John Andersen
@johnandersen.bsky.social
Video game history - researching how the games we love to play were made. Documentaries, game historian, writer, movies. Opinions are my own. LGBTQ ally. BLM. Portfolio!: linktr.ee/johnandersen
Oh man, the Mads are back!
The laughter this will bring is going to strain me. I think it's time to break out my Square Master and work on my Shemp area.
The laughter this will bring is going to strain me. I think it's time to break out my Square Master and work on my Shemp area.
February 11, 2026 at 8:40 AM
Oh man, the Mads are back!
The laughter this will bring is going to strain me. I think it's time to break out my Square Master and work on my Shemp area.
The laughter this will bring is going to strain me. I think it's time to break out my Square Master and work on my Shemp area.
Sawa’s music has been replaying in my head since River City Ransom, from the main stage to the shop music, inspiring many musicians. Rest in peace.
afaik this wasn't public knowledge until now... as revealed by his son: Kazuo Sawa, veteran game composer/programmer whose works include the many Famicom Kunio-kun games, Battle of Olympus & many others (on & off-record), passed away at some point during the last couple years... R.I.P.
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February 10, 2026 at 4:25 AM
Sawa’s music has been replaying in my head since River City Ransom, from the main stage to the shop music, inspiring many musicians. Rest in peace.
Reposted by John Andersen
From the VGHF's Mark Flitman collection (https://archive.gamehistory.org/folder/205c628c-5d0a-4de8-a5a5-782f31706ac0), here's 1994 internal Acclaim data on the (U.S.?) sales of their (many!) Simpsons games. Looks like Bart's Nightmare on SNES did the best....
February 8, 2026 at 4:50 PM
From the VGHF's Mark Flitman collection (https://archive.gamehistory.org/folder/205c628c-5d0a-4de8-a5a5-782f31706ac0), here's 1994 internal Acclaim data on the (U.S.?) sales of their (many!) Simpsons games. Looks like Bart's Nightmare on SNES did the best....
Reposted by John Andersen
Sega had a huge lineup for the 1990 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Moonwalker, Phantasy Star II, and Golden Axe were some of the gems on display. Images: Beep! MD.
February 8, 2026 at 9:50 PM
Sega had a huge lineup for the 1990 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Moonwalker, Phantasy Star II, and Golden Axe were some of the gems on display. Images: Beep! MD.
Reposted by John Andersen
Display showcasing some books about video games. Japan has thousands of books like these just waiting to be translated.
February 7, 2026 at 11:21 PM
Display showcasing some books about video games. Japan has thousands of books like these just waiting to be translated.
Reposted by John Andersen
from Hamster's stream, some photos of the Cool Boarders team at UEP Systems circa '96, which was 6 devs at most (not counting outsourced helpers)—all but one of em came fresh out of school with zero practical experience, but somehow managed to make Cool Boarders from scratch in ~6 months
February 6, 2026 at 1:35 PM
from Hamster's stream, some photos of the Cool Boarders team at UEP Systems circa '96, which was 6 devs at most (not counting outsourced helpers)—all but one of em came fresh out of school with zero practical experience, but somehow managed to make Cool Boarders from scratch in ~6 months
A must-watch.
The Lord of the Rings actor took to live TV to make 400-year-old words wildly relevant again
Ian McKellen wileded Shakespeare to deliver a stunning anti-ICE message on Colbert
The Lord of the Rings actor took to live TV to make 400-year-old words wildly relevant again
www.polygon.com
February 6, 2026 at 2:57 AM
A must-watch.
Reposted by John Andersen
reminded of how Data East's Dragon Gun has boss backgrounds that are currently unemulated because... it's literal MPEG video being decoded by hardware on-board.
February 4, 2026 at 4:02 PM
reminded of how Data East's Dragon Gun has boss backgrounds that are currently unemulated because... it's literal MPEG video being decoded by hardware on-board.
“No. No. I will not give in and buy these I already have a game backlog <looks at price> oh wait yes I will buy these.”
February 4, 2026 at 5:44 AM
“No. No. I will not give in and buy these I already have a game backlog <looks at price> oh wait yes I will buy these.”
Reposted by John Andersen
I went to the Capcom exhibition today; they had a number of original planning docs for SFII, Final Fight and Rockman. The SFII stages looked like they were stored 'gatefolded' since there was some writing visible in the back, eg. Bison/Balrog's stage had written "USA: Tyson"...🤯
February 2, 2026 at 9:42 AM
I went to the Capcom exhibition today; they had a number of original planning docs for SFII, Final Fight and Rockman. The SFII stages looked like they were stored 'gatefolded' since there was some writing visible in the back, eg. Bison/Balrog's stage had written "USA: Tyson"...🤯
Japanese TV commercials for:
Bomberman Land (PSX/Dec 2000)
Bomberman Kart (PS2/Dec 2001)
Bomberman Land (PSX/Dec 2000)
Bomberman Kart (PS2/Dec 2001)
February 3, 2026 at 12:42 AM
Japanese TV commercials for:
Bomberman Land (PSX/Dec 2000)
Bomberman Kart (PS2/Dec 2001)
Bomberman Land (PSX/Dec 2000)
Bomberman Kart (PS2/Dec 2001)
1994: A month before the PlayStation launch in Japan. Sony plays a marketing video. Shells of the SEGA Mega Drive and the Super Famicom are laying in the dust. An ERROR message appears as Nintendo's Super Famicom is scanned. Sony unveils its literal game plan.
Full TBS News video in reply (1/2).
Full TBS News video in reply (1/2).
February 2, 2026 at 1:44 AM
1994: A month before the PlayStation launch in Japan. Sony plays a marketing video. Shells of the SEGA Mega Drive and the Super Famicom are laying in the dust. An ERROR message appears as Nintendo's Super Famicom is scanned. Sony unveils its literal game plan.
Full TBS News video in reply (1/2).
Full TBS News video in reply (1/2).
Forget Winter Storm Gianna.
Let's talk Giana Sisters and its remake from Black Forest Games. This news report from 2014 goes into details about its history and sequel. Featuring Level Designer Stefan Schmitz, composer Chris Huelsbeck and the studio co-founders.
Watch here: www.dw.com/en/the-comeb...
Let's talk Giana Sisters and its remake from Black Forest Games. This news report from 2014 goes into details about its history and sequel. Featuring Level Designer Stefan Schmitz, composer Chris Huelsbeck and the studio co-founders.
Watch here: www.dw.com/en/the-comeb...
February 1, 2026 at 11:03 PM
Forget Winter Storm Gianna.
Let's talk Giana Sisters and its remake from Black Forest Games. This news report from 2014 goes into details about its history and sequel. Featuring Level Designer Stefan Schmitz, composer Chris Huelsbeck and the studio co-founders.
Watch here: www.dw.com/en/the-comeb...
Let's talk Giana Sisters and its remake from Black Forest Games. This news report from 2014 goes into details about its history and sequel. Featuring Level Designer Stefan Schmitz, composer Chris Huelsbeck and the studio co-founders.
Watch here: www.dw.com/en/the-comeb...
10 minutes of unedited February 1988 Japanese TV news footage of Dragon Quest III release day in Shinjuku. The long lines outside stores and the cold weather! What's even more profound are the YouTube comments of those that remember their Mom or Dad buying it for them.
Link: youtu.be/sLnXaSEcwzU?...
Link: youtu.be/sLnXaSEcwzU?...
February 1, 2026 at 5:52 PM
10 minutes of unedited February 1988 Japanese TV news footage of Dragon Quest III release day in Shinjuku. The long lines outside stores and the cold weather! What's even more profound are the YouTube comments of those that remember their Mom or Dad buying it for them.
Link: youtu.be/sLnXaSEcwzU?...
Link: youtu.be/sLnXaSEcwzU?...
A glimpse of a Hi-Tech Land SEGA game center in Akihabara from 1993, one that would be rebranded to a bright-red Club SEGA and then just SEGA Akihabara before it was sold off and rebranded to GIGO in 2022.
Check out more of 90's Akihabara here Via Vintage Rider: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUQz...
Check out more of 90's Akihabara here Via Vintage Rider: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUQz...
February 1, 2026 at 4:35 AM
A glimpse of a Hi-Tech Land SEGA game center in Akihabara from 1993, one that would be rebranded to a bright-red Club SEGA and then just SEGA Akihabara before it was sold off and rebranded to GIGO in 2022.
Check out more of 90's Akihabara here Via Vintage Rider: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUQz...
Check out more of 90's Akihabara here Via Vintage Rider: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUQz...
Reposted by John Andersen
The Sharp X68000 may have been the single most defining game system ever. Being Japan only, it’s an unsung hero and so are the incredible pioneers behind its ground breaking games.
Chief among them Kotori Yoshimura (@urdcat.bsky.social), who made the first Japanese polygonal game and so much more!
Chief among them Kotori Yoshimura (@urdcat.bsky.social), who made the first Japanese polygonal game and so much more!
February 1, 2026 at 12:47 AM
The Sharp X68000 may have been the single most defining game system ever. Being Japan only, it’s an unsung hero and so are the incredible pioneers behind its ground breaking games.
Chief among them Kotori Yoshimura (@urdcat.bsky.social), who made the first Japanese polygonal game and so much more!
Chief among them Kotori Yoshimura (@urdcat.bsky.social), who made the first Japanese polygonal game and so much more!
Reposted by John Andersen
I found the locations on the SFC Dragonfly in-development maps where some magazine screenshots were taken, so how about some Mode 7 pixel mockups?
February 1, 2026 at 1:27 AM
I found the locations on the SFC Dragonfly in-development maps where some magazine screenshots were taken, so how about some Mode 7 pixel mockups?
Blank Reg and the Big Time TV bus, a Max Headroom series staple of underground TV programming.
February 1, 2026 at 1:21 AM
Blank Reg and the Big Time TV bus, a Max Headroom series staple of underground TV programming.
Max Headroom behind-the-scenes photos from the 1987 sci-fi/cyberpunk TV series, with Matt Frewer, Amanda Pays, W. Morgan Sheppard and Chris Young. The first two are from the episode "Grossberg's Return". The others show how the View-Phone shots were done utilizing a close-up with a video camera.
February 1, 2026 at 1:02 AM
Max Headroom behind-the-scenes photos from the 1987 sci-fi/cyberpunk TV series, with Matt Frewer, Amanda Pays, W. Morgan Sheppard and Chris Young. The first two are from the episode "Grossberg's Return". The others show how the View-Phone shots were done utilizing a close-up with a video camera.
Reposted by John Andersen
It's over! The retro game floors in Nara's legendary CUE arcade are history. Buncha locals showed up to play until midnight. For the final 15 minutes me and another dude jumped on the two Tetris The Grandmaster machines and tore it up until they kicked us out, and we rode our dad bikes home.
January 31, 2026 at 3:20 PM
It's over! The retro game floors in Nara's legendary CUE arcade are history. Buncha locals showed up to play until midnight. For the final 15 minutes me and another dude jumped on the two Tetris The Grandmaster machines and tore it up until they kicked us out, and we rode our dad bikes home.
A 1999 visit to the Atlus office in Tokyo featuring Atlus R&D 1 director and producer Kouji Okada. We get a look at a cutscene being made for Maken X on the SEGA Dreamcast. A DC dev kit and a SGI Visual workstation is seen.
Via Dreamcast Express Vol 3 and おじチャンネルのレトロゲーム博物館: youtu.be/IGD_jWreMPs?...
Via Dreamcast Express Vol 3 and おじチャンネルのレトロゲーム博物館: youtu.be/IGD_jWreMPs?...
January 31, 2026 at 11:25 PM
A 1999 visit to the Atlus office in Tokyo featuring Atlus R&D 1 director and producer Kouji Okada. We get a look at a cutscene being made for Maken X on the SEGA Dreamcast. A DC dev kit and a SGI Visual workstation is seen.
Via Dreamcast Express Vol 3 and おじチャンネルのレトロゲーム博物館: youtu.be/IGD_jWreMPs?...
Via Dreamcast Express Vol 3 and おじチャンネルのレトロゲーム博物館: youtu.be/IGD_jWreMPs?...
Rest in peace Catherine O’Hara.
We lost one of the greats.
I totally remember this clip of her character Lola Heatherton, the over-the-top singer, unhinged about her love life, comedically lashing out, all on display for the audience.
We lost one of the greats.
I totally remember this clip of her character Lola Heatherton, the over-the-top singer, unhinged about her love life, comedically lashing out, all on display for the audience.
January 30, 2026 at 8:43 PM
Rest in peace Catherine O’Hara.
We lost one of the greats.
I totally remember this clip of her character Lola Heatherton, the over-the-top singer, unhinged about her love life, comedically lashing out, all on display for the audience.
We lost one of the greats.
I totally remember this clip of her character Lola Heatherton, the over-the-top singer, unhinged about her love life, comedically lashing out, all on display for the audience.
Reposted by John Andersen
Digging through parts this morning and I found these Hudson HuC6201 chips again. I kinda want to frame them.
January 30, 2026 at 7:18 PM
Digging through parts this morning and I found these Hudson HuC6201 chips again. I kinda want to frame them.
Reposted by John Andersen
My favorite annual announcement from Koei Tecmo is when they ask their fans not to send their favorite video game character or staff members a real valentines day gift to their head office, which leads to fans being upset at them because they take it personally.
January 30, 2026 at 7:20 PM
My favorite annual announcement from Koei Tecmo is when they ask their fans not to send their favorite video game character or staff members a real valentines day gift to their head office, which leads to fans being upset at them because they take it personally.
Reposted by John Andersen
Here's a quick look at the 'Video Boy' — a tool, made by Intelligent Systems, for viewing Virtual Boy games on a TV/monitor. Used to record video and screenshots.
➡️ hcs64.com/video-boy-vue/
➡️ hcs64.com/video-boy-vue/
January 28, 2026 at 4:13 PM
Here's a quick look at the 'Video Boy' — a tool, made by Intelligent Systems, for viewing Virtual Boy games on a TV/monitor. Used to record video and screenshots.
➡️ hcs64.com/video-boy-vue/
➡️ hcs64.com/video-boy-vue/