On the back of Guizdp’s awesome Duck Hunt + Mega Man 2 amalgamation comes the heavyweight mashup; Super Mario Bros. 3 + Contra! There is something endearing seeing Mario blasting away with a gun.
source: guizdp
The Pop-Culture E-Zine
On the back of Guizdp’s awesome Duck Hunt + Mega Man 2 amalgamation comes the heavyweight mashup; Super Mario Bros. 3 + Contra! There is something endearing seeing Mario blasting away with a gun.
source: guizdp
Well, well, well, what do we have here then – a slab of Nintendo with quite the clever moniker, the 2DS! There seems to be a lot of buzz surrounding Nintendo’s imminent handheld system; it’s either love it or hate it.
I must admit, my first impressions were quite negative. However, being aware that Nintendo is a brand I have trusted for over 30 years, I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. Once released, I’ll have a play in-store and see if it suits me or not. At the end of the day, if I don’t like it, I won’t buy it. For those that already have a 3DS/XL, just turn off the 3D and you have yourself a 2DS (Ed: drawing a long bow there!).
If you are interested to know, the Australian release date will be on the same day as the US, October 12. Be prepared to pay a little more than our US cousins; the suggested retail price will be $149.95.
image and video source: Nintendo
The retro gaming secret agent showdown to end all showdowns! Impossible Mission’s Agent 4125 takes on Rolling Thunder’s Agent Albatross. There is no room for Mr. Bond in this battle.
Game: | Impossible Mission | Rolling Thunder |
Agent ID: | 4125 | Albatross |
Organisation: | Unknown | World Crime Police Organization |
Skills: | – Riding Elevators – Somersaulting over deadly robots – Finding password pieces |
– Espionage – Opening lots of doors – Eliminating “Maskers” |
Weapons: | None | Pistol or Assault Rifle |
Mission: | Stop the evil Professor Elvin Atombender |
Save agent Leila Blitz from Geldra |
For your next mission, should you choose to accept it, which secret agent would you rather be?
This is exactly how Super Mario Bros. would be played in real life!
source: Warialasky
By Nadia Hyeong
The “Atari Shock” or also known as ‘The Great Video Game Crash of 1983’ brought the American video gaming industry to a halt. With revenues that almost reached $3.2 billion dollars, it almost destroyed a lot of emerging game development companies during that time. Analysts feared that video game consoles were not viable in the long run. However, with the North American launch of the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985, it forever changed the gaming industry.
With unforgettable game titles like Super Mario Bros, Metal Gear Solid, the Mega Man series, Castlevania, The Legend of Zelda, Dragon Quest, and Final Fantasy, these games not only entertained people; they also influenced future video game designers and pop culture. It also opened doors to other console manufacturers like Sega with their 16-bit Mega Drive. During the late 80’s and early 90’s, people saw the dawn of portable gaming devices such as the Nintendo Game Boy, Sega Game Gear, and the Atari Lynx. With these advancements in technology, it gave rise to a whole new market: the on-the-go gamers.
Although we still enjoy our favorite classic or retro games on our beloved Sony PlayStation Portables (PSPs) and Nintendo DS, a new contender is entering the gaming arena: the smart devices. With mobile phones and tablets becoming smarter and more advanced, they are fast-becoming the platforms of choice. Companies like O2 have collaborated with manufacturers Sony, Apple, and Samsung to bring mobile gaming to the mass market. But, how can these smart devices help bring back the love for classic games?
Accessories Galore
According to an article published on Nintendolife.com: smartphones and tablets will be the “primary screen” for gamers by 2017. With traditional gaming consoles and handhelds slowly being eclipsed by these devices, manufacturers like Nintendo have decreased their sales forecast from 27% to 14% respectively. Since devices like the tablet are very accessible to all consumer segments, they are becoming the best gaming platforms. Take the iCade for example; it gives gamers a portable arcade cabinet. Classic arcade games like Centipede, Asteriods, Pac-Man, and Missile Command can now be played with your iCade, without inserting a coin. But if you want to relive your 8-bit glory days, try the iCade 8-Bitty – Retro Wireless Game Controller for iPhone/iPad/Android. It features a classic D-PAD and button layout similar to your old retro consoles. Using Bluetooth technology to connect wirelessly, it connects seamlessly with your Android and iOS devices. Now, you can never run out of lives while playing Contra: Evolution on your mobile device.
Powered-Up for Gaming
With popular game titles like Infinity Blade and XCOM®: Enemy Unknown dominating the mobile gaming charts, it clearly shows the power of your average smart device. Most smartphones and tablets are designed with powerful chips or processors to properly launch applications. These gadgets also boast of a 10-hour battery life, which is more than enough for playing games, watching videos, and some light reading. Most of these gadgets also adapted display technologies like a Retina Display and Super AMOLED (Active Matrix OLED) to give users the best visual experience possible. Aside from ultra-fast processors and crystal-clear displays, they have various connection options like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and 4th Generation Internet connectivity. This is important, especially if they need to back-up their game’s data on their existing cloud storage services. Aside from cloud storage, gamers can also save data on other storage media like microSD cards. Losing data won’t be a nightmare, thanks to these storage options.
A Definite Blast from the Past
Thanks to technology, vintage game enthusiasts can now enjoy their favourite games on their mobile phones. Pacific Wings or 1941 Air Combat makes a comeback on the iOS platform. It’s basically the same thing and you control your plane with your finger. For gamers who want to visit the 16-bit era, check out Sonic the Hedgehog, and collect all the rings you’ll need to defeat Dr. Robotnik. For the Mega Man fans, check out the Mega Man X and battle every stage boss to come face-to-face with Sigma. For those who want to play the greatest RPG of all time, get Chrono Trigger and see why it was the most revolutionary game of its time. Now you can carry all of these classic games with you, any time.
With all the intense and graphic-heavy games coming out on the mobile gaming market, one may wonder why some are looking for older games. It’s because gamers want to recapture the experience of playing a game for the first time. They want to experience the joy of immersing into another world, knowing the contrast between it and reality. Also, most of these old games didn’t have save points; people really had to play them until the end, and that’s where they get their satisfaction. It was like mastering the hardest subject in class and showing everyone that they could do it.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Nadia Hyeong usually writes about gadgets, apps and games. During her free time, she appreciates classic rock and art. Follow her on Twitter and Twitter.
Can you believe that Mike Tyson had not played his name sake video game, Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! till only a few days ago? Here he is playing it for the first time, almost 26 years after it was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System.
The Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) today announced that hosts of ABC TV’s popular Good Game program, Bajo and Hex, will come on board as Ambassadors of Screen It, Australia’s largest competition for school-aged filmmakers, animators and game makers.
Since Good Game’s first episode in 2006, Bajo (aka Steven O’Donnell) and Hex (Stephanie Bendixsen) have been championing what is now one of the most popular expressions of the moving image – video game development – to young people all over the country.
Speaking on behalf of the hosting duo, Hex said Screen It was an excellent opportunity to be creative and learn technical skills along the way.
“We’re stoked to be a part of Screen It, Australia’s largest competition for the next generation of filmmakers, animators and game developers,” she said. “Like Screen It we’re always hoping to discover the next big thing. We often hear from young people aspiring to careers in game development, television, and other forms of the moving image, and we know just how passionate and eager they are. We can’t wait to see what Screen It uncovers in 2013.”
In a special video message to coincide with the announcement, Bajo encouraged students across Australia to enter the competition.
“If you are a school student and you have the creative itch, it’s time to make your mark on the Australian media by making a short film, animation, or video game,” he said.
“You can work solo or combine your creative power with friends to win prizes for you and your school”, added Hex.
Run annually by ACMI, the competition is free to enter and open to all primary or secondary aged students. Students can enter through their school or independently. Entries can be live-action films, computer games or animations, based on the set theme. This year’s theme, Connect, provides a starting point for students and teachers to investigate topical issues while learning game, animation and film-making techniques along the way. Students may chose to engage with the theme of Connect in response to global, local, personal, cultural, symbolic or online connection.
ACMI’s Screen Education Manager Christine Evely hopes that Bajo and Hex’s involvement spurs a new generation of moving image makers to enter the national competition.
“Screen It is all about getting young people excited about the possibilities of the moving image, much like the way Bajo and Hex excite viewers via television and video game appreciation”, said Christine. “We strive to support students with creative and technical skill development, and foster generation of young people well able to critically reflect upon important issues such as the interconnected nature of our world.”
“With the support of Bajo and Hex, who both connect with and inspire young people interested in the moving image, ACMI hopes that students and teachers will take part in Screen It.”
“We hope that Bajo and Hex are the first in a long line of Screen It Ambassadors that one day might include the competition’s alumni returning to support and inspire the next generation of creative talents of Australia”, said Christine.
Unlike other student film competitions, Screen It is designed to provide rich cross-disciplinary educational outcomes for participants. Teachers registering their students are encouraged to download the Education Resources devised by ACMI’s team of experienced educators to assist with developing the theme. ACMI’s online education tool, Generator , can guide teachers through the production process.
Screen It is judged by a panel of industry professionals including Tropfest finalist writer-director Nicholas Verso, artist Ghostpatrol, film festival directors Ben Laden (Little Big Shots) and Malcolm Turner (Melbourne International Animation Festival), as well as Phil Larsen of Halfbrick, the Queensland-based team behind the worldwide video game phenomenon Fruit Ninja. Industry representatives from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, the Australian Children’s Television Foundation and the Victorian College of the Arts, also judge the entries.
Winners will be presented at a red carpet awards ceremony in December, each receiving a certificate, a trophy and a DVD prize pack courtesy of Madman Entertainment. The primary and secondary school with the Best Overall Entries will each be awarded a state-of-the-art Mitsubishi projector for their school. ACMI will also recognise special achievements by awarding a Sony PlayStation 3 and a Sony PlayStation Vita. In addition, the winning entries will be added to the library of the Australian Mediatheque where visitors to ACMI can view moving image works on demand, as well as being exhibited on the ACMI website.
Since 2011, ACMI has partnered with Bullying. No Way!, an initiative of all Australian education authorities, to present special Screen It awards. This year, Bullying. No Way! will present awards for the best primary and best secondary entries that address the issue of bullying and how it relates to connectedness. Winners of these categories will receive a $1000 bursary for their school.
The 2012 Screen It competition attracted 398 entries submitted by over 1281 students nationwide, making it Australia’s biggest moving image competition for young people.
Entries for the 2013 competition close on Friday 13 September.
“Get coding, animating and filming and good luck!”, said Screen It Ambassadors, Bajo and Hex.
For more information, please visit the Screen It page on the ACMI website.
Screen It media source supplied by: ACMI
In all honesty, picking my favourite C64 chiptune is like finding a needle in a haystack – it’s impossible. With maestros like Hubbard, Dunn, Follin, Dalglish, Maniacs of Noise, Tinman, Tel, Galway to name a few, the task is all the more daunting.
Like any ‘best of’ list, it is all subjective and down to personal taste. I had the pleasure in narrowing my all time favourite chiptunes to my ultimate top 25.
Let the nostalgic SID sounds wash over you!
#25 Paperboy [composer: Mark Cooksey]
source: gdreyband
#24 Operation Wolf [composer: Jonathan Dunn]
source: NOTHING
#23 Super Monaco Grand Prix [composer: Jeroen Tel / Maniacs of Noise]
source: cheetahman91
#22 Hawkeye [composer: Jeroen Tel / Maniacs of Noise]
source: comppi
#21 Bubble Bobble [composer: Peter Clarke]
source: PeyserCommodore
#20 Run The Gauntlet [composer: Jonathan Dunn]
source: lordtrumpy
#19 Golden Axe [composer: Jeroen Tel]
source: lordtrumpy
#18 Ocean Loader 4 [composer: Jonathan Dunn]
source: PeyserCommodore
#17 WEC Le Mans [composer: Jonathan Dunn]
source: Hans Perters
#16 R-Type [composer: Chris Hülsbeck & Ramiro Vaca]
source: th3l3fty
#15 Parallax [composer: Martin Galway]
source: gdreyband
#14 Sanxion [composer: Rob Hubbard]
source: CaseOfGlass
#13 Comic Bakery [composer: Martin Galway]
source: gdreyband
#12 Red Heat [composer: Jonathan Dunn]
source: NOTHING
#11 The Great Giana Sisters (Menu Theme) [composer: Chris Hülsbeck]
source: PeyserCommodore
#10 Myth [composer: Jeroen Tel]
source: cheetahman91
#9 Last Ninja 2 [composer: Matt Gray]
source: Manialt
#8 Cybernoid [composer: Jeroen Tel / Maniacs of Noise]
source: inphanta
#7 Skate or Die [composer: Rob Hubbard]
source: Darcal2
#6 BMX Kidz [composer: Rob Hubbard & Jori Olkkonen]
source: Manialt
#5 IK/IK+ [composer: Rob Hubbard] – these could not be split! Absolute classics!
source: manialt
source: cheetahman91
#4 Mega Apocalypse [composer: Rob Hubbard]
source: Luzifer217
#3 L.E.D. Storm [composer: Tim Follin]
source: NOTHING
#2 Turbo Outrun [composer: Jeroen Tel / Maniacs of Noise]
source: cheetahman91
#1 Zamzara [composer: Charles Deenen / Maniacs of Noise] – wait till you get to 1:55 !
source: inphanta
There you have it – the ultimate 25 C64 chiptunes. Controversial list? You be the judge.
Like with any pleasure, there is the agony – the agony of leaving out music from: Arkanoid, Bionic Commando, Robocop, The Untouchables, Rastan Saga, Dragon Ninja, Dan Dare 3, Yie Ar Kung Fu, Midnight Resistance and most agonising of all, Commando – sorry Mr Hubbard.
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