From the Jungle to Delta: Celebrating Snake Eater’s Anniversary and Looking Ahead

Fun Fact: The longest video game marathon on a single game lasted 35 hours and 35 minutes, achieved by Okan Kaya playing Call of Duty: Black Ops II.

In today’s email:

• MagicX Zero 40 Brings Dual-Screen Emulation for Just $75!

• From the Jungle to Delta: Celebrating Snake Eater’s Anniversary and Looking Ahead

• Rise of the Robots: The Genesis Hype That Crashed and Burned

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MagicX Zero 40 Brings Dual-Screen Emulation for Just $75!

MagicX is gearing up to change the DS emulation game with the Zero 40 – a $75, dual-screen-style handheld that stacks both Nintendo DS displays on a single, vertical IPS panel. It officially launches on June 17th, offering a 4.5-inch 480×800 touchscreen, an Allwinner A133P chipset, 2 GB of RAM, and a 4,300 mAh battery good for roughly 4–7 hours of playtime. Running Android and powered by the DraStic emulator, it promises authentic DS performance at a fraction of the price of high-end devices like the AYANEO Flip DS. At launch, you’ll be able to pick it up in black or white, with more colors planned down the road.

Why the Zero 40 Matters

The original DS is legendary—but dual screens and a touchscreen make emulation tricky. Maybe you’ve tried the AYANEO Flip DS, only to balk at its near-$1,000 price tag. The Zero 40 fixes that.

It’s dedicated. No more juggling display windows or third-party software hacks. The Zero 40’s form factor echoes Nintendo’s 2DS approach: a single slab that looks like a clamshell, but displays both screens in one continuous view.

It’s affordable. At $75, it undercuts competitors by hundreds—perfect for budget-minded retro fans.

It’s focused. While it can emulate N64, PSP, and Dreamcast, DS is its raison d’être. That specialization could make it the go-to for DS die-hards.

Design & Specs at a Glance

• Display: 4.5″ portrait IPS, 480×800 resolution – stacks screens top to bottom, just like the DS Lite’s 2DS sibling.

• Processor: Allwinner A133P chipset – balances cost and emulation muscle.

• Memory: 2 GB DDR4 RAM – enough to keep games running smoothly.

• Battery: 4,000–4,300 mAh – expect 4–7 hours per charge depending on workload.

• OS & Emulator: Android (likely v10) with DraStic for DS titles – the go-to emulator for accuracy.

• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, touchscreen, vibration motor – standard handheld fare.

Colours & Build

At launch, choose between sleek black or crisp white, with more hues slated to follow. The matte finish and rounded edges give it a modern vibe, while the button layout stays true to Nintendo’s DS lineage.

Emulation Performance: What to Expect

DraStic on Android can handle most DS titles flawlessly. Sure, a few edge-case games might hiccup, but core classics—Pokémon, Mario Kart DS, The World Ends with You—should run at full speed.

• Screen stacking feels more natural than toggling views on other handhelds.

• Controls: D-pad, face buttons, single analog nub – covers everything DS threw at us.

• Audio: Stereo speakers deliver clear sound, though consider headphones for longer sessions.

Availability & Pricing

• Launch Date: June 17, 2025.

• Price: $75 USD (rumours say this could flex, but early signs point to a firm entry-level tag).

• Where to Buy: MagicX’s official store and select retro handheld retailers. Pre-orders should open soon – keep an eye on their Discord and social channels.

Should You Wait for Reviews?

Maybe. Early hands-ons and full reviews are still pending, but the specs line up solidly for DS emulation. Retro handheld veterans know to temper hype, but if zero-delay DS play at $75 sounds good, the Zero 40 deserves your eye.

Ready to relive the DS era without breaking the bank? June 17th can’t come soon enough. Until then, start digging through your DS backlog—Persona Q awaits.

From the Jungle to Delta: Celebrating Snake Eater’s Anniversary and Looking Ahead

1) Happy 21st, Snake Eater!
Today, May 28, marks 21 years since Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater transformed stealth gaming on PS2. It introduced us to Naked Snake’s jungle warfare, the iconic CQC system, and that unforgettable Bond-style opening theme—elements that defined a generation of gamers.

2) Why Snake Eater Still Matters
Remember sneaking past Volgin’s electric traps? Or carefully camouflaging against that lush Soviet forest? Snake Eater wasn’t just another sequel—it was a prequel that deepened the franchise’s lore.

• Camouflage system: Blending into environments felt revolutionary.

• Close-quarters combat: CQC set the bar for interactive stealth takedowns.

• Emotional storytelling: The bond between Snake and The Boss still hits hard.

3) Enter Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater
Konami’s upcoming remake, Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater—officially titled “Delta”—reimagines the 2004 classic in Unreal Engine 5. Expect:

• Stunning 4K visuals and updated animations

• “New Style” and “Legacy Style” control schemes

• Return of Snake vs. Monkey, plus a Bomberman crossover on Xbox

Release Date: August 28, 2025 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

4) What to Watch and Pre-Order
A fresh trailer just dropped, reworking that James Bond intro for a modern audience. Pre-orders are live now, with Deluxe and Collector’s Editions offering early access, artbooks, and more.

5) Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It
What’s your favorite Snake Eater moment? A mid-mission snack break? The showdown with The End? Hit reply and let us know! Then gear up for Delta—because the legend of Big Boss is about to get its most cinematic retelling yet.

Rise of the Robots: The Genesis Hype That Crashed and Burned

Here’s a deep dive into why Rise of the Robots on Genesis went from one of the most hyped fighting titles of the mid-’90s to an overblown disappointment.

Executive Summary

Rise of the Robots was marketed as a cutting-edge fighter featuring state-of-the-art pre-rendered graphics and an unprecedented A.I. engine. The inclusion of Brian May tracks and promises of “Street Fighter–beating” gameplay built massive anticipation. In reality, the game delivered clunky controls, painfully limited move sets, and choppy animation that undercut every visual achievement. Critics savaged it—some scores fell as low as 5/100—and it quickly became shorthand for hype that outpaced substance. Today it stands as a cautionary tale of how flashy screenshots can mask broken mechanics.

Hype and Marketing

The development team touted “a high level of A.I. never seen in other fighters,” suggesting opponents would learn and adapt dynamically.
Pre-rendered character models were showcased in magazines as proof that the Mega Drive was capable of near-PC visuals.
Brian May of Queen was contracted to record tracks “The Dark” and “Resurrection,” lending rock-star cachet to the release.
Marketing materials claimed the game would redefine the genre—some even called it a “technological leap”.

Gameplay Shortcomings

Despite the slick visuals, each fighter had only a handful of moves, leading to repetitive, one-button brawling.
Animation choppiness frequently broke the illusion of fluid combat, making inputs feel disconnected from on-screen action.
Controls were famously unresponsive; basic kicks and punches were hard to execute reliably.
Sprite overload on the handheld ports revealed the flaw of the art-first approach—some conversions could barely render a single robot smoothly.

Critical Reception

Early reviews were brutal: one GameFAQs critic called it “a true disaster” that “failed in each and every one of the aspects it promoted”.
Scores as low as 5/100 were common; magazines that gave it lukewarm praise lost reader trust overnight.
Players on forums and retro communities still rant about being duped by box-art glamour—“Don’t be tricked by the graphics and the hype” remains a running joke.
A Next Generation retrospective called it “one of the biggest disappointments of the year,” noting that nothing could both look so good and play so poorly.

Legacy and Retrospective

By the late ’90s, Rise of the Robots was frequently cited as a prime example of hype gone wrong.
In 2014, GamesRadar ranked it among the 100 worst games ever made, citing “aged” graphics, poor balance, and nonexistent combo systems.
Even Mirage’s own director admitted that expectations “no game could fulfill” were set far too high.
Today it persists as a cautionary tale: if screenshots shine brighter than the code you ship, players will notice—and remember.

Key takeaway: flashy tech demos can’t replace fun mechanics. Rise of the Robots looks impressive… until you actually play it.

We hope you tune back in for our next issue, where we'll dive deep into more retro gaming news!