The Pop-Culture E-Zine
Need a(nother) new project in your life? If you do, then check out Peter Misenko’s (aka: bobricious’) super cute PICOmputer ZX – Pocket ZX Spectrum on Hackaday, powered by a Raspberry Pi PICO!
This is an ongoing project, so expect more details and instructions on Hackaday. Also follow bobricious’ GitHub here.
image source: Hackaday
Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Your awesome Commodore 64 magazine, Reset64 issue 14 is out now for your reading pleasure!
If you want to read an awesome contemporary C64-centric magazine full of news, reviews, interviews and everything in-between, then you are in luck – go and grab the latest Reset64 mag right now!
This issue’s theme is all about one of our fave gaming genres, run ‘n’ gun. This page turner of an issue was lovingly put together by like-minded (and very cool) peeps. We love Ant Stiller’s cover art and Del Seymour’s amazing editorial illustrations – it’s just full of eye candy!
Grab Reset64 Issues 14 right here!
Image source: Reset64
Alanah Pearce to Deliver PAX East 2022 Storytime Keynote; Full Exhibitor List, Schedule Revealed
Fully Vaxxed, Masked Game Industry Reunion Kicks Off April 21, 2022
PAX East 2022 welcomes renowned video game writer, producer, content creator, voice actor, and charity streamer Alanah Pearce, who will give the Storytime keynote address as the East Coast’s most attended gaming event. Hundreds of publishers, developers, and other exhibitors will come together Thursday, April 21 through Sunday, April 24, 2022 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center for the first time in two years.
Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required of all attendees, exhibitors, staff, and guests at PAX East 2022, and face coverings are mandated at all times. Additional health and safety information is available on the official website.
PAX East guest-of-honour Alanah Pearce has informed and entertained millions across international radio, internet, and television, plus games like Gears 5 and Cyberpunk 2077. Her industry knowledge has elevated IGN and Rooster Teeth while drawing huge audiences to YouTube and Twitch as Charalanahzard. A champion of accessibility, equality, and diversity in games, Pearce created the Video Game Accessibility Awards in 2020 and joined a AAA studio as a video game writer that same year. She will welcome gamers home to PAX East with the Storytime keynote address from the Main Theatre (and streamed live on Twitch) on Thursday, April 21 at 10:30 AM Eastern.
Following the keynote, explore a massive show floor replete with hundreds of beloved developers, AAA and indie publishers, and hands-on demos of hotly anticipated titles. See the latest from 505 Games, renowned publisher of Death Stranding, Control, Ghostrunner, and the Eiyuden Chronicle series. Experience new announcements or first-ever playable debuts for games like Devolver Digital’s Trek to Yomi and Demon Throttle, Swordship from Thunderful Games, Cuisineer from BattleBrew Productions, The Last Worker from Wired Productions, WrestleQuest from Skybound Games, RAWMEN from tinyBuild, and many, many more.
These partners join a staggering lineup of new and previously announced, like Gearbox Software, Larian Studios, Focus Home Interactive, Koch Media, XSEED, Intel, AMD, Apogee Entertainment, Ysbryd Games, Humble Games, and so many more. See Games Done Quick break records in-person, watch esports’ youngest and brightest play Valorant for $7,500 in collegiate scholarships, witness popular content creators throw down in Fall Guys, and catch all-star panels with industry personalities like WWE Superstar Xavier Woods AKA Austin Creed and Jirard “The Completionist” Khalil. The full exhibitor list and event schedule for PAX East 2022 are available now.
Follow the action straight to the Main Stage, where 1047 Games and PAX Arena are proud to present the $10k Almost Pro Splitgate Open. Watch some of the world’s best compete in the free-to-play, fast-paced arena shooter with player-controlled portals and multi-dimensional combat. Host Alex Corea and casters SUP3RSON1k, RomeDMV, CoachBitey, and aEvilCat will call the matches throughout the weekend, culminating in a Sunday Grand Final that fans eager to hear what’s next for Splitgate won’t want to miss.
“Even in the darkest times of the last few years, we found each other in Discord, and bonded in rounds of Splitgate or on simulated tabletops,” said Jerry Holkins, co-founder of Penny Arcade and PAX. “But PAX East has returned, just as was foretold. To our friends, new and old: Welcome home.”
Saturday badges for PAX East 2022 are nearly sold out. Four-day badges are now on sale for $235, while individual Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday badges go for $62 each. For travel info, event schedules, FAQs, and more, check out the PAX East website, and follow PAX on Twitter, Facebook, Twitch, YouTube, and Instagram.
image source: PAX
Press Release supplied by ReedPop
ININ Games has been quite prolific of late in teaming up with iconic arcade brand, TAITO – they keep giving us a jolt of nostalgia with their TAITO classics remastered for a new generation of systems (and gamers) to enjoy. Taito Milestones is the latest output of this collaboration, bringing a compilation of 80s classic Taito arcade games to the masses.
This special retro compilation may not be for everyone, but for those gamers of a certain age that played these arcade games ‘back in the day’, these games represent a new way of playing them on their contemporary consoles. Let’s get straight to the point, this Taito Milestones compilation is for those that seek a hit nostalgia, which is always welcome. For those that have no nostalgic pull to any of the games in Milestones, don’t be fooled by the simple graphics, as these games were designed to pull the player in and extract as many coins from their pockets.
There are 10 classic Taito arcade games which you may have heard of or even better, played them in the 80s! For western gamers, there may be a few titles that you may have not gotten to play as they were either exclusive to Japan or not widely available to play in arcade centres. There are the obvious classic titles like Elevator Action, Qix, Alpine Ski and The Ninja Warriors. That doesn’t mean that the other six titles are unheard of or not playable, they were just lesser known by western audiences back in the 1980s. We love platform and shooter/shoot’em up games, so Space Seeker, The FairyLand Story and Halley’s Comet are welcome additions – we have to say, we loved Halley’s Comet as it is a super fast paced vertical shmup with great enemies and power-ups. The emulation for all ten titles is absolutely spot on, so there is nothing to be concerned about on that front – just play and enjoy!
If you are a retro fan and don’t already own some of these games on the Switch, and want to dive into a nostalgic gaming experience by playing ten classic Taito arcade games, then Taito Milestones is for you. There is definitely something in this collection for every retro gamer. Is it worth the A$58 (digital) – only if you don’t already have some of these.
The physical edition (starting at €39.99/A$58.00) and the digital download version of TAITO MILESTONES for Nintendo Switch launches on April 15th, 2022.
QIX (1981)
Space Seeker (1981)
Alpine Ski (1982)
Front Line (1982)
Wild Western (1982)
Chack’n Pop (1983)
Elevator Action (1983)
The FairyLand Story (1985)
Halley’s Comet (1986)
The Ninja Warriors (1987)
image source: ININ Games
Disclaimer: The Nintendo Switch review code for Taito Milestones was provided by PR Hound.
With the Australian F1 GP being on this weekend, we’ve been playing Slipstream non-stop on our Switch for this last week, and we must say, this is the closest we’ll get to a modern OutRun, especially OutRun 2006/Coast 2 Coast (with a mix of F-Zero & Sonic The Hedgehog), with amazing drifting, slipstreaming and speed mechanics, complimented with a cool time rewind feature and a thumping synth pop soundtrack.
Slipstream has been a labour of love for Brazilian solo developer, Sandro Luiz de Paula (ansdor) since 2015. The love and attention to detail really stands out. Sandro’s Slipstream has pulled us right into one of our favourite arcade racer periods of the 80s and early 90s with gorgeous 2D sprite scaling and colourful pixel art graphics. This all amounts to an authentic retro experience on modern consoles with smooth and constant 60fps gameplay.
The entire package of Slipstream, from its graphics (with Pixelated, CRT and NTSC filters), speed and racing mechanics, awesome soundtracks to its six game modes, all combine to draw you into racing across a variety of twenty exotic locations from all around the world, including cities, deserts, forests, mountains and beaches. With a plethora of other retro inspired racers out there, Slipstream stands out with its speed, drifting, rewinding and slipstreaming mechanics, which add depth to the driving gameplay, resulting in a strategic, challenging and fun experience – what more could you ask for?! Oh yeah, it gets better, grab a few friends or family members and have yourself a local 4-player split-screen race.
The six game modes add longevity and variety for solo players, with different challenges. If you are time poor and need a quick fix of racing, then the single race or time trial modes are for you. If you have a bit more time on your hands, then the other modes (Grand Tour – just like in OutRun, Cannonball, Grand Prix and Battle Royale) provide ample challenges to test your racing skills. There are also some secrets to discover, which we won’t spoil for you here. Just like the arcade racers from yesteryear, Slipstream’s difficulty is dialled up, but luckily you don’t have to pump coins to continue enjoying the racing!
For under US$10/A$15, you get bang for your buck here, with an abundance of modes and amazing content. This all amounts to transporting gamers back three or so decades, when racing games were pure fun. The nostalgia that Slipstream induces is strong, so if you ever played and enjoyed racing games in the 80s and early 90s, then we highly recommend you add Slipstream to your games library!
Disclaimer: Nintendo Switch review code for Slipstream was provided by BlitWorks.
By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.
The “Planet of the Apes” films are up there with my absolute favourite movie franchise. The Matt Reeves films are masterpieces. Reeves has this little movie out in theatres called “The Batman.” You may have heard of it.
The first “Planet of the Apes” film, released in 1968, starring Charlton Heston, is easily one of the top five, greatest science fiction films ever made. The movies makeup, created by the legendary artist John Chambers, is still revolutionary. And the 1968 film has one of the greatest endings in film history. The final shot and line by Heston is still chilling.
image source: Steam
When it comes to video games, unlike the exceptional films, there is only one moderately entertaining “Planet of the Apes” game, and it’s The Imaginati Studios’ “Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier.” Released on Playstation 4 in 2017, “Last Frontier” had amazing graphics and single and multiplayer interactive action. The game was released quietly and disappeared with little fanfare. “Planet of the Apes,” the 2001 action-adventure video game, was the first game in the franchise. It was released as a tie-in to the 2001 film, directed by Tim Burton. The game was as mediocre as the over produced film.
It feels like the “Planet of the Apes” property is being underused now. It’s a large world for games, television shows, and films. Disney now owns the successful franchise, and Disney has so much on their plate now with Star Wars and Marvel. However, they’re big enough to focus on a “Planet of the Apes” project and balance all the other entertainment plates they have spinning; and I left out Pixar.
I have a pitch for a “Planet of the Apes” film: It takes place shortly after the event of “War of the Planet of the Apes.” After a large aerial dogfight in the Pacific Ocean, a veteran APE soldier is stranded on a remote island atoll. He soon discovers a MAN, a crusty fighter pilot who has crashed his plane. Not communicating verbally, the two enemies initially provoke each other and refuse to cooperate. But when they begin to face famine, dehydration, and exhaustion, they are forced to put aside their differences and depend on one another for survival.
I want another “Planet of the Apes” film. And hopefully it can produce a great video game. The world created by author Pierre Boulle is a fascinating, rich one.
There are some cool DIY projects out there, and then there is DanCreator’s Mario Kart 8 inspired working hovercraft made out of cardboard! Yep, you read that right, a Ryobi blower powered Mario Kart hovercraft made totally out of cardboard – which is totally mind blowing stuff.
But wait, there is more cool cardboard creations – check out DanCreator’s sitdown arcade inspired Mario Kart 8!
Check out Dan’s entire video below, which is totally awesome (or skip to about 12:20 to see the finished Mario Kart cardboard hovercraft)!
source: DanCreator
Which video games will make it into the World Video Game Hall of Fame?
Will Dance Dance Revolution hit the beat? Will Minesweeper clear the field or will NBA Jam be a slam dunk? The Strong’s World Video Game Hall of Fame in Rochester, New York, has announced the 12 finalists for this year’s induction:
“This year’s 12 finalists showcase the range and depth of the video game world,” says Jon-Paul C. Dyson, director of The Strong’s International Centre for the History of Electronic Games. “There are true icons like Ms. Pacman, games that changes the industry like Rogue, and smartphone games that made gamers out of hundreds of millions of people, such as Candy Crush Saga and Words with Friends.”
The three games that receive the most public votes will form one ballot and will join the other ballots submitted by members of the International Selection Advisory Committee, which is made up of journalists and scholars familiar with the history of video games and their role in society. (The public, collectively, will have the weight of one judge.) The final inductees will be announced in a virtual ceremony by The Strong museum on Thursday, May 5, at 10:30 a.m.
The World Video Game Hall of Fame recognizes electronic games that meet the following criteria: icon-status, the game is widely recognized and remembered; longevity, the game is more than a passing fad and has enjoyed popularity over time; geographical reach, the game meets the above criteria across international boundaries; and influence, the game has exerted significant influence on the design and development of other games, on other forms of entertainment, or on popular culture and society in general.
When we first started ausretrogamer over a decade ago we never imagined that our little corner of nostalgia would capture the attention of people around Australia and around the world.
Over the years we have had readers contacting us to donate their wares, usually due to our genuine love of retro gaming and the preservation of classic games and consoles, plus no one wants to send stuff to landfill – it’s a win win!
A few weeks ago we were contacted by Mike, an avid reader of our site, who asked if we would be interested in his donation of classic consoles, computers and games. Mike sent us a photo of some of his goodies, and we must say, our eyes lit up at the vastness of the collection he was going to donate.
We finally met up with Mike late last week and the big surprise was that he had way more amazing stuff to donate than what was in the initial photos. We were pleasantly surprised and found it totally humbling that someone would generously give away their items to be preserved and enjoyed – which we will! The best part of this donation was meeting Mike and having a great conversation about games, systems and life in general – which is totally priceless.
We haven’t gone through all of the items Mike donated to ausretrogamer, but we thought we would share some photos of this amazing collection – scroll slowly to take in all the nostalgia!
Many thanks to Mike for his generosity, these will be cherished.
all images owned by & copyright of ausretrogamer
There is no doubt that we are still in the honeymoon period with our gorgeous Taito EGRET II mini tabletop arcade, but there are a few seasoned classics that could easily knock it off its perch!
Of course the Sega Astro City mini is another beautiful little arcade in the mould of the EGRET, just a tad smaller in stature and without a number of bells and whistles that its bigger brother enjoys.
The arcade mini contenders face-off!
Going toe to toe!
Then there are the tabeltop heavyweights that have withstood the test of time, Grandstand’s seminal Astro Wars (1981) and Nintendo’s Game & Watch tabletops from 1983. We would’ve added the Vectrex too, but we thought otherwise 😉
Now don’t get us started about superior graphics and sounds on the Sega and Taito arcade minis, that is a given, however there is something quite charming about VFD (Vacuum Fluorescent Display) displays and simple pew pew pew sound effects – they never get old!
We have wasted too many batteries to count playing Astro Wars, Mario’s Cement Factory and Donkey Kong Jr., which we still keep coming back to till this day – that’s 4 decades, and counting! Let’s see if we will be saying the same about the new arcade minis from Sega and Taito in the 2060s.
Let the Tabletop Royal Rumble begin!
For now, the EGRET II mini with the trackball & paddle controller is consuming our gaming time!
