Hey! Happy Thursday! This is the last edition of Thumb Punks. Thanks for your support, and I hope you had as much fun reading it as it was to write it! But wait – we’re working on something new under the Thumb Punks umbrella. I hope to have more news for you before Xmas! In the meantime, if you want to keep up with me, check out my blog. I’ll be adding original long-form articles on retro games, music, movies, books, TV, pro wrestling, and everything in between in the next few months! Thanks for reading! Benjamin @ Thumb Punks RIP: Legendary Namco pixel artist Hiroshi Ono passed away on Octob ..read more

Hey! Happy Thursday! This week’s Mario Kart video is fantastic – which games would you like to play in real-life? Thanks for reading! Benjamin @ Thumb Punks P.S. Was this forwarded to you? Sign up! Everybody Hertz: Nintendo have confirmed that Europeans will receive the 60Hz versions of N64 games with the new Switch Online service. Even better, there will be the option to switch to the 50Hz PAL versions so you can play them just like you remember. Rebel Scumm: Venerable point-and-click emulator ScummVM is now 20 years old, and as a birthday gift the developers have released version 2.5.0. It ..read more

Hey! Happy Thursday! This week I’ve flagged up some deals that may interest retro gamers. Would you like to see more of these? Thanks for reading! Benjamin @ Thumb Punks P.S. Was this forwarded to you? Sign up! RIP: Dragon Quest composer Koichi Sugiyama has died at 90. While a prolific musician, he was a divisive figure owing to his views on the Nanking Massacre and ‘comfort women’, among others. Kotaku have an obituary with more details. Steal My Sunshine: A full mod of the Gamecube’s Super Mario Sunshine is set for release. Titled Super Mario Eclipse, it has a new story, world, moves, and p ..read more

Hey! Happy Thursday! The Super Monkey Ball Deluxe remaster is getting mixed reviews, with some outlets saying the physics and controls are slightly off. Have you played it, and what do you think? Thanks for reading! Benjamin @ Thumb Punks P.S. Was this forwarded to you? Sign up! Now You’re Playing with Power: The Nintendo Switch is getting N64 and Sega Genesis games, with some tasty looking controllers to boot. Starting in October, subscribers to the new ‘Expansion Pack’ service can even play N64 titles with four-player online multiplayer. Launch games include Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, S ..read more

Hey! Happy Thursday! This week two retro gaming legends have left us. What are your favorite memories of the ZX Spectrum? I’ve reviewed retro-tinged Metroidvania The Mummy Demastered for HG101. Check it out! Thanks for reading! Benjamin @ Thumb Punks P.S. Was this forwarded to you? Sign up! RIP: Sir Clive Sinclair, inventor of the ZX Spectrum, passed away on Thursday the 16th following a long-term illness. He was 81. After forming Sinclair Radionics in 1961, he released the Speccy in 1982, a machine that would help define the decade. He was knighted by the Queen in 1983. Eurogamer have a fant ..read more

Hey! Happy Thursday! This week there are more than a couple of retro gaming-themed items of clothing and accessories. What’s your favorite piece of classic gaming wardrobe? Thanks for reading! Benjamin @ Thumb Punks P.S. Was this forwarded to you? Sign up! Heart-Shaped Box: The Nintendo Gamecube turned 20 on Tuesday. The list of stellar titles released for the console included Mario Kart: Double Dash, Resident Evil 4, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Eternal Darkness, Viewtiful Joe, Metroid Prime, Animal Crossing, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and Super Mar ..read more

Hey! Happy Thursday! This week there’s been a plethora of retro gaming news, from new games for old systems, to scandals, and some tasty reissues! I’ve been asked what the newsletter considers retro. For home consoles, anything up to and including the PS2 is fair game. For portable systems, anything up to and including the Nintendo DS will make it into the newsletter. We’re undecided on the PSP - what do you think? Thanks for reading! Benjamin @ Thumb Punks P.S. Was this forwarded to you? Sign up! WATA Mess: More controversy in the world of game-grading and auctioneering: co-founder of WATA ..read more

Hey! Happy Thursday! This week’s newsletter is reaching you a day late (a combination of hospital appointments (I’m fine!) and a natural gas leak (we’re OK!)), but we’ll be back next Thursday as usual. After reading the article on MiSTer, I’m wondering – do you prefer software or hardware emulation, and what’s your setup? Thanks for reading! Benjamin @ Thumb Punks P.S. Was this forwarded to you? Sign up! GB-Yay!: A Kickstarter for the first commercial Game Boy Advance game in 13 (!) years has smashed its target in less than 24 hours. Goodbye Galaxy is described as "kind of like Cave Story, or ..read more

Hey! Happy Thursday! This week features a must-see video on the spike in retro gaming auction prices. If it’s true, expect to here a lot more about it in the near-future. Also, thanks to Feedspot, who have featured us in their top 90 retro gaming blogs in the world! Thanks for reading! Benjamin @ Thumb Punks P.S. Was this forwarded to you? Sign up! That’s Entertainment: The Super Nintendo celebrated 30 years since its North American launch. It went on to sell 23.35 million copies in the area. Uproxx have surveyed retro gamers to find the most beloved titles for the system, but the list is som ..read more

Hey! Happy Thursday! With ScummVM now supporting early CD-ROM games, what will be the first title you boot up? Thanks for reading! Benjamin @ Thumb Punks P.S. Was this forwarded to you? Sign up! Whip It Good: A mythical Castlevania prototype has been shared online. The 0.5 beta of Castlevania: Bloodlines for the Sega Genesis features different enemy sprites, molten steel areas, and a zeppelin level that was previewed in magazines but never made the final game. Try it yourself at SegaSaturno. Rebel Scumm: Popular emulator ScummVM now supports early CD-ROM games. Previously, this was difficult ..read more