This month we learned that, after nearly thirty years, E3 is finally, definitely, 100% dead. Probably. But we're not here to talk about any of that modern stuff, because this is a show all about retro news. I'm talking about remakes, remasters, re-releases and pretty much anything else that has to do with old school games and classic consoles. So get ready to blow into that cartridge, because this is Retro News with some jerk. Let's do this!


Sega Announces Shinobi, Golden Axe, Streets of Rage and More Revivals: After months of rumors and speculation, Sega finally confirmed that they will be reviving a number of their classic franchises – some of which actually deserve to be resurrected. Playing into our love for 1990s-era Sega, the company created a weird and effective commercial specifically designed for nostalgia, right down to the famous “Sega” yell. This was followed by the reveal of a brand-new side-scrolling Shinobi game, a Jet Set Radio reboot, a new Golden Axe game, more Crazy Taxi and even a Streets of Rage game, which is especially curious considering the recent success of Streets of Rage 4. On top of these games, Sega also hinted at more Altered Beast, Kid Chameleon and Eternal Champions through a trademark filing earlier this month.

Obviously, I'm excited to see a new Shinobi game on the way, and of the games they showed off in the trailer, it's the one with the most style. I would also be interested to see somebody take another stab at Eternal Champions, because it's the 1990s fighting game with the most untapped potential. The idea of plucking characters from different time periods is golden, and that's one of those franchises that could be huge if you give it to the right team. Speaking of things that are golden, I'm cautiously optimistic about another Golden Axe, especially after the last 3D entry back in 2008. I love Jet Set Radio and would definitely like to see more of that, but I'm dubious about Crazy Taxi. Loved the original in short bursts, but I'm not sure what they can do to keep with the times.

No matter how these games come out, I'm just excited to see Sega reach into their back catalog again. That's one of the things that Atari has been doing so well recently, and I would argue that Sega has even more untapped franchises to work with. Maybe if a few of these are big hits we'll see a proper Phantasy Star sequel or a second Fighters Megamix game. A fan can dream, right?

Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story is Gold Master Series #2: When I reviewed The Making of Karateka earlier this year, I gave it a perfect A+ rating, so you better believe I've been ripping my hair out waiting for Digital Eclipse to announce the second game in their Gold Master Series. Looks like my scalp is safe for now, because we learned this month that the next target will be one of my favorite game developers of all time – Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story. Although he's probably most associated with the Tempest series these days, Jeff has had a truly impressive career dating back to the late 1970s. This brand-new documentary/game compilation will feature a whopping 42 classic games spread across eight different platforms, complete with brand-new interviews and all the extras that made The Making of Karateka so damn good. This is easily one of the games I'm most excited about in 2024.

Atari 50 DLC Adds More Atari 2600 & Lynx Games: Speaking of Digital Eclipse and their incredible compilations, we learned this month that Atari will be adding free content updates to Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration. The first twelve are already available, and they include a prototype version of Adventure, Save Mary, Bowling, Double Dunk, Maze Craze, Miniature Golf, MotoRodeo, Super Football, Circus, and homebrew versions of both Adventure II and Return to Haunted House, all on the Atari 2600. This new DLC also includes the incredible Lynx game Warbirds, which really goes a long way to show off the handhelds advanced hardware. More content updates will be available through next year, all free for people who own Atari 50. Considering that this is a compilation that already had more than 100 games in it, this is just the icing on top of a very delicious cake. Fingers crossed for more Lynx and Jaguar games.

Limited Run Announces Atari Recharged Collection 3 & 4: While we're on the topic of Atari, it's worth mentioning that Limited Run Games announced two more physical packages compiling some of the best (and worst) Atari Recharged releases. Atari Recharged Collection 3 will feature two legitimate bangers, with both Yars: Recharged and Caverns of Mars: Recharged. Two of my favorite games in the series. Unfortunately, things are a little more mixed over at the Atari Recharged Collection 4, which includes Missile Command: Recharged and Gravitar: Recharged. While I enjoyed Gravitar, this version of Missile Command isn't as engaging as the rest of the games in the series. It's also significantly harder to control. Pre-orders are currently open for both of these games and will run through January 7th. If you're itching to get one, you won't regret going with Collection 3.

Retro-Bit Announces Eliminate Down: Speaking of pre-order campaigns, our friends over at Retro-Bit Publishing currently have Eliminate Down available at a shockingly reasonable price. For those who haven't been keeping track, this is one of those classic 16-bit shoot ‘em ups that never got an American or European release, which means that you're going to spend hundreds of dollars importing one from Japan. To help celebrate its thirtieth anniversary, Retro-Bit will be releasing a brand-new edition that will play on both the Genesis and Mega Drive, giving everybody a chance to discover a true hidden gem. This new version will also come with a full-color instruction manual, reversible cover and a cool colored cartridge. After seeing what Retro-Bit did with both Gaiares and Gley Lancer, not to mention their Toaplan Collection, I can't wait to get my hands on Eliminate Down. Pre-orders are still open through January 2nd.

Nintendo Pulls the Plug on Link's Awakening PC Port: And finally, in some sad yet predictable news, Nintendo has officially killed the Link's Awakening PC remake. In case you're only hearing about it now, this was a fan-made project that saw the game running at a silky smooth 120 frames per second with wide-screen support and a world that felt like one continuous map, and not individual sections. One of the coolest features allowed the player to pull the map all the way out, revealing the entire game on a single screen. Of course, this was always destined to end like this, as Nintendo is quick to go after these types of fan projects. This isn't the first and it won't be the last, so we'll see what the fans come up with next. And we'll cover all that next year when we return with brand-new episodes of Retro News. See you then.