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Shoot'em up fans, get ready to discover the very best the arcade genre has to offer. This video takes you deep into the fascinating world of shoot'em ups developed by Cave, a legendary studio founded by former members of Toaplan that revolutionized the bullet hell genre. Games that long remained relatively unknown in the West, yet represent the absolute pinnacle of Japanese arcade excellence.

Essential Recalbox setup

Before diving in, a few essential settings are required. These relatively recent games (up to 2012) require a Raspberry Pi 5 or a PC to run smoothly without slowdowns.
You will also need a complete Final Burn Neo romset.

Developer-based sorting tip:
Go to Start > Arcade Settings > Virtual Manufacturer System, then enable Cave.
All your Cave games will automatically be grouped into a dedicated virtual folder.

Vertical mode (TATE)

Most Cave games are tate (vertical). If you can rotate your screen, configure the Tate Settings to enable the Tate virtual system and choose the rotation (left or right).
Your games will then be displayed fullscreen, which is absolutely essential to fully enjoy these shoot'em ups.

The must-play selection

From DonPachi (1995), the pioneer that laid the foundations of bullet hell (maniac shooters), to DonPachi Saidaioujou (2012), the studio’s visual masterpiece, this selection spans 17 years of excellence.

Among the must-play titles:

• ESP Galuda, with its bullet time system
• the colorful Mushihime-sama and its insect-themed universe
• the delightfully unhinged Muchi Muchi Pork with its flying pigs
• and Deathsmiles, an outstanding horizontal shoot'em up featuring bidirectional shooting

Each game offers unique mechanics and remarkable gameplay depth.

Going further

To refine your strategies and explore the subtleties of each ship, be sure to visit schmups.com and shmups.system11.org.

We are pleased to present the latest version for Patrons: 10.0-Patron-5. It notably introduces the welcome assistant for new installations (RGB Dual 2, Jamma 2, Card Reader), as well as the first building blocks of console mode with the arrival of the Card Reader.

No major additions like in previous versions (notably Patron 4 and the Theme Manager), for a very simple reason: we are in the final stretch. Polishing, optimization, and bug fixes are the focus. This version is approaching 98% of the final V10.

10.0-Patron-5 is rolling out today to Patrons. They will be able to discover this new version ahead of a larger-scale testing phase, which you will learn more about in the coming days. Perhaps you’ll have a role to play ;)

In the meantime, discover below the main highlights of the release notes (available in full here).

Interface and menus

• Display of release notes directly in the System menu
• Display of available memory on Raspberry Pi in the System menu
• Improved rendering of selectors and buttons in menus
• Fixes for several display and navigation bugs
• Improved handling of text scrolling and pop-up messages
• Added a welcome assistant for new installations (RGB Dual 2 / JAMMA 2 / Card Reader)
• Improved boot time

Card Reader

• First iteration of console mode
• Added music and video (BIOS) selection for console mode
• Saving of the game association in the reader’s memory
• Automatic card reset if the associated game is deleted

Scraper

• Fixed crashes when closing
• Improved error handling (problematic games are ignored and processing continues)
• Improved display in 240p / 480p resolutions
• Fixed the error screen not displaying in low resolution

Controllers and compatibility

• Steam Deck: Bluetooth support for the OLED model (Galileo), fixes for triggers and sleep mode
• Re-added Joy-Con support
• Improved HAT debounce on low-latency controllers
• Fixed the configuration assistant when no controller is configured

Emulation

• Multitap: fixes and improvements for PSX (SwanStation, PCSX Rearmed, Mednafen PSX HW) and Saturn
• Fixed Daphne games in 480i
• Added lr-puae on CRT
• Added Naomi BIOS from MAME 0.278
• Fixed the use of Dolphin assets in Libretro cores
• Fixed the diagnostic button with FBNeo
• Added Williams as a manufacturer in Midway

Technical fixes

• Multiple fixes in PulseAudio and volume management
• Fixed volume synchronization
• Fixed crashes in Markdown components
• Fixed event handling with multiple components on screen
• Fixed themes not updating correctly
• Fixed boot on game (removal of background image at startup)
• Fixed dates in gameclip
• Fixed CRT on RPi3 (default superrez is now x6)
• Fixed switching between RGB and composite signals on RGB Dual 2

Languages and themes

• Updated French and Spanish translations
• Complete English and French translations
• Fixed background color based on selected region
• Default theme configuration for RGB Dual / JAMMA

If you would like to see the additions in video form, you can also check out our Patreon post available via this link.

See you very soon for what promises to be a busy period of news.

After the aquatic adventures of the cute Hipopo in Liquid Kids and its classic platforming mechanics, the One Credit Challenge takes a sharp turn with a totally unconventional concept! Nitro Ball (Data East, 1992) leaves water bubbles and fruit behind to plunge us into a futuristic frenzy blending run and gun action with a pinball-inspired universe!

Presented from a top-down perspective, the game throws players into a space game show where they control an armed soldier capable of shooting in eight directions across five themed stages designed like real pinball tables. Each level is packed with bumpers, ramps, targets, and holes, and when enemies are defeated, they roll across the playfield, bouncing off these elements and triggering spectacular chain reactions.

The focus is clearly on scoring, with bonus points awarded for completing specific objectives in bonus rooms. Your final reward depends on your total score — with the very best players literally becoming President of the United States!

Produced by Data East in their tradition of bold experimentation, Nitro Ball stands out thanks to its unique concept. It can be completed in under twenty minutes if you’re experienced, but its replay value lies entirely in the hunt for high scores. Long exclusive to arcades, the game eventually received a console port on Nintendo Switch in 2018. A perfect challenge to discover one of the most original and frenetic experiences in the Data East catalog!

🏆 Challenge rules

Your objective is to achieve the highest possible score on a single credit.
The challenge runs from January 16 to January 31 at 11:59 p.m. You may attempt it as many times as you like.

📢 How to participate?

• Launch the game (ROM: nitrobal)
• Play and try to beat the best score
• Take a screenshot or photo of your final score
• Share your score on the #challenges Discord channel, including your username and score.

⚖️ Rules to follow

To ensure fair play:

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

Gentlemen’s agreement: the use of glitches that artificially inflate the score is also prohibited.

🎁 Rewards and fair play

The challenge is first and foremost about discovering games, sharing tips, and of course having fun — all within a healthy competitive spirit!

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

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

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

That’s it, it’s official! Ticket sales for HFS Summer 2026 are now open for the event taking place from May 29 to 31, 2026, at the Halle des Expositions in Évreux. After the success of the first edition held in Évreux last year, the HFS team is back with even more ambition and passion, aiming to deliver an exceptional weekend for arcade and retro gaming enthusiasts.

A one-of-a-kind event

HFS Summer will feature over 150 arcade cabinets, pinball machines, and consoles in freeplay for three full days. Whether you’re nostalgic for the arcade halls of the 1980s and 1990s or simply curious to discover these legendary machines, you’re in for a treat. Arcade cabinets, pinball machines, retro consoles, fairground games, and old-school LAN parties will all come together in a friendly and festive atmosphere.

High-level international tournaments such as HADO (Street Fighter III: Third Strike), Facteur X (Street Fighter 2X), and the BREAKCUP (Breaker's Revenge) will run alongside family-friendly tournaments open to everyone. The public will be able to freely attend the competitions throughout the weekend and feel the excitement of epic showdowns between players from all over the world.

Recalbox will be there!

We’ll be attending HFS Summer 2026! It’s the perfect opportunity to meet the Recalbox team, chat with members of the community, and maybe even discover a few surprises we have in store for you. Whether you’ve been using Recalbox for years or are simply curious to learn more, come say hello and share your passion for retro gaming with us.

Practical information

Dates: from Friday, May 29 (10 a.m.–midnight) to Sunday, May 31, 2026 (10 a.m.–6 p.m.)
Venue: Halle des Expositions, 26 avenue du Maréchal Foch, 27000 Évreux

Book your tickets here

Plan your trip

By car: The Halle des Expositions has a large free parking area.

By train: Évreux train station is less than a 20-minute walk from the venue. Be sure to book your SNCF tickets as early as possible to get the best fares.

Carpooling: Want to share travel costs? Head over to our Discord to organize carpooling with other community members. It’s a great way to travel together and get to know each other even before the event begins.

Join our Discord to organize carpooling and chat with the community.

A weekend for everyone

HFS Summer is a family-friendly event open to all ages. Food and drinks will be available on site throughout the entire event. Whether you’re coming with family, friends, or on your own, you’re welcome to share this common passion for video games and arcade culture.

Don’t wait too long—tickets are selling fast! Book your pass now and enjoy three unforgettable days at the heart of arcade and retro gaming culture.

See you in Évreux at the end of May!

For more information: https://summer.hfsplay.fr
Ticketing: https://www.billetweb.fr/hfs-summer-2026
HFS Discord: https://discord.gg/hfsplay

A decompilation project for Jet Set Radio Future has just been launched, opening the door to a potential native PC port. The SEGA classic from the original Xbox, which has remained inaccessible since its release in 2002, could finally find a second life thanks to the community’s efforts.

An Xbox Classic That Remained Inaccessible

Released in 2002 on the original Xbox, Jet Set Radio Future is the sequel to the cult classic Jet Set Radio on Dreamcast. The game retained the series’ distinctive cel-shaded style while offering a reworked futuristic aesthetic, a brand-new storyline, and much larger urban areas to explore on rollerblades.

Despite its cult classic status, Jet Set Radio Future never left the Xbox ecosystem. The game is only playable on the original Xbox and Xbox 360 (via backward compatibility), with no PC port and no compatibility with modern Xbox consoles. A frustrating situation for fans eager to rediscover this iconic title.

Decompilation: A Complex Process

Decompilation involves translating an executable file into high-level source code. This technique makes it possible to better understand a game’s internal workings and, in some cases, to port it to other platforms or facilitate the development of mods.

According to the project’s Codeberg page, the decompilation of Jet Set Radio Future is currently 30.6% complete. There is still a long way to go, but this first milestone is encouraging and demonstrates the community’s determination.

What Lies Ahead?

The main goal of this project is to enable a native PC port, finally making the game accessible outside the Xbox ecosystem. Once the decompilation is complete, the code could also serve as a foundation for technical improvements (higher resolution, optimized framerate) or for modding.

Enthusiasts can follow the project’s progress on Codeberg. It will likely take a great deal of patience before this work comes to fruition, but the initiative deserves recognition for helping preserve an important title in video game history.

More than 25 years after its original release, Super Mario 64 has just landed on a completely unexpected platform: the Sega Dreamcast. Thanks to the relentless work of developer jnmartin84, this native port turns SEGA’s console into a Nintendo time machine.

A “AAA-Quality” Port

Developer Falco Girgis describes the result as “a port that plays like a native AAA version.” Unlike simple emulation, this version uses the decompiled source code of the original game to create an experience perfectly tailored to the Dreamcast’s hardware.

The port runs at full speed in the Dreamcast’s native 480p resolution, with complete audio support and VMU support for save files.

A Technical Feat

This project would never have been possible without the full decompilation of Super Mario 64’s source code carried out a few years ago. That decompilation opened the door to native ports of this iconic game not only on PC, but also on other consoles.

The current Dreamcast port significantly improves upon an earlier version released in 2020 by mrneo240, which suffered from audio and visual issues. jnmartin84 took up the torch to fix these shortcomings and add essential features such as VMU save support.

The Dreamcast, a Console with a Thousand Lives

This port joins an impressive list including Sonic Mania, GTA III, GTA Vice City, Star Fox 64, DOOM 64, Mario Kart 64, and Duke Nukem 3D. The Dreamcast homebrew scene has never been this dynamic, 24 years after the console was discontinued.

As previously mentioned with Star Fox 64, jnmartin84 and Falco Girgis form a formidable duo that continues to push the Dreamcast’s technical limits, proving that SEGA’s console still has plenty of life left in it.

Availability

The project is available on jnmartin84’s GitHub repository, but requires a legal US Super Mario 64 ROM to extract the assets. No copyrighted content is included in the source code, making the project legally viable.

For nostalgia lovers and video game preservation enthusiasts, this port once again proves that the Dreamcast stubbornly refuses to die.

David Rosen, co-founder of Sega and a pioneer of the arcade industry, passed away on December 25, 2025, at his home in Los Angeles, at the age of 95. His death marks the end of an era for the video game industry he helped build.

From the military to a visionary entrepreneur

Born on January 22, 1930, in Brooklyn, Rosen served in the U.S. Air Force from 1948 to 1952, mainly in Japan during the Korean War. After his service, he made the bold decision to remain in Japan. In 1954, he founded Rosen Enterprises, initially focusing on photo studios for identification cards.

The decisive turning point came in 1957, when Rosen obtained a special license to import American arcade machines into Japan. As he recalled in 1996: “Right from the start, the machines were phenomenally successful. I was opening arcades all over Japan, and we were lucky.”

The birth of Sega

In 1965, Rosen Enterprises merged with Nihon Goraku Bussan, also known as Service Games. From this union was born Sega Enterprises Ltd., whose name comes from the contraction of “SErvice GAmes”. Rosen became CEO of this new entity, which would go on to shape the history of electronic entertainment.

The following year, Sega released Periscope, its first original game. This electromechanical submarine simulation game achieved massive international success and established Sega as a major export player. Periscope was revolutionary for its time: players aimed through a periscope and fired “torpedoes” represented by colored beams of light to sink cardboard ships, with innovative sound and lighting effects.

Rosen deeply understood the importance of the arcade as a social and entertainment space in post-war Japan. He expanded arcade venues across the country, creating places where people could gather and have fun. This vision transformed arcades into a major cultural phenomenon that later spread worldwide, influencing the entire modern video game industry.

A lasting legacy

After various financial challenges and ownership changes, Rosen played a central role in establishing Sega of America in the 1980s. He oversaw the launch of iconic consoles such as the Master System, the Mega Drive (Genesis in the United States), which would define a generation, and the Saturn. He retired in 1996, after more than forty years shaping the company.

As the first president of the Japan Amusement Association, which he co-founded in 1967, Rosen helped structure an emerging industry. His funeral took place on January 2 at Inglewood Park Cemetery.

David Rosen leaves behind an immense legacy. Generations of players who grew up with arcade machines and later Sega consoles owe much to this man, who saw the potential of electronic entertainment long before anyone else. His work will continue to inspire the industry for generations to come.

Fabrice traveled to Péronne to meet the founders of Tenzen Arcade, who talk to us about the origins of their project, share buying advice, provide technical insights, and point out the pitfalls to avoid in the world of arcade gaming.

In this video, the Tenzen Arcade team looks back at the genesis of their project: an adventure born from a shared passion for authentic arcade machines and a simple observation — in 2026, it is still possible to source original historic arcade cabinets, particularly from Japan. After traveling there themselves to meet suppliers and inspect machines in game centers, Tenzen now imports cabinets by the container, with a clear goal: to offer an arcade experience that is faithful to the original conditions of the era, with full transparency.

Tenzen Arcade positions itself as a turnkey service, covering everything from import and restoration to sales and customer support. Legendary candy cabs (Astro City, New Astro, Blast City…), dedicated cabinets, race cabs, or gun games — no limits are set. Machines can be sold as-is or fully restored (paintwork, control panels, electronics, tested CRT screens), with clear warranties, photos and videos provided before delivery, and genuine after-sales support. The aim is to secure a purchase that is far from trivial and to avoid the unpleasant surprises that are common on the private second-hand market.

The video also addresses key questions for enthusiasts: compatibility with modern solutions like Recalbox, constraints related to CRT screens, frequency choices (15/24/31 kHz), logistics, pricing, lead times, and advice for newcomers. Tenzen reminds viewers that an arcade cabinet is an old, living machine that requires a minimum level of involvement — but that maintenance and understanding are an integral part of the pleasure. A passionate and clear-eyed testimony on the current state of retro arcade gaming, caught between revival, increasing rarity, and the transmission of a unique heritage.

We would like to remind you that if you support Recalbox via Patreon, you benefit from a free Recalbox RGB JAMMA 2 Kit + Raspberry Pi 5 with the purchase of a Japanese candy cab, such as (New) Astro City, (New) Net City, Blast City, Aero City, etc. (excluding NUC), using the promo code available in your Patreon space.

Enjoy watching!

Dear retrogaming enthusiasts,

As we turn the page on 2025, the entire Recalbox team would like to extend its best wishes to you for this new year 2026 now beginning!

A 2025 full of emotions

The year coming to an end was marked by great progress for our project. Thanks to your unwavering support, enthusiasm, and valuable feedback, Recalbox continues to evolve and to bring classic video game gems back to life on your screens. Among the highlights, we can mention the RGB Dual 2, the RGB JAMMA 2, the RecalCards, as well as the development of V10, which is now nearing completion for an imminent release.

Whether you have been with us since the very beginning or are a newcomer to the world of retrogaming, you are an integral part of this adventure that allows us to preserve and share our video game heritage.

2026: a year full of promise

For this new year, we have plenty of exciting projects in the works. Without revealing too much, expect improvements, new features, hardware, and the same strong commitment to making retrogaming accessible to everyone.

We will continue to work tirelessly to offer you the best possible experience, whether it is to relive childhood memories, share them with your loved ones, or discover classics you never had the chance to explore.

Thank you for being here

A huge thank you to all contributors, developers, testers, translators, and of course to you, our loyal users, who keep this extraordinary community alive. It is thanks to you that Recalbox has become what it is today.

Wishing you all an excellent year ahead, filled with health and success, both personal and professional. Enjoy time with your loved ones, get your controllers ready, recharge your batteries, and may 2026 be the year of your greatest gaming sessions!

Game on, and happy new year 2026!

The Recalbox team

After the colorful, strategic duels of Twinkle Star Sprites and its explosive combos, One Credit Challenge #09 takes us this time into a gentle arcade platformer! Liquid Kids (Taito, 1990) leaves behind split screens and competition to offer a charming solo adventure in a threatened aquatic world.

This delightful platform game puts you in the role of Hipopo, a small hippopotamus armed with a very special power: shooting water bubbles to trap enemies before turning them into juicy fruit. The villain Rubber Duc and his henchmen have kidnapped Hipopo’s friends, and our hero must travel through seven varied worlds to save them, from lush forests to mysterious castles.

Developed by the same team behind The NewZealand Story, Liquid Kids stands out thanks to its smart level design that rewards exploration, its creative bosses, and its joyful atmosphere driven by an upbeat soundtrack. Less well known than other Taito titles of the era, this little gem unfortunately never received an official console port, making it today a hidden treasure of the early 90s arcade catalog. A perfect challenge to enjoy a technical and generous platformer!

🏆 Challenge rules

Your objective is to achieve the highest score on a single credit.
The challenge runs from January 1st to January 15th at 11:59 PM.
You may attempt it as many times as you like.

📢 How to participate?

• Launch the game (ROM: liquidk)
• 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, indicating your nickname and your score.

⚖️ Rules to respect

To ensure a fair challenge:

The score must be achieved on a single credit, with no save states, rewind, cheats, or auto-fire (unless provided by the game).

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

🎁 Rewards and fair play

The challenge above all aims to discover games, share tips, and of course have fun, all in a spirit of friendly competition!

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

Your ranking will be added to the One Credit Challenge leaderboard.
The champion of the first season will receive, at their choice, an RGB Dual 2 or one year of Recalbox Patreon membership.

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

After the success of the GB Operator launched in 2021 for Game Boy cartridges, Romanian company Epilogue is back with the SN Operator. This new device, available for $71.99, lets you manage your Super Nintendo and Super Famicom cartridges directly from your PC, Mac, or Steam Deck. An elegant solution to preserve, play, and authenticate original SNES cartridges.

According to Retro Dodo, the SN Operator connects to your computer via USB-C and works with the Playback application, which handles all of the device’s features. Easy to set up, simply plug in the device, install the software, and you’re ready to explore your SNES collection in a whole new way.

Saves, backups, and data management

The main function of the SN Operator is save management. You can transfer saves from your cartridges to your PC to secure them, modify them, or simply preserve them forever. The reverse operation is also possible: loading a save from your computer back onto an original cartridge or a flashcart.

This feature is particularly useful when replacing the internal batteries in cartridges. Back up your progress on PC, replace the battery, then reload your save: your 100+ hours on Final Fantasy VI are preserved for the next 20–30 years.

The device also allows you to dump your entire games to create legal backups of your collection. You can also load ROMs or homebrew games onto blank cartridges or flashcarts, opening the door to a whole creative scene.

The GB Operator / Image: Damien McFerran / Time Extension

Playing directly from your cartridges

As highlighted by Gizmodo, the SN Operator is not an FPGA-based system like the Analogue Super NT (which is no longer sold). It reads data from the cartridge and lets software emulation handle the rest. The experience, however, remains smooth and faithful.

Through the Playback application, you can play your SNES games directly from original cartridges, with imperceptible latency and modern features such as fast forward, soft reset, support for modern Bluetooth controllers, cheats, and even RetroAchievements integration to track your accomplishments. Saves are automatically synchronized, allowing you to switch between your PC and your original console without losing progress.

A fun bonus: the SN Operator supports special peripherals like the Super Scope and the SNES mouse, which are emulated in software to work on PC. Battle Clash and Mario Paint, watch out.

Cartridge authentication

One of the most appreciated features of the GB Operator makes a return: counterfeit detection. According to the official Epilogue website, the SN Operator deeply analyzes the cartridge’s electronic circuits to identify manufacturing markers that counterfeiters attempt to replicate. The detection rate reaches 98.7% accuracy.

With the growing number of increasingly convincing reproductions and bootlegs, this feature becomes essential for collectors who want to authenticate their purchases before proudly placing them on the shelf.

Compatibility and protections

The SN Operator is compatible with PC, Mac, and Steam Deck, and includes protection against overcurrent and electrostatic discharge. Physical guides ensure proper cartridge alignment to prevent mechanical damage. Epilogue takes the integrity of your rare cartridges seriously.

As noted by Time Extension, the Playback software evolves regularly with new features. With the GB Operator, Epilogue has proven it can maintain and improve its products over time.

What’s next?

Epilogue has confirmed on Twitter that a NES Operator is in the works. For those looking to digitize their retro collection, the SN Operator is an excellent starting point, with the hope of one day seeing similar devices for the N64 and Nintendo DS.

The SN Operator is available now on Epilogue’s website for $71.99. For SNES collectors, it’s an investment that combines video game preservation, modern gameplay, and peace of mind for your precious saves.

We’ve just reached the milestone of 20,000 followers on our Twitch channel! This is a major moment for the Recalbox channel, and we wanted to thank you—those who keep this passionate retrogaming community alive day after day.

A collective adventure

Since the launch of the channel, we’ve shared thousands of hours of live streams, explored hundreds of video game gems, taken part in the ZEvent, and above all, we’ve built a true family of enthusiasts together.
Whether you’ve been with us from the very beginning or joined us more recently, you’re part of this great story.

What awaits you each week

For those discovering our channel—or who’d like a quick reminder—here’s our weekly schedule hosted by Fab2ris:

• MONDAY: RETROGAMING NEWS – All the latest 100% retro and neo-retro news, so you don’t miss anything from the world we love
• TUESDAY: READING 80s/90s video game magazines – A deep dive into the cult magazines that shaped our youth
• WEDNESDAY: DISCOVERING retrogaming gems – Forgotten games, rare pearls, and titles that deserve to be rediscovered
• THURSDAY: INDIE GAMES – A focus on neo-retro and indie games that keep the spirit of the classics alive
• SUNDAY: LIVE-REACT – Reliving together the golden years of Les Guignols de l’Info, Le Zapping, and other cult archives
• WEEKEND (10am–1pm): Recalbox Q&A – Assembly sessions, troubleshooting, and questions & answers about Recalbox. Got a problem? We’re here to help!

More than a Twitch channel

Beyond streaming, we’re building a true ecosystem together: 100% retrogaming news, authentic live gaming, interviews with industry figures, updates on the Recalbox project, and of course our famous technical weekend sessions to support you in your own projects.

The next chapter

These 20,000 followers are just one step along the way. We still have plenty of projects, surprises, and content to share with you.
So stay tuned, invite your gamer friends, and let’s keep the retrogaming flame alive together!

Thank you all, and see you on twitch.tv/recalbox!

What can explain this feeling, the one where our eyes widen when we see an intro we haven’t watched in years, a sound we thought we had forgotten but that, in reality, had never left our brain. What explains the fact that 15, 20, or 30 years later, controller in hand, we haven’t lost any of our skill in a game we hadn’t touched in all those years.

Does our nostalgia distort the memories we have of video games? Was it better before? Have we become video game boomers? No suspense here: no, it wasn’t better before, it was different. And perhaps our role, as nostalgics, is simply to pass on a few values that our passion taught us during those pixelated years.

Quality, an inescapable component

Let’s start with the question that rules them all: were video games better before? Sorry to disappoint, but there is no definitive answer, and it would be criminal to say that today’s games are not excellent. Red Dead Redemption 2, the God of War series, the Uncharted games, Clair Obscur — all are masterpieces that fully deserve that title, whether through their music, visuals, storytelling, voice acting, or art direction. When you come out of a game feeling “stunned,” it fully qualifies as a work of art.

However, and let’s not be afraid to say it, the games of our childhood were released finished. No day-one patches, no promises of future fixes. Developers had only one chance to deliver their vision, etched into the plastic of a cartridge or the surface of a CD. This pressure created an extraordinary demand for quality. Each game was a complete work, tested, polished until it shone.

Today, the ability to fix things after release has sometimes diluted that rigor. Modern games are magnificent, certainly, but far too many still launch in version 0.5.

We now see too many erratic or rushed development endings, pushing games out by the date expected by publishers, under the pretext that they can be patched shortly after — sometimes too late. But is it really respecting your audience to release games that aren’t finished…?

Some excellent games even put their studios at risk because of this. We’ll mention only Cyberpunk or No Man’s Sky — both very good today.

Be careful though, and you’ve probably tested some with Recalbox: certain retro games are absolutely terrible, ugly, with poorly designed gameplay. Let’s take the most famous example of all: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Atari 2600, 1982)… nothing worked. And to top it off, Atari pulled off a “masterstroke”: they produced more cartridges than consoles sold…

Finally, to conclude this topic, let’s be honest: yes, our childlike perspective distorts our memories. Who hasn’t launched a game, impatiently eager to revisit a childhood gem, only to end up saying: “Ah… that’s not how I remembered it.”

Learning through failure, and accepting frustration

We’re not telling you anything new when we say that games were subject to heavy technical constraints — especially one: space. Consider this: any image of the Super Mario Bros. box art you find online is heavier than the game itself — 40 KB (Super Mario World on SNES was 512 KB, pure luxury!).

This constraint pushed developers to find clever tricks to save space wherever possible, but the most common solution was very simple: for a game to feel long and worth the money, it had to be difficult!

Games back then were ruthless. Not out of sadism, but out of necessity. Technical limitations didn’t allow for 100-hour adventures, so difficulty made up for it. Three lives, no saving, and Game Over. This level of demand taught us something fundamental: persevere, fail, learn, try again.

Every victory was a genuine conquest, earned through sweat and hours of practice. Today, games guide us, reassure us, shield us from frustration. It’s more accessible, gentler — but have we lost along the way that raw pride of truly succeeding?

People often say we no longer tell our children “no” today. Has video gaming reached that point as well?

Why do we play? Today’s pitfalls

Why did we turn on our consoles back then? Ask yourself the question… The answer was simple: to play. To have fun, to try to beat that level, to share a moment with a friend, an older brother, or a younger sister.

Why do we play today, or why do our children turn on their consoles?

Modern games have invented new addictions. Battle passes, seasons, daily challenges that constantly remind us to log in, again and again. Pure enjoyment is no longer what drives our sessions — it’s often the fear of missing out. Competition has replaced pleasure for many players, turning leisure into performance, entertainment into obligation. Games have become services: beautiful but time-consuming, generous but carefully designed to keep us engaged.

Take a look around you: how many children you know have actually finished a game?

This is also due to the overwhelming number of titles available today. If a game doesn’t click, we can instantly switch to another and quickly forget the one we bought just days ago.

Back then, when you had a game, you “wore it out,” because you knew your next one wouldn’t come for months. You had to enjoy it, savor it. And if today you still have your old skills, it’s because you knew that game inside out. That kind of experience has become rare.

The sheer abundance of titles available today is indecent, and it’s counterproductive in terms of pleasure. Game Pass, PlayStation+, Steam — and more broadly Netflix, Disney+… everything is immediately available, in absurd quantities. Imagine this: many players admit it (and maybe that’s you — no judgment here!), they buy games and never play them.

Think about the absurdity of the abundance of content we have — games, series, films, endless scrolling — and yet we are never satisfied. We always want more. Marketing has won, and never, ever, have we spent so much time staring blankly at content with that deep feeling of never having enough, even though we had far less before.

We didn’t scroll for hours through a library of 500 titles without knowing what to choose. We had our games — the ones we knew by heart, explored down to every corner and secret. That rarity created something precious: time. Time to truly immerse ourselves, to master, to love. Today, abundance gives us everything instantly, but paradoxically, too much choice kills choice. We flit about, download, abandon. This immediacy may have stolen something essential from us: the ability to wait, and therefore to savor.

Playing online or playing together?

There was that sacred ritual: squeezing four people onto a couch, the screen split into four tiny windows, controller cables tangled, sneaky glances at your neighbor’s screen. Shouts, laughter, shoulders bumping. Multiplayer was physical, tangible, real.

Remember that pure excitement: hopping on your bike and pedaling to a friend’s house just to play their game — the one you didn’t have. That different console, that universe you only knew through magazines. Happiness lived in those simple moments, those afternoons spent together in front of a CRT screen.

Today, our children play together without ever seeing each other — connected yet separated, each in their own room, headset on. They have never been so capable of communicating, and yet they have never met each other so little. The paradox of our digital age.

Once again, let’s measure our words: today’s multiplayer games are absolutely incredible (let’s forget battle passes). We all have digital friends whose faces we don’t know, whom we met during a match and never left, spending more time discussing life than racking up kills. These virtual friendships are real — deeply so. They create genuine bonds, shared moments, common memories. It’s not worse than before; it’s different, but just as precious in its own way.

Likewise, it would be disingenuous not to acknowledge the quality of certain multiplayer games, whether in their visuals or their gameplay mechanics. Once again, it’s not worse — it’s different.

We grew up alongside our passion

What makes our generation unique is that we experienced the modest foundations of a skyscraper that now touches the sky. We are the bridge — the generation that didn’t grow up with online play, passes, or DLC. We are the generation that grew alongside this evolution in video games.

We knew cartridges you had to blow into to make them work, scratched CDs that wouldn’t load, handwritten cheat code notebooks, gaming magazines that were our monthly Bible. We grew up with this evolution, living through the digital revolution in real time. Then, gradually, everything became faster, more connected, more complex. We are witnesses of a before and an after.

This nostalgia that sometimes grips us isn’t sad. It’s a bright melancholy — the melancholy of simplicity. Perhaps we feel it because everything has become harder to escape, faster, more demanding. The modern world constantly calls for our attention, bombarding us with notifications, content, endless possibilities. So yes, we remember fondly that time when everything was slower, more tangible, more real in a way.

Photo Michaël Desprez

And our mission is to pass it on. Not to say it was better before — but to preserve that essence, that simplicity in the joy of playing. To teach new generations that you can enjoy a game without fearing you’ll miss a season, that you can lose a hundred times and that it’s okay, that the best multiplayer experiences sometimes happen on a shared couch. Today’s games are extraordinary — more beautiful, richer, more ambitious than ever. But they might benefit from rediscovering a bit of that old philosophy: less, but better. Slower, but deeper. Simpler, but more genuine.

Because deep down, playing has never been about the number of pixels or polygons. It was, is, and always will be about shared moments.

This article is an editorial. It represents a personal point of view and engages only its author.

2025 is coming to an end. For some, it’s time to look back on the past year, but for Recalbox, this one has been especially significant. And for good reason: Recalbox celebrated its 10th anniversary. Ten years marked by constant work on the upcoming V10, arriving very soon, but also by new hardware, a growing community, and an undiminished passion that allows us to replay the video games of our childhood.

In the world of retrogaming, Recalbox resonates with two key words: simplicity and accessibility. This free and open-source solution has transformed the way we relive our classics, making emulation accessible to everyone, from casual players to arcade experts. But what’s the story behind this true digital time machine?

Join us as we dive into a timeline that traces the spectacular evolution of Recalbox, from its humble beginnings on Raspberry Pi to its status as an ultra-complete retrogaming platform.

2015 — The foundations

Launched in 2015, Recalbox 1.0 laid the foundations of an ambitious project: making emulation accessible to as many people as possible. Compatible with the Raspberry Pi, the distribution supported around ten systems at the time. A modest first step, but a foundational one.

2016 — Gaining momentum

In 2016, Recalbox 4.0 brought Raspberry Pi 3 compatibility, support for more than 30 systems, RetroAchievements integration, Pixel Perfect rendering, and USB support. A major step forward that attracted many new users.

2017 — Opening up and versatility

In 2017, Recalbox 4.1 further expanded what was possible with PC and Pi Zero compatibility, support for 50 systems, a boot video, NAS management, scraping, and a virtual keyboard.

2019 — A major turning point

In 2019, Recalbox 6.0 marked a turning point by becoming compatible with the Raspberry Pi 3 B+ and supporting more than 80 systems. This version also stood out for its accessibility features, thanks to support for Microsoft’s Adaptive Controller.

2020 — Connected retrogaming

2020 saw the arrival of Recalbox 7.0, compatible with the Raspberry Pi 4, supporting more than 100 systems, including 150 built-in games. NetPlay made its debut, followed by Lightgun support (7.2) and Pad2Keyboard, making computer systems accessible without a keyboard.

2021 — The return of CRT

In 2021, Recalbox 8.0 introduced Pi Zero 2W compatibility and surpassed 120 supported systems. Automatic overlays, Mega Drive 16:9 management, and above all the launch of Recalbox RGB DUAL, allowing players to enjoy an authentic signal on CRT displays.

2023 — The age of arcade

In 2023, Recalbox 9.0 put a strong focus on arcade gaming with the launch of RGB JAMMA, bringing many arcade cabinets back to life. The release also included GPI Case 2W compatibility, 4K Kodi integration, and optimized Bluetooth management.

2024 — Modernization and new platforms

In 2024, Recalbox 9.2 extended compatibility to the Raspberry Pi 5 and Anbernic RG351 consoles. It also introduced virtual arcade systems, an optimized HD 16:9 mode, and a modernized Web Manager.

2025 — 10 years and V10

The year 2025 marks a major hardware milestone with Recalbox 10.0: RGB DUAL 2, RGB JAMMA 2, Steam Deck compatibility, experimental Guncon 2 support, RecalTower, RecalCards, GameCube and Model 3 compatibility on Raspberry Pi 5, customizable RecalTower kits, and an integrated theme manager. A wealth of new features to celebrate ten years of adventure.

A long-term commitment

From its modest beginnings as a Raspberry Pi project to a retrogaming OS supporting advanced PC and arcade configurations, Recalbox is far more than just a collection of emulators. It represents a constant commitment to accessibility, performance, and above all, the preservation of video game history. The future looks bright with version 10.0, ready to push the boundaries of modern retrogaming even further.

But beyond all these technical aspects, another element—an invaluable one—has been with us for 10 years: you. The players, the enthusiasts, the nostalgic gamers, the RecalPotes… If Recalbox has become what it is today, it’s also thanks to you. Your encouragement, feedback, testing, and sharing on social networks are the true driving forces behind this project that we’ve been building together for a decade. Thank you for being part of this adventure.

Dear retrogaming enthusiasts, the Recalbox team wishes you wonderful end-of-year holidays! May these moments be filled with joy, togetherness, and… pixels, of course.

Christmas is just around the corner, bringing with it those precious moments spent with family and friends, gathered around a good meal or an intense video game session. Enjoy these moments of rest, the stars in children’s eyes, and these well-deserved holidays to step away from everyday life and treat yourself. We hope Santa has a few retrogaming or gaming gifts in store for you.

We also want to think of everyone who is working during the holidays: healthcare workers, security staff, shopkeepers, and all those whose jobs never take a break. Thank you for your commitment. We hope you’ll still be able to find a few moments to catch your breath and maybe launch a quick gaming session between shifts.

A special thought as well for those who will be spending the holidays alone. Please remember that the retrogaming community is here—always active, always welcoming. Don’t hesitate to join us on Discord or Twitch, to share your gaming sessions and discoveries. We are never truly alone when we share the same passion.

A packed Recalbox year

2025 has been an intense year for Recalbox. Version 10 is nearing the end of development after months of hard work, bringing its share of new features and major improvements. The RGB Dual 2 was released to offer you the best possible CRT experience. The Card Reader also joined the family, as a nod to our younger days spent blowing into cartridges.

But above all, what truly marked this year is you. Your support, your feedback, your active participation in the project’s evolution. Our Patrons tirelessly testing new features, our always-present Discord community helping one another, and everyone who shares their passion on a daily basis. Recalbox is, above all, a collective adventure.

2026 looks promising

We can’t wait to share everything that awaits us next year: the final V10 release, new hardware projects, new surprises… but all in good time. For now, it’s time for celebrations, loved ones, and the memories we create together.

So get comfortable, launch your favorite game, share a moment with those you love, and make those pixels shine the way they deserve.

Happy holidays to everyone!
May these celebrations be filled with great gaming sessions, exciting discoveries, and wonderful retrogaming moments!

The Recalbox Team

After the dystopian intensity of Armed Police Batrider and its frenetic battles in the ruins of Manhattan, the next One Credit Challenge game takes us to a completely opposite universe! Twinkle Star Sprites (ADK, 1996) leaves the “Zero-Cops” and their flying motorcycles behind to immerse us in a competitive shoot’em up with a wildly kawaii style.

This revolutionary hybrid game blends vertical shooting with puzzle mechanics on split screens: two players face off simultaneously, with every enemy destroyed creating combos that send attacks to the opponent.

The story mode follows Load Ran, an apprentice witch accompanied by her faithful Rabicat, on a quest for the legendary Twinkle Star, capable of granting any wish. Original and remarkably well crafted, this final ADK game for the Neo Geo offers deep gameplay, delivering memorable and strategic duels.

Original, highly polished, and remarkably well executed, Twinkle Star Sprites delivers deep and refined gameplay that makes for unforgettable duels. It left its mark on the genre thanks to its unique concept and has received numerous ports on Saturn, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and more recently on Steam. A perfect game for short, intense competitive sessions!

🏆 Challenge rules

Your objective is to achieve the best score on a single credit.
The challenge runs from December 16 to December 31 at 11:59 p.m. You may attempt it as many times as you wish.

📢 How to participate?

• Launch the game in story mode (rom twinspri) on Neo Geo
• 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, stating your username and score.

⚖️ Rules to follow

To ensure fairness in the challenge:

The score must be achieved on a single credit, with no save states, rewind, cheats, or auto-fire (unless provided by the game).

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

🎁 Rewards and fair play

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

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

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

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

Many retrogamers discover Recalbox at a friend’s place, with family members, or even through posts on social media. This is where an adventure begins—one that is not always straightforward and can feel intimidating for newcomers who want to get started: what hardware should you buy? Where should you buy it? What is compatible? How do you install it?

While accessibility and simplicity have always been at the core of Recalbox, it now seems obvious—given the hardware we offer—to provide turnkey, preinstalled kits.

We are therefore delighted to introduce the Customizable Recalbox Kits!

No more endless web searches or fear of making a mistake: you receive your kit fully assembled, with Recalbox Lite* installed and ready to use, including around one hundred preinstalled games (Raspberry Pi 5 kit option). We designed the different kits based on the equipment and accessories you may already own. Here’s how it all works:

First of all, you can choose between a kit without a Raspberry Pi 5 (if you already own one) or with a Raspberry Pi 5. In the latter case, the kit includes everything you need to get started with Recalbox:

• official power supply
• official fan
• 128 GB microSD card with Recalbox Lite* preinstalled
• mini HDMI to HDMI cable
• the RecalTower

Options to customize your kit

You can then add to your kit:

• The Card Reader and 10 blank RecalCards, to program and automatically launch your favorite games by inserting your RecalCards into your RecalTower (RecalCards presentation link)
• The RGB Dual 2, for use on a CRT TV or monitor (SCART, VGA, or RCA cable) or via HDMI

And of course, you can absolutely combine the Card Reader and the RGB Dual 2!

A scalable and modular RecalTower

The RecalTower is scalable and modular. In addition to turnkey kits, we also offer individual components as add-ons. An add-on corresponds to a level that you can add to your RecalTower:

• You have an HDMI-only kit and want to play on a CRT? Get the RGB Dual 2 add-on.

• You were given a kit without a Card Reader and would like to add one? Get the Card Reader and 10 RecalCards.

Accessories to go further

And if you are considering equipping yourself with one or two wireless controllers, the 8BitDo Pro 3 controller is available in the Recalbox store. Plug and play, customizable, and offering outstanding comfort and build quality, it will faithfully accompany you during your long gaming sessions.

Please note that if you support Recalbox via Patreon, you benefit from 10% off all these kits and add-ons, as well as the entire Recalbox store.

A solution for everyone

We hope these kits will delight newcomers to the Recalbox universe, or make things easier if you want to gift Recalbox to a loved one and share your passion. Of course, we would like to remind you that the Recalbox solution remains free and open source, and that you can download it depending on the hardware you already own.

A whole community and our support team are available on Discord or on the Facebook help page. Share your setups and photos of your sessions with us, whether as photos or stories—we’ll be delighted to see and relay your retrogaming setups and sessions on our networks.

Recalbox Lite is a version compatible with a commercial distribution. To benefit from the full version, nothing could be simpler: update your Recalbox by connecting it to your network.

Regardless of the version of Recalbox, we do not provide any BIOS files or copyrighted games.

Sony and Hong Kong–based watchmaker Anicorn are celebrating the 30th anniversary of PlayStation with a collection of exceptional mechanical watches. The centerpiece? A First PlayStation Limited Edition mechanical watch, produced in only 300 numbered units, paying tribute to the iconic 1994 console.

This collaboration comes at a time when gaming-themed watches are multiplying. Casio recently launched its Pac-Man collection to mark the franchise’s 45th anniversary, offering four models featuring the colorful ghosts and the famous “WAKA WAKA”. But the Anicorn x PlayStation watch clearly plays in a very different league.

A mechanical watch that justifies its price

According to The Gadgeteer, what sets this watch apart from typical gaming collaborations is the seriousness with which the team treated the source material. Where many brands simply slap a logo onto a generic quartz movement and double the price, Anicorn and Sony appear to have taken a very different approach.

Priced at $780, the watch features an automatic Miyota movement visible through a sapphire exhibition caseback. The stainless steel case echoes the faceted lines and matte gray tone of the PS1 console. The dial showcases a raised PlayStation logo at its center, with the iconic PlayStation button symbols positioned at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock as applied 3D hour markers. The hands replicate the Start and Select buttons of the original controller.

Designed to appeal to collectors

Each watch is delivered with a Memory Card featuring NFC technology. Pair it with your smartphone to access a “Digital Memory Board” — a modern reinterpretation of PS1 save management, now designed “to tell your own stories”. In practice, this feels more like a collectible gadget than a truly functional accessory. The watch will also come packaged in a metal case styled in the colors of the classic PlayStation.

Two Play Symbol quartz models

Alongside the anniversary piece, Anicorn is offering two Play Symbol quartz watches, Dark Mode and Light Mode, priced at $250 each. These models display the PlayStation symbols using an oil-filled display (yes, really), creating a smooth, distortion-free visual field. The symbols appear to float and animate with every movement of the wrist.

Release on December 19

The PlayStation x Anicorn collection will be available exclusively on Anicorn’s website starting December 19, 2025, at 10:00 PM EST (4:00 AM on December 20, French time). With only 300 units produced for the flagship model, sales are expected to sell out within minutes.

In a historic triumph for the French video game industry, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won the title of Game of the Year at the 2025 Game Awards, becoming the first French game to earn this prestigious distinction. Even better: with nine awards in total, the RPG from Montpellier-based studio Sandfall Interactive breaks all records and delivers a masterclass to the AAA giants of the industry.

As reported by PC Gamer, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won nine trophies at the 2025 Game Awards, surpassing even Baldur’s Gate 3, which had taken “only” six in 2023. The list of awards is impressive: Game of the Year, Best Narrative, Best Game Direction, Best Art Direction, Best Score and Music, Best Independent Game, Best Debut Indie Game, Best Performance (Jennifer English) and Best RPG.

A historic record

According to GameSpot, after breaking the record for the most nominations with 13 (a first in the 12-year history of The Game Awards), Expedition 33 has officially become the most awarded game in the history of the ceremony. The previous record belonged to The Last of Us: Part II with seven wins in 2020.

French pride

As highlighted by France Info, this is a historic first for a French title. Guillaume Broche, the game’s creative director, took the stage with his entire team dressed in striped sailor shirts and red berets, a nod to the very French costumes designed for the game’s heroes. “You changed our lives and the life of our studio, and it’s truly wonderful,” he said.

Developed by Montpellier-based studio Sandfall Interactive, the game takes place in a post-apocalyptic world inspired by Belle Époque Paris. Having sold more than five million copies since its release in April 2025, it has become a global phenomenon and one of the surprise hits of the year.

An indie victory over AAA giants

What’s most remarkable about this achievement? Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was developed largely by just about thirty people — a modest team compared to the hundreds of developers involved in AAA productions. For many team members, it is their first game.

“We wanted to make a small game, but with big ambitions,” explained co-founder François Meurisse in his acceptance speech. “It was a daily challenge.” A challenge brilliantly met, proving that with creativity, passion, and talent, an independent studio with limited resources can surpass the industry’s giants.

In their speech for the Best Independent Game award, the studio dedicated their victory “to the indies who put creativity first and move forward with limited resources.” A statement that resonates strongly at a time when AAA game budgets are exploding (sometimes exceeding 200 million dollars) without necessarily guaranteeing quality or innovation.

If you own a Super Nintendo, a NES, a Dreamcast or an old Amiga computer, you’ve probably noticed this frustrating phenomenon: the original light-grey or white plastic has turned yellow, sometimes even brown in the most extreme cases. This yellowing, which mainly affects consoles and computers from the 1980s and 1990s, is no accident. Here’s why it happens — and what people have tried to do about it.

The culprit: brominated flame retardants

The main offenders are brominated flame retardants added to the plastic. To understand why, we need to go back to the safety standards of the time.

In the 80s and 90s, manufacturers had to comply with strict fire-safety regulations. To ensure their consoles didn’t catch fire too quickly in case of an electrical issue, they added bromine (a chemical compound) to the ABS plastic (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) used for the shells. Nintendo officially confirmed that the Super NES — like their other systems — was made from plastic containing flame-retardant chemicals to meet safety requirements.

The problem? When this bromine is exposed to UV light (from sunlight or even artificial light) and oxygen in the air, it oxidises. This chemical reaction gradually turns the plastic yellow.

Why does it yellow even in the dark?

A surprising fact: some consoles yellow even when stored in sealed boxes! Some owners found their brand-new Super Nintendo already slightly yellowed despite being kept untouched in its packaging for years.

Why? Oxygen alone is enough to trigger the process — UV light simply accelerates it dramatically. It’s a bit like metal rusting: it eventually happens even when stored away.

Why do some parts yellow more than others?

One of the most frustrating mysteries: on the same Super Nintendo, the top shell can turn very yellow while the bottom half remains perfectly grey. Several explanations exist:

Different production batches: Only certain batches had this issue, and later SNES models no longer suffered from it. Nintendo seems to have adjusted the flame-retardant dosage during production. The top and bottom of your console may simply come from two different batches with slightly different compositions.

Uneven exposure: The top of the console is much more exposed to light than the bottom. More UV = more yellowing.

Cigarette smoke?: Contrary to popular belief, cigarette smoke is often wrongly blamed for yellowing. It can leave a yellowish layer of dirt (which can be cleaned), but true yellowing comes from the plastic chemistry itself.

How does it work exactly?

Without diving too far into chemistry: ABS plastic is made of three components (Acrylonitrile, Butadiene, Styrene). When UV light and oxygen react with bromine-loaded plastic, they create molecules that absorb blue light. As a result, our eyes see yellow-orange.

The miracle solution? Retrobright

Since the mid-2000s, enthusiasts have been using a technique called Retrobright to reverse yellowing. The original discovery came in March 2008 from the CBM museum in Wuppertal, Germany, which found that immersing plastic pieces in a hydrogen-peroxide solution for several days could partly reverse the process.

The principle

Retrobright uses hydrogen peroxide, a small amount of TAED as a catalyst (commonly found in laundry boosters), and a UV light source. The mixture is applied to the plastic, which is then exposed to UV light (sunlight or a UV lamp). The peroxide breaks the chemical bonds responsible for the yellow colour.

What methods exist?

There are indeed several:

1. Immersion method: Using a mixture of 3% hydrogen peroxide and distilled water, then letting the pieces sit in the sun for around 8 hours.

2. Gel method: Creating a thick gel using peroxide and a thickener (such as xanthan gum), then applying it with a brush. It’s more economical because it uses less product.

3. Vapor method (the newest): Discovered by Simon Lock, this method uses hydrogen-peroxide vapour. A small amount of food-grade peroxide is placed inside an airtight container along with the plastic piece. The advantage? Far less product required and more even results.

Bigkam shares his solution (2022 video)

Don’t try this at home!

It’s dangerous! Concentrated hydrogen peroxide can cause chemical burns. These operations are done by experienced and properly equipped hobbyists.

Variable results: It works better on some plastics than others. Game Boys, NES consoles and controllers generally react very well. Grey consoles can be trickier.

The big issue: it’s not permanent, and side effects appear

Many “Retrobrighters” noticed their consoles slowly yellowed again a few months after treatment, even though they were stored safely, wrapped, and protected from light.

Yellowing returns after six months to a year and a half — even without direct light exposure. Why? Because Retrobright doesn’t repair the plastic; it only “bleaches” the surface. The bromine is still inside the plastic and keeps reacting.

Some hobbyists recommend applying a protective varnish after treatment to slow down re-oxidation, but nobody really knows if this works long-term.

Does Retrobright weaken the plastic?

This is a debated topic. Some argue that it doesn’t weaken plastic because the reaction only occurs on the surface. Others are more cautious. What’s certain is that yellowed plastic is already weakened by oxidation — which is why old consoles often crack during disassembly.

A recent article on Time Extension also reports negative experiences, notably on a Dreamcast.

How to prevent yellowing?

The best strategy is prevention:

• Avoid direct light: Keep consoles away from windows or strong lamps
• Stable temperature: Avoid heat sources and sudden temperature changes
• Smart storage: A cool, dry, dark area is ideal
• Airtight packaging: Some use airtight bags with desiccant packs

But let’s be honest: even with all these precautions, some consoles will still yellow. It’s in their chemical DNA.

Conclusion

Yellowing in old consoles is the result of an unfortunate combination: the fire-safety requirements of the 80s and 90s (which required brominated flame retardants) and the chemistry of ABS plastic exposed to UV light and oxygen. It’s a natural, nearly unavoidable process.

Retrobright can give your consoles a second youth, but it’s temporary and may cause irreversible side effects. You’ll need to be cautious if you decide to try it. For some collectors, the yellowing is even part of the charm and history of the console.

In the end, whether you choose to treat your consoles or embrace their aged look, the most important thing is that they still work — and keep bringing back magical retrogaming memories!

As for us at Recalbox, we’ve found our own solution: we made a black RecalTower!!!

Sources

• Vintage Computing & Gaming – "Why Super Nintendos Lose Their Color"
• The Old School Game Vault – "Why Video Games and Consoles Turn Yellow" (2025)
• RetroGamingStores.com – "Why Does the Super Nintendo Turn Yellow?"
• RetroJimmy – "The Curious Case of the Yellowing Super Nintendo" (2025)
• Nintendo Life Forums – Discussion on SNES yellowing (2012)
• Wikipedia – "Retrobright" (January 2025)
• Medium – Thomas Fuchs, "How to retrobright old yellowed plastic" (2021)
• Retrocomputing Stack Exchange – "Definitive guide to retrobright?"
• Hackaday – "Plastic Cleanup Via Retrobrighting" (2020)
• RetroRGB – "New RetroBrite Method Discovered | The Vapor Method" (2022)
• Obligement.fr – "Utilisation du Retr0Bright"
• Darius-Saturn.com – Forum on yellowing and Retrobright (2020)
• LoisirCreatif.net – "Le retrobright, anti jaunissement des consoles" (2020)
• VoxGaming.fr – "Retrobright, le tuto ultra complet"
• Jonathan Dupré – "Mon retour sur le Retr0bright" (2022)
• Forums Gamopat – Discussions on Retrobright (2019–2021)
• HFS Play Forum – "RetroBrite: Donnez un coup de neuf à vos plastiques!" (2015)