Modern Vintage Gamer

Happy New Year! I've been looking into the Nintendo Switch Flash Cart, known as the MiG Switch over the holiday break and wanted to learn more about it. It's in my opinion that this product may - allegedly - be the work of Team Xecuter as the community has uncovered compelling evidence to suggest a former member has been hosting the website and twitter page After Time X as a front to promote the product. In today's episode, we discuss the MiG Switch Flash Cart, how it works and why I believe TX may be involved.

4 years after the release of the Pi4, here comes the all-new Raspberry PI 5. This new iteration of the Raspberry Pi promises more power in a size that's as compact as ever, while still keeping the price affordable. Powered by a quad-core Broadcom ARMV8 Cortex A76 processor clocked at 2.4 GHz, the Pi5 is claimed to be 250% faster than a Pi 4. In todays episode we take a closer look at the performance of the Pi 5 with modern emulators including Nintendo Gamecube, PlayStation 2, Dreamcast and more!

My Sony PlayStation 3 Slim hasn't had much use in recent years, so let's Jailbreak it with a Custom Firmware (CFW). With a 4.90 CFW we can not only play homebrew games and emulators but with a back manager like Multiman we can preserve our entire library of PS3, PS2 and PS1 games on the internal hard drive or via external USB devices. In this video I show off how to Jailbreak a PS3 Slim and how to preserve your library of PlayStation 1, 2 and 3 games. Please Enjoy !

Half-Life is a 1998 first-person shooter (FPS) game developed by Valve Corporation and published by Sierra Studios for Windows. In November 2001 Gearbox Software would port Half-Life to the Sony PlayStation 2 (PS2). This port was not just a standard port, it featured many enhancements over the original and in today's episode we take a deep dive at the PS2 version and talk about why its an impressive package with many unique and interesting features.

If you're running a 3.00-4.51 Firmware PlayStation PS5, you can easily jailbreak and enable it for homebrew thanks to the amazing efforts from the community. In todays episode we take a closer look at what you can do with a hacked/jailbroken PS5 and why im excited for the future of this particular scene.

The Nintendo 64 launched in 1996 is a powerful piece of hardware that's capable of many impressive things. One of those is playing old retro games via emulation. The N64 is capable of emulating the NES, Super NES, Game Boy Color and much more. In today's video we take a closer look at retro emulation running on the N64. For a system that launched in 1996 the results here may surprise you!

The PlayStation 4 PS4 emulation scene keeps improving. Over the past 12 months has seen even more commercial game compatibility. Now over 100 titles are playable in FPPS4 - an open source PS4 emulator ( compatibility layer ) that runs on your PC. But that's not all, RPCSX is another PS4 emulator that's slowly booting into commercial games as well. So, let's discuss the latest PlayStation 4 emulation updates.

The Wii U was a system that Nintendo would rather forget. But for modders, it's nearly the perfect console which can play the (almost) entire back catalog of Nintendo games that game before it - and many other emulators and homebrew. While modding the Wii U isn't anything new - in today's video we take a look at the most up to date homebrew environment known as Aroma that not only makes the Wii U easier to hack, but it also makes it the experience so much better. Let's check it out.

A closer look at one of the more interesting peripherals for the Nintendo 64 - the Expansion Pak. Released in 1998 With Donkey Kong 64, it expanded the N64 System RAM from 4MB to 8MB and was also said to improve visual quality, framerates and more. It was rumored that it was essential in fixing a memory crash with DK64 - it didn't - and there are over 60 games supported the Expansion Pak with 2 games requiring it. But did you miss out if you didn't own one? In this episode we deep dive and discuss the myths and the realities of the N64 Expansion Pak.

Yuzu - the popular Nintendo Switch Emulator (and recently Citra - a 3ds emulator developed by the same team as Yuzu) is dead. Nintendo has settled with Yuzu for 2.4 million dollars and for the immediate removal of all source code, downloads, github repos, discord and Patreon. Here are my thoughts.

A deep dive into the Nintendo 64 Rumble Pak - an addon device that added force feedback vibration to the player. in 1997 this was the very first rumble device introduced into video games. In today's episode we look closely at the Rumble Pak and even build a homebrew application to test its features. Please Enjoy!

Back in the 90's if you wanted to make backups of your Super Nintendo cartridges, you'd need a game backup device, also known as a SNES disc copier. These devices would allow you to dump almost every SNES cartridge to one or more floppy discs, but they were also a tool for pirates to copy discs completely removing the need for an original cartridge. In today's episode we take a closer look at one such SNES back up device known as the Pro Fighter X Turbo. Please Enjoy!

The GP2X Wiz is an early ARM based gaming handheld device that released in 2009 by Game Park Holdings. While it was not a success, the Wiz was very popular with emulation enthusiasts due to its open platform and many popular emulators were ported to run on the device. With the impressive specifications of the GP2X Wiz meant it could run many systems at good levels of performance. And it came complete with an AMOLED Touch screen. In today's episode we take a deep dive into the GP2x Wiz and see why it was considered an emulation beast as far back as 2009. Please Enjoy!

On April 8 2024 (ie today - as of the making of this episode) , all Nintendo Network online services for the Nintendo Wii U and Nintendo 3DS will be shut down, but it does not mean you don't need to stop playing online games. This is all thanks to Pretendo - the community developed Nintendo Network online replacement which is free and open source for everyone to enjoy. All you need is a hacked 3ds or WiiU and about 30 minutes of your time to get set up. In today's episode we take a closer look at the Pretendo service and its features. Please Enjoy!

The Sony PlayStation 1 and the Nintendo 64 generation was one of the most interesting era's in history. Both were early adopters of 3d technology, but their respective hardware architectures were vastly different from each other. The N64 and PS1 handled 3d and their games in different ways, and both systems limitations are ultimately what allowed for developers to come up with some of the very best video games ever made. In today's episode we take a closer look and what these limitations are and how ultimately, they became part of the fabric that defined these systems to so many fans around the world. Please Enjoy!

The Nintendo Game Boy has turned 35 years old and in todays episode we take a look at some of the most technically advanced Game Boy games on the system that push the hardware to its limits Please enjoy!

Saroo is a HD Loader (Flash Cart) for the Sega Saturn. While its been in development since 2013, over the past 2 years it's seen some significant updates and is now available to purchase. Due to the open-source nature of the device it's by far the cheapest Sega Saturn Flash Cart (roughly between $55-$100 on AliExpress) on the market today and it is also the fastest in terms of performance - with most games loading in mere seconds. The price and performance are indeed incredible, but the Saroo is not perfect. It has its issues - and how is the compatibility? We discuss all this and more in today's episode.

Xbox has lost the confidence of its customers. Lets talk about it Correction : I mentioned LinkedIn being non profitable. This is incorrect. LinkedIn generated $1.7 billion from premium subscriptions in 2023. Note: this is an opinion based piece and you should consider it as one.

Wolfenstein 3D released by id Software in 1992 brought in a change to video games. 2D games were no longer cool and texture mapped 3d rendered games were taking over. However, the ray casting technology presented a challenge if you owned an Amiga computer - it simply wasn't capable of running Wolfenstein 3d and in many ways Wolfenstein 3d can be seen as a major milestone that determined the fate of the Commodore Amiga that went bankrupt in 1994. In this episode we take a closer look at the Amiga and its many FPS clones that attempted to emulate the technology and success of Wolfenstein 3D, but ultimately led to the demise of Commodore.

Static Recompilation is the process of statically recompiling binaries into C code that can be compiled for any platform - and it's out now for the Nintendo 64 ! This is all thanks to a tool known as 'N64Recomp' developed by Mr-Wiseguy - it can greatly speed up the process of generating matching C code for almost any Nintendo 64 game. This new method can bring much faster N64 ports to the PC over traditional decompilation projects that can take years and thanks to the modern graphics API RT64, these ports can be enhanced with widescreen, higher framerates and much more. I've tested it and it works. And in today's episode we take a closer look. Thanks for watching!

Sony launched the PlayStation PS2 in 2000 to massive hype and promises. One promise was the brand-new Emotion Engine ( EE ) , the main SoC that powered the PS2. Developed in conjunction with Sony and Toshiba. It was the next generation of processor after the PS1. But the Emotion Engine was more than just a CPU. It housed other additional co-processors known as Vector Units and also came with powerful DMA Controller that could move data around the bus very quickly. However, was this all worth it? The Xbox, GameCube and in some scenarios, Dreamcast showed off many games that easily match the power and performance of the PS2 and in many cases, exceeded it. In today's episode we deep dive and take a closer look at the Emotion Engine and its use cases. After a slow start, developers got the very best from the chip and developed some unique and interesting post processing effects that really showed off the power of the PlayStation 2 hardware. Please Enjoy!

The recent DMCA takedown notice from the ESA on popular rom sharing site VIMMS Lair is another blow to the preservation community. Nintendo believes ROM sites are haven for illegal activity, copyright infringement, and piracy and they have a history of taking down sites in the past including LoveROMs, Rom Universe and more. Can Nintendo be trusted to do it themselves? The Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) service is a fraction of the size of the Virtual Console and its unlikely it will ever exceed it. It's my view that Nintendo is effectively erasing their own history as more games are lost to time. In today's episode we take a closer look at why I believe the only true preservation in the video game industry are ROMS.

The Original Xbox launched in 2001 and it brought a few innovations never seen before to the video game console industry. The first would be a built-in hard drive that was not an optional add-on, rather it was a core component of the Xbox hardware. But did the hard drive provide any benefit other than large storage capacity for save games and custom soundtracks? In today's episode we take a closer look at the Xbox hard drive feature and how developers took advantage of it in different ways. Was it really necessary in the end? You decide and let me know in the comments.

3 years ago I covered the Xbox Series S and how its an emulation beast. But in recent times the Xbox Emulation and Homebrew community (running under devmode on the Xbox) took a hit in 2023 when Microsoft blocked unsupported UWP apps from running in retail mode. It all seemed like the community had abandoned the platform and moved on. However, in reality the community never left, its stronger than ever with new updates and emulators that have opened up the floodgates. Even in 2024 - for $299 the Xbox Series S is a series contender alongside any Mini PC on the market as the best value for money you can buy that can support emulators all the way up to Xbox 360 with impressive performance. In today's episode we take a look at the all-new advancements in the scene and why I'm excited about the future of UWP Apps on Devmode.

On my desk today I have a friends Original Xbox that hasn't been powered on in over 10 years. And we are going to pimp it out! First, we remove the clock capacitor, then install a mod chip, large hard drive, custom dashboard, an awesome HDMI adapter then get the system online with Insignia - the Xbox Live Replacement. The Original Xbox is still an awesome system in 2024 once you pimp it out with the latest enhancements. Please Enjoy

Leading up to the launch of the Sega Dreamcast, in 1998 Microsoft and Sega announced that the up-and-coming Dreamcast would use Windows CE - an embedded version of the Windows Operating system for smaller portable devices. However, when the Dreamcast launched, all 18 titles did not use Windows CE at all. This was a very strange pivot, and many wondered what had occurred. In today's episode we take a closer look at Windows CE on the Dreamcast and what ultimately led to its decision to make it available only as a secondary option for developers to use.

It's a very sad day today as after today the Xbox 360 Marketplace will be closed forever. In this episode I reminisce and talk about what made the Xbox 360 such a special machine. Goodbye Xbox 360.

PlayStation 4 emulation has been on fire lately with the emergence of a new emulator ShadPS4 which is capable of getting in game with 3d rendering. This has been a milestone that other PS4 emulators have been unable to achieve up until now. ShadPS4 can get in game and render 3D with games such as Red Dead Redemption, Tomb Raider I-III Remastered and more! And then there is Bloodborne - a game I never imagined would even boot and display the main menu, but it does, and this is a very exciting time for PS4 emulation in general. And we will be covering it all in today's episode. Please enjoy.

In 1993 a revolutionary next generation fighting game idea was born. It was set to raise the bar of what a next generation graphics would be. The fighting game would feature prerendered 3d robots in front of 3d rendered backgrounds all rendered in 3D Studio with 'hundreds' of animation frames. That game was Rise of the Robots and released on almost every major computer and console platform at the time. The media hyped up the game so much and when it arrived it was a disaster. Here is the story of how Rise of the Robots went from a unique idea to one of the worst games ever released and how the video game media lied to its readers.

Street Fighter 2 Rainbow Edition is one of the most well-known arcade rom hacks ever made. It took Street Fighter 2s updated Champion Edition code and modified it in some crazy ways. Midair specials , teleporting, head seeking fireballs, tons of projectiles, no cool downs and even the ability to swap to another character! It all sounds over the top and absurd however Street Fighter 2 Rainbow Edition introduced for the very first time, new gameplay mechanics that would make their way into future updates of the Street Fighter 2 series. In todays episode we take a closer look at Street Fighter 2 Rainbow Edition and how it became the classic rom hack that people still talk about to this very day.

Due to the limitations of home computers and game consoles, for years true 3d rendering was mostly out of reach for developers. However, by applying an isometric projection, a fake or pseudo 3D effect can provide a 3d like experience to the game. Isometric views in video games have existed around in video games since the early 80s. And during the late 90s, PC resolutions were large enough and CPUs were becoming powerful enough where developers could pre-render 3d models and combine them with an isometric view to produce beautifully realistic looking environments. In todays episode we deep dive into the world of Isometric graphics in video games.

In the 80s, early flight simulators were limited to what they could achieve. On consoles like the NES, it was nearly impossible to provide a sense of realism and immersion that you could only find in home computers like the PC and Amiga. However, in 1996 - Nintendo released Pilotwings 64 - a North American launch title for the Nintendo 64, and one that was developed alongside experts in military flight simulation 3d technology - Paradigm Simulation. The result was a technically brilliant realistic flight simulation engine that's wrapped up in a fun and whacky Nintendo game. Pilotwings 64 defined what was possible with 3d on the Nintendo 64 and could sit right alongside PC flight simulators in terms of its graphics and technology in the mid 90s. In today's video we take a look at one of my favorite Nintendo 64 games - Pilotwings 64

Earlier this year the first known public exploit for the Xbox One was released. Known as 'Collateral Damage' this exploit allowed for, the very first time, games to be decrypted and dumped. This has led to development of an emulation or a translation layer to be developed that can run Xbox One games on a Windows 10 or 11 PC. In today's episode we take a look at XWine1 the first Xbox One translation layer in development for Windows, however this is not the only one in development. We discuss what's been happening in the Xbox One hacking scene, dumping games, translation layers and much more!

Ryujinx - the other popular Nintendo Switch Emulator is dead with the immediate removal of all source code, downloads, github repos. Here are my thoughts.

Silent Hill 2 is one of my favorite games of all time. A groundbreaking PlayStation 2 title that is considered a masterpiece. So how do remake perfection? In today's episode I take a look at the Silent Hill 2 Remake. There's good and there's some bad. Here are my thoughts.

Mario Kart 64 is one of the very best games on the Nintendo 64, and its franchise needs no introduction - it's one of the most successful Nintendo franchises in history. However, the series has been long criticized for its use of 'Rubber Banding AI' - a game design technique that's applied to keep each race competitive. This also applies to Mario Kart 64. From disabling collisions, to invisible roads and reacting differently to items while off camera, the game simply cheats to try and beat you in every single race. In today's episode we explore the MANY different ways Mario Kart 64 cheats against you.

Wing Commander is a 3D Space Combat Simulator game that released on the IBM PC in 1990 - over 34 years ago as of this episode - and it one of the finest games ever made. It took advantage of the IBM PC to maximize the immersion of a space combat simulation. It's game design had no equal. In today's episode we take a closer look at how Wing Commander came to be, its technology, game design, ports and how it shaped the series and the genre. Enjoy!

Fine, ill do it myself - Over the past few months, I've been working on my own 3d game engine in C++. With the goal to build my own 3D Boomer Shooters but with modern 3D graphics APIs. In today's episode I walk through how it all works, and how I've used open-source tools to make it happen. Please enjoy!

Video Game Preservation has been in the news recently with the US Copyright Office just striking down an effort to make it easier to preserve and play legacy video games. Many in the industry say that more needs to be done but is it just talk? The ESA along with game publishers don't seem to be interesting in preserving video games at all. This is why me, you - the community - need to take charge and do it ourselves. We discuss the complex landscape of Video Game Preservation, Piracy and Emulation in today's episode.

I bought a Sony PlayStation PS5 Pro for $700 including an $80 disc drive add-on - so you don't have to. It does exactly what its advertised to do. Enhance Visuals and Performance for PS5 games. The question is - is the PS5 Pro really worth the money? In today's episode I give you my thoughts on the brand new PS5 Pro console. Impressive? Yes, worth it? Check out today's video to learn more!

It took 3 years, but Rockstar Games Grand Theft Auto GTA Trilogy Definitive Edition has been fixed - addressing many of the most important issues from the original 2021 release from Grove Street Games. It's a much-improved experience restoring the content to be as faithful as possible to the original PS2 versions and one that I can finally recommend to anyone who wants to experience the 3 classic games for modern consoles. So, what was fixed? And what happened to Grove Street Games? In this episode we take a closer look at the updated 1.112 Patch which really improves the game in many ways. All Gameplay Captured on my Xbox Series X

Atari is launching their brand new 7800+ console on November 29th 2024. The 7800+ is a modern recreation of the original 7800 System from 1986. In today's episode we take a look at the 7800+, play some games on it and take a look at the hardware. Is it worth $129.99? Let's find out.

Forget the Game Awards, the real awards are here. Video game emulation in 2024 has been full of highs and lows and in today's episode we discuss the Best Emulators that I've been using in 2024 and showing off their features. These all run on PC but many of them also run on Linux, MacOS and some on Android. These are of course my picks, please let me know which your favorites are in the comments below!

From vintage hardware, game collecting, emulation, crts and upscalers - Retro Gaming has changed over the years. Let's talk about it.

In 1987 C64 and Amiga Cracking and Scene group SCA (Swiss Cracking Association) would release the first ever Amiga home computer virus after being challenged to see if it were even possible. It's impact on the Amiga and home computers had wide ramifications. In today's episode we take a close look at SCA and how the virus became a part of scene and Amiga history.

My summary of 2024 and what to expect in 2025 for the channel. Have a wonderful holiday season, much love - Dimitris