The NESCD project adds CD-ROM functionality to the original Nintendo Entertainment System through a custom hardware add-on. It allows the console to play CD-ROM based games as well as handle music, video experiments, and standard audio CD playback. The add-on effectively turns the classic 8-bit console into a disc player, expanding its capabilities well beyond its original cartridge-only design. via console-classics.com
Homebrew developer Kaffeeware has released a playable v0.1 demo of a SNES port of Konami's Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, originally released in 1997 on PlayStation and Saturn. The developer says the conversion is being done "by eye" without AI assistance, though they are looking at decompilation sources to improve accuracy. Kaffeeware intends to keep native SNES specs but expects to need a larger ROM size to fit the full game. The demo has drawn attention online for how polished it already looks at this early stage. via timeextension.com
A new version of the AmiKit X Workbench distribution, X13.2, has been released for Amiga and Amiga emulation setups. It includes Wet 7, a revamped weather utility that shows local conditions via a desktop AppIcon, and PlayKIT, a tool that lets users adjust JIT, speed and control settings per game or demo before launch, with those preferences remembered for future runs. The update also folds in ShareKIT, a network file-sharing tool that lets Amiga systems swap files with other computers regardless of operating system, plus an updated mpega.library 3.1 audio component. AmiKit X is a preconfigured Workbench package aimed at making classic AmigaOS easier to set up and use. via amiga-news.de
Pokémon Phoenix Red, a fan-made ROM hack, has been updated to version 2.0, announced by its creator on PokeCommunity as a major update to their first-ever hack. The update adds 54 new Pokémon to the roster for a total of 386, gives TMs unlimited use, and lets players choose two of Professor Oak's starter Pokémon instead of one. It also reworks the intro, moving much of Oak's speech into an optional in-game journal, and adds new sprite designs for Red and Blue's children. The hack is built on the Generation 1 Pokémon games for Game Boy. via pokecommunity.com
Simone "saimo" Bevilacqua of Retream has released Guitreacks, an album of seven guitar-centered music pieces designed for playback on an AGA Amiga. Six of the tracks previously appeared in other Retream productions, while the seventh, "Mind over Hear", is new. The release notes that no AI was used in creating the music. via amiga-news.de
Developer EntwicklerX has updated its AmigaOS 4 games Radon Break and Super Starblast to add support for the Mesa 3D library. The change is said to bring faster performance and improved graphics quality to both titles. Existing owners can get the update through AmiUpdate. via amiga-news.de
Pokémon: Repurpled Edition, a fan-made ROM hack, has reached version 1.0.0, as announced on PokeCommunity. The project reimagines the original Generation 1 games, exploring how Pokémon Red and Blue's gameplay systems and engine might have developed under a different design philosophy. Alongside cosmetic and quality-of-life improvements, the creator has made substantial non-canon changes to moves, types, Pokémon and maps, while aiming to preserve much of the original game's feel. via pokecommunity.com
Paweł 'Stefkos' Stefański has released version 3.1 of Titler, a 3D text and animation program for MorphOS used for titling, video editing and presentations. The update adds per-letter animation styles such as Fade, Typewriter, Drop, Spin and Scatter, along with text-along-a-path options, outlines, soft shadows and colour gradients available in every renderer. It also introduces 3D text shaping controls for multiple lines, tracking and slant, plus a Presentation Wizard that builds animated slideshows from text, images, video and 3D models using entry and exit effects, motion presets and full scene undo/redo. via amiga-news.de
Melted Electronics has developed the Glitch Boy, a portable NES emulator built around real-time game corruption rather than straightforward play. Games are loaded via SD card and output to an external monitor or display. Twin dials on the device let users deliberately glitch the audio and video as the game runs, producing distorted visuals and sound akin to datamoshing. The project is described as a departure from typical retro emulation handhelds, treating corruption itself as a creative tool. via timeextension.com
Paweł 'Stefkos' Stefański has released version 1.0 of Koliber, a presentation program for MorphOS. Instead of a linear slide deck, it places all content on a single unlimited canvas and moves between selected points with smooth zoom, pan and rotate transitions, similar to Prezi on other platforms. Presentations are saved as a single .koliberx package containing fonts, clips, fills and music, and the interface supports eight languages. The software also includes a GREXX scripting port with 37 commands, speaker notes exportable to PowerPoint, and an HTML export option that preserves shadows, glow, outlines and custom fonts. via amiga-news.de
The WHDLoad project has published a fresh batch of installers for Amiga games, letting floppy-based titles run from hard disk. New additions include a Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe installer by Vesuri, alongside a new Prince of Persia 2: The Shadow and the Flame installer. Existing installers were also updated, including a fix for Prince of Persia 2's out-of-memory and credits issues, an improved trainer for Turrican, and Addams Family fixes covering restored backgrounds, removed self-modifying code, music corrections and blitter waits. WHDLoad is a long-running Amiga utility used by the scene to preserve and run classic floppy software from hard drives. via amiga-news.de
Developer Vesa_Hei has released Sid Chipsytip and The Muzzled Music, a free platformer for the Commodore 64. The game casts players as Sid Chipsytip, tasked with bringing colour back to the drab world of Gloomland across 24 levels spread over 8 worlds. It was made with AI assistance from Claude, covering code, graphics, sound and text, and is distributed as a name-your-own-price title on itch.io, free to share but not for sale. via itch.io
