So It Goes - RIP Tomonobu Itagaki

Today we say goodbye to a pioneer, an enigma among others. I am, of course, referring to the one of the most recognizable names in all of gaming, the one, the only, Tomonobu Itagaki.

Born on April 1st, 1967, Itagaki was destined for greatness, especially in the world of gaming. After graduating from Waseda University, he joined the famed video game company Tecmo in 1992 as a graphics designer for certain SNES/Super Famicom games, such as Captain Tsubasa 4 and Tecmo Super Bowl. His most well-known accomplishment was the creation of the very fighting game series that brought Tecmo out of its financial rot, Dead or Alive, starting with its first game in 1996, and the rest was history, when he founded Tecmo's gaming division, Tecmo Creative #3, better known by its well-known name, Team Ninja.

Dead or Alive became one of the most gaming franchises of all time under Itagaki's leadership, focus solely on its female cast, especially Itagaki's most favorite character, the runaway shinobi of the Mugen Tenshin clan, Kasumi. Not only with the main gaming series, but also its spin-off, Dead or Alive Xtreme, which focuses on the girls spending 2 weeks on Zack Island for a vacation, in their exotic swimsuits. Itagaki not only created DOA, but he also revived the legendary classic gaming series, Ninja Gaiden, for a new generation, bringing the adventures of the Dragon Ninja, Ryu Hayabusa, to a whole new light.

Although highly successful, but like the old saying goes, "Success can really go to your head". Itagaki, known for having long hair and wearing sunglasses in public, is often known for being a bit outspoken and having somewhat of an ego, especially when it comes to games like Dead or Alive. Let's just say, Itagaki wasn't the only one with such bravado. That's what some people say about Koji Igarashi or IGA for short, when he was in charge of making some Castlevania games like Lament of Innocence or Aria of Sorrow, but that's just me. And because that, along with multiple lawsuits among other things, he left Tecmo on June 2, 2008, and formed his own gaming company, Valhalla Games Studios in 2010, creating the action-adventure game, Devil's Third, and then later in January 2021, he created his namesake studio, Itagaki Games.

Unfortunately, even after wanted to create more games, physically and emotionally, Itagaki couldn't commit to what he wanted to do. And on October of 2025, at the age of 58, Tomonobu Itagaki passed away. At first, I thought his death was a rumor, thinking he lost his drive to create more games. But, his death was confirmed by his family on his Facebook page, along with a farewell message thanking the fans for his journey and his apologies for not making a new game. His death was a huge shock to the gaming community, especially those who are fans of both Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden, me included. So, in closing I will say this:

Tomonobu-san, thank you for all the memories, especially with Dead or Alive. Through Kasumi, our favorite character, I am forever linked to you. And if I ever do a DOA game, especially your cancelled project, Code Chronos, I will do it in memory of you. Wherever you are now, you are no longer suffering. Godspeed, good sir. Be at peace, father of Kasumi.

"I'm sorry, Kasumi", as Ryo Sanada consoles the runaway shinobi, as she sobs for the very man who brought her to life, with cherry blossoms flowing around them, thinking about the legacy Tomonobu Itagaki has left behind. Godspeed, Tomonobu-san.

So it goes. - そういうものだ。

The Mega SD: Returning to the Glory Days of the Sega CD!

 

Behold! The Mega SD cart, in all of its nostalgic gaming glory!

For so long, gaming, just like anime, has been in my blood. And the games from the Sega consoles were no different, especially systems like the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. Aside from the Genesis, the one other console I like to play the most was its add-on, the Sega CD. Although my time playing that console was short, I had a big time blast, even with some of the games I got. Unfortunately, because of my inexperience with CD based games at the time, plus the software within the Sega CD was wearing thin, resulting in system breakdowns, I was without the Sega CD, preventing me from getting more games I like to play. And for years, even with the other CD/DVD/Blu-Ray based gaming consoles, and learning to take better care with the games and the systems, I long for the day I want to own a Sega CD and play its games once more. However, the Sega CD add-ons, in all forms, especially the Sega CDX, were so used, that is virtually impossible to get it on online stores, not even Amazon and Ebay. And I thought I would continue down this road forever. All that changed around 2019, when a Spanish engineering company known as TerraOnion, known for creating optical disc emulators (ODEs) that allow users to play games from storage devices like SD cards or USB drives on original hardware, such as the Sega Saturn and Dreamcast, created the very flash cart that changed the face of retro gaming forever, the Mega SD.

Released around 2019, The MegaSD cart was another line of flash cart emulators created by TerraOnion. Compared to the Mega Everdrive Pro, this cart is a retro gamer's dream come true, especially when it comes to playing your favorite Sega games on your console, whether being the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive in their three versions or newer retro gaming systems compatible to the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive itself. This drive requires a MicroSD card up to 400GB, formatted with FAT32 or ExFAT, to save your games. While it can play Sega Master System and Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games, but real story of this cart is its driving force to own this cart, playing games from your Sega CD/Mega CD. The Mega SD cart contains the very same FPGA hardware that powers the Sega CD console itself, that enables you to play the Sega CD games, without the use of the console itself. Loading times, though shortened, are the thing of the past. That, and not worrying about scratched discs that can prevent the game from working.

Another feature in this cart, is you can also played modded and hacked games, especially some Genesis/Mega Drive games with CD based music, fixed gameplay and balanced difficulties, and/or playing patched versions of imported games with English translations like Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon, for instance.

However, with all its positives, there are some drawbacks, but most of them are minor. When you play your Sega Master System games, you can't pause them with a regular controller. Just like with the Master System itself and with the Sega Genesis Power Base Converter, you have to pause the game by pushing a button on your console, and the Mega SD cart has a button to pause the Master System games. And it doesn't stop with this, the Mega SD cart can also play Sega 32X games, as well, but it will only work if you have a 32X plug-in attached to your Genesis/Mega Drive. As for playing them on the Genesis handheld, the Nomad, you can play it, but you got to mod your Nomad to play it. Good luck with that.

In short, I will leave you with the pros and cons of this wondrous flash cart, along with its final grade:

Pros

- Plays Sega Master System, Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, Sega 32X and most importantly, Sega CD/Mega CD games.

- Unlimited Battery Backup for your Sega CD games (as long as you have a MicroSD card)

- Plays Modded, Translated or Hacked roms (provided you use programs to change a copy of the rom into the patched version of it)

- Plays Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games with CD based Audio

- Saved States

Cons

- Playing 32X games on the cart requires the 32X plugin itself

- The cart won't play Sega CD games if your Genesis console is hooked up to a Sega CD add-on (You must unhook the add-on for the cart to work properly).

- Not able to pause your Master System games on your controller (only the button on the cart can pause them)

- Playing the cart on a modded Sega Nomad handheld, especially with the Sega CD games

Final Score: 8 out of 10 (Despite a few hiccups, the Mega SD cart is a must have for retro gamers, especially die-hard fans of the Sega CD itself)

If you haven't got the cart, it is not too late to buy one at online stores like Stone Age Gamer. I know you will not regret it. Until next time, resist modern attitudes, embrace the past, create a better future and stay frosty, my friends.

Saraba da (Farewell)...for now!