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Pinfest 5: Festival Of The Silver Ball

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Pinfest5_2016Ladies, kids of any age and gentlemen, listen up! Pinfest 5 has just been announced by the Newcastle Pinball Association! Mark the 24th and 25th September 2016 in your calendar and make sure you head to the Caves Beachside Hotel, which is 90 minutes north of Sydney.

Celebrating its 5th consecutive year, Pinfest 5 will be bigger and better, with awesome special attractions to mark the occasion, including an exclusive Pinfest patrons raffle to win a Data East Time Machine pinball table! If that wasn’t enough of an incentive, there will be up to 70 pinball machines to flip and tilt on, ensuring that every patron experiences as many pinball machines as possible.

No matter your age or your level of interest, if you have itchy flipping fingers, you need to be at Pinfest 5! Keep an eye on the Newcastle Pinball Association Facebook page for more details.

Pinfest 2015 highlights
Pinfest2015_Title

Pinfest2015_2

Pinfest2015_1source: Newcastle Pinball Association

 

Retro Gaming Hunt: On The Road To Newcomb

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What does one do on a long weekend? Well, we decided to hit the road to Newcomb for a retro games hunting expedition at the Amazing Mill Market!

The Amazing Mill Market definitely didn’t disappoint, with loads of retro gaming gear found on the ground and upper floor. Ms ausretrogamer’s keen eye found some hidden treasures, which we didn’t hesitate in snapping up.

There were some fairly pricey items, but looking hard in each stall paid dividends – we snagged the SNES Super Disk Interceptor for a very reasonable price, which turned out to be our catch of the day!

For now, sit back and enjoy a sampling of some goodies that may tickle your nostalgic fancy…

Well, well, well, what do we have in this glass cabinet
Mill Market ANZAC 6

We wonder if Nintendo approved these copycat ‘Game & Watch’ devices?
Mill Market ANZAC 5

Where do we even start here?
Mill Market ANZAC 4

Whoa! We wouldn’t mind flippin on this pinball table *wink*
Mill Market ANZAC 3

Finally, we can pirate, ahem…. we mean, backup our SNES games
Mill Market ANZAC 2

The trick here is to get past the PS2 games overload!
Mill Market ANZAC 1

Woot! A solitary Sega Mega Drive game among a sea of 2600 carts!
Mill Market ANZAC 12

At that price, we had to walk past the boxed NES
Mill Market ANZAC 11

Fishing for some GBA gaming bargains!
Mill Market ANZAC 10

The Commodore 64 represent!
Mill Market C64

Is it really the ultimate entertainment pack?
Mill Market ANZAC 8

Forget Nintendo’s Game & Watch, you need Q&Q’s Card Game Clock Tarzan!
Mill Market ANZAC 7

Super Mario and Pac-Man in cahoots 
Mill Market ANZAC 17

Yes, Tetris 2 has been spotted!
Mill Market ANZAC 16

This was the most popular QuickShot joystick in Australia – because it was cheap!
Mill Market ANZAC 14

A bit light on with the N64 gear…
Mill Market ANZAC 15

Turtle power!!
Mill Market ANZAC 13

Oo’er, a 3DO controller but no 3DO system to be found!
Mill Market ANZAC 24

Forget the CRT TVs and that SNES, look at that Daytona USA arcade topper!
Mill Market ANZAC 23

Lucky dip!
Mill Market ANZAC 22

Boxed Xbox!
Mill Market ANZAC KK1

Before IBM’s Deep Blue chess computer, there was Schach-Computer!
Mill Market ANZAC 21

I spy with my little eye, something beginning with V!
Mill Market Saturn

Oh man, we have a woody!
Mill Market ANZAC 20

What to play on first?
Mill Market ANZAC 19

A sight for sore eyes!
Mill Market ANZAC 18

All Your Fave Mega Drive Games in One Place

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SegaMD_Classics_HDRPut your retro party hats on peeps! SEGA Europe Ltd. is celebrating the launch of the all new SEGA Mega Drive Classics Hub on Steam with a 66% off sale on all SEGA Mega Drive games currently available on the platform. Anyone who purchases or already owns at least one SEGA Mega Drive title on Steam will be able to experience the wonder of the redesigned SEGA Mega Drive Classics Hub when it launches on the 28th April, 2016.

The new-look system, developed by d3t, from which you can access all the SEGA Mega Drive games you own on Steam, now resembles the bedroom of an early nineties SEGA fan with dynamic time-of-day conditions, retro SEGA paraphernalia, a shelf full of Mega Drive games reflecting which ones you own on Steam, and of course, a CRT TV! It’s not just cosmetic improvements though; every single Mega Drive game available now on the platform will feature Steam Workshop support, allowing you to share modified versions of your favourite retro SEGA titles!

In addition to these new features the all new SEGA Mega Drive Collection hub also includes, spot-on emulation, local co-op for games that support it, optional graphic enhancement filters, the ability to save states at any point during gameplay and full controller and keyboard support.

For a full list of SEGA Mega Drive games available on the platform (there are 5 packs to choose from!), log on to Steam now!

SegaMD_Classics_Pack

source: Sega

 

Supanova Temptations

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If checking out the wonderful roster of TV stars and the awesome cosplay wasn’t enough, Supanova Pop Culture Expo (in Melbourne) hit the trifecta this past weekend by tempting its visitors with cool gear, from comics, novels, animation cels, action figures to Game Of Thrones leggings – let’s just say that there was something for everyone!

As we walked around the main hall of Supanova, we found ourselves stopping at each stall and taking a good hard look at what wares were available for purchase. The temptation was strong to buy everything in sight, but we had to be mindful of that dreaded credit card sitting in our back pocket.

There were plenty of items we would have loved to had taken home, but for now, we’ll just reminisce about them…

We stood and stared at these for hours! Well, ok, we stared for minutes!
Supanova2016_SF

Tada! The (evil) Doctor is in da house!
Supanova2016_Robotnik

Shoot that Well Walker in the head!
Supanova2016_WellWalker

It is Judgement Day! The menacing T800 is coming to get us!
Supanova2016_T2r

Flipping the bird at Iron Man
Supanova2016_IronMan

Wanna go back to ’85?
Supanova2016_DeLorean

Where do we even start?!
Supanova2016_Busts

The most evil bust in the universe!
Supanova2016_Skeletor_Busts

The most evil statue in the universe!
Supanova2016_Skeletor_

Let’s bag this, Mario!
Supanova2016_SuperMario

Magic mushroom?
Supanova2016_Box

Look who we ran into!
Supanova2016_Alien

House Targaryen!
Supanova2016_GoTEmblem

We bet on House Stark!
Supanova2016_GoTStark

Oo’er, nice framed Zelda artwork!
Supanova2016_Zelda

Oh man, Care Bears and Strawberry Shortcake! Now that’s a blast from the past!
Supanova2016_CareBears

Whoa! Where is Jabba The Hutt?
Supanova2016_SWJabba

More Star Wars goodness!
Supanova2016_SWEmpire

Where do we even start here? Oh look, it’s Daryl Dixon!
Supanova2016_actionfigures

We might need a few bags here! *wink*
Supanova2016_comics

NG:Dev.Team Dreamy Dreamcast Titles

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NGDEV_Dreamcast_TITLEJust in case you have been on a sojourn to the moon and have just landed back on earth, we have some HUGE news – those awesome folks at NG:Dev.Team have announced that due to popular demand, they will re-issue some of their past Dreamcast games in Japanese styled CD jewel cases!

If you haven’t already got them, you can grab Gunlord, Fast Striker and Last Hope Pink Bullets now to enjoy on your Dreamcast. These re-issued games are aimed at new customers but previous owners may want the CD case releases to compliment their DVD case editions of the same games.

There is a limited run of each game and the special bundle, so you better be quick! Shipping is scheduled to commence between April 20th and 25th! More details at the NG:Dev.Direct site – get ordering!

NGDev_DC_HDRimage source: NG:Dev Team

 

A Disturbance In The Force

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SW_Cards_HDRCheck out these awesome (and very funny) Mark Hamill autographs on a selection of Star Wars collectible cards! We sense a serious disturbance in the Force 😉

You can see the rest of Mark Hamill’s autographs on the CityOfWalls imgur page!

Right, who pinged Luke on his pager?
SW_Luke_Leia

CAUTION: DO NOT PRESS!
SW_Press

Um, this looks suss
SW_C3PO

Voted as most likely to become a Jedi
SW_Luke_Jedi

Warning: Smoking causes health problems
SW_SearchForRobots

Let’s go visit dad!
SW_Luke_Vadersource: City Of Walls on imgur

 

Press Play On Tape: STart Me Up

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PPOT_13_HDRFinally, the great Atari 16-bit computer gets its time to shine on the PRESS PLAY ON TAPE podcast! With Maximum Power Up’s podcaster, Paul Monaghan as the special guest, Daz is outnumbered and admits defeat in the 16-bit computer battle. The cast looks back fondly at the ST and its many great games, from exclusives like Oids, to awesome arcade conversions like R-Type and the ultimate adventure RPG, Dungeon Master.

Rainbow Arts was chosen as the publisher of choice, with The Great Giana Sisters and Turrican getting lots of love from the lads. This month also saw a record number of responses for the audience question, which goes to show that there is plenty of love for Atari’s Sixteen/Thirty-two computer! So grab your Amiga mates and STart me up!

PRESS PLAY ON TAPE podcasts are available on iTunes and Podbean

 

Pocket Atari 2600: Gaming On The Go

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Pocket_Atari_HDRWe absolutely love DIY console mods, especially cool ones like this Atari Flashback 2 stuffed into an Atari VCS/2600 cartridge!

We are fans of old systems being shrunk down to a portable size (Ed: we all remember the portable Atari 2600, yeh?), but this creation by lovablechevy tickles our nostalgic fancy due to its pocket friendly size and use of an Atari 2600 cartridge – which are so damn cool. Before you get upset, the game on the cartridge was long dead before it was used and converted as a pocket gaming unit.

Lovablechevy states that her creation was conceived almost a decade ago with it only coming to fruition now! We say that it’s better late than never! As mentioned right off the bat, the Pocket Atari has an Atari Flashback 2 stuffed inside of a standard Atari 2600 cart with a 2.5″ screen plus an audio amp, transplanted Wii Remote D-pad and buttons, a Super Joy III controller board and 2 x 3.7v li-ion 700 mAh batteries for power (giving you 3.5 hours of carefree and very loud gaming)!

This is definitely the smallest portable Atari 2600 which fits great in your pocket without weighing you down (Ed: it’s a measly 4.6 ounces in weight!). Now, let’s play some River Raid on it *winks*

Doing The Math: The Pocket Atari plan
Pocket_Atari_Plan

Cramming a lot of video gaming smarts in confined spaces!
PocketAtari_insides

Looking good!
Pocket_Atari_Beauty

Anyone for tennis?
Pocket_Atari_Paddles


source: lovablechevy

 

The Lovely Atari STacy

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STacy_HDRThe Atari STacy! What the? If Atari were good at one thing, it was naming their computer range, hence the STacy being a play on their Atari ST range and a cool woman’s name.

Who didn’t want a portable ST back in 1989 that weighed almost 7kg! Well, if we had arms like Arnie Schwarzenegger and a matching bank balance (The Atari STacy was not cheap – it retailed for a cool $3,000AUD!), we probably would have forked-out our hard earned cash for one. It definitely would have been a wise investment, as there were less than 35,000 units sold, making this portable Atari computer a very rare commodity.

The STacy came in four models, with the STacy 4 (4MB RAM version) being the top of the line. For those technically minded, here are the all-important Atari STacy specifications:

  • Operating system: Atari TOS 1.04
  • CPU: Motorola 68HC000 (at 8 MHz)
  • Memory RAM: 1 MB (4×220 bytes) (expandable to 4 MB)
  • ROM: 192 KB
  • Storage: 3.5″ floppy drive, 3.5″ SCSI 20MB-40MB harddrive Conner Peripherals Inc.
  • Display: 10.4″ EPSON LCD passive matrix backlight
  • Graphics: 320×200 (16), 640×200 (4), 640×400 (2)
  • Sound: Yamaha YM-2149, three channels, 8 octaves
  • Input: 95 keys, QWERTY, 2 Joystick ports, RS 232C, Centronics, external Floppy, ROM-Cartridge, DMA for Printer/HD, MIDI In/Out, Monitor
  • Power: NiCad pack, 12 standard C cell alkaline batteries, DC18V 2.0A 36W AC Adaptor
  • Dimensions: 13.3 x 15 x 13.3 inches
  • Weight: 7kg/15.2 lb

Open me up, Stacy!
STacy_Open

You turn me on Stacy!
STacy_On

Lovely keyboard you have there Stacy
STacy_Keyboard

A lovely rear-end
STacy_rear_end

Power up!
STacy_left

Insert joysticks and floppies on this side!
STacy_right

image source: eBay

 

Welcome to STARWORLD 78

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Starworld78_badge

For those of you that don’t remember, once upon a time Atari was the king of video games, not just in the home with their Atari VCS/2600, but also in the amusement parlours. Atari was so diversified, they even got into making pinball machines!

To get an understanding of just how huge the Sunnyvale company was, at the 1978 Amusement and Music Operators Association (AMOA) trade show, Atari had a massive exhibit titled Starworld ’78, showcasing their latest wares to wow the industry (and scare the pants off their competitors)!

The “Starworld” theme was chosen by Atari to preview their new games, which they cleverly dubbed as the “Stars” of the 1978 AMOA show. Previewed pinball machines included Space Riders, the colossal  Hercules and the double playfield extravaganza of Middle Earth. In the video gaming stakes, their new 2-player space duel game, Orbit and the 3-games-in-one version of Breakout (very smartly titled) Super Breakout were gaining a lot of attention. Also taking centre stage at Starworld ’78 were: Sprint 2, Sit Down Night Driver, Starship, Smokey Joe, Fire Truck, UFO and the unique dual monitor submarine strategy game, Subs. If that wasn’t enough, Atari also had their service technicians on hand to demonstrate the latest test equipment to show off to operators.

And what is a trade show without prizes? Atari was promoting their ‘Starworld Sweepstakes’, a first at the AMOA trade show. Prizes included a Super Breakout machine, a Sony Betamax video tape recorder, a colour TV, a set of leather luggage and a Sony 5” Swivel-vision TV. There were also minor prizes awarded by Atari in their sweepstakes, including Seiko pocket digital alarms and Seiko desk clocks! Whoa, if only we had attended the 1978 AMOA trade show!

Starworld78_flyersource: The Arcade Flyer Archive