Archives for 2015

Contra: 7″ Bill and Lance Action Figures

December 9, 2015 By ausretrogamer

Oh my gawd! Just in time for Christmas, well, they aren’t available just as yet, but anyway, where were we? Oh yeh, those awesome people at NECA (creators of cool toys and collectibles!) have announced that they will release (April 2016) a special edition 2-pack action figure tribute set of fan favourite Contra video game characters, Bill ‘Mad Dog’ Rizer and Lance ‘Scorpion’ Bean!

For those of you that don’t know, Contra was also known as Gryzor and Probotector. Anyway, this Bill and Lance 2-pack action figure set will be the first appearance of non-movie-based characters in the NECA series, which will pay homage to Konami’s 8-bit glory days. Standing approximately 7” tall, the figures have all new head sculpts and “pixelated” paint deco. The set includes custom-designed weapons based on the classic game; detachable blast effects for the weapons; and that infamous power-up capsule with a clear support stand for “floating” effect.

For those collectors among you that will not open their packaging, a special window box package will be used to recreate the look of the classic game cartridge – which will look damn fine on your shelf!

April 2016 can not come fast enough! Here are a few more pics to whet your insatiable appetite:

image source: NECA

Casio Game and Watch Time

December 7, 2015 By ausretrogamer

If you thought that Nelsonic and Nintendo were the only ones making games on digital watches, then think again! Casio wasn’t going to sit on the sidelines and watch (Ed: pun intended!) Nintendo reap the benefit of this new gaming phenomenon.

With their pedigree in making fine time pieces, it was natural for Casio to jump in on the whole games-on-watches craze in the early 1980s. These games were mainly a left-right (two button) affair, but boy, they were so cool to have (Ed: If you were lucky enough to have one). Remember, this was all before we started killing time playing games on our smartphones. Some things never change.

If you were one of the unlucky ones (Ed: just like us!) to not have experienced Casio’s game watches, then here is a sample of their finest gaming pieces:

Aero Batics (GA-7)

Super Slalomer (GS-2)

Football (GS-12)

Space Hero (GH-17)

Space Warrior (GS-16)

Zoomnzap (GZ-1)

Champion Racer (GR-15)

Super Windsurfing (GS-20)

Egg Panic (GE-6)

Moon Fight Robot (GR-3)

Scramble Fighter (GF-2)

Car Race (GD-8)

Game-10

Soccer (GS-11)

Hustle Monira (GM-5)

Golf (GG-9)
image source: supplied

Video: Why Do We Think Video Games Are Just For Boys?

December 5, 2015 By Ms. ausretrogamer

Why do we think video games are just for boys? Adam Conover from College Humor’s ‘Adam Ruins Everything‘ explains in this amusing and informative video.

Video source: CollegeHumor on YouTube

Source: via Cheezburger

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Ms. ausretrogamer
Co-founder, editor and writer at ausretrogamer – The Australian Retro Gamer E-Zine. Lover of science fiction, fashion, books, movies and TV. Player of games, old and new.

Follow Ms. ausretrogamer on Twitter

Pinball Heaven: A Tour Of The Stern Pinball Factory

December 4, 2015 By ausretrogamer

Hey peeps, prepare to be absolutely gobsmacked! John’s Arcade together with Greg from Arcade Impossible, go on an exclusive access-all-areas tour of the new Stern Pinball Inc. factory in Elk Grove, IL.

This already awesome tour is made even more awesomer by having the famed pinball designer, George Gomez, as the personal tour guide – it doesn’t get any better than that! Whether you are a pinball fan or not, you will appreciate the behind-the-scenes of how pinball machines are made and distributed around the world. Grab the pop-corn as this great feature runs for 1:37:56 (to be exact), settle in and enjoy!

source: John’s Arcade Game Reviews & Tech

Masters Of The Universe Affinity

December 3, 2015 By ausretrogamer

It is no secret that I am a huge fan of Mattel’s original Masters Of The Universe (MOTU) toy series. I have been a fan since I first encountered the MOTU action figure line at my local Treasureway store (similar to Target / Kmart) in 1983. I remember being mesmerised by the He-Man figure in a big blister pack emblazoned with the MOTU logo. However, $15.99 was a lot of money in 1983 and it was going to require a big effort to convince mum I needed this toy. I got to work (in convincing my mum) and just a few weeks later I was the proud owner of my very own He-Man, but on the back of the packaging were the other figures in the series and I knew I had to have more – and just like that, I was hooked!

My ingenious (as I thought at the time) plan to expand my MOTU collection involved the argument that I needed an even split between ‘goodies’ and ‘baddies’ to be able to play out my (imaginary) battle on Eternia (a.k.a. the couch). I continued to collect more original MOTU action figures over the years, and although I never completed the set, I was very grateful for and thoroughly enjoyed playing with the figures I had.

Fast forward three decades, and my original MOTU collection is proudly displayed in the home office. I am so glad I kept the action figures all this time – they provide an important link to my childhood, a time where my imagination took me to wondrous places in the universe, thanks to Masters of The Universe.

The most powerful toy line in the universe!

Yo DJ, spin that MOTU wheel!

Cel shenanigans

In the most powerful club in the universe!

The MOTU story books (latter ones became comics) were damn awesome!

Very hot MOTU wheels

Show-bag full of MOTU weapons of mass fun!

Man-At-Arms vs Skeletor!

The most awesomest books in the universe!

Don’t get bored playing Monopoly. Play to save He-Man!

Laser blasting with the man with Man-E-Faces

Evil lurks in many corners. Watch out Hulk!

Great pants Brutus! Oh wait……

Trouble setting up Castle Grayskull? Don’t worry, this scary looking He-Man will help!

Oh, so that’s how the labels are applied!

The showcasing rig

Giddy-up Cringer! Oops, I mean Battle Cat!

Top 5 Games Charts: December 1997

December 2, 2015 By ausretrogamer

Rewind the clock 18 years to December 1997 and take a gander at what the top games were on the Saturn, Playstation and PC. Surprised? Well, you shouldn’t be. The Christmas games charts were always a great barometer of the types of games that we were going to see more of in the coming new year. Suffice to say, the iterative annual sports titles (your FIFAs and Maddens), including driving games (Formula 1), were always going to play their part in the charts.

Browsing through the list of top games from 18 years ago, it is great to see that there was a mix of gaming genres, from driving formula 1 cars and flying elite helicopters, to wiping out zombies, throwing a football and to the inevitable first-person shooters. What were you playing 18 years ago?

	1) Formula 1 ’97 (Psygnosis)
	2) Nuclear Strike (Electronic Arts)
	3) Abe’s Odyssee: Oddworld (GT)
	4) Track & Field Platinum (Konami)
	5) Parappa The Rapper (Sony)

	1) Sega Worldwide Soccer ’98 (Sega)
	2) Last Bronx (Sega)
	3) Resident Evil (Capcom)
	4) Wipeout 2097 (Psygnosis)
	5) Madden NFL ’98 (Electronic Arts)

	1) Command & Conquer: Red Alert – The Aftermath (Virgin Games)
	2) Quake: Replay (GT)
	3) Total Annihilation (GT)
	4) Flight Sim ’98 (Microprose)
	5) Hexen 2 (Activision)

2015 Australian Timezone Supanova Pinball Championship Grand Final

November 30, 2015 By ausretrogamer

This past weekend pinball players from all around Australia descended on Supanova Brisbane to compete in the grand final of the 2015 Australian Timezone Supanova Pinball Championship, with the winner walking away with a brand spanking new Stern WWE Wrestlemania Pro pinball machine! With all Australian state winners (and runners-up) in attendance, this wasn’t going to be an easy flip and tilt to become the national champion.

With an impressive line-up of pinball machines (2 x WWE Wrestlemania Pro, 2 x Kiss Pro and 2 x Game Of Thrones tables) to compete on, it was game on! After winning the Supanova Melbourne state final, we interviewed Johnny Crabtree and predicted that he would be a sure bet to hoist the national trophy and truck back the brand new pinball machine. So, how did we go with our prediction? We were right on the money! With 34 points in the final, Johnny fought off some stiff competition from Greg Siegele (2^ndon 33 points) and Richard Rhodes (3^rdon 31 points) to win by one point to claim the national title and the big winner’s prize of a Stern WWE Wrestlemania Pro pinball machine. It just goes to show how close the competition is among the top tier pinball wizards. Congratulations Johnny, a very well-deserved win!

The crowd gathers to watch the pinball wizards do what they do best

Let the flipping begin!

Marty Robbins keeping a close eye on the competition

Greg Siegele scores an impressive 126,523,740 on WWE Wrestlemania!

And the 2015 Australian Timezone Supanova Pinball Champion is – Johnny Crabtree!

Enjoying their spoils – winners are grinners!

image source: Australian Pinball League

Congratulations and thank you to the organisers, volunteers and sponsors (AMD, Timezone Australia, Supanova Pop Culture Expo and Australian Pinball League) of the event – without them, this would not be at all possible.

Roll on 2016 and keep flippin’!

Awesome LEGO Tribute To Crash Bandicoot 2

November 28, 2015 By Ms. ausretrogamer

We’ve said it before: LEGO and retrogaming is a match made in heaven – and this simply awesome tribute to Crash Bandicoot 2 by LEGO artist Martin Stipkovic is no exception!

Blow up those Nitro Boxes, Crash!

The whole amazing structure

What’s hiding in the base?

A mini tribute to Crash Team Racing!

Source: via Kotaku

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Ms. ausretrogamer
Co-founder, editor and writer at ausretrogamer – The Australian Retro Gamer E-Zine. Lover of science fiction, fashion, books, movies and TV. Player of games, old and new.

Follow Ms. ausretrogamer on Twitter

The Twelve Gifts Of Christmas

November 27, 2015 By ausretrogamer

“On the First day of Christmas my true love sent to me”, No, no, no! There will be no ‘The Twelve Days Of Christmas’ singing here, thank you. With Christmas just around the corner, we thought we would ease the gift buying burden by giving you ‘The Twelve Gift Ideas For Christmas’ to help you get something special for your really cool geeky / nerdy partner.

Forget about going out to the local shopping centre and battling for a car park only to get frustrated when you can’t find anything suitable. We are here to make this Christmas shopping period a pleasant experience from the comfort of your own home and one where your partner will thank you for the awesome gift (Ed: don’t you mean gifts!)!

Enough chatter, as promised, here are The Twelve Gifts of Christmas!

Star Wars: The Original Topps Trading Card Series, Volume One – Just in time for the Force Awakens!

If they are Zelda fans, then this 2.5″ 8-Bit Link Action Figure will tickle their fancy

But if they are a Donkey Kong kinda guy or gal, then they’ll go ape over this!

Secure their DS / 3DS with a retro NES inspired case!

Sega fans rejoice! Plug and play the Sega Nano on any TV (with composite connectivity)

There should always be a Masters Of The Universe gift under the Christmas tree

If clothing is preferred, then nothing says cool like a C64 tee

Bookworms partners will love this Commodore book!

Can’t afford a real Intellivision? Then the Intellivision Flashback is the next best thing!

Or maybe they are a ColecoVision type of gamer…

Forget forking out thousands for an arcade machine, grab them a My-Arcade mini retro machine!

And if you really want to spoil him or her, get them the ultimate handheld emulation system, the GPD XD

image source: supplied

The Mini Arcade By SuperGameCo

November 26, 2015 By ausretrogamer

Have you always wanted to make your own mini arcade tabletop machine? Are you a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) hack just like me? If you answered yes to both questions, then the SuperGameCo Mini Arcade may be just what you are looking for.

Made from bamboo panels that snap together, the Mini Arcade is a breeze to setup – if you prefer (Ed: are too lazy), SuperGameCo also offer the Mini Arcade in fully assembled form.

At the heart of the Mini Arcade is a very speedy Raspberry Pi 2 Model B computer, running Emulation Station. This ensures that the emulators and games run nice and smooth. We didn’t experience any slowdown during play – which was great. The 9″ LCD screen provides great resolution, but the marquee protrudes a tad too much which tends to get in the way if you are not sitting down low.

The control deck is made up of an 8-way Sanwa/Seimitsu arcade stick and 6 concave arcade buttons. These are complimented with a single player select button and an insert coin (credit) button on the left side of the unit to provide an authentic arcade feel when playing games via MAME.

Audio on the Mini Arcade is pumped through the front facing speakers via a stereo amplifier. We did find that the sound wasn’t as beefy as we would have liked, which took away a bit from the experience when playing shoot’em ups with booming explosions.

We found the Mini Arcade to be a breeze to operate and play games. The assembly was nice and easy, and once you are all setup, it is pretty straight forward to select your favourite old game and get all nostalgic. If you are struggling to find a Christmas present for your retro gaming partner, then the Mini Arcade may be a viable option.

PROS:
– Clever snap-together kit (or you could opt for it to be fully assembled)
– Easy to get started playing games
– Latest Raspberry Pi 2 Model B internals
– Quality Sanwa/Seimitsu arcade joystick
– Inclusion of the Insert Coin button provides an authentic arcade feel
– Multiple interfaces (USB/RJ45) for additional connectivity

CONS:
– Marquee is obtrusive when playing on the 9″ LCD display
– Button layout felt a tad cramped
– Sound is reasonable, but it needs to be meatier
– Insert coin button stickiness (may have just been our unit)
– Power supply cord was too short
– Graphics on the bamboo panels would be nice

The Mini Arcade product variants and prices can be found at the SuperGameCo store here.

Archives for 2015

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