Retro Kezins

 I can't speak for everyone,  but I don't see any need for yet another RK3326 device, but we are definitely getting another one in April with the PowKiddy RGB10S.  It's a little more pocket friendly than the other RGB10 variants (having only one thumb-stick) but I don't see much purpose in continuing with RK3326 devices which have already oversaturated the market. The RGB10S could be a good RG351V alternative for people who don't like vertical handhelds or are new to scene.  Regardless, I don't have much personal interest in this handheld, but we'll see how it looks when it comes out... Click Image for Retro Dodo write-Up

One thing that we heard a LOT with the Souls games is that there should be an "easy mode", but I think that would completely ruin the souls-like genre. Elden Ring was designed by Hidetaka Miyazaki to specifically require gamers to use trial and error to overcome the difficult enemies. In a lot of ways this is simply a throw back to old school gaming where figuring out patterns was how you beat games.   When it comes to games,  action combat is probably one of my weakest areas,  but I did beat Demon's Souls, Dark Souls and Dark Souls II in the past. I was getting destroyed my first day in Elden Ring, got a little better on the second day,  and even better on the 3rd day of playing. I'm still a long ways off from beating the game (I'm only 8 hours of gameplay in), but I'm happy with the difficulty. Beating this game will certainly be a great feeling.  I'm currently at level 20 and steadily progressing despite not being that great at the game.  The three main

  I'm not too deep into Elden Ring yet but I'm impressed with what I'm experiencing so far. I'm still in the "early" part of the game and slowly progressing.  While there are some incredibly tough opening area enemies and bosses (probably tougher than what we ran into with Souls games at first), the game is actually far more approachable for people who aren't perfect at combat skills. The addition of being open level, stealth and easier level progression, it really gives you time to get into the game. If you aren't ready for the tough battles, there are plenty of pretty easy fights especially using stealth, and you can locate (activate) a LOT of the Sites of Grace without fighting anyone which makes traveling (Using fast travel) convenient later on. You can also summon NPC allies to fight with you early on. So far, I have no luck connecting to servers, so haven't been able to test out co-op.  I'm still far to early into the game to have any in-

 The RP2+ is definitely the best overall sub $100 retro handheld available right now. Unfortunately, since the end of October it has been a pre-order device and that looks to continue well past February into March. I figured after a few months, production would have caught up but that's not the case. Ordering one today will still result in about a 35 day wait until it ships resulting in a 40-60 day wait between ordering and receiving one.  How much of this is due to parts shortages is somewhat of a mystery since Moorechip seems to keep sales figures private. Based off the chatter on Reddit and Discord, it's safe to say a LOT of people have purchased a Retroid Pocket 2 Plus which is likely why the original RP2 is no longer available for purchase.  While the RP2 Plus certainly isn't an AYN Odin or Steam Deck, its an amazing buy at $99 and even waiting 6-8 weeks from purchase to receiving one isn't too bad. If you are holding out with the hope that the second production ro

Xbox Game Pass  I only recently jumped back into the Xbox scene,  but I definitely have to say that the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gets me a lot more $ for $ than online subscriptions from Sony and Nintendo. I recently canceled my PS Now and Apple Arcade subscriptions, so my only online game service  subscriptions left are Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Google Play Pass (Android), PlayStation Plus, and Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass.  While most of my gaming interests are in retro and classic gaming,  Xbox Series X|S has a nice balance of old and new games along with great emulation options using Dev Mode!  https://retrogamecorps.com/2021/09/11/guide-xbox-series-s-x-and-xbox-one-emulation/ Games Leaving Xbox Game Pass in March:  Titanfall (March 1) Games Leaving "Soon" (Some Were Supposed To Already Be Gone): Kingdom Hearts III Tohou Luna Nights Hypnospace Outlaw Stealth Inc. 2 Killer Queen Black Unlike PlayStation Plus where you can play a game forever as long as you subscri

Nintendo Wii U The Nintendo Wii U was a commercial failure despite being a pretty decent and innovative console. Nintendo completely botched the marketing of the console and failed to obtain good 3rd party support. Despite being a failure commercially, the system had some great games on it. I still use mine regularly and have 30 disc games for it plus 26 Virtual Console games transferred over from the Wii.  At this point,  I don't see my picks for the Top 10 Nintendo Wii U Games changing, so this is my definitive list (I may post a Top 25 list at some point):  Top 10 Nintendo Wii U Games #10 ZombiU ZombiU was one of the first Wii U games I played and it was certainly a unique experience on the Wii U. Like some other 3rd party games, the Wii U version was the best. The game is a lot better than most critics gave it credit for which is typical of mainstream critics anyway.  Where the game really shines is the environment for survival horror was unmatched at the time and the dead trul

 Most Used Devices JAN/FEB 2022 My most used platforms this year is definitely a lot different than last year. That's the fun bonus of mixing modern and classic gaming though ... options are near limitless. Over the past 2 months, the Anbernic RG351V and PowKiddy RGB20 have dropped off my 5 most used devices. This will be the first time in a long while that Anbernic hasn't been towards the top of my list.  #1 Xbox Series S   I had completely skipped the Xbox One generation but jumped back into the Xbox realm recently with the Xbox Series S primarily due to how easy it is to use Dev Mode and turn it into a pretty good retro console that can run up to PS2 level games.  I've found myself liking the console as a modern device too, particularly with the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.  #2 Miyoo Mini   The Miyoo Mini was the most surprising great handheld for me in recent months and has become my "take everywhere" handheld. To get the most out of this handheld that can handle

https://experimentalpi.com/PiBoy-XRS--Kit_p_59.html  It looks like the PiBoy XRS will be available for pre-order or sale by the end of next month (March) for $149.95. It will come partially assembled and require you to have a Raspberry Pi 4B, a charger and a microSD card which are additional expenses.  That all totals out to a fairly expensive handheld for the aging Pi gaming scene but it looks to be very high quality. This is definitely geared towards people who like to tinker with systems and don't mind a little DIY assembly work.  What keeps this handheld on my radar is the striking looks inspired by the OG Game Boy but in a horizontal form factor and what appears to be high end build quality.  Other Upcoming Handhelds  

Reviews and impressions of the AYN Odin are coming in and seems to be near universally positive. There's no indication of when Odin and Odin Lite handhelds will be available for non early adopters but I'd assume by summertime. The Odin with verified performance does make for an interesting Steam Deck alternative if you were thinking about a Steam Deck for retro gaming more than modern PC gaming. We'll have to see how the rollout with the Odin Lite goes but I'm definitely impressed with what I'm seeing out there so far.  I didn't pre- order one myself but there's a good chance I might jump on board this summer after we see what the Retroid Pocket 3 is all about. Right now,  I feel like I just have too many Android devices... Trusted Review Source:  Great in-depth review of the AYN Odin by RGC!! https://retrogamecorps.com/2022/02/06/review-ayn-odin/ Indiegogo Page:  https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/odin-the-ultimate-gaming-handheld#/

Game: Fable 2 on Xbox Series S Developer: Lionhead Studios Publisher: Microsoft Series: Fable Platform: Xbox Series S (Emulating Xbox 360) Release: 21 October 2008 (NA) Genre(s):ARPG/Adventure Mode(s):Single-Player/ Online Co-Op Rating: M for Mature Most Recent Playthrough: JAN/FEB 2022 (24 hours [single-player] played this playthrough) *Minimal Spoilers Ahead!! This review may contain some mild Spoilers but I try to avoid mentioning anything too specific.... Xbox Series S Enhancements   Running the game on the Xbox Series S includes an FPS Boost that does not do a very good job at all. The game is riddled with frame drops/stutters that also result in serious input lag during heavy battles. There is no upscaling with the graphics like you would get with the Series X. If say the game is playable yet frustrating.  Similar Games Fable Anniversary (Game Nearly Unplayable On Xbox Series S), Fable 3, Kynseed (PC), Kingdoms of Amalur: The Reckoning

Happy 20th To The NA Sonic Advance release!! February despite being the shortest month of the year is full of historically significant video game releases.  Sonic Advance wasn't my favorite Sonic game and it seems like a slap in the face to the 1990s to have Sonic games on Nintendo devices but it is what it is and it was actually a pretty good game. Over the years,  the GBA library which is excellent has become one of top go to platforms for on the go gaming.  Sonic Advance still felt like it was in the general spirit of the original SEGA Genesis games which is one reason why it's still very playable today.  Check out my list of Historical February Game Releases!  (LINK)   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_Advance Sonic Advance - GBA

Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Sonic The Hedgehog 3 released in North America on February 2, 1994, exactly 28 years ago. The Sonic 3 cartridge was purchased by over 1.02 million people in the United States. If you include Sonic and Knuckles, Sonic 3 was the 4th most successful SEGA Genesis game.  Of the original 3 games,  this was definitely my favorite entry in the series.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_the_Hedgehog_3 List of My Favorite February Game Releases Per Day All-Time (LINK)

28 Classic Video Games of February [NA] Link For Classic Game Reviews & Lists Even with a massive assortment of games to choose from going back through the decades, sometimes it's hard to pick games to play. To help inspire retro/classic game selections, here are 28 historical February video game releases worth playing or replaying. With Valentines Day coming up soon, it's a good month to celebrate our love of modern and classic games.  One Classic Game for Every Day of February  I went about making this list by picking my favorite game from the list of historical February video game list for each day of February. These are all games worth checking out if you haven't played them.  The result is a pretty eclectic mix of games from the following consoles: NES (1), SNES (1), PSOne (1), SEGA Genesis (2), Game Boy Advance (3), Nintendo 3DS (2), DS (2), N64 (1), PlayStation 2 (2), PlayStation 3 (6) , PS4 (1), PSP (2), Xbox 360 (3), Nintendo GameCube (1), PC (2), Nintendo Swit