Retro Core Revival

[Yakumo]

EZ-Flash Junior - Is it better than the competition?

[Yakumo]

New life in Japan, out now.

[Yakumo]

Street Fighter 6 is out but let's be honest, the controllers that come with the PS5 and Series X / S kind of suck for fighting games. But I do like a control pad, so what is the solution?

[egparadigm]

Have to admit I’m now a Saturn pad fan. Having recently played Tomb Raider with it, it’s preferable for that game over the PS1 pad. Maybe because the controls for the original TR games are not true 3D controls as we know them today? In any case, the 6 face buttons seem more logically mapped than those on PS1, with sidestep in particular.

[Hirst]

Always glad to see a Life In Japan, but always jealous to see how clean and tidy the place is along with a general respect for the street fabric and other people’s belongings. If I did a Life in UK it would just be footage of fly tipping, druggies and smashed-up bus shelters. And that bit of footage I’ve had saved on my phone for years of a shoplifter being physically thrown out of Farmfoods.

[Yakumo]

Have to admit I’m now a Saturn pad fan. Having recently played Tomb Raider with it, it’s preferable for that game over the PS1 pad. Maybe because the controls for the original TR games are not true 3D controls as we know them today? In any case, the 6 face buttons seem more logically mapped than those on PS1, with sidestep in particular.

Well, Tomb Raider did start life as a Saturn game, so maybe that's the reason why?

[Yakumo]

Always glad to see a Life In Japan, but always jealous to see how clean and tidy the place is along with a general respect for the street fabric and other people’s belongings. If I did a Life in UK it would just be footage of fly tipping, druggies and smashed-up bus shelters. And that bit of footage I’ve had saved on my phone for years of a shoplifter being physically thrown out of Farmfoods.

Farm Foods, bloody hell. I haven't heard that name in over 20 years. I recall it being like Lidel or Aldie. Is that right?

[egparadigm]

Well, Tomb Raider did start life as a Saturn game, so maybe that's the reason why?

That too, yeah. I suppose I was thinking about the way that TR uses this oddly precise platforming, 1 step forward/back and always jumping at the same point in a run up.

[Hirst]

Farm Foods, bloody hell. I haven't heard that name in over 20 years. I recall it being like Lidel or Aldie. Is that right?

You've been gone too long, those two are almost quite nice nowadays! Farmfoods sat slightly above Kwik Save which was probably the absolute bottom rung until it went bust. Bags of frozen chicken, tubs of Mr Mash instant potato, dilute orange.

That said, I lived on the street that had apparently the only "No Frills" supermarket - a weird test location run by Kwik Save trying to see if it was viable to do a supermarket that was even cheaper. Would call in there after I'd got my games on a Saturday and get two Swiss rolls, bag of salt popcorn and 2L of dodgy lemonade within a quid, this would be circa 1993-97.

In fact I remember doing so after picking up Saturn Tomb Raider, which brings it round nicely. The controls were definitely better on the Saturn over the PS1 and I remember it looking better too. PS1 had really noticeable warping polygons and I think more popup (might be wrong there, going from memory). The only thing I remember definitely looking better on the PS1 were the transparencies on the top layer of water.

[egparadigm]

That said, I lived on the street that had apparently the only "No Frills" supermarket - a weird test location run by Kwik Save trying to see if it was viable to do a supermarket that was even cheaper. Would call in there after I'd got my games on a Saturday and get two Swiss rolls, bag of salt popcorn and 2L of dodgy lemonade within a quid, this would be circa 1993-97.

That lot would set you back the best part of £10 in Sainsbury’s now.

[Yakumo]

Oh no, they got me. The awesome Miyoo Mini Plus

[Yakumo]

Another big chunky phone. These things are getting better and better.

[Yakumo]

The Retro Monster, but is it really a monster?

[Yakumo]

What do Evangelion, Dragon Ball and Ultraman have in common? Only the return of Japanese electronics!

[Yakumo]

Something that maybe frowned upon by many but then again something that many may find useful.

I guess it all depends upon your outlook on things.