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LEGO Ideas – Lego Pinball Machines

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It is definitely no secret we love featuring LEGO Ideas on this site, especially the ones with a retro gaming flavour. Well, these two LEGO Ideas entrants scratch our other itch – pinball!

Just take a look at the Lego Pinball Machine by TheAmazingCreator and The Lego Pinball Machine by Nachapon submissions – they are pretty darn cool. TheAmazingCreator’s entry is fairly simple when compared to Nachapon’s creation, which has a packed and intriguing playfield, just like a real pinball machine. We like both.

So if you love one or both, make sure you submit your vote now!

Lego Pinball Machine by TheAmazingCreator
image source: LEGO Ideas – Lego Pinball Machine

The Lego Pinball Machine by Nachapon

image source: LEGO Ideas – The Lego Pinball Machine

 

 

THEVIC20: The Wonder ColourComputer of the 1980s Returns

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Did you miss out on getting your hands on full sized  THEC64 micro computer? Well you are in luck, as you now have an opportunity to fill that 8-bit micro colour computer void!

Full sized version of the 1980’s home computer THEVIC20 will be available in October 2020

Well folks, another timeless classic has been given a new lease of life with the launch of a full-sized version of the VIC-20. Developed by Retro Games Ltd. and distributed by Koch Media, THEVIC20 is a fully licensed reimagining of the early 80’s bestselling home computer.

Following its launch in 1981, the original VIC-20 home computer went on to become the first computer of any kind to sell one million units, and even now still holds a special place in the hearts of its former owners. It’s back again almost 40 years later to tickle your nostalgia!


source: THEC64

The full sized THEVIC20 has a full working keyboard, comes with an updated micro switched classic joystick which plugs into one of the four USB ports, and connects to any modern TV via HDMI. It features three switchable modes – boot straight into original VIC-20 BASIC , C64 BASIC or switch to the Games Carousel and play one of the 64 built in games in 50Hz or 60Hz, with optional CRT Filters/Screen modes. 

As well as the classic VIC-20 and C64 BASIC modes, the pre-installed 64 games include such VIC-20 and C64 classics as – Arcadia and Laser Zone (VIC-20), California Games, Paradroid and Boulder Dash (C64); plus all new additions like Metagalactic Llamas, Subspace Striker, Mega Vault and Gridrunner (VIC-20); topped off with the recently released shoot ‘em up Galencia (C64) and classic text adventure Planet of Death (C64) to let you relive the glory days of true keyboard gaming! You can even load and save your own VIC-20 and C64 games via USB flash drive as well as access multi-disc titles.

THEVIC20 Games Menu Carousel

Selectable 50Hz or 60Hz screen refresh and pixel filter options such as pixel perfect, CRT and scanline emulation

THEVIC20 variant of the THEC64 will hit stores on October 23rd 2020 with a suggested retail price of £109.99/€119.99/~AU$199.99.

For those of you wondering what you get in the THEVIC20 box:

  • THEVIC20 ColourComputer
  • 1.5m / 5 foot wired USB micro switch classic joystick (with added function keys for game specific modes)
  • a USB charging cable and USB AC power adapter
  • HDMI cable (1.2m / 4 foot in length)

THEVIC20 INCLUDED GAMES LIST

VIC-20

Abductor, Andes Attack, Arcadia, Bewitched, Blitzkrieg, Brainstorm, Catcha Snatcha, Connect 4, Encounter, Frantic, Frog Chase, Gridrunner, Harvester, Headbanger’s Heaven, Hell Gate, Laser Zone, Martians, Matrix, Mega Vault, Metagalactic, Llamas Battle at the Edge of Time, Psychedelia, Snake, Starquest, Subspace Striker, Tank Battle, Traxx, Wacky Waiters, Zor.

C64
Alleykat, Bear Bovver, Boulder Dash, California Games, Chips Challenge, Cyberdyne Warrior, Cybernoid II, Destroyer, Firelord, Galencia Mini, Gribbly’s Day Out, Heartland, Impossible Mission, IO, Iridis Alpha, Jumpman, Mega Apocalypse, Nebulus, Netherworld, Paradroid, Pitstop II, Planet of Death, Robin of the Wood, Speedball 2, Spindizzy, Street Sports Baseball, Street Sports Basketball, Summer Games II, Super Cycle, Sword of Fargoal, Temple of Apshai Trilogy, The Arc of Yesod, Uridium, Winter Games, World Games, Zynaps.

image source: Koch Media Ltd.

Ultra Rare Pinball: IO MOON by SLEIC

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Now here is a pinball machine we did not know about till now! Introducing IO MOON!

Produced in 1994 by Spanish pinball manufacturer, SLEIC, IO MOON is a rarity (and oddity) in the pinball machine landscape, where not too many people played it or owned one.

There is an opportunity right now for a collector to jump on this machine via Pinside, where it is being sold for an eye-watering US$15,000! If you have been in the pinball hobby for a while, you will understand that this high price is justified due to the rarity of the machine.

The seller, CaptainNeo, states that it took him 10 years to find IO MOON, which has been the flagship of his collection. He has done a lot of work to the machine, including the replacement of every lamp socket and more importantly, installing English ‘ROM’ sets just in case you don’t understand Spanish. The machine is also playable, which is a bonus 🙂


source: Neo S

The IO MOON rule set is apparently close to the iconic The Addams Family pinball machine, which is definitely a good thing. As keen astronomers, we love the theme, but the rarity and price are something we’ll just admire from afar.

If anyone out there has seen or played this rare pinball machine, hit us up on Twitter or Facebook to let us know what you thought of it.

source: Pinside

 

Building Miniature SEGA Arcade Machines

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The amount of talent and knowledge some people have is beyond comprehension. One particular person got our attention on Twitter, gaug888. gaug888’s miniature Sega arcade machine creations are beyond amazing! Not only are they faithful miniature recreations of their bigger arcade brethren, they also play the arcade video games they are based on – totally mind blowing!

The meticulous level of detail of these miniature creations are off the charts. We reckon Yu Suzuki would be quite impressed too!

PS: If you want to check out the complete and documented log of gaug888’s miniature creations, head to Togetter now.

image source: gaug888 via Togetter

 

Droolworthy Exotic Commodore 64 Creations

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While trawling through a few Facebook retro gaming enthusiast groups, as you do, we came across some unbelievably amazing and super droolworthy Commodore 64 creations by John Papas!

What we saw made our jaw drop so hard, that we are still having trouble picking it up off the floor! Just scroll down slowly and take in all the hybrid C64 awesomeness! We love the 64-TX and who needs the SX-64 when you can have the CX-64! To be honest, we want them all!!!

To say we would love to get our hands on any (preferably, all) of these unique C64 creations by John Papas would be the biggest understatement of the year – Simply stunning creations!

source: Australian Retro PC Enthusiasts on Facebook

 

LEGO Super Mario Will Launch In Japan First

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After the Legend of Zelda LEGO Ideas set, we thought that would be it with Lego news for this week. How wrong were we!

Japan is such a cool country! Wish we could visit there on a regular basis to stock up on super cool stuff that we will never get or get months or years later.

So what’s this about then? Well, it’s more cool Lego stuff. We previously informed you all that LEGO Super Mario was set to launch in August, however, Nintendo have announced that the Starter Course and two expansion (Piranha Plant Power Slide and Desert Pokey) sets will launch first in Japan on July 10.

Wish we could be at the Nintendo Tokyo store on July 10 to get our mits on this Lego awesomeness! Alas, we will have to wait till August 1 like the rest of the world.

story source: Kotaku / image source: Nintendo

 

LEGO Ideas – The Legend of Zelda

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How darn awesome is it when you get notified of a new LEGO Ideas creation? Well, we think that it is!

This new LEGO Ideas entry by Willjeum is based on Nintendo franchise stalwart, The Legend of Zelda. The LEGO Legend of Zelda – Lynel Defense, features a small build of the Hyrule castle front gates (inspired by the Hyrule castle from Ocarina of Time) and two Lynels (inspired by the golden and red Lynels from Breath of the Wild), as well as figures of Link, Zelda and two Hyrule Guards.

This custom build has an impressive 737 parts, so this is one hefty LEGO Ideas submission. Voting is still open, so if you like this custom Lego set, hop to it.

image source: LEGO Ideas

 

Behind The Scenes with TMNT Pinball: An Interview with Stern’s John Borg

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Cowabunga! With the latest release of Stern Pinball’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pinball machines going gangbusters, we grabbed ourselves a deep-dish Chicago-style cheesy pizza to tempt John Borg, Lead Designer of this bodacious new pinball title, to have a quick virtual chat with us about his creation and to give us some delicious behind the scenes scoops!

Ready, set, here we go!

AUSRETROGAMER: How long did it take to design and make TMNT (from concept to finished product)?
John Borg [JB]: I started the layout last year (February 2019) around the time The Munsters LE was running down the line.

ARG: Do you have a favourite feature (or features) from the TMNT Pinball machine?
JB: I love the underlying features, like the 123 combo challenge – Training – Weapon  – and of course Pizza Multiball!

ARG: What was the biggest challenge in designing/making TMNT Pinball?
JB: Everything was hard! Speech was the scariest thing late in the project. Mike and Tom (The Super Kyzivat Bros.) pulled off the Krang and Shredder speech. Best in the game. I scripted so many lines through so many episodes. I loved it like I loved Speed Racer as a kid.

Dwight Sullivan’s hand did not make the final cut!

ARG: We need your complete honesty here – who is your favourite Turtle and your favourite villain from the TMNT series?
JB: Donatello – I love that he’s a tech driven mad scientist. Krang is my favourite villain. I practised his voice for weeks, but Tom Kyzivat sounded so much like Krang, it absolutely floored me.

ARG: Lastly, since you are a big BMX fan, we wanted to ask – there is a famous Australian movie from the 80s with a young Nicole Kidman called BMX Bandits, would this ever make the cut as a pinball machine in the future? Hypothetically speaking, if you did make such a machine, what would be the first is the first feature you would include in the game?
JB: BMX is awesome, but It won’t be a pinball in the near future. Watch the Youtube videos of the BMX in the Olympics – it is so amazing!

And just like that, we polish off our pizza, wipe our mouth clean and thank John Borg from afar for taking time out from his busy schedule to talk to us about some of his experience in making TMNT Pinball.

Whiteboarding TMNT with John Borg and the team!

Old Yeller!

Old Yeller in full mutliball glory!

Spin that wheel!

You spin me right round, baby
image source: Stern Pinball Inc.

 

Type-In Listings for your Commodore 64 – It’s So Old School!

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If you want to truly get back to the mid 80s by typing in your BASIC programs into the Commodore 64, then you are in luck!

Roman Werner (aka: King Roman) has created a couple of type-in games for the C64, so get your fingers ready. You will be kept quite busy as you peck at the keyboard, typing in the BASIC listing for Yahtzee and Black Jack.

Oh yeah, you could cheat by copy and pasting the listings from their respective PDF documents, but that would be cheating! If you really want it to be like the 80s, then type away and be very careful where you put those pokes 😉

image source: King Roman

 

Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX – A Legend Reborn

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We woke up today to great news that our fave ex-Sega mascot, Alex Kidd, will be getting a new lease of life on modern consoles!

Yep, you read that right, the classic and awesome Sega Master System game, Alex Kidd in Miracle World is being brought into the 21st century, titled Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX! Slated to be released early in 2021 on PC, Switch, Xbox and PlayStation, we honestly can’t wait to reacquaint ourselves with Alex on a modern gaming platform.

We love the brand new visual style, but we are even more chuffed and excited that it will have a retro mode to experience classic Master System Alex Kidd. This new version of AK will feature new levels, modes, and alternative boss battles – all based on the iconic Master System game. So if classic ‘80s platforming is your jam – and it should be, then you will need Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX in your life.

A legend has truly been reborn!

PS: While we wait for this to be released, we’ll keep playing Alex Kidd in Miracle World on our Master System 😉


source: GameTrailers