nostalgic twist Archives

AppWizard

November 30, 2025

This pirate-themed FPS just got an enormous update that lets you sail a ‘living ship’—a hybrid of wooden hull and space whale that’s called Abby and is utterly horrifying

This November, pirate-themed gaming has surged with the release of Salt 2, a survival simulation in its 1.0 version, and Captain Wayne: Vacation Desperation, an action shooter using the Doom engine. Davy x Jones, a roguelike first-person shooter, received a significant update introducing a second gameplay mode featuring a "living ship" named Abby, allowing players to engage in naval battles and recruit ghostly pirates. The update includes a boss fight against the Kraken, enhanced first-person combat with new attack options, a redesigned skill tree, a comprehensive codex, and support for advanced graphics technologies. Existing save files may become corrupted due to these changes, and the game is currently available at a 20% discount until December 9, priced at .99/£12.

AppWizard

September 18, 2025

If you’re sad Pokopia isn’t on PC, grab eight great Pokémon-like alternatives at 92% off

The upcoming release of Pokopia is generating interest among gamers without a Nintendo console. Temtem, an indie game available in the Critter Chaos Bundle for .45 (£1.55 each), offers a Pokémon-like experience with 165 unique creatures, a vibrant visual style, and a complex battle system. Cassette Beasts introduces a nostalgic twist with a tape recorder mechanic and a fusion system for creating powerful creatures. The bundle includes eight games: Temtem, Fruitbus, Farewell North, Meg's Monster, Cassette Beasts, Moonstone Island, Copycat, and Coroman, and is available until October 8, 2025. All titles are verified for Valve's console.

Winsage

June 22, 2025

I used Winaero to customize Windows, and here’s how it went

Winaero Tweaker is a free application that offers a suite of tools for customizing Windows 11, organized into sections for appearance, behavior, and more. It allows users to enable or disable features such as the Copilot and automatic updates, modify Windows Explorer options, and enhance visual settings. Users can enable the classic full context menu, modify the Windows Explorer Window, resize scroll bars, and prevent Windows themes from changing mouse pointers and desktop icons. The Context Menu Tweaker allows customization of right-click options, adding shortcuts for functions like the Control Panel and Snipping Tool. Winaero also provides tools for modifying support and maintenance settings, including automatic registry backups and creating multiple System Restore points. It offers features to restore classic Windows functionalities and install legacy applications. While Winaero presents many options to enhance the user experience, users should be cautious as some features may pose security risks or performance issues. The application includes a Recent Changes feature for reviewing modifications and reverting to default settings if necessary.

AppWizard

June 6, 2025

A long-lost Duke Nukem prototype resurfaces after 24 years

The Duke Nukem franchise has seen a resurgence with the release of a prototype for the unreleased PlayStation 2 game, Duke Nukem: D-Day, developed by n-Space. This prototype, dating back to 2001, features twelve playable levels and has been made available on the Internet Archive. The game is described as "90% complete," though it lacks cutscenes and voicework. Players start in a strip club and engage in a time-traveling mission against the Third Reich and aliens. The controls are reminiscent of older gaming systems, and while the game framework is present, it lacks polish. To play the prototype, users need a PlayStation 2 with third-party software or an emulator like PCSX2. The game was in development until 2003, indicating that a more refined version may still exist.

Winsage

April 23, 2025

This cartridge lets you run a fake Windows 3.1 on your Game Boy, complete with Minesweeper

The GBS Windows cartridge, created by Rubenretro using GB Studio, allows users to experience a faux version of Windows 3.1 on the Game Boy. It includes applications like Minesweeper, a media player, and Paint, enabling creative expression with features such as printing via a Game Boy printer. The cartridges have sold out due to high demand, but customers can sign up on Etsy for restock notifications.

Winsage

October 21, 2024

A TechTuber nostalgically runs Windows 95 on a Nintendo 3DS with 256MB of RAM and a stylus pen — but painfully slow boot times hashed his mellow

MetraByte has successfully run Windows 95 on the Nintendo 3DS using DOSBox, but faced significant challenges such as slow boot times and performance issues. Initial attempts to run applications like Paint were frustrating, leading him to abandon plans for music creation. Each installation attempt took around 30 minutes, with a final successful installation taking over two hours, often resulting in Blue Screen of Death errors and driver issues. The experiment illustrates the nostalgic appeal of older operating systems, despite the difficulties encountered in retro computing.

AppWizard

October 16, 2024

Android 15: All the new features, eligible devices, and release date

Android 15 has officially been released on October 15, 2023, starting its rollout to eligible Pixel devices, including the Pixel 6 series and newer models. The update will be available for devices such as Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel Fold, and Pixel Tablet. Major manufacturers like Honor, Xiaomi, OnePlus, OPPO, Vivo, iQOO, Nothing, Realme, Lenovo, Sharp, and Tecno are preparing to adopt Android 15 for their devices. Key features of Android 15 include: - Theft Detection Lock, which uses AI and the phone's accelerometer to secure devices during theft attempts. - Private Space, allowing users to lock sensitive applications with additional authentication. - Notification cooldown, which reduces notification volume from the same app when received in quick succession. - A system-wide toggle for keyboard vibration and a slider for haptic feedback intensity. - Haptic feedback for the brightness slider. - Partial screen recording for capturing specific applications. - Enhanced Bluetooth tile functionality for easier device management. - Support for edge-to-edge displays in applications. - Improved continuity and multitasking for foldable devices. - Introduction of the Android Dynamic Performance Framework for better optimization. - High-quality webcam mode for video calls. - An always-active taskbar for Pixel Fold and Android tablet users. - Capability to share audio across multiple Bluetooth devices simultaneously. The stable version of Android 15 is rolling out to Pixel devices, with other manufacturers expected to follow suit.

AppWizard

September 2, 2024

Steam drops 16 free games to kick off your September

Steam has released a selection of 16 free games available for download, including: 1. Koppun-50 - A 2D battle royale game. 2. Daisy Dangerous - A precision platformer for retro gaming fans. 3. Haus Of Irndrous - A horror game with positive user reviews. 4. Supermarket Together - A supermarket management simulation. 5. Warhammer 40,000: Speed Freeks - A racing game in the Warhammer universe. 6. SAVE Teaser: Before The Dawn - A demo for a photorealistic horror game. 7. Squared Adventure - A 2D platformer with pixel art. 8. Emerald Dreams: Sanity - A platformer quest. 9. Rune Seeker - An early access strategy roguelike. 10. Capital - A quirky game resembling a rushed GTA VI. 11. Real Car Drift Racing - A racing game. 12. Bythzkel-Sombréa - A first-person zombie action game. 13. Super Sus - An homage to Among Us with negative feedback. 14. Containment Breach - A top-down zombie survival game. 15. ForkJump - An open-world exploration game with fork-themed challenges. 16. Ball Control - A maze-style game focused on precision.

Winsage

April 1, 2024

Wish Overwatch 2 returned to 6v6? This Workshop custom game brings it back, complete with classic hero balancing

Blizzard Entertainment shifted Overwatch 2 from a 6v6 to a 5v5 format, sparking mixed reactions. A custom game mode called "Overwatch 1 Emulator" has been created by players to bring back the classic 6v6 experience within Overwatch 2. The emulator allows players to relive the original hero balance and maps, and even includes an alternate version with new Overwatch 2 heroes. The emulator is accessible on both console and PC platforms and is a testament to fan-driven innovation.