# Radazoid

> Radazoid is a pop-culture news and buying-advice site for adults who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s: toys and collectibles, movies and TV, video games (new and retro), and gear. Every story leads with a one-line verdict on whether it's worth your time or money, is compiled from multiple named sources that are listed on the page, and is checked against them before publishing.

- Site: https://radazoid.com/
- Sections: Toys & Collectibles (https://radazoid.com/c/toys), Movies & TV (https://radazoid.com/c/screen), Games (https://radazoid.com/c/games), Gear & Gadgets (https://radazoid.com/c/gear)
- Newsletter: https://radazoid.com/newsletter (every Saturday)
- RSS: https://radazoid.com/feed.xml
- Editorial standards: https://radazoid.com/about · Image policy: https://radazoid.com/image-policy · Affiliate disclosure: https://radazoid.com/disclosure

## Latest stories
- [How to clean yellowed, grimy old action figures without wrecking them](https://radazoid.com/how-to-clean-yellowed-grimy-old-action-figures-without-wrecking-them): Warm water, dish soap and a soft toothbrush clean most figures safely; retrobrite can reverse yellowing but may weaken plastic, and loose joints usually stay loose.
- [The 80s toys that are worth real money now, and why](https://radazoid.com/the-80s-toys-that-are-worth-real-money-now-and-why): Sealed Star Wars vehicles, mint G.I. Joe mail-aways, and rare Transformers variants lead the pack—but condition and proof of authenticity matter more than the toy itself.
- [How to spot a fake vintage Star Wars figure before you overpay](https://radazoid.com/how-to-spot-a-fake-vintage-star-wars-figure-before-you-overpay): Real vintage Kenner Star Wars figures have specific copyright stamps on the legs or back, soft matte plastic with visible mold lines, thin paint that shows wear, and weapons that match the original molds—reproductions usually fail at least two of those tests.
- [What your old action figures are actually worth (and how to check in 10 minutes)](https://radazoid.com/what-your-old-action-figures-are-actually-worth-and-how-to-check-in-10-minutes): Most loose 80s and 90s action figures sell for five to twenty dollars unless they're complete, mint and from a hot line—but you can check real sold prices yourself in ten minutes using eBay's completed listings filter.
- [Haunted Chocolatier is an action RPG first, chocolate shop second](https://radazoid.com/haunted-chocolatier-is-an-action-rpg-first-chocolate-shop-second): If you spent more time in Stardew Valley's mines than on your crops, this is built for you.
- [GTA 6 on PC reportedly delayed until early 2027, months after console launch](https://radazoid.com/gta-6-on-pc-reportedly-delayed-until-early-2027-months-after-console-launch): If you're waiting for the PC version, expect a three- to four-month delay after the November 2026 console drop—frustrating but predictable.
- [Sony's Midnight Black PS5 Digital Edition launches in Japan with a region lock](https://radazoid.com/sony-s-midnight-black-ps5-digital-edition-launches-in-japan-with-a-region-lock): A sharp-looking console hobbled by region restrictions that make it useless for anyone outside Japan.
- [RJ Mitte death hoax spreads online, actor is alive](https://radazoid.com/rj-mitte-death-hoax-spreads-online-actor-is-alive): It's completely false—ignore it and move on.
- [Crystal Lake prequel series splits critics on whether Pamela Voorhees origin story works](https://radazoid.com/crystal-lake-prequel-series-splits-critics-on-whether-pamela-voorhees-origin-story-works): If you want a straightforward slasher with camp counselors and body counts, this might frustrate you, but if you're curious how a grief-stricken mother becomes a killer and you're okay with slower pacing and a mystery thread, it could work.
- [Xbox CEO promises new IP push while cancelling games and launching Labs group](https://radazoid.com/xbox-ceo-promises-new-ip-push-while-cancelling-games-and-launching-labs-group): The Labs initiative sounds promising for preservation and modding tools, but the strategy is contradictory when Xbox is cutting staff and forcing studios back to safe franchises.
- [Greta Gerwig's Narnia movie hits IMAX in February with Meryl Streep as Aslan](https://radazoid.com/greta-gerwig-s-narnia-movie-hits-imax-in-february-with-meryl-streep-as-aslan): If you grew up imagining Narnia, this cast and director combo makes it worth the trip to IMAX.
- [GTA VI lands November 19: what to know before you lose a month to Leonida](https://radazoid.com/gta-vi-lands-november-19-what-to-know-before-you-lose-a-month-to-leonida): If you've waited since 2013, yes, but budget $80 and accept that PC players are still waiting.
- [Castlevania: Belmont's Curse whips into stores Thursday for $30](https://radazoid.com/castlevania-belmont-s-curse-whips-into-stores-thursday-for-30): At $30 with strong previews and the Dead Cells crew behind it, this is the safest bet of the week for old Castlevania fans.
- [The new Street Fighter movie lands Friday, and it's set in 1993 on purpose](https://radazoid.com/the-new-street-fighter-movie-lands-friday-and-it-s-set-in-1993-on-purpose): If the 1994 Van Damme movie is a guilty pleasure for you, this one is worth a matinee ticket to find out whether faithful plus silly beats careless plus silly.
- [Two N64 clones are on sale this holiday, and they're about $40 apart](https://radazoid.com/two-n64-clones-are-on-sale-this-holiday-and-they-re-about-40-apart): If you have real N64 cartridges and a 4K TV, one of these is worth it; the M64 is cheaper, while reviewers have so far given the Analogue 3D the edge on polish.
- [Hasbro's NYCC reveals: a Dreadnok medic and the 2007 movie Autobots](https://radazoid.com/hasbro-s-nycc-reveals-a-dreadnok-medic-and-the-2007-movie-autobots): Worth a look if you collect Transformers Studio Series or G.I. Joe Classified, but don't expect any of the headline figures under the tree this year.
- [Ocarina of Time is back November 5, now with a jump button and voice acting](https://radazoid.com/ocarina-of-time-is-back-november-5-now-with-a-jump-button-and-voice-acting): If Ocarina was your childhood, this is the easiest $60 nostalgia buy of the fall, as long as you own a Switch 2.
- [Dunesday is still on: Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three both open December 18](https://radazoid.com/dunesday-is-still-on-avengers-doomsday-and-dune-part-three-both-open-december-18): Block off two nights in December now, and if you care about IMAX, Dune is the one to book early.
- [Evercade Nexus still lands Oct. 30, but the C64 and Spectrum handhelds slip to 2027](https://radazoid.com/evercade-nexus-still-lands-oct-30-but-the-c64-and-spectrum-handhelds-slip-to-2027): The Nexus is a reasonable gift pick for a cartridge collector; if you pre-ordered a C64 or Spectrum handheld, plan on waiting until spring.
- [LEGO's $800 Executor Super Star Destroyer is now the longest LEGO set ever](https://radazoid.com/lego-s-800-executor-super-star-destroyer-is-now-the-longest-lego-set-ever): Only if you have $800 and a very long, very sturdy shelf; for everyone else, it's a great thing to admire from a safe distance.
- [How Gremlins and Temple of Doom accidentally invented PG-13](https://radazoid.com/how-gremlins-and-temple-of-doom-accidentally-invented-pg-13): Worth five minutes if you've ever wondered why the movies of your childhood were so much nastier than their PG ratings suggested.
- [Retro handheld or your phone? How to pick without wasting money](https://radazoid.com/retro-handheld-or-your-phone-how-to-pick-without-wasting-money): If you'll actually play a few times a week, a dedicated handheld with real buttons is worth it; if you're curious but busy, start with your phone and a clip-on controller.
- [Modern Warfare 4 arrives October 23: Korea, Captain Price and a $70 tag](https://radazoid.com/modern-warfare-4-arrives-october-23-korea-captain-price-and-a-70-tag): If CoD is your one multiplayer habit, it's the usual yes; if you just want the campaign, the October 16 early access is the only reason to pre-order.
- [Up, up, down, down: the cheat code that outlived its own game](https://radazoid.com/up-up-down-down-the-cheat-code-that-outlived-its-own-game): Worth two minutes of your attention, and you'll never type it into a website the same way again.
- [Godzilla Minus Zero stomps into US theaters November 6, and he's eyeing New York](https://radazoid.com/godzilla-minus-zero-stomps-into-us-theaters-november-6-and-he-s-eyeing-new-york): If Minus One got to you, this is the November movie to circle; it's the same director with the same cast and a bigger canvas.
- [RetroTINK's new $230 scaler brings 1440p to your old consoles](https://radazoid.com/retrotink-s-new-230-scaler-brings-1440p-to-your-old-consoles): If your real consoles run through cheap HDMI adapters today, this is a serious upgrade at a fraction of high-end scaler money, as long as you don't need HDMI input.
- [Tickle Me Elmo is back on the holiday toy lists, and so is your 1996 panic](https://radazoid.com/tickle-me-elmo-is-back-on-the-holiday-toy-lists-and-so-is-your-1996-panic): Useful as a cheat sheet for what your kids will ask for; the nostalgia picks are a nice bonus, not a reason to shop early in a panic.
- [Blowing into NES cartridges never fixed anything](https://radazoid.com/blowing-into-nes-cartridges-never-fixed-anything): It was the reseating, not your breath. And your breath may have made things worse.
- [I Play Rocky tells how Stallone bet everything to star in his own script](https://radazoid.com/i-play-rocky-tells-how-stallone-bet-everything-to-star-in-his-own-script): Early festival reviews are warm but mixed, so it's a solid date-night pick for Rocky fans rather than a must-see.
- [How to set up one man-cave TV for Sunday football and Saturday Zelda](https://radazoid.com/how-to-set-up-one-man-cave-tv-for-sunday-football-and-saturday-zelda): You don't need two TVs; spending 20 minutes on picture modes and inputs gets you most of the way for both.
- [What actually makes an old action figure worth money](https://radazoid.com/what-actually-makes-an-old-action-figure-worth-money): Check the attic, but loose figures missing their accessories are almost never the jackpot.
- [Betamax was the better tape, so why did VHS win?](https://radazoid.com/betamax-was-the-better-tape-so-why-did-vhs-win): A quick, satisfying read if you ever owned a VCR, or argued with the guy at school whose dad swore by Beta.
- [Kenner sold kids an empty box for Christmas 1977, and it worked](https://radazoid.com/kenner-sold-kids-an-empty-box-for-christmas-1977-and-it-worked): A five-minute read that explains why your dad's Star Wars figures started life as a piece of cardboard.
- [Why the N64 controller had three handles, and how you were supposed to hold it](https://radazoid.com/why-the-n64-controller-had-three-handles-and-how-you-were-supposed-to-hold-it): A quick, satisfying answer to a question you've had since 1996.
- [How Saturday morning cartoons actually died](https://radazoid.com/how-saturday-morning-cartoons-actually-died): The cartoons didn't vanish. They moved to channels and apps you could watch any day of the week.
- [How to play your old cartridges on a modern TV without hating it](https://radazoid.com/how-to-play-your-old-cartridges-on-a-modern-tv-without-hating-it): Skip the cheap converters. Either get a proper upscaler or play on an old CRT.
- [How to move or store a CRT without wrecking it or your back](https://radazoid.com/how-to-move-or-store-a-crt-without-wrecking-it-or-your-back): A free CRT is only a good deal if you move and store it right; get a second person, never open it, and keep it somewhere dry.
- [The Cabbage Patch Kids riots of 1983, explained](https://radazoid.com/the-cabbage-patch-kids-riots-of-1983-explained): Worth reading before you complain about holiday crowds; the Cabbage Patch shoppers of 1983 had it much worse.
- [The cartoon was the commercial: how toys took over 1980s TV](https://radazoid.com/the-cartoon-was-the-commercial-how-toys-took-over-1980s-tv): It was a half-hour ad. It was also the best half hour of the week.
- [Friday night at Blockbuster: the ritual, the late fees and the fall](https://radazoid.com/friday-night-at-blockbuster-the-ritual-the-late-fees-and-the-fall): Pure nostalgia with a business lesson attached, and worth it for anyone who ever paid a late fee bigger than the rental.
- [Game Genie: the cheat device Nintendo sued and lost to](https://radazoid.com/game-genie-the-cheat-device-nintendo-sued-and-lost-to): Worth reading for anyone who ever typed a nonsense code into an NES and felt like a hacker.
- [How to store vintage action figures so they don't rot in the closet](https://radazoid.com/how-to-store-vintage-action-figures-so-they-don-t-rot-in-the-closet): Worth twenty minutes this weekend if you have a box of old figures in the attic, because the attic is the problem.
- [Every legacy sequel follows the same playbook. Here it is.](https://radazoid.com/every-legacy-sequel-follows-the-same-playbook-here-it-is): Formulaic? Yes. But when it's done well, it hits like nothing else.
- [The grown-up gamer's guide to finishing what you start](https://radazoid.com/the-grown-up-gamer-s-guide-to-finishing-what-you-start): Check how long it takes to beat before you buy. It's the most useful number nobody prints on the box.
- [Before you buy a home arcade cabinet, measure these four things](https://radazoid.com/before-you-buy-a-home-arcade-cabinet-measure-these-four-things): Smaller replica cabinets fit most homes. A real full-size machine is a project, not a purchase.