Ecco the Dolphin, a classic from the 1990s, is making a return with both remasters of its original titles and a brand new game. This revival was confirmed in an interview with Xbox Wire and will be led by series creator Ed Annunziata.

Development Team and Games

All members of the original development team are reuniting for these projects, including Annunziata who stated: "Me and the entire original team are going to remaster the original Ecco the Dolphin and The Tides of Time games". Following these remasters, they plan to create a new, third game with contemporary play mechanics.

Release Schedule

The countdown on the official Ecco the Dolphin website points to April 25-26, 2026 — approximately 353 days from now. While specific platforms haven’t been confirmed yet, Xbox Series X|S releases and PlayStation 5 versions are likely.

This revival comes after a long hiatus for the franchise, with the last entry released in 2000. SEGA had previously filed trademarks for Ecco-related properties in Japan on December 27, 2024.

Gameplay and Reception

The original Ecco games were notable for their unique underwater gameplay, atmospheric storytelling, and high difficulty level. This new release aims to capture both the spirit of the past and enhance it with modern sensibilities.

Reviving Classic IPs

This is part of SEGA's broader strategy of resurrecting classic properties like Jet Set Radio and Crazy Taxi.

What do you think about seeing Ecco the Dolphin back in action after so many years?

Rich Whitehouse, the creator behind BigPEmu, is set to launch his new and improved Killer Instinct emulator in beta. Initially a fully-commercial project, funding had been pulled back in March this year, but now it seems that enough support has come through on Patreon to keep the development going.

According to Rich Whitehouse's statement, the beta release will be made available in just a few days, giving fans of the classic fighting game an exciting opportunity to try out what could very well be the best way to experience Killer Instinct and Killer Instinct 2.

Some key features include:

• Silky Smooth Multiplayer
• Brand New Stereo Sound Script
• Fast MIPS III Interpreter

You can gain access to the emulator by backing Rich on Patreon.

What aspects of this new emulator do you think will most improve the gameplay experience?

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.

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

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.

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?

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!

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!

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.

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

Gaming preservationists have just rescued a significant piece of FromSoftware history. The long-lost mobile version of King’s Field—FromSoftware's first video game and the spiritual predecessor to the Dark Souls series—has been successfully preserved and made accessible to players worldwide.

The i-Mode version, which was released exclusively in Japan back in 2004, is a retelling of the original PlayStation release with different map layouts and an auto-map feature. What makes this preservation particularly significant is that many Japanese mobile games from the early 2000s have been especially vulnerable to being lost forever due to unique hardware and software ecosystems.

The newly preserved mobile version isn't merely a direct port but rather a retelling of the original game with new features. An English language patch is already available, and setup guides have been provided to help players get started with emulation software.

This rescue of King’s Field's mobile version represents more than just the preservation of a single game—it’s the recovery of a crucial link in the evolutionary chain that eventually led to Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Sekiro, and Elden Ring. FromSoftware's journey from this humble dungeon crawler to creating some of the most acclaimed and influential games of the modern era provides fascinating context for understanding how the studio developed its distinctive approach.

What was it like to play these mobile games in 2004?

AYANEO has unveiled a new handheld device that promises to offer retro gaming enthusiasts a compact yet powerful solution. The device is called the Pocket ACE.

Key Features:

• 1620 x 1080p 4.5" LCD with a 3:2 'golden ratio'
• Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 processor
• D-pad and dual Hall-effect analogue layout
• 6000mAh battery with 40W fast charging
• 0916B ultra-wideband vibration motor

AYANEO, in a tweet, emphasized that this device is intended as the 'dream machine for retro gamers,' highlighting its combination of powerful performance and 'stunning aesthetics'. It's the latest addition to AYANEO’s range of retro-focused handhelds, joining devices like the Pocket DMG and Pocket Micro.

What Do You Think?

What do you think of the design? What do you think of the specs?

PlayStation is building a large-scale preservation vault called the PlayStation Studios Vault to safeguard over 30 years of gaming history. This ambitious project involves preserving more than 200 million files and approximately 650 TB of data on data tapes stored in actual mineshafts.

According to Garrett Fredley, a senior build engineer at PlayStation, the preservation effort includes not just backups, not just source code and source art, but everything that was ever related to a project we can possibly find. This means documentation, audio assets, prototype information, and more is being meticulously archived.

Access to this vault is extremely limited, with only a handful of people having permission, including those on the preservation team and members of IT. The oldest piece of material archived so far is a 1994 build for Arc the Lad, with current and future PS5 titles being added constantly.

While it’s unclear what plans PlayStation has for all this preserved material beyond ensuring its survival, there is hope that some of this rescued material might eventually find its way into future remasters and collections.

What's your opinion about data tape as a long-term storage medium? What do you hope PlayStation does with all those data?

BAFTA's recent public poll has crowned Yu Suzuki's Shenmue as The Most Influential Video Game of All Time. This surprising result has ignited a fervent discussion, with fans and detractors alike debating the game's enduring legacy.

A Dreamcast Classic Redefined

• Shenmue was praised for its innovative open-world approach, detailed settings, and narrative complexity that set new standards for interactive storytelling. Yu Suzuki's vision of Yokosuka is celebrated as an astonishingly vivid portrayal of real-life Japan, influencing countless developers in the years since.

• Shenmue was also notable for introducing Quick Time Events (QTEs), a mechanic that has since become ubiquitous across various genres of video games.

The Top 21 List Unveiled

Joining Shenmue at the top of BAFTA's countdown were classics like:

• Doom - Pioneering 3D shooter and genre-defining work
• Super Mario Bros. - Establishing a blueprint for modern platformers
• Half-Life - Innovations in narrative integration, a hallmark of first-person shooters
• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - One of the most revered games ever made for its gameplay and storytelling

A Mixed Reception Amongst Fans

While many consider Shenmue an epochal achievement, some critique it for its awkward controls and clunky dialogue. However, over time, these aspects have often been viewed as part of the game's charm rather than hindrances.

What do you make of the BAFTA’s choice? Is Shenmue truly the most influential video game ever created? What game would you put at the top of the list?