iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 19h

Oh shit, hope you're feeling better soon. You could always re-post a random review 'from the archives' to plug the gap for now if you feel up to it. Your health always comes first.

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

I do actually feel a bit bad now, thinking this might be your first impression of the console. Still, the only way is up from here 👆

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Reposted by James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Tom @thepixelempire.net · 06/10/2026

@whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social I might regret this, but I have started Taz Express 😨😊

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

You probably will, but at least you'll have a story to tell 😂

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow / Chaos Theory. GTA Vice City / Vice City Stories. Stories was released later and had both Diaz and Lance as side characters but it was set 2 years earlier.

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Shame the N64 game never got a Western release at the time, although there is an English language patch available these days

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

It really has, one of the tracks made the cut in the 30-day VGM Challenge I did some months ago. Yuzo Koshiro never failed to deliver, then or now! bsky.app/profile/whya...

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

It's a toss up between the big two, both have consistently delivered over the years but the psychological side of Silent Hill edges it Konami's way. I'm not familiar with Blumhouse works, but Red Barrels and Hydra deserve a mention for their indie efforts in recent years.

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

I've only played the original, Doom 64 and Doom RPG, and I'm sure the latter is the only one I've completed. Need to explore the more modern ones properly.

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Nothing to feel guilty about, I only vaguely knew of the name before getting into it a few years back. The only Nintendo to get it's own Metal Slug was GBA although some are on Switch VC

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

It didn't really take off in the West until X (a remaster of the second game) came out on PS1. I don't ever remember seeing it in arcades myself either. I wouldn't be surprised if they're on GOG or the like these days.

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I'm surprised you've never heard of this, there are at least 10 games in the series. On consoles, it was Neo Geo flagship game, I think the first came out on Saturn in 🇯🇵 too. Worth looking into further if you like run n gun. Anthology on PS2 has 8 of the games and would be a good place to start.

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

I did quite enjoy the opening stage in a "so bad, it's great" way, but the novelty had definitely worn off by the end.

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

...and comparing the 20 stages of Goldeneye to the equivalent 20 stages of the excellent Goldfinger 64, arguably one of, if not the best fan mod of a game I've ever played. n64memories.blogspot.com/2018/08/gues...

n64memories.blogspot.com

GUEST CONTRIBUTION: GoldenEye Vs Goldfinger - the best combined 20 levels

GoldenEye, the shooter that arrived on the Nintendo 64 in 1997, needs no introduction really, does it? You may be less familiar with Goldfin...

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

In honour of the Nintendo 64's 30th anniversary in 🇺🇸, here's a throwback to when I wrote articles covering two of it's most popular titles for my good friend N64Memories (sadly not on Bluesky) First up, ranking Super Mario 64's main stages... n64memories.blogspot.com/2018/01/gues...

n64memories.blogspot.com

GUEST CONTRIBUTION: Super Mario 64's 15 Worlds Ranked

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

There's several I could put here, but this final boss on 5th gen South Park takes the crown. Pummelling it with every last round of every weapon you have to bring it's health down... and then the fucker runs over to a charge pad to regain all it's health. I cried. I actually cried.

Screenshot of the final boss fight of South Park on Nintendo 64 & PlayStation.

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Hoping to get at least one of these boxed off during the month. If the Retroid Pocket I've ordered arrives in time it'll be Silent Hill. Played the Play Novel GBA game last year, not bad for what it is but left me wanting for the proper game.

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I remember getting a cat one from my local Pets at Home at the start of the craze, got it up to 31 in Virtual Pet years but slept in one Saturday morning and found it had it's wings 😭 Also I had a Footix one just like this for the France '98 World Cup.

France '98 Footix mascot virtual pet toy.
Image credit unknown (not my picture)

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

QTP with 4 games in your backlog. Been wanting to replay a PS2 Silent Hill or similar for a while, but these 4 I've yet to play. October coming up seems as good a time as any to get one or two played.

Dead Space 2 Classics Xbox 360 🇪🇺 box art

Alice Madness Returns Xbox 360 🇪🇺 box art

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

For SR2 I played the side missions nonstop to build up the respect before starting proper, once you're at 41 or 42 you're set for the entire game, with what you earn from main missions. I think The Third ditched the needing respect thing, but it's such a departure from 2 that I'm afraid to try it!

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I did like the original game, but found the Respect side missions an infuriating break-up of the play. I understood how the system worked better by the second game, which has brilliant, well, everything, and immediately cemented itself as one of my all time favourite games ever. Not played the rest.

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

The My 9 Games site isn't playing ball with me for some reason, so I've made my own. Took some narrowing down, but these 9(ish) games evoke the strongest memories of my earliest playing days, and multiplayer gaming with friends before life took us our separate ways from age 18 onwards. #My9Games

My 9 Games.

▹Sonic the Hedgehog (Master System)
▹The Lucky Dime Caper Starring Donald Duck (Master System)
▹Master Games I [Super Monaco GP/Columns/World Soccer] (Master System)
▹Mickey Mania (Mega Drive)
▹Body Harvest (Nintendo 64)
▹Mario Kart 64 (Nintendo 64)
▹Pokemon Blue (Game Boy)
▹Blue Stinger (Dreamcast)
▹Freedom Fighters (Gamecube/various)

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Game Boy chiptunes are in a league of their own even by today's VGM standards

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Reposted by James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Shane @ The Pixel Empire @steadyspheretpe.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Two decades ago, a main competitor to Grand Theft Auto was born. Saints Row didn't hide it's inspirations, but was Volition's effort fun? VIDEO REVIEW👉 youtu.be/eNIjiPkJyHs #gaming #xbox360 #saintsrow

youtu.be

Saints Row (XBOX 360) - Review

YouTube video by SteadySphere - Pixel Empire Video Reviews

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

What does 32 feel like? I can't remember 👴🏼 Some nice pickups you've been gifted there, Mouse is one I've been interested in since it came out. Happy birthday bro, hope you have a good one 🎉🍻🎂

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

This is currently number 3 in trending lol, nice work. Anyway, mine was Sonic 1 on Master System, the persistence needed to beat Scrap Brain act 2 taught me a lot about life, and gaming. Through the eyes of a child, at least.

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

I was in a dark place myself back in 2009, after a bad betrayal by someone I thought I loved (I'll share the full story one day). All I remember of gaming that year was Resident Evil 5 on the PS3 and replaying all 3 scenarios of Eternal Darkness. It's great we have these pastimes to pull us through.

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

@gametripperuk.bsky.social any reason this is happening when I try to access the site? Wanted to share my Sonic 1 story for the umpteenth time but can't, clicking accept risk just gives a blank page. Just me or...?

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

This is the game I was expecting you to drop when you were hyping up review 200 way back when.

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Saturn 3D pad was using Hall effect sensors in the stick before anyone knew - or needed to know - what Hall effect was

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Fun fact: If you'd been born a Rhyhorn, today you'd have become a Rhydon. How is your Pokemon FireRed journey going? Anyway happy birthday pal, hope you having a good one 🎂

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

I'd recommend an RGH/JTAG softmodded 360,which mine is, even if you pick up a separate console on the cheap to do it with. I'll be sending mine to @topvint.co.uk , most likely in the new year now. Not sure whether to go for a higher speed HDD or SSD, some say the latter have a shorter lifespan.

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

I've got an Xbox 360 formatting software on my computer, whether that fixes the Microsoft coding or not I couldn't say. I do want to upgrade mine, possibly to an SSD but the lack of TRIM support is a bit of a concern

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

I think they're just a regular SATA drive embedded into that housing, or at least the Slim model drives are.

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Had a Huawei W1 for a while, returned to a regular watch recently because I was constantly checking my pulse on it. Heart rhythm disorders and smart watches with a sprinkling of health anxiety is a shit combination so I swapped back. Only bought it for the interactive Goldeneye 64 watch face anyway.

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Usually NTSC-U games on the Mega Drive do have somewhat accelerated music to match the higher frame rate, although this sounds even faster still 🤔

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

If you're good at painting, knock yourself out 😂 or you could go down the re-shelling route. I bought a painted Dreamcast controller once, nice blue and orange ChuChu Rocket number, but it wasn't lacquered properly so it just came off in my hands while playing 😕

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

All we need now is to be able to tag our mates in them, and BS will have everything The Bad Place™ had. Except maybe polls. Polls would be good.

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

I've never owned a PS4 (thanks to CeX, but that's another story) but I do own a Dualshock 4 which I use as a wireless PS2 pad. Does the job brilliantly although the Start & Select (or whatever they're called) aren't in an ideal position but they're not too bad

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

A dodgy copy of Quake III Arena my mate knocked up for me on Dreamcast. Had heard good things about prior Quake games so jumped at the chance of playing, not realising it was multiplayer focused and I WASN'T making any progress running round killing the enemies. Played hell out of it all the same.

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

I was late to the party, people referring to them as RPGs kinda put me off. Then I started regularly reading CUBE magazine which gave it a score of 9.5/10 - joint 4th highest of all games they ever reviewed - tried it and never looked back. To this day it's my second-favourite Zelda game.

A 4x5 grid of all the major Zelda titles by year of release. A yellow triangle highlights Wind Waker - my introduction to the series

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Reposted by James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Dave & Rocky @davenolan17.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

"I fear no man.
But that thing...
It scares meme"

GTA talking about Ocarina of Time

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Cheap doesn't necessarily mean bad, picked up many a quality game for less than a quid. Although saying that, Blast aren't exactly known for making masterpieces 😂

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

The idea's there, it's one of those games where a full, from the ground up remake could actually benefit the game, as opposed to graphical upgrades to games that were originally masterpieces.

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

I enjoyed it when I initially had a master System, apart from it's biggest flaw; lack of a dedicated pause button (on the console though, WHY? 😭) Needless to say, once I had my Mega Drive, and then Master System Converter, this got relegated to "little cousin pad" for 8-bit 2 player 😂

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Could be worse, imagine you'd bought bitcoins at $120,000 a coin like these clowns probably were 🤡 😂

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James 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @whyalwaysjamesy.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

We're not like them other crypto Bros., honets 😂

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