GAMES. COLLECTIBLES. BAD DECISIONS.
Keep Joking Joystick in your feed.Choose us as a preferred source on Google.
Add as a Preferred Source on Google
Sega’s Visual Memory Unit turned Dreamcast storage into something players could see, hear and use away from the television. Its monochrome screen, buttons, speaker and standalone software made it unusually ambitious, while limited memory, batteries and uneven developer support exposed the difficulty of making a memory card into a platform.
A marketplace rating is a starting point, not proof that a retro game is authentic, complete or functional. Learn how to weigh feedback volume, recency, category experience, packing complaints, listing evidence, compatibility and buyer protection before purchasing Nintendo 64 cartridges, PlayStation 2 discs or Nintendo DS games.
The PlayStation 2 Network Adapter helped turn Sony’s best-selling console into a serious online platform. Its Ethernet port, regional modem variants, publisher-run servers and unusual hard-drive partnerships reveal both the ambition and the limits of early console networking, from SOCOM clans to Final Fantasy XI’s long-lived virtual world.
Swipe or scroll the featured stories to find your next read.
Explore the histories, hardware deep dives and collecting stories that deserve more than a passing glance.
Swipe or scroll for more original stories.
Gears of War: E-Day makes its return count. Its doomed-city campaign gives the action real tension, while exploration, mods, tactical abilities, and varied multiplayer modes broaden the formula without losing its weighty identity. Underdeveloped early characterization for Lucas and uneven social matchmaking are clear weak spots, but Kalona’s fall remains a compelling setting for a confident revival.
End of Abyss makes its abandoned facility the star: a cold, interconnected maze where scanning, shortcuts, optional weapons, and ammunition choices sustain a compelling sense of discovery. Its boss fights can turn resource pressure into tiresome grinding, while bugs affecting maps, doors, collision, and bounds remain a serious concern. For patient survival-horror explorers, its atmosphere and level design make the descent worthwhile despite those caveats.
A compelling racing roguelite whose tournament builds and vehicle variety make repeated runs worthwhile. It demands patience with hard-to-read courses and frustrating mandatory podracer events, but its depth and mode selection give it considerable staying power.
Games, consoles, collector notes, and the details worth knowing before your next find.
Enter the guideFor the things that don’t belong on the back of the box.
More questionable takesPearl Abyss Europe CEO Lybee Park argues that deadline-bound critics had less opportunity to find Crimson Desert’s strongest exploratory moments. The argument raises a bigger question: how should reviews account for games that change substantially after launch?
Nothing Ear (3) wireless earbuds are listed at $99, down from $149. The notable gaming-relevant features are a low-lag mode, dual Bluetooth connections, adaptive ANC and a charging-case microphone.
A harsh wilderness thriller with compellingly stripped-down action and a committed Ethan Hawke performance. Its overlong opening, predictable structure and unevenly developed crew keep its emotional burden from landing as heavily as intended.
A promising psychological-thriller setup and committed lead performances are undermined by meandering pacing and a final act that fails to make the long buildup feel worthwhile.
An audacious but frustrating disaster epic: Tom Cruise and the film’s formidable visual craft supply reasons to watch, while thin characterisation, an unsteady meta device and hectoring themes keep its scale from becoming emotionally involving.
