Patrick O’Rourke’s 5 favourite issues of 2024

2024 was a yr of change for me. I left my job because the Editor-In-Chief of MobileSyrup after working and serving to to construct Canada’s premiere expertise web site for greater than 10 years, for the units managing editor position at Pocket-lint. I then discovered myself again within the EIC role a few months later, however this time at Pocket-lint.

I am thrilled to take the helm of a historic publication like Pocket-lint, and the stellar staff and I’ve huge plans for 2025, together with content material that goals to supply a glimpse on the small however nimble editorial staff behind the location. This “my 5 favourite issues” story is an instance of this — and sure, for those who’ve adopted my work up to now, you may recognize the format from MobileSyrup 😉. You may see different members of the Pocket-lint editorial staff’s 5 favourite issues tales hit the location within the coming days.

Exterior of work-related modifications, there are a number of issues I preferred this yr, starting from taking part in Ship of Harkinian (a PC port of Zelda: Ocarina of Time) on the ROG Ally X to the Fallout TV present and a surprisingly empty pop-punk competition expertise.

1 Ship of Harkinian on the ROG Ally X

Reliving certainly one of my favourite childhood video games has been a blast

For those who informed me a number of months in the past that I would spend 30 plus hours taking part in Nintendo 64 basic The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in direction of the latter half of the yr, I fairly merely would not consider you, however right here we’re. I’ve recognized about Ship of Harkinian, a PC port of Ocarina of Time, for fairly a while, however I’ve by no means bothered to get it up and working till just lately. It looks as if the right recreation to play on the Steam Deck OLED, however any time I regarded up the steps to get it engaged on Valve’s handheld, it simply appeared too sophisticated.

That is the place the Home windows-based ROG Ally X is available in. As a result of it runs Home windows 11 (which is each its finest and worst function), you are able to do just about something you’ll be able to with a laptop computer on the hand held, permitting me to get Ship of Harkinian and a 4K texture pack referred to as OoT Reloaded put in in just some minutes. Ocarina of Time has aged remarkably effectively for a recreation that launched method again in 1998, and that further sheen of high-resolution textures and 60fps brings its visuals as much as par with its outstanding gameplay. I am stunned at how a lot I bear in mind about Ocarina of Time but additionally how a lot I’ve forgotten, particularly with regards to some puzzles early within the recreation (the variety of instances I’ve wanted to make use of a walkthrough is embarrassing).

Associated

The legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a nostalgia-fueled adventure with frame rate issues

Zelda’s first recreation is excess of a gimmick-filled spin-off within the long-running sequence.

2 Fallout TV present

I am nonetheless stunned at how a lot I loved it

Amazon

Your modifications have been saved

Fallout

Style

Sci-Fi

Variety of Seasons

1

Studio

Amazon

Creator

Jonathan Nolan

Starring

Walton Goggins, Ella Purnell, Aaron Clifton Moten

Format

TV sequence

Broaden

Except it is The Last of Us, I’ve just about given up on online game TV reveals, however I am glad I gave Amazon’s Fallout TV present a shot. It just about completely captures the sport sequence’ tongue-in-cheek tone, and Ella Purnell (Lucy MacLean), Aaron Moten (Maximus), and Walton Goggins (The Goul 🥵) supply wonderful performances. It’s kind of crude and shockingly gory at instances, however there’s additionally coronary heart to it, similar to the long-running recreation franchise.

A part of why I feel the Fallout TV present works so effectively is as a result of it is solely set within the recreation’s universe, giving its creators (which incorporates government producer Jonathan Nolan) free rein to do just about no matter they need inside the confines of the sport’s universe. I am wanting ahead to season 2 when it seemingly drops in some unspecified time in the future in 2026. The Fallout TV present is out there to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Associated

Apple’s AirPods 4 with ANC might just be the best update yet

The entry-level wi-fi earbuds get a number of new options, together with lively noise cancellation, dialog consciousness, and improved sound high quality.

3 Attending All Your Associates Fest

Getting a non-public live performance from Gob was fairly cool

I am a sucker for nostalgia, so when my companion managed to get her palms on VIP tickets to All Your Friends Fest, a pop-punk/emo competition that appeared prefer it aimed to be a smaller scale When We Were Young, I used to be all in. Then I came upon it was method out in Burl’s Creek, a competition venue that is roughly two hours away from Toronto, and my pleasure shortly disappeared. In reality, at one level, my companion and I deliberate to skip the competition altogether, however I am very glad we did not.

As a compromise, we hit up solely the Friday date, and to my shock, the venue was just about empty. This gave us the possibility to look at Silverstein, Gob, Billy Talent, and extra, from the entrance row. In a method, it virtually felt like a semi-private live performance expertise. I doubt subsequent yr’s competition will probably be as low-key, so I am going to at all times treasure having the chance to see a number of of the manufacturers I grew up listening to up shut and private. And hey, Gob might not have performed Ming Tran, however a minimum of I obtained to hearken to Soda whereas standing 5-feet from the stage.

Associated

The iPhone 16 offers nearly everything I want from a phone

Apple’s base iPhone is a strong, all-around gadget that actually ought to function a 120Hz refresh charge show.

4 Anbernic’s RG35XXSP taught me the significance of authenticity

Taking part in retro video games is all concerning the platform you are gaming on

Your modifications have been saved

I used to suppose it was foolish to wish to play retro video games with old style controllers or, on this case, a familiar-looking gadget. “It is the sport that issues, not the gadget,” was the opinion I held for years. Then I got here throughout Anbernic’s RG35XXSP, a retro handheld that is somewhat greater than impressed by Nintendo’s basic Game Boy Advance SP, the primary backlit Sport Boy launched in North America.

For those who put the 2 handhelds side-by-side, most individuals in all probability would not even have the ability to inform the distinction. Anbernic has recreated the GBA SP in a outstanding method, proper right down to its clamshell design, button structure, and the a number of sensible software program methods it provides, like pixel scaling, a digital drop shadow border across the show, and extra. In some methods, I’ve discovered that taking part in GBA video games on a handheld with this acquainted design is a greater expertise than the far costlier and premium-feeling FPGA-based Analogue Pocket (you’ll be able to choose up the RG35XXSP for just $60). I can also’t complain concerning the numerous ROMs that will or will not be already put in on the RG35XXSP relying on what storage configuration you go for, or its small measurement, which makes it simple to take with me on work-related journeys (the above image is me gaming away on a airplane).

Associated

The Chromatic is such a good Game Boy remake it feels like Nintendo made it

In case your aim is to play old style Sport Boy video games in probably the most genuine method attainable, the Chromatic is likely one of the finest choices obtainable.

5 Going to the Tea Home on the Royal Botanical Gardens

Trying out flowers and consuming tasty treats

I actually like expertise, and that is a giant a part of why I obtained into the journalism house. However I additionally like completely unplugging, flowers, gardening, and ingesting tea. In an effort to briefly disconnect from our busy lives, my companion purchased tickets to the Royal Botanical Gardens Tea House, a fantastically embellished and historic tea home situated in southern Ontario, for my birthday. For a number of hours, we munched on scones, macarons, tarts, and extra, and, in fact, additionally had tea. We then spent the afternoon wandering across the Royal Botanical gardens, trying out the sprawling park’s strolling trails, gorgeous flowers, and its tropical plant-filled greenhouse.

It was a brief respite throughout a yr that feels prefer it’s been completely continuous for the each of us, and each time I am having a tricky day, I feel again to that very chill expertise and do my finest to keep in mind that life is not at all times a relentless whirlwind.

Associated

Pocket-lint Awards 2024: Our top phone, tablet, streaming app, and more

The 2024 calendar yr has been marked with high quality tech merchandise from begin to end — listed below are the devices we love probably the most at Pocket-lint.