Nick Thorpe
@hkt3030.neocities.org
Struggling to pass as human since the mid-80s. Not fussy about my pronouns. Features editor at @retrogamermag.bsky.social with occasional bylines elsewhere. https://hkt3030.neocities.org/
Pinned
Nick Thorpe
@hkt3030.neocities.org
· Oct 17
Wow, hello new followers! If you don't know me from elsewhere, I tend to post about this stuff:
- Games, often old ones
- Retro Gamer
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Wrestling, usually AEW
- Heavy music
- Anime, often old ones
- Funny little anecdotes
- A little politics (sorry, I do try to keep it minimal)
- Games, often old ones
- Retro Gamer
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Wrestling, usually AEW
- Heavy music
- Anime, often old ones
- Funny little anecdotes
- A little politics (sorry, I do try to keep it minimal)
There are two cheat codes listed for Pac-Mania on the Mega Drive. One offers an expanded level select, allowing you to choose any stage in the game. The other is listed everywhere as having an unknown effect - a noise plays when you enter the code, but the effect isn't clear. It's driving me crazy.
November 28, 2025 at 12:40 PM
There are two cheat codes listed for Pac-Mania on the Mega Drive. One offers an expanded level select, allowing you to choose any stage in the game. The other is listed everywhere as having an unknown effect - a noise plays when you enter the code, but the effect isn't clear. It's driving me crazy.
You thought I’d forget Dreamcast day? Tish and fipsy.
Here’s something I meant to repost weeks ago and, uh, didn’t. Anyway, Border Down was the first game I ever imported myself, and I also hope it comes to modern platforms so people can own it without having to spend silly money.
Here’s something I meant to repost weeks ago and, uh, didn’t. Anyway, Border Down was the first game I ever imported myself, and I also hope it comes to modern platforms so people can own it without having to spend silly money.
November 27, 2025 at 11:15 PM
You thought I’d forget Dreamcast day? Tish and fipsy.
Here’s something I meant to repost weeks ago and, uh, didn’t. Anyway, Border Down was the first game I ever imported myself, and I also hope it comes to modern platforms so people can own it without having to spend silly money.
Here’s something I meant to repost weeks ago and, uh, didn’t. Anyway, Border Down was the first game I ever imported myself, and I also hope it comes to modern platforms so people can own it without having to spend silly money.
Introduce yourself with five concerts you've seen.
Fear Factory
Black Stone Cherry
Babymetal
FEMM
Pete & Bas
Fear Factory
Black Stone Cherry
Babymetal
FEMM
Pete & Bas
Introduce yourself with five concerts you've seen.
The Mad Capsule Markets
Nightwish
Killswitch Engage
Linkin Park
Karen Dió (most recent!)
The Mad Capsule Markets
Nightwish
Killswitch Engage
Linkin Park
Karen Dió (most recent!)
Introduce yourself with five concerts you've seen.
Hot Snakes
The Fall
Evanescence
Within Temptation
Epic Rap Battles of History
Hot Snakes
The Fall
Evanescence
Within Temptation
Epic Rap Battles of History
November 27, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Introduce yourself with five concerts you've seen.
Fear Factory
Black Stone Cherry
Babymetal
FEMM
Pete & Bas
Fear Factory
Black Stone Cherry
Babymetal
FEMM
Pete & Bas
I just caught that this arcade bar is the work of Paul “Otaking” Johnson, who regularly appeared in the letters pages of Mean Machines Sega and Sega Magazine back in the 90s. Last I saw, he was doing animations with an 80s anime throwback style. Crazy stuff!
77077 updated earlier this month and I didn't even notice cuz the last time I was there I didn't get beyond Blockbuster... the machines that got details look incredible!
November 27, 2025 at 9:39 PM
I just caught that this arcade bar is the work of Paul “Otaking” Johnson, who regularly appeared in the letters pages of Mean Machines Sega and Sega Magazine back in the 90s. Last I saw, he was doing animations with an 80s anime throwback style. Crazy stuff!
When you see this, post an image from your gallery to describe your mental health
November 27, 2025 at 9:25 AM
When you see this, post an image from your gallery to describe your mental health
I’m the kind of wrestling fan who actually used to watch Velocity. It was essential if you ever wanted to see the cruiserweight wrestlers not named Mysterio.
November 26, 2025 at 10:50 PM
I’m the kind of wrestling fan who actually used to watch Velocity. It was essential if you ever wanted to see the cruiserweight wrestlers not named Mysterio.
Reposted by Nick Thorpe
The training/socialization of men starts instantly and goes hard. Everything you might like is too gay, too feminine. You are required to hate yourself for being insufficiently masculine, to blame others for that feeling, and to hate everyone who doesn't "respect" your manliness.
November 26, 2025 at 3:15 PM
The training/socialization of men starts instantly and goes hard. Everything you might like is too gay, too feminine. You are required to hate yourself for being insufficiently masculine, to blame others for that feeling, and to hate everyone who doesn't "respect" your manliness.
Looking at more VHS recordings. Here’s WWF Vengeance 2001, the first PPV after the Invasion story concluded. This Matt vs Jeff Hardy match didn’t do much for me then or now – honestly, I don’t think they were good opponents outside of the Final Deletion. People didn’t want to see them fight, either.
November 26, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Looking at more VHS recordings. Here’s WWF Vengeance 2001, the first PPV after the Invasion story concluded. This Matt vs Jeff Hardy match didn’t do much for me then or now – honestly, I don’t think they were good opponents outside of the Final Deletion. People didn’t want to see them fight, either.
I took risks with my motion sickness because the Xbox 360 feature wouldn’t have been complete without screenshots of Bioshock and Halo 3. Please encourage further acts of bravery/stupidity by buying this issue of Retro Gamer.
The new issue of Retro Gamer is on sale and celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Xbox 360. It also features an amazing calendar covering 40 years of Super Mario Bros. Buy it in shops now!
www.magazinesdirect.com/uk/retro-gam...
www.magazinesdirect.com/uk/retro-gam...
November 26, 2025 at 1:28 PM
I took risks with my motion sickness because the Xbox 360 feature wouldn’t have been complete without screenshots of Bioshock and Halo 3. Please encourage further acts of bravery/stupidity by buying this issue of Retro Gamer.
A special No Thanks to the postie who almost certainly lied, saying that they tried to deliver my post but found nobody in. People have been in all day and the package is a single DVD that doesn’t need to be signed for, it should fit through the door no problem. I know things are busy now but c’mon.
November 25, 2025 at 8:17 PM
A special No Thanks to the postie who almost certainly lied, saying that they tried to deliver my post but found nobody in. People have been in all day and the package is a single DVD that doesn’t need to be signed for, it should fit through the door no problem. I know things are busy now but c’mon.
I'll never forget the Gizmondo booth at Game Stars Live 2004. It had an "under construction" theme, and there was playable hardware - but for some reason, the PR people had it hidden away! You had to chat to them for a good while to play it. Even back then, it all felt weird - how little we knew…
November 25, 2025 at 4:19 PM
I'll never forget the Gizmondo booth at Game Stars Live 2004. It had an "under construction" theme, and there was playable hardware - but for some reason, the PR people had it hidden away! You had to chat to them for a good while to play it. Even back then, it all felt weird - how little we knew…
Huh, it’s been nearly a decade since NXT Takeover London. As someone who was there, it was a great time even though it wasn’t the most consequential of events. I feel like it’s probably worth writing something about that show – there’s definitely a legacy to discuss, both positive and negative.
November 25, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Huh, it’s been nearly a decade since NXT Takeover London. As someone who was there, it was a great time even though it wasn’t the most consequential of events. I feel like it’s probably worth writing something about that show – there’s definitely a legacy to discuss, both positive and negative.
Today marks 10 years since I first ate a chili dog. You’d think I would have tried one a lot sooner than 2015, being a Sonic fan and all that, but no.
Also, 12 years on Retro Gamer today. Back when I started, Xbox 360 games were still coming out regularly. Now the console is on the cover. I’m old.
Also, 12 years on Retro Gamer today. Back when I started, Xbox 360 games were still coming out regularly. Now the console is on the cover. I’m old.
November 25, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Today marks 10 years since I first ate a chili dog. You’d think I would have tried one a lot sooner than 2015, being a Sonic fan and all that, but no.
Also, 12 years on Retro Gamer today. Back when I started, Xbox 360 games were still coming out regularly. Now the console is on the cover. I’m old.
Also, 12 years on Retro Gamer today. Back when I started, Xbox 360 games were still coming out regularly. Now the console is on the cover. I’m old.
Reposted by Nick Thorpe
are you a bad enough dude to spend $5 on yu suzuki's apple arcade space harrier successor
Save 80% on Air Twister on Steam
Take flight with Air Twister - the new all-out rail shooter by legendary arcade developer Yu Suzuki! Similar to Suzuki’s massively successful Space Harrier series, you will encounter a large array of ...
store.steampowered.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:56 PM
are you a bad enough dude to spend $5 on yu suzuki's apple arcade space harrier successor
In the arcade version of Border Down, birds take flight alongside your ship in stage 1. They’re missing on the Dreamcast – they were intentionally removed from Remix mode to differentiate it, but were accidentally removed from Arcade mode too. It slipped through because devs were focused on Remix.
i was going through my X archives and found this by @superpodsaga.com, which I qrt'd at some point years ago
so, let me bring the question back: what is the most useless piece of video game knowledge you know?
so, let me bring the question back: what is the most useless piece of video game knowledge you know?
November 24, 2025 at 1:00 PM
In the arcade version of Border Down, birds take flight alongside your ship in stage 1. They’re missing on the Dreamcast – they were intentionally removed from Remix mode to differentiate it, but were accidentally removed from Arcade mode too. It slipped through because devs were focused on Remix.
Got recommended this YouTube video earlier. Only British kids remember the N64? Toxic "we were the last to really live" nonsense? All from a channel called Dear Old Blighty that cranks out a video like this every day and a half? Ugh. I really can't stand this kind of nostalgia slop.
November 23, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Got recommended this YouTube video earlier. Only British kids remember the N64? Toxic "we were the last to really live" nonsense? All from a channel called Dear Old Blighty that cranks out a video like this every day and a half? Ugh. I really can't stand this kind of nostalgia slop.
November 23, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Settling down for an afternoon sleep, but I’m pretty sure staying up for Full Gear was worth it.
November 23, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Settling down for an afternoon sleep, but I’m pretty sure staying up for Full Gear was worth it.
I do love it when AEW does the pre-show influencer match and the kid gets attacked, because I’m a jerk.
November 23, 2025 at 12:43 AM
I do love it when AEW does the pre-show influencer match and the kid gets attacked, because I’m a jerk.
I won the Dreamcast Internet Guide from GamesMaster magazine, from which I learned HTML. English gaming publications ignored the DC games coming from Japan after the console was discontinued, so I made a website to review them myself. I was a bad writer back then, but I have improved slightly since.
November 22, 2025 at 11:57 PM
I won the Dreamcast Internet Guide from GamesMaster magazine, from which I learned HTML. English gaming publications ignored the DC games coming from Japan after the console was discontinued, so I made a website to review them myself. I was a bad writer back then, but I have improved slightly since.
Nice to see the government freezing prices, rather than pensioners.
Rail fares to be frozen in England next year
Regulated fares, which include season tickets and off-peak returns, will not see annual price rises for the first time in 30 years, the government announces.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 22, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Nice to see the government freezing prices, rather than pensioners.
Reposted by Nick Thorpe
Yo it's probably way too early to show anything, but since I've been playing a lot of 8-bit platformers recently, I thought I'd mess around and, well.
#screenshotsaturday #indiegames #gamedev
#screenshotsaturday #indiegames #gamedev
November 22, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Yo it's probably way too early to show anything, but since I've been playing a lot of 8-bit platformers recently, I thought I'd mess around and, well.
#screenshotsaturday #indiegames #gamedev
#screenshotsaturday #indiegames #gamedev
Hey, it’s random game Saturday!
Here is NieR: Automata, which I’ve clearly never played before as it’s still sealed in the photo. I have a bad habit of calling it NieR: Automato. I’ve now opened it and the game is currently installing, so I’ll soon get to see if it’s my sort of thing.
Here is NieR: Automata, which I’ve clearly never played before as it’s still sealed in the photo. I have a bad habit of calling it NieR: Automato. I’ve now opened it and the game is currently installing, so I’ll soon get to see if it’s my sort of thing.
November 22, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Hey, it’s random game Saturday!
Here is NieR: Automata, which I’ve clearly never played before as it’s still sealed in the photo. I have a bad habit of calling it NieR: Automato. I’ve now opened it and the game is currently installing, so I’ll soon get to see if it’s my sort of thing.
Here is NieR: Automata, which I’ve clearly never played before as it’s still sealed in the photo. I have a bad habit of calling it NieR: Automato. I’ve now opened it and the game is currently installing, so I’ll soon get to see if it’s my sort of thing.
I moved back to my home town five years ago, and I have less friends locally now than I did as a bullied teenager, which is quite funny in a way.
I need to organise some kind of gaming meet thing. Get some use out of stuff like my Taiko no Tatsujin drums, or get a Mario Kart Double Dash LAN set up.
I need to organise some kind of gaming meet thing. Get some use out of stuff like my Taiko no Tatsujin drums, or get a Mario Kart Double Dash LAN set up.
November 22, 2025 at 1:18 AM
I moved back to my home town five years ago, and I have less friends locally now than I did as a bullied teenager, which is quite funny in a way.
I need to organise some kind of gaming meet thing. Get some use out of stuff like my Taiko no Tatsujin drums, or get a Mario Kart Double Dash LAN set up.
I need to organise some kind of gaming meet thing. Get some use out of stuff like my Taiko no Tatsujin drums, or get a Mario Kart Double Dash LAN set up.
A text back? Texts were 10p a go, we got on MSN Messenger (well, Trillian if you were like me and needed to combine AIM, MSN and maybe more)
November 21, 2025 at 11:39 PM
A text back? Texts were 10p a go, we got on MSN Messenger (well, Trillian if you were like me and needed to combine AIM, MSN and maybe more)