ausretrogamer

THE GAME EXPO returns in March 2024

October 30, 2023 By ausretrogamer

THE GAME EXPO (TGX) is returning after this year’s successful debut show!

The gaming events calendar is perfectly balanced between the two expo giants, TGX in March, and PAX Aus in October. If you are over your PAX Aus experience and are fretting for the next big gaming event, you are in luck, as tickets for TGX 2024 have just gone on sale!

Current TGX news is that there are a list of returning activities, including the mega popular Creator Showdown PC LAN tournament, Cosplay Cup, Artist Alley, Tabletop Gaming, Freeplay Video Gaming and an expanded Indie Games Zone to name just a few. TGX 2024 will have much more to reveal, so we’ll be keeping a keen eye on their announcements between now and March and let you know all about it – so make sure you are following us on X/Twitter and Facebook!

source: thegamexpo

The Game Expo lowdown:

WHEN: Sat 23rd & Sun 24th March 2024
WHERE: Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre
TICKETS: www.thegameexpo.com

Highlights from TGX 2023 to whet your appetite for the 2024 edition!

image source: The Game Expo

LIBERATION – The New Retro Space Adventure Game Is Available Now

October 26, 2023 By ausretrogamer

Unleash Chaos in Space!

Liberation is a retro space adventure inspired by the original 1984 version of Elite, and mashed up with classic UK science fiction such as The Tripods, Blake’s 7 and Doctor Who.

In this game, you pilot an elite stealth ship as you take your revenge against the evil Galactic Federation (GalFed)! Upgrade your ship with a variety of weapons and systems. Engage in high-stakes dogfights, dock with space stations and planet spaceports, and work with heroes and villains to destroy GalFed.

To make this game even sweeter, it was made in Australia (Frankston, VIC!) by Classyk Games, on Linux with Godot, using an open source stack including Blender, GIMP and InkScape. Liberation is available right now on Windows, Mac, Linux for Steam and coming soon to itch.

image source: Classyk Games

Wahoo, Super Mario Bros. Wonder Has Arrived!

October 20, 2023 By ausretrogamer

It’s-a Me, Mario!

Woohoo, or should that be Wa-hoo? Either way, we are rapt that our Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Nintendo Switch) game has arrived!

Can’t wait to get stuck into this new Super Mario game and explore all the new stuff, like new power-ups, mysterious transformations and customising our powers to each course’s features!

So much to discover! Oh well, at least you’ll know where we’ll be today and for the rest of this weekend. Happy gaming peeps!

This little cart will be stuck in our Switch for a while!

Jersey Jack Pinball’s ELTON JOHN Pinball Is Unleashed at Pinball Expo ’23

October 20, 2023 By ausretrogamer

It’s been a bumper Pinball Expo 2023 with new pinball machines being released, left, right and centre! Not to be outdone, the world’s second largest pinball manufacturer, Jersey Jack Pinball has unleashed their latest machine at Pinball Expo, Elton John Pinball!

Designed by The Master Of Flow, Steve Ritchie, Elton John Pinball features hand-drawn artwork packages from artists Christopher Franchi, John Youssi and Jean-Paul De Win. The machine’s rules and software design were done by industry veteran Bill Grupp.

source: Jersey Jack Pinball

This new JJP game will truly be music to your ears, with 16 Elton John studio master tracks with custom voice callouts by Elton John himself. Elton John Pinball will come in two models, a Platinum and Collector’s Edition, both consisting of feature packed playfields, including an interactive Elton John toy, a rocket sculpture with LED flames, a Tiny Dancer motorized toy, a Crocodile Rock physical lock toy, a grand piano three-ball lock with diverter, a micro LED piano marquee, 14 multi-LED star inserts, Rocka-Box three-bank drop targets, three multi-LED Bennie and the Jets bumpers, two rapid spinner targets, and much much more!

We must admit, Elton John didn’t really appeal to us (as a theme), but after seeing what JJP have produced, we reckon they are on a winner!

Pricing:

Platinum Edition US$12,000
Collector’s Edition US$15,000

NOTE: No Australian pricing available at the time of publication.

Collector’s Edition

Platinum Edition

image source: Jersey Jack Pinball

Hey Analogue, Forget The N64 3D FPGA Console, Just Get Our Old Orders To Us!

October 18, 2023 By ausretrogamer

With yesterday’s news about their next console, the Analogue 3D (a Nintendo 64 FPGA system), Analogue is once again betting that its customers will jump on board and will remain silent while waiting for their future promised system to be delivered at some indeterminate date – and there in lies the rub! No longer can we be excited about an Analogue system we have no idea when it will arrive!

Considering we have been loyal customers of Analogue, we do have to speak out about the length of time it takes to fulfill orders and their almost non-existent (or seldom) updates as you wait months (or years) for your paid-in-full order to be fulfilled. We speak from experience where our Analogue Pocket took 11 months from ordering to actually receiving it. Worse still, we ordered the Pocket (3 x) cartridge adapters pack last October (2022) and we are still waiting and have no idea if and when we will receive it – maybe Christmas, if we are lucky?!

We love our Analogue Pocket, but the wait for it was waaaaay to long!

Some will argue that Analogue only states rough timelines, like “shipping in Q3” or “coming in 2024”, however the issue we have is the lack of communication leading up to the point when they decide to actually ship items. As a customer, the expectation is that the retailer/supplier will keep you informed with regular updates, even if the items are late (due to whatever reason), we just want to know what is going on! The worst thing a company can do is remain silent and leave their customers in the dark – which Analogue does very well, unfortunately.

So, if you are in the market to order the Analogue 3D N64 system, be prepared for a long wait with absolute radio silence. Proceed with caution!

PS: We admit their products are great, but come on Analogue, please lift up your comms game (pun fully intended)!
PPS: Analogue does offer the buyer to cancel their order and get a refund, so that’s one positive, we guess.

Unfortunately, our Pocket Cartridge Adapter Pack is yet arrive 🙁
image source: Analogue

New Pinball Games To Be Revealed at Pinball Expo

October 17, 2023 By ausretrogamer

With Pinball Expo ’23 only a few days away, pinball manufacturers are clamouring to outdo each other in the new release stakes.

We already had Barrels of Fun announce their Labyrinth pinball game over the weekend (which will be playable at the expo), and now it’s Pinball Brothers’ turn with an Ellen Ripley edition of their Alien pinball machine. As Alien(s) fans, this definitely piques our interest!

This Ellen Ripley version of Alien pinball will come with new cabinet art, a loader battle translite, an updated software package (v4.0) and a bunch of extra movie scenes we have never seen in Alien Pinball before! Announcing their collaboration with modder Lior Rajwan from The Art of Pinball, this new machine will include hand-sculpted mini-screen, a hand-painted Xeno-head and a beautifully designed apron. Pinball Brothers are also planning an interactive topper which we hope they bring to the expo!

Alien Pinball – The Ellen Ripley Version

The Ellen Ripley Edition’s In-game Extras

Not to be outdone, Jersey Jack Pinball (JJP) will also announce Steve Ritchie’s next pinball machine on October 19 (US time), which is rumoured to be an Elton John music themed pin. We aren’t the biggest Elton John fans, but with Steve designing this one with a higher BoM (bill of materials), you can bet it will be an amazingly flowy (and possibly brutal) game, packed with cool mechs and toys – well, that’s the hope.

The Master of Flow – Steve Ritchie. JJP will showcase his latest game at Pinball Expo

Will it be Elton John? We’ll see on October 19 (US time)!

Oh how we wish we could be at Chicago this week to experience and play these new machines – if someone could fly us out to Chi-town, we’d be forever in their debt 😉

What I Love Most About Pinball and My Top 5 Favourite Games

October 16, 2023 By ausretrogamer

The silverball game lured me in 1986 and hasn’t let go since!

Have you ever stopped to think what you love most about the hobby you are really into? I must admit, I have never done that, but upon reflection, when I think about why I love pinball, it is of course the fun that it generates – there is nothing like flipping that shiny silverball into targets on the playfield, and the adrenaline rush you get when multi-ball kicks in – there is nothing quite like it! I have also loved (and still do) the pinball machine aesthetic – it is a work of art even when it sits there begging to be played. Equally, it is the people that you meet that have a mutual love for the same hobby you are into – I have made countless friends due to pinball, which makes it darn priceless to me. Oh yeah, the competition to get a high-score is another boon for pinball, but being a mediocre player, I tend to enjoy the socialising side of competition/tournament play.

Part of being into pinball is the ever difficult question of, “what are your favourite pinball games?”. This question is difficult as there are hundreds of games I enjoy on any given day, and with new releases coming out every year, it makes it even harder to pinpoint a favourite pinball machine.

As difficult as it is, I did promise Colin (Kineticist) that I would wrangle a top 5 list of games I really enjoy coming back to.

Here are my current top 5 pinball machines (which can change on whim!):

5. Star Trek LE (Stern)

As a Trekkie fan, I loved Steve Ritchie’s The Next Generation (Williams) widebody pinball machine, but with it becoming harder to find and play, it was Steve’s second bite at the Trek cherry with his 2013 Stern incarnation. The LE in particular was a stunning piece of art and more importantly, an absolute banger of a game. They don’t call Steve The Master of Flow for nothing!

4. Star Wars Premium (Stern)

Yep, another Steve Ritchie pinball game – do you see a pattern here? Star Wars (Prem/LE) isn’t particularly a flow-fest, and some don’t like it due to it being a drain monster, but the integration with the original movie trilogy with all of your fave scenes and characters are all there. The lightsaber battle with Vader, where all the playfield RGBs glow red (Vader) and blue (Obi-Wan) always get the heart racing. Oh yeah, I still reckon the hyperloop habitrail is still one of the best mechs in modern-day pinball (and hence why I only prefer the Prem/LE edition of this game)!

3. Dialed In (JJP)

Original themes aren’t as popular as back in the day (look at our number 2 fave game below!), but I still think Jersey Jack Pinball’s Dialed In is an amazing machine to play. Designed by the legendary, Pat Lawlor, this machine is full of innovations that (at the time) were well ahead of the competition, from the first-ever pinball machine to feature Bluetooth connectivity, a camera, to the additional player capabilities through a smart phone – which you could wreak havoc on your friends by taking control of the flippers with your mobile phone! I honestly still don’t get the theme (is it a city disaster you must avert), but I don’t care, Dialed In is one superlative pinball machine.

2. Medieval Madness (Williams)

I could have easily loaded this top 5 list with Brian Eddy games, from Medieval Madness, to Attack From Mars, The Shadow, Stranger Things and The Mandalorian, but that would constitute cheating.

When combining Brian Eddy’s design with the late (and great) Lyman F. Sheats Jr.’s coding prowess, you know you have a special pinball game. Brian and Lyman also worked on Attack From Mars, so you understand why these two machines in particular are still in many player’s top 5 lists. Medieval Madness has it all – an amazing flowing game with plenty to do and hit, some very cheesy dialogue and that amazing feeling you get when destroying the castle. Each shot on MM has purpose and doesn’t seem like a waste or like you are chopping wood, which is quite hard to say for many other pinball games.

1. The Walking Dead Pro (Stern)

TWD is Lyman F. Sheats Jr. magnum opus. The John Borg designed machine integrates the TWD theme quite well, with a unique look and feel playfield straight out of the first few seasons of the hit AMC series. But it is Lyman’s code that brings this beast to life – TWD is so deep, you probably need to own it for years and years before you get to see and experience every bit of Lyman’s amazing code. The machine isn’t the easiest to play (plenty of ways to drain), but it is balanced just right to keep you coming back to slay more Walkers! Having owned this machine since 2016, it is never going to leave our collection.

Just to be sneaky, if this was a top 10 list, then I would have also included America’s Most Haunted (Spooky), Haggis Pinball’s Celts, Spider-Man Vault Edition (Stern), Theatre Of Magic (Bally) and Monster Bash (Williams).

To say I can’t wait to play the latest games, like Labyrinth and Pulp Fiction would be a massive understatement. Pinball is in a good place right now (if only they could be cheaper). Now someone please make a Masters Of The Universe machine for me!

Long live the silverball game!!

Choose Your Fate in Jim Henson’s Labyrinth Pinball!

October 15, 2023 By ausretrogamer

Yep, you read that headline right, Barrels of Fun (BoF), a new pinball manufacturer based in Houston, Texas, is starting with an 80s banger of a pinball theme, Labyrinth!

This cult classic film from the 80s, featuring the iconic David Bowie as Jareth the Goblin King, is BoF’s inaugural pinball machine that will have you make your own adventure in Labyrinth. Made in collaboration with The Jim Henson Company, Labyrinth pinball aims to bring the world of the classic 1980s movie to life.

Quote from Barrels Of Fun about their first pinball machine:

Venture into the enchanting world of Jim Henson’s Labyrinth through the magic of collectible pinball! Limited to just 1,100 games worldwide, this unique experience will transport you to the heart of the Labyrinth, where fantasy and reality intertwine.

source: Barrels of Fun

Watching the trailer, we must admit that this machine has tickled our nostalgic nerve. Hearing David Bowie’s voice and seeing a lot of scenes from the movie being depicted on the playfield (and all the character sculpts!) and the LCD,is just so darn awesome.

Honestly, if we hadn’t ordered Pulp Fiction pinball, this would have been an easy decision to buy, even at the current crappy exchange rate. With 1,100 machines worldwide, we guarantee these will sell out (if not already!) before distributors start listing them on their sites. Choose your fate 😉

For those pinball aficionados scratching their heads about who is involved in building this machine, rest assured that some very clever pinball people have poured their heart and soul into this beauty, like David Van Es (CEO and Designer), Bowen Kerins (Code) and Scott Danesi (Sound/Music) to name just a few!

Some features of this awesome pinball machine to pique your interest:

Sculpted Goblin King Castle
Sculpted Goblin City and Hidden Ludo Toy
Goblin city, magnet Diverter
Goblin Gate Fork Trap
Humongous Smart Drop Target
Sculpted Humongous toy guard
Goblin Gate Spinner
Brick Keeper lift ramp and hidden home (scoop). Beware the Brick Keeper’s and their tricks
Begger Magnet
Bog Scoop
Helping hands scoop
Sir Didymus staff Up post. Befriend Sir Didymus and allow him to save your ball.
3 ramps, goblin city wireform, metal right return ramp and wireform, and middle ramp
Two firey appearing toys
Sculpted Ello Worm Toy
Ello Appearing Post
Sculpted doors with knockers scene
Physical Ball Path Diverter
Sculpted Wise Man and Smart Drop Target. Complete his quests for special awards.
Wireform Skill Ramp with multiple Skill Shots
Mirror plastics
14.9 LCD backboard for a true expanded world under glass
Playfield art by Johnny Bergeron aka Johnny Crap
Backglass featuring the goblin king himself, David Bowie by Nate Hallinan, or Mirrored “should you need us” alternative Backglass by Johnny Bergeron.
Powder coat pinball trim
Matching powder-coat LCD speaker panel with 15.6 LCD with labyrinth laser-cut speaker vents.
Light-up speakers
Crystal ball flipper buttons
Fanless power Supply
Fast Pinball controller System

For for our Australian audience, if you are after one of the 1,100 machines, get onto Mr. Pinball Australia right away, as the Australian allocation is bound to sell out quick!

image source: Barrels of Fun

10 Years Of Classic Gaming at PAX Aus

October 11, 2023 By ausretrogamer

Cheers to 10 years of inducing intoxicating gaming nostalgia at PAX Aus!

Another PAX Aus is done and dusted, but this was no ordinary year, it was the 10th year the event had been held here in Melbourne (Australia, not Florida).

For this celebratory year, the Classic Gaming (CG) area was moved from its usual Freeplay section to the main Expo Hall, rubbing shoulders with modern AAA gaming heavyweights and indie devs.

Starting the Classic Consoles (as it was known back then) area in 2013 with Retrospekt, Retro Domination and our (Ausretrogamer) team, we knew it would be a hit with attendees of all ages – which not even Melbourne’s inclement July weather could stop anyone getting their nostalgia hit at the inaugural PAX Aus event.

Over the years, the Classic Gaming area has grown from strength to strength, with its popularity ensuring that it returns at every PAX Aus – with an even bigger floor space! The inaugural teams may no longer be involved, but the baton change with the Weird and Retro and the Press Play On Tape Podcast crew has ensured the growth and sustained popularity of the Classic Gaming area.

For the tenth anniversary, the Classic Gaming area didn’t disappoint, with a plethora of amazing machines from yesteryear to tickle every nostalgic nerve in the body. From all of our old favourites from the 8-bit and 16-bit era (hello Atari, Commodore, Sega and Nintendo) all the way through to some darn awesome old-school PC power – and whomever thought of using the Dance Dance Revolution mat to control your (Doom Slayer) character in Doom (cheekily christened Doom Doom Revolution) should be given a knighthood! We hear that we have to now call Aaron (aka: Blahjedi), Sir Aaron of Press Play On Tape podcast, from now on 😉

Doom Doom Revolution!

image & video source: Aaron ‘Blahjedi’ Clement – PPOT

Back in 2015, Skott Kellett proposed to include pinball in the Classic Gaming area, which was an instant hit! The pinball section has now become a permanent fixture of the Classic Gaming area, ensuring gamers can get their mechanical hit via the silverball game. Skott is still the main wrangler of the pinball section, with games provided by Reality Games Australia, Mr Pinball Australia and the Australian Pinball Museum. We were lucky enough to experience some quite rare and hard to find pinball games, from Dutch Pinball’s The Big Lebowski, CGC’s Cactus Canyon Remake, Pinball Brothers‘ Queen, to American Pinball’s amazing Galactic Tank Force, complete with tank tracks and backbox turret!

But wait, there was more! PLAION Australia had the yet-to-be released Atari 2600+ console on display, which was impressive. We have been quite critical of Atari over the years, but even we are quite excited to get our hands on the new 2600+ console!

Last but not least, it is the people that bring the Classic Gaming area to life that we love the most, from the CG showrunning team members to the PAX Aus Enforcers, and the public that come in and reminisce with us about systems and games from a long long time ago.

See you at PAX Aus 2024!

We are going home – to the Classic Gaming Area!

Here are a few of the nostalgia inducing systems and displays!

Pinball in the Classic Gaming area is as popular as ever!

Classic Gaming is nothing without the awesome people that make it happen and for those that come and visit!

PAX Aus 2023 Cosplay Highlights

October 10, 2023 By ausretrogamer

It never ever ceases to amaze us how awesome the cosplay is at PAX Aus. After ten years of this marvelous event, you’d think we had seen it all, but no, each year delivers even more amazing cosplay, with 2023 being no exception!

Our amazing friend, Kelly Deluxe (also an avid retro gamer and pinball witch) has delighted us with her fantastic cosplay over the years, so of course we’ll lead into our cosplay highlights for 2023 with Kelly!

Sammie as Jester (Critical Role) & Kelly as Asuka Langley (Neon Genesis Evangelion)