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Originally released in 1998 for Nintendo 64 and later for PlayStation and PC, Glover is a 3D platform game with a unique concept. Players take on the role of an animated glove, tasked with manipulating a bouncing ball through a series of puzzles and challenges. With its six worlds and 30 levels combining skill and reflection, the game has carved out a special place in the platforming landscape.

Now Glover is set to return in an HD remastered version, which promises visual improvements while retaining its original charm. A new trailer has also been unveiled, showcasing modernised graphics and updated gameplay. The icing on the cake is that a physical version of the game is planned for Nintendo Switch via Limited Run Games.

The wait won't be long: the remaster of Glover will be available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch from 27 February.

As a reminder, Glover features an unlucky magician whose spell goes awry, causing him to lose his enchanted gloves. One of them becomes evil after falling into a mysterious potion, while the other - the game's hero - goes on a quest to find the lost crystals and save the Crystal Kingdom from chaos.

With its mix of puzzles, platforming and action, Glover offers an original experience based on the mastery of glove and ball movements. This remaster promises adjustments for smoother, more accessible gameplay on modern consoles.

As every fortnight, you can take part in a new challenge on the Recalbox Discord. This challenge is open to everyone. The principle is simple: try to achieve the best score on a game drawn at random, often from the arcade catalogue.

🚀 For this third challenge of 2025, the game selected is Sunset Riders

Released in 1992 on arcade terminals, Sunset Riders takes you to the Wild West. A side-scrolling shoot ‘em up developed by Konami, Sunset Riders features four “cowboys” who have to shoot faster than their shadow to hope to reach the end of each level. The game is set in a world taken from westerns, with all the familiar codes: a Wild West town, a saloon, a ride on a train...

You'll need to search the boards, which hold a few secrets that will give you bonus scores and additional, more powerful weapons.

The game's colourful art direction makes it difficult at times to distinguish enemy projectiles, as the scenery is so full of detail. Enemies are fairly easy to kill, but you can quickly get trapped by obstacles.

Each level ends with a boss with a nice ‘dead or alive’ bonus.

🏆Challenge rules

In control of your cowboy, your aim will be to achieve the highest score in a single credit.

The game is less impressive than Gunbird 2, our previous challenge, in terms of enemy projectiles, but don't be fooled: if you get swamped or trapped by a barrel or dynamite, your chances of survival are slim.

**The challenge runs from 18 February to 3 March **.

How do I take part?

🕹️ Launch the game (rom ‘ssridersubc.zip’)

🏹 Play and try to beat the best score.

📸 Take a screenshot or photo of your final score.

📤 Share your score on the Discord #challenges channel or use the /submit score leaderboard command on the same channel.

⚖️ Rules to follow

To ensure a fair challenge: The score must be achieved in a single credit, without save state, rewind, cheats, or auto-fire (unless provided for in the game).

Rewards and fair play

The challenge is all about discovering games, sharing tips and, of course, having fun, all in a spirit of competition that's always welcome!

The winner will receive a game key (GOG, Steam, etc.) to choose from a list of over 80 titles. Note that if you've won a challenge in the last three months, the reward will go to the next one 🥇🥈🥉.

Congratulations to R3DeMoN who won the previous challenge on Gunbird 2 (at least at the time of writing, as the battle is still raging on the challenges channel).

Good luck to you all, and may the highest score win! 🕹️ 🔥

Shinobi is one of those games that has a special aura in the hearts of SEGA fans. The saga, which began in 1987 on arcade terminals, has seen numerous sequels and adaptations.

In recent months, the franchise has remained in the spotlight thanks to several homebrew projects, such as the porting of the Game Gear to Mega Drive version and the adaptation of the arcade game for Neo Geo, a console that had never before hosted the series.

This time, it's an official project that's revealed in detail with Shinobi: Art of Vengeance. Announced at The Game Awards 2023 without much in the way of details, SEGA has put an end to speculation by revealing a gameplay trailer that confirms that the game is indeed being developed by French studio Lizardcube, already acclaimed for its work on Streets of Rage 4.

One look at the video is enough to recognise the studio's signature style: entirely hand-drawn graphics and exceptionally dynamic animation. However, this modernisation respects the saga's heritage, as Ben Fiquet, the game's creative director, points out:

"Special powers, combos and even certain enemies, levels and bosses capture the very essence of the old Shinobi games. This is particularly true of the bamboo forest, which makes its return in this title and is sure to provoke a sense of nostalgia among fans of the Shinobi games."

The game is due to be released on 29 August on PC, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, priced at €29.99.

If the ‘retro-ninja’ universe appeals to you, this year will be particularly rich, with the concomitant release of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, also in 2D. Developed by Spanish studio The Game Kitchen (Blasphemous) and published by French outfit Dotemu (TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, Streets of Rage 4), it promises to be another serious contender in the genre.

If you follow FPGA projects, you may have heard of the Game Bub, an open source handheld console capable of reading Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance cartridges.

This console will also support the Game Boy link cable, incorporate a vibrator and have a docking station, sold separately, offering an HDMI output.

The project is being closely followed by Nintendo retrogamers who still own their cartridges and who, thanks to a single device, would be able to play games from three consoles natively.

However, this project is rekindling a sterile debate between the supporters of FPGAs and those of emulation. As a reminder, an FPGA reproduces the operation of original hardware via its electronic circuitry, while an emulation system simulates this operation on standard hardware (PC, Raspberry Pi, etc.).

Each solution has its advantages and disadvantages. However, some manufacturers, such as MiSTer FPGA and Analogue Pocket, tend to defend their approach by claiming to offer unrivalled precision through software emulation.

Engineer Eli Lipsitz, who is currently working on the Game Bub, does not share this opinion. His project is based on a Xilinx XC7A100T FPGA chip, but in his opinion this does not give it any intrinsic superiority over emulation:

"There's a lot of misleading marketing and hype around FPGA retrogaming. Some people claim that these devices are not emulators (because they are supposed to ‘act like the original chips’), that they achieve ‘perfect precision’ or that they are superior to software emulators", says Lipsitz.

The developer goes even further, calling this claim ‘patently false and actively harmful ’, before adding:

"FPGA retrogaming devices are emulators: they pretend to be something they are not. And they are only as accurate as they are programmed to be, since they are recreations. An FPGA can facilitate some aspects of accuracy, but it doesn't guarantee it.

Software emulators can be extremely accurate. Moreover, perfect accuracy (if it is possible at all) is by no means necessary to take full advantage of a system's game library. Some people say that FPGA emulators are the only way to preserve a system, but I'd say that software emulators are a much more accessible way (no special hardware required!) of achieving this goal.

I think FPGA emulators have only one real advantage over software emulators: they can more easily interact with the original hardware, such as physical cartridges or other consoles via link cables."

Lipsitz concludes:

"I did this project not because I think FPGA emulators are inherently better than software emulators, but because I think they are interesting and fun to build."

FPGA or emulation, the best solution is the one that suits us and that we enjoy working on. Below is a non-exhaustive table that simplifies the comparison between the two approaches:

Source: Time Extension

Many of you follow Fabrice's live every Tuesday, devoted to reading the JV press from our childhood. Many of you send us your collections to share with the community.

This community spirit has attracted the attention of our friends at Abandonware Magazines. If you're not familiar with their site, its aim is to collect and scan as many computer and video game magazines as possible to make them available in their online library.

And their work is colossal! In November 2024, the site reached 20,000 issues scanned, covering around 180 different magazines, all in French.

Created in 2002, the site has continued to evolve thanks to the arrival of new contributors, each of whom has made his or her own contribution to the edifice.

However, some collections are still incomplete, and that's where you can help! The Abandonware Magazines team has got in touch with Fabrice so that we can start passing on issues, and you can also take part in this initiative.

How can you help?

If you have a collection, or even just a few issues, you can contact the Abandonware Magazines team via their Discord. They'll let you know if they're interested in scanning your magazines.

What happens next?

Wondering what happens to the magazines once they've been scanned? There are three possibilities:

• They are returned to their lenders.
• If they have a certain value, they can be resold to finance the purchase of other issues.
• They can be added to the archives of MO5.com or the CNJV.

So, if you've got any magazines lying around in your garage or attic, you know what to do! 👉 Discord Abandonware Magazines

Many thanks to Catel for his availability, his information and, as a bonus, the photo he sent us of a scanner used for the site:

You may have seen it on Fabrice's live show or on our networks: Recalbox is currently in the development test phase on the Steam Deck. Before you rush off to Valve's machine, let's take stock.

As you know, we're deploying Recalbox on a variety of hardware: Raspberry Pi of course, but also Retroflag, Anbernic, Odroid, etc. You can find the list of compatible devices at this link. Our philosophy remains unchanged: to offer a plug and play solution that's accessible and doesn't require too much fiddling. Quality over quantity.

That hasn't stopped us from keeping an eye on new systems and the expectations of our community. The Steam Deck is one of them, and that's why David, one of Recalbox's developers, has been looking into the matter.

On 14 February, you saw the first image of the Steam Deck running Recalbox. But the work is far from over.

So far, David has managed to boot Recalbox via an SD card, without touching the internal storage (after having authorised booting on other media in the BIOS). The video works, but the display is currently rotated 90° (a rotation has been forced for the photo). For the time being, neither the sound nor the controls are functional.

As you can see, we're still in the early stages of development. But the idea of being able to alternate between modern games via Steam and retrogaming via Recalbox is extremely exciting!

For the time being, no roll-out date has been set. We'll keep you posted on the progress of the project on our networks, during lives and on the blog.

And here we are! I've been writing on this blog for three months now, and this is already the hundredth post. I'd like to take this opportunity to tell you about this aspect of the Recalbox project, invite you to join me on this adventure and thank a few people.

PRESS START

During the summer of 2017, I was trying to rebuild my PlayStation 1 library: console, controllers, a dozen or so games, some of which were pretty hard to find. Then my brother-in-law said to me: ‘Well, try Recalbox, I've got a Raspberry lying around’. I was intrigued... Two words in that sentence were completely new to me. An hour later, controller in hand, I was playing Micro Maniacs, and all my questions were gone.

I had in front of me the solution I'd been hoping for for years. A real dream! Every time I launched a game, I couldn't help but let out a ‘rho, that's crazy! I was a shadow user for a few years, I set up a bartop, equipped myself with a cathode-ray TV (three, actually, because... ‘you never know’) and RGB Dual to take back a nostalgic slap.

At the same time, from 2015 to 2024, a friend and I set up a website where I learned about writing and journalism. I quickly realised that I enjoyed covering an event as much as sharing it. In October 2024, we sold the site, which had become far too time-consuming for a simple passion project.

STAGE 1

It only took a month for me to contact DigitalLumberjack and offer to share my passion for retrogaming and my belief in the Recalbox project via the blog. After three ‘test’ articles, the ball was rolling.

And it was done with total confidence. Carte blanche. ‘Make yourself happy. I'd like to thank Digi for his trust, for the time he took to guide me and simply for his simplicity and friendliness. Thank you for allowing me to experience this adventure with you.

With you, because Recalbox is above all a human adventure. I've been lucky enough to join the team of beta-testers, a group that's hard to describe because it combines constant humour, incredible hard work and infinite patience to respond to the noob that I am, or to help me with certain articles.

Behind the scenes, I found exactly what I'd imagined: a group of friends united by their love of retrogaming. Whether we're having a good time or working hard, everyone is driven by the same passion. I had no idea how much work goes into developing a new version of Recalbox.

So, personally, I'd like to thank you for welcoming me and helping me, both with Recalbox and with the editorial team. I'm sincerely proud to be part of this adventure. And more broadly, and I think I speak for a lot of users: thank you for this project that you're carrying forward. Truly.

CONTINUE?

Now that everyone is nice and friendly... what's next? We're going to keep going. And I do mean ‘our’, because I'm going to be asking for your help.

As you'll have noticed, I mainly cover general retrogaming news via sites like Time Extension, Retro News, Retro Dodo, Le Mag MO5, etc., as well as ‘inside’ news about Recalbox through its current projects, tutorials, partnerships, IRL events...

But I may miss something you think is important to share. If you discover a neo-retro game, a homebrew project or a fun news item, don't hesitate to pass it on to me on Discord (in a private message or by tagging me). If I can, I'll write about it.

And don't hesitate to let me know what you think. Sometimes I write silly things, get a date or a console wrong, or make some twisted turns of phrase. When you've got your nose to the keyboard, it's not always obvious when you re-read.

Your help is invaluable. Like everyone else, between work, family and free time, my news research and writing time are limited. Sometimes I go too fast or miss relevant publications.

Finally, I'd like to thank you for your feedback, which I wasn't expecting, and for your presence on the blog, which is growing all the time.

Happy Valentine's Day! (I think it's a silly phrase, and a silly holiday, but I didn't know how to end this article). And for those of you who are on your own today... remember that some couples would have preferred to switch on their Recalbox.

Passion only has meaning if it's shared.

The famous beat'em all Golden Axe, originally released as an arcade game in 1989 on the Sega System 16 and then on Mega Drive, had never been officially ported to Neo Geo... until now. Homebrew developer Hoffman, already behind the porting of Shinobi to Neo Geo, has just released its adaptation of the game, the result of painstaking reverse-engineering and development work.

Hoffman explains that the port was created using a combination of analysis of the original code and new development to ensure that the gameplay and visuals were as faithful as possible to the arcade version.

This version includes the original arcade difficulty settings, the ability to select game region (Japan or World), as well as an exclusive soundtrack for the Neo Geo CD version, composed by Richard Douglas.

The developer has also fine-tuned certain technical aspects. He has improved his graphics tools to bring them even closer to the arcade version, and has paid particular attention to sound quality. The soundtrack comes directly from the original System 16 PCB. Some audio files have even been replaced by higher quality versions after extensive research into the original samples.

This homebrew port runs on the original consoles, most flash cartridge solutions and emulators. We haven't tested it on Recalbox yet, but if you'd like to give it a go and give us some feedback on Discord, the game is available now as a free download from Hoffman's itch.io page.

With the announcement of the remaster of Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny and the imminent arrival of Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Capcom seems determined to revive its famous saga. But for many fans, there's one big absentee: Onimusha 3: Demon Siege.

This third opus, released in 2004, left a lasting impression thanks in particular to the presence of a guest star: Jean Reno, who played Jacques Blanc, a policeman thrust unwillingly into feudal Japan. His face and movements were integrated directly into the game, in addition to his dubbing. Since then, his return in a possible remaster has become a recurring topic among fans.

Jean Reno ready to reprise his role

Following the announcement of the Onimusha 2 remaster, the website VG247 contacted Jean Reno's agent to find out if he would be interested in returning to the Onimusha universe. The response was swift:

Of course Jean would be delighted to reprise his role in Onimusha 3.

A brief statement, but one that will be enough to make fans of the game dream. Because if Capcom decides to remaster Onimusha 3, it would make sense for the 76-year-old actor to be involved again. The saga has already shown its attachment to the original actors: for the remaster of Onimusha: Warlords in 2018, Takeshi Kaneshiro returned to record his dialogue for the role of Samanosuke.

An expected but uncertain remaster

It now remains to be seen whether Capcom will dare to take the plunge. There was a long gap between the remasters of Onimusha 1 and 2 (seven years), and Onimusha 2 hasn't even been precisely dated yet. But with Way of the Sword in the pipeline and interest in the series growing, a remaster of Onimusha 3 could well be the next logical step.

Sources: Time Extension / VG247

The Recalbox blog is not designed to review video games. However, occasionally a neo-retro title catches my eye, prompting me to contact the publisher to obtain a copy and tell you all about it.

This is a rare occurrence: writing a review takes time, and Fabrice already presents many games in the Retrogaming News on Mondays, as well as testing some of them live on Thursdays.

But exceptions have to be made, and Rogue Flight is one of them. This 3D space shoot'em up will immediately remind Star Fox fans of the genre.

I'll admit it: as someone who didn't own a Nintendo 64, I've never played Star Fox. In fact, Rogue Flight was one of my very first 3D space shoot'em ups when I saw it from the back. But as soon as I saw the first trailers, I was immediately taken by its aesthetics and scoring.

A visual and audio tribute to the 80s and 90s

If Rogue Flight is immediately appealing, it's thanks to its meticulous art direction, directly inspired by the Japanese anime of the 80s and 90s. The game uses a grainy VHS-style filter (which can be deactivated) to further accentuate the retro atmosphere. Lighting effects, chara-design, enemies: everything exudes a love of old sci-fi anime.

The soundtrack, surprisingly, avoids the overly ‘gruff’ feel often associated with the genre. As for the dubbing, available in Japanese and English, it offers consistent interpretations without going overboard

The game is very beautiful

A classic scenario

The story is fairly conventional: the Earth has been destroyed by ARGUS, an interstellar surveillance system which, like any self-respecting AI, has rebelled against humans. The survivors, hiding in the shadows, launch a counter-attack with their last hope: Nadia, who seems to be the only one capable of piloting a ship.

At the controls of the Arrow, her combat aircraft, Nadia will have to face down the enemy. The storyline is merely a pretext for the multiple runs that await players, but that's not a problem, since the gameplay is the real strength of the game.

Accessible but demanding gameplay

Having little experience of rail shooters, my first few games were a carnage. Rogue Flight is a demanding game (and that's not a criticism!), where barrels are essential for dodging and absorbing enemy fire.

The only downside is that this mechanic is overpowered at the start of the game, as it has no cooldown. Against the first boss, I felt like I was cheating by using it ad infinitum. A bit more fine-tuning would have been nice.

In terms of controls, the game remains simple to get to grips with:

• A main shot, with several types of weapon to unlock,
• A target lock to send missiles,
• The barrel, essential for survival,
• A super dodge that slows down the action and destroys several enemies in one go.

While the barrel may seem excessive at first, it won't be enough in the higher levels, where the game reveals all its tactical depth.

In terms of gameplay, there's a well-thought-out mechanic: a combo gauge fills up as you shoot. Once it's full, it recharges your ship's shield, so you'll have to hit enemy after enemy to keep the gauge from falling back to zero.

Classic arcade mode and a tough roguelite mode

The arcade mode offers a classic first adventure, with three lives per run. Once you've used up all your lives, you have to restart the current level. Alternative paths offer replayability and different endings.

But the most important part of the game is the roguelite mode, which can be unlocked after completing the arcade once. Here, death means starting all over again. If you like challenges and scoring, you're in for a real treat.

As you complete each run, you'll earn upgrades that modify the ship's performance and appearance. The workshop quickly becomes indispensable if you hope to survive the highest difficulty levels. A New Game + is also available, allowing you to explore alternative routes and remixed levels (and different endings).

Il vous faudra améliorer votre vaisseau pour espérer survivre à haut niveau

Verdict: immediate fun, but limited replayability

Beware, Rogue Flight doesn't have the depth of Hades. The same settings are quickly repeated and the bestiary lacks variety. It's not a game you'll spend 600 hours playing, but that's not its ambition either.

The studio has preferred to concentrate on the essentials: fluid, immediate gameplay, where you spend more time playing than navigating the menus. Everything is designed to be a nervous, instinctive experience.

As soon as you find your rhythm, you become one with the ship. The action is intense, the effects explosive, and each level's end leaves you breathing a sigh of relief after coming so close to disaster.

Arcade mode ends quickly, but it's as you ramp up the difficulty and explore roguelite mode that the game reveals its true potential.

It may lack a little variety to prolong the experience over the long term, but at £20, it's hard to hold that against it. What's more, the 97% positive reviews on Steam speak for themselves.

Rogue Flight was tested on PS5 via a code provided by Perp Games, to whom I extend my warmest thanks. Developed by Truant Pixel, it is available on PC, Switch, PlayStation and Xbox.

If you're a lover of cyberpunk and run-and-gun games, here's a title that should catch your eye. Neon Inferno, a retro-futuristic game developed by Zenovia, is set to hit all platforms in 2025.

The game will plunge you into a dystopian New York in 2055**, where two heroes, members of a powerful city clan, will confront criminals determined to impose their law on a city plagued by a police force corrupt to the bone.

A tribute to the classics with a modern twist

The development team has made no secret of its inspirations, drawing directly on references such as Wild Guns and Contra. While Neon Inferno pays homage to 32-bit games, it also seeks to innovate by offering modern gameplay mechanics. There's a Bullet Time for dodging bullets, and enemies to shoot appear in the background, adding a sense of depth to the levels.

So you won't just be running and gunning: the gameplay looks set to be varied and inspired, as the trailer shows. The bestiary promises great diversity, with several types of enemy and bosses with very distinct patterns.

Striking art direction to great effect

All this is enhanced by a striking art direction, paying homage to the 32-bit era, with a great-looking CRT filter (which can be deactivated, given the Steam screenshots). In addition to its polished atmosphere, Neon Inferno will feature :

• A cooperative mode
• A equipment system
• Several difficulty modes
• An arcade mode dedicated to purists

A demo available

For the impatient, a Steam demo is already available. It allows you to explore an entire level and get a first glimpse of the game's gameplay and atmosphere.

Neon Inferno looks set to be a modern-day run-and-gun staple. It remains to be seen whether it will succeed in capturing the magic of the classics while adding its own identity!

If you are on this blog, it is very likely that you are a Recalbox user. Many of us want to remember our childhood memories and share them with friends and family.

Emulation has never been more accessible than today. Nevertheless, some players continue to play on the original consoles, and we understand them (we are part of it). Our old machines have a design rooted in pop culture, and nothing replaces their original sounds, controllers and sensations.

A poll published in the United States on February 8 (and therefore only relevant to that country) highlights the players' attachment to the original material. Conducted in May 2024 on a panel of 2,022 adult North American residents, this survey provides some interesting and rare enough numbers to be shared.

Let’s get to the point: of these 2,022 people, 14% used an original retro console at home in 2023 (year 2000 being the limit for retrogaming for this survey).

It is important to put this figure in perspective: these are consoles that are more than 25 years old (at best), no longer on the market, difficult to repair and sometimes requiring specific screens (CRT).

We should also note that many retro games are accessible via the online shops of different manufacturers (classics stores), or through emulation, which avoids clutter and multiplication of cables. So you might think that comfort is more important than authenticity. Yet it seems – and we hope so – that our good old consoles still have some guardian angels.

Some Recalbox users are also included. On our dedicated Discord channel real-hardware, many of you share your treasures or ask for help with the restoration of old consoles and even ordinosaures.

If you are wondering if you are a one-off by watching your VHS tapes or using other systems from another time, you can visit the survey page to be reassured.

Source: Time Extension

Square Enix has done a tremendous job on the remake of Final Fantasy VII. Composed of three parts, this project has so far convinced fans with its first two parts.

Graphics, gameplay, storyline development: this is a true remake that assumes its heritage while offering many new features. However, he can be blamed for his episodic pattern, forcing players to go through the checkout three times to wrap up the story of Cloud and his companions. However, the enthusiastic reception of the specialized press and players relegates this disadvantage to a secondary level.

Another Final Fantasy has a special place in the hearts of fans: Final Fantasy IX. Taking a character design close to that of FFVII, it marked a return to the heroic fantasy, thus reconnecting with the first inspirations of the saga. With its deep storyline, mature themes and characters as varied as endearing, it remains an essential opus.

For a few months, persistent rumors have been circulating on the web. Although they should be taken with care, they come from generally reliable leakers.

This is a tweet from NatetheHate2 who recently put Final Fantasy IX back in the spotlight. When asked by a follower about possible news of the game, he replied:

"Both [FF9 and FF Tactics] are still in active development. FFIX is not expected to be released in 2025. Maybe we’ll see him out in 2026."

The project seems to be underway, although Square Enix has not yet made it official. According to previous rumors, the development was initially entrusted to an external studio, but, considered unsatisfactory, it was taken internally by Square Enix and is now at an advanced stage.

Finally, unlike the remake of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy IX would not receive the same prestige treatment, perhaps due to a smaller fanbase. The game would remain more faithful to the original game, released in 2000 on PlayStation 1.

All this is of course still to be taken lightly, but these leaks are beginning to gain credibility with many media. If a release in 2026 is really planned, an official release by Square Enix this year seems quite plausible.

Source: Retro News

Just a few years ago, it was hard to imagine playing our childhood games online. Multiplayer was limited to sofa evenings with several controllers and split screens, or even, a little later, to LAN games on PC.

Let's face it, it's hard to recapture that feeling today, so much so that we often raise the positive point when a modern game offers split-screen... Fortunately, there's now a way to network play your childhood games with your friends on Recalbox: Netplay! 🚀 Here's how to take advantage of it.

🛠️ Prerequisites

✔️ Have Recalbox up to date (9.2.3 at the time of writing).

✔️ Connect your Recalbox to the network, preferably RJ45 📶 (Wi-Fi can be unstable).

✔️ Have the same ROMs as your friends to ensure compatibility.

⚠️ Points of attention before you get started

Not all systems are compatible with Netplay ❌. Don't worry if you want to score with several people on arcade, MAME and FBNeo are compatible. Other consoles are of course compatible such as Mega Drive, NES, Super NES and many others that we are trying to update as we go along.

We invite you to watch 🎥 Fabrice's video (from 1 min 40) for more details and to join us on the Netplay channel of our Discord 💬 for the full list of compatible systems (and to find gaming partners!).

⚙️ Set up Netplay

1️⃣ Go to Game Options > Netplay Options.

2️⃣ Activate Netplay, enter your nickname and note down the port number, which you can use later.

3️⃣ Leave the Netplay Relay Server set to "None" (only useful on certain public networks).

4️⃣ Set a password to privatise your parts.

5️⃣ Activate "Hash ROMs" to guarantee compatibility with your friends.

🎲 Host a game

1️⃣ Choose your game and launch it by pressing Y (triangle on PS1) instead of A (X on PS1).

2️⃣ A pop-up will appear to set up password protection.

3️⃣ Click on Start to launch the game!

🎮 Join a game

1️⃣ Stay on the system selection screen and press Y (triangle on PS1).

2️⃣ A list of games in progress will appear: 📌

On the left: the games concerned.

👤 On the right: the host nickname + other useful info (compatibility, core used, etc.).

3️⃣ Select the game and choose whether to join as a player or spectator.

4️⃣ Enter the password provided by the host and... off you go! 🚀 ---

⚡ Maximise compatibility and reduce latency

To improve the stability of your connection, you can open the ports on your box.

1️⃣ Connect to the administrator interface of your box (specific addresses of operators at the bottom of the article under the video).

2️⃣ Add the port number indicated in the Netplay menu.

3️⃣ Result: improved compatibility and reduced latency.

📺 A detailed demonstration is available from 10 minutes in the video below, with an example on the BBox. As each box has its own settings, you can easily find tutorials on the Internet.

🏠 Netplay locally

If you have two Recalboxes connected to the same network and want to play Netplay together, you'll need:

🔧 Change the port number on one of the two Recalboxes.

📡 Add this port in the administrator interface of your Internet box.

✅ This will prevent conflicts between the two Recalboxes and ensure a stable connection!

🎉 Ready to play!

Now you're ready for your online adventure!

🎮 Whether you are using HDMI, RGB Dual or RGB JAMMA on an arcade terminal 🕹️, these different pieces of hardware do not interfere with Netplay.

💡 The main thing is to have the same ROMs (hashed), the same core and the same version of Recalbox.

📺 Below, find Fabrice's video 🎥 on which this tutorial is based.

📢 Need help? Join us on Discord 💬 !

More details on our Wiki

ACCESS YOUR BOX MANAGEMENT INTERFACE:

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Mega Cat Studios recently shared an update on their highly anticipated shoot’em up ZPF scheduled for Mega Drive / Genesis, and which we already told you about a few weeks ago. On this occasion, a new trailer (which you will find at the bottom of the article) focused on the game’s story was unveiled, along with an important announcement: the release date for Kickstarter and pre-orders rewards is postponed from Q1 2025 to May.

A dive into the world of ZPF

The new trailer is narrated by a mysterious character named Quigely who introduces the three playable heroes and the game’s three distinct worlds. Each character has its own story and is presented in a beautiful pencil style:

• Knight is an ancient armor forged by forgotten gods, now piloted by a magician of great talent.
• Gold is a cyborg who takes on dangerous missions for the authorities of a futuristic city.
• Gladius is a ship piloted by one of the last survivors of a space colony decimated by an alien invasion, seeking revenge against these mutant abominations.

Fate brings the three protagonists together through a series of time-lapses that push them to face an unknown evil force.

Development almost completed, but inevitable delay

According to the developers, ZPF is almost finished and the team is now focusing on final adjustments. However, unexpected "delays from suppliers during the holiday season" forced Mega Cat Studios to postpone release. This additional time will allow to refine the game by performing extensive tests to ensure a smooth and seamless experience.

Kickstarter success

ZPF made a splash in its fundraising campaign on July 2024, reaching more than 1000% of its original target. This success is a testament to the enthusiasm of players for this project that combines frenetic action, impressive boss battles and a survitaminated soundtrack.

With this slight delay, fans of shoot’em up retro will have to wait a little longer before they can get their hands on this promising title. Meanwhile, the new trailer provides a foretaste of the epic adventure ahead.

You couldn't miss the election of the new President of the United States, Donald Trump. The 47th President of the United States is not one to mince his words. The proof is in the forthcoming imposition of customs duties, particularly on imports from Canada, Mexico and China.

These tariffs are of particular concern to the retrogaming community in the United States, for one simple reason: almost all retro hardware comes from China. The YouTube channel Retro Game Corps, which lists many handheld consoles, looked into the matter:

*"I'm seeing a lot of questions about US tariffs on handheld consoles, especially since the de minimis exception (which previously allowed 25% tariffs to not apply to handheld consoles) has been suspended. To

give a concrete example, this would mean seeing the Anbernic RG353M Recalbox compatible console in France rise from €159.90 to around €214, which considerably reduces its appeal.

RG353M

Mike Chi, the creator of RetroTink, is also concerned about the speed at which these new duties will be applied:

"New trade regulations are a source of uncertainty, especially as importers have little time to adapt. We strive to maintain the same experience for our domestic customers, but if this situation persists, US shipments could see their prices rise due to tariffs and compliance costs."

"Small businesses may face the greatest challenges in adapting to complex and often changing regulations, due to limited resources."

"The biggest concern at the moment is how sea and air shipments will be affected by the 4 February implementation date."

Other well-known names in the US retrogaming community, such as HD Retrovision (renowned supplier of quality AV cables) or modder Voultar, point out that new stock will be immediately impacted:

"I had hoped to stock up by the end of January, but I think all the inventory (including DIY edge enhancers) will be restocked in February. The new tariff has changed everything."

"Please support small businesses! It's"

important to note that the retrogaming community is largely made up of small businesses run by enthusiasts. These businesses, often financially fragile and operating in a niche with little room for manoeuvre, are likely to suffer from these new provisions.

Source: Time Extension

We regularly feature 8BitDo accessories, a manufacturer renowned for its high-quality, aesthetically pleasing controllers that are compatible with Recalbox.

These accessories also include keyboards. A few weeks ago, we brought you editions paying tribute to the Sega Saturn and the Xbox to mark the anniversaries of these consoles.

Until now, the entire range of 8BitDo keyboards has only been available with a layout US, in other words "QWERTY " keyboards. This situation is changing with the arrival of two models for the European market.

The C64, in the colours of the Commodore 64, will be available in a "British UK Layout " version, while the "N Edition ", in the colours of the NES, will be available in AZERTY for France, Germany, Spain and the Nordic countries.

Apart from this adaptation of the layout, no other changes are planned. There are still 87 keys, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and USB connectivity, and two programmable “super buttons”. The technical specifications remain exactly the same as those of the versions released a few months ago.

Initial tests of the US versions have praised the quality of the 8BitDo keyboards, highlighting their materials, their solid colours and their resolutely retro design, faithful to the mechanical models of yesteryear.

These European versions will be distributed by Game Outlet Europe, a company specialising in video games and accessories.

8BitDo began shipping the retro mechanical keyboard in Europe in 2023 with great success," said David Karlsson, CEO of Game Outlet Europe, in a statement carried by Time Extension. "The demand for European-style layouts has been strong, and we are now delighted to launch a mechanical keyboard for our European customers, tailored to their region and offering both incredible functionality and unique retro style."

The "N Edition" AZERTY keyboard is already available on Amazon. Fingers crossed that other models will be adapted in the future

As every fortnight, you can participate in a new challenge proposed on the Discord of Recalbox. This challenge is open to everyone. The principle is simple: try to achieve the highest score on a game drawn by lot, often from the arcade catalog.

🚀 For this second 2025 challenge, the game selected is Gunbird 2

Released in 1998 on arcade, it is the sequel to Gunbird, released in 1994. Shoot 'em up vertical scrolling developed by Psikyo, Gunbird 2 offers six “hunters” each with their own gameplay. The game offers a colourful universe with steampunk/piracy sauce.

The game has a cute and colorful art direction, as well as very inventive bosses that have impressed minds with their difficulty. It was later ported to the Dreamcast and PlayStation.

🏆The rules of the challenge

At the controls of one of the six protagonists, your objective will be to achieve the highest score in a single credit.

Each character has its own abilities, thus allowing multiple attempts to find the right shoe for you. Like any shoot 'em up that respects itself, you will benefit from a main shot, a charged shot, bombs and a special melee hit, devastating but very risky.

💡 Some tips to shine:

• 🎯 Destroy with precision, aim at the source of enemy fire.
• ⚔️ The attack to the melee will be paramount.
• 🎮 Strategically dismantle each part of the bosses.
• 🔄 Persevere and “learn” the boards, the game is very difficult.

📢 How do I participate?

1. 🎮 Launch the game. (rom "gunbird2")
2. 🏹 Play and try to beat the high score.
3. 📸 Take a screenshot or photo of your final score.
4. 📤 Share your score on the Discord channel #challenges or use the command /submit score leaderboard on that same channel.

⚖️Rules to follow

To ensure fairness in the challenge:

• The score must be achieved in a single credit, without save state, rewind, cheats or auto-fire (unless provided for in the game).

🎁 Rewards and fair play

The challenge is mainly to discover games, share tips and, of course, have fun, all in a spirit of competition always welcome!

The winner will win a game key (GOG, Steam, etc.) to choose from a list of over 80 titles. Note that if you have won a challenge in the last three months, the prize will go to the next 🥇🥈🥉.

Good luck to all, and may the best score win! 🎮 🔥

As you probably already know, your support via Patreon entitles you, among other things, to discount codes on certain online shops. Three new partners are joining us and two are returning, so here's an update:

Four new shops, and not the least, are joining us!

• Tenzen Arcade: The new player in the retrogaming community. Tenzen Arcade will unearth original arcade terminals for you. With a stock displayed in real time and the possibility of placing an order if you want a specific model, any purchase of a Japanese candy cab, such as (New) Astro City, (New) Net City, Blast City, Aero City etc... (excluding NUC) from Tenzen Arcade entitles you to a free Recalbox RGB JAMMA + Pi5 kit.

• SmallCab: The essential site for components for your arcade cabinet, with more than 2000 references on offer. Created in 2008, it is now a leading site for DIY kiosks. Take advantage of an 8% discount on your basket.

• Neofid: The French studio behind DaemonClaw, Demons of Asteborg and Astebros is offering a 15% discount on its shop. You'll find physical cartridges for Mega Drive, Neo Geo and Game Boy Advance, as well as dematerialised ROMs for their games.

• Kubii: Do we still need to introduce the official Raspberry supplier in France? The store offers the entire range marketed by the Raspberry Foundation, and much more besides: Retroflag cases, 8BitDo controllers and sticks, arcade hardware, and even Recalbox goodies and clothing! Take advantage of a 5% discount on purchases of €50 or more.

Two partners are back!

• L'Écureuil Noir : We're back with €10 off, discover a wide range of books dedicated to video games and the Pop Culture that marked our childhood.

• Red Art Games: Back with a 10% discount, this publisher offers a wide range of neo-retro physical games for Switch, PlayStation and Xbox. The titles selected are of consistently high quality, and are often featured on Fabrice's live shows.

Two partners are always on hand.

• Killer Laser: Take advantage of a 10% discount on laser-cut and laser-engraved decorations designed to enhance your gaming room.

• Flex Arcade: These French designers of retro metal arcade machines offer customisable models with premium finishes, designed to last a lifetime. A €150 discount is offered on their creations.

Benefits on Recalbox hardwares.

Finally, don't forget that your support also entitles you to a 10% discount on our shop, which offers the RGB Dual and the RGB JAMMA. These plug-and-play solutions are ideal for bringing your CRT screens and JAMMA kiosks back to life. And who knows, maybe some new hardwares will join this catalogue soon..

To take advantage of these discounts, you'll find your ‘promo codes ’ in your Patron area.

For those who don't know, Patreon allows you to financially support a project (such as Recalbox). This support is optional, and there are several formulas available to suit everyone's possibilities, with no obligation.

Because your support is essential to us, we owe these ‘Patrons ’ benefits to you. Other exclusive benefits reward your support: priority scraping, exclusive music and wallpapers, dedicated channels on Discord... All this is a way of saying thank you. Thank you for supporting the project, thank you for pushing us to go further, and thank you for making Recalbox what it is today.

I'd also like to say a final word of thanks to our partners, for their trust and generosity, and for proving that Retrogaming is above all about community.

Many people want to restore an arcade cabinet or create one from scratch in the neo-borne style. We thought it was important to take a look at how this project works and to highlight the mistakes to avoid before getting started.

First of all, know that the aim is not to discourage you. In 2018, I created a bartop myself, and I can assure you that, in terms of DIY, hardware and software, I was far from an expert.

However, it's essential to be aware of a few things before taking the plunge, so as not to spend money unnecessarily, waste time, and above all, avoid getting discouraged.

This post is being written at a time when, on our Discord #support channel, we're seeing a lot of people getting stuck at various stages of their project. But these obstacles could have been avoided. Amos, our beta tester and support, reminded us of these crucial points, which we'll expand on here.

1️⃣ Learn about the arcade

The arcade is a fascinating world 🕹️: its history, its machines and the iconic games it has spawned. Take the time to find out more. Explore Facebook groups, check out forums, join our Discord, watch videos, but above all, never rely on just one source. You run the risk of encountering untruths or sincere opinions, but limited by a single point of view.

This research will also familiarise you with the vocabulary and codes of the arcade, which will naturally point you in one of two directions: restoring an original terminal or creating a terminal from scratch. The path will be quite different.

Personally, I find it much easier to create a bollard from scratch. You'll have full control over your components and know your “baby” inside out. What's more, it's much easier to find the components you need.

Restoring a vintage 🛠️ bollard (like the Aero City, Astro City, Naomi... models) requires more knowledge of the hardware and a bit more DIY.

🎛️ The RGB JAMMA solution with Recalbox

If you have a JAMMA bollard, Recalbox offers a Plug and Play solution: the RGB JAMMA. This kit is compatible with JAMMA, JAMMA+ and CHAMMA terminals.

The JAMMA system, which first appeared in the 80s, standardised the connection of signals, making it easier to change games on the same machine. This was a major advance at the time, because previously each terminal corresponded to a single game.

2️⃣ Restoring an arcade cabinet: the key steps

If you're embarking on the restoration of a vintage cabinet, here are a few essential steps:

🔍 Find and inspect the cabinet

✔️ Check the dimensions: some cabinets are bulky and heavy. Make sure you have enough room and a way to transport it safely.
✔️ Inspect the general condition: damaged wood, screen out of order, faulty wiring, etc. Make sure that not too many parts are missing, especially if it's a rare model.

🛠️ Test and repair

✔️ Electronics: test the power supply, check the motherboard (PCB) and change the capacitors if necessary.
✔️ Display: the original terminals are fitted with CRT screens, so check that the screen is not marked (burns due to static images). If the screen is too damaged, you can replace it or try to adapt an LCD screen.
✔️ Buttons and joystick: if these elements are worn or defective, complete kits are available to replace them (more on this below).

For greater peace of mind, you can also call on professionals to find you the terminal you want. Some of them have stocks, including Tenzen Arcade, a French company with whom we have a partnership if you support Recalbox via Patreon.

3️⃣ Creating a "Neo-Borne" bollard: from A to Z

If you prefer to create a "Neo-Borne " bollard (a made-to-measure bollard), you have several choices:

🔹 If you're a DIYer 🏗️: you can create the structure from scratch, usually in wood, then integrate the electronics, screen, buttons, etc.
🔹 If you're not a DIY enthusiast 🛒: several sites offer assembly kits, often in the form of wooden structures to be assembled.

⚠️ Be careful with ready-made models sold online, which often lack transparency regarding hardware and software.

Here too we can recommend one of our partners, Flex Arcade (pictured). With a metal chassis and quality components (Sanwa, Seimitsu), these terminals are destined to last and embellish your living room with their neo-retro style. If you're a 'Patron', you'll get a €150 discount on their creations.

4️⃣ Pay attention to the quality of materials and equipment

An arcade terminal project does not rhyme with saving money 💰. If you try to compromise, the final quality may suffer.

✔️ Structure: choose solid wood that can bear the weight. Don't overlook the quality of the panel, which houses the buttons and joysticks 🎮.
✔️ Hardware: avoid no-name products and go for recognised brands such as Xinmotek, Brook, PS360+ for encoders, and Sanwa, Seimitsu for joysticks and buttons.

SmallCab offers more than 2,000 references to supply you with components, buttons, joysticks, etc. If you are a Patron, you will receive an 8% discount on your basket.

5️⃣ Anticipate your choices before you start

It's essential to think your project through before buying materials and starting your project. It's much easier to change your mind before the work begins than to have to adapt during the project... which is sometimes impossible.

6️⃣ And what about Recalbox?

A quick reminder 📢 : Recalbox is open source software, designed to facilitate emulation. We are not hardware resellers (Kubii, 8BitDo, Xinmotek), but we do recommend certain brands.

Recalbox can help you with :
✅ The RGB JAMMA and RGB Dual to simplify hardware

✅ Software updates and support available on our Discord

📢 Before you buy, ask us! Ask us your questions and describe your problems precisely (example: "I'm on Raspberry Pi X, RGB JAMMA, Recalbox 9.2.3, and here's what's happening... ").

7️⃣ All in One project

We are currently developing the All in One, a hardware dedicated to arcade terminals that will clip onto a Raspberry Pi 4 or 5. This plug-and-play system will manage power, buttons (up to 8 per player), joysticks and amplified stereo sound....

📅 Expected release in 2025 😉

8️⃣ Recalbox resources 📖

To find out more, check out our wiki:

📌 The arcade: explains how arcade emulation works

📌 The Arcade in Recalbox : technical details on MAME, ROMSETS (Split, Merged, Non-Merged), BIOS, CHD...

If these terms seem complex to you, you should know that it's important to understand them to optimise your installation.

🎮 A word of personal advice: You'll soon want to load your terminal with dozens and dozens of systems with hundreds or even thousands of games, which isn't necessarily very useful, and as you can guess, arcade emulation isn't "turnkey", so many systems can mean so many software complications. **For my part, I only use FBNeo (10,000 compatible games), and that's more than enough for me!