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It's official: after a successful Kickstarter campaign, the Recalbox JVS, the latest Recalbox hardware that will bring your JVS arcade cabinets back to life, is now available for pre-order on the Recalbox shop. Two packages are available depending on whether or not you already own a Raspberry Pi 5.

So, what is it exactly?

If you have a JVS arcade cabinet (Naomi Universal Cabinet, New Net City, Vewlix, Lindbergh, and many others) whose original system is dead, or if you simply want to enjoy the full Recalbox game library, all you need to do is replace the system with the Recalbox JVS. Connected with just five cables, it brings your cabinet back to life in a matter of minutes, with no tinkering or particular technical skill required.

Whatever type of cabinet you have, the Recalbox JVS natively handles all JVS peripherals (sticks, racecab / steering wheels, guncab / light guns) and multiplayer setups, including linking two JVS cabinets together with a single Recalbox JVS. It's pure plug and play: you connect it, the cabinet is detected automatically, and configuration is done directly on screen, with no tinkering or complex manipulation.

Two packages to equip your cabinet

For this pre-order, two versions are available on the shop:

JVS + Case — €159
For those who already own a Raspberry Pi 5. The kit includes:

• Recalbox JVS
• White case, resin-printed
• Screws and nuts
• USB Bridge
• Manual

JVS + Case + Raspberry Pi 5 (2GB) + 128GB SD card — €289
The complete, ready-to-use package. The kit includes:

• Recalbox JVS
• White case, resin-printed
• Raspberry Pi 5 (2GB) + fan
• Lexar 128GB SD card
• USB Bridge
• Manual

A quick reminder: if you support the Recalbox project through Patreon, you get a 10% discount on these packages (and on the entire Recalbox shop). Don't forget to enter your Patron code!

What the Recalbox JVS brings to your cabinet

The Recalbox JVS features a 24-bit RGB DAC with dedicated buffers, automatic 15/24/31 kHz video compatibility, an HDMI output for cabinets equipped with an LCD screen, an I2S audio DAC up to 384 kHz / 32 bits, and under 1ms of input lag. Once connected, you get access to the entire Recalbox ecosystem: 2D and 3D arcade, Naomi, Atomiswave, Dreamcast, consoles, and home computers.

Two in-house features round it all out: 240pGrid, which reproduces a faithful rendering inspired by 15 kHz on cabinets that are exclusively 31 kHz, and Link Mode, which lets you drive two JVS cabinets with a single Recalbox JVS for 1v1 or setups of up to 4 players.

Delivery expected in December 2026

⚠️ This is indeed a pre-order: delivery is expected in December 2026. Both packages are available now on the Recalbox shop.

Do you appreciate the Recalbox team's work? Support the project by becoming a Patron!

After an initial teaser with no in-game footage back in June, Nintendo has just lifted the veil on The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake during a special Nintendo Direct dedicated to the franchise's 40th anniversary. A full trailer, a release date, and a batch of new features: here's what we know.

A complete overhaul of the 1998 classic

First announced during a Nintendo Direct in June 2026 with a simple teaser, the Ocarina of Time remake finally showed its true face during the Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct on September 8. Presented by the series' longtime producer, Eiji Aonuma, this new trailer confirms that Nintendo isn't settling for a simple visual facelift. The studio has entirely rebuilt the original Nintendo 64 game, with expanded environments, more developed non-playable characters, and fully voiced cutscenes.

The demo shown during the Direct opened in Kokiri Forest with young Link, showcasing reworked visuals along with a targeting system close to the original, while feeling noticeably smoother and more dynamic.

Additions that modernize the experience

The remake introduces several gameplay changes that fans have been waiting for. Link can now jump at will thanks to a dedicated button, unlike the automatic jumping of the original, and gets a sprint option to move more quickly around Hyrule. A free camera also offers better control during exploration, while combat has been reworked with motion-based aiming for weapons like the slingshot.

Notable new feature: a continuous day/night cycle that keeps flowing even while Link is inside a building or a village. The "Threads of Time" system, a gradually completed tapestry, lets players track their progress and their next objective in the adventure.

The Switch 2 and its microphone at the service of the Ocarina

Another highlighted feature: players will now be able to play Ocarina melodies by blowing directly into the Nintendo Switch 2's built-in microphone, in addition to the traditional button combinations. Nintendo is also taking the opportunity to sell an actual physical Ocarina through its official store.

In November, it's not just about GTA

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake will release on November 5, 2026, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2, priced at $59.99 for the digital version ($69.99 for the physical version). A strategic release date that lands two weeks before the highly anticipated arrival of GTA VI, and one that confirms Nintendo's ambition to offer far more than a simple remaster for this cult title, previously adapted once before on Nintendo 3DS in 2011.

Sources: Nintendo Life, Game Informer, GameDaily

Enjoying the Recalbox team's work? Support the project by becoming a Patron!

Let's be honest: between the release of stable 10.1 and the Recalbox Challenges that landed right after, we completely blew past the blog while LEGO kept rolling out the most mouth-watering announcements of its 2026. The result: two sets that have the whole retrogaming community drooling sat gathering dust in our drafts. Time to catch up, right now!

LEGO PlayStation: the console that changed everything, in bricks

After the NES, the Atari 2600, and the Sega Genesis, it's now the turn of the very first PlayStation to get the brick treatment. The set, unveiled during the September 3rd State of Play, recreates the original console and its controller at a near 1:1 scale, for a total of 1,911 pieces.

The model measures 26 cm wide once assembled and hides several fun nods: a functional "Open" button that triggers the spring-loaded lid, a controller that actually plugs into the console, and above all two hidden dioramas inside, inspired by Gran Turismo and Ape Escape. Enough to celebrate thirty years of PlayStation history without settling for a purely cosmetic tribute.

The set will be available in early access for LEGO Insiders members starting October 1st, 2026, then for everyone from October 4th, at a suggested price of €159.99.

LEGO Zelda Link & Epona: the third set dedicated to the saga

Nintendo and LEGO took advantage of the Nintendo Direct celebrating The Legend of Zelda's 40th anniversary to announce a third set dedicated to the franchise, following the Great Deku Tree and Ocarina of Time – The Final Battle.

This time, it's a collector's sculpture depicting adult Link proudly riding Epona, sword and shield in hand, on a small base inspired by Hyrule Field. Unlike the previous dioramas, this model drops the minifigures in favor of a larger-scale display piece, with around 1,750 pieces according to some sources (no official announcement from LEGO on this point).

Release is announced for spring 2027, with no price or set number officially communicated as of this writing. A nice nod to the upcoming Ocarina of Time remake, expected November 5th on Switch 2... which, incidentally, we also have an article sitting in drafts for…

Sources: LEGO.com, PlayStation.Blog, Jay's Brick Blog, Gameblog

Enjoying the Recalbox team's work? Support the project by becoming a Patron!

Since 2022, you've been able to support Recalbox via Patreon, a contribution that lets the team fully devote themselves to development in order to bring you regular updates and ever wilder projects. Four years later, it's time for a check-in — and there's no shortage of news!

Four years of progress

In four years, Recalbox has come a long way: V10, Theme Manager, optimized Raspberry Pi 5 2GB compatibility (GameCube, Model 3, Naomi 2…), Steam Deck compatibility, RGB Dual 2, JAMMA 2, RecalCards, JVS… And the momentum keeps going: version 10.1 has just been released publicly, after several months of early testing by our patrons.

This support is a real game changer in how we envision the future of Recalbox. The project is open source and community-driven — it's built together. Some contribute through their skills (code, design, support, testing…), others support the project through Patreon, a form of support that funds the project, but not only that!

By testing new Recalbox versions early, Patrons give us invaluable feedback that lets us fix issues in these versions and think together about features they sometimes propose themselves on the Discord channels dedicated to them. All of this so we can ship public stable releases under the best possible conditions, at a pace we couldn't have kept up without this support.

So, for that: Thank you to our Patrons, whether you've been with us from day one or just joined, whether you're Tier 1, 2, or 3: a thousand thanks for living this adventure with us! Recalbox is developed by a team of enthusiasts who give up their free time to contribute. Your support lets us dedicate more time to it and to thinking about the future.

We need you for the next version of Recalbox

10.1 is public, but the team already has its head down working on what's next: we're already working on the next update, which is shaping up to be the most ambitious in Recalbox's history. As always, it will be tested early by our patrons before reaching the general public. And that's exactly why we want to bring you fully into this adventure and take you along with us on this project.

The upcoming features will be major: Recalbox is about to reach a dimension we could never have imagined achieving without you. With that in mind, we're going to need to test these features across as many configurations as possible. We can't say more today: a Recal'Talk (Discord video call with Patrons and the Recalbox team) will be held in the coming weeks to reveal everything.

Recalbox: free and open source

An important reminder: Recalbox is, and will remain, free and open source for everyone. The features that patrons test, submit to us, and sometimes vote on are meant to be included for everyone in future stable versions of Recalbox. So no need to worry: in time, you'll always get to enjoy the Patron versions once they go public (and therefore become stable releases), as the project moves forward.

Alongside this, the Patreon program remains our way of bringing you more directly into this adventure, with a few perks that are specific to Patreon support. Here's a quick rundown.

A reminder of Patron perks

All patrons get early access to Recalbox versions, as we just covered (and can join alphas even earlier), along with music playlists, exclusive visual themes in the Theme Manager, optimized scraping, exclusive wallpapers, and dedicated Discord channels. We've also extended the 10% discount to the entire Recalbox shop (previously limited to RGB Dual and RGB JAMMA), on top of discounts with our partners (Tenzen Arcade, Smallcab, Neofid, Red Art Games, Flex Arcade…).

The Patreon space also gives you access to exclusive content: early-access videos, behind-the-scenes reports, and tutorials on new features rolled out in Patron versions

Tier 1 "Player Supporter": our apéro lives have become Recal'Talks, now open to all patrons — a video call held roughly every two months with Patrons and the Recalbox team to present ongoing projects and chat on Discord.

Tiers 2 "Power Up" and 3 "Ultimate Edition": the Card Reader and its RecalCards, announced at the end of 2025, offer a new way to play with a real physical touch. Tier 2 and 3 patrons receive exclusive RecalCards collectibles every two months (16 cards for season 1: one per shipment for Tier 2 patrons, three for Tier 3 patrons). If you subscribe mid-season, you'll still start your collection at RecalCard #1. Note: shipments outside France are grouped into a single annual delivery, and starting August 2026, annual subscribers will receive their full batch in a single shipment (6 cards for Tier 2, 18 for Tier 3).

On the scraping side, we've also boosted our servers: a premium "Power Up" server for Tier 2 patrons, and an "Ultimate" server for Tier 3 patrons, to scrape your game library at a speed that would make Sonic blush.

Thanks again for your support and your messages throughout the year!

Recalbox Patreon

Recalbox 10.1 is now available to everyone in stable version, after several weeks of testing and play with our Patrons. On the menu: the arrival of Recalbox Challenges, a redesigned ergonomics, efforts focused on 3D arcade and Guncon 2 optimization, and several hardware novelties. Enough to keep your upcoming retrogaming evenings busy.

Recalbox Challenges

The One Credit Challenge, our biweekly arcade rendezvous, is changing scale and name: say hello to Recalbox Challenges. No more manual tracking via Discord: the challenge is now built directly into Recalbox with a brand new virtual system: Recalbox Challenges.

Every two weeks, a new game awaits you in this new virtual system. Set your best score on the game in question with a single credit; the player ranking can be viewed directly in-game or on the Recalbox Challenges virtual system in real time, and you'll even receive live notifications when someone beats you or when your ranking changes.

Your session is recorded automatically, so you can watch replays of other players and send them a GG. No cheating possible: instant saves, rewinds and pauses are disabled for the duration of the game, and all shortcuts are locked except the one to quit. If, after a failed attempt, you restart the game with a continue, the score is automatically invalidated, since the goal is to achieve the best score with a single credit.

A free Patreon account is enough to identify yourself and take part. Of course, the Challenges Discord channel remains active for chatting with other players and following the challenge's activity throughout the year.

Get connected!

Once your free Patreon account is created (or paid tier if you're a Patron), simply scan the QR code available in the "Link my Patron Account" menu in the advanced settings.

This is a new feature for both Patrons and Patrons-Free (so, for everyone), and this QR code will now let you connect your Recalbox to your Patreon account with a single scan. For optimal comfort, make sure you're logged into Patreon on your smartphone beforehand, so the account is detected immediately.

A new Logo view

In every system, you can now switch to the Logo View, which displays official game logos instead of the classic text list. The result is clean and immersive. Scraping is required to take advantage of this, and several logo types are available to best match the theme you're using.

A built-in manual and map reader

From the Start menu, positioned on a game, you can now access its manual, its maps where available, as well as tips & tricks. Everything is accessible via the Recalbox menu or via the media folder of your roms, where your scraped files are stored. Scraping the relevant system is still required to enjoy this feature.

Redesigned controller configuration and new virtual keyboards

The controller configuration interface has been completely overhauled: clearer, faster and more intuitive. You choose your controller or arcade stick from a dedicated menu, then you're guided step by step with the controller displayed on screen — a real plus, especially for arcade sticks.

On the virtual keyboard side, two new models make their appearance: a full keyboard and a "mobile" keyboard, alongside the classic wheel that already existed.

We've also added virtual systems by genre (fighting, racing, platform...), handy for rediscovering your romsets from a new angle, as well as virtual systems dedicated to spinners and trackballs, making it easy to find all games compatible with these specific peripherals.

Naomi 2, Model 3 and ST-V: 3D arcade hits 60 fps on Pi 5

This summer was all about optimization at Recalbox, and 3D arcade was the biggest beneficiary. With the arrival of the Recalbox JVS, the 3D arcade scene came back into the spotlight: on demanding titles like Scud Race or Daytona USA 2 on Model 3, the Raspberry Pi 5 could until now hit its limits, with slowdowns on the longest races.

That's now a thing of the past: 99% of Naomi 2 and Model 3 titles now run at 60 fps on Raspberry Pi 5, whether it's 18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker, Virtua Fighter 4, Beach Spikers and Initial D on Naomi/Naomi 2, or Daytona USA 2, Sega Rally 2, The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Scud Race on Model 3. As for the ST-V, it now benefits from a new core, with noticeably improved rendering and smoothness.

Installing to disk directly from the Recalbox menu

A new installer now lets you, from the Recalbox menu — via the Install To line — install Recalbox on any drive connected to your machine, whether internally or via USB, a real simplification for those who want a clean installation without complicated manipulation.

GunCon 2: improved precision and compatibility

In terms of optimization, after the Raspberry Pi 5 2GB, then the Naomi 2 and the Model 3, the team also focused on the GunCon 2, the plug-and-play gun for Recalbox since the release of the RGB Dual 2, which lets you play Time Crisis, House of the Dead, Duck Hunt or Confidential Mission, among others. The experience remained generally good, but some issues could occur: shots not detected, approximate calibration, or screen brightness needing to be increased for certain games, especially on Dreamcast.

A calibration screen has now been added at every game launch, allowing you to test and validate your setup for optimal precision, which now reaches 99%. The GunCon 2 needs to detect a flash on screen to work; since many games don't emit one by default, a flash has been added to all games that lacked one.

Another novelty: compatibility now extends to 31 kHz CRT monitors, in addition to the already-supported 15 kHz CRTs. The GunCon 2 also remains compatible with the Recalbox RGB JAMMA 2 and the Recalbox JVS, both equipped with the necessary ports to accommodate it and handle it automatically.

Recalbox JVS

The Recalbox JVS was at the heart of many optimizations in this version: it's largely thanks to it that the team was able to deeply rework the Naomi 2, the Model 3 and the GunCon 2. The Recalbox JVS now benefits from native Recalbox support as well as its dedicated firmware, allowing you to control your cabinet even with the Pi 5 turned off. With full support for various JVS cabinets — joysticks, guncabs, wheels — the new Recalbox hardware is fully ready to equip your JVS cabinets.

Four new systems

We took the opportunity of this new version to add four new systems:

Epoch Cassette Vision
Philips P2000t
Vircon32
Exelvision EXL00

The full release notes for this 10.1 are available here.

Thank you

This 10.1 version is the result of several weeks of intensive testing carried out by our beta-testers and our Patrons connected on the patron-alpha update channel and the patron channel, who allowed us to fine-tune all these new features in direct contact with the development team before their rollout today for the whole community. A huge thank you to them, as well as to everyone who supports the project every day.

For any feedback, bugs to report, or simply to chat with the community, we invite you to join us on Discord.

Thank you all for your continued support, it's thanks to you that all of this is possible. The Recalbox team.

Do you appreciate the work of the Recalbox team? Support the project by becoming a Patron!

The retrogaming community is coming together! Recalbox is once again taking part in Z Event, the unmissable charity gathering for French-speaking streaming. Join us starting this Friday, September 4th at 6pm on our Twitch channel for three days of live streaming, meetups, and donations benefiting the charities supported by the event.

Over 56 hours of live streaming, from Friday 6pm to Sunday midnight

The kickoff will happen Friday at 6pm on twitch.tv/recalbox, for a marathon that will continue non-stop until Sunday midnight. Here are the highlights already confirmed (the full schedule, updated regularly, is available on our dedicated page:

Friday

• 6pm: stream begins
• 7pm: David Oghia will present the latest news on the Vectrex Mini
• 8pm: release of Recalbox 10.1 and official launch of the Recalbox Challenge (details below)
• 11pm: iLL_Pazzo and Marvel2002 will join for a special segment on glitches and their role in speedrunning, with a possible live Oddworld PS1 speedrun
• Overnight: Hyperion KTV and La Bande à Pixel

Saturday

• 12pm: Régis Monterrin will present his 10 favorite games
• 2pm: live link-up with Calais and the R3D3 association for a live DIY arcade cabinet build
• 9pm: Grand Retro Quiz, over 50 questions and a blind test
• Overnight: Hyperion KTV and La Bande à Pixel

Sunday

• 11am: Kidi Gamer Boy will present his 10 favorite games
• 4pm: Satanos will look back at the worst games in video game history
• 8pm: driving test (Code de la route) review with Les Code Rousseau
• 10pm: viewer setup showcase

Recalbox Challenges, the weekend's running thread

The new "Recalbox Challenges" virtual system lets you compete every 15 days on a new arcade game, with an online leaderboard viewable directly from your Recalbox, updated at the end of every session. What better way to launch this new feature than at the final Z Event.

All weekend long, the game Blade Buster serves as the running thread: scores will update regularly live on air, and the top 10 players will be rewarded with Tenzen Arcade and Recalbox goodies. And Recalbox will take part in the challenge in its own way, details below ;)

To play, it's simple: update your Recalbox to version 10.1 (available this weekend), create a free Patreon account:

and link your Recalbox to Patreon (option available in your Recalbox's advanced settings in 10.1):

Then go to the Recalbox Challenges virtual system and put in your best runs on Blade Buster to climb the leaderboard. To learn more about the Recalbox Challenges, we invite you to watch the video at the bottom of this article.

Get featured

We've put online a page specially designed for Z Event 2026, where you'll find the full schedule and guest list. This is also the page where you can show us your setup: a form lets you send in photos of your gaming room or retrogaming room, along with your username and a few words about your setup. Some of them will be featured live on Sunday evening.

Show us your setups

Because we're all part of it!

Several deals will punctuate the weekend to boost the donation pot:

• €1 donated by Recalbox for every player who attempts a score on the Recalbox Challenges on Blade Buster;
• for every €5,000 raised in donations, a prize draw awards a €100 voucher for the Recalbox shop;
• for any donation of at least €30, 3 months of Patron level 2 are offered (excluding RecalCards, not cumulative — for example, €60 does not grant 6 months).

Prizes up for grabs

Throughout the weekend, several prizes will be up for grabs: Recalbox vouchers, Pixel Art games, a 3D Bartop Switcher by Renard Fou, a Switch 2, physical games and keys, as well as level 2 Patreon subscriptions, among others.

The ultimate goal: a restored Naomi JVS cabinet with Tenzen Arcade

The weekend's big challenge: if the donation pot exceeds last year's €23,510 raised, with the participation of Tenzen Arcade we'll be giving away a restored Naomi JVS cabinet worth €1,590, raffled among donors.

See you starting Friday

Full schedule, guests, gaming room form, donations: find all the information on the dedicated Z Event 2026 page. We look forward to seeing you starting Friday at 6pm on Twitch for this major charity event!

PCSX2 has just moved to version 2.8.0, and this update marks a real turning point for PS2 emulation on PC. Two years after the major 2.0.0 release and six months after 2.6.0, the development team delivers its densest update yet in terms of performance and graphical rendering improvements, with gains of up to several dozen percent visible on certain games.

As longtime followers of PS2 emulation on computer, we've been tracking PCSX2 for a long time as the reference in the field. After a 2.6.0 focused on adding features, this 2.8.0 release comes back with a clear goal: make emulation smoother and more accurate, even if it means overhauling how the graphics engine communicates with modern graphics cards.

Concrete performance gains

Most of the work went into the graphics engine, the part that most often causes an emulator to slow down. The result: several games run noticeably faster. Need for Speed: Carbon, highlighted by the development team as the showcase for this update, gets a real speed boost thanks to better display handling that considerably lightens the load placed on the graphics card. Other titles like Time Crisis 3 gain up to 30% more speed thanks to better graphics memory management.

This optimization also affects Direct3D 12 rendering, now promoted to the default rendering engine on Windows for Nvidia and AMD cards, alongside Vulkan. Direct3D 11, on the other hand, is now officially marked as "legacy": it remains maintained and functional, but is no longer recommended except in case of incompatibility with the other engines.

Rethought graphical accuracy

Beyond speed, PCSX2 2.8.0 tackles long-standing rendering flaws. Depth buffer handling has been extensively reworked to fix Z-fighting issues present in titles like Harry Potter, Okami, or Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3. Fog also gets a corrected calculation formula, with a dramatic impact on the visual atmosphere of games like Steambot Chronicles. Hardware AA1 antialiasing, previously reserved for software rendering, now also makes its way to hardware rendering — an option still disabled by default due to its performance cost, but one that noticeably improves the rendering of titles like God of War or Final Fantasy X. On top of that comes support for Rasterizer Ordered Views (ROV), a technique that delivers more accurate transparency rendering without the usual performance hit.

Fog handling on Steambot Chronicles

Higher hardware requirements

A logical consequence of these technical advances: system requirements have gone up. You'll now want at least an Intel Core i5-4570K or an AMD Ryzen 5 1500X for the processor, paired with a GeForce GTX 750 Ti, a Radeon RX 460, or an Arc A380 for the graphics card. For a comfortable experience, it's better to aim for a more recent setup, such as a Ryzen 5 5600 or Core i5-12400. PCSX2 2.8.0 is available for download now on the project's official website.

On the Recalbox side, we emulate the PlayStation 2 using PCSX2 on an earlier version (on PC). We're keeping a close eye on the project's progress and will roll updates in over time based on our testing.

Sources: PCSX2 Blog — Retro Dodo

Enjoying the Recalbox team's work? Support the project by becoming a Patron!

The retro shoot'em up Earthion is about to get its own arcade stick. Games Care, already known for its FPGA recreation of the Sega Neptune (the GF1 Neptune, the Genesis/32X hybrid that Sega cancelled back in the 90s), is teaming up with Brazilian publisher Versao Ltda to launch a dedicated arcade controller for Mega Drive / Genesis.

A controller inspired by the game's cockpit

Named the YK-IIA Arcade Controller, this accessory draws directly from the cockpit of the YK-IIA fighter piloted by Earthion's heroine. It comes as a 1-stick, 6-button arcade stick, wrapped in vinyl to match the game's aesthetic. According to Games Care, each unit will be hand-built, one at a time, using pro-grade components (though we have no idea about the brand of the stick or buttons). No release date or price has been announced yet, but a waitlist is already open.

As a reminder, Earthion, the shoot'em up developed by Ancient Corporation and scored by Yuzo Koshiro, has already been available on PC and modern consoles since last year. Its native Mega Drive/Genesis version, however, is still pending: Koshiro recently indicated that PCB board testing was nearly complete, with the production quantity of cartridges still under consideration.

Worth highlighting is the game's quality, with some genuinely stunning 3D visuals for the Mega Drive.

A promo video that raises eyebrows

The controller's launch didn't go off without a hitch. The promotional video released by Games Care visibly relies on AI-generated imagery: the Earthion logo (and some of the text) appears distorted in certain shots (at 00:31 in the video below), and the controller's design shifts noticeably from one moment to the next throughout the video, something Retro Dodo and Time Extension were quick to point out. A bit ironic, given that the video's voiceover insists on the finished product's precision, "down to the last detail."

On that note, Yuzo Koshiro himself isn't opposed to using generative AI on his personal social media accounts, but has always been careful to point out that it plays no part in the development of his games.

Personally, I think the photo of the controller was animated in 3D by an AI engine that didn't handle the text properly — the still photo (at the top of this article) clearly shows the logo and text without any distortion.

Sources: Retro Dodo, Time Extension, Retro News

Enjoying the Recalbox team's work? Support the project by becoming a Patron!

For Gamescom, Sega let IGN and GameSpot get their hands on Crazy Taxi World Tour for a hands-on session on the brand new Germany map. Verdict: instant fun, but also a few reservations.

Driving that kept its soul

Both outlets agree on the essentials: the driving is still just as thrilling. GameSpot describes an enjoyable sandbox to explore at your own pace, where the Crazy Stop, Crazy Dash, and Crazy Drift remain the three core driving tools for scoring. IGN agrees, praising tight turns, boosts, and acceleration that stays true to the series' arcade spirit rather than leaning into simulation.

Another shared point: the soundtrack. The Offspring riffs blasting from the first few seconds hit the mark for both journalists, instantly bringing back the Dreamcast and arcade cabinet vibe of the original game. GameSpot does note a caveat, though: over a 45-minute session, hearing the same two Offspring tracks and the same Bad Religion song on loop, not to mention Axel's repeating lines, starts to wear thin.

IGN Preview:

Side quests full of personality

The big addition in World Tour is the side characters you meet outside the classic fares. GameSpot calls this the clear highlight of their session: a pizza delivery guy named Cheeseburger, an alien curious about driving on Earth, an Easter Bunny, and even a smooth-talking ladies' man dropped off at the airport... Mini-challenges (drifting, Crazy Stop, speed) wrapped in absurd humor that genuinely made the reviewer smile.

IGN, for its part, especially enjoyed the side activities as a break from the usual rhythm: sucking up piles of paper with an NPC's vacuum cleaner, or launching a wingsuit stuntman as far as possible.

Germany, but not quite

This is where things fall short for IGN. The map is split into five zones (airport, city, walled city, mountains, autobahn), but the German identity stays very surface-level: a few signs in the language, vaguely European architecture, no accents, no distinctive-looking pedestrians, no real local atmosphere. The NPCs have no accent, no typical clothing — the map is there, but it lacks flavor. The reviewer regrets the lack of stronger cultural touches and questions the point of the "world tour" theme if every city ends up feeling the same.

The day/night cycle, adjustable on the fly across 4 times of day (morning, afternoon, early evening, and night), is praised, though IGN noticed no gameplay impact (traffic, passengers, events) during their session. That said, the lighting does its job well, giving the map a different feel depending on the areas visited and the lighting conditions.

GameSpot Preview:

A few open questions

• Generative AI: GameSpot revisits the controversy around its use, vaguely disclosed at first before Sega clarified that no AI-generated content will be present in the final game. The reviewer admits they couldn't actually verify this on the build they played.
• Visual polish: IGN points to fairly generic vehicles and NPCs, lacking personality and sometimes feeling like they came straight out of an asset store — a perception that ties directly back to the German map's lack of character.

Still smiling, though

Despite these reservations, both reviewers came away convinced by the driving fun and arcade energy of World Tour. GameSpot describes a genuine smile after their session, while IGN says the game finally made them understand the appeal of the franchise — an appeal the journalist hadn't experienced back in the day. Crazy Taxi World Tour is set for release in 2027, leaving time to polish things further, with a network test coming in the next few weeks.

At Recalbox, we're keeping a close eye on this game's development — Crazy Taxi shaped many of our childhoods, and the Crazy Taxi cabinet served as our reference hardware for developing steering wheel support on the Recalbox JVS. Needless to say, we can't wait to get back behind the wheel with Axel!

Enjoying the Recalbox team's work? Support the project by becoming a Patron!

Atari and Activision are officially making amends: after nearly 50 years apart, the two video game giants are teaming up to rerelease 39 classic titles from the Atari 2600 era on physical cartridges.

The announcement was made at Gamescom 2026, and it's sure to delight collectors and nostalgics alike: Atari and Activision are launching the Atari x Activision Collection, a physical rerelease program bringing back 39 Activision-published Atari 2600 games, including the unmissable Pitfall!, River Raid, and Kaboom!.

A historic reconciliation

The nod to history here is far from a coincidence. Activision was founded in 1979 by four former Atari programmers — David Crane, Alan Miller, Bob Whitehead, and Larry Kaplan — who were unhappy with their working conditions at the console maker. Their departure gave birth to the very first third-party publisher in video game history, a break that reshaped the industry. Nearly half a century later, the two companies are officially making up around this shared project.

The details of the offer

The collection comes in three formats.

Twelve Standard Edition cartridges, sold separately at $34.99 each (black cartridge + full-color manual): Pitfall!, River Raid, MegaMania, Enduro, Kaboom!, H.E.R.O., Keystone Kapers, Private Eye, Pressure Cooker, River Raid II, Pitfall II: Lost Caverns, and The Activision Decathlon.

Four Deluxe box sets at $249.99 each (colorful cartridge, embroidered patch, and exclusive pin per game), releasing in staggered waves over a year:

• Treasure Collection (10 games, November 2026): Pitfall!, River Raid, MegaMania, Dragster, Freeway, Grand Prix, Chopper Command, Sky Jinks, Barnstorming, Dolphin
• Speed Collection (10 games, Spring 2027): Enduro, H.E.R.O., The Activision Decathlon, Boxing, Checkers, Fishing Derby, Skiing, Laser Blast, Stampede, Tennis
• Secrets Collection (9 games, Summer 2027): Keystone Kapers, Kaboom!, Private Eye, Starmaster, Spider Fighter, Seaquest, Bridge, Oink!, Ice Hockey
• Victory Collection (10 games, Fall 2027): Pitfall II: Lost Caverns, River Raid II, Pressure Cooker, Plaque Attack, Robot Tank, Crackpots, Frostbite, Beamrider, Cosmic Commuter, Space Shuttle: A Journey Into Space

A Complete Collection at $999.96 bundles all four box sets, with free shipping and 12 bonus metal trading cards.

All cartridges, standard and deluxe alike, are compatible with the modern Atari 2600+/7800+ as well as original 2600/7800 hardware.

A collection… for collectors

The positioning is clearly aimed at the premium collector market rather than the casual player: at nearly $1,000 for the complete collection, this is far removed from the simple pleasure of putting Pitfall! back on the shelf. Staggering the releases across all of 2027 lets Atari keep attention on the project over time, but it also means a long wait for fans chasing titles like Pitfall II or Beamrider. That said, guaranteed compatibility with original hardware is a genuine plus for the retrogaming community, in a moment when nostalgic physical rereleases are clearly having a moment.

Pre-orders are open now on Atari's official website.

Sources: Atari, RetroDodo, GamesRadar+, Time Extension

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Who hasn't cursed at their overloaded power strip crammed with mismatched bulky transformers just to run their NES, Megadrive and Super Nintendo at the same time? Kytor Industries has the answer with the RetroTap, a power distribution unit designed specifically for our retro machines.

A smart distributor rather than a simple power strip

The RetroTap doesn't replace each original power supply: it centralizes their function. Connected to a single external 9-volt power source, the unit can power up to 11 consoles simultaneously, with a manufacturer recommendation not to exceed 4 devices running at the same time.

To sum up, your console's power cable will no longer be connected to its own individual power supply, but to the RetroTap unit along with your other consoles — the RetroTap thus acts as the single, sole power supply.

A design built to protect vintage hardware

Consoles from the 80s and 90s are particularly sensitive to electrical instability, which can show up as on-screen interference or, over time, damage internal components. To address this, Kytor Industries has integrated LC filtering on each output to deliver stable DC current with very low residual ripple. The manufacturer's own tests show notably better results than a PS2 Slim power supply or a Triad block, whether tested on an SNES Jr. or on a full Sega "Tower of Power" (Genesis + Mega CD + 32X).

On the safety side, the unit includes reverse-polarity protection on the input and resettable fuses on each port: in the event of overvoltage or a short circuit, power cuts automatically and resets itself once the unit has cooled down, with no soldering required.

Broad compatibility

The RetroTap is announced as compatible with more than 45 retro console variants from Sega, Nintendo, NEC, Atari and Neo Geo, covering both center-negative power (NES, Super Nintendo, Mega Drive Model 1, PC Engine...) and center-positive power (Mega Drive Model 2, 32X, TurboDuo...).

Sturdy 18 AWG copper power cables, available in 2 or 4 meter lengths with custom molded connectors, round out the ecosystem.

Availability

Kytor Industries has announced the commercial launch of the RetroTap and its accessories for September 3, 2026, priced at $59.99. The product has been validated by an ISO 17025-accredited third-party laboratory for FCC, CE and UKCA certifications, following more than six months of beta testing by volunteers.

Sources: Kytor Industries, Retrogamer.cc, Time Extension

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After delivering a standout port of Sega Rally, solo developer Wanszai strikes again with Ridge Racer Collection, a project bringing together three pillars of Namco arcade racing: Ridge Racer, Ridge Racer 2, and Rave Racer. Available for free on PC and Xbox consoles, this native port pushes these Namco System 22 classics well beyond what MAME emulation could offer until now.

A complete technical overhaul

The three games now run in 16:9, at 60 frames per second, and can scale up to 4K resolution — a level of clean, alias-free rendering that had never been achieved through MAME before, even though the original textures remain unchanged. The port runs on PC as well as Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

Wheels, force feedback, and 8-player multiplayer

The project supports racing wheels, pedals, and gear shifters, with a force feedback system for PC and Xbox Series. Rave Racer already handled force feedback in its original arcade version; Wanszai had to build synthetic force feedback for Ridge Racer and Ridge Racer 2, still a work in progress according to notes on the official GitHub repository.

On the network side, the progress is notable: while the original cabinets limited multiplayer to two players, Ridge Racer 2 and Rave Racer now support up to 8 simultaneous online players, for free, with no sign-up required, and full cross-play between PC and Xbox. The only current multiplayer limitation: manual transmissions are restricted to sequential shifting online, and H-pattern shifters can't be used online for now.

No copyrighted content distributed

As with his previous ports, Wanszai doesn't provide any copyright-protected files: users must supply their own roms (namcoc71.bin, namcoc74.bin, raverace.zip, ridgera2.zip, ridgerac.zip, ridgeracb.zip). Only the international (World) romset is supported at this stage; support for Japanese roms is planned for a future update, once force feedback has been stabilized.

How to install it

Installation remains simple: on PC, just drop your roms into the dedicated folder; the process is identical on Xbox 360. On Xbox Series consoles, files need to be copied to the root of a USB drive to be installed on the game's first launch. We won't go into the technical details in this article since full instructions are available on the project's GitHub.

The developer notes that all of his ports remain free, though a donation via Ko-fi is always appreciated to support his work.

Sources: The-Retrogamer.com, DSOGaming, GenerationAmiga, GitHub - wanszai/Ridge-Racer-Collection

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After the V2 update that turned the tool into a full-fledged label manager, RecalCards Gen takes things a step further. This V2.5 brings new creation tools, advanced image settings, and a genuine design-software-level workspace, all while staying super accessible.

New creation tools

New tools have joined the generator. The text tool lets you add titles, captions, or any other inscription directly onto your labels, without needing an external editor. The shapes tool rounds out the palette, adding simple graphic elements (frames, circles, solid shapes, dividers) to help you structure your compositions more easily.

Symmetry and opacity on your images

Still with the goal of giving you more creative control, V3 introduces a symmetry function to flip your visuals with a single click, along with an opacity setting to layer and blend your images together. This opens the door to far more elaborate compositions.

A workspace worthy of a real piece of software

This is arguably the biggest change in this version. The workspace now includes features usually found in graphic design software: zoom in and out to fine-tune details, a grid and snapping to precisely align every element, and true layer management to organize your most complex compositions.

Light mode and dark mode

To fit your preferences (and your late-night creative sessions), the generator now offers a light mode and a dark mode.

To try out RecalCards Gen, head over to:

recalcards-gen.recalbox.com

As a reminder, RecalCards are collectible physical cards that slot into the Card Reader to automatically launch the game of your choice from your Recalbox library. Recalbox Patrons at tier 2 and 3 also receive exclusive RecalCards Collectors, delivered straight to their door every 2 months (or annually, depending on the tier).

We've decided to close out the summer in style with a new Recal'Talk! Join us on Friday, August 28th at 9 PM on Discord for a friendly live session with the Recalbox team, where we'll show you what we're working on before an open Q&A. This get-together is offered roughly every two months to our Patrons, who can join us live on Discord.

No vacation for Recalbox!

10.1 has been available for a few weeks now on the Patron update channel, and will be arriving very soon for everyone in a stable release. As you might expect, we've already been working on the next version for a while. We already touched on some upcoming additions during the last Recal'Talk, including around twenty newly emulated systems, but you know us — we like to keep our secrets, and we still have things to show you.

What's a Recal'Talk?

It's a live video call with the Recalbox team, where we show you our ongoing work, followed by a Q&A session at the end of the evening. Our Patrons can join us this Friday, August 28th at 9 PM on the usual Discord channel, in the "Bosses" section.

Can't make it?

A Patreon article will be available the day after or the day after that, so you can catch up on all the announcements.

See you soon!

The Recalbox Team

This news actually broke back in May, but it's a great piece of preservation news we wanted to share with you: it's now possible to legally dump Xbox, Xbox 360, GameCube and Wii games from a PC, with no modded console or shady workaround involved. The key to all this? A custom firmware called OmniDrive, flashed onto certain off-the-shelf Blu-ray drives.

A firmware that changes everything

Until now, dumping Xbox, Xbox 360, GameCube or Wii games almost always meant going through a modded console, with all the hardware and legal constraints that come with it. OmniDrive flips the problem on its head: instead of modifying the console, it's the optical drive that gets modified. The firmware specifically targets Blu-ray drives built around the MediaTek MT1959 chipset, manufactured by Hitachi-LG Data Storage, and lets them read the proprietary formats of these consoles.

Released out of beta back in February, the project really gained visibility recently thanks to a video from YouTuber Archades Games, who walked through the whole installation process as well as the extraction of an Xbox 360 game using Media Preservation Frontend, an open-source dumping tool.

Which drives and which consoles are supported

We're not talking about just any Blu-ray drive here: compatibility is limited to specific models, mainly from LG (the WP50NB40 comes up often as a reference), Asus, Buffalo and Verbatim. OmniDrive offers two versions of the firmware, one for standard internal drives and one for external/slim models.

On the console side, GameCube, Wii, original Xbox and Xbox 360 are the big winners of this compatibility, with decrypted dumps that are directly usable in emulation. Dreamcast is also supported, but only for the low-density area of the GD-ROM. The firmware can also read PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series and Wii U discs, but these remain encrypted: they can be extracted, but not used as-is for now.

How to check if your drive is compatible

The Disc Preservation Project Wiki keeps an up-to-date list of compatible drive model numbers, with quite a few models listed. For anyone in a hurry, the simplest trick is to launch MakeMKV, the well-known DVD and Blu-ray backup app: the chipset name and drive model show up directly on the home screen, letting you check compatibility in a few seconds.

Preservation gains ground

This is a notable step forward for video game preservation: until now, dumping these console generations required complex manipulations, aging (and increasingly fragile) hardware, or outright a modded console. Being able to rely on an off-the-shelf Blu-ray drive, with open firmware and an active community behind it, makes the process much more accessible to anyone looking to back up their own physical collection.

Sources: RetroDodo, TechSpot, Tom's Hardware, XDA Developers, HotHardware, Time Extension

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Recalbox is a community-driven open source project in constant evolution (we'll actually talk about what's new in the second part of this article). Up to now (and this won't change), we keep you informed via the blog, our Twitch and YouTube channel with Fab2Ris, and the Patreon space for our Patrons, who follow the project "from the inside".

We also have an email newsletter you can sign up for from the website — for those already subscribed, you've probably noticed we send very few emails. So we've decided to concentrate our email communication via Patreon, and for free.

Why this change?

By signing up for free on Patreon, you'll automatically receive an email for every Recalbox publication: videos, tutorials, release notes, monthly Recalbox / retrogaming newsletters, hardware news, shop updates... All the project's news centralized on a single platform, so you never miss anything, in both French and English! No worries, we rarely send more than one email a week, sometimes every two weeks.

The goal is simple: bring the project even closer to its community. None of this would be possible without you, and we want you to be the first to know about every update, news item, or upcoming event. What could be better than being at work and spotting a Recalbox email letting you know an update is waiting for you at home!

On our end, this also makes things easier — managing mailings internally can be time-consuming, and our emails can end up in spam, etc. With Patreon, sending is automatic, for everyone, in one click. Signing up and unsubscribing are both one click away — in short, a time-saver and more convenient for everyone.

How to sign up (for free)

Head over to patreon.com/cw/recalbox and click "Become a free member" or "Subscribe for free" depending on your browser:

Then choose the free option, without going through a paid tier, by clicking "Skip for now":

And that's it! From now on you'll receive an email for every Recalbox publication on Patreon.

Of course, if you'd like to support the project… we won't stop you ;). Subscriptions help the project and give you access to several perks, which we'll detail in a future blog post since they were recently updated.

Already a Patron?

If you're already a Patreon member, free or paid, you don't need to do anything: you're already receiving our publications by email. This new communication channel changes nothing for you — it's simply aimed at those who weren't following us on Patreon yet.

We hope you'll enjoy this new channel. On our end, it was important to bring you even further into the Recalbox adventure. That said, speaking of the Recalbox adventure, things are moving fast with brand new versions on your Recalbox: on to the news!

A summer focused on optimization

As we write these lines, we're at version 10.0.8, the result of major optimization work, with in particular a significant performance improvement on the Raspberry Pi 5 2GB.

This optimization work has also benefited other boards (Pi 4, Pi 3, various cases...), and this summer is definitely all about performance: Patrons (currently on 10.1-patron-1, more on that just below) will notice overall gains across most emulators, with a particularly visible boost for fans of 3D arcade on Naomi 2 and Model 3.

A big thank you to our latest hardware, the Recalbox JVS, which allowed us to focus our work on demanding systems where optimization was essential, and thanks to which we're able to bring these improvements to the emulators.

The GunCon 2 has also benefited from optimized support, with 99% shot accuracy and compatibility with 31kHz displays, again thanks to the work done around JVS.

10.1-patron-1 is available

On the Patrons' side, 10.1-patron-1 is already available. This version brings so many new features that we could have called it Recalbox 11!

This build brings the Logo View, the Jukebox for managing Patron playlists, a near-perfect GunCon 2 (99% accuracy and 31kHz compatibility), a built-in manual/map reader, a redesigned controller configuration, new virtual keyboards, and the ability to install Recalbox directly from the Recalbox menu to internal storage or USB.

New emulated systems and cores are also available (Philips P2000T, Vircon32, Exelvision EXL100, Epoch Cassette Vision, STV), and as mentioned above, an optimization of the Naomi 2 and Model 3 systems now brings 60 fps to nearly all titles on Raspberry Pi 5, and more broadly, other systems benefit from a 10-15% FPS boost.

This 10.1 will very soon be available to everyone in a stable version. With a major addition we've kept quiet about here — you'll find out very soon ;)

We wish you an excellent end of summer, happy holidays to those lucky enough to have them, and see you very soon!

The Recalbox Team

After the success of the Commodore 64 Ultimate, the brand back from the dead keeps growing its collection of good (and not-so-good) surprises. This week, we head back to the 80s with the revival of an iconic accessory: the TAC-2 joystick.

An iconic controller, brought up to date

Originally manufactured by Suncom in the 1980s, the TAC-2 (short for Totally Accurate Controller) worked with the Commodore 64 and Amiga as well as certain Atari machines, thanks to its standard 9-pin port. It built a solid reputation for durability at a time when many rival joysticks would give up the ghost after just a few games.

Commodore chose to stay true to the original recipe rather than piling on gadgets: no Bluetooth, no USB-C, no companion app. You plug it in (still via a 9-pin connector), and it just works, like in the good old days. The main update is under the hood: the shaft originally used an automotive tire valve assembly (yes, back then people improvised), a well-known weak point for owners at the time. It's now been replaced with a sturdier steel shaft, and the cable has been made longer.

The joystick comes in five colorways, three of which match the C64 Ultimate lineup (Beige, Starlight, and the gold Founders edition), plus a C= White and a Knight Black, the latter two skipping the LEDs in the buttons for purists.

The catch: shipping costs

Where the announcement ruffled some feathers is on delivery fees. Priced at $49.99 (around €43 for pre-orders), the TAC-2 is still half the price of a used unit on the secondhand market, where prices regularly top $100. But several users have flagged disproportionate shipping costs, with some reporting fees close to the price of the joystick itself for delivery to the UK. Enough to dampen some of the community's enthusiasm, despite the product's promised quality.

A limited Founders edition, with gold finishes, is also available at a higher price. Pre-orders are open now on Commodore's official website, with shipping expected to begin on October 20.

Sources: Le Mag de MO5.COM, Time Extension, Tom's Hardware, TechPowerUp, eTeknix, Generation Amiga

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Creating your own NES or Super Nintendo game without writing a single line of assembly code — that's the promise of RetroGameForge. The new tool from Joe Granato, already known for NESmaker, has just launched its Kickstarter and is already blowing past its funding goal.

A software suite built on the legacy of NESmaker

RetroGameForge isn't a project starting from scratch. Eight years ago, three retro developers put together a set of graphical tools to make it easier to build their own action RPG on NES. Those tools became NESmaker, a development kit that allowed dozens of homebrew creators to release their own NES games without having to learn assembly language.

Nearly two years ago now, Joe Granato, the mind behind NESmaker, announced plans to extend his tool to the Super Nintendo under a new name: RetroGameForge. The software is now mature enough to allow the creation of complete games on both NES and SNES, and the team has even hinted at future compatibility with other machines from the late 80s and early 90s.

Why launch a Kickstarter

According to the team, the software suite is already fully capable of producing playable games. The goal of the funding campaign isn't to finish development, then, but to make it more robust: stress-test the software under real-world conditions, expand the documentation, build a library of templates as well as graphic and sound resources, and cover manufacturing and shipping costs for physical cartridges.

RetroGameForge Kickstarter page

The nod hasn't gone unnoticed: the initial goal was set at $6,502, a direct reference to the MOS 6502 processor that powers the NES. A goal reached in record time, and already exceeded more than twelvefold at the time of writing (close to $80,000 raised), with nearly a month of the campaign still to go.

What RetroGameForge actually offers

On the menu: a visual, intuitive interface designed for beginner developers or those who've struggled to learn assembly, plus a dedicated music composition tool for scoring your creations. Backers are offered two tiers: an SDK (Software Development Kit) limited to NES for $40 (around €35), and a full version covering both NES and SNES for $64 (around €56). Wi-Fi-equipped cartridges are also available, letting you test your creations on genuine period hardware rather than an emulator.

Should the campaign pass $180,000 — a stretch goal it's already nearly halfway to — other machines could be added to the list of supported systems, though the team hasn't yet specified which ones.

A deliberate response to the wave of AI-assisted creation

In his campaign description, Joe Granato takes a clear stance against the rise of AI tools within the homebrew scene. He champions creation that remains fundamentally human, while simplifying the most technical aspects of development for these historic systems. RetroGameForge positions itself as both a creative tool and a roundabout way to learn programming basics, open to anyone motivated enough, regardless of their background in computer science.

The ecosystem around the tool doesn't stop at development, either: Granato's outfit plans to expand its virtual arcade, The Retro Verse, into a full-fledged marketplace, letting creators sell their games on cartridge without going through a crowdfunding campaign, with royalties paid out. His label, BitMask Publishing, already offers to help NES developers port their games to Switch, Steam, Xbox, iOS, Android, Mac, PC, and Linux.

All of which could potentially breathe new life into the 16-bit homebrew scene, which has so far been far less well-equipped with tools than its NES counterpart.

Sources: Time Extension and Le Mag de MO5.COM

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Sega is taking nostalgia to the next level by teaming up with Japanese brand SuperGroupies to launch a collection of watches inspired by three of its most iconic consoles: the Mega Drive, Saturn, and Dreamcast. A tribute that should delight collectors with a strong attachment to the company's history.

Three consoles, three watches, one goal: nostalgia

SuperGroupies is no stranger to licensed merchandise, but this collaboration with Sega is particularly appealing to retro gaming enthusiasts. Each of the three watches faithfully recreates the visual identity of the console that inspired it, down to the smallest details: controller buttons, logos, and colors matching the original Japanese versions.

The Mega Drive and Saturn versions feature the cartridge slot, while the Dreamcast version recreates the circular design of its CD drive. As you can see in the featured image, each model accurately incorporates the design cues of the consoles and their buttons, both in terms of shapes and colors, with the details standing out in relief. There is no ambiguity here: even non-geeks will recognize the consoles at first glance.

Watches designed as true collector's items

Beyond the design, Sega and SuperGroupies have paid particular attention to the presentation. Each watch comes in a box recreating the aesthetic of the original Japanese packaging of its corresponding console, with the logo engraved on the back of the case.

As for the construction, the watches feature a stainless-steel case, a brass dial protected by mineral glass, and a Japanese Miyota 2039 quartz movement, with water resistance up to 5 ATM. To be clear, these are not smartwatches.

Availability and pricing

Pre-orders are already open on the SuperGroupies website, with delivery scheduled in Japan for early February 2027, followed by a worldwide release in spring. Each model is priced at 27,500 yen, or approximately 320 US dollars.

Sources : Time Extension, Siliconera, Notebookcheck, Sega-Mag

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As you know, this summer is all about optimization at Recalbox. After work on the Pi 5 2GB (article here) and on Naomi 2 and Model 3 (article here), the team turned its attention to the GunCon 2 — the gun that lets you play Time Crisis, House of the Dead, Duck Hunt, Confidential Mission… — plug and play with Recalbox since the release of the RGB Dual 2.

While the experience was generally solid, a few issues could crop up: missed shots, rough calibration, needing to crank up screen brightness for certain games to work properly, notably on Dreamcast… The overall experience was good, but we wanted to deliver rock-solid support.

A well-calibrated caliber

After several weeks of work — and a certain Recalbox JVS that got us digging back into gun cabs — we're happy to announce that the GunCon 2 now works wonders with the 10.1-patron-1 update!

We've added a calibration screen every time you launch a game for your GunCon 2, letting you test and confirm your setup and calibration for optimal accuracy.

Say cheese, you've been flashed

For the GunCon to work, it needs to "see" a flash. Most games generate one by default, but not all do (you know, those white flashes that appear when you shoot). Many arcade games, for example, don't produce this flash, so we decided to add one to every game that was missing it to provide a better overall experience.

Room for two frequencies in this town

As you know, the GunCon 2 is compatible with 15 kHz CRT screens (the old-school cathode-ray TVs that used to sit in every living room…); compatibility is now extended to 31 kHz monitors (the CRT VGA screens that notably powered our old PCs…). Plenty of room to enjoy your gun on this type of screen with zero compromise!

Broad hardware compatibility

While support for the GunCon 2 was officially introduced alongside the release of the RGB Dual 2, where it works out of the box, we haven't forgotten about our other hardware either, especially those dedicated to arcade gaming, where light gun titles are everywhere.

The GunCon 2 is also compatible with the Recalbox RGB JAMMA 2 and the Recalbox JVS. Both feature the required ports to connect the gun and will automatically support the new peripheral. A demonstration video on cabinet is available at the end of this article.

Trigger aces at work

These optimizations are already available to Patrons via 10.1-patron-1, and will be coming soon to the stable release for everyone. In the meantime, check out the video below for a few clips from our testing on these optimizations.

Enjoying the Recalbox team's work? Support the project by becoming a Patron!