๐พ Retro Gaming Weekly News #0173
3rd November 2025
Welcome to the 173rd issue of our retro gaming news roundup.
Amongst this weeks articles, Street Racer is back, as is Little Samson, Nintendo x Vans, ZSNES revisited, the Sega Venus and a whole lot more.
As ever, thanks for reading and spreading the word.
News
๐ง Dokapon 3-2-1: Super Collection has been announced for Nintendo Switch, featuring three classic Dokapon games in one package set for release on February 13, 2026 โ Final Weapon.
๐ Street Racer Collection will launch on November 27, 2025, bringing four classic racing titles to modern platforms including PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC โ Gematsu.
๐ Little Samson, a cult NES platformer, is being revived for modern platforms, with new availability confirmed for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, and PC โ Niche Gamer.
๐ Nintendo-themed Vans shoes are now available, showcasing retro-inspired designs featuring classic Nintendo franchises โ VideoGamer.
๐น๏ธ A beloved PS2 franchise is returning after a 15-year hiatus, with speculation pointing toward a revival of The Getaway series โ GamingBible.
๐ฆ Turok 2: Seeds of Evil has launched a fully remastered version optimized for PlayStation 5 with improved visuals and performance โ PSU.
๐พ Duke Nukem: Zero Hour, originally a Nintendo 64 exclusive, now has a native PC port developed from reverse-engineered source code โ TweakTown.
๐๏ธ A prototype build of Destruction Derby 2 for Sega Saturn has been released, offering a glimpse at a never-released port of the PS1 classic โ Time Extension.
๐ A retrospective explores how Zelda: Majoraโs Mask used themes of grief and loss to create one of the seriesโ most emotionally resonant titles โ GameSpot.
๐ช The creator of Sega Forever, the retro gaming initiative, has officially departed Sega after a seven-year tenure โ NotebookCheck.
๐ฎ Retroid has announced two new handhelds, including the Retroid Pocket 6, which features a new design and upgraded performance โ Time Extension.
โ๏ธ The Battle Arena Toshinden series is getting a modern re-release, bringing back multiple entries from the iconic 3D fighting franchise โ Niche Gamer.
๐ฆ An enhanced fan remake of Castlevania for Amiga now has a CD32 version released just in time for Halloween โ Time Extension.
๐พ The Atari 2600+ Pac-Man Edition is now available, bundling the console with a specially designed joystick and a recreation of the classic Pac-Man cartridge โ GamingTrend.
๐ธ Three more Toaplan arcade classics are coming to Atari 2600+, Atari 7800, and 7800+, continuing the wave of retro game ports to classic hardware โ Time Extension.
๐ A King of Fighters Japanese party game has finally been translated into English after 25 years, making it accessible to a wider audience โ Retro Dodo.
๐น๏ธ The WonderSwan handheld has received renewed attention with the release of the NileSwan flash cart, allowing easier game access and preservation โ The Escapist.
๐ฑ ARMSx2, a new Android-based PS2 emulator, has released its first major version with promising performance improvements and broader compatibility โ Startup News.
Features
๐งฉ A roundup of speculative Legend of Zelda fan theories explores character origins, timelines, and possible future connections in the franchise โ ComicBook.
๐ฅ A nostalgic review of the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection highlights the seriesโ arcade roots and cultural impact on 90s gamers โ Absolute Geeks.
๐ฟ๏ธ A retrospective on Conkerโs Bad Fur Day examines how its irreverent humor and adult tone clashed with its cartoonish aesthetic and Nintendo platform โ ComicBook.
๐ Fans spent two years recreating Deltarune Chapter 1 inside EarthBound, offering a faithful tribute to Toby Foxโs ROM hacking roots โ GamesRadar.
๐ก The creator of ZSNES details how he implemented rollback netcode over dial-up in 1997, offering insight into early emulation innovation (below) โ Time Extension.
๐ฆ Shigeru Miyamoto and team discuss the development and eventual cancellation of Star Fox 2, revealing how it influenced later Nintendo titles โ VideoGamer.
๐ฎ A former PlayStation executive recalls how Nintendoโs choice to stick with cartridges shaped Sonyโs strategy and helped launch the PlayStation โ GoNintendo.
๐ Hideki Kamiya reflects on how The Legend of Zelda served as a creative foundation for his game design philosophy โ Nintendo Wire.
๐คผ On this day in 1998, WWF No Mercy, one of the most acclaimed wrestling games ever made, was released on the Nintendo 64 โ VICE.
๐น๏ธ A retro project brings the Z80-based TV game console back to life, celebrating early homebrew computing and vintage gaming hardware โ Hackster.io.
๐ฅ Another review of the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection (below) commends its packaging and preservation efforts despite missing key titles โ Noisy Pixel.
๐จ A look at Jet Set Radio explores how its style and gameplay championed creative freedom and countercultural themes โ Vocal.
๐ More obscure SEGA CD games are being ported to PS5 and PS4, continuing a surprising trend of retro preservation โ Push Square.
๐น๏ธ SEGA unveils the Venus, a prototype handheld console from 1994, offering a rare glimpse into its unreleased hardware history โ VideoGamer.
๐ A retrospective celebrates the 25th anniversary of the PlayStation 2, revisiting its groundbreaking library and industry-defining legacy โ Inverse.
Lists & Rankings
๐น๏ธ A look into Nintendoโs surprisingly dark titles reveals the companyโs grimmer side across various franchises, from Majoraโs Mask to Eternal Darkness (below).
๐ The Nintendo 64โs library included several critically panned games, with Superman 64 and Carmageddon 64 leading the pack of worst-reviewed titles DualShockers.
๐ฎ A ranking of the most underrated SNES games highlights lesser-known gems like Demonโs Crest and Metal Warriors that deserve more recognition CBR.
๐งฉ From a Resident Evil chainsaw controller to the Game Boy sewing machine, these bizarre gaming accessories push the boundaries of functionality and design NewsBreak.
๐ A roundup of top video games based on comic books not tied to Marvel or DC spotlights titles like The Darkness and Asterix & Obelix XXL DualShockers.
๐ On the PS2โs 25th anniversary, a breakdown of its best-selling games reveals the dominance of GTA: San Andreas, Gran Turismo 3, and Madden NFL 2005 Kotaku.








Great job man as usual! I'm loving all the energy in the retro games space these days, this is history that needs to be recorded. Oh, and the Dreamcast Fishing Rod was the best controller, ever. ๐ฃ