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Tag Archives: gaming community

Fun Things

Minecraft Modder Adds Jack Black’s Voice to Steve in Game

Posted on by Owen

In a delightful convergence of cinema and gaming, a Minecraft modder known as “SnailMan” has infused the game’s protagonist, Steve, with the distinctive voice of actor and musician Jack Black. This creative endeavour draws inspiration from the upcoming live-action Minecraft movie, where Black is set to portray Steve, blending his charismatic persona with the iconic blocky character.

Action(?!) Figures

Jack Black’s involvement in the Minecraft movie adds to his diverse portfolio of voice acting roles. Notably, he voiced Eddie Riggs in the 2009 video game Brütal Legend, a title that combined action-adventure elements with a rich heavy metal backdrop. His performance earned acclaim, showcasing his ability to bring animated characters to life. Additionally, Black lent his voice to the character Harm’ny Lightbeard in the 2014 game Broken Age, further cementing his presence in the gaming industry.  

The mod itself is a testament to the vibrant and inventive Minecraft community. By integrating Black’s voice lines from the forthcoming film, players can experience a fresh auditory dimension while navigating the game’s expansive landscapes. For instance, upon entering the Nether—a perilous, lava-filled realm—Steve now audibly acknowledges the transition with Black’s characteristic flair. Such modifications not only enhance immersion but also exemplify the community’s dedication to evolving the game’s experience.

This initiative underscores the enduring appeal of Minecraft, a game that has continually evolved since its inception in 2011. The integration of celebrity voices through user-generated content highlights the seamless blend of popular culture and gaming, offering players novel ways to engage with familiar worlds.

As of now, the mod awaits approval on Modrinth, a platform dedicated to hosting Minecraft modifications. Once available, it is poised to attract both long-time fans and newcomers eager to experience this unique fusion of Jack Black’s vocal talent with the beloved universe of Minecraft. 

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Fun fact: Minecraft has sold over 238 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling video game of all time.

Modern Retro Games, Sega

Sonic’s Lunar Adventure: A Incomplete Fan Game’s Unexpected Release

Posted on by Owen

Sonic fans, rejoice! An unfinished build of the highly anticipated fan game, Sonic & The Moon Facility, has been released online, giving players a chance to experience this cancelled project. First unveiled at Kaze Emanuar’s F3 2023 games presentation, this Sonic fan game promised a thrilling twist on the classic formula, casting the speedy blue hedgehog into a lunar adventure. The Sonic series has long fuelled the imaginations of its dedicated fan base, inspiring a wealth of retro gaming projects that revisit the fast-paced platforming of Sega’s golden days.

Credit: Game Jolt

With its moon-based setting and inventive level design, Sonic & The Moon Facility seemed set to carve its own place among these beloved creations. Yet, like many ambitious fan-made games, it stumbled over familiar obstacles—resource constraints and technical difficulties—leading to its cancellation.

Credit: Game Jolt

In a surprising turn, the development team has now shared an unfinished build, breathing new life into the project. This version includes all the game’s levels, letting players dash through the main campaign as Sonic, with some additional content playable as Tails. Once the game is completed, debug tools unlock, offering a peek into its development process. The release has sparked excitement across social media and forums, with retro gaming enthusiasts eagerly sharing their lunar escapades.

Credit: Game Jolt

This moment matters for the Sonic community, a group renowned for its creativity, seen in classics like Sonic Robo Blast 2 and Sonic Utopia. Though incomplete, this build preserves the developers’ efforts and showcases the game’s potential, reinforcing the enduring appeal of classic Sonic games. Fan projects like these bridge generations, keeping the spirit of Sega’s platformers alive. Available on GameJolt, this release highlights the resilience of the retro gaming scene.

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Modern Retro Games

Retro-Bit Admits to Using Fan Translations Without Credit in Classic Game Re-Releases

Posted on by Owen

Retro-Bit, a company known for re-releasing classic video games, has acknowledged that it used fan-made translations in some of its products without properly crediting the original translators. The admission follows accusations that the company incorporated these unofficial translations into its re-released titles. Krokodyl provided a very length breakdown of where these titles had used fan made translations, you can find his evidence here.

Majuu-Ou

Fan translations are created by gaming enthusiasts who translate games into other languages, often English, to make them accessible to a broader audience. These efforts, typically shared online for free, play a key role in preserving gaming history, particularly for titles never officially localized.

The accusations center on specific re-releases, including the games Valken and Majuu-Ou. Retro-Bit confirmed to Video Games Chronicle (VGC) that parts of fan translations were used in some of its 16-bit game re-releases—titles originally designed for consoles like the Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis—without giving due credit. The company stated, “We let our guard down,” recognizing the lapse in its practices in an interview with Time Extension.

This revelation has prompted discussions within the gaming community about the importance of acknowledging fan translators’ contributions. These individuals often work without compensation, driven by a passion for sharing games with others. Gideon Zhi, a notable figure in the fan translation scene, said Retro-Bit had tried to contact him about the translations but failed to connect due to various reasons.

Retro-Bit, which has built a reputation for bringing retro games to modern audiences in physical formats, issued an apology for the oversight. The incident underscores the need for companies to respect and credit the work of fan communities, whose efforts have long supported the preservation of gaming heritage.

While the company has not detailed specific steps to address the issue, its history of engaging with retro gaming fans suggests it may take action to prevent future occurrences. The gaming community is likely to monitor Retro-Bit’s response closely, as trust and collaboration remain essential in the world of classic gaming.

The episode serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between commercial re-releases and the grassroots efforts that often precede them. For now, Retro-Bit’s acknowledgment and apology mark a step toward addressing the concerns raised.

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Game Port

Skyblivion: Fan-Made Oblivion Remake Nears Completion in Skyrim’s Engine

Posted on by Owen

A dedicated group of volunteer developers is putting the finishing touches on Skyblivion, an ambitious fan-made project that reimagines The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion using the engine of its successor, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. After years of painstaking work, the team behind this labour of love has confirmed they are still on track to release the mod in 2025, bringing a revitalised version of the 2006 classic to fans old and new.

Skyblivion is no small undertaking. The project recreates the entirety of Oblivion’s sprawling world of Cyrodiil—its lush forests, towering cities, and treacherous dungeons—within Skyrim’s more modern Creation Engine. The result promises enhanced visuals, improved mechanics, and a nostalgic yet fresh experience for players who first roamed the Imperial Province nearly two decades ago. The team, operating under the banner of the TESRenewal modding collective, has meticulously rebuilt quests, characters, and environments, all while preserving the essence of the original game.

Lead developer Kyle Rebel, often known by his online handle “Rebelzize,” recently shared an update with gaming outlet IGN, expressing optimism about the 2025 target. “We’re in the home stretch now,” he said. “It’s about polishing what we’ve built and making sure it feels right.” The project, which relies entirely on volunteer efforts, has faced its share of challenges, from technical hurdles to coordinating a global team. Yet, the passion for The Elder Scrolls has kept the momentum alive.

For players, Skyblivion will be free to download upon release, though it requires legal copies of both Oblivion and Skyrim (including specific DLCs) to function. This ensures compliance with copyright laws, a careful line the team has navigated throughout development. The mod’s scope has garnered attention beyond the modding community, with fans eagerly awaiting a chance to revisit iconic locations like the Imperial City or Kvatch in a modernised form.

The TESRenewal team has also teased additional features, including new assets and quality-of-life improvements, though they remain tight-lipped on specifics. As the release window approaches, anticipation is building—not just for Skyblivion, but for what it represents: a testament to the enduring power of fan creativity in gaming.

With Bethesda focused on upcoming titles like The Elder Scrolls VI, Skyblivion offers a bridge between past and future, blending nostalgia with innovation. For now, all eyes are on 2025, as this remarkable project nears its long-awaited debut.

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PC Gaming, Retro Gaming News

GOG Empowers Gamers to Shape Game Preservation with ‘Dreamlist’ Feature

Posted on by Owen

GOG, the DRM-free digital storefront, has unveiled the ‘Dreamlist,’ a new feature that invites gamers to vote on classic titles they’d like to see preserved and re-released. This initiative aims to guide GOG’s efforts in negotiating with IP owners to bring classic games back to modern platforms.  

Credit: GoG

The Dreamlist functions as a community-driven wishlist, allowing users to cast votes for their most-wanted games. While GOG clarifies that high vote counts don’t guarantee a game’s return, the data collected will help demonstrate community interest to rights holders. Currently, titles like ‘Black & White,’ ‘Diablo 2,’ and the original ‘Final Fantasy 7’ are among the top contenders, reflecting a strong desire to see these classics revived.

This move aligns with GOG’s ongoing commitment to game preservation. In November 2024, the company launched its Preservation Program, starting with over 100 titles, including ‘Diablo,’ ‘System Shock 2,’ and the original ‘Resident Evil’ trilogy. The program ensures these games remain compatible with current and future systems, offering complete editions with all available content and technical support.  

In conjunction with the Dreamlist launch, GOG has also released updated versions of ‘Dino Crisis’ and ‘Dino Crisis 2,’ optimized for modern PCs. These releases are part of the Preservation Program’s efforts to keep classic games accessible and enjoyable for contemporary audiences.  

By introducing the Dreamlist, GOG empowers its community to play an active role in the preservation of gaming history, ensuring that cherished titles continue to be available for future generations.

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Nintendo

Super Mario 64 Player Discovers New Log-Clipping Glitch

Posted on by Owen

In the ever-evolving world of Super Mario 64 discoveries, a dedicated player has unearthed a peculiar glitch involving a log, a cliff, and an extraordinary amount of patience. By executing a precise 34-frame loop repeatedly—approximately 2.8 million times over 36 days—the player managed to make a log drift through a cliff. As of now, this glitch has no known practical application in gameplay or speedrunning.

The Discovery

The glitch was identified by a member of the Super Mario 64 community, showcasing the game’s complex mechanics and the dedication of its fanbase. The process involves meticulous timing and repetition, highlighting the intricate possibilities within the game’s physics engine.

Due to floating point imprecision, the rolling log in Tall, Tall Mountain in Super Mario 64 can be very slowly manipulated to go sideways through the cliff. It takes 36 days of nonstop manipulation to reach the limit of how far it can go. This has no currently known purpose.

[image or embed]

— Supper Mario Broth (@mariobrothblog.bsky.social) 13 January 2025 at 19:30

Implications for Speedrunning

While the glitch doesn’t currently offer advantages for speedrunners, it adds to the collective understanding of Super Mario 64’s inner workings. The community often explores such anomalies to find potential time-saving strategies or to gain deeper insights into the game’s design.

A Testament to Community Dedication

This discovery underscores the enduring passion and curiosity of the Super Mario 64 community. Even decades after its release, players continue to explore and uncover new aspects of the game, contributing to its lasting legacy in the gaming world.

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Retro Gaming News

Developer Shares Street Fighter IV Demo for Sega Mega Drive / Genesis

Posted on by Owen

In a surprising homage to both classic gaming and modern fighting franchises, an indie developer, known on X as @RheoGamer, has managed to create a demo version of “Street Fighter IV” for the Sega Mega Drive. This remarkable feat combines the beloved mechanics and characters of the 2008 Street Fighter game with the nostalgic 16-bit graphics of the early ’90s console. The demo, which showcases characters like Ryu, Ken, and Chun-Li in a simplified but recognizable form, has sparked excitement across the gaming community, particularly among those with a fondness for retro gaming.

The developer utilized the SGDK (Sega Genesis Development Kit) to bring this project to life, demonstrating not only a deep understanding of the original game’s mechanics but also an impressive capability to adapt them to the significantly more limited hardware of the Mega Drive. This development has been shared widely on X, where it has received praise for its authenticity in translating the feel of Street Fighter IV into a format that many thought impossible. Fans have been sharing clips and screenshots, marvelling at how close the experience feels to the arcade original, despite the hardware constraints.

While no official release is announced, the demo has ignited conversations about the potential for more such projects, bridging the gap between modern gaming and retro hardware. This has also led to debates on the feasibility and desirability of porting other modern games to classic systems, highlighting the ongoing passion for retro gaming and the creative possibilities within the indie development scene. The project serves as a testament to the enduring appeal of Street Fighter and the innovative spirit of the gaming community.

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