Everything old is new again: several sources are reporting Nintendo plans to make its back catalog of downloadable games free for its upcoming Revolution console. (Wow, without digging them out of the ground in Animal Crossing?) Revogaming even claims to have a preliminary list of what games will be available. You’ll have at least one basic sequencer: SNES Mario Paint is reportedly coming.


Of course, you won’t be able to control the Revolution via MIDI without some serious hacking. (hmm . . . how about an OSC-enabled Revolution . . . but I digress.) If you want MIDI control of an NES so you can sequence your Nintendo and not just play it, check out Wayfar’s MIDINES.


And for proof gaming is going retro, check out the “next generation” NES clone, the Messiah. This ain’t your father’s NES: think 2.4G wireless and rumble feature. Since it’s compatible with NES carts, I think it’ll even work with MIDINES. See, there’s plenty of things to think about today other than just Apple’s new Intel processors.