iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Todd Ciolek

Kicking off a new series over at CD-ROM journal: covering Daiso’s ¥100 ultrabudget game series. Just how much game can you even get for ¥100? You’d be surprised! Some really interesting stuff in here - for less than a dollar a game, they couldn’t afford to be picky. cdrom.ca/games/the-ga...

cdrom.ca

An Intro to Daiso's The Game Series (Trump 1, Nekomata Tanteisha, Nyanpoline, TechnoSylph: vsys gaiden)

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Reposted by Todd Ciolek

Retro Pals @retropals.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

We're playing through the Battle Mania (aka Trouble Shooter) series TONIGHT at 7pm CT! Time to shoot....a lot! twitch.tv/retropals

Trouble shooter box art for Sega genesis

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Reposted by Todd Ciolek

sardoose @sardoose.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Got trouble? We'll shoot it! We're playing through the Battle Mania (aka Trouble Shooter) series on tonight's Retro Pals stream at 7 pm CT! twitch.tv/retropals

Battle Mania Daiginjou Sega Mega Drive cover art

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I never realized that the Chicago Tribune ran an article about Incredible Technologies right when BloodStorm came out. Mr. Marwede mentions the game's Japanese release and how it was set to its less violent mode. www.chicagotribune.com/1994/05/22/a...

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I am sure the design doc for Gun Frontier was very detailed, but I like to think it just read "PLANE = GUN."

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

With Sakura Wars turning thirty, here's the first place I ever heard about the game: Casey Loe's review in the December 1996 issue of Gamefan. American magazines from this era tended to mock "dating sims" if they covered them at all, but this is a pretty good piece.

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Wake up, 1950s spouse, the new flying saucer chart just dropped.

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

If you're making a list of the best Castlevania games, it should contain all of the following. -Symphony of the Night -Rondo of Blood -Ninja Gaiden (NES) -Vampire: Master of Darkness -Rusty -8 Eyes -Symphony of the Night (Captain N Skateboarding Alucard Fan Hack)

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Reposted by Todd Ciolek

Gaming Hell @sarahssowertty.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

The unreleased Bubble Bobble-less version of Puzzle Bobble, Bubble Buster, got its first official release on this Apple Arcade app today and it, uh, doesn't react well when you reach the competition screen at the end! (The answer is 'TAITO...THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN!')

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

This is really nice art, and it answers the question "What would M.D. Geist look like as a Five Star Stories mecha?"

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

This is pretty cool! Among the details dropped: little weird guy Gen-An was a leftover from the designers' original pitch for a monster-themed game. It makes sense!

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Psychiatrist: We have diagnosed you with the fear of reading anything by acclaimed writers who are still alive, because you're worried that you will meet them or see their social media and they'll say that The Cat Returns is not a good movie. Me: It's the most underrated Ghibli film!

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Reposted by Todd Ciolek

wowmd.bsky.social @wowmd.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Here's the first footage of the cancelled SNES/SFC port of Railroad Tycoon to ever be posted online, captured from my promotional tape made by the would-be Japanese publisher. For a long time, the only evidence of the game's existence was two blurry Nintendo Power screenshots!

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

It's also nice to see Masahide Miyata involved in this Lufia collection. I haven't seen his name very much since Lord of Magna back in 2015.

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

I always kinda liked the first Lufia's take on this line, but we all know what the people want, and I support that.

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

It's just three games? Where's Ni Toshinden, Toshinden Remix, Toshinden URA, Puzzle Arena Toshinden, Toshinden Subaru, Toshinden Card Quest, Toshinden R-Zone, D-Xhird, Toshinden GB, Toshinden Wii, or the anime with the Basic Instinct scene and the goofy climactic DO OTHER PEOPLE'S MOVES fight?

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Whoa whoa whoa, cool. Lufia 2 is still lots of fun! Lufia 1 is a chore because of all the battles, but hey, that's what "quality of life" improvements are all about, right? I hope they dig up some extra stuff for this. The unrealized Lufia III for the PlayStation has a pretty interesting history.

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Reposted by Todd Ciolek

NateMing on Elm Street @nateming.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

the Gravity Rush games are great and you should play them

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Reposted by Todd Ciolek

Deid 🔮 @deidlit.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Throwing this into the wilds of the internet because I cannot find it anywhere else; there was a Gonzo Inc. calendar from 1999 that had a Lunar 2: Eternal Blue illustration that I have never, ever seen anywhere else. If anyone has this calendar, oh my goodness please consider scanning it. 🙏

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Reposted by Todd Ciolek

GSK | ALL CITY SLOP SHOP (ETA SOON) @allcityslopshop.com · 19/09/2026

"they" = Regina's VA, and she drew this shit herself the big conundrum about Psychic Force bitd was that it had a huge fandom for everything but the actual game and getting that to translate into commercial success proved extremely difficult, hence why it fizzled out

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

I hope they do this for Final Fantasy VIII and IX!

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

This piece about Black Jack nicely offsets any disappointment that the column isn't called TOOLE'S RULES.

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Reposted by Todd Ciolek

Mike Toole @miketoole.com · 16/09/2026

this is a really good question. In his commentary, Dezaki has called them 記念写真 - souvenir pictures. But you also frequently see them called "harmony" - Masao Maruyama uses this term in his interview on the Black Jack OVA blu-ray. They are similar, but not necessarily identical.

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Whoa, a giant box set with stuff I'd actually want? A soundtrack? An artbook instead of art cards or stickers? A single large figure instead of little acrylic standees? Can they DO that?

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

I like how they make sure to show the Bloody Mary boss battle with the ADJUSTED DIFFICULTY line. It won't be a slog this time, folks! Oh yeah, I can't wait for this. At last I can recommend Terranigma to people in North America without having to explain emulators or imports!

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Reposted by Todd Ciolek

ohfivepro.bsky.social @ohfivepro.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Seen a bunch of this sort of thing since yesterday Psychic Force 2012 was literally the biggest arcade game of it's time in Japan. Not just fighting games. Of all games It got solid coverage & guides for over a year when it released. It won Gamest's Game of the Year Grand Prize. It was a big deal

It probably only won as the challengers are all weird shit nobody even knows like KoF98, SF Zero 3, Soul Calibur, Virtua On OT, SF3-2I, Last Blade, ESPrade, Radiant Silvergun, several Beatmanias, SpikeOut etc etc

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Reposted by Todd Ciolek

Ray Barnholt @rdbaaa.space · 15/09/2026

"tell me about it"

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

I hope this reissue will avoid using that censored U.S. Dreamcast cover where they colored in Regina's cleavage to appease the ratings board.

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Twenty Years Ago: People are paying $200 for Radiant Silvergun? That's nuts! Today: People are paying $200 for Radiant Silvergun? Well, that's not so bad compared to Taromaru, Final Fight Revenge, Rakugaki Showtime, Super Tempo, Little Samson, MUSHA, Wild Guns, Hagane, that one Flintstones game...

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Treasure presents? Why, yes, I always treasure the gifts I receive! Especially if they happen to be amazing shooters. I have the modern rerelease of Radiant Silvergun, but darned if I don't want to buy the Saturn version sometimes just to fire up my old save file with free play unlocked.

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

The Proclaimers are transphobic now? That sucks. Hang on, I have to nervously look up the political views of Deadeye Dick, Babylon Zoo, and Primitive Radio Gods.

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

We had an Apple IIGS! And The Bard's Tale! I never finished it as a kid, but I loved those animated monsters and the way the healing monks chanted (not knowing it was a Monty Python sample). My sister started playing it but lost interest when she realized you could only create male party members.

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

I like how the main art for Orbitals gives off the very specific vibe of the VHS cover of a 1980s anime OVA edited into a kid-appropriate release for North America, left to fade in the front window sunlight of a mom-and-pop video rental store for fifteen years.

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

I wish I could make out what's going on in the background. It looks like one of the other Gunstar characters is annoyed that Yellow gets to hold Headdy in the manner of a Muppet Show guest.

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Hey, here's what I think of Changeable Guardian Estique! I really liked it once I stopped expecting it to be just like a classic Compile shooter! And I don't think a good chunk of folks will even have that problem!

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Reposted by Todd Ciolek

Jason Schreier @jasonschreier.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

This week, PlayStation announced that it had pulled out of publishing Hideo Kojima's next game, Physint. But the company didn't give a reason. So I made some calls. Here's why PlayStation bailed and why Xbox snapped Kojima right up: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

bloomberg.com

PlayStation Ditched Hideo Kojima’s ‘Physint’ on Budget Concerns, Missed Deadlines

The legendary Japanese creator of ‘Death Stranding’ will take his new game to Xbox

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

"It's fortified with what the world wants...what the world deserves."

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Koudelka is such an interesting game that I wish they'd remix it so it had the survival horror approach without the RPG battles. Or maybe just make it a point-and-click deal. Not to dismiss Sacnoth's gameplay vision, but Koudelka excels so much at mood and characterization.

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Dang, I wish Terra Diver (aka Soukyugurentai) was available on modern platforms. It's a perfect shooter trip, speeding through Rayforce and Compile games before stylishly peeling out across the Radiant Silvergun parking lot. One gripe: the main art makes it hard to tell what's going on.

These are spaceships trapped in delicious tomato bisque.

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

The ending of Metroid Ravenous varies with completion time! Under 2 Hours: Samus dines at an upscale space restaurant 2-4 Hours: Samus visits an intergalactic ramen stall 4-6 Hours: Samus eats stale chips and watches awful alien sitcoms Over 6: Samus chews gum she found stuck inside her helmet

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

I don't care what happens in this new Metroid as long as Samus gets home in time to feed the Etecoons and Dachoras.

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

I can't wait for Metroid Ravenous, a game where Samus battles with cannibals and wendigos in a darkly comical allegory for American expansion.

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

I'm just saying that Nintendo's fancy new highly detailed remake doesn't have the same appeal as the original Time Twist.

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

I never knew about this: Cavemen Bill and Scooter from the Eek the Cat cartoon were originally named Atom and Steve, but Fox wouldn't allow it. (I couldn't find this detail substantiated online, but the news bit is from Wizard #25.)

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

And THAT is how you sell me on a game! (Robotica for the Saturn)

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Todd Ciolek @kidfenris.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

You know what? The people who don't like that game are the REAL Mischief Makers!

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