The best way to enjoy Sonic on your PSX - Review of updates 0.5.1 and 0.6

The Sonic the Hedgehog XA project continues to evolve, and its latest versions, 0.5.1 and 0.6, introduce some exciting improvements that make the experience feel closer than ever to a real 16-bit-to-32-bit transition. Built from scratch for original PlayStation hardware, the game keeps growing in ambition, blending authentic retro aesthetics with smoother gameplay and new content that would’ve impressed even in the console’s heyday.

Version 0.5.1 - A Leap in Polish

This version marks a major step forward in both visuals and gameplay refinement, starting with the new off-screen character rendering, which completely eliminates sprite distortion and delivers smoother, cleaner animation. 

The game’s sound has also received a huge upgrade, switching to CD-quality Red Book audio, making every track sound richer and more authentic on real PS1 hardware.

But beyond the technical upgrades, version 0.5.1 also expands the gameplay itself. Players will encounter new, level-specific objects, adding more variety to each stage’s design. From moving platforms to environmental hazards, every zone feels slightly more alive and dynamic.

For the first time, Sonic XA also features fully functional enemies and bosses, complete with unique palettes and animations, transforming the demo into a dynamic experience.

Enemies and bosses are a key feature in Sonic games

Other additions include a pause menu, audio settings, better memory management, and new 1-up mechanics. 

Altogether, v0.5.1 feels cleaner, faster, and more complete version of one of the best homebrew game available on the PSX!

Version 0.6 — A Pink Flash Joins the Race

If version 0.5.1 was already incredible, version 0.6 further enhances the overall experience. Just when things couldn’t get faster, version 0.6 introduces a major surprise: Amy Rose becomes a playable character. With her signature hammer and distinctive style, she adds variety to the gameplay while expanding the roster beyond Sonic himself. While Amy is slower and less agile than her peers, her vertical range and combat mechanics make her gameplay style unique and rewarding.

You have to finish the game to unlock her!

Other fixes include improved hitboxes, enhanced boss interactions and new visual touches such as animals dancing around the player after freeing them from capsules. Even the spin dash dust effect and OPTIONS menu details have been refined for more polish.

The developer has announced that this will be the final version before SAGE 2025, with only critical bug fixes planned for now, as development shifts temporarily to other projects.

Still, Sonic XA v0.6 stands as a major milestone. It is the proof that the PlayStation can truly keep up with the blue blur’s speed and spirit.

A Promising Future for Sonic XA

Sonic the Hedgehog XA is shaping up to be one of the most technically impressive 2D PSX homebrew projects out there. What started as a curiosity a “what if Sonic had a proper PlayStation release?” is turning into a full-fledged game that captures the energy of Sega’s golden age while honoring Sony’s 32-bit legacy.

If these updates are any indication, the future looks bright and fast for Sonic XA.

Here you can see the main post about the game: Sonic The Hedgehog XA

For more detailed info about the different versions, check official links:

V. 0.51 - V. 0.6

Yume Nikki PSX

 

Developer: Elias Daler

Release Date: November, 2025

Graphics: 3D

Version: 0.00

Genre: Adventure 

Players: 1

Description

Yume Nikki PS1 is a recreation made by Elias Daler (also developer of Project MTP) of the original Yume Nikki game for the PSX. This is a short (~10-15 min) demo containing two dream worlds.

Extra info

At the moment, a demo of the title is available. From what we know, the demo will have the following features:

• It will contain two dream areas and two effects to find (+2 "pseudo" effects). 
• Block World and Snow World are present.
• You can drop effects in Nexus.
• Jumping mechanics.
• Photo mode!
• And much more!

Elias continues to work with the camera, but has stated the following:

"It looks quite pixely in the original PS1's 320x240. Not quite bad though? It runs *really* slow with this render distance on PS1. (~5-10 FPS sometimes). Turns out, Madotsuki moves *really* fast in the OG. 

This kind of perspective is not possible on PS1, sadly... You can't even have normal orthogonal projection on PS1 due to how the hardware works.So I'll experiment with more stuff, but I had to bump the walk speed on this level to 2.5x (!) to make the traversal not as slow...  

There are to many polys for PS1. If there was no culling, the game would have run out of RAM on the first frame."

Example of the fixed camera perspective with issues

An interesting fact about the development:

"Notice how when Madotsuki uses effect/transforms, she temporarily becomes much brighter (to simulate the flashing in the OG).

Kamakurako becomes bright too, but this is a bug... When I looked at it, I thought "Wait, this looks like dynamic lighting!" and decided to leave it."

Both characters have the lighting effect.

MediaWarning: the game might freeze during the loading process when running from CD-R's.

Unfortunately, many PS1 drives are slowly dying and can have problems reading from CD-R's. Burned CD-Rs use a different technology of encoding the data compared to the licensed pressed CDs.

If the game freezes during the load for you, try restarting and trying again.

Official Download Links

Itch.io - YouTube - Twitter (X)  

Loonies 8192

  

Developer:  thp

Release Date: June, 2020

Last Update: July, 2021

Graphics: 2D

Version: r66

Genre: Puzzle

Players: 1

Description

Loonies 8192 is a minimalist yet deeply addictive retro-style puzzle game that has been ported to an astonishing variety of systems (more than 20 in total) including DOS, PSP, 3DS, GBA, and most importantly, the PSX. Designed by developer thp (Thomas Perl), this humble puzzle experience combines simple mechanics with an enduring challenge that keeps players returning for more.

The port was created using Lameguy64's open source PSn00bSDK.

Extra info

At its core, Loonies 8192 tasks players with aligning and clearing blocks to maximize their score. Blocks fall from the top of the playfield in 2×2 groups of two colors, and players must rotate and position them to create matching 2×2 squares of a single color. Once a vertical sweep line passes over these squares, they are cleared from the board, scoring points and making space for new blocks.

The challenge stems from managing limited space while anticipating how pieces will stack and interact. Aligning larger combinations and chaining clears is key to sustaining play and avoiding a game over. This mix of simple controls and strategic depth makes Loonies 8192 both accessible to newcomers and rewarding for seasoned puzzle fans.

Changelog

r66

This is the latest update available for PSX, although there are other versions up to r69 for other platforms:

• Various visual improvements have been applied.
• Input handling has been improved.
• High scores can now always be submitted, not only when placing in the local

r65

Although this update brought new features for touchscreen platforms, the other platforms had minor changes: 

• The existing ports, including PSX, have been updated with several fixes.
• General improvements and corrections have been incorporated.

r62

This was the first version released for the PSX. It was similar to the version that existed with the r61, but with some changes:

• Save game support is not included, but global leaderboards (using the QR code) do work. 
• The name entry screen for the highscore list has been improved and  now resembles an on-screen keyboard.

For more information, you can check the official posts: 

r62, r65, r66.

Media

Official Download Links

Itch.io - YouTube 

Doki Doki Literature Club! PSX

 

Developer:  Soeiz

Release Date: July, 2025

Last Update: September, 2025

Graphics: 2D

Version: 0.4

Genre: Visual Novel

Players: 1

Description

Doki Doki Literature Club! PSX brings the famous psychological horror visual novel to the original PlayStation, reimagining one of the most talked-about indie games of the last decade for Sony’s 32-bit console. 

 

Originally released on PC, Doki Doki Literature Club became a viral phenomenon thanks to its deceptive presentation, deep narrative twists, and unsettling meta-horror elements. Now, this PSX homebrew port allows players to experience the story in a retro console format that feels surprisingly authentic. 

Extra info

This PS1 demake of Doki Doki Literature Club was designed with the intention of recreating the original game as faithfully as possible while adapting it to the technical limitations of the original PlayStation hardware. After experimenting with multiple smaller ports and gaining experience with retro development, the creator felt ready to take on a more ambitious project. Using the official PSYQ SDK together with Nugget SDK tools, the developer began exploring the inner workings of PS1 programming, making this project both a creative reinterpretation and a technical learning milestone.

 

At the moment, however, development has been put on hold. The project was paused primarily due to a loss of motivation, leaving the demake in an unfinished state for the time being. 

 

Some words of Monika:

"Welcome to the Literature Club! It's always been a dream of mine to make something special out of the things I love. Now that you're a club member, you can help me make that dream come true in this cute game!

But, before you join us, I have to tell you something:

I'm in the Playstation 1! I don't know how nor why, but someone trapped me in here. Please, join me!

Changelog

v. 0.4

• Revisited and cleaned up parts of the source code.
• Fixed multiple core issues that were causing various bugs.
• Save system is now fully functional.
• Character data can now be saved properly to the Memory Card.
• Character interactions are working as intended (for better… or worse).
• General stability improvements.
• Various minor bugs resolved.

Media

 

 

Official Download Links

GameJolt - YouTube 

Noah and the Poohloudies

 

Developer:  Golden Age Turbo

Release Date: TBA

Graphics: 3D

Genre: Adventure

Players: 1

Description

Noah and the Poohloudies (often abbreviated as NATP) is an ambitious 3D adventure project that pushes the original PlayStation hardware in unexpected ways. Players take control of Noah, a highly adaptable rescue robot equipped with a unique and strategic ability: he can merge with other machines, absorb their capabilities, and unlock new powers. This mechanic forms the core of the gameplay experience, encouraging experimentation and environmental interaction.

Extra info

The story places Noah on a critical mission to save the Poohloudies, a peaceful community of robotic inhabitants, whose entire galaxy is threatened by an incoming meteor. What begins as a rescue operation quickly evolves into a larger journey across interconnected environments, combining exploration, platforming, physics-based interaction, and problem-solving.

Rather than focusing purely on action, NATP leans into systemic gameplay and mechanical creativity, allowing players to interact with the world in meaningful ways through Noah’s evolving abilities.

 

Technical Highlights & Engine Development

One of the most fascinating aspects of Noah and the Poohloudies is its custom-built engine. PSX support has now been implemented, although the developer notes that some minor glitches remain. At this stage, the PlayStation’s Geometry Transformation Engine (GTE) is not yet being utilized, meaning that a substantial performance boost is expected once it is properly integrated. The current build already demonstrates impressive efficiency without relying on one of the console’s most important hardware features.

At the heart of the engine lies a clever level-of-detail system based on what the developer calls “SuperQuads.” This technique dynamically adjusts geometry depending on distance:

• Nearby objects are rendered as detailed polygon meshes that can split into smaller, more complex shapes.

• Distant geometry progressively merges into larger, simpler forms to preserve performance.

• Shapes are not restricted to being coplanar, allowing for more organic and natural-looking structures.

The result is a visually flexible system that balances detail and performance in real time, an approach rarely seen in PSX homebrew projects. Beyond rendering innovations, the engine also includes: Camera collision handling, dynamic object behaviors, physics-based grabbing and object manipulation and floating platforms and interactive level elements.

Even in its current state, the project proves that precise, low-level programming can unlock striking 3D results on 1994 hardware.

 

About the Developer

Golden Age Turbo is known for technical experimentation and a passion for extracting performance from classic systems. NATP is not limited to the PlayStation. The project is also being ported to multiple retro platforms, including: Sega Saturn, Nintendo 64, 3DO and Dreamcast. In 2021, the developer was interviewed by SHIRO! (a Sega Saturn-focused website), where he discussed his philosophy and engine development process. More recently, in 2025, he shared further insights regarding his new engine (particularly in relation to the Sega Saturn version).

These interviews provide valuable context for understanding the technical ambition behind Noah and the Poohloudies and its long-term vision. For more information, you can read both interviews from 2021 and 2025.

The developer posts weekly updates on each version of the game on his Twitter profile. We invite you to follow him there!

Media

 

 

Links

YouTube - Twitter (X) - BSKY