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Instant Pinball Collection

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InstantPinball_TITLEIf you are in the market for a huge (instant) pinball collection, now is your chance to strike! With a starting price of $35,000 on this eBay lot, there are roughly 53 pinball tables from various eras in various condition that may require some tender loving care.

If you have the funds, the space, the transport, the passion and the know-how to repair pinball machines, then this would be a once in a lifetime opportunity!

Whoa! Wish we could grab this lot!
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Oh wow, an Atari Superman table!
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I am buying a Tattslotto ticket!
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image source: eBay

 

2015 PAX Aus / AMD Classic Pinball Tournament

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PAX_Pinball_TITLEAh, another PAX Australia (PAXAus) expo has been and gone. If you were there last Saturday and got stuck in the main hall between the Star Wars Speeder and the PAX Rising indie area, you missed a flipping great pinball tournament in the Classic Gaming freeplay area!

Nestled among the old school handhelds, Commodore computers and arcade machines were the designated pinball tournament tables, which included Stern’s brand new Game Of Thrones. The 2015 PAXAus/AMD Classic Pinball Tournament was open to all patrons, young and old.

With four qualifying rounds during the day, it was down to the business end come Saturday evening. The usual pinball wizards were left to contend the final, with a sprinkling of new faces (Ed: well done Aaron Clement) – which is always great to see. Young gun, Jordan Tredaway set the pace with a huge score on Game Of Thrones, which saw him progress further into the night. The seasoned veterans, led by Wal Dickie, Martin ‘Marty’ Robbins, Luke Marburg and John Ebejer, were all racking up consistent high scores to remain in the top five.

As the evening progressed, it was down to the two pinball wizards, Wal Dickie and Marty Robbins, to battle it out for first place. With nerves of steel and precision flippin’, Wal Dickie was crowned the 2015 PAXAus/AMD Classic Pinball Tournament champion. Wal claimed that it had been a long time between wins and that this one was even sweeter as it was his birthday the next day – what a great birthday present! Marty Robbins had another exceptional tournament coming in second, while Luke Marburg collected third place to round off the podium.

Once the tournament formalities were done and dusted, pinball tournament director Scott Kellett declared the pinball tables open for play, which immediately attracted a swarm of players to the machines to have fun and rack up high scores against friends! Ah, it was quite clear that the winner at PAXAus was definitely pinball – keep flippin’!

Shane Rubans is using ‘The Force’ on Star Wars, while Marty Robbins is in deep concentration on Lethal Weapon 3
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Tasmanian Aaron Clement shows everyone he can flip with the best of them
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Which ‘House’ will Johnny Crabtree choose?
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The battle between the young and the young at heart: Jordan Tredaway vs. Stacey Borg
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Stephen Tredaway shows them how to play The Machine: Bride Of Pin•Bot
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Young gun Jordan Tredaway records another top score on Game Of Thrones
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Ball Saved! Marty Robbins lives to flip again!
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Wal Dickie plays the game of his life on Game Of Thrones
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Norbert Snicer and Scott Kellett present the players with their trophies
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Wal Dickie proves that he is a pinball wizard – a well deserved champion!
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Rebooting Shadow Of The Beast

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SOTB_PS4_PreBeta_04Logo_1445975732Back in 1989, Shadow Of The Beast (SoTB) wowed us gamers on Commodore’s 16-bit powerhouse, the Amiga. With its impressive graphics, awesome parallax scrolling and David Whittaker’s atmospheric score, Reflections/Psygnosis had produced another winner. The game was so successful, it was ported to a number of 8-bit and 16-bit systems.

The original SoTB has aged pretty well and still gets a lot of play time, so when we heard that Heavy Spectrum Entertainment Labs were going to bring this classic to the modern era (on the PS4), our nostalgic senses went into overdrive. Who would have thought that 27 years after it was released, SoTB would now be enjoyed by a new generation of gamers, while providing some heavy-duty nostalgia for gamers that enjoyed the original all those years ago.

Having recently played the demo and watched the trailer, Weird and Retro’s Aleks ‘Serblander’ Svetislav told us he was excited to see what the finished game would be like. I know we are not alone in saying that we are super excited that SoTB has been brought into the 21st century on a powerhouse system of this era. How will it compare to the original? Only time will tell. Roll on January 2016!


source: Sony Playstation

Now drool over these screenshots!
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SOTB_PS4_PreBeta_02Logo_1445975721image source: “supplied”

 

Celebrating the PC-Engine

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PCengine_celebration_TitleYesterday we celebrated the Japanese release of the Mega Drive, today, it’s NEC’s little pocket rocket, the PC-Engine’s turn to bask in the glory of its awesomeness. On this day (October 30) in 1987, a little white unassuming console, the size of a chip packet, burst onto the Japanese market and caused an immediate stir. Within its compact size was an 8-bit (CPU) heart with twin 16-bit (GPUs) eyes, which resulted in beautiful looking games that were equally packed with great sound and gameplay. It’s games came on cute little cards called HuCards (Hudson Cards) or Turbo Chips in North America.

The PC-Engine enjoyed a stack of great arcade conversions with Namco(t) leading the charge. There were great platformers (PC Genjin/Bonk’s Adventure, Legend Of Hero Tonma) and even greater shoot’em ups (R-Type, GunHed, Gradius) – the console certainly had the major gaming genres covered with games that would appeal to even the most ardent of gamers.

NEC/Hudson Soft may have stumbled when attempting to release the PC-Engine outside of Japan, but the compact console definitely packed a punch that gave both Sega and Nintendo a scare in the late 80s in Japan. If you haven’t experienced gaming on a PC-Engine, then check out our genealogy and take your pick – you will not be disappointed!

image source: Wikia

 

Celebrating the Sega Mega Drive

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MegaDrive_TITLESega’s 16-bit beast may have arrived on our shores late in 1990, but on this day (October 29) in 1988, Japan got a taste of the future with the release of the Mega Drive. A leap from the Master System, the Mega Drive brought home (almost perfect) arcade conversions, especially those from Sega’s own arcade stable.

While most of the western world was still in the micro computing craze with their C64s, Amigas and Atari STs, Sega stamped their authority with their latest, and as history would record it, their most successful console ever. The Mega Drive was the catalyst for converting a generation of micro computing enthusiasts into console gamers, I should know, I was one of them. My transition from 8-bit (C64) and 16-bit (Atari ST) computing was quite stark – as soon as I got my Mega Drive and whacked in the pack-in Altered Beast game, I honestly thought I had an arcade in my bedroom. Once I played Golden Axe, I was smitten with the machine. Alas, from that day forward (well, for the duration of the 90s) my micro computers were relegated to the back of the wardrobe because there was a new gaming system in town, and its name was Mega Drive!

What were your earliest memories of Sega’s 16-bit beauty? Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook and join in the conversation.

 

Pinball Frenzy At PAXAus

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PinballFrenzy_PAXAus_TitleWho said that pinball was dead? Well, it may have taken a back seat a decade and a half ago, but boy, has pinball come back in a big way. There has been a resurgence of flipping the silver ball with companies like Stern Pinball making contemporary tables based on the hottest bands and pop culture franchises on the planet, from AC/DC, Metallica, KISS, to Iron Man, The Walking Dead, Star Trek and WWE Wrestlemania, there surely is no shortage of great pinball machines to tilt and bump on.

Since pinball has once again become cool (Ed: it never lost its cool!), it was a no brainer to start thinking about including pinball machines in the PAX Aus Classic Gaming area. After meeting Scott Kellett at Supanova earlier this year, we had a brief chat and that is when Scott mentioned how cool it would be to have pinball machines at PAXAus. A few discussions later, Scott’s idea was given the greenlight to pursue having pinball machines in the Classic Gaming area. Through sheer determination and dedication, Scott has round up the big names from the pinball community (Bayside Pinball Club, PinMem and AMD) to deliver us an array of amazing pinball tables (Ed: there will be 10 pinball tables!) for all of you to enjoy and compete on. In a major pinball coup, Scott has arranged to have the first Game of Thrones pinball table available for play in Australia at PAXAus 2015 – even more reason to see you all at PAXAus 2015!

For those with a competitive streak, the ‘PAXAus 2015 IFPA Pinball Tournament’ (proudly brought to you by AMD) will be on Saturday, October 31 – more details here. There will be great prizes on offer, including showbags full of Stern goodies and an awesome Game Of Thrones backboard translite! Get your flippin fingers ready for some pinball frenzy at PAXAus 2015.

Event: PAX Aus 2015
Date: Oct 30 – Nov 1, 2015
Where: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC)
Tournaments: PAXAus 2015 Classic Gaming Tournaments

GoT_Pro_pinballimage source: Amusement Machine Distributors (AMD)

 

Press Play On Tape: GenreBusters

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PPOT ep7 HDRThe Press Play on Tape (PPOT) lads are back again, and this time they have taken one prisoner, Mr Mark Cassar from Retro Domination and +3 To Geekdom fame! Mark gives an insight into his gaming past, while Alex Boz goes gaga over Mark’s love of arcade games and loathsomeness for Zelda. The PPOT crew and their special guest discuss their favourite gaming genres on 8 and 16-bit systems, with Daz delighting all with genre-busting games you may have not heard of or played before.

As per usual, the publisher of choice segment was another animated discussion, this time, the honour of choosing the publisher was given to Mark – no, it wasn’t Capcom, Mark chose the hit maker, System 3. With lots of games to choose from, there was no shortage of classics on offer, with IK+ and Last Ninja (among many others) getting the bulk of the votes. So rewind the tape, press play and kick back to another classic PPOT podcast!

PRESS PLAY ON TAPE podcasts are available on iTunes and Podbean.

Kickstarted: An Illustrated History of Game Controllers

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PlayerOne_HDRNow here is a Kickstarter campaign we can get excited about! Player One Books is planning on releasing three volumes in the illustrated History of Game Controllers series, kicking off with volume 1 (which is currently on Kickstarter!).

The books will detail the history of joysticks and game controllers beginning with 1972’s Magnavox Odyssey controller, through to the joystick boom of the early ’80s and the emergence of game pads as the dominant force by the late ’80s. The book will feature photographs, detailed descriptions, reviews and technical information on over 120 different joysticks and game controllers released between 1972 and 1989. 

If this is your kind of thing (Ed: it sure is!), then hit the Player One: An Illustrated History of Game Controllers Vol.1 Kickstarter now and pledge to make this happen!

PlayerOne_1source: Player One: An Illustrated History of Game Controllers Vol.1

 

Sponsored Video: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Hearts of Stone

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The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Hearts of Stone

Step again into the shoes of Geralt of Rivia, a professional monster slayer, this time hired to defeat a ruthless bandit captain, Olgierd von Everec. This expansion to “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” packs over 10 hours of new adventures, introducing new characters, powerful monsters, unique romance and a brand new storyline shaped by your choices.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Hearts of Stone launches on October 13, 2015!

For more information about The Witcher visit:

Buy now: http://buy.thewitcher.com
Facebook: https://www.fb.com/thewitcher
Twitter: https://twitter.com/witchergame
Homepage: http://thewitcher.com/witcher3
Instagram: https://instagram.com/cdpred

 

EB Games Expo 2015: It’s A Wrap

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EB_Expo15_HDRWhat do you get when a bunch of great friends invite you to Sydney to participate and assist in their retro gaming exhibit at one of the biggest gaming events of the year? You get a huge rush of adrenaline mixed with a massive dose of fun that lasts for 5 days!

This past weekend, I attended the EB Games Expo 2015 (EBExpo15) in Sydney, assisting the Weird and Retro crew in their Interactive History Museum (IHM) exhibit. Even though I have now come back to reality, the buzz of EBExpo15 is still high – I hope the buzz lasts a little while yet.

It all started three days before EB Games Expo 2015 – we picked up the rental truck, packed all the retro gaming gear and pop-culture goodies and set off for our ‘retro road trip’ to Sydney (Ed: we’ll save the story of the retro road trip for another time). Once arriving in Sydney, the bump-in was relatively easy, with all of us working in unison, we had setup the Interactive History Museum (IHM) with items from the 80s, 90s and 00s, from retro gaming systems, retro video games, to a myriad of pop-culture gear, we had three decades worth of nostalgia covered in the one area.

Once EBExpo15 kicked off, it was great to see attendees flocking to the IHM area and enjoying themselves by playing video games they hadn’t seen since they were a child or wowing at the sight of the Sale Of The Century board game with Tony Barber in the 90s section. The age range of attendees was varied, but each person that took a trip down memory lane in the IHM was not disappointed – there was something to do and see for everyone. There were plenty of compliments, which always makes you feel that all the hard work was worthwhile, like this one from a very happy patron, “Your stand was my favourite of all time!!! Thank you for showing the next generation the amazing technology advancement from when I was a kid to now. I was born in the 70’s, so my childhood of gaming was experienced in the 80’s and it was wonderful to relive all those great times. Once again, thank you.”

EBExpo15 wasn’t just about the IHM. The main hall was packed with modern gaming with all the big players in the industry being present, from Sony Playstation Australia showing off their VR headset, Xbox Australia garnering interest with their Xbox One wares, to Nintendo Australia and New Zealand doing what they do best – gaming and running gaming related competitions. And what exhibition is complete without amazing Cosplay. At EBExpo15, there were cosplayers representing every medium – TV, gaming, comics and movies. The cosplayers were all equally amazing to see and humble when approached to be photographed.

Like all good things, EBExpo15 concluded on Sunday (Oct 4). After 5 days in Sydney, we had to pack up the gear (Ed: very carefully!) and make our way down the Hume Highway back to unseasonably warm Melbourne. So, was it all worth it and was it fun? Let’s just say we had the gunnest time ever! Roll on EB Games Expo 2016!

Thank you to the Weird and Retro team: Serby, Stacey, Jerry, Pedro and Kano for allowing me to share in the EB Games Expo 15 shenanigans!

Where on the road to…… EB Games Expo (Sydney)
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Pit-stop – the Ice Man (Jerry) enjoys a bit of cocktail action
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Isuzu trucks – they are not so squeezy
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We arrive at Sydney’s Showground!
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Pass picked up – time to go in and start setting up
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The Interactive History Museum – let’s go in!
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Totally 80’s – computers!
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Totally 80’s – consoles!
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Never forget the 90’s!
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The mighty SNES
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The Jaguar museum piece was a personal fave!
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The Noughties represent!
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Taking a sneak peek at the PlayStation exhibit in the main hall
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Freeplay City – the calm before the storm!
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Retro Gamer Rival (Pedro) making us drool over his mint warez!
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Getting our gear on before the start of EB Expo 15!
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Drool worthy!
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Stuffing our faces – a growing body needs sustenance!
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I love this computer. There, it has been said!
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The write-up for the Jag was pure gold!
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Taking more sneaky peeks into what PlayStation will have for us in the near future
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Yours truly making some last minute adjustments to the 90’s museum display
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Loving the view!
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It’s showtime! The IHM proves popular with all patrons
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Yay, Zool action!
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The popular 90s!
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Weird and Retro’s Serby enjoying a bit of bongo action on Donkey Konga!
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Mega Man made it to the expo!
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Sonic enjoyed on the Mega Drive by the new generation
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Even the dark side of the force enjoys a bit of retro gaming
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I wanna bust out the Barry Crocker tune now!
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Checking out the main hall during our breaks
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Serby enjoys an old classic on new hardware. Oh wait…..
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The EB Games mega-store was MEGA (and always packed)!
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So many temptations in the EB Games mega-store
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Whoa, Lego Mario and Luigi!
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More Lego retro gaming creations! *want*
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Speechless!
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Oh my gawd! This is my kind of arcade!
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Meanwhile, back in the IHM, we find Link and his Fairy!
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May the force be with you!
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16-bit Mortal Kombat WaR!
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My childhood in the 80s!
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16-bit goodies
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XBox royalty!
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If only this was $9.99!
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Busting out the vinyl
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Spin that wheel! I’m a make you feel….
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Taking a pinball break! This means WaR!
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Spooky!
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Whoa, that’s green!
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Ubisoft crashes the party!
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On my best behaviour
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Sonic competes at the Nintendo stand!
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We made it on the Gamespot social media wall!
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Best tattoos at show!
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Mini Luigi beating his bro on Super Mario Kart
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Star-Lord and Drax the Destroyer enjoying some Dayyyyytoooooona USA!
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Ah, all good things must come to an end.
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