arcade Archives

AppWizard

October 12, 2026

Star Wars Galactic Racer’s devs tested its roguelite progression system by turning it into a board game

Kieran Crimmins, the creative director at Fuse Games, emphasized the importance of tactile experience in game design, leading to the creation of a board game prototype for Star Wars Galactic Racer to explore gameplay mechanics. Matt Webster, the CEO of Fuse Games, noted that while modern engines are capable, traditional prototyping can be faster for capturing ideas. The board game prototype focused on simulating the progression system, where players earn rewards based on race performance, enhancing vehicle stats and acquiring parts. This system draws inspiration from roguelite games, providing continuity and growth in gameplay. Crimmins highlighted the efficiency of board game prototyping for rapid validation of emotional responses, allowing for quick adjustments using simple materials. The approach reflects a trend in game development towards flexibility and creativity in early design stages.

AppWizard

October 12, 2026

Steam Week in Review: The curious case of Wonder Boy in Monster Land’s dubious PC debut

Wonder Boy in Monster Land, originally released in Japanese arcades in 1987 and later on the Sega Master System, has been listed on Steam by Retro Maniac, a developer with a limited portfolio. The title is misspelled as "Wonderboy," raising concerns about the legitimacy of the release. The ownership of the Wonder Boy franchise is split between LAT Corp, which holds the intellectual property rights, and Sega, which retains the trademark. This dual ownership complicates any re-release under the Wonder Boy name, as seen with previous titles that successfully navigated licensing agreements. The original arcade version was released as Adventure Island in the U.S., leading to confusion about the game's lineage. Concerns about the Retro Maniac port were raised by the Wonder Boy Universe fan account and composer Shinichi Sakamoto, who noted it is not available in Japan and may be unauthorized. The port appears to be a ROM running within the MAME arcade emulator. The listing is reportedly facing a DMCA takedown process initiated by Sega or LAT Corp.

AppWizard

October 8, 2026

Free Play Days – ARC Raiders, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, Little Nightmares III, Screamer, and More

From October 8 to October 11, members of XBOX Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and Essential can play Screamer and Family Man for free during Free Play Days. ARC Raiders is available for free to all XBOX members from October 8 to October 15. Players can also try timed trials of High On Life 2, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, Little Nightmares III, and Rogue Waters. Discounts on games are available for those who wish to purchase them after the event. Screamer is developed by Milestone S.r.l., has a rating of 84/100, and is priced at .99 with a 60% discount during the event. Family Man, developed by No More Robots, has a rating of 47/100, priced at .99 with an 85% discount. ARC Raiders, developed by Embark Studios, has a rating of 11953/100, priced at .99 with a 50% discount. High On Life 2, developed by Squanch Games, Inc., has a rating of 2090/100, priced at .99. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, developed by GSC Game World, has a rating of 7190/100, priced at .99 with a 30% discount after Free Play Days. Little Nightmares III, developed by Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc., has a rating of 592/100, priced at .99. Rogue Waters, developed by Tripwire Interactive LLC, has a rating of 45/100, priced at .99 with a 75% discount during Free Play Days.

BetaBeacon

October 6, 2026

Lemuroid Setup Guide: 20 Retro Systems [2026]

Lemuroid is an open-source Android frontend built on top of the Libretro core ecosystem, maintained by developer Swordfish90. It is distributed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 and has 4,371 stars, 366 forks, and 595 open issues on GitHub. Late 2026 is a good time to set it up due to its active development. It is available on Google Play, F-Droid, and GitHub, providing redundancy in case of policy changes. Lemuroid supports twenty systems, each mapped to a specific Libretro core. PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Nintendo Switch are not supported. It requires Android 6.0, 500MB of storage, 3GB of RAM for 8-bit and 16-bit systems, and legally dumped ROMs/ISOs. BIOS files are required for PS1, PSP, and DS cores. It is recommended for managing multiple systems in one library.

AppWizard

October 4, 2026

Time Crisis Arcade-Perfect PC Port Is Now Available for Download

An unofficial PC version of the arcade classic Time Crisis has been released as part of the “Namco System 22 games for PC” initiative, which aims to bring several arcade games to the PC platform. The namco22-decompile project currently supports five titles: Time Crisis, Rave Racer, Dirt Dash, Tokyo Wars, and Prop Cycle. These games run more efficiently than traditional emulators and support widescreen formats and resolutions up to 4K. The Time Crisis port features mouse control support and compatibility with light guns. Players need to supply their own ROM files to enjoy the games, as the project does not include in-game assets. Other unofficial PC ports include titles such as Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and Donkey Kong Country games. September 2026 has seen various unofficial PC ports, including Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link, GTA: Liberty City Stories, and Super Mario Strikers.

BetaBeacon

October 2, 2026

6 Free Android Games Built for Short Sessions

Wordscapes is PeopleFun's flagship word puzzle game since 2017, offering over 6,000 levels, daily puzzles, and available in five languages.

BetaBeacon

September 29, 2026

Free-to-Play Racer Kartboard Dash is Out Now on PC, Android and iOS.

- Kartboard Dash is a free-to-play arcade kart-racing game available on PC, Android, and iOS. - The game features a handcrafted cardboard world with unique tracks, scenery, and vehicles. - Players can collect and deploy power-ups to gain an advantage in races. - Global modifiers can change race conditions in the final laps. - Kartboard Dash is designed for competition and replayability, with dynamic power-ups and close finishes.

AppWizard

September 27, 2026

The next retro games coming to Steam are a pair of extremely 1990s run-and-gunners where Spanish Goku fights mutants

Gaelco, a Spanish video game label from the 1990s, is known for its unique arcade games, including World Rally, Thunder Hoop, and TH Strikes Back. QUByte Interactive is set to revive Thunder Hoop and TH Strikes Back, launching them on Steam on October 8. Thunder Hoop features a genetically engineered hero fighting mutants unleashed by Dr. Genbreak, offering hand-blasting action and imaginative storytelling.

BetaBeacon

September 26, 2026

New Android Auto Build Released With a Big Hidden Change for Games

Google is enhancing the gaming experience for Android Auto users by refining the GameSnacks feature. Developers worldwide can now bring their games to Android Auto, and Google is working on bringing full-screen mode to GameSnacks titles. A significant update to Android Auto is expected in late 2026, which will include support for widgets and video apps, allowing users to watch YouTube videos in their cars when parked.

Winsage

September 24, 2026

86Box Setup Guide 2026: Emulate a Windows 98 PC in 13 Steps

86Box is an emulator that meticulously reconstructs vintage PCs, allowing users to boot operating systems like MS-DOS, Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows XP. The latest version, 6.0, was released on May 31, 2026, featuring a native Windows ARM64 build and discontinuing support for macOS 10.13 High Sierra. It has approximately 2,400 monthly searches in the U.S., indicating a demand for setup guides among enthusiasts. Unlike DOSBox, which creates a generic DOS environment, 86Box emulates specific hardware components for authentic execution of various operating systems. Originally a fork of PCem, 86Box has expanded its supported motherboards and developed a community of contributors. Version 6.0 has established it as the preferred choice for retro-PC builders in 2026. Before installation, users need a minimum of a 64-bit Intel Core 2, AMD Athlon 64, or ARMv8 CPU, 4 GB of RAM, and a compatible host operating system. The installation process involves downloading the appropriate build, sourcing a legal ROM set, and configuring the virtual machine using the 86Box Manager. Users can select specific graphics cards and sound hardware to replicate the original systems accurately. The setup requires installation media for the guest operating system, which must be sourced legally. Common pitfalls during setup include ensuring the BIOS ROM is available, matching CPU speed to software era, and installing the correct drivers. A properly configured virtual machine should display a BIOS POST screen and boot the selected operating system. Troubleshooting common issues often involves checking for missing ROMs, uninstalled drivers, or performance settings. 86Box is open-source and legal to use, but users must ensure they have legitimate licenses for any software used within the emulator.