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Power Glove Hacked: It’s So Bad

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PowerGloveUniversalHID_TitleForget Lucas Barton declaring his love of the Power Glove because it was so BAD. Yep, the Power Glove was a terrible peripheral, but goddammit, it was so damn cool! What’s there not to have liked about it when you looked like a cyborg with it on!

Now imagine if the Power Glove was a useful peripheral! Imagine no more, as computer engineering genius, Nolan Moore has devised a Power Glove UHID (Universal Human Interface Device) project to overhaul Nintendo’s peripheral with modern sensors and wireless communication to provide the ability to use gesture and motion controls with almost anything you can think of, but in style!

Check out the video below of what has been achieved thus far with this oh so bad peripheral! Keep up to date with the project by visiting Hackaday.io. Thanks to Nolan, we can (at last!) say that the Power Glove is sooooo good!


source: HACKADAY

 

A Brief History of Video Game Controllers

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GameControllers_Title

Wow, 58 years worth of video game controllers, from Tennis For Two to the Oculus Rift. With VR now here to stay, where will gaming controllers be in another 58 years?

While you contemplate where video game controllers will go in the next six decades, kick back, relax, press play and see how we got here from 1958!


source: Super Deluxe

 

Blast From The Past: Hewson Consultants

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BFtP_Hewson_HDRThere were a number of big name publishers back in the day that had multiple chart toppers with an equal share of stinkers on the Commodore 64. The exception to this rule was Hewson Consultants (or simply Hewson as we affectionately called them). With absolute classics like Uridium, Paradroid, Ranarama, Cybernoid (this list could get quite exhaustive, such was their pedigree), Hewson was always going to leave a delectable and an ever lasting legacy on the C64. Their games had an undeniable quality to them which is probably why they are still spoken of so fondly even to this day, which is testament to the top notch software they pumped out for the 8-bit Commodore behemoth.

With a ton of games to choose from, our favourite Hewson title was the 1987 hit, Nebulus! We were suckers for brain teasing platform games, and Nebulus provided a mind bending experience in spades. The central character, Pogo was so damn cute and yet so very deadly – once we took control of him, we were addicted. Moving Pogo and jumping over obstacles to try and get to the top of each tower felt as natural as breathing. We remember the first time we saw the tower spin as Pogo walked left and then right, we were all wide-eyed with mouth open as if we were swallowing flies! This innovation was refreshing and executed inch perfect, which only Hewson could pull off.

To read the rest of this story, grab Reset #9 now and turn to page 28! Oh yeh, Reset is totally free!

For the latest on Hewson Consultants projects, check out their Kickstarter and Steam Greenlight now!

Reset_9_cover

 

RETROLYMPIAD: Let The Games Begin

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RetrOlympiad

Get your spandex on, whack on some sunscreen and head to ACMI on Saturday July 23 for the games of the RETROLYMIPAD!

So what’s this all about then? Well if you wait a second, we’ll tell you! ACMI is hosting the RETROLYMIPAD to celebrate the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, so get ready for an evening of food, drinks and Olympics inspired retro videogames from the 80s through to the 2000 Sydney Olympics!

The event will feature a range of nostalgia inducing retro gaming titles like: Epyx’s iconic California Games (1987 and 1993), U.S. Gold’s classic Olympic Gold series (1992 and 1996), Konami’s Track and Field II (1988) and International Track and Field (2000), and Dynamix and Data East’s Caveman Ughlympics (1988).

The RETROLYMPIAD will transform ACMI’s ‘Lightwell’ and ‘Cube’ spaces into a pop-up arcade playground for adults. In the spirit of sports commentary greats, comedians Andy Matthews and Al Tremblay Birchall will guide party-goers through an unmissable opening ceremony, retro-themed factoids and live game play. Another highlight of the night will be a live DJ set featuring 80s inspired beats by the Midnight Juggernauts.

ACMI Producer, Emily Siddons states “Whether you have fond memories of mashing controllers to crunchy 8-bit graphics, or are a game expert, this event has you covered. It is about getting into the Olympic spirit, hanging out with friends, being entertained by live game play and epic sporting fails over music, laughs and great food and drinks.”

Just like Carl Lewis made history in track and field, so too could Melburnians make history as top virtual athletes – winning a medal or ten like Carl . Whether you’re a competitor or a spectator, RETROLYMPIAD is one pixel pushing party you should not miss.

Details:
What: RETROLYMPIAD
Where: ACMI
When: Saturday 23 July 2016, 8pm
Tickets:  Full $22. Concession $20. Members $18. Buy tickets here.

 

Neo Geo AES Press Kit From 1991

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Neo GeoYou know the free information paraphernalia you get when a new system or game comes out – make sure you hold onto them! If you are in the media, it is even more imperative to keep those press kits you usually turf away, even if there is no t-shirt or other trinkets on offer.

This 1991 SNK Neo Geo AES (USA) press kit is a prime example of how sort after press kits have become, especially the ones for older systems. They definitely spared no expense creating a bling media kit to peddle their awesome (and quite expensive) systems. What’s with SNK, even there press kits are damn sexy!

Before you go hunting for gaming related press kits, including this one, be informed that these items fetch a pretty penny. For now, we’ll just drool over this SNK Neo Geo presser!

Even the box looks expensive, just like their consoles!
NeoGeo AES press kit

Let the drooling begin!
NeoGeo AES press kit 2

Definitely bigger, badder and better!
NeoGeo AES press kit 1

Flicking goodness
NeoGeo AES press kit 4

SNK spared no expense with this press kit!
NeoGeo AES press kit 3

Oh wait, there is game info in the kit too?!
NeoGeo AES press kit 5

OK, we may need to sell a kidney or two now!
NeoGeo AES press kit 6source: eBay

 

Man Vs Snake – The Long and Twisted Tale of Nibbler

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Man Vs Snake – The Long and Twisted Tale of NibblerWhat the heck is Nibbler? Oh, the Rock-ola arcade game from 1982 which is a mash-up of Pac-Man and Snake? Nah, doesn’t ring any bells. Anyway, Man Vs Snake – The Long and Twisted Tale of Nibbler tells the story of high scoring Nibbler players’ quest to become the undisputed world champion.

Just like Billy Mitchell and Steve Wiebe competing to become The King Of Kong, Man vs Snake (MvS) introduces the main protagonist, Tim McVey (no, not that Oklahoma City bomber bad guy), the dude whom in 1984 was the first video gamer to clock Nibbler with a billion point high score, earning him the Rock-Ola arcade machine in the process. Then enters the dark horse, one Italian named Enrico Zanetti, whom had held the unofficial high score for Nibbler (not recognised by Twin Galaxies) and the main contenders to Tim’s high score, Canadian video game champion Dwayne Richard and “The Machine”, Rick Carter.

With a cast reading like a who’s who from the US arcade world including Walter Day, the theme is set – so what’s a high-score challenge documentary without some controversy aye? Just like The King Of Kong, it seems as this is the genre du jour. Not wanting to spoil it for anyone, an unfair advantage is uncovered which leads to accusations of, well let’s just say it, cheating! Balance could have been given here by allowing the accused to elaborate on their side of the story, but that may have spoiled the narrative of the documentary.

The film fulfils its primary objective by capturing the essence of not just the players wanting to beat one another, but showing the tension, determination and sacrifices they go through to conquer the mountain that is the Nibbler high score. In the end, the real battle in Man Vs Snake, just as the title eludes too, is between man and machine. If you were a fan of The King Of Kong: A Fistful Of Quarters, then Man Vs Snake – The Long and Twisted Tale Of Nibbler is compelling viewing!

Man Vs Snake – The Long and Twister Take Of Nibbler will be available from June 24 on all major streaming platforms. Visit the Man Vs Snake site for more details.

Man Vs Snake

Man Vs Snake

Nibblerimage source: Man Vs Snake

 

The Fate Of Atari Is In Your Hands

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TheFateOfAtari_TitleIf Growing The 8-Bit Generation: The Commodore Wars film is anything to go by, 8-Bit Generation (the creators) are on a winner with their latest in the series of gaming documentaries, Easy To Learn, Hard To Master – The Fate Of Atari. To make The Fate Of Atari film happen, 8-Bit Generation have gone to Kickstater to raise a modest 20,000EUR.

TheFateOfAtari_RayK

Just like their successful first film, The Fate Of Atari will feature interviews with Atari heavyweights that have seldom appeared on film, including Manny Gerard and former Atari President and CEO, Ray Kassar. The late Ralph Baer, the father of video games, also makes an appearance.

TheFateOfAtari_Arcade1

The Fate Of Atari will concentrate on the meteoric rise and equal fall of the gaming industry icon. The best part is, there is zero risk with this campaign, as the interviews and additional footage has already been completed! No matter if you are a gaming history buff or not, the story of Atari should be known by all! Pledge now!


source: 8bit generation

 

Geeky Gift Idea: Gamer Greeting Cards

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PlayerNo2_titleHow many times have you gone through the trouble to find the right gaming gift for your player number 2 only to be let down by the crappy Hallmark cards available in stores? Well now you can complete the perfect gift package by getting one of the awesome gamer cards for that special occasion created by playerNo2!

The playerNo2 Etsy store is dedicated to cute and nerdy greeting cards for anniversaries, Valentine’s Day and all other special occasions in-between. So if you are after a unique gift card for your partner, then playerNo2 should be your one stop shop!

Our friends at playerNo2 have been kind enough to provide us an exclusive 20% off coupon for our readers (use AUSRETROGAMER at checkout) which can be used on any purchase in their store! Through these awesome gamer cards, like-minded people can now share their greatest moments with the people they care about – grab some now!

Awwwwww
PlayerNo2_Zelda

Everyone is a winner!
PlayerNo2_Congrats

No one gets in the way of true love!
PlayerNo2_SavingPrincess

The great birthday 1,3,2 card!
PlayerNo2_HappyBirthday

The Perfect Match!
PlayerNo2_PeachandMario

+1Up
PlayerNo2_mushroom

Mum’s like to game too, show your mum that you care!
PlayerNo2_HappyMothersDay

image source: playerNo2

 

Didn’t You Have That When You Were 12?!

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DYHTWYW12_HDRWhen filmmaker, director of Knightfall, retro gaming enthusiast and podcaster Ben Campbell asks you to be on his Didn’t You Have That When You Were 12?! podcast, you can’t say yes fast enough!

I was privileged to be Ben’s inaugural guest and I must admit, I was nervous. Being a British expat now living in Australia, Ben was surveying the land down under for retrogaming friends and found yours truly. To say we hit it off would be a gross understatement. Making his guest feel comfortable, I found myself opening up and discussing personal matters interwoven in the narrative of my retro gaming story.

Take a listen as Ben and I nerd out about the Vectrex and discuss the best port of Double Dragon. I go on to reveal the bittersweet moment my dad and I found a Sega Dreamcast kiosk on the side of the road and I delve into a few of my most prized pieces in my collection. To hear the rest you’ll have to hit play on the Didn’t You Have That When You Were 12?! podcast.


source: Didn’t You Have That When You Were 12?!

 

Retrospective: E3 1996

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E31996_TitleWith E3 2016 being the biggest news this week, we thought we’d rewind the clock twenty years, back to 1996 when  Nintendo, Sega and the newest player on the console block, the Playstation were the headline acts.

E31996_PS1

After wowing the crowds with their hardware the previous year, Playstation ensured that the 1996 E3 event was going to be even bigger and better by announcing a price drop to get the console into more homes, sending shivers down the spines of the old guard, Nintendo and Sega. Not to be outdone in the gaming stakes, Sony Computer Entertainment introduced everyone to Crash Bandicoot, who would go on to become a PlayStation mascot (and get remastered for the the PS4 20 years later!) and Lara Croft, whose appearance in Tomb Raider was the first step towards becoming a cultural icon.

E31996_SegaSaturn

At this second ever Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Sega was showing off the latest and greatest games for their Saturn in the hope of making a dent in the Playstation’s armour. With games like Virtua Fighter 3 (which was ultimately cancelled), Fighting Vipers, Virtua Cop 2, NiGHTS into Dreams, Panzer Dragoon II Zwei and Daytona USA (among others) from their own stable, Sega was ensuring that heads would be turned towards their 32-bit beast.



Third-party Saturn games were also announced by Acclaim (Alien Trilogy, Battle Monsters, The Crow: City of Angels, Dragonheart and Space Jam), Ubisoft (Rayman 2), Capcom (Marvel Super Heroes), Crystal Dyanmics (3D Baseball, Ghost Rider and Legacy Of Kain) and Konami (ISS Deluxe and NBA Hangtime).

E31996_SegaMegaDrive

Sega also wanted to show that there was still (some) life left in their 16-bit Mega Drive (Genesis) by showing off Arcade Classics, Sonic 3D Blast, Vectorman 2, X-Perts and X-Women (which never saw the light of day!). Perhaps Sega should have given up on their 16-bit console (and it’s many add-ons) and concentrate their might on the 32-bit battleground. Ah hindsight, it’s always 20/20.

E31996_N64

And then there was Nintendo. The Kyoto giant chose the 1996 E3 event to showcase their latest hardware, the Nintendo 64. Nintendo chose to up the ante in the ‘bit’ wars by leaping over their two main rivals with their 32-bit systems. Basking in the glory of their 16-bit success with the SNES and full of confidence, Nintendo chose to stick with cartridges rather then the now-accepted CD format. To ensure that the Nintendo 64 was going to pull-in the crowds at E3 that year, Nintendo had a number of launch titles available to experience – Wave Race 64, Pilotwings 64, Star Wars: Shadows Of The Empire and Super Mario 64. New hardware needs a ‘killer app’ that captures the public’s imagination and makes consumers snap up a machine – Super Mario 64, just like Super Mario Bros did for the NES, did exactly that! With Mario entering 3D for the first time, Nintendo no doubt were the best in show at E3 1996.

What product will wow us and become best in show at E3 2016?

crash_E32016

sources: [IGN | Sega Retro | Playstation.blog]