Rumble Pak inserted!!)

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Oh how long have I waited for a true wireless N64 controller solution...

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So... my Intec N64 Wireless Adapters have arrived... What's the verdict?

I'm VERY glad you asked...

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It

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Just Works!!!

Yup! It actually bloody works!! After updating each adapter, it does indeed happily accept the official Switch N64 NSO Controller! No weird issues, no glitches, totally seamless! Zero input lag, no deadzone on the control stick, all the buttons work correctly; everything is working absolutely flawlessly! Even the rumble works when you plug a Rumble Pak into the adapter!!

But wait! There's more! We need to check... Does the official N64 Memory Pak work with the adapter...

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You bet your arse it does!!!

Finally, as a lark, I thought... surely the Transfer Pak doesn't work right? I mean, literally no 3rd party N64 controller or controller related device ever made in all of history has ever had Transfer Pak support... Even Nintendo themselves haven't supported it with any of their Virtual Console services.  Why not? Might as well check it for a laugh...

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NO FUCKING WAY!!!!!!!!

I was NOT expecting it to actually fucking work!! I am literally STUNNED! :o

This thing is unbelievable!! It's... literally perfect! It's 100% compatible with everything! It works completely seamlessly & flawlessly with the Switch N64 NSO controller! I... I'm absolutely floored with this thing!!

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I am literally so fucking happy right now

Oh, and for those of you that might be wanting to use other modern wireless controllers on a real N64? Here's how the buttons are mapped by default...

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Dunno why you would want to, but you can do it if you want to

Buy this thing without hesitation; hell, buy four of them! If you are looking for a true wireless N64 solution that is fully 100% compatible with ALL official N64 accessories AND 100% compatible with the official N64 Switch NSO Controller; you literally could not ask for a better solution than this.  Right! I think it's time to play some Perfect Dark :D

Edited by Dcubed
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Really glad there are going to be more available, I’ll definitely be putting an order in!

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A load of reviews went up for the Analogue Pocket today, and it looks overwhelmingly positive; I'm going to have to make time to check out the Digital Foundry one!

Also thought these were a really interesting snapshot of the differences on Pocket from DF's review:

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I had to cancel my Pocket pre-order from last year shortly after due to a sudden change in my living situation (in hindsight I probably should have checked if anyone wanted to take it off my hands, but I was in a bit of a rush), so will also be trying my luck at getting one tomorrow. 

Fingers crossed I can get one of the Q1 2022 ones, but I'm in no real rush :peace:

Edited by Julius
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Forgot today was the day. No shipping email yet, so maybe it will overnight.

Looks great in the reviews.

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54 minutes ago, Ike said:

Shipping email get! :bouncy:

Nice! Look forward to hearing your impressions :peace:

Are there any games in particular you're looking forward to trying out on the Pocket first? 

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