Rob Caporetto
@robcap.bsky.social
Australian, 40-something (he/him) coder of Games & Stuff until the Industry took an Arrow to the Knee.
Looking for what's next, whilst making vids on old games & more.
Here for connections, not shitposts.
Check it all out: linktr.ee/hellfire64
Looking for what's next, whilst making vids on old games & more.
Here for connections, not shitposts.
Check it all out: linktr.ee/hellfire64
Pinned
Rob Caporetto
@robcap.bsky.social
· Jul 27
I guess it's intro time, right?
Name's Rob. I'm primarily a programmer (gameplay &UI), but I'm also big into exploring gaming's past - which I do by making videos about them.
Looking forward to meeting cool folks!
If you want everything I'm up to, it's all here: https://linktr.ee/hellfire64
<3
Name's Rob. I'm primarily a programmer (gameplay &UI), but I'm also big into exploring gaming's past - which I do by making videos about them.
Looking forward to meeting cool folks!
If you want everything I'm up to, it's all here: https://linktr.ee/hellfire64
<3
Reposted by Rob Caporetto
Full program is out nowwww eventhost.au/-/lightning-...
October 2, 2026 at 10:11 AM
Full program is out nowwww eventhost.au/-/lightning-...
Reposted by Rob Caporetto
Click this way for some '80s 3D gaming! It's a stunning achievement and bewildering visual cacophony all at once!
kimimithegameeatingshemonster.com/2026/10/02/k...
kimimithegameeatingshemonster.com/2026/10/02/k...
Knot in 3D: Speed, space, and the humble Spectrum
Knot in 3D. The short, simple title printed on the side of this game’s case is both a neat little pun as well as the entire premise of the experience residing on the tape within. I am going to make…
kimimithegameeatingshemonster.com
October 2, 2026 at 7:01 AM
Click this way for some '80s 3D gaming! It's a stunning achievement and bewildering visual cacophony all at once!
kimimithegameeatingshemonster.com/2026/10/02/k...
kimimithegameeatingshemonster.com/2026/10/02/k...
Reposted by Rob Caporetto
Wrangling a sick household this week has left me kind of frazzled, so I almost forgot that the latest Intellivision Archive video has gone live! Enjoy two really solid games and one absolutely failed by the system’s controller
youtu.be/ARQnf7wLRiA
youtu.be/ARQnf7wLRiA
Night Stalker, Sub Hunt & Space Hawk - Intellivision Archive Episode 9
YouTube video by Atari Archive
youtu.be
October 1, 2026 at 11:05 PM
Wrangling a sick household this week has left me kind of frazzled, so I almost forgot that the latest Intellivision Archive video has gone live! Enjoy two really solid games and one absolutely failed by the system’s controller
youtu.be/ARQnf7wLRiA
youtu.be/ARQnf7wLRiA
Reposted by Rob Caporetto
Wrote this late last night so resharing! Nighthawks is a triumph: a wonderfully compelling piece of interactive fiction that constructs an well-realised little world in your mind and populates it with memorable characters. Funny, tragic, dramatic, emotional, it's everything I hoped it would be.
Nighthawks: this is who you are in the dark
For all the chaos we see on a seemingly daily basis in the games industry of 2026, good things are still happening. One of my favourite trends is the resurgence...
https://moegamer.net/2026/10/01/nighthawks-this-is-who-you-are-in-the-dark/
For all the chaos we see on a seemingly daily basis in the games industry of 2026, good things are still happening. One of my favourite trends is the resurgence...
https://moegamer.net/2026/10/01/nighthawks-this-is-who-you-are-in-the-dark/
Nighthawks: this is who you are in the dark
For all the chaos we see on a seemingly daily basis in the games industry of 2026, good things are still happening. One of my favourite trends is the resurgence of what I like to call, using my own idiosyncratic taxonomy of the genre, the "storytelling RPG". This is a very distinctive type of game...
moegamer.net
October 1, 2026 at 9:09 AM
Wrote this late last night so resharing! Nighthawks is a triumph: a wonderfully compelling piece of interactive fiction that constructs an well-realised little world in your mind and populates it with memorable characters. Funny, tragic, dramatic, emotional, it's everything I hoped it would be.
Reposted by Rob Caporetto
Queen's Domain, our retro-fantasy action RPG, is launching on October 30th! We've also revealed Switch 2/Xbox Series/PS5 versions for the first time alongside Steam, all launching on the same day!
Queen’s Domain is launching OCT 30TH!! ⚔️
Excited to announce our retro-fantasy action RPG with brutal combat and traversal-focused exploration will be available soon for PC and Consoles.
Coming to Steam, Switch 2, Xbox Series and PS5!
Excited to announce our retro-fantasy action RPG with brutal combat and traversal-focused exploration will be available soon for PC and Consoles.
Coming to Steam, Switch 2, Xbox Series and PS5!
September 30, 2026 at 1:17 PM
Queen's Domain, our retro-fantasy action RPG, is launching on October 30th! We've also revealed Switch 2/Xbox Series/PS5 versions for the first time alongside Steam, all launching on the same day!
Got around to doing my own stuff I'll be around at for #MIGW26 thing.
A lot of my time around GCAP is catching panels around self-pub and funding options, at least based where I am on my current projects.
For any peeps who are gonna be there & might be up for a chat, LMK!
🖤
#AusGameDev
A lot of my time around GCAP is catching panels around self-pub and funding options, at least based where I am on my current projects.
For any peeps who are gonna be there & might be up for a chat, LMK!
🖤
#AusGameDev
September 30, 2026 at 10:13 AM
Got around to doing my own stuff I'll be around at for #MIGW26 thing.
A lot of my time around GCAP is catching panels around self-pub and funding options, at least based where I am on my current projects.
For any peeps who are gonna be there & might be up for a chat, LMK!
🖤
#AusGameDev
A lot of my time around GCAP is catching panels around self-pub and funding options, at least based where I am on my current projects.
For any peeps who are gonna be there & might be up for a chat, LMK!
🖤
#AusGameDev
Reposted by Rob Caporetto
New Ancient DOS Games Shareware Edition video uploaded and ready to watch! youtu.be/C-LLSusr0i8
A Literally Sketchy Game - ADG-se Week 13
YouTube video by Pixelmusement
youtu.be
September 30, 2026 at 3:32 AM
New Ancient DOS Games Shareware Edition video uploaded and ready to watch! youtu.be/C-LLSusr0i8
This ain't good. I certainly am going to find it hard to afford to get my COVID booster next year if it actually goes up to $150.
I'm sure there's plenty of folk who'll feel those pressures too and probably skip it.
I'm sure there's plenty of folk who'll feel those pressures too and probably skip it.
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
Absolutely appalling - the Australian government is now charging $150 for the COVID vax for most people. The last protection now out of reach for most people
Absolutely appalling - the Australian government is now charging $150 for the COVID vax for most people. The last protection now out of reach for most people
COVID vaccine set for price hike - ABC listen
From October the COVID vaccine is expected to cost around $150.
www.abc.net.au
September 30, 2026 at 2:32 AM
This ain't good. I certainly am going to find it hard to afford to get my COVID booster next year if it actually goes up to $150.
I'm sure there's plenty of folk who'll feel those pressures too and probably skip it.
I'm sure there's plenty of folk who'll feel those pressures too and probably skip it.
Reposted by Rob Caporetto
Reuters got some of the IPO docs. Anthropic is a total dog of a company. Spent $12.6bn to make $4.6bn in revenue in 2025, $7.33bn of which was compute costs. Operating loss of $8bn. Losses getting worse year over year. Amazing stuff
www.reuters.com/business/fin...
www.reuters.com/business/fin...
September 29, 2026 at 12:07 AM
Reuters got some of the IPO docs. Anthropic is a total dog of a company. Spent $12.6bn to make $4.6bn in revenue in 2025, $7.33bn of which was compute costs. Operating loss of $8bn. Losses getting worse year over year. Amazing stuff
www.reuters.com/business/fin...
www.reuters.com/business/fin...
Reposted by Rob Caporetto
BATTY BUILDERS for Atari 8-bit is an early example of an action-puzzler... from an era a bit before the puzzle game genre as we know it today was established. It's a fun, tricky game, and highly original concept at a time when walls in games were usually for smashin'! www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ecV...
BATTY BUILDERS for Atari 8-bit is a Health and Safety nightmare
YouTube video by ThisIsPete
www.youtube.com
September 28, 2026 at 9:26 AM
BATTY BUILDERS for Atari 8-bit is an early example of an action-puzzler... from an era a bit before the puzzle game genre as we know it today was established. It's a fun, tricky game, and highly original concept at a time when walls in games were usually for smashin'! www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ecV...
Reposted by Rob Caporetto
After Ocean's conversion of Technos beat-'em-up Renegade, its arcade successor Double Dragon became a huge hit... and Ocean missed out on the licence. So in true Ocean fashion, they invented their own Renegade sequel instead. New post on Target: Renegade:
www.superchartisland.com/target-renegade
www.superchartisland.com/target-renegade
Target: Renegade – “The skin-heads, the Beastie Boys, the bouncers”
Yoshihisa Kishimoto and Technos set some key standards in early beat-’em-ups with 熱血硬派くにおくん, Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun or, as it was known in the West, Renegade. Having launched Kunio-kun as the main…
www.superchartisland.com
September 28, 2026 at 6:01 AM
After Ocean's conversion of Technos beat-'em-up Renegade, its arcade successor Double Dragon became a huge hit... and Ocean missed out on the licence. So in true Ocean fashion, they invented their own Renegade sequel instead. New post on Target: Renegade:
www.superchartisland.com/target-renegade
www.superchartisland.com/target-renegade
Reposted by Rob Caporetto
Executives working on AI at Microsoft and OpenAI admitted what its critics have been saying all along: LLms are predatory pieces of technology that have been built on what a Microsoft executive called “an astonishing theft of unprecedented proportions.” www.404media.co/doom-loop-op...
‘Doom Loop’: OpenAI and Microsoft Admits LLMs Are Destroying the Web and Built on Theft
"Millions of people around the world will soon consider large models ‘hoovering up’ all their work to be an astonishing theft of unprecedented proportions."
www.404media.co
September 27, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Executives working on AI at Microsoft and OpenAI admitted what its critics have been saying all along: LLms are predatory pieces of technology that have been built on what a Microsoft executive called “an astonishing theft of unprecedented proportions.” www.404media.co/doom-loop-op...
Reposted by Rob Caporetto
The C64 Tetris theme by Wally Beben is one of the greatest pieces of music ever composed and the fact that so few people will ever hear it is a tragedy.
September 27, 2026 at 9:55 PM
The C64 Tetris theme by Wally Beben is one of the greatest pieces of music ever composed and the fact that so few people will ever hear it is a tragedy.
Reposted by Rob Caporetto
Here's me on Ace Combat 8 for @player2au.bsky.social .
AC8 builds on what was laid down with AC7, offering more thrilling and expansive aerial shenanigans. That's coupled with a move to present its story from a more personal perspective.
AC8 builds on what was laid down with AC7, offering more thrilling and expansive aerial shenanigans. That's coupled with a move to present its story from a more personal perspective.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve Review – Flying High | Player2.net.au
Rob takes to the skies with Ace Combat 8: Wings Of Theve. But is this latest flight a turbulent disaster or a smooth, easy journey? He explains with his review.
www.player2.net.au
September 25, 2026 at 9:21 PM
Here's me on Ace Combat 8 for @player2au.bsky.social .
AC8 builds on what was laid down with AC7, offering more thrilling and expansive aerial shenanigans. That's coupled with a move to present its story from a more personal perspective.
AC8 builds on what was laid down with AC7, offering more thrilling and expansive aerial shenanigans. That's coupled with a move to present its story from a more personal perspective.
Here's me on Ace Combat 8 for @player2au.bsky.social .
AC8 builds on what was laid down with AC7, offering more thrilling and expansive aerial shenanigans. That's coupled with a move to present its story from a more personal perspective.
AC8 builds on what was laid down with AC7, offering more thrilling and expansive aerial shenanigans. That's coupled with a move to present its story from a more personal perspective.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve Review – Flying High | Player2.net.au
Rob takes to the skies with Ace Combat 8: Wings Of Theve. But is this latest flight a turbulent disaster or a smooth, easy journey? He explains with his review.
www.player2.net.au
September 25, 2026 at 9:21 PM
Here's me on Ace Combat 8 for @player2au.bsky.social .
AC8 builds on what was laid down with AC7, offering more thrilling and expansive aerial shenanigans. That's coupled with a move to present its story from a more personal perspective.
AC8 builds on what was laid down with AC7, offering more thrilling and expansive aerial shenanigans. That's coupled with a move to present its story from a more personal perspective.
Reposted by Rob Caporetto
NEW VIDEO TIME!
It's been a while since we've seen a modern shmup which manages to push the limits of its target platform, but @badcomputer.bsky.social's Razing Core for the Master System is absolutely one which sits amongst the greats on that machine!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzjsfD…
It's been a while since we've seen a modern shmup which manages to push the limits of its target platform, but @badcomputer.bsky.social's Razing Core for the Master System is absolutely one which sits amongst the greats on that machine!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzjsfD…
Razing Core (Sega Master System) - Raising the Core of Quality for 8-Bit Shmupping!
● Buy Razing Core (ROM): https://badcomputer0.itch.io/razing-coreIt's been a while since we've seen a modern shmup which manages to push the limits of its ta...
www.youtube.com
September 23, 2026 at 12:02 AM
NEW VIDEO TIME!
It's been a while since we've seen a modern shmup which manages to push the limits of its target platform, but @badcomputer.bsky.social's Razing Core for the Master System is absolutely one which sits amongst the greats on that machine!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzjsfD…
It's been a while since we've seen a modern shmup which manages to push the limits of its target platform, but @badcomputer.bsky.social's Razing Core for the Master System is absolutely one which sits amongst the greats on that machine!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzjsfD…
Reposted by Rob Caporetto
Everyone can now read this piece on Saturn ??? 'em up, Deadalus! The box says it's a shooter. The box is wrong.
kimimithegameeatingshemonster.com/2026/09/25/d...
kimimithegameeatingshemonster.com/2026/09/25/d...
September 25, 2026 at 7:12 AM
Everyone can now read this piece on Saturn ??? 'em up, Deadalus! The box says it's a shooter. The box is wrong.
kimimithegameeatingshemonster.com/2026/09/25/d...
kimimithegameeatingshemonster.com/2026/09/25/d...
Reposted by Rob Caporetto
Hey Aussies, last few days to get a free covid booster. After Wednesday you'll have to pay.
I just walked into the pharmacist today and they gave me one immediately, super easy. Covid seems to be doing the rounds again here too, have a few mates laid up at home with it
www.abc.net.au/news/health/...
I just walked into the pharmacist today and they gave me one immediately, super easy. Covid seems to be doing the rounds again here too, have a few mates laid up at home with it
www.abc.net.au/news/health/...
COVID vaccines no longer free for many Australians from next month
Only some people will continue to get the COVID-19 vaccination for free after October 1. Here's what the changes mean for you.
www.abc.net.au
September 25, 2026 at 7:03 AM
Hey Aussies, last few days to get a free covid booster. After Wednesday you'll have to pay.
I just walked into the pharmacist today and they gave me one immediately, super easy. Covid seems to be doing the rounds again here too, have a few mates laid up at home with it
www.abc.net.au/news/health/...
I just walked into the pharmacist today and they gave me one immediately, super easy. Covid seems to be doing the rounds again here too, have a few mates laid up at home with it
www.abc.net.au/news/health/...
Reposted by Rob Caporetto
Today, I decided to dump all my thoughts about A.I. infecting the retro and Saturn scene into one cohesive article. In short, I am certifiably sick of this.
Is there any harm in using AI to work on — or entirely create — projects for the Sega Saturn and elsewhere in the retro gaming scene? Yes, PandaMonium says in this opinion column, equating such work to digital asbestos:
www.segasaturnshiro.com/2026/09/24/c...
#sega #saturn #segasaturn #retrogaming
www.segasaturnshiro.com/2026/09/24/c...
#sega #saturn #segasaturn #retrogaming
Column: All A.I. Projects Are Digital Asbestos
The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of all SHIRO! Media Group contributors. The cost of modern day video game consoles and personal computers have skyrocketed…
www.segasaturnshiro.com
September 24, 2026 at 8:29 PM
Today, I decided to dump all my thoughts about A.I. infecting the retro and Saturn scene into one cohesive article. In short, I am certifiably sick of this.
Reposted by Rob Caporetto
It really is the year of Final Fantasy for @jesszam.bsky.social had the chance to check out Final Fantasy Revelation a few weeks ago and has reported on the experience. Spoiler: the highlight is cats
www.player2.net.au/2026/09/fina...
www.player2.net.au/2026/09/fina...
Final Fantasy VII Revelation – Hands-on Preview | Player2.net.au
Final Fantasy VII Revelation - Hands-on Preview I missed Final Fantasy VII growing up, so it has long been one of those ‘I’ll get there one day games’ that’s at risk of dying in the backlog. But this ...
www.player2.net.au
September 24, 2026 at 6:55 AM
It really is the year of Final Fantasy for @jesszam.bsky.social had the chance to check out Final Fantasy Revelation a few weeks ago and has reported on the experience. Spoiler: the highlight is cats
www.player2.net.au/2026/09/fina...
www.player2.net.au/2026/09/fina...
Reposted by Rob Caporetto
Surprise! Binky: Frozen in Time is now available for the Commodore 64!
Grab a copy a.s.a.p and take advantage of the 20% launch discount!
thalamusdigital.itch.io/binky-frozen
#retrogaming #c64 #indiedev #binky #coldfeet #snowballeffectgames
Grab a copy a.s.a.p and take advantage of the 20% launch discount!
thalamusdigital.itch.io/binky-frozen
#retrogaming #c64 #indiedev #binky #coldfeet #snowballeffectgames
September 24, 2026 at 1:58 AM
Surprise! Binky: Frozen in Time is now available for the Commodore 64!
Grab a copy a.s.a.p and take advantage of the 20% launch discount!
thalamusdigital.itch.io/binky-frozen
#retrogaming #c64 #indiedev #binky #coldfeet #snowballeffectgames
Grab a copy a.s.a.p and take advantage of the 20% launch discount!
thalamusdigital.itch.io/binky-frozen
#retrogaming #c64 #indiedev #binky #coldfeet #snowballeffectgames
Reposted by Rob Caporetto
Concern? How about arrest the f*cker??
Cripes. If you or I hacked Medicare, the AFP would bash down our doors. AI does it? Oopsies! I am concerned!
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Cripes. If you or I hacked Medicare, the AFP would bash down our doors. AI does it? Oopsies! I am concerned!
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Anthony Albanese says OpenAI agent hacked Medicare and he expressed ‘extreme concern’ to Sam Altman
Prime minister says he told chief executive he was disappointed it had taken company ‘way too long’ to inform government of breach
www.theguardian.com
September 23, 2026 at 10:46 PM
Concern? How about arrest the f*cker??
Cripes. If you or I hacked Medicare, the AFP would bash down our doors. AI does it? Oopsies! I am concerned!
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Cripes. If you or I hacked Medicare, the AFP would bash down our doors. AI does it? Oopsies! I am concerned!
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Reposted by Rob Caporetto
Well, my redundancy has been finalised today. Not really sure what to do with myself now, but posting about it again feels vaguely productive.
It's looking increasingly likely that my time at ScienceAlert is coming to an end. So I guess I have to join the chorus of people asking if anybody knows of any outlet that might be in need of an experienced writer, editor and/or fact checker, in science, tech, games or pop culture.
September 22, 2026 at 3:39 AM
Well, my redundancy has been finalised today. Not really sure what to do with myself now, but posting about it again feels vaguely productive.
Xevious 3D/G! Nice. Such a nice evolution of Xevious, and it got a sick home conversion to PS1, because there's shared hardware like a bunch of other Namco games of the time.
(Worth an archive pull to plug that!)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrWv...
(Worth an archive pull to plug that!)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrWv...
Beyond The Scanlines #019: Xevious 3D/G+ (PlayStation)
YouTube video by Beyond The Scanlines
www.youtube.com
September 23, 2026 at 8:31 AM
Xevious 3D/G! Nice. Such a nice evolution of Xevious, and it got a sick home conversion to PS1, because there's shared hardware like a bunch of other Namco games of the time.
(Worth an archive pull to plug that!)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrWv...
(Worth an archive pull to plug that!)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrWv...
Reposted by Rob Caporetto
Ooh, Xevious 3D/G is this week's ACA game, always been curious about this one, especially now I understand Xevious a bit more~!
(No SW1 / PS4 version, only SW2 / PS5 / XS)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e1u...
(No SW1 / PS4 version, only SW2 / PS5 / XS)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e1u...
Arcade Archives 2 XEVIOUS 3D/G
YouTube video by HAMSTER Corporation
www.youtube.com
September 23, 2026 at 8:07 AM
Ooh, Xevious 3D/G is this week's ACA game, always been curious about this one, especially now I understand Xevious a bit more~!
(No SW1 / PS4 version, only SW2 / PS5 / XS)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e1u...
(No SW1 / PS4 version, only SW2 / PS5 / XS)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e1u...