16-Bit Blast Processing Heroes - Ecco, Vectorman, Ristar, Kid Chameleon, etc

[Berto]

James Pond Is Getting His Own Collection (called "James Pond Legacy: The Pond Is Not Enough") On PC, PS5, Xbox And Switch 2

While the full list of included games isn't mentioned, we'd imagine it will include:

- James Pond: Underwater Agent (1990)
- James Pond 2: Codename Robocod (1991)
- James Pond 3: Operation Starfish (1993)
- The Aquatic Games Starring James Pond and the Aquabats (1992)

We'd imagine it's highly unlikely that the 2011 smartphone title James Pond in the Deathly Shallows will be included.
System 3 has revealed the cover artwork for the game, which, if we were being particularly unkind, looks like it was generated using ...

Article: https://www.timeextension.com/news/2025/10/james-pond-is-getting-his-own-collection-on-pc-ps5-xbox-and-switch-2

[Mystic Monkey]

As a company, Retro-Bit might be big, but it isn't as big as you think, their revenue was <$5M.
That's why most likely they only ordered necessary sum of stock parts, leaving no unused ones.

yeah, that's what I mean.

So, if they did make a "Dreamcast Pro Controller", no point in spending money on brand-new custom parts if they already have boxes full of buttons for previous controllers, so why not use them?

The shoulder buttons of a Sega Saturn controller, the Home and Select of the Saturn Pro Controller and one of it's thumb-sticks to be placed between the ABXY buttons and Start Button and voila! A Dreamcast controller that meets standard modern controllers.

The only parts that will need to be customized would be the shell of the Dreamcast controller and the inner circuitboard to account for the additional buttons.

Glad I'm not the only one who finds this uncanny valley AI generated images.

[Berto]

yeah, that's what I mean.

So, if they did make a "Dreamcast Pro Controller", no point in spending money on brand-new custom parts if they already have boxes full of buttons for previous controllers, so why not use them?

No they don't keep unused stocks. They ordered what's needed.

The shoulder buttons of a Sega Saturn controller, the Home and Select of the Saturn Pro Controller and one of it's thumb-sticks to be placed between the ABXY buttons and Start Button and voila! A Dreamcast controller that meets standard modern controllers.

The only parts that will need to be customized would be the shell of the Dreamcast controller and the inner circuitboard to account for the additional buttons.

There's a chance it was different team that handles each controller project.

Glad I'm not the only one who finds this uncanny valley AI generated images.

Most of us do hate it but it's a cheaper unavoidable trend.

[Mystic Monkey]

No they don't keep unused stocks. They ordered what's needed.

I see. I dunno how Retro-Bit "makes" their controllers. I assume a conveyor belt and box of parts etc.

There's a chance it was different team that handles each controller project.

Perhaps. I'm not sure how "big" Retro-Bit are, or how they manage their products.

Most of us do hate it but it's a cheaper unavoidable trend.

I'm not against AI generative art being used for small or quick things. Such as a quick profile picture or some scenery, for things where the effort seems more than what it's for, etc. But using AI generative content for marketing and profiting, that's low!

[Berto]

I'm not against AI generative art being used for small or quick things. Such as a quick profile picture or some scenery, for things where the effort seems more than what it's for, etc. But using AI generative content for marketing and profiting, that's low!

Low indeed. We already know how dissapoint the original creator of James Pond was when his creation treated this way.
He explained that he hates "almost everything they [Gameware Europe] do with a passion".
Unfortunately, Sorrell has been left in a position where he has no control over the direction of the franchise anymore, due to it being sold off.

[Mystic Monkey]

Low indeed. We already know how dissapoint the original creator of James Pond was when his creation treated this way.
He explained that he hates "almost everything they [Gameware Europe] do with a passion".
Unfortunately, Sorrell has been left in a position where he has no control over the direction of the franchise anymore, due to it being sold off.

Chris Sorrell could always start something new as the successor to James Pond which he may have full control over.

[Berto]

Chris Sorrell could always start something new as the successor to James Pond which he may have full control over.

He could but it's a big gamble, there's no guarantee it could work.
Remember Keiji Inafune trying that with Mighty No. 9 for Mega Man before and it didn't go well.



Still at least another Sorrell's work (MediEvil for PS1) got a beautiful remake.

[Berto]

Famitsu Sales: October 27, 2025 – November 02, 2025

1. [NSW] Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake (Square Enix, 10/30/25) – 232,250 (New)
2. [PS5] Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake (Square Enix, 10/30/25) – 96,812 (New)
3. [SW2] Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake (Square Enix, 10/30/25) – 84,456 (New)
...
10. [NSW] Earthion (SUPERDELUXE GAMES, 10/30/25) – 5,689 (New)
...
21. [NSW] Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles 2 (Aniplex, 08/01/25) – 2,380 (144,229)
...
24. [PS5] Earthion (SUPERDELUXE GAMES, 10/30/25) – 2,179 (New)
...
29. [NSW] Little Nightmares III (Bandai Namco, 10/10/25) – 1,699 (27,181)
30. [NSW] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Nintendo, 12/07/18) – 1,673 (5,810,562)

Note: Asia and Western version of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles 2 were published by SEGA.

Article: https://www.gematsu.com/2025/11/famitsu-sales-10-27-25-11-2-25

[Berto]

Lost Genesis/Mega-Drive RTS from Sega Technical Institute, Dark Empires, recovered and preserved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVcqSYHl_7c

Another unreleased Genesis game long thought lost has now been found and preserved thanks to The Hidden Palace.
Dark Empires, which was being worked on alongside Kid Chameleon at Sega Technical Institute in 1990, got cancelled in order to get the studio to work on Sonic the Hedgehog 2 instead, as we had learned thanks to The Video Game History Foundation back in 2023. While Kid Chameleon made it to store shelves, Dark Empires wasn’t far enough along to get in the ...

Article: https://segabits.com/blog/2025/11/07/lost-genesis-mega-drive-rts-from-sega-technical-institute-dark-empires-recovered-and-preserved/

[Mystic Monkey]

He could but it's a big gamble, there's no guarantee it could work.
Remember Keiji Inafune trying that with Mighty No. 9 for Mega Man before and it didn't go well.

I didn't know AI generated content was that early back.

Still at least another Sorrell's work (MediEvil for PS1) got a beautiful remake.

I wanted to play the remake last month, but it doesn't have a Steam release. I hope with PlayStation being more interested in PC ports (such as Final Fantasy and Spider-Man), they will also port their classics to Steam.

[Berto]

I didn't know AI generated content was that early back.

Talk about AI, a character in Mighty No. 9 named Dr. White known pioneered the development of A.I. capable of assimilating Xels and mimicking traits from other machines. He is the creator of the Mighty Numbers, including the main character, Beck.

I wanted to play the remake last month, but it doesn't have a Steam release. I hope with PlayStation being more interested in PC ports (such as Final Fantasy and Spider-Man), they will also port their classics to Steam.

Yeah, it's owned and published by Sony so it would take time to be released on PC.
But still at least it had a chance ... unlike Nintendo's franchises such as Mario, Legend of Zelda, Yoshi, and Kirby.

[Mystic Monkey]

Talk about AI, a character in Mighty No. 9 named Dr. White known pioneered the development of A.I. capable of assimilating Xels and mimicking traits from other machines. He is the creator of the Mighty Numbers, including the main character, Beck.

Oh, I thought you meant Mighty Number Nine used AI generated images for promotional use.

Yeah, it's owned and published by Sony so it would take time to be released on PC.
But still at least it had a chance ... unlike Nintendo's franchises such as Mario, Legend of Zelda, Yoshi, and Kirby.

Nintendo would NEVER release their content on PC, other than Phillips CD games.

[Berto]

Oh, I thought you meant Mighty Number Nine used AI generated images for promotional use.

No, not about AI.
Beck (Mighty No. 9) was the successor to Mega Man which Keiji Inafune may have full control over.
But what's the point if it's not well received.

Nintendo would NEVER release their content on PC, other than Phillips CD games.

Phillips CD games weren't also for PC. It's for CD-i game console.

[Berto]

"He Seems To Have Turned Blue" - Gameware Can't Even Get James Pond's Colour Right

While Gameware has gone on record stating that no AI will be used in the actual games, it has continued to roll out some highly questionable material on social media, with Sorrell himself personally highlighting the latest worrying example to Time Extension (Sorrell has previously stated that he "hates" everything Gameware does "with a passion").
In a post which went live on Facebook on August 4th, Pond is displayed as a seemingly different character entirely, complete with blue skin. "Word at the bottom of the ocean is... James Pond is resurfacing later this month," says the message attached to the image.
When Pond's odd colouring (presumably the result of the image being generated by AI) is pointed out by a fan, Gameware attempts to laugh it off by saying ...

Article: https://www.timeextension.com/news/2025/08/he-seems-to-have-turned-blue-gameware-cant-even-get-james-ponds-colour-right

[Berto]

DEcap Attack (SEGA Genesis) - DEcap Attack DX (99 Live, One Shot Mode, All Perks, etc) Patch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYuCFunYDm4



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=419WcNL_zRA

This patch by BillyTime! Games is designed to add a new and fun upgrades to DEcap Attack for the Sega Genesis.

Features:
--------------------
*Collect important items at the end of every third level to obtain a new perk
*1 Item - Ability to skip other import items to finish the level (Required to advance)
*2 Item - Chuck jumps higher
*3 Item - Chuck gets a free skull when obtaining an item
*4 Item - Chuck gets a stronger punch when obtaining an item
*5 Item - Chuck gets 2x Potions upon pick up

*99 Lives
Hold A and Press Start when highlighting "Start" at the title screen, Chuck will receive 99 Lives.

*One Shot Mode:
Hold B and Press Start when highlighting "Start" at the title screen, Chuck only has one life and one health.
Potions and coins are not retained across levels. Saves are disabled.

*All Perks
Hold C and Press Start when highlighting "Start" at the title screen, Chuck will receive all perks.

SRAM:
--------------------

Saving:
Game saves after every level after the first.

Loading:
Enter Options, Highlight Sound Test, Press left and change the selection from
01 to 60. Exit options and start your game.

NOTE:
*Game will produce a black screen if no prior save is detected.
*Potions, Perks and bonus coins will also be saved alongside progress.

Link: https://romhackplaza.org/romhacks/decapattack-dx-genesis/