What’s New In Old School Video Game Technology?

Are you a video gamer who yearns for the good old days of 2D gaming? Buck up, my friend, as a new advancement in third-party game technology has extended the life of three classic systems: The original Nintendo, the Super Nintendo, and the Sega Genesis. I refer to the FC Twin, as well as some sister systems, all of which provide an inexpensive and advanced way to replace the old systems.

The initial FC Twin, launched in late 2006, features the ability to play your NES and SNES games all-in-one console. Later variations were released to bring the old-school controllers into the 21st century by adding a wireless component. In the past year, alternate versions (and knock-offs) of the FC Twin have been released, featuring different console lineups within the system. The most popular of these has been the NES/Sega Genesis combo, but an even cheaper NES only version has also been a top seller.

In addition to these console remakes, independent development (often referred to as garage development, in reference to the rudimentary means these developers have to create games) has allowed the library of these systems to grow once again, albeit at a snail's pace. Last year was a particularly banner year for the Sega Genesis. The once-cancelled RPG Beggar Prince was re-coded and brought back to life by Super Fighter Team. The game proved to be so popular, that a third line of production will open up in the coming months to combat sell-outs.

As much of an achievement as Beggar Prince was, another pending release for the Genesis promises to be more impressive. Pier Solar and the Great Architects, developed by members of the website Eidolon's Inn, is a made-from-scratch RPG that will clock in at 64MB, easily the largest cartridge ever released on Sega's 16-bit console. An official release has yet to be announced, but a demo is targeted for a release later this month.

With these games pending and the access to new and inexpensive hardware becoming more and more common, resurgence in old-school gaming seems possible. While it will never be practical for Sega or Nintendo to re-open the production of games for a decade-old system, independent development opens up myriad possibilities for new titles. Technology will only become cheaper and more accessible as time goes on, so get ready to dust off those cartridges—a renaissance is on its way.