The Pop-Culture E-Zine
For those of us with children of a certain age, there is no doubt that you would have come across the awesome Bluey cartoon on ABC TV (iView).
Bluey episodes keep both kids and adults entertained, imparting some good advice and lessons learned. When we saw the below trailer for a video game of the eponymous blue heeler, we got quite excited.
We have now marked November 17, 2023 in our diary, as this will be a day one acquisition for us (on probably every format available!)!
source: IGN
The Addams Family pinball machine still holds the record as the biggest selling pinball machine of all time. There is a reason for this feat, the machine is much loved, as it is so much darn fun to play, with mechs that make you go wow, to multi-balls that can make your head spin. The Addams Family pinball machine is the epitome of a fun game!
Why are we talking about a 30 year old pinball machine? Well, AtGames is now collaborating with Zen Studios to bring you The Addams Family pinball machine, packed with 15 other pinball tables and of course, the amazing The Addams Family, all in glorious digital format.
Not much more news than that, but from what we can see on the AtGames site, the machine has a reasonable spec (see specification image further below), which we are happy to see that it includes built in solenoids and speakers for haptic feedback, making the pinball realism as close as possible to the real thing. The machine can also be expanded with 140+ Legends 4K pinball tables via AtGames’ PinballNet subscription service (Ed: D’oh!) which sounds pretty cool, even though it means an additional cost for the subscription (your mileage may vary).
Pre-orders will be staggered across a number of waves, opening the first (early bird) pre-order stage on 22nd of September (US time), however, there is no mention if these will be officially available in Australia – c’mon AtGames, don’t let us down!
image source: AtGames
With PAX Aus literally just around the corner, we wanted to share some exciting news that will hopefully bring all of those loose puzzle pieces together to form the final picture – the launch of the PAX Aus 2023 Schedule. Whilst you may have initially asked what sea-shantying pirates, cursed cakes, and the most prestigious cosplay competition in the Southern Hemisphere had in common, well, now you know.
Having spent months behind closed doors curating the most comprehensive celebration of all things gaming, the team at PAX Aus is thrilled to unveil the panel schedule for this year’s event covering everything from meet and greets and freeplay opportunities through to main stage panel discussions and competitions.
So, please… take a seat and start mapping out your weekend here: https://aus.paxsite.com/en-us/
Though a starting point is almost impossible to find, here are just a few of the highlights from the schedule:
Friday, October 6
Storytime with Erika Ishii | Main Theatre, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Whose Voice Is it Anyway 2: The Voicening | Twitch Quokka Theatre, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
Beyond Stereotypes: Exploring Indigenous representation in video games | Kookaburra Theatre, 3:30 – 4:30 pm
Cursed Cakes 2.0 | GenerOZity Wombat Theatre, 4:30 – 5:30 pm
Sustainability at Xbox and its Approach to Developer Engagement | PAX Together Theatre, 10:00 – 10:30 am
The Future of Gaming – is cloud gaming set to transform the future of how we play forever? | Twitch Quokka Theatre, 11:00 – 12:00 pm
Saturday, October 7
Secrets & Stories, Music & Myths: A Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical Development Retrospective | Main Theatre, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Robert Hartley GM presents D&D Death Roulette | GenerOZity Wombat Theatre, 1:30 – 3:00 pm
Sea Shanties you say? Yahaarghh! | GenerOZity Wombat Theatre, 9:00 – 11:00 pm
Cosplay Beginnings Workshop: Props and Armour | Cosplay Theatre, 11:00 – 12:00 pm
Sunday, October 8
My parents wanted me to be a doctor, but I want to be a content creator | Twitch Quokka Theatre, 12:30 – 1:30 pm
Bach 4 Blood: Game Soundtracks vs. Classical Music | Galah Theatre, 3:00 – 4:00 pm
Cosplay Central Crown Championship Finals | Main Theatre, 2:00 – 3:30 pm
In addition to the massive panel schedule, there will also be some celebratory, memory-inducing moments celebrating PAX Aus’ 10th Anniversary. These are:
The Year That Was PAX Aus 2013 – a special retrospective panel reminiscing on the year that was 2013;
Fireside with Mick Gordon hosted by New Zealand podcaster, KiwiTalkz, as they deep dive into 10 years of video game music;
PinnyPals 4*Eva – Celebrating a decade of PAX pin collecting down under;
Join the Press X Science panel who have hosted a panel for 10 years at PAX Aus exploring what we have learned from a decade of exploring science and videogames;
A retrospective on the legendary PAX Aus Omegathon;
Fireside with Halfbrick who were at the original PAX Aus – looking back to 2013 as well as discussing what they have been doing since then;
I attended every PAX Aus for 10 years – a look at the memories from the community, content creators exploring the key moments in the history of PAX Aus that have made the event what it is today;
Omegathon 10 Year Battle Royale – The last 10 years of Omegathon winners compete to find out who will be crowned the 10 year Omeganaut.
Phew, that’s quite a meaty schedule but we hope this helps with mapping out your activities for the PAX Aus 2023 weekend extravaganza!
How darn awesome will this be when it’s finished in March 2024!
Nintendo is converting their old plant in Kyoto, Japan, into a museum to showcase products from throughout their long history in gaming.
If you are planning a trip to Japan next year, perhaps consider checking our the Nintendo Museum while you are there for the cherry blossom season 😉
Previously announced as Nintendo gallery, the Nintendo Museum in Kyoto, Japan, will display a wide variety of Nintendo products from the company’s history. Stay tuned for more info, as construction is planned to be completed by the end of March 2024. #NintendoDirect pic.twitter.com/xeEOivcVHp
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) September 14, 2023
Birdseye view of the Nintendo Museum roof – love the question mark [?]
Image source: Nintendo
story source: theverge.com
With only three weeks to go until PAX Aus 2023, there is even more delicious content including more news from Nintendo and announcements from SEGA, Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, Star Wars Unlimited, Five Nights at Freddy’s and more to sink your teeth into!
We are hoping to see as many of you at PAX Aus this year, so we can’t wait for these weeks to fly by! Oh yeah, you should know where to find us by now (ahem, at our home base, the Classic Gaming area).
OK, without further ado, here is the awesome news…..
PAX Aus 2023 is shaping up to be an absolute whopper and there’s no better way to celebrate the last 10 years than showcasing even more great gaming content with more major announcements confirmed today. So please, take it slow and try not to stuff your face too quickly with all this delicious content…
In addition to Nintendo’s tournament in PAX Arena, Nintendo returns to the PAX expo floor headlined by Super Mario Bros. Wonder – playable before its release on 20th October! Fans can also shop in-person at the Nintendo booth with My Nintendo Store, which will have merchandise to peruse and purchase. Look forward to more information coming soon about the playable titles and available merch from Nintendo.
Gaming icon, SEGA will be attending PAX Aus this year with a booth showcasing Sonic Superstars and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. Melbourne-based Ukiyo Studios will be presenting “SEA What I Made! (SWIM)”, the largest Southeast Asian indie games delegation of its kind to grace Australian shores. A total of 15 titles from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines will feature a variety of game genres from turn-based RPGs to Southeast Asian-inspired Diablo-likes and even restaurant management sims.
And for tabletop fans, Star Wars: Unlimited will be demo-ed for the first time in Australia at PAX Aus. Two icons of the tabletop world will also be at PAX Aus – Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering. Attendees will be able to learn to play Dungeons & Dragons with their friendly Dungeon Masters waiting to guide you on a quest. From there, visit the D&D Superstore where you will be able to find everything you need and want from sourcebooks to minis to collectibles and more. For Magic: The Gathering fans and noobs you can learn to play and get lost in the Wilds of Eldraine with fantastical creatures, unbelievable settings and beloved characters with a unique twist.
Pack your Senzu Beans and Devil Fruit, because the tabletop major moments don’t stop there with Dragon Ball Z and One Piece showcasing their games and hosting tourneys at the event. Compete for glory in the Dragon Ball Super Regionals and One Piece Card Game Tournament, pick up a free demo deck (while stock lasts), as well as try your hand at the new Dragon Ball Super Fusion World card game.
Vanguard, Weiss Schwarz, Shadowverse and Final Fantasy Trading Card Game will also be showcased at PAX Aus and Asmodee, yes, them of Exploding Kittens, CATAN, Ticket to Ride, Dobble/Spot It and so many more legendary games fame will be bringing their latest and greatest games.
What’s October without a jumpscare? Five Nights at Freddy’s will be activating the world of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza where Freddy and the gang are dying to meet you – step into the scene and see if you can survive five nights?
While on the topic of bears, what about bears, in space?! Hear from Broadside Games as they discuss how they went from working a day job and developing games on the side to focusing on a game full-time! The team behind the upcoming action-packed game, Bears In Space, tell all at PAX Aus!
And lastly, tabletop legends Phil Walker-Harding (Sushi Go, Bear Park, Imhotep) and Matt Dunstan (Fairy Tile, Relic Runners) will also be on the floor at PAX Aus, with Walker-Harding demonstrating his game, Spellbook, and Dunstan showcasing a new game, to be revealed for the first time at PAX Aus.
With 3-Day and Saturday Badges sold out and limited single-day badges available, you better gear up for PAX Aus’ 10th anniversary celebration. PAX Aus 2023 takes place October 6-8 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. For more information and badges, please visit their official website.
image source: PAX Aus
By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.
For the many years that I’ve been playing video games, I did something the other day that I’ve never done as a gamer.
I was at a local store, and they had a pretty cool poster collection. Most of them were popular television shows and films, like “Stranger Things,” and the blockbuster “Barbie”. One particular poster caught my eye. At first, I couldn’t tell what it was, but something about the artwork intrigued me. I’ve never been a big fan of the “Call of Duty” game series; I’ve played it maybe five times over the years. The wall poster for “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II” with the skeleton soldier with his headphones on just appealed to me for some reason. I had seen the image before, probably around the time the game was released last October. There was a great deal of promotion for the hit game during NFL games last year.
I’m sure Infinity Ward, the company that developed the game, knew they had a hit when celebrities were posting on their social media how excited they were for the release of the game. I think I saw the wall art for “Modern Warfare II” when I was in Best Buy, and it piqued my interest. I haven’t even played “Modern Warfare II”, but I now have the poster on my wall in my garage. I can’t say that my girlfriend likes it, but she’s hardly in my garage and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
The poster is the sort of art that would make a fantastic film poster. When video games start having better posters than movies, what’s happening in movie studio’s art and promotion’s departments. I haven’t bought a movie poster since college. It was a poster for “Judge Dredd”, the Sylvester Stallone film from 1995. Oddly enough, the “Modern Warfare II” poster and the “Judge Dredd” poster are very similar. Both have a close-up image of a character staring right at you, looking menacing. Both are just a face and the title of the game and film.
The marketing team for “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II” did an amazing job of getting images of the game in the public eye and conscience. The game earned $1 billion dollars in its first 10 days of release. “Modern Warfare II” is the fastest-selling “Call of Duty” game of all time.
image source: playstationlifestyle.net
From twilight to late on Thursday 5 October Big Games Night Out invites Victorians and visitors to come together in Melbourne’s iconic Fed Square and surrounds for an immersive night of digital games, music and cosplay.
Presented by Creative Victoria in partnership with Fed Square as part of Melbourne International Games Week, Big Games Night Out is a free, accessible and all-ages event welcoming families and gamers from all walks of life – curious, casual, social to hardcore – to come together and celebrate amongst a spectacle of games, technology and play.
The full program line-up – to be announced soon – includes the not-to-be-missed Big Games Night Out Cosplay Parade and Runway Experience hosted by Myf Warhust and pop star and Twitch streamer Montaigne. A celebration of the fantasy of inhabiting our favourite games, the event is open to all cosplayers to participate, regardless of skill level, whether you make or buy your costumes – all are encouraged to sign up now.
Indie arcade games, 80s games, and exciting local releases will also be available to play, plus a special intergenerational arena for young and mature gamers to play and learn together in partnership with the Victorian Seniors Festival. The Swap Meet gives gamers a chance to find their next challenge by swapping their old games for something new and revelling in some old-school nostalgia.
There will also be special events with some of Australia’s biggest games, including 2022 smash-success Cult of the Lamb. Presented by ACMI and Melbourne Fringe, Cult of the Lamb: The Ritual features large-scale puppets and performers, a DJ performance by River Boy and giant animated projections featuring your favourite characters from the game created by Massive Monster, and featuring Goldens Scissors Puppets and Jean Poole Projection Mapping. The event is supported by Fed Square and Panasonic, and made possible with the support of a RISE grant.
To mark the launch of the homegrown sensation Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical, from Victorian-based Summerfall Studios, Big Games Night Out will also present the Stray Gods Fashion Showcase – a multi-disciplinary event highlighting the game’s incredible blend of games, music, and fashion. Eight Melbourne fashion designers will showcase Stray Gods character costumes alongside their own unique creations, inspired by the game’s epic story about gods, magic, and a thousand-year journey to rediscover one’s purpose.
The full Big Games Night Out program will be announced soon, and will feature games arcades, open access game tournaments, live music performances from Tripod and Montaigne, immersive audience participation experiences, prizes, games-themed fashion runways, and much more throughout Fed Square venues.
Whether you play games once a week or once a year, Big Games Night Out is a special opportunity to experience Fed Square like never before as it transforms into a playful paradise.
Big Games Night Out and MIGW are part of a Creative October – a bigger-than-ever series of creative events taking place across the state across the month with the support of the Victorian Government.
Big Games Night Out is funded by the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund, a partnership between the Victorian Government and the City of Melbourne.
Big Games Night Out is on Thursday 5 October from twilight to late, as part of Melbourne International Games Week delivered by Creative Victoria – full line-up, maps and timetables coming soon!
Visit gamesweek.melbourne/big-games-night-out to learn more
Sign up for the Cosplay Parade here
Melbourne International Games Week is an initiative of the Victorian Government, delivered by Creative Victoria in partnership with VicScreen, ACMI and IGEA. Events will be held from 30 September – 8 October 2023. For more information visit gamesweek.melbourne
Now this Lego Ideas entry we really really like! What’s there not to like about a Lego set that tugs on the ole nostalgic heartstrings.
The Retro Arcade Lego Ideas entry by If You Build It received the magical 10K votes, so right now, it is officially in the review (by Lego) stage! If you voted for the Retro Arcade, we thank you from the bottom of our 8-bit heart.
With the Retro Arcade project qualifying for the Second 2023 Review, we all have our fingers crossed that the powers at Lego vote with a resounding YES!
It goes without saying, we’ll keep you posted on the outcome!
source: Lego Ideas – Retro Arcade
Hey Pokemon peeps, Macca’s newest Pokémon Match Battle Happy Meal is coming to Australia – available nationwide from Thursday 24 August!
For a limited time only, Macca’s fans who purchase a Happy Meal will have the chance to collect official Pokémon Match Battle trading cards, a card flip coin and instructions – everything needed to stage an at-home Pokémon Match Battle!
With 12 types of Pokémon Match Battle games up for grabs, Aussies will be able to collect fan favourites including Pikachu, Sprigatito, Fuecoco and Quaxly!
image source: McDonald’s Australia
Discover the enthralling world of Castlevania as it ventures into new territory with “Nocturne,” an exciting series focusing on the origin story of Richter Belmont, a gaming icon and one of the franchise’s most beloved characters. Set amidst the backdrop of the French Revolution, this gory and gothic adventure takes fans on an unforgettable journey through a time of vampires and high stakes.
Led by showrunner Kevin Kolde and Creator/Writer Clive Bradley, “Nocturne” promises a gripping narrative filled with love, loss, and thrilling encounters. As an evolution of the original fan-favorite Castlevania Netflix Series, the show delves into never-before-seen aspects of Richter Belmont’s past, adding depth to this iconic character.
Produced by Project 51 Productions, with animations provided by Powerhouse Animation, “Nocturne” guarantees top-notch quality and a visually stunning experience. Whether you’re a seasoned Castlevania fan or new to the franchise, this series serves as the perfect starting point for an exciting journey into a world of gaming adaptations, anime, and captivating storytelling.
Get ready to immerse yourself in the epic tale of “Nocturne”!
image & video source: Netflix