I’ve often wondered how ROMs from cartridges, such as the N64, were dumped back in the day.  I’ve always assumed CD-based games are easier to dump because you can put them into a PC’s CD drive (remember those?).  But cartridges?  I haven’t tried, but I’m fairly sure they can’t just be plugged into a standard PC port. But now I know how they dumped Nintendo 64 ROMs back in the day. When doom scrolling through YouTube shorts, a short by Modern Vintage Gamer came up, showing exactly how this was done back in the day.  The TL; DR is, they used special cartridges, such as the Dr ..read more

Doctor Who was a staple of British television between its inception on the 23rd of November 1963, right up until Survival, the final story of the original ‘classic’ series. Then, after the forgettable 1996 movie, the sci-fi show returned in 2005 and is now as popular as ever, with an ever-increasing fan base. What is less well known is the history of appearances of the Doctor in video games; but, don’t despair Whovians, GrownGaming is here, as always, to enlighten you. So sit down, relax and crack open the jelly babies — it’s going to be a long one. Allons-y. Doctor Who: The First Adventu ..read more

If you’re a fan of swashbuckling, high-sea adventures, treasure hunting and saying “ahoy mateys”, you’re in the right place. We’ve used our treasure map to go on an adventure to find the very best pirate-themed video games that you should play instead of the disappointment that is Skull and Bones. So grab your tricorn hat, eye patch, and a bottle of rum, and let’s set sail!  Or something like that anyway. 1. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Some would argue the best instalment in the Assassin’s Creed series, Black Flag seamlessly combines the stealth and action we love from the franchise w ..read more

BY MICHAEL WESSON: It was under the luminous glow of arcade machines, amidst the chirping of pixelated explosions and synthesized scores, that the first gaming communities took shape. These were spaces where the digital worlds and the real world intertwined, where friendships were forged over joysticks and high score tables. For adult gamers today, these memories are not just nostalgia; they are the roots of a culture that has evolved almost beyond recognition, mirroring the technological and social advancements of the past few decades.  Gone are the shared experiences of shoving coi ..read more

BY ELLA CHAPMAN: Your journey through Granblue Fantasy: Relink’s world doesn’t end after the main story and epilogue. But don’t stop playing when you hit that point!  The best part of the game begins at the endgame, where players can explore new challenges, level up characters, master their skills, and hunt for legendary gear. Getting to the endgame, formally known as Chapter 0, will take between 10 and 15 hours, depending on how much of the side content you’re completing and how much you’re slowing down to enjoy the ride.  The endgame unveils new features and activities that re ..read more

Bluey: The Videogame is a fun little game to play with your kids, or for your children to play together.  But getting 2 player and multiplayer setup confused me in the beginning – in part because I’m an idiot, and also in part because it is a bit different to what I want expecting. When we first loaded Bluey up and my son and daughter selecting their Xbox profiles, I was expecting icons for player 1 and player 2 after clicking to start a new game.  But it only said P1. Now, I’ve had a problem with a couple of games in the past, so we completely quit out of the game, tried restarting ..read more

BY JAMES BELL: For better or for worse, Star Citizen stands out not just for its ambition but for its journey—a saga as vast and complex as the cosmos it seeks to simulate. It has promised to push the boundaries of what a video game can be. It turns out that that takes time.  A long time.  And, that’s okay. Star Citizen, conceived by Chris Roberts, aimed from the start to redefine the space simulation genre. With a record-breaking crowdfunding campaign that ignited the imaginations of gamers worldwide, it promised an unparalleled level of depth and immersion.  Chris’ previous ga ..read more

BY ELLA CHAPMAN: If you’re new to Granblue Fantasy, getting started in Sky Realms of Granblue Fantasy: Relink can be a bit daunting.  I should know, I jumped into the deep end after discovering it by accident.  This guide will help you to get started in this fantastic JRPG. Granblue Fantasy is a Great Place to Start For those who are new to the series, Granblue Fantasy: Relink is a standalone action RPG that throws you into an intriguing world filled with thrilling battles and fascinating characters. You don’t need prior experience with Granblue Fantasy to enjoy Relink, making it a g ..read more

Since the birth of my daughter, my time to play video games is now incredibly limited. With my new schedule and responsibilities, I can fit in the odd hour here or there but for someone who used to plough through 3–4 hours a session, it was a real shock to the system. I also found that my new one-hour snippets left me frustrated, annoyed and unfulfilled, so I just stopped playing altogether. Then I discovered indie games… I know, I know, I’m very late to the party but as a casual gamer whose interest was only in the big-name AAA titles, indie games had previously escaped me. It was all thanks ..read more

BY JAMES BELL: I’m in love with Star Citizen.  As more and more features are added (both to the game and to the back catalogue), as bugs are smushed and more gorgeous ships and locations are added, it feels like the controversial space sim that everyone loves to hate is finally coming together. One thing that Star Citizen sorely lacks is engrossing story content.  There are missions and places to go to complete those missions, but for the most part, it is down to the Citizens to use their imaginations to make their own fun and create their own stories. One content creator who absolut ..read more