Magical Vacation Lands on Switch... Well, Sort Of (Japan Only!)

Fun Fact: Did you know that the Konami Code began as a dev shortcut. Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A was created by Kazuhisa Hashimoto for testing Gradius and later popularized by Contra.

In today’s email:

• Magical Vacation Lands on Switch… Well, Sort Of (Japan Only!)

• Forsaken 64 Blasts Onto Switch Online—With Fire and Fury

• OutRun GB: Full Speed Ahead on Game Boy Color!

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Magical Vacation Lands on Switch… Well, Sort Of (Japan Only!)

A Whisper of GBA Magic

If you've been longing to soak up nostalgic GBA RPG vibes with a side of elemental mayhem, you’re in luck—sort of. Magical Vacation, the whimsical cult-classic developed by Brownie Brown (now 1‑UP Studio), is arriving on Nintendo Switch Online’s GBA Classics on September 4, 2025… but only in Japan for now.

From Arcane Origins to Switch Glory

Developed by the then-new studio Brownie Brown and originally launched in December 2001 exclusively in Japan, Magical Vacation never received an official Western release. Its lore-rich schools, quirky elemental system, and that dreamy Mana‑style art made it a hidden gem among aficionados—especially your favorite retro RPG and Nintendo history buffs.

Here’s What Makes It “Magic”

• Elemental Depth
  The RPG packs 16 distinct elements—including rare ones like Love, Dark, and Light—and a layered Spirit Combo system that multiplies the power of magic based on summoned spirits. Stack up to seven spirits and you’re talking 128× damage—just be wary of enemies that cancel all that buildup.

• Amigo Multiplayer Mechanics
  Swap characters, teach spells, trade elemental data—and even unlock hidden Light and Dark magic through repeated interactions via the GBA link-style Amigo System. Multiplayer was baked into the experience, making the game shine both solo and socially.

Launch Details & Regional Twist

• Release: September 4, 2025 (Japan only) via the Nintendo Classics: GBA app on Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.

• Access Requirements:

  • Must have active Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription.

  • Need a Japanese Nintendo account to access the local GBA Classics app.

• Multiplayer Modernized: Local and online multiplayer via Switch is supported—now updated for modern play.

Sure, fans outside Japan will have to jump through some account hoops—or just cross their fingers for a wider release down the line.

• Developer Debut — Magical Vacation marked the first title from Brownie Brown, co-founded by ex‑Square devs behind Legend of Mana.

• Release Journey:

  • GBA (Japan only): December 7, 2001.

  • Re‑release (Japan): 2006.

  • Fan‑made English patch: 2016.

  • Switch Online debut: September 4, 2025 (Japan only).

• Cult-RPG Mechanics — The Spirit Combo system allows massive damage scaling (max 128×) by stacking elemental spirits carefully.

• Elemental Artistry — Visuals and character design carry the soft, vibrant linework tradition of Mana series—playful, pastoral, and magical.

• Sequel You Might Know — Magical Starsign (2006, DS) was the only entry that officially reached Western audiences.

In Closing

Retro RPG fans, nostalgic souls, and Nintendo historians—dust off your account switching skills and get ready for a magical revisitation. Magical Vacation is a quirky dose of GBA RPG alchemy, now trapped behind the JP wall… at least for today. But who knows? Maybe your patience will be rewarded with a global release someday.

Forsaken 64 Blasts Onto Switch Online—With Fire and Fury

Ready your hovercrafts and dust off your split‑screen controllers: Forsaken 64 is rocketing onto the Nintendo Switch as part of the Nintendo Classics collection on September 4, 2025. A cult N64 FPS with a distinctive doom‑driven atmosphere, it's arriving in the “Mature 17+” app, officially joining the ranks of gritty legends like Perfect Dark and Turok—and it's here to reignite your nostalgia with futuristic weapons and merciless corridors.

Blast from the Past

Forsaken originally emerged in 1998, developed for the Nintendo 64 by Iguana UK and published by Acclaim—an ambitious, tech-driven FPS inspired by Descent, with 360° zero-gravity movement and a dystopian war-torn Earth. In the N64 version, your mission: pilot a hovercraft through labyrinthine tunnels, obliterate robotic foes and thwart rival scavengers.

Gameplay That Dishes Out Danger

Single‑player offers four escalating difficulty modes—from easy to the brutally named “Total Mayhem”—with 22 varied missions involving enemy elimination, timed runs, and secret branching paths depending on performance.

Multiplayer delivers frenetic deathmatches: up to four players (plus three AI) on N64 split‑screen, with modes like free‑for‑all, capture the flag, and bounty hunt.

Critics back then praised its impressive lighting and high‑octane design—N64 Magazine even called it “the best ‘serious’ N64 title since GoldenEye,” while shadowing Descent in flavor.

The 2025 Re-Entry

This fall, Forsaken 64 joins the Nintendo Classics: Mature (17+) app, accessible only to subscribers of Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. It’s the fifth such mature‑rated N64 title—alongside Perfect Dark, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, Turok 2: Seeds of Evil, and Shadow Man—segregated from Nintendo’s standard N64 app to keep it age‑appropriate.

As of September 4, 2025, it becomes the latest addition to the Expansion Pack's N64 library, visible under the Mature tag.

Region Notes & Access Requirements

• Availability: North America (and likely PAL regions) will get Forsaken 64 via the Mature app. Meanwhile, Japan is receiving a different title—Magical Vacation—for its GBA Classics library instead.

• Requirement: Active Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription required.

• Launch Time: It’s slated to go live on September 4, 2025—reports peg the drop around 9:00 PM Eastern.

Quick Notes

• Developer Roots: The N64 version was handled by Iguana UK, while the original game project started under Probe Entertainment and Acclaim for PC/PS.

• Remaster Notes: In 2018, Nightdive Studios remastered Forsaken using their KEX Engine.

• A Forgotten Sequel: Plans for a Forsaken 2 existed but were scrapped after Acclaim Studios Teesside shut down in 2002.

• An FPS Ahead of Its Time: Known for being bundled with PC hardware as a demo benchmark thanks to its graphics prowess.

• Unique Multiplayer: Unlike PC’s 16‑player cap, the N64 version supported 4 local players plus 3 CPU bots.

Sign-Off

So, retro shooters and N64 historians—clear your fall schedule, load up the expansion pack, and get ready for a wild descent through Forsaken 64’s tunnels. It’s not just a nostalgia trip; it’s a full-tilt plunge back into the gritty, adrenaline-pulsed sandbox of late-’90s FPS brilliance.

OutRun GB: Full Speed Ahead on Game Boy Color!

Rev those pixel engines and cue the synthesizers—OutRun GB, the unofficial Game Boy Color port of Sega’s 1986 arcade classic, has just dropped—and it’s completely free to play! Strap in for a compact yet full-throttle reimagining that squeezes every ounce of the original’s charm into the palm of your hand.

A Retro Makeover with Full Throttle Flair

Thanks to indie coder Shane McCafferty (aka Rocketship Park / @EGVroom), you can now blast through all the tracks, all the music, all the wind in your hair—just like the arcade original—on your Game Boy Color or Analogue Pocket. No half-measures here: complete routes, chip-tuned nostalgia, and the exhilaration of high-speed arcade runoff.

Development & Nostalgic Roots

McCafferty made his bones with retro-styled racers like Hero GP and other pixel-heavy homages, so taking a crack at OutRun was a natural next gear. His work weaves together rich history (Yu Suzuki’s original design and Hiroshi Kawaguchi’s iconic soundtrack) with modern-day DIY devotion (SloopyGoop’s Game Boy-friendly music magic).

Launch & Access Details

• Available Now: Released September 1, 2025 on itch.io—grab that GBC ROM or Analogue Pocket version for free.

• How to Play: Pop it into emulators like mGBA or run it on flash carts (EverDrive), or let it rumble on your Analogue Pocket.

• Region-Free & Global: No sneakiness here—this port is worldwide and entirely digital. No exclusive territories, no hoops to jump through.

The Real Deal Under the Hood

Crafting OutRun for the GBC (4 MHz CPU, 32 KB RAM, 160×144 palette) meant clever tricks. McCafferty used tile-swapping, sprite scaling by toggling sizes, and optimized code—possibly in assembly—to simulate the arcade’s depth and speed. And the audio? He delivered a faithful chiptune rendition, complete with that unforgettable Magical Sound Shower vibe.

• Developer: Rocketship Park (Shane McCafferty), also known for Cave Dave, Starseed, Hoonigans, Nitro, and Hero GP.

• Original Platform: 1986 arcade racer by Yu Suzuki, beloved for its sprite-scale visuals and high-speed sense of freedom.

• Soundtrack: Classic tracks from Hiroshi Kawaguchi, reinterpreted for GBC by “SloopyGoop” .

• First Glimpse: May 2025 demo called “What If OutRun,” featuring one stage, final music, and updated handling .

• Published: Official itch.io launch on September 1, 2025 (UTC timestamp) .

• Tagline Alert: “All the tracks – all the music – all the wind in your hair” — straight from the creator’s hype .

Start Your Engines

So what are you waiting for, retro racers? Crank up your Game Boy emulator or fire up that Analogue Pocket—OutRun GB is a thrill ride you can drop into right now, no strings attached. It’s a perfect blend of nostalgia and ingenuity, a fan-made love letter to an arcade legend.

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