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Classic Tetris Aussie Championship 2018

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Hey Aussie peeps, hold onto your hats, as we have some huge exciting comp news!

After 8 years of the Classic Tetris World Championships (CTWC) in the USA, the competition is coming to Sydney, Australia! Get your diaries out and mark yourself away on Thursday October 4th! This is a huge deal folks, so get Tetris’n.

So what is this all about you ask? CTWC has teamed up with the awesome 1989 Arcade Bar & Kitchen (22 King Street, Newtown) to crown the first ever Classic Tetris Australian Champion. Players will go head-to-head (in a best out of three games) on the Nintendo Entertainment System’s Tetris, until there is only one player remaining. There are prizes to be won, beers to be enjoyed and many classic arcades to be played. It is going to be one heck of a night that welcomes all level of Tetris fanatics, from beginners to pro.

Who will hoist the first ever CTWC Australia trophy? Well, you gotta be in it to win it!

The CTWC Australia event details:

  • When: October 4, 2018 (starts at 7:00pm)
  • Where: 1989 Arcade Bar & Kitchen – 22 King Street, Newtown
  • Event/Info: Official event page on Facebook
  • Entry: $15.00 – grab your ticket here. Each ticket is one entry into the championship and comes with a drink (beer or wine)

image source: 1989 Arcade Bar & Kitchen

 

80’s Street Party To Celebrate Barkly Square’s 35th Anniversary

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Woohoo, who doesn’t like an 80s party? If you put your hand up, then this isn’t for you! For everyone else, read on…

Barkly Square is turning 35! Barkly Square will be marking this milestone (September 7 to 9) with an 80’s themed street party celebration which will feature 80s-style workshops and cool stuff from the best decade, like arcade games, flash dancers, hula-hoops, scrunchies and even an old-school JB Hi-Fi 80s type stall to name just a few!

If you want to attend and celebrate 80’s style, then check out the full details here.

image source: Barkly Square

 

Retro Gaming Festival Coming To QV Melbourne

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Woohoo, it’s Game/On at QV Melbourne from this Friday, 31 August till Sunday 23 September!

QV Melbourne welcomes the new spring season with their month long Game/On event which will feature a retro gaming world with Pacman, Donkey Kong to name just a few, gaming lounges and an Augmented Reality (AR) Scavenger Hunt, live music and lots more to get your game on!

In the QV Melbourne Retro Gaming Arcade Zone there will be all of your favourite retro video games, from Frogger, Pac-Man to Donkey Kong and Space Invaders! And guess what, it’s all FREE to be enjoyed from 11am – 7pm daily in QV Square.

image source: ms.ausretrogamer

Did you say you want competitions? Well then you are in luck! There will be plenty of Gamer vs Gamer Competitions, so grab your friends (or a few strangers) and get your game on in a Super Smash Bros. showdown in QV Square! Competitions will be held every Friday from 5pm. Heats are on the 31st August, 7th and 14th of September, with the finals taking place on Friday, 21st September. If you think you’re up for the challenge (of course you are!), then get practising and register here!

If you prefer a quest, then the Augmented Reality (AR) Scavenger Hunt is for you! Explore the QV Laneways with this exclusive and FREE AR scavenger hunt for your chance to win part of a $10,000 prize pool. Some of the great prizes up for grabs include:

– Republic Boutique gift voucher
– Dyson Supersonic Hairdryer
– $100 Bar Tab from Father’s Office
– Marshall Midi ii Bluetooth Headphones, plus more!

For more deets on the AR Scavenger Hunt, check out the T&Cs.

And for every one that just wants to immerse themselves in Game/On nostalgia, there will be a party on every Friday night from 4-7pm, with a Nintendo themed candy bar, a DJ spinning retro chiptunes and a live progressive art installation in Albert Coates Lane, painted by some of Melbourne’s most vibrant visual artists. Like we said, the best part is that it is all FREE for you to enjoy.

Oh yeah, make sure you tag @qvmelbourne and use the hashtag when you visit QV Square for Game/On between Friday 31 August and Sunday 23 September to go in the draw to win a $500 QV shopping spree.

Game On like Donkey Kong!

image source: ausretrogamer at PAX Aus

 

Indie Arcade Cabinet: RASHLANDER

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We were quite impressed with Griffin Aerotech’s Airframe arcade hardware which allows independently created games to run, just like SKYCURSER. So when Ryan Davis got in touch with us to tell us about his new arcade title RASHLANDER, we were quite excited. Ryan told us that his RASHLANDER game had been made from the ground up so that it could run on modern arcade machines, just like Griffin Aerotech’s Airframe.

The game is a lander-roguelike game that feels like sliding slowly across an icy parking lot while dodging every SUV and Smart Car before settling miraculously into a perfect parallel park. Except in space. And everything is exploding!

RASHLANDER is available in four different kits: Software, Pro, Deluxe, and Dedicated Cabinet packages ranging in price from USD$599.99 (Software kit) all the way to $3,499.99 for the dedicated arcade cabinet. More deets here.

image source: Griffin Aerotech – Rashlander

 

Johnny Turbo’s Arcade: Welcome to the world of Nitro Ball!

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Engage in the deadliest game show with Johnny Turbo’s Arcade: Nitro Ball! 

Flying Tiger Entertainment’s Johnny Turbo’s Arcade: Nitro Ball (aka: Gun Ball), is the exciting arena-style shooter by Data East™ that was originally released in 1992.

Nitro Ball features Gary, an Ex-Navy Sergeant and Harry, an Ex-Police Officer who battle their way through a futuristic game show that takes place on vertical pinball worlds. In fact, each arena includes bumpers, buffers, rails and even pinball holes.

There are five different stages with unique enemies and bosses including: Strange Football, Combat Field, Ghost Town, Aliens World and Space Station. Each stage also features a short challenge to destroy a certain number of enemies in a given amount of time.

While the main goal is to annihilate as many goons as possible, players also rack up points to win various items. Nitro Ball is a fast and furious action-packed game filled with dangerous weapons, power-ups and bosses that make gameplay fun and exciting, especially with friends.

Nitro Ball is zooming to the Nintendo Switch™ eShop in North America on August 16, 2018. Pre-orders (in North America) are available right now. Oh yeah, it is coming soon to selected European territories too – so stay tuned!

Features:

  • Play single player or simultaneously with one or two friends
  • Shoot enemies into holes for extra points and prizes
  • Collect various power-ups; one even turns players into a pinball!
  • Complete secret objectives on each stage for added bonuses
  • Vertical play mode is supported for the Real Arcade Feel

image source: Flying Tiger Entertainment

 

Boom! Stern Pinball Unleashes Deadpool

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Yesterday Stern Pinball Inc. announced their latest pinball machine, Deadpool. Based on the Marvel comics (not the movies), Stern seems to have captured the real essence of the Marvel character, thanks to the artwork by famed artist, Jeremy Packer, also known as Zombie Yeti.

True to the Deadpool character, Stern have thrown in some really clever, funny and backhanded insults, taunts and other comments all over their three Deadpool pinball machine models (Pro, Premium and Limited Edition (LE)) – check them out below. We particularly love the “OOOH, YOU’RE FANCY!” one on the LE plaque.

Oh yeah, the backboard LCD screen graphics will definitely take you back to your 80s and 90s video game days with their pixelated imagery – the nostalgia is overwhelming!

Designed by George Gomez with coding lead by Tanio Klyce, the Deadpool Pro model will hit Australian shores in October, followed by the Premium and LE models in late November (subject to change).

We can’t wait to get to Zax Amusements to fight some ninjas and get insulted! BOOM!

Price (in AUD with GST):

Image source: Stern Pinball Inc.

 

R-Type III and Super R-Type Return with the Ultimate Collector’s Package

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Since we are on an R-Type kick (Ed: check out yesterday’s story), we thought we might as well continue rolling with more (great) news relating to this venerable shoot’em up.

Retro-Bit® is set to package two of the most iconic and critically-acclaimed IREM® shoot ’em ups together in one 16-bit cartridge for the first time this month (August) with the release of R-Type®III and Super R-Type® Collector’s Edition.

First released in 1991 alongside the Super Nintendo Entertainment System®, Super R-Type® was hailed as “easily the best Super NES® shooter on the market” by Electronic Gaming Monthly (September, 1991) and “an outstanding piece of work” by GamePro (November, 1991). It sees the formidable R-9 once again go up against the evil Bydo Empire in seven intense stages inspired by the 1989 arcade game R-Type II®.

Three years after the series’ explosive Super NES® debut, the Bydo Empire returned in R-Type III®: The Third Lightning. Named “the best shoot ’em up to appear in a long time” by SNES® Force (March, 1994), the popular action game puts players in control of the most powerful and versatile R-series vessel yet — the R-90 Ragnarok. Equipped with Round, Shadow, and Cyclone Forces of power, as well as the ability to warp between dimensions, R-Type III was an epic fight for Earth’s survival.

Bundled together for the first time ever, R-Type III and Super R-Type Collector’s Edition will include a 16-bit cartridge that can be played on the Super NES®, Super Famicom and select Retro-Bit® consoles. The exclusive hard embossed collector’s box will come loaded with a full-colour instruction manual featuring original artwork, R-Type branded notebook, exclusive sticker collection and an individually numbered certificate of authenticity, along with art prints by the world-renowned artist Paul “OtaKing” Johnson from his R-Type fan-inspired anime collection. Retro-Bit has also collaborated with FiGPiN® to create a limited edition R-Type pin set.

“R-Type is back with the limited edition collector’s package gamers have been asking for,” explains Ron Pang, Vice President of Marketing and Sales at Innex Inc. “We’re taking two of IREM’s most iconic 16-bit shooters and offering fans the ultimate collection of exclusives, high-quality content and value at an attractive price. R-Type III & Super R-Type Collector’s Edition and Holy Diver are just the first of many possible exclusive releases from Retro-Bit® Publishing.

“Shoot ’em up fans looking to take the fight to the Bydo Empire will need to act fast, as production will be limited to only 2,900 units in North America and 2,800 in Europe. The first one-thousand units in each region will come with an exclusive Galactic Blue cartridge. R-Type III and Super R-Type Collector’s Edition is currently available for pre-order and will retail for USD$59.99 when it begins shipping in late August.

More information can be found at Retro-Bit.com/r-type.

We may have to get in touch with Retro-Bit to see if we could have this cartridge in time for PAX Aus 2018!

source: Retro-Bit

 

Hori Classic GameCube-Style Controllers for the Nintendo Switch

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Woohoo, damn this is great news! What news are we going gaga over? We won’t keep you in suspense any longer, so read on.

That cool gaming peripherals-making company, Hori has announced that they will be making their own Classic Controllers for the Nintendo Switch. The controllers are designed after the GameCube controller and officially licensed.

Hori’s Classic GameCube-Style Controllers will come in three different styles based on Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Pikachu. Oh man, this is going to be a tough decision – we love them all!

Which one will you be getting?

image source: play-asia.com

 

Byte Driver – Vector Based Mayhem

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As most of you will know, we are huge fans of vector based games, especially the ones that hark back to our youth, like Atari’s Star Wars and of course, all Vectrex games!

When Mike from Vector Hat informed us of his creation, Byte Driver, our interests were immediately piqued! Byte Driver is currently being funded via Kickstarter with a very modest goal, which we reckon is very achievable!

Byte Driver isn’t just your typical vector based racing game. The game is a combination of 2D racing with an interesting game play mechanic whereby energy that your car runs on is obtained by hacking the vehicles around you. Oh yeah, while you are sapping energy for your own use, you can also hack other vehicles to bolster your weaponry! The whole package comes together quite nicely in its vector display style and synthwave soundtrack. If you want an old school  tough-as-nail game, then Byte Driver will be right up your alley.

If you wanna try before you buy, there is a playable demo for Windows, Linux and OSX! If only this game was also being ported to the Vectrex – we can only hope (hint, hint!).

PS: That Byte Driver pit crew patch looks da biz!

 

 

Rare: From 8-Bit to Xbox One Exhibition

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Woohoo (if you are in the UK),  the UK’s first major exhibition about a video games company – launches and it’s free!
Fans of video games can find out what goes into making a hit that attracts four million players at an exhibition in Coventry.

Entitled Rare: From 8-bit to Xbox One, this is the first ever exhibition dedicated to a video games company, tracking the 33-year life of Twycross-based Rare. It runs alongside Play: An Exploration of Toys, Games & Fun, a broader celebration of the history of play which features more than 200 items. Both will be running at the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum until September 23.

Rare gives visitors the chance to try their hand at some of the company’s international gaming hits – such as Donkey Kong Country – and also find out more about the planning and creation of a new video game.

Further to that, there is also an opportunity to discover what it takes to work in an industry which is proving to be a major success story for the region. James Thomas, Lead Engineer at Rare, said the exhibition provided the perfect platform for the company to raise its profile in the local area and highlight how gaming is the latest form of play.

He said: “The company has been operating for more than 30 years and is a great success story for the area and for the industry. It began as an independent gaming business – set up by the Stamper brothers – creating and selling games for the ZX Spectrum.

“Rare, which was later bought by Nintendo and, subsequently, Microsoft, has produced some ground-breaking games over the years such as GoldenEye, Banjo-Kazooie and Viva Piñata.

“Our latest release, Sea of Thieves, has attracted more than four million players to date and has more than 200 people working on the game. “So this is a great time to be able to share our story with people from the area because this is a really positive period for gaming in the region.

“I think many people see a distinction between traditional play and gaming but my view is that this is just the next generation and, more and more, games are becoming social activities when friends play together rather than in isolation. “It is cementing ‘real life’ friendships rather than detracting from them which, again, isn’t something that is always appreciated or understood.

“The fact that Play is running at the Herbert meant this is a great opportunity to showcase Rare and its games, to show people what goes into making a global hit and, also, to give them an insight into careers in the industry.”
The Play and Rare exhibitions are kindly supported by Rare and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Francis Ranford, Cultural and Creative Director of Culture Coventry, said it had been a positive start to the exhibition.

Francis said: “The partnership with Rare has been incredibly positive for the Herbert and has added another exciting dimension to the exhibition. This collaboration has enabled us to showcase aspects of play which we would have otherwise been unable to and will ensure more visitors can relate and connect with the exhibition.

“We’ve had fantastic feedback so far and are looking forward to welcoming many more visitors over the course of the summer.”

To potentially feature in the exhibition, you can donate photos of your own toys to the Virtual Museum by using #playattheherbert on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook!

source: Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry