Retro Gaming Australia

I’ve slowed down on the updates a little lately, but that’s due to my working on several guides for collectors like the PSX Platinum Game list and a book project that I’m hoping to finish by the end of the year. The next project due for completion is the PS2 Platinum Game list, with a major update to my old PS2 60hz guide to follow. That second one is still nowhere near complete, but I’m happy if anyone wants to help out.

I worry about people’s refusal to embrace the PS2 as a retro format, particularly when they were so quick to do so for the original PSX and Dreamcast. WWE All Stars, released on Tuesday, was the final known release planned for the system. Unless EA is planning to do another FIFA this year (they said 10 was the last, but did 11 anyway), we can pretty much call it for PS2 software. The system is over 11 years old now, and it was succeeded over 4 and a half years ago. I believe that you can pin this reluctance on three factors: the length of the current generation, the lack of major gameplay and genre innovation, and diminishing visual returns. I imagine Sony will keep manufacturing the hardware for some time, but there are already signs at retail that they are clearing out official peripherals (8mb Memory Cards are now $AU15) and preparing to draw the curtain. If you haven’t started building a PS2 collection, it might be better to start now while you can get still get new, high quality games for next to nothing.

I keep seesawing between doing a handful of ambitious feature articles for this site, or doing frequent small scope articles. I’d like to get a lot more book reviews up on the site – nobody else does them, but my traffic reports indicate that people want to read them. I know I would.

PAX East: Preserving the Digital Canon Panel at Racketboy
Racketboy took it upon himself to record this PAX Panel on game preservation, a subject I’ve been interested in for some time. Might even have some movement on that front soon.

Review – Pier Solar and the Great Architects at Sega 16
Pier Solar is one of the most ambitious homebrew projects to date. It started out as a small project on Eidolonn’s Inn, and gradually grew in scope until it became a full original game. It weighs in at 64 megabit, making it the biggest Mega Drive game to date. It’s also the first Mega Drive/Mega CD game – if you have the add-on, you can stream high quality audio from the CD for an enhanced experience. Sega 16 has done a review of the game, and they seem pretty happy with it. You can still order the reprint edition at the official site.

UK Resistance ceases updates
Delightful video game humour site UK Resistance has decided to call it a day. Who will come forward to mock the wankery of the modern games industry? Who will campaign to keep blue skies in games? Someone, probably.

EA on bringing back old IP at Eurogamer
EA’s Frank Gibeau discusses what the company thinks about bringing back old IP. Problem they don’t touch on is that EA doesn’t wholly own some of their more famous old IP – games like Desert Strike and Ultima are shared, or certain key elements are owned by forces outside of EA. A Syndicate revival is one of the worst kept secrets in the industry, though.

Virtual Console
Final Fantasy III (technically VI): Now you can play FF6 in glorious PAL 50hz with borders. Excellent!