Sony’s PlayStation Classic was heavily criticized for using the European versions of the 20 included games, mainly because they’re slower due to the PAL television standard, which has a refresh rate of 50 Hz. Now, the miniature console has been hacked to run the games that should have came loaded with it. Since the device is basically an ARM-powered mini PC running an open-source emulator, BleemSync (or gpghax) lets you run any PS1 game you want off a USB drive. This software modifies the PlayStation Classic’s game database to enable one to swap out games with new ones. Simply put, the steps involve modifying the console’s database file to add your desired game(s), load that on a pen drive and then copy your desired game(s) onto it. Read more for another video tutorial and additional information.
The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller includes motion controls, HD rumble, built-in Amiibo functionality, and more, all for $55.54 shipped, today only, originally $69.99. The Pro Controller can be used when the Nintendo Switch is either docked or undocked. A setting can be turned on to use the controller in wired USB mode; however, this will disable the NFC reader on the controller. Standalone Docks are available, which include a power adapter and HDMI cable. Product page. Read more to see the hidden message in every Switch Pro Controller.
Photo credit: Tokka via Bored Panda
K·B Toys, also known as Kay Bee Toys, is a now closed American chain of mall-based retail toy stores, originally founded in 1922 as Kaufman Brothers, a wholesale candy store. By 1999, the company operated 1,324 stores across the United States, and was the second-largest toy retailer in the U.S. They officially went out of business on February 9, 2009 after filing for bankruptcy, with just 461 stores in operation at the time of its closure. Strategic Marks, a company that buys and revives defunct brands, purchased the brand in 2016, and in March 2018 announced plans to open new stores under the name this holiday season. Read more for additional pictures and information.
Photo credit: Mark Davis / Getty Images for Microsoft
Rapper Soulja Boy managed to hit number one on the Billboard charts back in 2007 with “Crank That,” but ever since then, he has dabbled in many businesses, including hoverboards. Now, he’s selling two different video game consoles on his website, the self-branded SouljaGame Console as well as the SouljaGame Handheld, and they’re not what you think. The former allegedly runs “PlayStation / NEO GEO / PC / SEGA / Game Boy Advance / NES Video Games” and comes with 800 preinstalled games, while SouljaGame Handheld supports “Nintendo Switch / 3DS / Vita / NEO GEO / Game Boy Color / Game Boy/ Game Boy Advance,” including the 3,000 built-in games. Read more for another video and additional information.
Analogue, a company that specializes in high-end retro gaming hardware that plays classic NES, Super NES and SEGA Genesis games, unveils its latest creation, the limited edition Ghostly x Analogue Super Nt. Each all-white console will also come with a matching 8BitDo SN30 wireless controller, 8BitDo Retro Receiver, Super Turrican – Director’s Cut [digital], Super Turrican 2 [digital], STDC Original SNES-style box art, HDMI / USB cables, and a worldwide USB power supply. It’s limited to 1,000-units worldwide and priced at $249.99. Read more for additional pictures and information.
We first covered Chen San-yuan, a 70-year-old in Taiwan that has been dubbed “Pokémon Grandpa,” a few months back when he was only using 6 devices to play Pokémon Go. Now, he’s using 15 mobile phones at once while riding his bike to catch all the rare creatures that he can. How did it all begin? He learned about the game from his grandson in 2016, and has been playing ever since. “I used one cell phone back then and kept playing and playing. After a month, it became three cellphones, six cellphones, nine cellphones, 12 and 15, like that,” said Chen. Read more to see his 11 smartphone rig from a while back and for additional information.
Microsoft’s 12-Month Xbox Game Pass gives you unlimited access to over 100 Xbox One and Xbox 360 games on Xbox One for just $69.99 [digital code], this month only, normally $119.99. That’s right, you’ll be able to play highly-anticipated new games the same day they’re released, along with a wide variety of other games, whether it’s recent blockbusters, to critically-acclaimed indie titles. In other words, it allows you to download the full game to the console, and this was done to give players “continuous, full-fidelity gameplay without having to worry about streaming, bandwidth or connectivity issues,” according to Head of Xbox Phil Spencer. Product page. Read more to see what it’s in the December 2018 update and for additional information.
Sony’s PlayStation Classic may not have lived up to the hype, but for those who did pick one up, there’s at least one hidden Easter egg that we know of, and it’s fairly easy to access. Simply plug in just a compatible USB keyboard (Apple, Logitech and Razer keyboards confirmed to be incompatible), press the ESC button, and you’ll be greeted with hidden settings menus. These reveal a few things about the miniature console, including that it runs the open-source PCSX ReARMed emulator as well giving users the ability to change the video output mode, complete with scan lines, and the option of playing the games using an analog controller. Read more for a full video review and additional information.
Photo credit: Lets Go Digital
A new PlayStation 5 leak reveals when the console will actually be announced to the world, and despite Sony officially confirming that they would not be at E3 2019, one analyst claims it will be revealed in mid-2019 at its very own press event, with a March 2020 release date. It’s reportedly capable of stable 4K @ 60 fps, thanks to an 8-core AMD Ryzen processor, and will be priced from $500. Read more for additional pictures and information.
The iQue Player is a lost Nintendo video game console that was manufactured by iQue, a joint venture between the Japanese company and Chinese-American scientist Wei Yen. Even though the console was never released in any English speaking countries, the name “iQue Player” appears in the console’s instruction manual. There was no separate console, you plug the controller itself directly into the television, but a box accessory is available that allows multiplayer gaming. It was officially released on November 17, 2003, but unfortunately, the launch was not successful, with total estimated sales between 8,000 to 12,000 units. Games are stored on a 64 MB flash card that is contained within a cartridge that plugs directly into the controller, and titles were purchased at a special “iQue depot”, where they could be downloaded and played later. Read more for an unboxing video, additional pictures and information.