I just play Steam Deck and write about gaming + Linux a lot
- 94 Posts
- 450 Comments
Joined 1Y ago
Cake day: Feb 26, 2025
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- lemmy.world
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- 3d
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I spent a few days chatting to the RetroDECK team (who are well and truly friends by now!), with the idea that it might be a good chance to focus on their real passion: retro gaming. Too often RetroDECK (*which is all about emulation/retro gaming for the Steam Deck/Linux*) just gets bottled up and mentioned as being less than it is.
Sure you get the typical emulation projects in there: PS2, PS3, Wii U, SNES and so on, but it really has *so much more* to offer to users. From odd little projects and engines to things like MUDs, pinball and more.
This was a nice chat with the team, it shows them all sharing what they're so passionate about. Retro gaming in *all* its forms.
From my friend Lazorne in the interview:
> *What I hope to do is simply provide people with an easy way to experience those memories again, provided they still have access to their old games. For one person retro might mean the PlayStation 3, while for others it could be systems like the TRS-80 or the BBC Micro.Both viewpoints are valid and that is how we approach the components included in RetroDECK as well.*
You can find my article and the whole interview here:
https://gardinerbryant.com/retrodeck-is-more-than-emulation-an-interview-with-the-devs/
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- lemmy.world
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- 6d
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> *In 2005, a bug in World of Warcraft turned Azeroth into a virtual pandemic, and gave scientists a rare glimpse into human behavior during an outbreak.*
So recently I started a page in a notebook where I jotted down article ideas. Older games with *interesting* stories to them. Just as a part of a series of retrospectives I've been writing. So far I have done:
* Seaman
* GoldenEye 007
* Star Fox 2
* EarthBound
* Dune II
* Uniracers
...and now, obviously, World of Warcraft. This one is a bit more brief than the others, but the story is fascinating to me. An unexpected bug caused so much drama, and it ended up being studied. It came back to focus when Covid hit, it was covered by regular 'big' news services, the whole thing is such an odd story to me.
Anyway, I had a great time writing this up, maybe you were ther when it happened? I'd love to hear a comment if so!
https://gardinerbryant.com/the-digital-plague-when-world-of-warcraft-accidentally-simulated-a-pandemic/
creator
toThats AYN’s Thor! And it is amazing. Perfect as a modern-day 3DS replacement, with some slight caveats
https://www.ayntec.com/products/ayn-thor
If you’d like to read my review on them, I was sent one last year to review :)
https://gardinerbryant.com/ayn-thor-the-modern-dual-screen-revival/
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- lemmy.world
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- 8d
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Does anyone remember iiSU?
Last year, out of nowhere, a new front-end for managing and playing emulated games appeared online. It came with a beautiful trailer and some huge promises: a console-like interface, social features, and a design that clearly took inspiration from Nintendo’s UI style (mixed with a bit of Sony’s XMB). It was called iiSU, for retro handhelds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AD8R8co1YA
Unfortunately, things *quickly* fell apart. Allegations about the lead developer began to surface, including inappropriate behavior toward community members, harassment in private messages, and other conduct that raised serious concerns within the scene.
In the aftermath, Usagi (said dev) stepped away from the project completely, leaving iiSU effectively abandoned for a short time.
Since then, a lot has changed. A new team (led by a new developer who was already involved in the project) stepped in and has already released a number of updates and their own vision.
I invited two members of the iiSU team to join me for an interview to talk about the project’s history, what actually went into building it, and where it’s heading next. I deliberately skipped the drama (plenty of articles covered that at the time) and instead focused on the future of iiSU.
If you want to read my article on their efforts, you can find it here:
https://gardinerbryant.com/the-vision-behind-iisu-an-interview-with-iisu-developers/
If you want to listen to it though, Gardiner has just started a Podcast on our articles, and this one's the first. So if you would prefer to listen to a story about what they've been up to and how they've done it, you can find that here:
https://podcast.subscribeto.me/@thebryantreview/episodes/the-vision-behind-iisu-an-interview-with-iisu-developers
This is pretty interesting to me. I know I’ll get downvoted for this, because the Epic hate is just so strong everywhere. But honestly, I think they need to improve the launcher, not sunset it.
I get it, that sounds obvious. But for 99% of their PC users who aren’t us: people who care about Linux, care about open-source, care about digital ownership and platform freedom, they’re just using the Epic Launcher to play the free games each week. Epic’s reasons are pretty obvious: give away games to lock in users. But I’ve talked to so many users throughout my time covering Steam Deck news for whom PC gaming would just be too expensive without those weekly giveaways.
Anyway, my caffeine-fueled point is this: I just wish they’d put some of their incredible wealth into building a better launcher.
…and maybe into making some better decisions along the way.
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- lemmy.world
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- 15d
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So for today's article I wrote, its a retrospective on GoldenEye 007. Specifically with a bent towards the odd legal mix it caught itself up in with so many different entities being rights holders.
I covered how it was made (a team of nine, most of which had never developed games before!), how it was received (to say 'well' is an understatement), how it didn't fit in with what was typical on the Nintendo 64 at the time, and more besides.
Its not a hard-hitting piece, but it you wanna jump back in time and enjoy some nostalgia for the N64 or for GoldenEye, then you might enjoy my retrospective on it:
https://gardinerbryant.com/goldeneye-007-the-accidental-masterpiece-trapped-in-licensing-limbo/
creator
toNot unbelievable at all!
The R36S achieved a strange sort of cult status a long time ago. They managed to break out of a very niche hobby and appeal to regular people. They’re sold in kiosks, on TikTok, in regular phone stores around Asia and are now easily the most bought retro handheld (in many variations)
That they bring gaming to so many is a great thing, and now thanks to bmdhacks you can add one more game to the list!
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- lemmy.world
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- 17d
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A little while ago I connected with one of the team members of ZOOM-platform. From their own site's 'about me':
> *ZOOM's mission is to design, create, and publish traditional and interactive entertainment with a multi-generational trans-media appeal. ZOOM's products are distributed digitally via, ZOOM Platform, along with non-exclusive third party content from both major publishers and indies with a catalog spanning the classics to new releases.*
You might know them best as 'the' one space to get Duke Nukem games for your PC, or maybe because they're also dedicated to providing each and every title there completely DRM-free. Which, as we all know is rare these days.
Anyway, from chatting to a team member, I was introduced to the CEO, Jordan Freeman, who was kind enough to let me interview him about everything from working with his friend and mentor Bernie Stolar (responsible for the PlayStation and Dreamcast in the U.S.A.) to running a company like ZOOM in a world where DRM-free can be seen as a liability or risk.
We cover all manner of things, and I had such a fun time connecting with Jordan over the span of a week or so putting all of this together.
I have a full interview with some of the ZOOM team coming soon as well, but for now I *really* hope you all enjoy this one. I feel lucky to have been able to put all of this together, and even luckier that I'm able to share it with you.
Link as always:
https://gardinerbryant.com/the-untold-story-of-classic-games-inside-zoom-with-ceo-jordan-freeman/
creator
toFucking what?
I have not written this with A.I.
This gets so exhausting.
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Check my post history, filter by my very first posts and go through each and every one of them. I’ve written (exclusively on and for Lemmy for a solid 6 months or so) for a very long time now. This might give you an indication I write myself.
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I have each bit of progress from writing this article myself. The framework we run for the site saves each increment, so we can revert if there is an issue down the track. Each. Step. Writing. This. Is. Saved.
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Its funny how this kind of bullshit claim gets thrown about, these LLMs are trained on writers. What I write might remind you of whatever A.I. you love to use, but the reason is that these take what we write and then replicate it. They are trained on us.
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I’ve got plenty of very close friends who I can get to chime in with how trustworthy I am, and how my writing is my own. I’m sure he’ll cringe at me saying it, but Jason Evangelho (former lead Linux tech writer for Forbes) is a close friend who will swear to me writing what I do. My good friend Rowan wrote for a big outlet before losing his place recently, he’ll do the same. Gardiner himself whose reputation I’d hope would speak for itself after a decade plus in this space will speak for me. The fact I have to defend myself before this one lazy line from you runs away and becomes a thing just makes me sick.
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I’ve been interviewing and working with a CEO of a beyond reputable PC gaming company for the last week or so. He and I have been going over the article line-by-line. Literally line-by-line, section-by-section in real time while he sees me write it up. For a feature article coming very soon. More than happy to show him this comment and get his idea on your views. Then edit this and show you what he thinks (after my article is done)
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In fact I have done like 35-40 (at a guess) interviews with developers in this scene. From Linux to Android to handhelds and everything in-between. Go and find an interview I’ve done, choose a dev at random and ask them about me. They’ll tell you I’m on the level.
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In fact want me to get bmdhacks to share hus thoughts on your idea of this being generated? I chatted to him for a long time about all of this. I wrote this while asking him about each part. Would that help your shitty claim?
I’m sorry my response is so strong, but it has to be
I hate this shit. Because one lazy claim by you forces me to respond or this ends up becoming the truth, if I ignored it. As a writer that kind of thing is damaging.
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- lemmy.world
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- 17d
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So a few weeks back my friend klops: the lead dev of [PortMaster](https://portmaster.games/), introduced me to a developer called bmdhacks (who was once, long ago, a dev on a couple PS2 games!). bmdhacks had a crazy plan (well by the time I got to chat to him, that plan was very close to complete!) of bringing Dead Cells to the inexpensive R36S retro handheld. Which maybe you'll know, if you're a retro handheld fan, is a device that was *never* designed to run games of that scale.
What started as a impossible request in the PortMaster world (*they had it rated as “Low” in feasibility*) turned into a stupidly difficult technical project involving a custom ARM JIT compiler for HashLink, an LLVM-based ahead-of-time compilation backend, and an entirely new decompiler pipeline capable of reconstructing structured code from bytecode.
And did I understand everything he told me when telling me what he did, how he did it, and what was next? No. Not at all.
My article I got to write on it (from all bmdhacks told me) covers the whole process, so if you're into the technical side of porting games? Then you're in for a treat!
Here's my link:
https://gardinerbryant.com/the-anatomy-of-an-impossible-port/
***Little edit: bmdhacks is in the comments below, if anyone has any specific question to ask, or comment to share! Yay!***
creator
toAre you asking why they’re bringing a game that isn’t available on the PSP, to the PSP?
Changing content, showing missions from different perspectives and giving PSP owners (and those using PPSSPP) a ‘new’ game so long after no games have been released?
On their own time (and dime)?
Try reading my article! It should give you an idea why this is a nice thing to have done :)
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- lemmy.world
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- 23d
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So the latest in a growing amount of PSP articles I've written is up, this time with the lead dev from 'Barcode Studia' about their latest game. This is a small team whose passion is bringing Grand Theft Auto 'mods' (*I use that term loosely because the work is SO amazing*) to the Liberty City Stories engine.
Their latest work is Seen in Liberty City, which brings Grand Theft Auto III to PSP and PPSSPP (the fact a game is being brought to the original PSP hardware so long after release makes me so happy!)
My interview with 1826 covers everything from how their group came together, their games, what was involved in the huge effort of bringing GTA III to the PSP, legal issues that might arise and so on. I'm so happy I got to chat to them about this one, and I hope you enjoy the article!
https://gardinerbryant.com/rewriting-liberty-city-an-interview-with-barcode-studia-on-rebuilding-gta-iii-for-psp/
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- lemmy.world
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- 1M
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Recently I got to chatting with more than one friend about *the* classic games they loved growing up, the ones that made a super big impression on them. I heard that EarthBound was in the top five for two of my friends, but for my friend Gardiner, EarthBound was right at the *top* of that list:
(I'm sure he'll be thrilled that I'm using this pic to illustrate how much)
This just kinda kicked up the curiosity in me to do a deep dive into how it came to be, how it nearly failed (maybe by some accounts it did in fact fail) outside of Japan, how it became a true cult classic, and why so many love it so damn much.
You're welcome to come along and read my article, if you'd like:
https://gardinerbryant.com/from-suburbs-to-cosmic-horror-the-legacy-of-earthbound/
I had so much fun writing this one :)
creator
toI’m sorry you felt this wasn’t quite up to standards!
Gamma’s baby was born prematurely, and he had an emergency visit rushing back to the hospital throughout the time we’d set aside for this little interview, so for whatever it counts things were quite chaotic. Also, baby is home and fine now!
(And thanks! Fixed that typo!)
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- lemmy.world
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- 1M
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If you don't know who Gamma is, he's the smart, smart fellow behind GammaOS, an alternate operating system built for a ton of retro handhelds. It is built on LineageOS to improve on nearly *every* aspect of the default OS which ships with handhelds.
https://github.com/TheGammaSqueeze/GammaOSNext
I reached out to Gamma a fair while back about interviewing him and have since befriended him, and am pretty happy to be able to share his story on how/why he got started, and what goes into all the work he does.
If you're a fan of retro handhelds and emulation, I'm sure you'll find this interesting. I got him to specifically detail what went into his work for Anbernic's recent RG DS handheld, too
As ever, if you want to read through the interview, you can find it here:
https://gardinerbryant.com/the-developer-the-handheld-scene-depends-on-an-interview-with-gamma/
creator
toThat retro futurism it evokes was the prod for me to compile all these images for a PSP ‘scrapbook’ a little while ago
https://gardinerbryant.com/my-psp-scrapbook-part-retrospective-part-collage/
It is such a beautifully designed machine!
creator
toThere were a few nice benefits though, over the (nicer) ergonomics of the 1000
- 64MB RAM over the 32 in the 1000
- Better battery life (apparently, though I never saw much of that)
- The screens certainly got brighter on the 2000
The best part is though that while they’re all such similar models, they all have their own quirks and pros (as well as cons), so there really is a PSP for everybody!
creator
toAnyway, good write up
Thank you! I had a ton of fun with this one, because I love the consoles so damn much. It was a fun surprise when it all arrived and I got to see just what the word “junk” meant this time, and (as ever), it was such a pleasant surprise. It might be a little selfish of me to think it, but I really think the old and humble PSP still has a place as a great handheld even in 2026!
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- lemmy.world
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- 1M
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So my obsession with Sony's hardware design is no secret, especially when it comes to the PSP. When I compare it to the handhelds released around that time, it just kinda...kicks butt.
I thought it might be nice to write up an article on both my experiences buying a cheap PSP from Japan (listed as "junk"...which to be fair in Japan has a *totally* different meaning!), and detailing how to do the same if you're looking for reasonable quality and prices, in 2026.
In the end, mine arrived with an *ancient* jailbreak from 2009 already used. And since writing and posting this (my will is weak), I've already ordered another, in excellent condition and complete-in-box.
Anyway, if you want to read along with my adventure, read my tips on how to buy a cheap PSP in 2026, or just share in some PSP nostalgia, then as ever my article is here:
https://gardinerbryant.com/i-bought-a-junk-psp-from-japan-heres-how-it-went/
creator
toI loved reading through this, and its even better knowing a genuine review of something I got to enjoy ended up accurate!
Your findings are those I loved going through, also :)
The only two spaces I’ve seen Riley active in to chat about Songo#5 are Discord and Reddit, if you ever want to reach out to him about anything.
I can say there’s some amazing things coming (software-wise!) to the Brick and Brick Hammer sometime soon. So you’re in a vibrant and very supported community with it now :)
So glad you’re having fun!
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- lemmy.world
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- 1M
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Well I stumbled over an interesting story, that naturally ended up in an article to write.
This one's pretty odd, but the tl;dr version is that Pixar sued DMA Design. They'd created a game on the SNES which featured a unicycle. That's it. That's the extent of the copyright infringement Pixar claimed.
Back in 1987 Pixar had made a CG short which featured a unicycle, and so all those years later...they got weirdly litigious.
If you're curious, I found this a super interesting story to cover!
https://gardinerbryant.com/the-wheel-that-went-to-court/
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- lemmy.world
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- 2M
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Something that has fascinated me is the idea that there are programs like the one I featured in this article: Songo#5. These programs turn the retro handhelds into portable, nicely made and tiny digital audio players.
I like the idea that it could give *older* retro handhelds new life. This program is installed via PortMaster, and it works a dream for a relatively new project on the scene!
Anyway, I briefly cover what it is, and what it does, but the point of this article I did was getting in touch with Riley, who is the developer of Songo. He covers what music means to him, how it influenced his program, and the general how and why he came to making this:
https://gardinerbryant.com/turning-gaming-handhelds-into-digital-audio-players-an-interview-with-riley/
Personally, I like the idea that in some vague way there's a tiny chance it could reduce *some* of the waste that I'm sure comes into play with these cheaper handhelds released constantly.
ANYWAY, I hope you enjoy this one. I really enjoyed putting the interview together!
creator
toThese handhelds (similar to this one anyway!) are able to emulate that physical link. Like you see in this video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_Qx720WxJ0
Before very recently this one wasn’t able to, but I’ve found someone did manage this 14 days ago and shared their project, you can find it here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/trimui/comments/1qg58mz/lan_multiplayer_netplay_and_gba_link_for_nextui/
(Hope all this helps, and I’m glad you enjoyed my review! Thank you!)
creator
toGreat choice!
You’ve got plenty of firmware options if you’re not loving the stock one (which is honestly fine!), the community around this device is so enthusiastic and do such amazing things. In fact, tenlevels showed off his new one which is coming soon, too. Called Bloom, its the first to manage to bring retroachievements to the device!
Can’t wait to hear how you like it, once it arrives. If portability is key to choosing one, then you certainly get that with it. So sleek, so slim and nice to take along for the ride!
creator
toTotally, 100% doable!
It is an easy one to do, just choosing the right retro handheld for you…that’s the difficult part! My aforementioned Odin 3 for example plays anything from the oldest consoles, PS2 upscaled to 4K all the way to literal PC games via GameHub Lite.
And I’d recommend you check RetroDECK (the option to emulate on Steam Deck) out one day, I love it so much, it’s by far my fav emulation and retro gaming suite on Steam Deck!
Oh and please do let me know what retro handheld you do get, in the end. Now I’m curious!
creator
toI do, yes!
I’m offered a variety of things to review, but since this is a friend’s site, I’m not paid to review nor write, and there’s no ads on the site…I’m lucky enough to not have to review everything to survive. Or even to keep the content machine going like most YouTubers have to. I just do this for fun!
I just accept the handhelds I find interesting to me, the ones I find most unique.
But I’ve written for a few years now in various gaming spaces, so I do understand why I get asked :)
And I also feel very lucky to do so! I really love gaming handhelds, its a passion of mine :)
creator
toAhhhhhhh no problems!
Yes you’re right, this handheld won’t do video out. That’s both a software and hardware limitation on this one, but so many of these handhelds do that with ease. Its just a case of narrowing down which one is right for you.
The last two devices I tested for and utilized video out on for reviews were high-end handhelds (the AYN Odin 3 Max and the Anbernic RG477V), but again…a huge variety of that for you!
I do hope this helps a tiny bit :)
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- lemmy.world
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- 2M
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So, strangely, TRIMUI got in touch with me and asked if I'd like to review their older handheld, the Brick Hammer. This one released six months or so, but the claim to fame for it is being made (*almost*) entirely out of machined metal. It sure gives it a premium feel.
I feel like I'm a little lucky with the reviews, not doing this full time or anything means I get to be picky on what I let these companies send me. I'm not obligated to review everything ASAP, since the site I share these on doesn't even have ads.
For the most part, I just say yes to the interesting or different handhelds.
tldr:
- Beautifully made, truly feels premium
- To me it really feels like a modern take on the Game Boy Pocket
- *Can* play up to PSP, DS, N64 and so on, but those are more of a risky and not entirely 100% successful event. It shines most with PlayStation, GBA, SNES and so on. Being 3:2 means its perfect for the older-older systems
I feel like saying one of these 'retro handhelds' is perfect is just...hyperbole. But in this case, that might be the case. It's *so* slim and sleek, and the metal makes me so damned happy to hold.
ANYWAY.
You can find the following link here to read my review, if you're at all interested. Inside my article, I also reached out to the developer of [NextUI](https://nextui.loveretro.games/) to ask him about how it is to create an alternative OS for the TRIMUI Brick Hammer (*kinda like a mini interview*), and chatted to a creator of 3D printed triggers which were designed to showcase the nice RGB lighting on this one:
https://gardinerbryant.com/hands-on-with-the-trimui-brick-hammer-metal-perfection/
Or, as always, you can just ask me about it here if you'd prefer :)
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- lemmy.world
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- 2M
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Another in the seemingly unending march of me-interviewing-developers-from-different-programs/projects/games-etc has arrived. This time I've chatted to the team behind Spruce/Sprig (*a pair of Linux-based operating systems designed specifically for retro handhelds*) to get their story.
Interestingly they felt a little hesitant at first, before I got to know them. They've had *some* bad experiences before with YouTubers covering their work and painting them in a bad light.
Which I can't fathom for the life of me.
Anyway, I chatted to eight members of the developer team and asked them all about the origins of making these, how its like to maintain it, and what they think the future will bring (both for Spruce/Sprig and for the Linux handheld scene in general).
One warning, it is a LONG article this time. Over 10K words. Originally I was going to pick and choose quotes and write this as a narrative piece, but...I just felt like these devs deserve to tell their own stories their own way.
[If you're into handhelds, Linux, dev work or gaming, you might find this interesting. The link is right here. And just to make sure you know (since I've had weird nasty messages about this before), there's no ads on this site and I'm not paid to write these. I just think its fun!](https://gardinerbryant.com/talking-handheld-linux-with-the-spruce-sprig-team/)
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- lemmy.world
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- 2M
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So I asked my friends on the [RetroDECK](https://retrodeck.net/) team if they'd be open to me asking them a few questions about their latest update (which is a full rewrite of RetroDECK), and they were more than happy to.
> ***For context, RetroDECK is a Flatpak-distributed retro gaming platform designed to bundle clients, multi-emulators, game engines, tools, ports and emulators into a single, self-contained application. Built around the ES-DE frontend and targeting platforms like the Steam Deck and desktop Linux, its aim is simple in concept: make endless retro gaming easy to install, easy to remove, and easy to maintain, without requiring users to manually piece together emulators, dependencies, and configurations.***
I've used RetroDECK for *years* now on my Steam Deck, and absolutely swear by it over the alternatives. I love their work, and definitely encourage you to try it if you haven't already :)
[Anyway, if you're interested in the details on what went into it, you can read my little article on it here with this link. In a day or two I'll be sharing the full 'interview' (it was shortish, by my own standards) with the team as well.](https://gardinerbryant.com/retrodeck-0-10-0b-is-a-ground-up-rewrite-not-just-an-update/)
Here's a little edit, my full questions and answers with the devs is available to read with the following link:
https://gardinerbryant.com/retrodeck-thtalking-about-their-bigget-update-yet/
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- lemmy.world
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- 3M
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Well, I'm sure most know by now that I've been reviewing handhelds for a good while. Anbernic sent over the 12GB/256GB 'RG 477V' handheld they released (this stands for 'Retro Gaming' - 4.7" Vertical and the other 7 denotes their higher tier set inside), which runs Android 14, for me to review. And...well, I did so.
It's a much bigger handheld, and a vertical (the kind I have the least experience using), which was newish to me.
This is capable of upscaling PS2 games around 5x, playing full PC games via GameHub Lite (but...not all games, they'll have to be lil fellows), and even some Switch games. Its a very powerful handheld. I went into it not expecting to love it, but...yeah I got won over.
In the end (since I finished my review), it's just been playing original Game Boy games. The solid, thunky d-pad makes playing all the ollllllld games just so satisfying.
[As ever, you can find the link to my full review here, if you're curious about it. In this one I also asked Gamma to share his experiences in making GammaOS for this (he is a developer who creates a curated Android OS based on LineageOS for these handhelds), which was fun.](https://gardinerbryant.com/hands-on-with-the-anbernic-rg477v-the-ultimate-vertical-handheld/)
Or, as I always do, just...ask me something here about it, if you're curious but don't want to read a long review!
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- lemmy.world
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- 3M
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So my last article of the year was a bit of a fun one. Far less effort than usual (which is a win to me!).
I asked a lot of developer and creator friends to share their experiences with 2025, and what they expect from 2026. The same three questions to each of them.
If you're interested in reading what everyone said, then this might be a fun one for you. There's a few deep dives into dev work, which is always fun to read.
The link is here:
https://gardinerbryant.com/2025-wrap-up/
From RetroDECK, Heroic Games Launcher, Mr Sujano and GammaOS to Junk Store, RomM, and just oh-so-more. I hope you enjoy this one.
And I hope the start to 2026 has been a good one for all of you here!
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- lemmy.world
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- 3M
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Well, this is my final interview of the year! I've done a *ton* of these now, twenty nine in total (though not all from 2025) which is just insane.
I've had the best fun doing this. As I always say, it's just my plot to get the developers from all the apps, programs, projects and even a game or two to share their side of the story. Which they wouldn't typically do.
For the final one I convinced my friend klops who is a dev on PortMaster, to let me interview him. Then he convinced two more devs from the team to join in!
If you don't know, PortMaster is a tool which allows you to play games on handhelds or phones which weren't designed to support or play them. From old titles to new PC games, the team do amazing work with PortMaster under the hood.
[So as ever, if you want to read through the interview, this is the link to it here. If you love development, or gaming, or are just curious, I'm proud of this one! And, as always, *do* let me know what you think of it!](https://gardinerbryant.com/portmaster-talking-ports-handhelds-and-community-with-the-developers/)
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Hi everyone!
It's been a long year of articles for me. I've shared *so* many now, but as things wrap up and I've only got a handful more to share, this one's a...minimal effort one.
If you know me well enough by now, you'll know that the Sony PSP is one of my fav handhelds. Maybe not entirely for the library of games (*they've aged in varying degrees of goodishness*), but instead for how beautiful it is from a hardware design stance. It is *such* a nice looking device. Sleek, functional and industrial, in a very early 2000's kinda way.
Anyway, to break up what I've been writing (in the next couple days I'll be sharing both an interview with my friends who make PortMaster, and then a review on the trimui Smart Pro S), I thought I'd throw together a scrappy collection of videos and images of the Sony PSP.
Think of it as a giant gallery/scrapbook/collection of PSP images and clips :)
[SO, if you've got love for the PSP and want to see some images you *might* not have seen before, check the link out here! And if you've got some history with the PSP - hardware or the games - then please share your experiences on it here! I'd love to read them :)](https://gardinerbryant.com/my-psp-scrapbook-part-retrospective-part-collage/)
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- lemmy.world
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If you buy PC games at all (*especially over the last 12 months given how positive the news around them has been*) then you’ve probably heard of GOG.
GOG is a platform that sells games completely DRM-free, meaning there’s no Digital Rights Management shoehorned into the games. For a lil context, Mass Effect Legendary Edition or GTA V use DRM. Their system checks for an online connection and will outright stop you from playing your legally purchased, single-player game if you’re offline for too long. Gross, right?
GOG though refuses to sell games with this nonsense. Every game on GOG must have no DRM attached. From AAA to indie titles, with a lot that lean heavily toward older and classic releases.
-----------------------------------------------
*Anyway...*
I got the chance to chat to the developer of GameSieve. This is a site which lets you search, track and filter games for sale. GOG's site does a reasonable job with selling you games, but something like GameSieve was purpose built just to make all of this easier.
I chatted to them about how they made it, why they did, what goes into maintaining it, and a little on the future. If you've not visited the site before, make sure you do!
https://gamesieve.com/
They do such lovely work, I think it deserves a lot more recognition!
[So, if you want to read through my interview with the dev, you can follow this link here. I do hope you enjoy this one too, I love GOG so much, so this was a blast to me!](https://gardinerbryant.com/building-gamesieve-for-gog-a-chat-with-the-developer/)
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- lemmy.world
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Miyoo sent me one of their newest handhelds: the Miyoo Mini Flip to review. Its made to be a clear nostalgic nod (in design) to the old GBA SP:
The tiny thing is *adorable* (and it's so small!), it's perfect for the classic systems (though you won't get N64, Dreamcast etc), and I've essentially found this has been my modern Game Boy Advance SP. For the GBA, GB and GBC systems it's just perfection. I love how you can customize the surroundings with community-made contributions, like this one:
There's a handful of small downsides, like perhaps if you're old-old with poor eyesight, the screen might be a bit too small for you, but this was an easy recommendation from me.
[As ever, if you'd like to read my full review, you can find it here with this link, plenty of pictures (with my cat!) and detail shots, if that's your thing in here too!](https://gardinerbryant.com/hands-on-with-the-miyoo-mini-flip-the-modern-successor-to-the-gba-sp/)
...or you can just ask me anything directly here, if you'd prefer :)
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- lemmy.world
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So Anbernic sent me their RG DS to review.
- They had a terrible desync issue for the first week-and-a-bit (you might have seen some YouTube reviews showing this). Which meant the top screen went to 40Hz after 30-40 seconds, while the bottom screen kept 60Hz. Basically that means DS games ended up looking awful and mismatched.
- They updated it a couple days back, which fixed that issue!
- Other issues are there (shortish battery life, the unit can feel warm - no big deal to me - other systems emulate either nicely or poorly
(*cat tax, this is my cat Ciri with the RG DS*)
Then I forgot to move my finger from closing a car door on it, which left me with a REALLY deep cut in my index finger, on the top joint. The second half of this review was SO hard to type up. Typing right now is *not* fun either.
So writing this up has taken me...20 mins?
[Anyway, you can follow this link here and read my full review if you're at all interested. There's a lot of photos, and separate experiences with playing the games and emulating various systems](https://gardinerbryant.com/hands-on-with-the-anbernic-rg-ds-the-dsi-reimagined/)
OR
You can just ask me RG DS questions here, I'm happy to laboriously type responses if you'd prefer that method :)
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I've been lucky to interview a *lot* of my friends over the last few years now; developers from plenty of projects, programs and apps. But this is one I've been looking forward to sharing for a long time now!
I interviewed the team behind **Decky Loader**, all about their history and work keeping it running.
If you don't know, Decky Loader is (from my own article):
> *...[an] indispensable little tool that turns a brand-new Deck from ‘fun handheld console’ into a full-blown customization powerhouse. From adding plugins to tweaking the interface, Decky Loader quietly powers a lot of the creativity and convenience that Deck owners have come to take for granted.*
Download it, and you can customize the *heck* out of how your Steam Deck looks and functions, by community-made plugins.
Anyway, I'm quite proud of this one, and really grateful that they all took the time to chat to me to make this one happen. If you're at all interested in development, Steam Decks, open-source, or just gaming in general, then I think you'll enjoy this one too!
[The link to my article is here, *please* let me know what you think of it! I love doing these interviews, and I've been lucky that so many have followed along with them so far :)](https://gardinerbryant.com/behind-decky-loader-an-interview-with-the-team-that-makes-customization-possible/)
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So while writing up a full review on AYN's new Odin 3 handheld, one of my teeth decided to give up the ghost and deliver me with agony and trepidation.
Somehow I've managed to finish this one, but I also want to share that I've got a bunch more articles and things on the way. Some interviews with developers (one is a big program/project if you're in the Steam Deck space!), some features, retrospectives and more reviews for upcoming handhelds too (the RG DS which is...going to be a hard one).
I felt like this needed to be a bit of an explanation/apology, normally I share my things here regularly but tooth time is the *worst* time.
(*this is me, discovering tooth shittiness*)
Anyway, you can either follow the link to my full review, or just go for my tl:dr here:
If you're a first-time user of these Android retro handhelds then this won't be for you. Being a Snapdragon Elite chip powering it, the compatibility with emulators and games is in its infancy. This *will* change in time, but for now...it's simply not plug-and-play.
If you're into tinkering, enjoy the setting up, testing and finding the perfect settings to make things work well? If you want to be at the bleeding edge of where Android gaming is heading (literally, this thing plays AAA Steam and GOG games. Its mind-blowing!), the this really is for you.
AYN sent me the Odin 3 Max version to test and review, and I've thoroughly enjoyed my time. There's some frustrations, but if you're anything like me and wish you were around for The Homebrew Computer Club back in Steve Wozniak's time - hacking and testing and trying every little bit to eke out the best of a crazy future of tech? Then the Odin 3's a safe bet for you.
[I hope you enjoy this, it's a fair read, but here is the link to my full review!](https://gardinerbryant.com/hands-on-with-the-ayn-odin-3-the-future-of-android-gaming/)
So now, keep an eye out for more 'regular' articles and interviews from me, and for all that is good in this world, keep your fingers crossed for me when I get to the dentist. Ugh.
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This one might be a bit more niche than you're used to here, since it pertains to [NeoStation](https://neogamelab.com/), an emulation front-end for Android and Windows.
This is a newer one on the block, but the developer has been *so* dedicated and hard working on it, releasing weekly updates and announcements.
I was lucky enough that when I reached out to Miguel he was *so* happy to chat, and covered a bunch of what goes into making NeoStation, and what he hopes it might end up doing.
This has been the first interview he's done, but I feel like it won't be the last!
[Anyway, as ever, if you want to read the whole interview with him (if you're interested in emulation, development work or just want something to do while you have a coffee!), then the link is here!](https://gardinerbryant.com/behind-the-screens-an-interview-with-miguel-soto-creator-and-dev-of-neostation/)
Hope you enjoy :)
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So maybe some of you have seen the recent ROM hack come out, by the developer of Pokémon Emerald Seaglass, called Pokémon Lazarus. This one has a far larger scale to everything, it's quite clear that it is a massive undertaking for a sole dev, and *most* of the community is loving it.
Well, some aren't behaving well. There's been some petty, disgusting feedback from a (as ever) vocal minority. Those who are homophobic, bigots, who are mocking design decisions and the sound (which Nemo, the dev, has created from scratch), some who hate seeing a pride flag.
Anyway, Nemo has decided after this bullshit to step back from the public and stop interacting. We've seen this again and again with developers. And it's getting SO damned exhausting:
> ***With that said, I’ll be taking a step back from the community for a bit. I’ll post bug-fixing and new feature patches to the Development Discord server, but I don’t plan on posting anywhere else for a while. If I go on to develop a new project (which I do have planned!), it will likely be in secret until close to release, if I choose to release it at all. With everything going on in my life (Master’s program, work, real world commitments, etc etc), I guess I’m just not prepared to also handle the bad side of attention on the internet.***
[Anyway, if you'd like to read my article about the scene and this shitty news for Nemo, as every you can find the link to my post here!](https://gardinerbryant.com/pokemon-lazarus-when-a-fan-game-becomes-a-conversation/)
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If you've not heard of projects like Winlator, GameHub and GameNative, they've been working on bringing what once kinda seemed like the impossible, to being pretty easy and effective: playing full PC games on Android phones and handhelds.
You can run Steam titles like Tomb Raider (2013), GTA V, Red Dead Redemption, and Sleeping Dogs. Heck, someone even managed to finish Cyberpunk 2077 on their Magic 8S Pro — though the FPS was, well… not great.
But one issue popped up with GameHub. It was found to be a little bit sneaky with telemetry and permissions.
So, someone decided to take that program, strip the permissions and telemetry and call it a day. This program is called GameHub Lite From the current dev:
> *GameHub Lite is a community-modified version of GameSir's GameHub that strips out all the privacy violations while keeping the functionality that makes PC gaming on Android accessible.*
Anyway, this is a long-winded way of saying that GameHub Lite came about for a very specific need, and addressed it. It still amazes me that somehow in the span of a couple years, we've got these extremely powerful Android handhelds somehow running (some) PS3, Switch and Steam Games.
I chatted to Producdevity: the dev of GameHub Lite and also Utkarsh from GameNative about their experiences in the Steam emulation scene, and the current PC emulation landscape in general.
[If you're interested in this kinda thing, then you can find my link here to the interview with them](https://gardinerbryant.com/gamehub-lite-gamenative-and-the-android-pc-revolution-an-interview-the-developers/)
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Well, I took some time to jot down some thoughts on the one handheld that *everyone* seems to agree was the bee's knees: the Nintendo 3DS (and all its various iterations thereafter!)
It's one I've gone through a few 'phases' with - collecting, modding, selling, then buying a 'perfect' one, then...the pattern just repeats and repeats. I love how *truly* customizable it is now that it is...essentially an abandoned generation. The community took things to great new heights (those themes!!!), 3D printed docks and displays, vinyl stickers...it makes me so happy to see how very few 3DS consoles look like anyone else's.
The market is getting crazy though. Prices are only going up (and special editions are going waaaay up), but it's nice to see options like the Thor, Pocket DS and Anbernic's RG DS coming up to give modern users some solutions to playing.
*Anyway*
Don't expect anything wonderful here, I wasn't even sure what to write for this article. I guess while I call it a retrospective, it just touches on some key points in the lifetime of the 3DS system.
[If you wanna read me rambling (as always) but this time on the flippy console, then this is the link for you to go and check it out!](https://gardinerbryant.com/the-last-truly-custom-nintendo-a-3ds-retrospective/)
***P.S. 100% ready for any 3DS games recommendations to be shared!!!!***
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So, once *again* I'm just going to share the latest in a long, long line of developer interviews I've done.
You might be getting tired of me telling you this, but I do these purely because I found the devs themselves rarely got any chance to share their experiences while programming. It's just my little way and a small chance to share their stories.
This time around, I chatted to the *very* newly launched ARMSX2. This is a PlayStation 2 emulator built for Android and ARM-based systems, aiming to deliver full-speed, accurate emulation through open development and fresh collaboration from across the emulation community.
They launched their 1.0 for ARMSX2 only 15/16 days ago now, so things are *very* early on this one.
[But if you have interest in programming, emulation, the old PlayStation 2 days and so on, you might find this interesting! The link is here if you want to check it out :)](https://gardinerbryant.com/inside-armsx2-interviewing-the-team-reviving-ps2-emulation-on-android/)
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So the next in my long line of developer chats is here. I got to talk to Whatcookie, a developer from the PlayStation 3 emulator, RPCS3, and ask them all about their work with the emulator! If you're interested in programming, emulation or the old PS3 days, then you might find this one interesting.
Oh, and I've done a fairly long list of these now. Way too many to list, but I've got a couple of special ones still on the way before I focus on writing something different for awhile.
Hope you enjoy it! :)
https://gardinerbryant.com/emulating-the-impossible-inside-rpcs3-with-one-of-its-developers/
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- lemmy.world
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I just wanted to share this!
Nintendo Switch is a bit of a touchy topic when it comes to emulation, we've had some super rough times with Yuzu being taken down (legally) and Ryujinx also being taken down (voluntarily), which left the Switch emu scene...fractured to say the least.
You've probably seen Eden's name or logo around in the last year or so, though. They've swiftly become 'the' emulator to fill that gap.
Anyway, I interviewed two of the devs from Eden, asking them about the history of Eden, the tech, their plans for the future and...well, plenty more!
[If you'd like to read through the full interview, you can use this link. It's a lengthy chat this time, so maybe grab a cup of tea or coffee for it!](https://gardinerbryant.com/preserving-play-how-eden-grew-into-the-switch-emulator-everyones-talking-about/)
If you've not seen these before, this is just one of many interviews I hold with my friends who are developers. I like to chat to them a bit and give them the chance to share why they do what they do! So we get a chance to 'peek behind the curtain' of the programs and projects we love and use :)
I do hope you enjoy this one!
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AYN recently got in touch with me, asking if I'd like to review the AYN Thor in an article, and...naturally I said 'yes'. I've been super excited, seeing that there's a new boom in DS retro handhelds, hoping that this might mean a viable alternative to the older genuine Nintendo hardware.
I'll just give you a tldr here:
For *me*, this really is the alternative. There are some caveats, but they're so few, and those it does have really don't affect me much. This can handle all the consoles I need, I've been enjoying Wind Waker HD, MGS 2, Mario Odyssey and *so* many DS and 3DS games (Metroid: Samus Returns has been a blast!)
[If you'd like to read my full review, the link is here. Plenty of pics in there too. I chose the white model, since it was the closest look to my DSi (my fav of Nintendo's handhelds!)](https://gardinerbryant.com/ayn-thor-the-modern-dual-screen-revival/)
Regardless, this is a handheld I recommend if you can afford the higher price point!
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A few days back [I shared a post](https://lemmy.world/post/36944201) asking for suggestions on what PS2 games people here might recommend I play. Having *not* been one who played PS2 at any stage (it was a bit before my time), my experience with the systems and games is slightly limited.
What I did love though, was seeing how many here shared games they clearly loved, and who spent so long convincing me that what they recommended would be the perfect game. One thing I've learned...all of you in this community love the PS2!
Anyway, the only PS2 games I *have* played through have all been through PCSX2 - the ubiquitous and decades-old PlayStation 2 emulator. I've bumped the resolution, I've activated RetroAchievements, and I've applied HD texture packs. Each time I'm shocked at how amazing the games are, despite their age.
So, while I was setting my collection of games up I thought it might be nice to reach out to the PCSX2 team and ask if anyone wanted to chat about their experiences in creating and maintaining the emulator! Two of the devs (fobes and GovanifY) said they'd be more than happy to, and so I've got a little interview with them to share with you :)
[If you're at all interested in reading it, the link is right here. The devs cover their history with the console, their history with developing the emulator, dev work in general, what the future will bring...and more besides. Hope you enjoy!!!](https://gardinerbryant.com/keeping-the-playstation-2-alive-inside-the-world-of-the-pcsx2-emulator/)
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I got through phases of games, and right now I'm in the one I like to think of *everything-modern-is-making-me-angry-so-I'll-turn-back-to-vintage-games* - and that's in the form of PCSX2 on my Steam Deck.
Playing the PS2 generation on the Steam Deck is kinda the 'perfect' generation: I can upscale the resolution without a performance hit, I can apply HD texture packs, Retro Achievements *and* I can drop the TDP to extend the battery life.
Anyway, I never had a PS2 (it was just a touch before my time), so there's so many games I'm yet to discover there. I'd love to hear any suggestions you might have for what I can play on there:
*Just a couple notes:*
* No GTA games because they're better with the PC versions. While I've bought the games, the account that Rockstar demands people have to play their games makes me angry on principle (*a single-player game forcing an online check each week to be able to play it? No thanks*), so I've got cracked versions to play.
* No Final Fantasy because I'm not even sure where to start!
So if anyone was around back in the PS2 era, and has some recommendations for games they've loved, I'm all ears. I've been having *such* a fun time playing these.
Some big thanks to my friends who made and run RetroDECK (my choice for emulating on the Steam Deck), and to the PCSX2 team (who I'm chatting to right now actually, so keep an eye out and in a week or so I'll share that chat with them all about creating and maintaining the PS2 emulator!)
---------------------------------------------
Also, if you *do* have a Steam Deck, and want to play with the HD texture packs I do, then it's *really* simple. Just download the pack, and name then according to their game's I.D. code - **SLUS-20743** for example, then place it in the texture_packs folder:
From there, go into PCSX2, then right-click the game, select properties, graphics, texture replacement and tick the two boxes I have:
Then you've got the games looking the best they can be!
[Here's a link to a stack of pre-done HD textures for a lot of PS2 games, to help you on your way!](https://archive.org/download/pcsx2-hd-texture-packs)
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This is *is* totally free right now, but claiming it is in a morally grey area. It's also not as simple as adding it to your library, I'll explain how in a sec, though. Anyway, since I figured since it is being shared everywhere, I might as well share it here also.
> *[The Leviathan's Fantasy] is a Simulation game. You will manage your cloud city, recruit adventurers all over the world, take them for exploration, obtain resources and blueprints. Construct buildings, make equipment, produce items, so to develop your city into greatness together with your adventurers.*
> I think they want to hide the option somewhat from new customers? Basically the drama with this game is their account got banned for I think steam review manipulation, and they had to re-list the game, which means a ton of people are pissed at them because they spend $30 on an early access game that's been abandoned for an identical version that they then need to re-purchase.
> So instead of trying to chase everyone up, I think they're just making it free for anyone who still cares enough about the game to go digging in the community posts for instructions on how to redeem it?
-----------------------------
Anyway, to claim it, all you have to do is
* Add the game to your wishlist
* Open your wishlist in Steam, and next to the game will be 'add to library'
* Click that, and its done!
...is the game good? Doesn't look like it, but I know a lot of you here enjoy claiming games regardless.
Reviews are 'Mixed' on Steam, with 113 reviews left so far.
[Here is the Steam page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/3376080/The_Leviathans_fantasy/)
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This one is *very* new, and I haven't seen it mentioned much on any platforms. The developer (Kyle McParland) has developed an app for Android (*and iOS / PC in the future*) which lets you and a friend 'pass the controller', and play any of your emulated ROMs together, with co-op.
It's called *Your Turn!*
He's very much in the early stages of the app now:
> *How it works: you and your friend load the same ROM on the same emulator on your devices (currently supported emulators for BETA: John GBA or John GBC - lite or otherwise). Open the Your Turn! app and invite your friend to start a game. Take your turn, save the game using the emulator’s save state, add a note, and upload it in the app. Your friend gets a notification, reads your note, downloads your save, and plays their turn. Repeat back and forth - just like passing the controller!*
To me its nice, because it encourages a kind of game-play we've left behind in the modern gaming scene. I also love that it is a unique take on playing through much older games, which before this weren't 'sharable'
Only some regions are supported right now, but more are being added constantly as the testing is getting underway:
What I love is that he hired an artist to create the official art/instructions for the app, and he now has a mascot for *Your Turn!*
> *That artist is Evan Palmer, he can be found on Instagram @evantickles*
Anyway, I know there's a lot of gamers in here who enjoy the older games. Either from a collecting standpoint, or from an emulating one. I wrote a feature article on the app after chatting to Kyle a ton, so if you want to read all about it, you can with the following link
[This one right here!](https://gardinerbryant.com/from-couch-to-cloud-the-app-that-brings-turn-based-play-anywhere/)
(...*I love that mascot, so much*)
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Hi everyone! You might recognize my name in here by now, but now you'll see a tiny little 'm' next to it!
**Dremor** (head mod here in c/Games) recently asked me if I could step into moderating here, and I have accepted.
I've done a lot of moderating on Reddit, from super-large places with 10s of millions subscribed to it (*in the fields of tech and programming, gaming and so on*), to extra small ones (*the last I grew from nothing to 35K when I left the site*), so I do know how to not only moderate, but to foster a community and help it feel fun. Though, to be totally fair...it's been a good while since I left Reddit - I'll be rusty!
And what I haven't done is moderate her on Lemmy, so I hope you'll give me a little time to not only learn the ropes...but find them first.
-----------------------------------------
I'm lucky in that a lot of my good friends are developers of games, projects, programs, operating systems and apps to do with gaming (and so on), so maybe in time I'll be able to convince some to do some things here in this community (*giveaways, AMAs, chats, something-like-that*), but we'll see!
If you've got anything you'd like to see in c/Games, then by all means leave a comment so we can see what we can do.
That's all, I think!
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I just thought these were nice, and *fun*. The artist goes by Abovesn4kes, and having recently started Red Dead (*the first*) on my OLED Switch, I've been looking into fan art and builds, projects and ideas the community came up with, for RDR and RDR2. And then I stumbled over these!
If seeing these makes you feel like you'd like to see a movie with them in it, well Johnny Depp made a movie with a similar basis called [Rango](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/44896-rango), released in 2011:
> *When Rango, a lost family pet, accidentally winds up in the gritty, gun-slinging town of Dirt, the less-than-courageous lizard suddenly finds he stands out. Welcomed as the last hope the town has been waiting for, new Sheriff Rango is forced to play his new role to the hilt.*
[You can find the link to the trailer for Rango here, if you want to check it out!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDgoDooApwM)
Anyway, now on to the pictures. I just love these! All credit to the artist :)
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*(now go install Red Dead again, you know you want to!)*
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If you're interested in self-hosting, gaming and emulation then you might be interested in RomM's new (*and significant*) update to how things work - version 4.2
I've long-since befriended the dev team behind RomM, after covering their last few releases, and interviewing the team previously too! This time I got to chat to some of the members (*some new to the team*) and get an inside line on what they've been making for the new version. If you're interested in my article, I'll link it at the end, but I'll also quickly dot-point what's new in RomM here for those who aren't interested:
(*it's looking far prettier now, too!*)
# **Console Mode:**
> *The new console interface is designed for big screens and easy navigation with a controller or remote. It features a grid layout, large icons, and a simplified menu structure to enhance your gaming experience from the comfort of your couch. Launch it from the navigation bar or navigate directly to /console.*
# **Out-of-the-box PSP and DOS Emulation:**
> *PSP and DOS play is support out-of-the-box, no custom reverse proxy settings or browser launch arguments required! You'll now see play buttons on supported games, though please note that performance is limited by the browser's WASM engine, and performance will vary.*
# **Incremental RetroAchievements Sync:**
> *A new scheduled task has been added to sync RetroAchievements progress for all users on a recurring basis. Enable the task by setting ENABLE_SCHEDULED_RETROACHIEVEMENTS_PROGRESS_SYNC=true in your environment variables, and manually run the "Convert images to WebP task in the /administration page to start generating .webp files.*
# **WebP Image Task:**
> *Another scheduled task has been added to convert all uploaded images to the modern .webp format. WebP images are 5-10x smaller then JPG/PNG images with no loss of quality, leading to faster load times for cover art in galleries. Enable the task by setting ENABLE_SCHEDULED_CONVERT_IMAGES_TO_WEBP=true in your environment variables.*
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[Anyway, I've written up a little itty-bitty mini feature article on it, after interviewing the team, so if you'd like to read through that, then click here!](https://gardinerbryant.com/romm-4-2-launches-with-console-mode-and-smarter-library-tools/)
Also curious to hear if anyone here runs RomM, and what you think of it?!
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- lemmy.world
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- 7M
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[Kazeta](https://kazeta.org/) is a new OS by the creator of ChimeraOS. You might have seen some news on it in the last few days, or at least some posts on social media. Its not trying to be the next big gaming platform, it’s more like a little love letter to the *old* style of gaming. Instead of all those menus, online accounts, and updates, it takes things back to the basics: stick in a 'cartridge' you make yourself, turn on the system, and play. That’s it! No fuss, just the game you wanted to play.
What makes it extra fun is that the 'cartridges' are really just SD cards you load games onto. Label them, stack them, swap them around, it’s built to make you feel like you’re back in the ’90s, digging through a shoebox of game carts. For someone who wasn’t alive for that era of gaming (*not even close, honestly*), it’s a neat little glimpse of what it was like. A tactile vision of when games came on actual carts...well, kind of.
Kazeta is a neat mix of nostalgia and practicality, especially if you’re tired of modern gaming feeling like a chore.
I got the chance to chat with Alkazar, the dev behind Kazeta, and he shared some great insights into building the OS. This feature pulls together our conversation and what makes the project so unique.
[You can find the link to that article I wrote here (on Gardiner Bryant's site), and I hope you enjoy it! Please let me know what you think, of it...and my writing!](https://gardinerbryant.com/kazeta-the-linux-os-that-makes-modern-games-feel-like-90s-consoles/)
Thank you!
Video is not for me. I’ve got a soft spot for writing content, since so few spaces even bother these days. And those that do are generally ad-filled, or just re-posting media releases from companies. I think what we’re doing is more unique, with longer-form articles on topics we love.
Gardiner did however record one of my articles as a podcast two days back, which is (as far as I can tell) the exact article but just in audio form. So that’s something new for us!
My focus is more developer interviews, as well as (recently) retro handheld reviews. I both know and am known by most of the developers in the Linux, gaming and emulation space. So being able to leverage my friendships into doing interviews with them and sharing the articles gives me joy!