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It was eagerly awaited by many of you, and it’s finally here! The Theme Manager has arrived in Recalbox V10.0-Patron-4! Here’s a full breakdown of what’s new:

As you know, V10 has been an opportunity for Recalbox to get a fresh new look. A new theme has been available since Patron 3, giving patrons the chance to vote for their favorite style — and more than 160 of them participated! The default theme you’ll discover in the final V10 release will be the direct result of this vote.

We would like to warmly thank our patrons for their participation and involvement: we carefully read all their feedback and comments, each more insightful than the last.

While this new theme is fully customizable through the menu so that everyone can tailor it to their taste, some users prefer more distinctive interfaces through different themes. That’s why we’re introducing the Theme Manager.

Directly accessible from the main Recalbox menu, the Theme Manager lets you select radically different themes to give your interface its own identity — both in the “systems” view and in the “games” view. Neo Retro, Minimalist, Xbox… some themes are completely opposite in terms of aesthetics. New themes will be added over time.

Note that some themes may be compatible with CRT, HDMI, and TATE formats, while others may support only one of the three display types (you’ll get a message if you try to apply an incompatible one). Icons will show you which formats are supported by each theme.

You can switch themes on the fly, without rebooting — either through the Theme Manager or directly in the user interface options, as long as the theme has been installed once through the Theme Manager (these two menus will be merged later on).

But that’s not all: to thank our Patrons for their support and participation in shaping the new theme, they will enjoy two exclusive themes:

• The “Astro” theme, created by Beudbeud: a 100% CRT theme inspired by the AstroCity universe, perfect for arcade lovers.

• The “Art'nPop” theme, created by Bounitos: compatible with all formats and featuring a unique illustration for each system.

Finally, if you’re a “theme maker” yourself, you can submit your creation to the Recalbox team so it can be made available directly in the Theme Manager for everyone (and of course, you will be credited!). And if you decide to embark on the theme-making adventure and need help, our Master Theme Makers are available on the #themes channel on Discord!

Feel free to share your favorite themes with us on Discord or the Facebook group — it will mean a lot to the creators. And if you want to submit your own themes, we’re all ears!

You’ve barely recovered from sweating through the maniac shooter Armed Police Batrider in the previous challenge, and you think you can finally relax? Think again! The 7th One Credit Challenge throws you into Spinmaster — as cute as it is explosive!

Spinmaster is a colorful, adrenaline-packed run & jump developed by Data East in 1993 for the Neo·Geo MVS. You follow Johnny and Tom, two adventurers searching for a stolen artifact, in a cartoony atmosphere reminiscent of both Joe & Mac and 90s animated shows. The game stands out immediately thanks to its art direction: super-smooth animations, expressive characters, and richly detailed environments.

The gameplay focuses on ultra-dynamic action built around a customizable boomerang that can take several forms (yoyo, missiles, flames…). It’s easy to pick up and very accessible, yet surprisingly intense thanks to numerous special attacks and multi-phase boss battles. With its fast pace, zero downtime, and level design mixing platforms, waves of enemies, and little surprises, the game keeps players constantly on their toes.

In co-op, Spinmaster becomes even more chaotic and fun: combined attacks, screen-filling effects, and generous power-ups make it a fantastic pick for two-player arcade sessions. But for this challenge, you’ll have to score as high as possible solo. With its short but intense playtime, charming art style, and punchy gameplay, it remains one of the Neo·Geo’s must-play titles.

🏆 Challenge rules

Your goal is to achieve the highest score using a single credit.
The challenge runs from December 1st to December 15th, 11:59 PM. You can make as many attempts as you want.

📢 How to participate?

• Launch the game (rom spinmast)
• Play and try to beat the high score
• Take a screenshot or photo of your final score
• Share it on the Discord #challenges channel with your username and score

⚖️ Rules to follow

To ensure a fair competition:

The score must be achieved in one single credit, with no save states, no rewind, no cheats, and no auto-fire (unless built into the game).

Gentlemen’s agreement: glitches that artificially inflate the score are also forbidden.

🎁 Rewards & fair play

The goal of the challenge is above all to discover games, share tips, and have fun — all with a friendly competitive spirit!

The winner will receive a game key (GOG, Steam, etc.) chosen from a list of about 100 titles.
If you’ve already won a challenge in the past three months, the reward goes to the next player.

Your ranking will be added to the One Credit Challenge leaderboard.
The champion of the first season will win either a free RGB Dual 2 or a one-year Recalbox Patreon subscription.

Good luck everyone, and may the highest score win!

We are delighted to introduce Recalbox 10.0-Patron-4 — a major milestone release marked by the arrival of the Theme Manager and numerous improvements for handheld consoles and CRT displays! Please note that this version is currently exclusive to users supporting us on Patreon, before being rolled out to everyone in a few weeks.

Many thanks to our patron testers for their active participation during the alpha phases! 🙏

THE New Feature: The Theme Manager

The flagship feature of this release! You can now:

• Browse, preview, and install themes directly from our online repository
• Update or delete your themes in just a few clicks
• Access the options of any installed theme (Y button)

A true revolution for personalizing your Recalbox!

Note that the new default theme is now fully compatible with handheld consoles (Odroid, Anbernic, GPi Case…), TATE mode, and CRT displays with dedicated options.

CRT: New Improvements

• Fixed fullscreen option on Game Gear
• Multiple adjustments for 240p mode
• Functional Game Boy / Super Game Boy selection on CRT
• Option to remove the gradient in the theme

Other Important Updates

• Amiga: lr-puae becomes the default core on RPi5 and PC
• Return of user scripts: run your custom Bash and Python scripts directly from the Recalbox menu
• Fix for the RPi5 power button when exiting games
• Faster shutdown and reboot on Raspberry Pi 5
• Numerous interface fixes (popups, SVG, missing characters)

Full Release Notes

To view the complete list of fixes and improvements in this version, head to:

👉 Full Release Notes

Nintendo has just announced the acquisition of Bandai Namco Studios Singapore, a strategic move that will strengthen its internal development capabilities. The studio, specialized in creating graphical assets, will become Nintendo Studios Singapore starting in 2026.

Nintendo confirmed the news in a statement detailing the acquisition of 80% of the shares of Bandai Namco Studios Singapore (BNSS), with full ownership expected after a transition period. Established in Singapore in 2013, the studio does not develop complete games but is an expert in producing visual assets: 3D models, environments, animations… A skill set it has already contributed to Nintendo projects in the past, notably within the Splatoon franchise.

Why this acquisition?

Nintendo explains that it wants to reinforce its development structure. By integrating BNSS into its ecosystem, the company gains more direct control over a crucial part of the artistic production of its future games.
It’s a form of vertical integration: less reliance on external contractors, more visual consistency, and tighter control over asset quality.

It’s worth noting that this is absolutely not an acquisition of Bandai Namco as a whole, but only of one of its specialized subsidiaries based in Singapore.

What will this change?

Starting April 1st, 2026, the studio will officially become Nintendo Studios Singapore.
Its role will remain similar, but from now on it will work exclusively on Nintendo projects.
Even if the immediate financial impact is expected to be limited, this move could help Nintendo accelerate or streamline certain development steps in the medium term.

And for players?

For the general public, this acquisition won’t bring any visible change overnight.
But in the long run, it could improve the artistic coherence of Nintendo’s productions… and potentially reduce some development timelines.

At a time when many video game companies are refocusing their resources and internalizing their processes (sometimes at the cost of massive layoffs), Nintendo once again demonstrates its intention to control every creative step behind its flagship franchises.

Sources:

• Official Nintendo Statement
• ActuGaming
• P-Nintendo
• Nintendo Life

To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Super Nintendo, designer Gustavo Bonzanini created the AIR SNES, a pair of custom Nike Air Max 90s that don’t just feature a design inspired by the legendary console: they actually work as a real game system. A bold artistic project blending sneaker culture and retrogaming.

As reported by Engadget, the idea came to Bonzanini after noticing the many collaborations between sneaker brands and video game franchises. “I always wondered: wouldn’t it be cool if these shoes that look like video games actually worked as consoles?” the designer explained in a statement.

A Raspberry Pi hidden in the shoe’s tongue

Since it was impossible to fit the bulky components of an original SNES inside a wearable shoe, Bonzanini opted for emulation. He used a Raspberry Pi Zero W placed inside the sneaker’s tongue for easy access. A small rechargeable battery powers the system, offering up to 30 minutes of gameplay before needing a recharge.

Even though the Raspberry Pi includes a built-in Mini HDMI port, Bonzanini added an analog converter to connect the AIR SNES to a television using classic RCA cables. A deliberate choice to recreate an authentically retro experience.

Design and gameplay experience

The colors come directly from the Super Nintendo’s palette. The soft grey suede upper evokes the console’s matte shell, while the purple tone appears on various parts of the sneakers.

To play, you simply connect an SNES controller. Bonzanini modified his with an 8BitDo Bluetooth kit, preserving the original feel while adding the convenience of modern wireless connectivity. Despite the embedded electronics, the AIR SNES weighs only a few grams more than a standard pair of Air Max 90s. The shoe’s air-cushioning system remains intact, ensuring comfort for extended wear.

A unique piece of art

Bonzanini explicitly presents his project as a work of art rather than a commercial product. “This artistic project was my way to celebrate both worlds and push the boundaries of what sneaker culture and technology can become when they merge,” he said.

Unfortunately for collectors, the AIR SNES is a one-of-a-kind creation with no commercial plans. Bonzanini crafted the sneakers in his workshop in Brazil, and they will remain a unique piece celebrating two inseparable icons of the ’90s: the Super Nintendo and the Nike Air Max 90, both released in 1990.

At a time when retrogaming is thriving and sneaker culture has never been more popular, the AIR SNES stands as a creative expression of this dual passion—a reminder that innovation can emerge in the most unexpected places when it comes to retrogaming.

The Game Boy Advance was never known for its ability to handle polygonal 3D. Yet Gustavo Valiente has taken on the seemingly impossible challenge with his “RR Project”: porting Ridge Racer, Namco’s 1993 arcade classic, to Nintendo’s handheld. And against all odds, the result is impressive.

As reported by Time Extension, the GBA did receive a few unlikely ports back in the day — including Crazy Taxi and Jet Set Radio — but this homebrew project might well surpass all of them in terms of technical achievement.

A 3D engine developed from scratch

Gustavo Valiente spent months recreating Ridge Racer from the ground up for the GBA, using his own Butano engine (written in modern C++) specifically designed to make Game Boy Advance development easier. The developer coded the 3D rendering engine himself, allowing the GBA to achieve what many thought was impossible.

To run the 1993 arcade game on much more modest hardware, compromises had to be made. Car models and roadside objects are extremely simple, using flat-shaded polygons, and the draw distance is significantly reduced. But these sacrifices pay off: the game runs at a steady 30 fps, and Valiente even managed to keep the announcer’s voice for that authentic Ridge Racer touch.

Enthusiastic reactions

According to NotebookCheck, despite the GBA’s relatively weak hardware, the port stays surprisingly faithful to the original and preserves Ridge Racer’s frantic, energetic atmosphere, with its 3D polygon tracks and cars. The draw distance is sufficient to allow good anticipation of corners.

Early online reactions have been overwhelmingly positive, with a perfect five-star rating on the project’s itch.io page. One commenter sums up the general sentiment: “It’s unbelievably good, I never thought this would be possible.”

A project in active development

No playable demo is available yet, but the project appears to be under active development. Valiente promises future updates with additional tracks and tweaks, taking inspiration from the expanded courses of the PlayStation port.

This project demonstrates what the homebrew scene can accomplish with pure determination. Ridge Racer, released in arcades in 1993, set new standards for real-time 3D visuals before becoming a true PlayStation system seller in 1994. Seeing this classic come to life on a handheld that was never designed for such a technical challenge is simply remarkable.

After stretching our brains with Pururun and its gelatinous blobs, it’s time for pure adrenaline with the sixth game of our One Credit Challenge: Armed Police Batrider, an intense vertical shoot ’em up that will put your reflexes to the test.

Armed Police Batrider is a vertical manic shooter released in arcades in 1998, developed by Raizing and published by Eighting. As the spiritual successor to Battle Garegga, this title stands out with its impressive roster: nine standard pilots plus nine unlockable characters taken from previous Raizing games. Each character pilots a flying jet bike (a Batrider) with their own shot and bomb characteristics.

Universe & gameplay

The action takes place in 2019 on Zenovia, an artificial island near Manhattan that has turned into a crime-ridden slum. Nine fighters are recruited as “Zero-Cops” to face the forces of GiganTech and their ultimate weapon, “Discharge.”

The game offers four modes (Training, Normal, Advance, and Special) with a team system inspired by The King of Fighters: you select three characters, each acting as one life. The power-up system is based on Shot and Option items, with five different levels. Depending on the mode, the game features up to 18 bosses, destructible environments, and a rank system (dynamic difficulty).

🏆 Challenge rules

Your goal is to achieve the highest score using a single credit.
The challenge runs from November 16th to November 30th at 11:59 PM. You can attempt as many runs as you like.

📢 How to participate?

• Launch the game (ROM batrider)
• Play and try to beat the best score
• Take a screenshot or a photo of your final score
• Share your score on the #challenges Discord channel along with your username and score

⚖️ Rules to follow

To ensure fairness:

Scores must be achieved using a single credit, with no save states, no rewind, no cheats, and no auto-fire (unless the game includes auto-fire by design).

Gentlemen’s agreement: using glitches that artificially inflate the score is also forbidden.

🎁 Rewards & fair play

The challenge’s purpose is above all to discover games, share tips, and of course, have fun — all in a friendly competitive spirit!

The winner will receive a game key (GOG, Steam, etc.) chosen from a list of about 100 titles.
If you have won a challenge in the last three months, the reward goes to the next player.

Your ranking will be added to the One Credit Challenge leaderboard.
The champion of the first season will win either an RGB Dual 2 or one year of Recalbox Patreon membership.

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

After numerous delays that have tested fans’ patience, the Analogue 3D is finally entering its final phase. The FPGA console dedicated to the Nintendo 64 is expected to begin shipping on November 18, 2025, according to Analogue’s official announcement. This news brings an end to more than a year of waiting for the first preorders.

As reported by Time Extension, if you placed an order between October 2024 (when preorders opened) and today, you shouldn’t have to wait much longer. But as highlighted by Rom Game, the story of this console has turned into a saga whose twists and turns have ended up frustrating a large part of the retrogaming community.

Repeated delays that erode trust

Announced in 2023 with a release planned for 2024, the Analogue 3D sold out just minutes after preorders opened in October 2024 (with a price of $250). But the initial excitement quickly gave way to a series of disappointments.

Delays piled up, constantly pushing back the launch. In July, after a full year of postponements, Analogue promised shipments would begin in August. That promise went unfulfilled: in August, the console was delayed again by several months. Even more frustrating, the company has been extremely reluctant to share footage of the console in action, limiting communication to brief teasers.

This lack of transparency fueled growing skepticism. Many began questioning whether the final product would live up to the hype. Some frustrated customers even canceled their preorders in favor of ModRetro’s M64, a competing device priced at $199.99 with far more transparent communication.

This time, it might really happen

According to Analogue, the first units will leave the warehouses on November 18, allowing players to rediscover their Nintendo 64 library just in time for the holidays. Customers have until November 16 to update their shipping address. The console remains out of stock on the official store in both colors (black and white), meaning latecomers will have to wait for the next batch.

A faithful hardware reproduction of the N64

Analogue’s goal is to recreate the internal hardware behavior of the Nintendo 64 using modern components. Unlike software emulation, FPGA technology replicates the original console’s hardware logic, theoretically ensuring perfect compatibility and zero latency.

The Analogue 3D connects to modern TVs and outputs games in 4K. It offers full compatibility with the global catalog (PAL, NTSC-U, NTSC-J) and includes four controller ports in the original format, preserving the authentic multiplayer experience that made the N64 so iconic.

A risky bet

The company is betting big on this launch. The repeated delays have damaged its reputation, while competitors seem to offer credible alternatives. The coming weeks will be decisive: if the feedback is positive, the brand may regain the community’s trust — and that’s all we can hope for.

Yesterday saw the release of Recalbox 10.0-patron-3, a version designed for our Patrons, giving them early access to the in-development V10 before its public release. While this new build comes with plenty of fixes, optimizations, and improvements, it stands out above all for its brand-new visual theme!

Indeed, version 10.0-patron-3 allows us to invite our Patrons to share their feedback and help the team decide on the new Recalbox interface that will appear in the coming weeks.

To do this, we’ve provided them with five presets (five preconfigured visual styles), available both on HDMI and CRT. They can switch between them instantly in the user interface menu, discovering the various possibilities for system layout, game lists, on-screen information, colors, animations, and more.

Two forms — one for HDMI and one for CRT — are available for them to vote and share their preferences regarding this new theme. These votes will then be analyzed by the team to create a default interface chosen by the Patrons.

Why a default theme? Simply because in V10, you’ll all be able to fully customize your theme. Like the general layout but want to hide certain details? You’ll be able to. Think the color bars are too thick? You can tweak them — colors, sizes, information, layouts: you’ll definitely find a style that suits you.

A little more patience while our Patrons cast their votes and we compile the results — and soon we’ll proudly present the new (fully customizable) theme, co-created with our community, available to everyone in the upcoming V10 release.

A huge thank-you to our Patrons who actively contribute to shaping the future of Recalbox.

We’re thrilled to announce the release of Recalbox 10.0-patron-3! This early-access version, available to our supporters on Patreon, is the result of intense collaborative work with our volunteer patrons, who tested the alpha builds for over seven weeks on the #patrons-alpha Discord channel. A huge thank you to them for their dedication and invaluable feedback!

Complete Recalbox theme overhaul

The Recalbox theme has been completely redesigned, featuring brand-new system and game views you’ll definitely want to explore. Several presets are available so you can choose the one that best fits your style. The addition of colors for virtual arcade systems, drastically improved loading performance thanks to file caching, and numerous display bug fixes make the experience smoother than ever.

Regarding the new theme and its presets, we’ll also be asking for feedback from our patrons! To help us decide on the default theme for the future, Patrons have received forms via their Patreon space to share their impressions and preferences about the available presets.

Steam Deck: improve support

@Angelfred

The Steam Deck now enjoys full support, with HD and Widescreen modes enabled, fixed audio and touch management, the addition of a DeadZone for analog sticks, and Bluetooth support on the Steam Deck OLED. No more black screen freezes during reboot or shutdown!

Raspberry Pi 5: major optimizations

Model3 performance has been significantly improved thanks to the use of medium-resolution display modes. You can now exit games directly by pressing the Raspberry Pi 5’s Power button, and numerous fixes ensure greater stability overall.

CRT: significant improvements

@Corwin

CRT enthusiasts will be pleased: fullscreen or original display options for handheld consoles, fixed forced 240p modes on multisync monitors, a new option to force 384p on tri-sync screens, support for the Gearsystem core (Sega 8-bit) on CRT, and improved image quality on RGB Dual 2 in 480p.

Emulators and notable fixes

On the emulation side, this release brings plenty of updates: new libretro core genesisplusgx-ex for the Megadrive, a major PPSSPP update fixing save issues, Dolphin input fixes, migration to the new libretro-ps2 core (formerly lr-pcsx2) for better PS2 performance (PC only), and many more improvements.

The user interface has also received important fixes: a new option to disable fast scrolling in long lists, Quickjump moved to HOTKEY+X, and Markdown parser corrections.

This version includes dozens of other fixes and optimizations detailed in the full release notes. Keep sharing your feedback and suggestions — be part of building tomorrow’s Recalbox!

Once again, a huge thank-you to our Patrons for taking the time to test, report bugs, and share suggestions across multiple setups — things we could never have evaluated so quickly and efficiently on our own.

Happy gaming, everyone!

Microsoft has just created one of the most unexpected buzzes of the gaming year — completely by accident. In an attempt at wordplay, the Xbox brand posted an image featuring the word “Xbouse.” The problem? In French, “bouse” literally means… cow dung. A clumsy pun that triggered a wave of mockery, especially among French-speaking gamers. A communication blunder that left a mark on the Redmond giant.

It all started with a simple promotional post on the official Xbox UK and Xbox US accounts. The image, meant to promote a campaign around the “Xbox House,” boldly displayed the word “Xbouse.” The result: an immediate flood of jokes and memes across social media.

According to Génération NT, the visual was quickly deleted — but too late: the hashtag #Xbouse was already trending. A linguistic slip that went viral, spreading like wildfire across the gaming world.

As Journal du Geek points out, the timing couldn’t have been worse for Xbox. Between criticism over Game Pass price hikes and doubts about the brand’s direction, this unintentional “joke” only fueled the frustration of part of the community. Ironically, “Xbouse” had already been a long-standing nickname used by some of the console’s detractors — before Microsoft accidentally made it official.

Meanwhile, All-Nintendo took a broader look at the situation, framing it as an example of the pitfalls of globalized communication. When a brand addresses multiple markets at once without proper local validation, a single word can take on a very different meaning.

Beyond the laughs, the “Xbouse” affair serves as a reminder that international marketing demands a perfect grasp of cultural and linguistic nuances. And while this story will likely remain just a funny anecdote for Xbox, it perfectly illustrates the risks of overly centralized communication — even for a gaming giant.

At a time when some gamers still argue over whether “the best console” has an X, a triangle, or a mushroom on it, this kind of blunder at least serves one purpose: reminding us that we all play for fun. At Recalbox, we’d rather grab a controller, fire up a classic Street Fighter II, and settle our “console wars” with a Hadoken or two… not with hashtags.
But hey — the SNES is still better than the Mega Drive.

We recently talked about the arrival of ARMSX2, a promising new PS2 emulator for Android that’s still in development. But while the mobile scene is catching up, PCSX2 on PC has just reached a historic milestone: the emulator now supports over 99.5% of the PlayStation 2 library. A victory for video game preservation.

As reported by OC3D, PCSX2 has now reached an almost perfect level of compatibility after more than 20 years of development. Out of the 4,000+ games released for the best-selling console of all time, only four remain unrated as “Playable” or “Perfect”: DRIV3R, Final Fantasy XI (which depends on online servers that are now closed), Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects, and World Series Baseball 2K3.

A spectacular evolution in recent years

PCSX2’s progress has been remarkable: its compatibility rate increased from around 98% in 2021 to 99% by the end of 2023, and now stands at 99.5%. This improvement is the result of years of relentless work from the open-source community, with constant upgrades to the emulation engine, graphics compatibility, and performance.

Recent versions (2.4.0 released in July 2025 and subsequent updates) brought major advances: RT in RT support fixing many rendering issues, improved split-screen (Jak X and others), SDL 3.0 and Wayland by default on Linux, HDR optimizations, and a flood of bug fixes.

An essential preservation tool

Twenty-five years after the PS2’s release, original hardware is increasingly hard to find in working condition. PCSX2 ensures that the classics from this golden era remain accessible to future generations. And not just accessible — often improved, with higher resolutions, stable performance, and even HD texture pack support.

The emulator allows you to dump the BIOS from your own PS2 console and rip your physical games from their DVDs. You can then play them on your PC through emulation, often at higher resolutions and with performance boosts. It’s an excellent way to preserve your collection’s legacy and make it playable on modern hardware.

And on mobile?

As we mentioned in our article on ARMSX2, PS2 emulation on Android is also advancing. Based on recent PCSX2 code, ARMSX2 represents the future of mobile PS2 emulation thanks to its open-source nature. While its performance is still behind NetherSX2 for now, the project is evolving quickly and directly benefits from PCSX2’s ongoing improvements.

The retrogaming community now has exceptional tools to preserve and play PS2 classics — whether on PC with the near-final version of PCSX2, or on mobile with actively developed ARM emulators. God Hand, Final Fantasy X, God of War, Metal Gear Solid 3, Gran Turismo 4: all these masterpieces that shaped modern gaming remain accessible and playable.

The Vectrex, the cult 1982 console with its built-in vector display, is about to be reborn in miniature form. The Vectrex Mini project, led by the French team Neo Retro and headed by David "Flynn" Oghia, launches its Kickstarter campaign on November 3, 2025, at 4 p.m.

This miniaturized version aims to revive one of the true UFOs of video game history, as reported by Rom Game. The original Vectrex, developed by Smith Engineering and marketed by General Consumer Electronics, was revolutionary for its time: unlike its competitors such as the Atari 2600, which required a television, it came with its own 9-inch CRT display capable of rendering crisp, bright vector graphics.

A mini console that’s fully featured

The Vectrex Mini captures the spirit of the original in a casing half the size, produced using the same injection molding process as in the 1980s. At its core lies a modern ESP32 processor powerful enough to run the entire Vectrex library with performance surpassing many arcade cabinets of the era.

The 5-inch AMOLED screen (800×600 pixels) replaces the original cathode-ray tube, faithfully reproducing the legendary vector graphics with sharpness and brightness. Although it can’t perfectly recreate the phosphorescent glow of CRT vectors, the team promises an authentic and immersive result.

The console includes 12 classic preinstalled games (final lineup to be announced soon), mostly from the General Consumer Electronics catalog, along with their physical overlays. These colorful plastic sheets, placed in front of the screen to enhance minimalist graphics, were an essential part of the Vectrex experience — and Neo Retro has made sure to include them for the sake of nostalgia.

Pricing and editions

Early backers will be able to grab a “Founder’s Edition” starting at €99 for the first 50 units, followed by €129 for the next 300 orders, then €149 for everyone else. As reported by Games Radar, that’s surprisingly affordable for an all-in-one tabletop arcade system with an AMOLED screen.

A limited White Edition will also be offered at $250 (around €219), capped at 200 units. This “very NASA-punk” white version includes a numbered certificate of authenticity and a unique badge. David Oghia initially wanted a gold-plated Vectrex Mini, but the manufacturing process proved too complex.

Modern connectivity

The Vectrex Mini comes with several modern features: USB-C power (via outlet or power bank), a microSD slot to add more games, an included Bluetooth controller, and video output (USB-C or HDMI, final decision pending). There’s no cartridge slot for original Vectrex games — the console will only run preinstalled titles and additional ones via microSD.

Timeline and availability

The Kickstarter campaign launches on Monday, November 3, 2025 and will remain open throughout the month. Production is expected to take about 10 months after the campaign ends, with deliveries scheduled for late 2026. For now, Kickstarter will be the only way to get one.

For a console that never found commercial success in 1982 but became a collector’s cult favorite, the Vectrex Mini represents a rare opportunity to discover — or rediscover — this unique piece of video game history. See you on November 3 for all the campaign details.

PlayStation 2 emulation on Android has just reached a decisive new milestone. ARMSX2, a new open-source PS2 emulator based on PCSX2, was released in version 1.0 at the end of October 2025. And unlike its predecessors, this one might finally become the long-term solution for PS2 emulation on Android phones and tablets.

Since the discontinuation of AetherSX2 in early 2023, PS2 emulation on Android has been in a strange situation. NetherSX2, a fork of the abandoned project, works decently but relies on closed-source code that’s nearly five years old. ARMSX2 is here to change that.

An emulator based on the latest PCSX2 version

ARMSX2 stands out thanks to its modern foundations. Unlike NetherSX2, it uses the latest PCSX2 codebase, integrating all the optimizations and bug fixes from recent years. The project is fully open-source under the GPL 3.0 license, ensuring transparency and community-driven development.

Primarily developed by MoonPower with support from jpolo1224, ARMSX2 was born after years without any open-source PS2 emulator dedicated to ARM systems.

x86-to-ARM64: a temporary solution

A key technical detail: ARMSX2 uses a translation layer that recompiles PCSX2’s x86 code into ARM64 in real time. This approach, similar to Apple’s Rosetta 2, makes it possible to bring PCSX2 to ARM quickly — though at the cost of slightly lower performance for now.

As noted by Retro Dodo, the developers are transparent: performance is currently below NetherSX2, but this is a temporary situation. The team is actively working on optimization and doesn’t rule out a future transition to native ARM64 code.

Compatibility and availability

ARMSX2 runs on any device with a modern ARM64 processor: recent Android smartphones and tablets, as well as iOS, Linux ARM64, and Windows on ARM. Version 1.0.3 is available on GitHub, with a Play Store page coming soon.

As with any PS2 emulator, ARMSX2 requires a BIOS dump from a legitimately owned PS2 console. The user interface is simple and intuitive, with on-screen controls and Bluetooth gamepad support.

pocket-lint.com

The future of PS2 emulation on Android

As highlighted by Android Police, the community welcomes ARMSX2 with cautious optimism. NetherSX2 remains faster for now, but ARMSX2 represents the future thanks to its open-source nature and modern foundation.

For fans of Final Fantasy X, God of War, or Gran Turismo 4, PS2 emulation on Android has never looked so promising. Could ARMSX2 be on track to build the future of portable emulation?

After more than 20 years of fighting for the recognition of France’s video game heritage, the MO5.COM association has reached a historic milestone. The National Video Game Museum will open its doors in Arcueil (94) in December 2025, finally giving France a permanent space dedicated to the memory of video games, from the 1950s to today.

The announcement was made official during Paris Games Week, marking the achievement of a dream carried since 2003 by the MO5.COM association, recognized as being of public interest. The museum will offer, from its opening (planned between December 5 and 15), a 1,200 m² space located near the Laplace RER B station, able to welcome up to 200 visitors simultaneously. This area will evolve over time to match the project’s growing ambitions.

Authentic, playable machines in free access

What makes this museum stand out is its truly participatory approach. No more showcases you can only look at: here, the microcomputers, legendary consoles, and arcade cabinets are authentic and fully playable. From the Thomson MO5 that gave its name to the association to modern consoles, and through mythical arcade machines, every visitor will be able to relive the history of video games, controller in hand.

The museum will be open from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and every day during school holidays. Other days will be reserved for groups by registration (schools, companies, associations). Admission will cost less than 10 euros, with free access for association members and partners. A Tipeee membership grants unlimited access to the museum.

Much more than an exhibition

Beyond the exhibition space, the museum will feature a 200 m² workshop dedicated to preservation and research, as well as another for maintenance and diagnostics. The latter will allow the public to have their retro machines repaired according to a predefined list, meeting a real need among collectors facing the breakdown of their old equipment.

A dining area will complete the experience, encouraging discussions among visitors. The site will also host conferences and international meetings, building on the network MO5 has developed over more than 15 years with institutions around the world. The association aims for the prestigious "Musée de France" label, which would ensure optimal protection for the collection and make inter-museum loans easier.

A mobilized ecosystem and video game legends

The project enjoys impressive support. Among its partners: James Game Center (arcade expertise), Pix’n Love Publishing (which will release a dedicated book), AFJV, ISART Digital, Les Numériques (present at the opening), The Digital Lounge, Pastagames, OrdiRetro, Retro Gaming Connexion, and all members of the EFGAMP (European Federation of Game Archives, Museums, and Preservation Projects), co-founded by MO5 in 2013.

The museum also has the support of iconic figures among its honorary members: Alexey Pajitnov (creator of Tetris), Éric Chahi (Another World), Jordan Mechner (Prince of Persia), Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear), Paul Cuisset (Flashback), Philippe Ulrich (Captain Blood), and Daniel Macré (Vroom). These legends will hold conferences and master classes, bringing international legitimacy to the project.

How to support the project

To join this adventure, you can become a member of MO5.COM via Tipeee, contribute your time and skills, share your knowledge, or simply spread the word. Every bit of support helps bring this unique place in France to life.

The museum will soon have its own website for ticketing, reservations, and practical information. In the meantime, you can follow updates on mo5.com or join the community’s Discord server.

A fun detail for nostalgic visitors: the famous Jeulin turtle, the association’s mascot (a reference to the LOGO turtle from Thomson computers), will be seen roaming the museum. This opening marks a historic step in recognizing video games as cultural heritage in France, offering a lasting space to discover, share, and preserve the memory of a medium that has shaped generations.

Sources: MO5 / Rom-Game

After three years of loyal service, it was time to update our premium scraping service for our patrons. After spending an entire weekend caching nearly 100,000 “scraps,” we’re happy to announce that two brand-new servers are now online.

As a reminder, patrons benefit from a premium scraping service (in addition to the traditional Screenscraper servers), which allows them to auto-scrape by hovering over games, use the Recalbox servers for record-fast scraping, and perform a full scrape to automatically fetch media for their entire library through the Recalbox servers.

This week, two new premium Recalbox servers are going live, each with 2 Gb/s bandwidth. In concrete terms, this means unmatched scraping speed!

Around 100,000 scraps have been cached

For example, in the header image of this article, Fabrice tested scraping all CD-based games supported by a Raspberry Pi 5 — that’s 10,400 titles… including 12,064 images and 7,094 videos totaling 35.96 GB — all downloaded in just 13 minutes and 30 seconds!

Of course, results may vary depending on your connection and hardware, but this boost will certainly save you precious time when adding new games (especially full romsets), letting you enjoy your fully scraped library even faster.

To benefit from these new servers, there’s nothing you need to do — simply select the “recalbox” servers in your scraping options (patrons only).

Our Patreon page

After saving the Aniverse with Bucky O'Hare, we’re switching to a completely different atmosphere for the fifth game of our One Credit Challenge: it’s time for Pururun, a cute and colorful puzzle game that will put your brain to the test for this 5th arcade challenge.

Pururun is a puzzle game released in October 1995, developed by Metro Corporation and published by Banpresto. Exclusively released in arcades, this relatively rare title (only 3 machines listed in the collections of active VAPS members) offers an addictive puzzle mechanic where you have to align four blobs of the same color or more to make them explode.

The title itself is a Japanese onomatopoeia that evokes a jelly-like sound, perfectly fitting for these little wiggling creatures on screen.

Universe & gameplay

In Pururun, you guide the heroes Pipi and Moko through 24 stages by making colorful blobs explode.
A particularity of the game: each blob has an outer color and an inner color. When you align four or more blobs with the same outer color, they explode and turn into their inner color. This mechanic allows you to create devastating chain reactions by planning your outer/inner combinations in advance.

The game is played in real time with a fixed top-down view, and if the grid becomes too crowded, you have a limited number of bombs to clear some space. The two-player co-op mode lets you tackle the puzzles together, adding an extra tactical dimension.

Tips to progress

The key to success in Pururun lies in anticipating chain reactions.
Don’t just pop blobs at random: observe the inner colors and plan several moves ahead to create combos. Chain reactions will not only help you reach your goal faster but also achieve higher scores.

Keep your bombs for truly critical situations when the grid becomes unmanageable—they’re your lifeline, but in limited quantity.

🏆 Challenge rules

Your goal is to achieve the highest score on a single credit.
The challenge runs from November 1st to November 15th at 11:59 PM. You can try as many times as you like.

📢 How to participate

1. Launch the game (rom pururun)
2. Play and try to beat the best score
3. Take a screenshot or photo of your final score
4. Share your score on the Discord channel #challenges including your username and score

⚖️ Rules to follow

To ensure fair play:

• The score must be achieved in a single credit, without save state, rewind, cheats, or auto-fire (unless built into the game)
• Gentlemen’s agreement: using glitches to artificially inflate the score is also forbidden

🎁 Rewards and fair play

The challenge is above all about discovering games, sharing tips and, of course, having fun, all in a spirit of friendly competition!

The winner will receive a game key (GOG, Steam, etc.) to choose from a list of about 100 titles.
If you’ve won a challenge in the last three months, the reward goes to the next player.

Your ranking will be added to the One Credit Challenge leaderboard.
The champion of the first season will receive either an RGB Dual 2 or a one-year Recalbox Patreon subscription.

Good luck everyone, and may the best score win!

The Dreamcast homebrew scene keeps pushing boundaries, and developer Jnmartin84 is about to deliver another AAA port. Star Fox 64 is landing on Sega’s last console, and according to the latest updates from Falco Girgis, the port is 95% complete with an imminent release.

All eyes in the Dreamcast community were on the release of Mario Kart 64, and that port is finally available. But Jnmartin84 clearly isn’t one to rest on his laurels: during the final weeks of Mario Kart’s development, he secretly worked on Star Fox 64, and the results are simply phenomenal.

A 95% port, release approaching

Falco Girgis, a major figure in the Dreamcast scene and maintainer of KallistiOS (the open-source SDK powering the Dreamcast homebrew ecosystem for over 20 years), just shared a direct capture video on real hardware. And it looks nothing short of amazing.

“The port has progressed PHENOMENALLY over the past few months,” says Falco Girgis. “Everything runs ultra-smooth and lightning-fast! The visuals are crisp and clean, rendered in 480p thanks to the Dreamcast’s PowerVR GPU.”

The port is said to be around 95% complete, with the final weeks focused on implementing lighting and other special effects for certain areas. But the real technical cherry on top is the ongoing optimization work: Jnmartin84 is compiling the N64 display list code into SH4 assembly in real time, using Falco Girgis’s SH4ZAM library for another round of performance gains.

Real hardware, not emulation

Contrary to what one might think, this is not emulation but a true native port. The project is based on the Star Fox 64 decompilation by Sonicdcer, which recreated the game’s original source code. Jnmartin84 then adapted that code to run natively on Dreamcast hardware, optimizing every aspect to take full advantage of the SH4 processor and PowerVR GPU.

The result? Iconic barrel rolls, precise laser shots, and intense space battles running perfectly. Even the character voices and sound effects are being implemented for a complete and faithful experience.

Jnmartin84, the magician of N64-to-Dreamcast ports

This isn’t the first time Jnmartin84 has impressed the community. His homebrew résumé is already impressive: Doom 64, widely considered the definitive console version; Wipeout running like clockwork; and now Mario Kart 64, freshly released with Sonic even added as a bonus. Each project showcases exceptional technical mastery and an eye for detail that elevates his work from a “working port” to a “flawless port.”

Falco Girgis confirms it: “We’ve got another AAA-quality Nintendo 64 to Sega Dreamcast port from Jnmartin! Stay tuned for the upcoming release!”

Who is Falco Girgis?

For those unfamiliar, Falco Girgis is a key figure in the Dreamcast scene. An embedded systems and graphics developer, he’s one of the main maintainers of KallistiOS, the open-source SDK that has allowed developers to create Dreamcast homebrew for more than two decades.

Thanks to his work and that of contributors like @sizious (DreamSDK) and @darcag3nt, the Dreamcast now enjoys a modern development environment with support for C23, C++23, and even Rust. KallistiOS was recently ported to GameCube and Wii, extending its reach even further.

Falco is also known for the Elysian Shadows project, an indie RPG that was a hit on Kickstarter in 2014 and was initially designed exclusively for Dreamcast. His passion for Sega’s console dates back to 2004, when at 14 years old he discovered that homebrew games could run on the Dreamcast without any hardware modification.

A homebrew scene more alive than ever

This news is part of a larger wave of exciting Dreamcast projects. The console is currently enjoying a true homebrew renaissance, with ports of GTA III, GTA Vice City, and now an entire series of N64 classics.

Week after week, the Dreamcast proves that a “dead” console can still live on vibrantly thanks to its passionate community. Twenty-six years after its release, it has never been more alive—and Star Fox 64 will soon be one more reason to bring that iconic white console back out of the closet.

If you fell for the LEGO Game Boy released this year, good news: it might soon become playable! The BrickBoy project has just landed on Kickstarter with a DIY kit that turns your LEGO build into a fully functional handheld console. And the best part? No soldering required—installation takes less than 10 minutes.

The official LEGO Game Boy is a beautiful collector’s item, but of course, it’s not functional. BrickBoy changes that with a kit that fits directly into your existing build to make it work for real. The concept is simple: an emulator module slides into the cartridge slot (sticking out slightly), paired with a 2.4" screen that replaces the original LEGO display.

Emulation, not physical cartridges

A key point to clarify right away: BrickBoy runs through emulation and reads ROM files, not original Game Boy cartridges. If you were hoping to insert your real Pokémon or Tetris cartridges into your LEGO Game Boy, this isn’t the kit for you. Other modders, like NatalieTheNerd, are working on solutions that use original Game Boy chips to read physical cartridges, but BrickBoy took the emulation route to make the product more accessible and versatile.

This approach has its advantages: you can potentially access the entire Game Boy, Color, and Advance library (depending on the kit) without collecting cartridges. The downside? It’s less “authentic” for purists who prefer original hardware. It’s up to you to decide what matters most: authenticity or convenience.

Three kits for three types of players

BrickBoy offers three distinct versions to suit all budgets and needs:

Essential Kit: The entry-level option for those who just want to make their LEGO Game Boy playable without spending much. It emulates Game Boy games in grayscale and runs on two AAA batteries. Small drawback: the battery pack sticks out from the back, slightly breaking LEGO’s perfect aesthetic.

Gamer Kit: The full version for enthusiasts seeking the ultimate experience. It includes Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance emulation in color, gameplay acceleration, customizable backlight, Bluetooth audio, wireless updates, and a rechargeable battery. This version fixes the aesthetic issue with a compact, discreetly integrated battery.

Collector’s Edition: The premium version designed for display as much as for play. It features a “show mode” and USB power for permanent display, ideal for looping demos on a shelf.

Plug-and-play installation with magnetic sensors

One of BrickBoy’s biggest strengths is its simplicity. No need to be a modding expert: no soldering, no screwing. The clever part lies in button management—rather than modifying LEGO bricks, BrickBoy uses magnetic sensors placed under the D-pad and action buttons. When you press the LEGO plastic buttons, they approach the sensors, triggering the input.

The entire electronic module is housed in a “super cartridge” that fits directly into LEGO’s slot, while the 2.4" LCD screen replaces the fake green window. Full installation takes 5 to 10 minutes.

A few grey areas remain

While the concept is appealing, some questions remain. The precise technical specifications of the module haven’t been detailed yet on the Kickstarter page (processor, storage capacity, etc.), and the emulation quality shown in promo videos seems imperfect (BrickBoy is rather evasive about the built-in emulator).
In addition, some segmentation choices raise eyebrows: the Essential Kit apparently lacks volume and brightness controls—pretty essential features.

Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, making it hard to judge the value for money. The team promises first deliveries in December 2025 after the end of the Kickstarter campaign.

A philosophical dilemma

BrickBoy isn’t alone in this field, and that’s what makes it interesting. On one side, you have modders like NatalieTheNerd, whom we mentioned here: respect for original hardware, real cartridge reading, authentic preservation.
On the other, BrickBoy: the path of modernity and convenience, the power of emulation opening three generations of Nintendo handhelds, the comfort of a ROM library and rechargeable battery.

The BrickBoy project launches its Kickstarter campaign on October 28, 2025.
As always with crowdfunding, remember that not every project reaches completion—do your research before backing. If the idea of turning your LEGO Game Boy into a functional console excites you, now’s the time to keep a close eye on it.

From October 25 to 26, the Replay Festival opens its doors in Mouans-Sartoux for its 13th edition. Two days of total immersion in pop culture and video games from the 70s to the 2000s. And good news: Recalbox will be there!

Three members of the Recalbox team (Makhstorr, Zucco, and Bkg2k) will be making the trip with a booth that’s sure to attract enthusiasts. On the menu: four RGB Dual 2 units running on CRT screens for an authentic experience, two Recalbox systems in HDMI — one in TATE (vertical) configuration perfect for shoot’em ups — and the icing on the cake, two original vintage machines: a Panasonic FS-A1 MSX2 and a Sega SC-3000, sure to delight retro hardware fans. As a small bonus for arcade lovers, a mini wooden arcade cabinet (by Patman) in TATE will also be on display.

RGB Dual 2 in the spotlight

If you’ve never seen an RGB Dual 2 in action, this is the perfect opportunity! This board developed by Recalbox is specially designed to provide a true analog RGB output for CRT screens. No more compromises: you’ll enjoy pixel-perfect visuals, vibrant colors, and the natural scanlines of original arcade cabinets and consoles.

Whether you’re nostalgic for the arcades and consoles of the 90s or simply curious to see what a true RGB signal looks like on a CRT display, you’re in for a treat. The team will be there to explain the setup, the different available outputs (RGB SCART, composite, etc.), and share their passion with you.

As a bonus, our TATE configuration will let you experience vertical shoot’em ups in their native format — exactly as they were in the arcade cabinets of the time. From Ikaruga to Dodonpachi, the experience is nothing like a horizontal screen!

Original vintage hardware

To complete the experience, we’ll also be showcasing two authentic vintage machines: a Panasonic FS-A1 MSX2 (the Japanese standard that conquered Europe in the 80s) and a Sega SC-3000 (Sega’s very first foray into the home computer market in 1983). A great opportunity to see these original systems running live.

Come play and chat

Our booth will be a true space for discovery and exchange. Whether you’re already a Recalbox user, curious to learn about the project, or simply passionate about retrogaming, the team will be thrilled to meet you. Technical questions, installation tips, or discovering the latest features — this is the perfect chance to get hands-on with the hardware and see what Recalbox can do for you.

The Replay Festival takes place at the Gymnase René Friard and Gymnase La Chênaie in Mouans-Sartoux (06), from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 25 and Sunday, October 26. Admission is only €5, with free re-entry. We can’t wait to see you there!