Homebrew & Indie

ModRetro Chromatic Gains Wireless Game Downloads

ModRetro Chromatic Gains Wireless Game Downloads

Developer David Walter has found a way to wirelessly download games onto the ModRetro Chromatic, a Game Boy-style handheld. The feat follows the device being fully unlocked, opening it up to modifications beyond its original design. The Chromatic has drawn attention among retro enthusiasts for its premium build and compatibility with classic Game Boy cartridges, and this latest development points to a growing homebrew and modding scene around the hardware. via retrododo.com

QuadWorld Brings Minecraft-Style Building to Sega Saturn

QuadWorld Brings Minecraft-Style Building to Sega Saturn

Longtime Saturn homebrew developer SuperReye has created QuadWorld, a homebrew game that brings cube-based construction in the style of Minecraft to Sega's 32-bit console. The project was featured in a SegaXtreme showcase, demonstrating block-building gameplay running on original Saturn hardware. It joins a growing body of fan-made homebrew titles that continue to expand what the Saturn's library can do decades after its commercial life ended. via segasaturnshiro.com

TRX64 Alternative Firmware Emerges for Ultimate 64

A new project called TRX64 has appeared offering alternative firmware for the Ultimate 64 Elite II and C64 Ultimate. The work is still in its early stages, but demonstrates the hardware's capability to run systems beyond the Commodore 64 it was designed for, since the Ultimate 64 is built around an FPGA. The Ultimate 64 is a modern FPGA-based recreation of the C64 developed to run original hardware and software at full speed without emulation. via reddit.com/r/thisweekinretro

Modder Turns NES Into Working Windows-Style Desktop

A modder has built a Windows-like desktop environment running on original NES hardware. The project reportedly includes a CD drive and recreates the experience of slow dial-up era internet, resulting in what is described as a surprisingly complete and functional system. The build pushes the console's hardware well beyond its original design to emulate a period-accurate retro computing experience. via tomshardware.com

Clavicembalo 0.50 Piano Program Released for AmigaOS 4.1

Mario 'Falke_34' Börner has released version 0.50 of Clavicembalo, a piano program for AmigaOS 4.1 with a ReAction user interface. It can be played via the computer keyboard or mouse on an on-screen 88-key piano spanning A0 to C8, and can also play MIDI files or simple text files containing notes. Sound output runs through AHI, with five selectable sound engines: an SFZ sample player using real piano samples with four variants, the mdaPiano and mdaEPiano synthesizers, the mdaDX10 FM synthesizer with 32 presets, and the mdaJX10 analog polysynth with 46 presets. via amiga-news.de

AmiSC StarCraft Port Updated to Version 0.8.8

AmiSC, a 68k Amiga port of the real-time strategy game StarCraft, has been updated to version 0.8.8. The engine runs natively on AmigaOS 3.x without needing PC emulation or an interpreter, and does not require an FPU, though it does need the original game's data files and a fast Amiga with AGA chipset or graphics card. Earlier versions added campaign speech, menu sounds and faster briefings, an ECS/OCS and AROS version, and a native MorphOS build. StarCraft was originally released by Blizzard Entertainment in 1998. via amiga-news.de

Pyramid Escape Demo Released for Amiga

Developer Pawel "Tukinem" Tukatsch has released a demo version of Pyramid Escape, a new platformer for the Commodore Amiga. The game was presented at the NRG 2026 demoparty in Poznan, Poland, where it took first place in the games competition. The demo lets players control the pharaoh's mummy through two levels while trying to escape a pyramid. The full version is planned for digital release on Itch.io in December, alongside a boxed floppy disc edition from the K&A Plus shop, and will add mini-levels involving mirror puzzles that direct sunlight to open floor hatches. The game requires an Amiga with 1 MB of chip RAM and 0.5 MB of other RAM. via amiga-news.de

Mundialito 3 Amiga Demo Gets Third Update

ACNE Production has released a third demo version of Mundialito 3, the latest entry in its arcade football series for Amiga. The update fully optimises the scrolling routines, making the game run faster and more smoothly than before. Player positioning logic has also been revised so players track the ball more effectively and fall back to defend, and the substitutes' bench can now be accessed. The demo adds a budget system that grows with match results and a post-match transfer market to bring variety to the arcade-style tournaments. via amiga-news.de

Pokemon Amethyst Fan Game Released After 5 Years’ Work

A solo developer has released Pokemon Amethyst, a fan-made ROM hack built from scratch over five years of learning binary romhacking. The game is set in a new region called Kulure and follows a traditional Pokemon story structure, drawing inspiration from the popular fan game Pokemon Unbound while aiming for its own identity. It includes a number of modern quality-of-life features and conveniences not found in the original Game Boy Advance titles it is based on. The current release is version 1.4.3. via pokecommunity.com

Modder Builds World’s First Foldable Portable PlayStation 2

Modder Builds World's First Foldable Portable PlayStation 2

A modder has built what is being called the world's first foldable portable PlayStation 2, turning Sony's sixth-generation console into a clamshell handheld. The project reworks the PS2 hardware into a folding form factor similar in concept to the recent iPhone Duo, letting the console close up for portability while still running original PS2 games. The PS2 launched in 2000 and remains one of the best-selling consoles ever, with a large library of games still popular among collectors. via retrododo.com

Juno Kade: Ares Station Released as Free C64 Shooter

Juno Kade: Ares Station Released as Free C64 Shooter

A new name-your-own-price first-person shooter, Juno Kade: Ares Station, has been released for the Commodore 64. Set aboard an orbital defence platform above Mars, players take the role of operative Juno Kade and must neutralise a rogue artificial intelligence across eight decks using six weapons. The game features an animated status portrait that reacts to the action and supports both PAL and NTSC systems at matching speed. It runs on a standard 64KB C64 with no extra RAM or accelerator needed, distributed as a D64 disk image. via itch.io