Thomas Nickel
@tapirfortuna.bsky.social
Writer, teaching game design & history. M!- & book-author, occasional Retronaut and dabbling in localization. Also somewhat making games - http://coria.itch.io/coria! Fck nazis, fck bigots. he/him
Pinned
So many new people here! So... who am I and what do I do? Well, my name´s Thomas and I´ve been writing about games since the late 90s in English and German. I localized various cool games, supported and worked on a few projects and I´ve also been teaching game-design and history for many years now!
Reposted by Thomas Nickel
Good morning to Brazilian reporter Manuela Borges, who’s been waiting eleven years for this petty moment. ❤️ 🇧🇷
November 26, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Good morning to Brazilian reporter Manuela Borges, who’s been waiting eleven years for this petty moment. ❤️ 🇧🇷
Now THAT is a serious flashback... while browsing a retro-game-store this weekend, I came upon these stickers - off-model Sonic saying "Where is my Sega?"! This was #Sega 's german slogan around 1991/91 and I havent seen or thought of this in ages! Anyone remember this? Was it a Germany-only-thing?
November 26, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Now THAT is a serious flashback... while browsing a retro-game-store this weekend, I came upon these stickers - off-model Sonic saying "Where is my Sega?"! This was #Sega 's german slogan around 1991/91 and I havent seen or thought of this in ages! Anyone remember this? Was it a Germany-only-thing?
An update from my romance-game-elective: The tokimemo-meter is filling up - despite another try at sabotage from our one-sided arch-enemies. So far, Mio is most popular. We also had presentations of Dream Daddy, Amagami and Tokimeki Girls Side - things are going well!
November 25, 2025 at 6:51 PM
An update from my romance-game-elective: The tokimemo-meter is filling up - despite another try at sabotage from our one-sided arch-enemies. So far, Mio is most popular. We also had presentations of Dream Daddy, Amagami and Tokimeki Girls Side - things are going well!
Reposted by Thomas Nickel
Our upcoming game HORSES was preemptively banned from Steam, with no path to appeal. The game will still launch next week on December 2nd and will be available on EGS, GOG, Humble, and Itch for $4.99. Here is a detailed FAQ covering what happened: horses.wtf/BannedFromSt...
November 25, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Our upcoming game HORSES was preemptively banned from Steam, with no path to appeal. The game will still launch next week on December 2nd and will be available on EGS, GOG, Humble, and Itch for $4.99. Here is a detailed FAQ covering what happened: horses.wtf/BannedFromSt...
Reposted by Thomas Nickel
Companies ignore when their employees are harassed because standing up for them could affect their bottom line, because a sect of gamers cherish harassing those they deem other. Ignoring that behavior and then caving to their obscene demands keeps the industry firmly in their claws.
For @aftermath.site, I spoke to @imodrew.bsky.social, the Sucker Punch dev fired after making a Charlie Kirk joke.
She paints a picture of an industry that all too often ignores bad actors until those bad actors threaten them financially.
aftermath.site/sucker-punch...
She paints a picture of an industry that all too often ignores bad actors until those bad actors threaten them financially.
aftermath.site/sucker-punch...
Two Months After Firing Over Charlie Kirk Comments, Ghost Of Yotei Dev Blames Harassment Campaign, Not ‘Bad Joke’
"I really don’t want this to happen to anyone else, because I feel like with the state of everything, it will absolutely happen to other people," says Drew Harrison
aftermath.site
November 24, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Companies ignore when their employees are harassed because standing up for them could affect their bottom line, because a sect of gamers cherish harassing those they deem other. Ignoring that behavior and then caving to their obscene demands keeps the industry firmly in their claws.
A rock-solid while back, I boulder-ed down with @stuartgipp.bsky.social and @dark1x.bsky.social to chip away at various Flintstones games. It was a stony conversation full of gravel-icious insights! Are we the modern stone age podcast and a page right out of history? Well, we had a gay old time!
One week early for our Patreon subscribers: @stuartgipp.bsky.social @dark1x.bsky.social & @tapirfortuna.bsky.social take things ALL the way back to prehistoric times (talk about retro!) for a conversation about The Flintstones
Sign up & listen here: www.patreon.com/posts/144258...
Sign up & listen here: www.patreon.com/posts/144258...
November 24, 2025 at 12:43 PM
A rock-solid while back, I boulder-ed down with @stuartgipp.bsky.social and @dark1x.bsky.social to chip away at various Flintstones games. It was a stony conversation full of gravel-icious insights! Are we the modern stone age podcast and a page right out of history? Well, we had a gay old time!
My mind is blown: For my dating-elective, I gave my students the task to play Tokimeki Memorial (patched SuFami-version) and now I got this - one of this wonderful people absolutely crushed the game and got a confession from Shiori on their first try! Absolutely amazing!
November 23, 2025 at 2:19 PM
My mind is blown: For my dating-elective, I gave my students the task to play Tokimeki Memorial (patched SuFami-version) and now I got this - one of this wonderful people absolutely crushed the game and got a confession from Shiori on their first try! Absolutely amazing!
20 years of Xbox 360 - that was the one Xbox I really liked. I didn't get one right away; Capcom's Lost Planet finally convinced me to take the plunge. And yes, the first years were amazing. Lots of interesting, impressive games from western and japanese developers,.the beginning of Indie...
November 22, 2025 at 11:34 PM
20 years of Xbox 360 - that was the one Xbox I really liked. I didn't get one right away; Capcom's Lost Planet finally convinced me to take the plunge. And yes, the first years were amazing. Lots of interesting, impressive games from western and japanese developers,.the beginning of Indie...
Reposted by Thomas Nickel
Good old Woz. Good for him.
November 21, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Good old Woz. Good for him.
Reposted by Thomas Nickel
It's the weekend, and if you're looking for a little relaxation, then my new article on wholesome games might be just the right thing for you. In the first part, I described the usual classics; here, I'll be talking about games that might only seem suitable at second glance. Enjoy reading!
Heartwarming and soothing – Wholesome Games Part Two – HAPPY SUMO
happy-sumo.de
November 22, 2025 at 10:27 AM
It's the weekend, and if you're looking for a little relaxation, then my new article on wholesome games might be just the right thing for you. In the first part, I described the usual classics; here, I'll be talking about games that might only seem suitable at second glance. Enjoy reading!
For #randomgamesaturday, it's Linkle Liver Story for Saturn! It not only has an amazing title, its story is also quite interesting: It started out as a sequel to Ragnacenty/Soleil, but in the end became its own game. I quite like the 2D/3D-mix, it's a bit of a pity though that it only runs in 30fps.
November 22, 2025 at 9:06 AM
For #randomgamesaturday, it's Linkle Liver Story for Saturn! It not only has an amazing title, its story is also quite interesting: It started out as a sequel to Ragnacenty/Soleil, but in the end became its own game. I quite like the 2D/3D-mix, it's a bit of a pity though that it only runs in 30fps.
Reposted by Thomas Nickel
THEY ADDED NEW GARBAGE reblog to save a life
November 21, 2025 at 7:00 PM
THEY ADDED NEW GARBAGE reblog to save a life
Seriously, do NOT sleep on this game! It's a true hidden gem!
This Way Madness Lies is a great game and barely anybody bought it. It should be played by more people. If everybody here on @bsky.app banded together and bought a Steam copy and played it, well, that'd be a miracle and I would be forever grateful.
store.steampowered.com/app/1318970/...
store.steampowered.com/app/1318970/...
November 21, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Seriously, do NOT sleep on this game! It's a true hidden gem!
Happy 35th birthday to the Super Famicom of course - but let's not forget about another birthday: 35 years ago today, Sega's Castle of Illusion was released in Japan. This game kicked off Segas amazing run of Disney-games and showed that Sega really can do amazing console-style platformers!
November 21, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Happy 35th birthday to the Super Famicom of course - but let's not forget about another birthday: 35 years ago today, Sega's Castle of Illusion was released in Japan. This game kicked off Segas amazing run of Disney-games and showed that Sega really can do amazing console-style platformers!
University today was quite stressful. After a bit of decompression while driving home, I had a new record in the mail: Mariya Takeuchi's "University Street" from 1979. @megamatttv.bsky.social recommended it for a friend last year and now I have my own. Perfect to enjoy on an evening like this.
November 20, 2025 at 6:35 PM
University today was quite stressful. After a bit of decompression while driving home, I had a new record in the mail: Mariya Takeuchi's "University Street" from 1979. @megamatttv.bsky.social recommended it for a friend last year and now I have my own. Perfect to enjoy on an evening like this.
Reposted by Thomas Nickel
Demonschool: Is OUT. It's out. Finally it is out. We hope you enjoy it.
store.steampowered.com/app/1900250/...
store.playstation.com/en-us/concep...
www.nintendo.com/us/store/pro...
store.steampowered.com/app/1900250/...
store.playstation.com/en-us/concep...
www.nintendo.com/us/store/pro...
November 19, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Demonschool: Is OUT. It's out. Finally it is out. We hope you enjoy it.
store.steampowered.com/app/1900250/...
store.playstation.com/en-us/concep...
www.nintendo.com/us/store/pro...
store.steampowered.com/app/1900250/...
store.playstation.com/en-us/concep...
www.nintendo.com/us/store/pro...
Finally Demonschool is out and first impressions are excellent! The game is incredibly stylish, battles are fast and clever and it moves at a wonderfully clippy pace! I can't wait to find out more about Hemst Island!
November 19, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Finally Demonschool is out and first impressions are excellent! The game is incredibly stylish, battles are fast and clever and it moves at a wonderfully clippy pace! I can't wait to find out more about Hemst Island!
Capcom's Auto Modellista on a CRT - the japanese original without the revamped driving-physics. This game really has some insane aesthetics!
November 18, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Capcom's Auto Modellista on a CRT - the japanese original without the revamped driving-physics. This game really has some insane aesthetics!
This weekend was a veritable retrobörse-smorgasboard. First in Heusenstamm, then in Kelkheim. Both were quite okay. Nothing sensational, but a few quite cromulent gets. Also, it´s always fun to visit those with @dark1x.bsky.social, @pc98audi.bsky.social and @tomsx.bsky.social! So what did I get..?
November 17, 2025 at 3:41 PM
This weekend was a veritable retrobörse-smorgasboard. First in Heusenstamm, then in Kelkheim. Both were quite okay. Nothing sensational, but a few quite cromulent gets. Also, it´s always fun to visit those with @dark1x.bsky.social, @pc98audi.bsky.social and @tomsx.bsky.social! So what did I get..?
13 years ago, I received my Wii U alongside New Super Mario Bros. U and Nintendo Land a few weeks ahead of the launch, the next day Zombi U and the Rabbids showed up. Seeing Nintendo games in HD for the first time was pretty amazing. The system is still connected to my TV today!
November 17, 2025 at 8:05 AM
13 years ago, I received my Wii U alongside New Super Mario Bros. U and Nintendo Land a few weeks ahead of the launch, the next day Zombi U and the Rabbids showed up. Seeing Nintendo games in HD for the first time was pretty amazing. The system is still connected to my TV today!
A visual statement on the absolute misery of shopping at German Media Markt. The employees ripped of every game's price-sticker - now customers have to check the website or ask an employee about prices because they "change every hour". Guys. It's an electronics store, not a fucking gas-station.
November 16, 2025 at 7:59 AM
A visual statement on the absolute misery of shopping at German Media Markt. The employees ripped of every game's price-sticker - now customers have to check the website or ask an employee about prices because they "change every hour". Guys. It's an electronics store, not a fucking gas-station.
20 years ago, Dragon Quest found its modern western identity: Dragon Quest VIII finally kept its original name, went with a wonderfully british dub, orchestral music and a beautifully reworked interface - an amazing adventure that set the tone for most that came after. Also: Yangus was awesome!!
November 15, 2025 at 8:18 AM
20 years ago, Dragon Quest found its modern western identity: Dragon Quest VIII finally kept its original name, went with a wonderfully british dub, orchestral music and a beautifully reworked interface - an amazing adventure that set the tone for most that came after. Also: Yangus was awesome!!
Of course - slop begets slop.
Whereas we've seen AI cause outrage in PC and console games, it's far more accepted in mobile. "I think in the free-to-play world, it's not so much of a topic," says InnoGames chairman Hendrik Klindworth. "We are positive about the opportunities of AI."
www.gamesindustry.biz/in-the-mirro...
www.gamesindustry.biz/in-the-mirro...
In the mirror world of mobile, AI outrage is remarkably absent
InnoGames chairman Hendrik Klindworth explains why the mobile firm is "positive about the opportunities of AI" – and why casual gamers are more accepting of it
www.gamesindustry.biz
November 14, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Of course - slop begets slop.
I turned on an Xbox 360 console again today after a long, long time to check if DOAX2 still works - this is also part of my elective on games and dating. The 360 WAS a rather nice hardware, even though MS dropped the ball HARD after the first fantastic years.
November 13, 2025 at 2:59 PM
I turned on an Xbox 360 console again today after a long, long time to check if DOAX2 still works - this is also part of my elective on games and dating. The 360 WAS a rather nice hardware, even though MS dropped the ball HARD after the first fantastic years.