Hudson Soft no longer makes video games consoles, but at one time, it did. Best known for the PC Engine (TurboGrafx-16), Hudson stepped out of the home hardware market it in 1999 in Japan. In the years that followed, the company was purchased by Japanese developer Konami. Hudson human mascot Takahashi Meijin tells game site Gamasutra that the company is not doing any type of chip development at the moment."Actually, two or three years ago, we made the chip for a Konami TV game product known as the Poem," Takahashi added, "You could use it to do things like play baseball on the TV." While there is no R&D at the present moment, Takahashi does not dash hopes at another handheld PC Engine:

There may be a possibility, because there are still two main programmers with the company.

Don't expect that any time soon or like ever, but hey, nice to see that those two main programmers are at Hudson. Loyalty is important.

The Game Master Speaks: Hudson's 'Takahashi-Meijin' Goes Retro [Gamasutra]

Is there a pool hall, milk bar, caravan park or corner shop near you that still has some classic arcade action hidden away in the back corner like it's 1985? If so, we're hoping you can share the joy with the hordes of Kotaku Australia readers who want to find out where to relive the days when home consoles were a real luxury, the best games were paid for 20c at a time, and the cabinet art was far superior to the graphics on screen.

We want photos, descriptions, addresses, Google Streetviews, whatever you can do to help others find these precious nuggets of classic gaming and gather to put down their favourite three letters on the top of the list.

If you can start the ball rolling, send your pics, links and write ups to the tips *AT* kotaku *DOT* com *DOT* au address. Hopefully there are enough of these locations out there to keep the gems flowing for the weeks and months to come. Any predictions on which state will turn up the most gems?

Oh yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks! Legend of Wukong is, believe it or not, a new title available for pre-order online and scheduled for a Sega Megadrive release this Christmas.

The 'roleplaying adventure game' is crafted like we're living back in 1992, all boxed up and ready like it will be hitting shelves this Christmas. Funnily enough, this is all about ordering online, and you can check out the screens and details at the Legend of Wukong homepage. The same team involved with this release last released a Megadrive game back in 1998, The Beggar Prince. Another roleplaying adventure, they have stock available of that title too, should you decide you need more than one Megadrive RPG this Christmas.

Shipped to Australia it looks like Legend of Wukong will cost $US52.00. But seriously, if you know someone who keeps a Megadrive on hand, what better Christmas gift than a BRAND NEW game for it? Sometimes the nostalgia scene feels too much like cashing in, but this is clearly a labour of love that deserves some recognition.

Legend of Wukong [Super Fighter Team]

Last month, Eternity's Child creator Luc Bernard announced on his official blog that he was leaving the video game business. "I've got enough problems in my personal life to do another game after Eternity's Child," Bernard wrote. Wrong! Luc Bernard has now apparently told game site Wiiware World that he's quit quitting. Besides announcing that Eternity's Child won't see a WiiWare release until later this year, Bernard is working on Eternity's Child 2: Retro Child, a WiiWare title slated for mid-2009. Eternity's Child 2: Retro is based on the cancelled GBA game he was working on and uses traditional side-ways Wii-mote held, button pushing controls. Development for this title is already underway.

Eternity's Child Delayed - Sequel Announced! [WiiWare World via Dtoid]

It's a bit of a nostalgic day today at Kotaku (or maybe I've just done a poor job of getting out of the historian mindset this weekend), but a post over at Educational Games Research brought back memories of childhood and elementary school — Oregon Trail, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego (I vaguely remember a PBS television show that we were required to watch once a week), typing teachers (though we used PAWS in the 3rd grade, not the Mavis Beacon mentioned). Ah, memories:

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I've mentioned the unfortunately named Stephen M. Cabrinety Collection blog a couple of times, but I really do love it — I'm always curious to see what gems will be dredged up from the archives. Following on the heels of a post from Owen on five games to play during a stock market crash comes a post showing what (some) people were playing during the financial downturn of 1987. In addition to some less stimulating titles from 'Blue Chip Software,' we get the fantastic box art of Wall$treet and the dismal sounding Black Monday, among others:

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Remember Portal for the C64 emulator? Reader burgerk1ng has a nice find to go with it: "Gang Garrison II" by "Faucet" software -- an 8-bit, fully multiplayer "de-make" for PC gamers. I am ... retarded close to going out and getting a copy of Windows and Boot Camp, which would make this the most expensive free game in the history of anything. On the other hand, maybe it's a good thing I don't have a PC, as my expectations could only shattered. Gameplay video and links on the jump.

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Unfortunately, it's the NEC SuperGrafx, a souped up version of the PC Engine (nee TurboGrafx-16) that was never released outside of Japan and has a meager seven titles in its library. Even less exciting is that the first SuperGrafx release is Daimakaimura, known as Ghouls 'n' Ghosts on these shores. That particular title has been available on Japan's Virtual Console service in its Genesis form since July of last year — and for 200 yen less!

But hey, at least things are expanding. Any chance we can start getting some Game Boy Advance games from the VC? Pretty please?

Virtual Console Line Up [Nintendo Japan via Wii Fanboy]

For all the things that the People's Republic does not have, it does have an arcade — as we learned yesterday. And at least some very, very North Korean kids have Double Dragon. This pic was snapped by photographer Eric Lafforgue at Songdowon International Children's Camp, and the kids are playing the Micro Genius clone. Nice to see that even in oppressive regimes, some kids still get to kick arse with Billy and Jimmy.

Hit the jump for another pic.

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Taito's Space Invaders went supernova in late 1970s Japan and even caused a national coin shortage! Yokai Attack! co-author Matt Alt was a gaming nut back then, putting an endless stream of quarters into arcade game after arcade game. When he was seven years old, he sat down and composed his first opus space invaders, based on the classic Taito title. Recently found at his grandparents' house, it reads:

The space invaders took off in their spaceship shooting their lasers at some ships. A laser hit their ship; it crashed. The space invaders got out just in time! When the ship blew up, the fire was so bright it looked like a sun! They built a bigger and better ship. It took 10 weeks to build. As time went by, the ship got bigger and bigger! The time came when the space invaders invaded earth! There were no bad things, like fires or stealing. They made some friends and had to get their computers help to take off. They went to ziron home base, 50,0000 miles from earth.

Whew! So glad to know that when the space invaders finally do come, there will be no bad things like fires or stealing.

Nov. 2, 1980 [Alt Japan]