Is Xbox Looking After Retro Gamers - This Week In Retro 279

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Stand, wait to be acknowledged, address all of your comments to the chair, and refer to the hosts in third person only for this proper parliamentary procedure edition of This Week in Retro. Original Xbox games come to Windows 11 (with major caveats)! We learn about the Bit 79: a souped-up Nintendo Famicom from Taiwan that launched an entire genre of 8-bit computers rarely discussed on English-language shows! And Chris dutifully delves into the world of pay-to-unlock content in an Artworx classic. Plus, everything old is new again as Atari once again partners with a film studio, a legendary tech columnist passes, and an infamous battery supplier reaches the end of its leaky road.

00:00 - Show Opening

03:42 - Unbox Those Old Xbox
Story Link: https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-brings-back-compat-to-windows-microsoft-pledges-4-games-on-pc

23:27 - Meet The Bit 79 Home Computer System!
Story Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZH1rR7WogI
Bit79 emulator: https://notin.tokyo/Bit79
Bit79 support materials: https://archive.org/details/bit-79-archive

35:16 - Housekeeping - News links found below

44:11 - Dial 1-800-STRIPPERS
Story Link: https://www.dosgame.at/blog/wie-wir-ein-vergessenes-strip-poker-spiel-wieder-hergestellt-haben?lang=en 

52:33 - Community Question of the Week

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This Week in Retro is a weekly roundup of the hottest stories from the world of retro gaming and computing, voted on by you, the listener! Hosted by Chris from 005 AGIMA, Jason from The Retro Adventurers and Dave. Edited by Duncan Styles.

News In Brief Links
SynaMax channel: www.youtube.com/@SynaMax
Nested Dreams: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/synamax/nested-dreams

CPC Attack: https://youtu.be/r9jDnWGsKKU

Candidate advocates for SegaWorld, Shenmue 4: https://metro.co.uk/2026/07/21/count-binface-demands-sega-bring-back-london-arcade-make-shenmue-4-29190664/

John C. Dvorak memorials: https://mailchi.mp/nashownotes/rip-jcd-no-agenda-newsletter
https://appleinsider.com/articles/26/07/23/famed-technology-journalist-john-c-dvorak-dies-aged-80

Dune II Commodore 64: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SILhafNKU8c

SNES SuperFX 3: https://www.timeextension.com/news/2026/07/randy-is-a-madman-snes-star-fox-gets-a-speed-boost-thanks-to-super-fx-3

Atari/Universal Pictures deal: https://deadline.com/2026/07/atari-universal-deal-10-game-ip-script-matt-reilly-carl-hampe-entertainment-360-1237001656/

Sega Rally port: https://www.timeextension.com/news/2026/07/this-might-be-the-closest-well-get-to-sega-rally-on-genesis

Varta insolvency: https://www.reuters.com/business/german-battery-maker-varta-files-insolvency-applications-2026-07-24/