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If you’ve been on the Internet for any time at all, you’re probably aware that you can repurpose an old PC into an at-home server or NAS, which is shorthand for network attached storage. But when so many ready-made solutions exist, why would you? And how exactly do you turn an old PC into a NAS machine anyway? To help you get started and understand what you can do with your old PC to transform it to a NAS, we’ll go over all of that and more. Advantages of Using an Old PC as a NAS Server Purpose-built NAS solutions are great if you just want something quick and easy to use. But using an old PC as a NAS server offers a few advantages over a pre-built solution. It’s Cheaper – If you already have an old PC lying around, then of course it’s cheaper to use than a dedicated NAS solution. But even if you don’t, you can pick up an old workstation—like a Dell OptiPlex 9020—for dirt cheap. Then, just add software and drives (discussed below) and you’re done! Greater Flexibility – Repurposing an old PC to use as a NAS server allows you the modularity of a PC, both in terms of software and hardware. Want to add faster networking, a GPU for media transcoding, or additional SATA ports for more drives? Simply slot in an appropriate PCIe card. Plus, if you outgrow your old PC NAS solution, you can always build your own NAS/media server and bring over your PCIe cards to your new build. More Powerful – A pre-built NAS computer may be easier to set up, but they’re also less powerful. You don’t need a lot of CPU power to dole out files over your network, but if you also want to use something like Plex, you might find an old computer can handle the job better. For example, a Synology DS218+ might struggle to transcode on a Plex server, while an old OptiPlex 9020 (running a 4th-gen Intel processor) will handle the job with relative ease. Turning an Old PC Into a NAS Server If you want to turn an old PC into a NAS server, then you’ll need to figure out which operating system you want to use. And if you’re planning on installing a new operating system on the computer, you’ll also want to grab a flash drive for this part. Choosing Your NAS Operating System When it comes to choosing an operating system for a NAS server, you’ve got tons of choices. Since selecting an OS can be a deep rabbit hole, we’ll quickly go over a few of the more popular ones and cover some advantages and disadvantages of each one. Windows If you’re repurposing an old Windows machine, you may be happy to know that you can also use Windows for NAS purposes. You can set up the drives in the computer to be used as network drives or use third-party software like Resilio Sync to use the computer as a personal cloud. Read more: How to manage syncing across your Windows 10 devices The main advantage of Windows is that it’s easy to use. If you’re already acclimated to the Windows environment, then you won’t need to learn much to get your system up and running. And if your old PC already has Windows installed, you won’t even need to go through the trouble of setting it up (though a fresh install is certainly a good idea). However, for all of its ease of use, Windows is not nearly as robust of a system for NAS as other operating systems. It lacks software RAID functionality, and frequent bugs and updates can cause a bit more downtime than you’d like. Also, with all the telemetry and background tasks running, it isn’t as fast or efficient as the other NAS-centric OSes. OpenMediaVault One of the most simple and effective NAS operating systems is OpenMediaVault. Being Debian-based, it’s known as being one of the more beginner-friendly NAS operating systems and has an incredible range of hardware support. It’s also rather robust. Not only is it fairly capable out of the box, but it also has tons of official and third-party plugins available. In fact, the only real knock against it is that it might lack some support and polish that other NAS OSes have. UnRAID Another excellent choice for running your new old-PC-turned-NAS computer is UnRAID. Like OpenMediaVault, UnRAID is easy to set up and use, and works excellently as a NAS OS. In fact, there’s a ton of overlap between the two. One of the notable advantages of UnRAID is that it functions like a Just a Bunch of Disks (JBOD) system, in that it doesn’t stripe or mirror drives. Rather, it spreads files across drives with even parity and offers fault protection to guard against data loss. Unlike a standard RAID array, this makes adding disks to your NAS much easier, since you won’t need to add multiple drives at a time in order to increase your NAS capacity. Of course, there are some downsides to UnRAID compared to other alternatives. First, when drives are added to a standard RAID array, you usually see a performance increase. But with UnRAID, the additional overhead of adding a drive can actually cause a small performance hit. Other than performance issues, UnRAID does have a drive limit of 30 drives in a single instance. For most, this shouldn’t be an issue, but it is a limitation nonetheless. And finally, UnRAID is a paid operating system, so if you aren’t prepared to shell out money for an OS, then you might want to look elsewhere. TrueNAS If you’re looking for a powerful, fully-featured NAS OS, then you might consider TrueNAS. Formerly split between two versions (FreeNAS and TrueNAS), TrueNAS has rebranded itself and split into three editions: TrueNAS Core, TrueNAS Enterprise, and TrueNAS Scale. You can find a comparison between the three here. But to sum up the differences, TrueNAS Core and TrueNAS Scale are free, community-driven operating systems (with Scale also receiving professional support) that are hardware-agnostic. TrueNAS Enterprise, however, is a paid version limited to iXsystems hardware only. TrueNAS is a staple among NAS administrators, providing features like bit-rot detection and correction, multi-level encryption, and support for a range of cloud providers. TrueNAS also uses the OpenZFS file system, a powerful open-source file system that combines speed and protection against data corruption. Of course, TrueNAS isn’t completely without fault. Because it’s a more robust operating system than other NAS OSes, it does require more powerful hardware. And because TrueNAS Core is based on FreeBSD, it doesn’t have the widest range of hardware support (though TrueNAS Scale is based on Debian and may mitigate this issue). Optional Hardware Add-ons for PC to NAS Intel X520-DA1,10Gb PCI-E NIC Network Card As mentioned before, you can always upgrade your hardware to accommodate your needs. We’ll go over a few different types of hardware you can add to your old PC to help increase its functionality as a NAS server. Intel X520-DA1,10Gb PCI-E NIC Network Card PCIe Network Card Depending on your setup, your computer’s network interface could bottleneck the performance of your NAS, leading to slower file transfers and network streaming. By adding a faster PCIe network card, you can easily increase your NAS network throughput. Read more: NIC Cards: What Do They Do? PCIe to M.2 Adapter Card GLOTRENDS M.2 PCIe NVMe 4.0/3.0 Adapter If you have an older computer but want to take advantage of newer and faster storage technology, you can find PCIe to M.2 drive adapters. These allow you to set up faster cache drives, or just increase the speed of your storage for faster access to files. PCIe SATA Controller Expansion Card If you’ve got spots for more drives in your case than you do on your motherboard, you can easily add more SATA pots to your old PC with a PCIe SATA controller expansion card. 5.25-inch to 3.5-inch Drive Adapter Add hard drives where the DVD/CD ROM drive once was Unless the old PC you’re using is in a case with a lot of 3.5-inch drive bays, then you might be limited on storage. However, you can always ditch the computer’s old DVD drives in lieu of more storage with a 5.25-inch to 3.5-inch drive adapter. And they come in all sorts of sizes, from single drive-to-drive adapters to three-to-two drive adapters and four-by-3.5 inch adapters. Adding Software to Your NAS Turning an old PC into a NAS is a great way to add storage and backup capabilities to your network. But you can also utilize other software to allow your NAS to do more than just host files. Personal Cloud If you’ve ever used Dropbox or OneDrive, then you know just how useful having cloud storage can be. But if you don’t want to trust your data in the hands of corporations, you can host your own personal cloud on your NAS. With software like Nextcloud, ownCloud, and Resilio Sync, you can easily set up your own personal cloud to keep your files on your computers and phones synced to your NAS. Smart Home Hub Smart home tech has surged in popularity over the years, and it’s easy to see why. With the ability to control everything from your phone (or with your voice), smart home tech allows you to fine-tune your home to your liking. But with so many devices split between different controllers, hubs, and apps, there are alternatives – like Home Assistant, Hubitat, and Homebridge – that allow you to connect everything in one neat little package. And you can easily add these to your NAS with little overhead to increase the usefulness of your humble little network storage device. Media Streaming In today’s streaming-oriented entertainment environment, it’s hard not to mention that you can also use your NAS as a local media streaming device. Gone are the days when you had to manually transfer video files to individual computers, thanks to popular at-home streaming software like Plex, Emby, and Jellyfin. This can allow you to consolidate your media collection on your NAS, and give you the freedom of streaming not only in your home, but also remotely. And what’s not to love about being able to access your media from anywhere without having to load up your devices with hundreds of gigabytes of media files?

ReedPop and E3 break up, but who gets custody of the kids? New Reviews on GameCrate! More News from GameCrate! This Week on The Gamer Lounge: STARFIELD PLAYTHROUGH (The Gamer Lounge With XBOX Series X) The Gamer Lounge played Starfield! They go through the first hour of the game, with the player that can achieve the most during the playthrough is this week's winner.

E3 has had a rocky past few years and the road ahead doesn’t look any clearer. Earlier today, ReedPop and E3 both announced that they are no longer working together on upcoming E3 events. This already deals a huge blow to the already struggling convention, but it gets worse. The ESA also let the Los Angeles Convention Center know that they would not be putting a show on there in 2024. While they have not outright announced that the event is canceled entirely, the LA Convention Center is where the show has been held since 1995. This places the event in a complete stasis for at least another year. The ESA, the folks behind E3, also, according to GameIndustry.biz, are planning a “complete reinvention” of the E3 show in 2025. There’s no telling what a complete reinvention would be. But, it’s possible that it could put a hard focus on a digital platform or just move to another venue and continue operation as usual. Or anything in between. It’s hard to speculate at this point. E3 has been struggling for quite a while now, especially due to the pandemic making it harder for people to attend big events. But, they had some problems even before that with things like their entire 2019 press list getting leaked, and doxxing thousands of members of the press. They partnered with ReedPop only very recently in July 2022. The plan was to bring back the E3 event this past summer using the folks behind PAX, New York Comic-Con, and other big conventions. Summer 2023 came and (now) went, with no E3. “We appreciate ReedPop’s partnership over the past 14 months,” said ESA president and CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis, “and support their ongoing efforts to bring industry and fans together through their various events.” “While the reach of E3 remains unmatched in our industry,” he continued, “we are continuing to explore how we can evolve it to best serve the video game industry and are evaluating every aspect of the event, from format to location. We are committed to our role as a convenor for the industry and look forward to sharing news about E3 in the coming months.” ReedPop’s statement was noticeably shorter and more concise. “We have enjoyed our time working with the ESA and appreciate their commitment to the games industry as a whole," says ReedPop's Gaming Global VP Kyle Marsden-Kish. "While we will not be involved with the future of E3 we look forward to seeing its evolution and where the ESA takes it.” While this departure is disappointing, it’s not unsurprising at this point in the venture. We hope E3 lands on its feet. But, it’s going to be a while before we know anything more.

I already have the tune stuck in my head in anticipation. With the recent Indiana Jones movie, we thought that was the end of Doctor Jones’ adventures. But, a recent interview revealed that Bethesda is still making their intended game based on the franchise. During an Esquire interview focusing on Starfield, Todd Howard made a brief mention of the Indiana Jones game that they originally announced back in January 2021. Machine Games, the folks behind the modern Wolfenstein games, is spearheading development. Set during the high point of Jones’ career as an adventurer, the game got a tiny teaser trailer when it was announced and then has been radio silent ever since. During the Esquire interview that came out today, at the end, Howard teased the AAA Indy game a bit more. The interview mentions all of the projects that they’re currently working on, such as Elder Scrolls 6 and the Fallout TV show. “I am a giant Indiana Jones fan. It can be brought to video games in a unique way,” Howard told Esquire. He remained cryptic about the game as a final tease as the interviewer was heading out. “The game”, he continues, ”is obviously: you’re exploring stuff. It’s about him. So if you’re playing the game, how do you feel that you are indeed playing versus just watching?” As the interviewer was leaving, he smiled and said “We’ll talk next year”. Cool. Knowing that the game is still coming is all we need to know. Having it developed by the Wolfenstein guys means that the Nazi-killing adventure is in the best hands possible. In the meantime, Bethesda is full-steam ahead on Starfield, with it officially launching today. If you have Game Pass, you can grab it right now. Forewarning: It’s a really big download. If you’re on the fence about getting the game, read our recent review about it. Spoiler alert: Our review was higher than a 7 out of 10.

With games and cloud services like Honkai Star Rail and Game Pass, you’re going to need to connect a Bluetooth controller to your phone. We’ve never been fed so much as gamers in the history of gaming. Not only do we have the tried and true PC and the always-evolving console options, but we, also, now are in a glorious era where you can play games right from your phone. It’s not uncommon for a game, such as Genshin Impact or Honkai Star Rail, to be a little more difficult to play with just your thumbs on the screen. With Xbox Game Pass and GeForce Now available right from your smartphone as well, a controller is 100% necessary to play their vast libraries. But, what you might not know is that you can connect a controller to your Android phone to play a lot of controller-ready games out there. The good news is that using Bluetooth for your controller is super easy. Turn on your controller. Oftentimes, it’s an on switch or, if it’s an Xbox controller, holding down the centralized Xbox dome button. On your Android device, you need to drop down your notifications menu to show your easy access menu. Click and hold the Bluetooth button, which will open up the Bluetooth settings screen. If you just tap it with your finger instead of holding it down, it turns the Bluetooth on and off. While you’re at it, make sure your phone’s Bluetooth is actually turned on before you go any further. The circle would be shaded in the quick-access menu for your phone. Look for “Pair new device”. Tap it. All controllers are slightly different. But, most of them have a dedicated Bluetooth button. In most cases, you’ll hold that button down for 2 to 5 seconds, until the LED light starts blinking. That device should show up in your “Available Devices” list now. Tap it. From there, give it a moment to sync and you’re done. Your individual game may need additional settings to turn on a controller within the game itself. But, if you’re using a cloud service like Xbox Game Pass, you’re good to go as-is. Once you have your Bluetooth connected, it should automatically connect every time you turn on the controller. In addition, some controllers need additional firmware updates to get out any of the kinks from launch. Every controller is different. Some utilize a downloadable app on your phone. But, some require you to update it by connecting it to your PC and downloading it that way. Or, of course, you could just get yourself a portable PC, like an Asus ROG Ally. But, if cloud gaming is your forte, both PlayStation and Netflix are getting their hands dirty as well.

Nintendo DS-era games in HD are always a welcome surprise. Things weren’t looking great for Rune Factory, but the Story of Seasons RPG spinoff series has managed to hang on. Rune Factory 4 Special was a great port of a 3DS classic and helped soften the blow when Rune Factory 5 didn’t go over so well. With Rune Factory 3 Special, we’re going back to the Nintendo DS and late 2000s, a patch of gaming history you wouldn’t expect to see blown up to high resolutions. But between this and the excellent Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection, it seems like a space worth exploring. There’s only so much room for improvement, and there are plenty of ways it could’ve gone worse. Rune Factory had its own niche carved out practically by itself back in the day, but nowadays there’s real competition. Games like Harvestella and Stardew Valley have done the farming/RPG hybrid thing exceedingly well, so it seems odd to dip back into such an iterative series after already re-releasing the best one. Especially for a singular release, rather than a Capcom-style compilation. That said, the Rune Factory team at Marvelous (formerly Neverland) has always had the juice, and Rune Factory 3 was and is a fine game. It has everything you’d expect from a Story of Seasons title of its vintage, plus a ton of RPG stuff dumped on top. You can harvest some crops and make some money, then go out in the woods and murder some kobolds with the same axe you were chopping wood with the day before. It’s simple stuff, but the loop has over 30 years of longevity for a reason. It’s simple stuff, but the loop has over 30 years of longevity for a reason. Rune Factory 3 has a solid reputation among fans, but newcomers might struggle to get into it. That’s mostly because the story is very light, and if you’ve already played Stardew Valley or even Rune Factory 4 (Special or not), it might feel like taking a step back. Since the story isn’t a driving force here by any means, you’re looking to the mechanics and visuals to drive the ship. And there’s only so much one can do here with either piece. Few changes have been made to the gameplay compared to the original, and while the visuals are fine, there’s a blurriness to the background art that betrays either a smudgy filter or AI upscaling, neither of which look great. Rune Factory 3 Special is a fine game, and its only crime is how closely it sits to games that used it as a stepping stone The character models are a huge improvement over the DS originals, but they still have that vibe, with exaggerated animations and jittery movement speed that were previously compensating for hardware limitations. To be fair, we’re dealing with a Nintendo DS game here. There’s only so much room for improvement, and there are plenty of ways it could’ve gone worse. At the end of the day, Rune Factory 3 Special is a fine game, and its only crime is how closely it sits to games that use it as a stepping stone. If you love the “cozy” genre and are looking for some farming action, but only have the budget for one game, it’s hard to recommend this. But if you’re more of a fan of Story of Seasons and/or Rune Factory as a series, there’s absolutely room for Rune Factory 3 Special on the shelf. And if you’re a sicko who’s even out there replaying the original Harvest Moon on the Nintendo Switch Online app, I’m not even sure why you’re here. I know you preordered this bad boy already. But thumbs up for the dedication. Rune Factory 3 Special Review Score: 7 Pros: Totally solid conversion of a Nintendo DS game to modern platforms The best Rune Factory when it came out, which you could say for every Rune Factory (except 5) Your farm is ridiculously close to the rest of the town, which is nice and convenient Cons: Nintendo DS games are kind of ugly blown up at this scale without going above and beyond Feels redundant without many improvements/changes/gimmicks or new features Controls can be awkward and finicky Rune Factory 3 Special is available now for the Nintendo Switch and PC. A copy of the game for PC was provided by the publisher for review.

There aren’t a ton of new features in the upcoming Xbox update, but there are a couple of big ones. Back in July, we wrote about a new feature coming to Xbox: voice reporting. The Xbox September Update is finally adding that function, as well as some other anticipated features. The voice reporting feature is designed so that people can catch people in the act of being abusive or inappropriate during in-game voice chat. Prior to this feature, for the past 20 years, the unfortunate reality was that people could get away with saying anything when no one was recording them. The new feature allows victims of abuse or harassment to capture a 60-second video clip on the activity and submit it for review. The Xbox Safety Team, then, reviews it with human eyes and ears and determines if it was actually an issue or not. At that point, their new strike enforcement system would take over to determine the punishment. At least it’s going to keep the voice chats clear from a bad time going forward. In addition, you’re now going to be able to stream your games from your Xbox directly to your Discord friends. Those that don’t need or want a big following while they play, can have a party or talk one-on-one with people while they watch you play a game. They mention that this is fantastic for Starfield for players to show off their ships or discover planets with their friends watching. Honestly, it’s great for friends who are helping cheer you on your coach you through a situation/mission without the need to jump onto Twitch. Xbox is getting a Variable Refresh Rate update as well for their newest lineup of consoles. This allows players to set it so that their TV or monitor adjusts dynamically for refresh rate based on the frame rate if you so wish. One other feature that I’m surprised hasn’t been available until this update is the ability to request to join a friend’s gaming session. In the past, you had to directly message them to ask if you could join their match or team, to which they’d say yes or no. Now, you can be proactive and hit the “Ask to join game” button. There are some other features getting updates and facelifts, such as the rewards system and the ability to pair accessories to your Xbox. You can find all of the details and more over on Xbox’s blog, Xbox Wire.

It’s not a ton of information, but it paints an interesting picture about the Switch 2 if it’s true. A lot of possible information has been coming out about the eventual Nintendo Switch successor lately. While none of it has been confirmed by Nintendo, obviously, we’re starting to potentially see the bigger picture with each leak and rumor. Last week, a well-known leaker account dropped some details about various games coming from SEGA and Square Enix. While it talks about games like Persona 6 and a Final Fantasy 9 Remake, some details about a “Switch 2 devkit” were included. Since we’re talking rumors and leaks, always go into any of this will an absolute grain of salt. There is no Switch 2, officially, and names, features, and scope are all just rumors, for now. The only thing we know for certain is that Nintendo is looking into the future. Anything beyond that is entirely speculation. But, we do like some speculation. With that said, the leaker, known as “Im A Hero Too” on various forums like ResetEra and (now) Reddit, talked about some specific features coming to the Switch 2. During his section about Sega, he mentioned that the Switch 2 devkits have been there for a while, have backwards compatibility with at least some games, use a new cartridge, and have a camera built-in. In addition, during his segment about Square Enix, he mentions that not only is Final Fantasy 7 Remake coming to the Switch 2, but it “looks and runs like a PS5 game”. That’s a lot to take in. So, let’s parse it out. Starting with the devkits being out for a while, that’s not uncommon for devs to be able to work on games for years before a system releases, especially if they’re a launch game. The new cartridge and backward compatibility are tied together here. It immediately makes me think of the jump between the Nintendo DS and the 3DS. DS games worked in the 3DS, but the 3DS had a slightly different cart themselves. The new camera calls back to the DSi and 3DS systems as well. But, notably, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s Purah Pad was designed to resemble a Nintendo Switch that also had a built-in camera. It may be a coincidence, it may not. But, the big news is the power that Final Fantasy 7 Remake would require to resemble a PlayStation 5 on-screen would be phenomenal. If this part is true, Nintendo is stepping up their game immensely for core players in the next generation. The leaker mentions that the game took no time at all to port and could possibly be a launch title. We’ve been following the crazy rumor mill surrounding the Nintendo Switch’s successor here on GameCrate. As it always is, some are more outlandish than others. But, these at least seem plausible with some precedent and evidence to go with them. If you’re looking to buy a current generation Nintendo Switch in the meantime, we got you covered with our easy guide on purchasing the best one for your needs.

The vote to see if video game voice actors join the strike is coming late September. It’s been a wild ride for the striking writers and actors in Hollywood over the past several months. But, it’s going to get a whole lot worse from some major video game studios that may be getting roped in as well. SAG-AFTRA is taking no prisoners at this point. According to their website, it appears that the game companies have been taking advantage of their voice actors and performers. Shocking, we know. “Here we go again,” said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher, over on Deadline. “Now our Interactive Video Game Agreement is at a stalemate too. Once again we are facing employer greed and disrespect. Once again artificial intelligence is putting our members in jeopardy of reducing their opportunity to work. And once again, SAG-AFTRA is standing up to tyranny on behalf of its members.” Basically, there was an agreement called the “Interactive Media Agreement” that hit its expiration date nearly a year ago and got extended, negotiations went sour, and thus, SAG-AFTRA is done holding the hands of companies like Activision and EA while they are causing problems. So, informal meetings are being held in early September, which is to offer information and help members understand the situation more. A postcard will be sent out to qualifying SAG-AFTRA members to explain how to vote if they’re going to strike or not. Voting ends on September 25th, 2023, and bargaining resumes the next day. Bargaining, in this case, means picket lines and going into full strike mode. The official website notes that this contract is entirely separate from TV, theatrical, and streaming contracts. This means that if one of the strikes ends, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the strike is over for the other. But, it does help strengthen the cause either way. The negotiations are going against some of the biggest first- and third-party publishers out there. They list 10 on their site. Activision Productions Inc Blindlight LLC Disney Character Voices Inc. Electronic Arts Productions Inc. Epic Games, Inc. Formosa Interactive LLC Insomniac Games Inc. Take 2 Productions Inc. VoiceWorks Productions Inc. WB Games Inc. This is just getting heated up. We’re always going to root for the underdog here. So, we will continue to follow this story as it progresses. If you want to know more, you can visit the official SAG-AFTRA site for all the details.

Seriously, what year is it, Nickelodeon? As a kid who was born in 1988, I fall right into the era of nostalgia that includes Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, Pokémon, and, of course, Nicktoons. I also fondly remember my Nintendo Entertainment System, as well as all the other consoles from that era. What I didn’t expect was to read the news this week and see that Rugrats, a classic original Nicktoon, is getting a brand new game next year on modern consoles and PC. Oh, and did I mention that the game is also coming to the original Nintendo Entertainment System as well? The game, Rugrats: Adventures of Gameland, is a sidescroller that feels like kin to the classic Mega Man and Ducktales NES-era games. You can play as one of the four babies, Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, or Lil in a completely new, original story and game. Players will be able to take the game single-player or play in co-op, which I highly assume that the NES version is local only. The graphics offer two options. You can play in a traditional 8-bit, pixelized style that looks like a super fresh take on NES-era titles. But, for modern consoles and PC, you’ll also be able to play in a fully hand-drawn version of the game with clean lines, looking right out of one of the later seasons of the original cartoon. Rugrats: Adventures of Gameland is being designed by Wallride Games, who previously made Jay & Silent Bob: Mall Brawl, a beat ‘em up like River City Ransom that offered both hand-drawn and pixelated options as well. This game is definitely in their wheelhouse. According to the announcement, this game, and many more like it to come, is the byproduct of Paramount and The MIX Games coming together in a partnership. The game will offer both a digital option and a Limited Run-made NES cartridge option. Expect to see more about this game and the other Paramount-licensed games in the near future. No exact release date is available yet, but it does say 2024 on the trailer. You can read more about it on The MIX Games official site.

The new Analogue Pocket sold out before we could finish writing this headline. The Analogue Pocket is what happens when classic, retro handheld consoles get a modern facelift. The new glow-in-the-dark limited edition version came out and sold out within moments. But, what is an Analogue Pocket? Imagine if your Game Boy could not only play Game Boy games but also play any classic handheld game easily. What if you could play them in high resolution on the go, but also dock them to your TV like a Nintendo Switch? The systems boast Gorilla Glass screens, really high resolution, and the ability to connect to a PC to make chiptune music or design games on GB Studio. The basic versions of the console generally cost $219.99, when they’re in stock. The first Analogue Pocket came out back in 2021. It usually comes in a sleek black or white color and design. But, today’s release was a beautifully epic green glow-in-the-dark flavor that would make any 90s kid feel nostalgic. The limited edition console had a limit of two units per purchase at $249.99. As the other options generally only cost $30 less in comparison, this special glowy version was highly sought after. But, within just a couple of moments, it was entirely sold out. The normal versions of the Analogue Pocket come in and out of stock semi-often. So, there’s a small chance that it could come back. But, don’t hold your breath too long as there was a very limited quantity. If you don’t mind the solid colors, they’re also out of stock at the moment. But, you can click a link to have it notify you when they come back in stock next. With Nintendo Switch Online offering games from classic consoles like Game Boy nowadays, there are much cheaper ways to play a game if you want. But, those are super limited to only what they release. If you want access to the entire 2,780+ Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance library, the Analogue Pocket is right for you. They even offer adapters to let you play systems like the Sega Game Gear and the Atari Lynx. This makes the library even bigger. The system is well worth the price and the wait if you’re looking for a classic-feeling handheld gaming system. If you got your hands on the Glow in the Dark version, it’s supposed to ship on September 5th. If you’re looking for Nintendo’s flagship system, on the other hand, they just announced a shiny Mario Red edition OLED to coincide with Super Mario Wonder. But, it can’t play Atari Lynx games and isn’t designed with musicians and Game Boy game creators in mind. So, it's your call.

In the epic sci-fi space opera role-playing game Starfield, you travel to hundreds of different planets in dozens of solar systems, often within the same mission. But as you can probably imagine, having traveled to so many planets in real life, this can take a fair bit of time. That is unless you opt to take some of the shortcuts that have been built into this game by the good people at Bethesda Game Studios. For people who want to play Starfield like it's a realistic space simulation (i.e., without using any of the handy shortcuts), traveling from one planet to another starts with a single step... back to your spaceship. Once there, you have to enter your ship's lower deck, click on the ladder to climb up to the main cabin, walk over to the cockpit, sit down, launch your ship into space, pull up the star map, choose your destination, hit the button to make your ship engage its engines, and, finally, pull up the planetary map, chose where you'd like to land, and engage your ship's automated landing system. But if you don't have time to spare, you can instead fast travel back to your ship by pulling up the starmap, where you'll see a button prompt that conveniently says "fast travel to ship." This only works if you're outside; if you're in a structure, you'll sometimes need to exit before fast traveling. Either way, when fast traveling to your ship, you can also choose to go straight to the cockpit, or to the ship's main cabin. Even quicker, you can just bring up the main menu, go to the starmap, and use it like you would normally to travel to the planet you'd like to visit. But the quickest way to get from one planet to another is to bring up the main menu and go into the "missions" section. Then, simply click the mission you'd like to do, and hit "set course" to jump to the planet you need to go to. Using these shortcuts, as opposed to going the long way around, can save you as much as half an hour. That's a half hour you can spend sleeping or reading or oh, who are we kidding, you're going to spend it playing Starfield. Now, there are limitations. You can't fast travel if you're carrying too much loot, or engaged in combat. You're also limited by the engine in your ship and often have to hop from one planet to the next instead of taking a direct flight. You can't, for instance, jump straight from Alpha Centauri to Cheyenne; you have to go to neighboring Olympus or Narion first. Lastly, no matter how you travel, you always arrive in orbit over your destination planet when you arrive at a solar system. This means you may run into pirates or bounty hunters who are looking to take you out. There are some things even the best shortcuts can't circumvent. While you're here, check out our full review on Starfield. We also have a guide on selling and buying loot while out in space.