It was the reveal to end all... eh, yeah, really it was just a teaser confirming the Switch 2 is a Switch Pro. Bigger screen, actual stand (although I think the OLED model is a smarter design for such), Joy-Cons that appear upgraded from baby-sized hands to small child-sized hands, magnetic connections to replace the rails that have failed in three of the five models in our household, and a few seconds of Mario Kart, which may be a new game or simply an upgraded version of the current (albeit fantastic) one that released almost two hardware generations ago. All while being backwards compatible for software but not hardware. Sure, there will likely be some great Nintendo games that will look prettier and that couldn't run on the regular Switch, but by all accounts thus far this looks a lot like a 1.5 rather than a 2.
I'm absolutely delighted!
Ours has always been a Nintendo household. We have every Nintendo generation thus far, including oddities like the Virtual Boy and most of the Labo releases. We have a Wii U demo kiosk whose loud fan lulled my sons to sleep in their youth. Every member of our family has their own Switch, and they all get played weekly if not daily. Sure, we play all sorts of other stuff (the PS5 is usually my go-to for my daily exercise bike workout) but if there is one shared gaming love in our family, it's probably... Jackbox party packs. But also Nintendo.
A friend of mine was sharing his disappointment over the Switch 2 reveal, grumbling that it wasn't going to be as powerful as the current PS5 and Xbox Series. However, I'm very satisfied that Nintendo is consistently doing their own thing. Why would I want the big three companies following the same path? The one feature I wanted in a new Nintendo system was highlighted in the announcement; backwards compatibility.
Being a physical collector, this is a huge deal to me. Out of the last several generations of gaming hardware, the PS3 stands out as having an excellent library that is currently locked to one console, a console known for hardware failure. Emulating the notoriously difficult Cell processor is still a work in progress, and I assume there will be more and better options in the future. But thankfully, it seems more hardware generations feature some level of backwards compatibility that do not. It makes sense, from a certain standpoint, as it allows for easier integration into a pre-existing software eco-system and helps consumers on-board to new hardware. I know from a salesperson point of view, explaining to customers that the newest PlayStation and Xbox can also play the previous generation has been a major factor in folks buying into the next generation of hardware.
Of course I want to see new Nintendo games in 4K at 60FPS, and hear all of the neat bells and whistles in 7.2 Dolby Atmos. But perhaps even more, I'd love to see some original Switch titles running on improved specs. There are so many Switch games I haven't gotten to yet, and the idea that they may be boosted up on a newer system by the time I get to them is quite the sales pitch for me.
Another factor in my expectations is that, like the original Switch and unlike the PS5 and XSX, the Switch 2 formfactor is portable. For many including my own family, that portability makes Nintendo's system the go-to just for the convenience of not being tied down to a TV. The Switch, I'd argue, is really is more of an evolution of the DS line than of the Wii or GameCube before it. We know our gaming laptops are generally underpowered, dollar-for-dollar, compared to their desktop equivalents. No one was surprised when the PSP, Vita, or other portables were less powerful than their console siblings. The Switch 2, like most Nintendo hardware, won't be near top-of-the-line tech when it comes out. But if history and rumors are true the price will likely be reasonable, and although I'm not looking forward to re-investing in more controllers and accessories the most important part (the games) will already be there and waiting.
The original Switch was quite groundbreaking despite the lower-than-competition specs, and Nintendo has pulled that trick off quite a few times now (the Wii, DS, and even the original Game Boy.) I'm kinda glad Nintendo hasn't tried to re-invent the wheel every time. The 3DS was a fantastic addition to the DS even without the 3D, and the Game Boy Color was a great upgrade to the OG, as was the Advance to the Color. Our Wii was playing as many GameCube games as it was Wii games.
There is more than enough room in the console video game industry for Nintendo to do their thing while Sony and Microsoft to do theirs. I can understand why the Switch 2 will be disappointing for some folks. As they say, not everything is for everyone.
Meanwhile, I'm having to figure out how to 'responsibly' upgrade five systems in the future...
Hey RfGen-ers! Its been... *checks notes* ...far too long since I’ve made a post, and with the website revitalization project under way, we all need to do our part to keep the content mill flowing!
(note: as imbedded images are currently broken, please use the attached links for images...i'll adjust once things are back to normal)
The past few years have been less than ideal for a number of factors, but for all of the bad, there has been a tremendous amount of good. One of those “good” things is that I finally bought my own home in late 2024, and figured this space would be a good place to catalog one of the coolest projects I have planned – a dedicated video gaming space!
https://imgur.com/NMubhy9
[break]
Here is the view from the door – not much of a looker yet, but when you move in between Thanksgiving and Xmas and have to make a whole bunch of repairs to get things livable, the “fun” places tend to take a back seat.
https://imgur.com/22l5EE5
Off to the left we have:
- A crappy plastic cabinet holding controllers and cartridge games for Genesis/N64/Atari
- Two large bookcases for NES/SNES/PS2/GC/Wii/NDS/3DS
I’m really fond of my RfGeneration Golf Competition medal hung on the side, along with another controller organizer, as well as my power glove in an acrylic case just barely in shot cause I’m bad at photography.
https://imgur.com/qiXYxBL
The centerpiece of the room is currently an IKEA Kallax that holds my Flat Screen and far too many systems. I’m still working on wiring, so I don’t have my cables hidden or even properly organized yet. It’ll look better later on, I promise. Off to the left is a CRT that I rescued from the trash that looks fantastic! Its one of the weird flat glassed ones and has a perfectly clean (no scratches) screen.
https://imgur.com/SvkNwyJ
Next, two IKEA Detolf cases hold (almost) all of our Amiibos. If you ever wanted to know what too many Amiibos look like – this is it. These were awful to move. Switch/PS4/Xbone all sit on a shelf behind a bunch of Kirby and Pokemon toys.
https://imgur.com/RgvJgQv
This section is the rest of the disc games (WiiU/PS3/X360/PSX – over on the bottom right)) as well as a small Vita collection. Two more Detolfs – one for handhelds and another for the minis from the god-awful Dark Souls board game. I’m working on 3D printing some more stands/extras for the handheld case, so it’ll be in better shape when I do a more in-depth look later on. The DS minis are my white whale: they REALLLY need to get painted and I’ve only done a handful. Having all of the gray minis out finally has been giving me the motivation to fix it.
https://imgur.com/gXfwkcT
Last and absolutely not least is my custom-made shelf/cocktail cabinet. This guys needs an in-depth review soon to go over all the cool stuff I had built into it (shout out to https://www.heydorksfurniture.com/ for doing an amazing job!).
That's it for now! Look forward to a bunch of changes as I start to unpack/fix more stuff!
~Neo
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Posted on Jan 13th 2025 at 10:33:03 PM by ( slackur) Posted under Update |
As RFG slowly rebuilds, we've got some thoughts to ponder. How do we want the database organized and configured? What is our balance of legacy compatibility, efficiency, and speed versus utilizing newer programs and systems that make the site better integrated with modern devices? What can we do to spur community involvement while maintaining our comfortable and friendly atmosphere? If Die Hard is a Christmas movie, does that put the NES Die Hard game technically in the same genre as Daze Before Christmas? Is the Games Advent Calender 2024 any good and will there be a 2025 dlc update?
Fortunately, I don't have to figure all of this stuff out alone. While our Discord channel has been essential, we want to open, drive, and keep conversations going here! In that spirit, I hope to soon introduce our new team working on the site, to give some more keys to those who can work on the backend, give more permissions to db editors, and welcome some new folks who want to help.
Feel free to chat in the comments if you want to be part RFG in a bigger way but are waiting to have access to do what you can. We are all volunteers here, so we understand that it is always a matter of getting to things when we can.
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Posted on Jan 9th 2025 at 03:50:06 AM by ( slackur) Posted under update |
I'm gonna skip intros for some of these updates, as by now I think we are mostly on the same (front)page. We are working on getting the imbed pictures functioning again, as they have been broken for a bit.
SNES2025 is pretty much a go! If you want to nab a game to play through, the ball is already rollin,' so git on that forum.
One more thing: Koola and I are planning on launching a fun little RFG podcast. Just ramblin' about gaming news, retro, the site, games we are playing, that kinda thing. If you are interested in co-hosting or being a guest, lemme know in the comments or via DM!
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Posted on Jan 5th 2025 at 02:21:30 AM by ( slackur) Posted under Update |
Here we are, gang. 2025.
If you've been here for a few years, you've seen it. The difference especially over the last half-decade. The post-COVID, economically difficult, mostly-digital future we are in now. Like so many other old haunts, the ol' RFG site isn't where she used to be and is in serious need of some time and attention. Many assume her glory days are long gone. Some folks stop by every now and then just to see if she's still around. Some have moved on altogether.
And yet, here we are! If you are an old-timer, welcome! If you are a curious newcomer, welcome! If you have no idea how you got here and your Amish family is out looking for you, go back to the front door and take a left, the hardware store is two buildings down.
When I posted over four months ago with our new plan for RFGeneration, I had not anticipated some of the difficulties we were facing. And new ones will undoubtedly pop up moving forward. But we are finally able to move forward! Here's some new updates:
I'll be opening a new account to cover server costs and related expenses: we are keeping everything free to all, and my plan is to always do so. To that end, we will be moving what we have left in the current account to the new one and begin fundraising to pay the bills. That has a hard date of before February. Once we get things up an running, I intend to put up some items for raffling to give that little extra kick for those kind enough to donate.
Here is where we get introspective. When going to the 'about' tab of RFGeneration, it is all about community. The database is naturally the main draw, but what else do we want for RFGeneration? Perhaps the site will primarily be a utility, but we have endless opportunities to grow and build a great place to visit online. Most if not all of the volunteers forming the new team to run RFG have very limited, get-to-it-when-we-can, time to work on the site. We have some great people stepping up, but we can always use more!
To that end, what 'vision' do we want for RFG? Even if the focus will always be the database, we still need to clarify our purpose. For example, are we building an archive for every 'official' game release with footnotes for homebrews, single event carts, and decades-late rereleases? Or are we an open 'everything goes' opportunity for collectors to build lists however they desire? What about variants, and what should be the limit? Should popular mods have any listing? How should we organize digital releases? Should the database be categorized by system, then region, then lists of game titles, or should each game title be the 'launch' page, and every system/region/variant have a listing under the game title?
So many questions! And that's where you come in. We want feedback; after all, the first focus of this site is community! Since we are having to rebuild on such a low level, now is the time to start planning ahead. Even the type of server and technology we are using to host the site will be informed by answering these questions. We don't want to pay for things we aren't going to need or use, but we also don't want to limit ourselves (and make more work for ourselves) by adopting the wrong approach.
We know we can't stay where we are, as the site can't really be patched up to keep going as-is, so how we rebuild is the first question we are working on moving forward.
Please join in the conversation!
Link: https://www.rfgeneration....20462.msg290824#msg290824
Hey, so RFGeneration, am I right?
This site has been decrepit for... a while now. I'll not waste my time going into the specifics, like how the copyright banner said "2008" for the longest time, how the latest episode of the Press Playcast will be two years old relatively soon, how there are many relics of the just-starting Web2.0 still found here, and the code that just keeps breaking, especially the images... oh wait. I just wasted my time going into specifics.
Let's not get ourselves down about the whole thing, though. slackur and some helpful tech-minded people have been working at giving the site a nice refresh (some of the aspects of which you can already see, such as HTTPS support, some fixed image code, and the removal of the "2008" in the copyright notice, among plenty of things going on under the hood). In the meantime (and hopefully continuing on into the refresh!) we need to breathe new air into the dust to get it living again. This breath happens to be video game flavored, due to how things work around here.
slackur put me on content creation duty when it comes to the refresh, and while I can certainly help with other things necessary (such as graphic design drafts; I am Gen Z), creating content is where I've found my best skillset for this website. This shows, since it's been a while since one of my articles HASN'T been on the Hot Community Entries list.
What better idea to both have new RFGen content and have something to do all year gaming-wise then stepping back in time to a console with a lot of very fun games known as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and trying to beat all of its (North American, officially-licensed) games?
What started as a couple of jokes on the #nes2019 channel in the RFGen Discord has now become a full community challenge that hopefully will have several interested people and a lot of fun to be had.
As previously stated, our goal is to beat all of the officially-licensed North American SNES games on official hardware. A secondary goal is to use the forums as much as possible, because the best way to drum up interest in a site is to use it.
If you don't have official hardware, that's okay! Emulators are fine, as long as you don't use save states or abuse emulator-specific functions.
I really think that this will be a fun event and will help drum up interest in RFGen. Signing up isn't necessary - you only need to be an RFGeneration forum member, and have the ability to play SNES games, and considering that most of us are collectors, we probably have an SNES or two lying around (...or a computer that can emulate it...)
If you want to contribute to the refresh but aren't able to code or anything that Those Tech Wizards can do, then beating them SNES games this year and using the forum while doing it is a great way to contribute. It drums up interest in RFGen, and you're actively doing things for the site on the site, something that hasn't been done in many a year. With this goal, I really think many people would be interested in RFGen, give it a try, enjoy it, become lasting members, and then we can have a bigger community of collectors. Let's get this site out of the grave. Clear out the cobwebs! Refresh the site! having actual content is a great way to contribute. SNES games for the win, baby!
(Maybe I got a bit too excited there...)
...so what are you waiting for? Go out and join us! Play some SNES games! Go conquer the world (of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System...)
...oh, uh, claiming games? Yeah. That's fair. Claiming games starts on the the 12th (1/12/2025 if you're from the US, or 12/1/2025 if you're from a reasonable country that doesn't use a different system of measurement from the rest of the world. I'm an American...)
Let's beat some SNES games, RFGen!
Link: https://www.rfgeneration....20462.msg290824#msg290824
First, sorry about the long pause since last time; there were issues getting the front page to update. The great news is, we now have some new tech leads working in the background to move forward! The good news is that we also have a new team intending to keep the db updated and improved, and other folks to push new content and keep the site fresh.
The bad news is... oh boy, do we have our work cut out for us. Almost everything here needs some severe work or outright replacement. Think about those home improvement shows that need a complete demo before the real work can begin, and you're halfway there.
This is actually a great opportunity. We are not starting at the ground level (obviously keeping the db and rebuilding the forums) but we are having to rework at such a foundational level that now is the time for us to refashion the way the site works, focus on the content we want to develop, and gather input on the point and purpose of RFGeneration.
Please give us some comments and thoughts here so we can start the general conversation and start nailing down specifics. Also, our Discord server has been invaluable during this difficult time, so feel free to pop over there as well.
And Happy New Year!
Hi everybody! I'll skip the whole intro about how long it has been since our little internet home has been up and running to full capacity and the various reasons this place hasn't been dusted in a few years, or the garbage taken out, or the roof leak fixed, or where that 'Beware of Dingbats' metal sign came from.
I'm here with good news! I'll be taking over for the incomparable Mr. Singlebanana and doing my best, as time permits, to help a team rebuild the site over the next few months and beyond. Bickman 2K is going to help us transfer the site and we will be opening up the backend for a new team of volunteers to fix 'er up and refresh the site.
Some soon-to-future goals; a monthly raffle for donors to keep the servers purring (we are committed to the ethos of the site to be ad-free, free to all, and credit given to all who help,) some more steady front page content, the broken stuff fixed as we can and time permitting, and maybe even some nice surprises as we get there. Once our new team is up and going we will do some introductions (and re-introductions) but for now, if you are interested in helping with the coding, database work, front page content, web design, cross-country catering, or other skills applicable to improving the site and growing the RFG community, please comment or even toss me a message here.
I'm also thankful for the folks who have kept the lights on in the forum and database submissions! While it will take some time to get things going, the community has always been my favorite part of RFGeneration and I'm committed to helping us get back on our feet and running again.
One more thing; RFGeneration is 20 years old as of this past April! I'm hoping to set up some interviews with the original builders of the site, their memorial for Mr. Michael Collins, and some connection with the past and hopes for the future. I'll be reaching out to whom I can get ahold of, but even if you aren't a 'founder,' if you've been around the site in the early years I'd love to set up a simple conversation/interview.
Stay tuned and keep it on channel 3!
[img width=700 height=487]https://i.imgur.com/JFeJ8kQ.jpg[/img]
In this month's episode of the Press PlayCast, Rich (singlebanana) and Shawn (GrayGhost81) round-out their discussion of the entire Bioshock series as they breakdown Bioshock Infinite. Join us as we discuss the game's gameplay, graphics, music, and story. In this month's Concertcast, the guys pick sophomore albums that they consider the best album in each selected band's catalog. How does the somewhat controversial, 3rd installment in the Bioshock library stack up to its formidable forefathers? And how many Chambers did the Wu-Tang Clan actually enter? Tune in and find out!
As always, we are happy to hear your thoughts on the games we play on our discussion page (linked below). We will respond to your comments and are always happy to discuss the games in detail. Please be sure to rate and write a review of the show on iTunes and/or Podbean to help us increase our listenership. Thanks for the listen, we hope you enjoy the show!
Episode 92 Discussion Thread: http://www.rfgeneration.c...m/index.php?topic=19712.0
Get the show on Podbean: www.pressplaycast.com
On iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/...ion-playcast/id1038953364
On Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/p...ation-playcast?refid=stpr
And follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rfgenplaythroughs
And on Twitter: @thesinglebanana & @RFGPlayCast
Continue reading Press Playcast Episode 92 - Bioshock Infinite
[img width=500 height=501]http://rfgeneration.com/podcasts/shmupclub/images/2022-12-24_stcc_ep_053_fire_shark.png[/img]
In Episode 053, MetalFRO and Addicted are joined by Corkman for a lengthy discussion about Fire Shark! We pick apart the game a bit, and compare the brutally difficult arcade iterations to the much more approachable Sega Genesis and Mega Drive versions.
Check out the episode right here on RF Generation:
http://rfgeneration.com/podcasts/shmupclub/?name=2022-12-24_stcc_ep_053_fire_shark.mp3
Or find the episode on your favorite podcast service:
https://linktr.ee/shootthecorecast
Check out the original discussion thread for the game here:
http://www.rfgeneration.com/forum/index.php?topic=19693.0
Thanks for listening!
[img width=400 height=381]https://now.estarland.com/images/products/hr/29898/4988736070077.jpg[/img]
Sometimes a game takes a very different path than expected, before it is released. Most of the team who designed the Taito shooter Gun Frontier returned for another shoot-em-up, at the time tentatively titled "Project Gun Frontier 2" as a starting point for development. At some point, the game was considered as a possible 3rd game in the Darius series. In the end, however, the project became its own game, with some of its own unique mechanics. What we ended up with is the now classic, Metal Black.
Released in arcades in 1991, and later on the Sega Saturn in 1996, Metal Black has a unique power-up system that sees you collecting small particles known as "Newalone" to gradually increase the power of your ship, until you reach maximum power. Once you do, you can unleash a beam of destruction to take out enemies. You can also use your beam to duel with bosses who will fire a similar beam. This ended up being a major inspiration for Taito's later Darius series game, G-Darius. Join the RF Generation Shmup Club in 2023, and pilot the CF-345 Black Fly alongside us, as we play the Taito classic Metal Black!
If you'd like to participate, check the thread here:
http://www.rfgeneration.com/forum/index.php?topic=19705.0
[img width=700 height=487]https://i.imgur.com/JFeJ8kQ.jpg[/img]
In this month's episode of the Press PlayCast, Rich (singlebanana) and Shawn (GrayGhost81) discuss Doki Doki Literature Club! a virtual novel with dating simulator mechanics.....that isn't what you might expect. Join us as we discuss the game's gameplay, graphics, music, and it's very twisted story. In this month's Concertcast, the guys pick their favorite albums of 2012, a year in which both had to do some digging! Which way does this dark, "cutesy" narrative make the boy's needles move? Tune in and find out!
As always, we are happy to hear your thoughts on the games we play on our discussion page (linked below). We will respond to your comments and are always happy to discuss the games in detail. Please be sure to rate and write a review of the show on iTunes and/or Podbean to help us increase our listenership. Thanks for the listen, we hope you enjoy the show!
Episode 91 Discussion Thread: http://www.rfgeneration.c...m/index.php?topic=19703.0
Get the show on Podbean: www.pressplaycast.com
On iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/...ion-playcast/id1038953364
On Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/p...ation-playcast?refid=stpr
And follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rfgenplaythroughs
And on Twitter: @thesinglebanana & @RFGPlayCast
Continue reading Press Playcast Episode 91 - Doki Doki Literature Club
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Posted on Dec 6th 2022 at 08:00:00 AM by ( MetalFRO) Posted under Deathsmiles, Shoot the Corecast, podcast, Shmup Club, Cave, 360, Switch, arcade, shooting game, shoot em up, STG, shooter |
[img width=500 height=500]http://rfgeneration.com/podcasts/shmupclub/images/2022-11-22_stcc_ep_052_deathsmiles.png[/img]
In Episode 052, MetalFRO and Addicted are joined by guest Rena to take an in-depth look at Deathsmiles! We talk about the game's story and game play, and Rena breaks down the scoring so we can better understand how it all works.
Listen to the episode right here on RF Generation:
https://www.rfgeneration.com/podcasts/shmupclub/?name=2022-11-22_stcc_ep_052_deathsmiles.mp3
Or find a feed on your favorite podcast service through our Linktree page:
https://linktr.ee/shootthecorecast
Check out the original discussion thread for the game here:
http://www.rfgeneration.com/forum/index.php?topic=19691.0
Thanks for listening!
Where has the time gone? November already. Time to show your fellow RFGenners just how cool you think they are by filling their stockings with amazing video games! The deadline to sign up AND send your letter to Santa is Black Friday (11/25) so please don't hesitate!
http://www.rfgeneration.c...19696.msg284446#msg284446
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Posted on Oct 25th 2022 at 08:00:00 AM by ( MetalFRO) Posted under Operation STEEL, Shoot the Corecast, podcast, Shmup Club, Undermog Games, indie game, arcade, shooting game, shoot em up, STG, shooter |
[img width=500 height=437]http://rfgeneration.com/podcasts/shmupclub/images/2022-10-18_stcc_ep_051_operation_steel.jpg[/img]
In Episode 051, MetalFRO and Addicted dive deep into the game Operation STEEL with Ben, the developer behind it! We talk about the game's influences and inspirations, challenges during development, and all the things that make this game tick. It was a really fun discussion! Check out the original discussion thread for the game here:
Listen to the episode right here at RF Generation:
https://www.rfgeneration.com/podcasts/shmupclub/?name=2022-10-18_stcc_ep_051_operation_steel.mp3
Or check our Linktree page for the feed on your favorite podcast service:
https://linktr.ee/shootthecorecast
Check the original discussion thread here:
http://www.rfgeneration.com/forum/index.php?topic=19685.0
Thanks for listening!
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