As always a bumper month of retro goodness. New games announced, excellent events and some special announcements. We roundup all the latest retro game news.
Our biggest news this month is Project Neon, a new Neo Geo shmup currently in development by FullSet. They have announced that the Kickstarter will be dropping soon and that development is on schedule. Check out our interview for full details but the crux is that this shooter is shaping up nicely.
Freezedream, who worked on Tanglewood, is creating the music and sfx and if previous efforts are anything to go by this is a good thing. Retro Faith caught up with Freezedream and asked some questions. We look forward to bringing more updates on this title as the development continues.
Capcom have entered the mini market with a new arcade stick that replicates the experience many of us miss from the dingy, smoke filled arcades of old. Capcom Home Arcade features 16 titles ranging from fighters to shmups. The eye watering £199.99 price tag seems expensive but the sticks and buttons are made from Sanwa parts that all serious arcade stick users will know of.
There are plans for the developers, Koch Media, to add further games and patches via the onboard wifi. We have not tested the kit here yet but reviews have been positive on the understanding the sound issue and lack of games is addressed with future DLC or updates. Have you purchased the Capcom Home arcade? Let us know your thoughts.
London Gaming market was once again held at the Royal National Hotel on 3rd November. There was an abundance of stalls selling stacks of retro and the turnout was excellent despite the typical British weather. It was not just retro present, plenty of geeky goodies from funko pops to merchandise were tempting shoppers. Retro Faith even found time to have a quick drink with some retro family members!
Bex Trista, of Trista Bytes fame, was in attendance and told us: “Replay Events Gaming Markets are always great events and I’m so glad I started going to them last year. They pack so much in and the atmosphere is always really chilled & welcoming.
Whether you’re a hardcore retro collector or just want to socialise and pick up a few gems it’s always one I recommend people to attend. Plus loads of UK retro youtubers pop up to buy things for their collections so it’s a great way to say hello to them too! You can usually find me looking longingly at a Hello Kitty Dreamcast or a copy of Phantasy Star 4.”
We reported last month that Super Mario Bros. was making its way to the humble Spectrum. Not to be outdone the clever folks at NoRecess have started work on 8-bit Sonic the Hedgehog for the Amstrad GX-4000. It is not strictly a port but more a reimaging in the same guise as the recent Sonic Mania. The initial videos look amazing and hopefully more updates will arrive soon.
A new Knuckles cable guy from Exquisite Gaming has released in November. Now you can have Sonic, Tails and Knuckles looking after your favourite controllers. It is no secret that we are huge Knuckles fans in the Retro Faith offices so this new addition to the collection was most welcome. If only Knuckles could keep hold of the Master Emerald!
News of an Ax Battler figure complete with red dragon from the Golden Axe series has broke. Storm Collectibles are taking pre-orders with an expected release in first quarter of 2020. The figure is incredibly detailed and has 30 posable parts and a bunch of extras to customise to your taste. A must for all you Golden Axe devotees.
More good news for Neo Geo fans with the release of Bitmap Books latest offering. Metal Slug: The Ultimate History is now on sale and features over 450 pages of history on the iconic series. Reviews have been overwhelmingly good, make sure to check out our feature on some other Bitmap Books.
If you spot any retro news you think we should be sharing please get in touch. Retro Faith would like to thank everyone who provided quotes and photos to this retro news article.