nostalgia Archives

AppWizard

July 29, 2025

‘Maybe I’ve directed my last game,’ Dead Space creator Glen Schofield says after being unable to secure funding for his new project: ‘With the industry on pause, AAA feels like it’s a long ways away’

Glen Schofield, a veteran in the video game industry, has announced his decision to step away from game direction after struggling to secure funding for a new horror project he had been developing for eight months. Despite assembling a talented team and setting a budget, he faced challenges due to the industry's shift towards higher share prices and artificial intelligence solutions. Schofield's previous title, The Callisto Protocol, did not meet expectations, leading to financial repercussions for its publisher and layoffs at his studio. He expressed a desire to return to his artistic roots while reflecting on the stagnant state of the industry. His daughter, Nicole, who contributed the original idea for the halted project, was also part of the team.

AppWizard

July 28, 2025

Super Mario Bros. Remastered Fan Game Hits PC Soon, Includes Lost Levels

Super Mario Bros. Remastered, a fan-made remake of the 1985 NES classic, will launch on September 13, 2025. Created by YouTube creator JoeMama, it features high-resolution graphics, widescreen support, improved physics, enhanced sound effects, and chiptune music. The game includes extensive customization options, allowing players to alter visuals and audio, as well as a built-in Level Editor for designing custom levels. It also incorporates classic titles like The Lost Levels and Super Mario Bros. Special, all benefiting from visual and audio upgrades. The development team is not using original assets to navigate legal issues, requiring players to supply their own NES ROM.

AppWizard

July 27, 2025

Crash Bandicoot’s original lead programmer reckons the overhauled N. Sane Trilogy ‘got almost everything right’ except for one tiny detail: ‘they completely botched how jumping works’

The N. Sane Trilogy, released in 2017, received positive feedback but raised concerns about the jumping mechanics compared to the original PlayStation games. Players noted that Crash's jumping abilities seemed more challenging, leading to theories about changes in hitbox and the "hold X to jump higher" mechanic. Gavin highlighted that Naughty Dog had previously used a system that measured button press duration to create nuanced jumps, which Vicarious Visions may have disregarded. This oversight resulted in a binary jumping system where all jumps were set to maximum height, making them feel exaggerated and floaty. Despite the remake's advanced hardware, it failed to replicate the original's gameplay mechanics. Toys for Bob later refined platforming mechanics in 2020's Crash Bandicoot 4, suggesting potential evolution in the franchise's gameplay design.

AppWizard

July 25, 2025

Two Dungeons & Dragons PC Titles Return This August

Hasbro and SNEG will release two Dungeons & Dragons titles, Dragonshard and Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone, on PC via Steam in mid-August. Dungeons & Dragons: Dragonshard, originally launched in 2005, features improved resolution support, localization-friendly saves, and enhancements for modern PCs. It combines real-time strategy and RPG elements in the world of Eberron, allowing players to command troops and explore dungeons. The game includes a narrative by Keith Baker, a dual-layered gameplay experience, diverse unit control, unit progression through experience points, the "Nexus System" for strategic building placement, three distinct factions, and dynamic environments with real-time terrain deformation. Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone, first released in 2004, will have smoother start-ups, widescreen scaling, and full controller support. Players will control a Fighter, Sorcerer, and Rogue in a quest to reclaim the Demon Stone. The game features accessible combat styles, a narrative by R.A. Salvatore, voice performances by Patrick Stewart and Michael Clarke Duncan, various environments, iconic Dungeons & Dragons creatures, and a range of combo moves and skill upgrades.

AppWizard

July 24, 2025

Its demo only took me 10 minutes, but this claymation picture book puzzle game inspired by medieval alchemy is one to watch out for

All Living Things is an interactive alchemical picture book featuring visually stunning claymation art. The game combines cryptic illuminated manuscript elements with claymation to create a unique atmosphere that evokes nostalgia while maintaining an unsettling edge. The demo has generated interest for the full release, and the game's design encourages exploration and reflection, making it a noteworthy addition to experimental gaming.

Winsage

July 24, 2025

Someone rebuilt Windows XP in the browser for pure nostalgia

Microsoft's Windows XP, launched in 2001, has a lifespan of over 17 years and has inspired a developer to create a web-based simulation called Win32.run. This project recreates a fictional instance of Windows XP using web technologies, allowing users to explore a simulated file system and interact with embedded programs. The developer originally created the simulation as a tribute to the operating system from his childhood, using the Svelte framework, SvelteKit, and Tailwind CSS. However, the project was halted due to significant breaking changes in SvelteKit that made the codebase difficult for other developers to understand. The simulation operates on a client-side architecture, enabling users to run it locally in their browsers. There are also ongoing efforts to transform various editions of Windows into web applications, with projects ranging from simple browser-based simulations to more complex emulation tools. For a more immersive experience, users can run legacy operating systems like Windows XP in dedicated virtual machines using modern desktop hypervisors such as VMware Workstation.

AppWizard

July 23, 2025

NoCode rebrands as Screen Burn

Scottish developer NoCode has rebranded as Screen Burn to better reflect its evolution and current identity. Founded in 2015, the studio initially focused on creating games without coding expertise, with notable titles like Stories Untold and Observation. They have recently partnered with Konami for Silent Hill: Townfall. The team noted that their original name no longer represents their mission, as they now have many coders on staff. They expressed a desire to clarify their identity and emphasized their commitment to creating games that leave a lasting impact on players.

Winsage

July 23, 2025

Windows XP returns! Re-experience the magic for free in your browser

Windows XP was launched in 2001 and officially discontinued in 2014. A project by Reddit user ducbao414, unveiled on July 13th to coincide with the 25th anniversary of Windows XP's development, allows users to experience a web-based replica of the operating system. This replica captures the classic interface but does not provide a fully functional version. Users can access familiar applications like Paint, Media Player Classic, Microsoft Word, and Minesweeper, but cannot browse the internet or run external applications. The project is available for free at win32.run.

Winsage

July 22, 2025

Windows XP returns from Microsoft’s graveyard in a nostalgic browser reboot — but don’t expect Internet Explorer to work

Windows 11 has surpassed Windows 10 in market share as Windows 10 nears its end-of-life deadline. A Reddit user created a web-based emulator that recreates the Windows XP experience, complete with classic features and preloaded games, to evoke nostalgia. This project, shared on July 13 to mark 25 years since Windows XP development began, is not a fully functional operating system and has limitations, such as no internet access and sound issues on certain browsers.

Winsage

July 21, 2025

Windows was never meant to run this way, but someone made it happen

A YouTube creator on the MetraByte channel attempted to install seven layers of Windows operating systems nested within each other: Windows 95 inside Windows 98, followed by Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and finally, Windows 10, all encapsulated within Windows 11. The creator initially used Hyper-V but switched to VMware after encountering limitations, allowing for more extensive layering but resulting in significant performance declines as layers increased. For example, Windows 7 took 30 minutes to boot when nested within Windows 8, which was under Windows 10, all running on Windows 11. The attempt to install Windows 95 ultimately failed as Windows 98 struggled to boot. Performance metrics showed that deeper installation layers led to decreased performance, particularly evident while playing Minecraft Classic, where frame rates dropped by over 50% in Windows 10 and 8 compared to Windows 11.