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Keeping the Ball Alive: 30 Years of Stern Pinball

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keepingtheballalive_header

STOP THE PRESS! If you have been looking for a coffee table art book with an inside look at the world’s largest pinball manufacturer, then this Stern Pinball Inc. and PaperFlock collaborative Kickstarter is for you!

Presenting Keeping the Ball Alive: 30 Years of Stern Pinball, a commemorative coffee table art book that will give fans an inside look at the history, design, production, and manufacturing of pinball machines, as well as the people behind them! The 200-page coffee table book will feature over 160 photo pages, colour foldouts, and artwork from thirty years of games. Alongside the photos and artwork will be interviews with important game designers like John Trudeau, Steve Ritchie, George Gomez, John Borg, and many more!

The Book!
keepingtheballalive_book

To make it even sweeter, fans/backers will get a chance to become part of the books production through PaperFlock’s unique crowd collaboration process. Content will be crafted with input from the projects forum on PaperFlock.com. This gives fans a real sense of ownership in the project. With unprecedented access provided by Stern, there surely will become a highly sort after pinball tome.

The Kickstarter campaign is live and will run for a few weeks yet. So check it out, there are plenty of pledges and rewards to tickle your pinball fancy!

Behind the scenes: Stern prototypes
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The Rewards!
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We had to back it!
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source: Stern Pinball Inc. and Keeping The Ball Alive – Kickstarter

 

Get Ready For Some Classic Gaming At PAX Aus 2016

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paxaus2016_primer_titleGet your nostalgic senses ready, as the PAX Aus Classic Gaming area is back, bigger and better for 2016! We say this every year, but this year is no exception – there will be games that will take you back to your younger years, and you never know, you may discover golden oldies that you may have not known or had forgotten about.

With systems like the Commodore 64, Sega Master System, Sega Dreamcast and the NEC PC-Engine (to name just a few) to tickle your retro gaming fancy, your only problem will be, what to to play first!

If you want a trip down memory lane while at PAX Aus 2016, then make sure you come on over to the Classic Gaming area!

One fire button is all you need to play on the Commodore 64!
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Anyone up for some Alex Kidd action?
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Shoot’em up action on the Engine that could!
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Let’s go make some crazy money!
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The PAX Aus Classic Gaming area is proudly brought to you by: ausretrogamer, Bartronica, Bayside Pinball Club, PinballScore, Pinmem, Retro Domination, Weird and Retro and Zax Amusements.

 

Jersey Jack Pinball Announces The Future Of Pinball

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jjpinball_announcementAs we had predicted in our Pinball Expo 2016 feature, Jersey Jack Pinball have announced their newest machines, and let’s just say,  they have hit it out of the proverbial park!

Jersey Jack’s new machines will definitely be making history by being right on the bleeding edge of pinball design! First up, Pat Lawlor’s Dialed In. The legendary designer’s highly anticipated, original concept game will be the first pinball machine to feature Bluetooth® connectivity, a camera and additional player capabilities through a smartphone! The other special features of Dialed In will make your head spin, like the swivelling LCD mount, hidden trap door and the 3D interactive projected image to name just a few. Dialed In will come in two different variants, a Collector’s and Limited Editions.

The second machine announced is their Black Arrow Special Edition, named after the arrow that defeats Smaug™ in the acclaimed The Hobbit™ film trilogy. Special features include Black Arrow track mode animation, Black Ink body armour, black pinballs, gold Smaug™ character and plenty more to keep you excited. We honestly can’t wait to find out more about this one!

Pat Lawlor and Jersey Jack’s Jack Guarnieri proudly show-off Dialed In
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The Dialed In playfield looks very inviting!
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Oh that RGB lighting is gorgeous!
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Who you gonna call? Jersey Jack Pinball!
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Do as Bob says, visit him when flashing!
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Get your smartphones ready, pinball wizards!
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Holy black pinballs!
jjpinball_black_arrowsesource: Jersey Jack Pinball

 

Pinball Expo 2016

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pinballexpo_2016Pinball Expo 2016 is almost upon us! the 32nd Pinball Expo will take place from October 12 to 16 at the Westin Chicago North Shore Hotel in Wheeling, Illinois. The expo will be jam-packed with new pinball machine reveals. Being the biggest Pinball Expo to date, expect the major pinball industry players to showcase their latest (and future) wares.

Here is what you can expect from the big boys (if you are one of the lucky attendees):

American Pinball:

The newest kid on the pinball block will showcase their first game, Houdini Master Mystery.

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Dutch Pinball:

The diverse Dutch group of pinball maestros will have their much anticipated The Big Lebowski machine on display.

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Heighway Pinball:

The UK pinball manufacturer will finally reveal Alien.

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Jersey Jack Pinball:

The crew that brought us the brilliant The Wizard Of Oz and The Hobbit machines have been busy tinkering on their much anticipated 3rd machine, designed by the veteran pinball designer, Pat Lawlor.

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Multimorphic:

The company behind the P3 Pinball Platform will show their latest version of the Lexy Lighspeed machine. They will also have the mini games from the Texas Pinball Festival from earlier in the year.

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Planetary Pinball / Chicago Gaming:

With their extremely popular Medieval Madness Remake still high in demand, the Californian based company is teaming up with Chicago Gaming yet again for their second title! All be revealed at Pinball Expo.

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Spooky Pinball:

The Wisconsin pinball makers will be busy showing their Rob Zombie Spookshow International, Domino’s Spectacular Pinball Adventure and possibly news on future titles!

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Stern Pinball Inc:

Last but not least, the biggest pinball manufacturer of them all, Stern Pinball, will be revealing their Batman 66 machine. This will be Stern’s first game utilising a full colour LCD replacing the dot-matrix display. The game will feature a second smaller LCD on the playfield as well. The Batman 66 design team will be headed by George Gomez, with Lyman Sheats taking care of programming and artwork featuring Christopher Franchi’s impressions. The game will borrow heavily from the Batman The Dark Knight (2008) playfield, including the crane, but the left side of the playfield will be totally redesigned.

The other Stern pinball machine to be featured at Pinball Expo will be the Pabst “Can Crusher”.

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image source: multiple – supplied

 

Getting Weird And Retro At EB Expo 2016

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war_at_ebexpo2016Watch out Sydney, Weird And Retro (WaRriors) are back for another EB Games Expo! This time around, the WaRriors are bringing a plethora of retro gaming systems that will feature over 60 games in the best of old-school gaming.

Players will be able to get hands-on with heaps of retro gaming systems, including the Commodore 64, Atari 2600 and the Super Nintendo to name just a few. No matter how you look at it, there will be plenty of classic games on offer to tickle the nostalgic nerve.

If you are attending EB Expo 2016 (Ed: woohoo, we are!) and are in need of a retro gaming fix, then make sure you swing by the Freeplay area! The WaRriors will be waiting!

Oh yeah, we’ll be live on our social media channels from EB Expo this weekend, so join the conversation!

ebexpo2016_mapsource: EB Expo

 

2016 Reset C64 4KB Game Coding Comp Preview

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reset4kbgamecodecomppreviewWith the closing date getting ever so near for the 2016 Reset C64 4KB Game Coding Competition, we thought we’d take a look at the entries so far. From what we’ve seen, these CRAPTASTIC games are looking, um, pretty darn good for crappy games squeezed into 4 Kilobytes!

If you haven’t started on your CRAPTASTIC game, then you still have a few days to enter this awesome comp. So get cracking (or coding)!

Entry : M4573RB4G3L5
Developer: Cout Games
Status: Submitted
Author Quote: “The coding is handcrafted from the best 12-year old script kiddies that are known to exist and spelling of equal value if you look at the listing.”
A number guessing game, in which the C64 will get revenge if you don’t play it properly!masterbagles

Entry : Colon 10
Developer: Cout Games
Status: Submitted
Author Quote: “Hope this game is much more friendly than M4573RB4G3L5!”
Stop the C64 timer exactly for 10 seconds without going over. If you are over, even by a fraction, you lose.
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Entry : Dog
Developer: Vanje Utne (Privy Software)
Status: Submitted
Run around in Shouty Human’s garden and poo as much as possible without getting caught. A very ‘craptastic’ entry from Vanja!
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Entry : Granny’s Teeth
Developer: Richard Bayliss (TND)
Status: Submitted
Author Quote: “After seeing loads of terrible games, created with Creations / Mastertronic’s / Mirrorsoft’s Games Creator, I thought it would be pretty funny if I actually created something that sort of simulated it, and squeeze it into 4K.”
granny

Entry : Goblin
Developer: Vanja Utne (Pond Software)
Status: Submitted
Author Quote: “It’s another game! Code/graphics/music by me. 4096 bytes of platforming action!”
The Goblin Town potato cellars have been invaded by giant potato bugs! It’s up to you to salvage as many potatoes as possible.
goblin

Entry : Valentine’s Day Shopping Simulator
Developer: Karmic
Status: Submitted
Author Quote: “Only 2.13kb packed :)”
It’s Valentine’s Day, and time is running out to buy your girlfriend a gift. But will she like it?
valentines-day

Entry : Watschinator
Developer: Endurion
Status: Submitted
Author Quote: “Have fun!”
Hit your opponent three times before he manages to do so to you. Classic fighter action gameplay!
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Entry : Antarctica
Developer: Antarctica
Status: Submitted
Guide an Antarctic scientists on his damaged snowspeeder to collect the supplies!
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Entry : Picross 4k
Developer: Oziphantom
Status: Submitted
The quirky Japanese puzzle game now on your 64. Work through the matrix and find the hidden image.
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Entry : Zombie Massacre
Developer: Wanax
Status: Submitted
It’s a zombie apocalypse, and now they have weapons! Graphics and sound by Saul Cross.
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Entry : Lumberjack
Developer: Majikeyric (Megastyle/Protovision)
Status: Submitted
Author Quote: “Rip off your grey and boring suit and reveal the red flannel shirt you are hiding under you clothes. Let your beard grow and equip yourself with a big axe and enter the woods. Just admit it, You’ve always wanted to be a LUMBERJACK!”
Enter the forest and start chopping wood, but beware of the branches! Graphics by Rotteroy and all sound by Drumtex.
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Entry : Bonkey Kong
Developer: Graham Axten (Privy Software)
Status: Submitted
Graham’s take of the original Donkey Kong, with a twist!
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Entry : Super Ski
Developer: Andreas Gustafsson (Privy Software)
Status: Submitted
Slalom Skiing down four treacherous slopes! Graphics and sound by Vanja Utne.
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Entry 14: ? (Unknown at this stage)
Developer: Paul Koller
Status: Pending
Author Quote: “The following words are included in my c64 4KB game, in no particular order: work, nipples, died… :)”
Paul hasn’t disclosed much about his game, except for this small teaser screenshot and cryptically teasing that the theme of the game should be easily recognisable!
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We know that there are more registered (and unregistered) entries that are still pending that aren’t included in this update, with developers working very hard to get their games ready on time.

We wish all of the entrants the best of luck and a big congratulations to those who have managed to get their games submitted!

Thanks again to the following sponsors for supporting this wonderful competition: Retro Computer Scene, Bitmap Books and Protovision. This is all for fun, but it’s nice to have prizes for the winners!

 

A Decade Of Good Game

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Good GameOn this day in 2006, the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) unleashed Good Game, the Australian made television program dedicated to video gaming. Each week Good Game is chock-a-block with a mix of the latest gaming news and events, gaming tips, reviews and interviews with game developers and people behind the scenes of our fave video games.

With hosts Steven “Bajo” O’Donnell and Stephanie “Hex” Bendixsen, plus their robot co-host D.A.R.R.E.N (Data Analysing Robot for the Ruthless Extermination of Noobs), Good Game has become a staple on Tuesday evenings. It’s popularity has spawned (no pun intended) a number of related TV shows, including Good Game Spawn Point and Good Game Pocket.

So get your party hats ready folks, as tonight we celebrate Good Game’s 10th birthday special on ABC2 at 7.30pm (with a simultaneous live-stream on ABC iView).

good-game-bajo-and-hex-mainsource: ABC media room

 

Reset Podcast Episode 01: The Hewson Episode

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reset_podcast_eps1_hdrIf you have ever wondered what shenanigans go on behind the scenes in creating a retro computing magazine, then you are in luck! For those of you in the know, the Reset magazine crew got together for the inaugural podcast of the same name to chat about the making of Reset issue (it was the Hewson Consultants theme issue).

If you weren’t in the know, now you know! Listen in and make sure you grab the issue for free over here!


source: Reset on Soundcloud

 

Blow The Cartridge 6: The Retrogaming Comic Book!

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BlowTheCartridge6_TitleOh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Now I am hyperventilating! So what has got this retro gamer so excited you ask? Even if you didn’t ask, I am still going to tell you. Are you ready for it? Our awesome and very talented friend, Cameron Davis has kicked off another Kickstarter to bring us Blow The Cartridge numéro six ! Yep, the bestest retrogaming comic book can only come to life if you head to Kickstarter now and pledge for any tier that tickles your fancy! If Cam’s previous Blow The Cartridge comics are anything to go by, this one is going to be a doozy!

Having a rare opportunity to ask Cam for a memorable quote, he was nice enough to give us this gem, “I like vanilla ice-cream”. So there you have it, make what you will out of that. Now go and check out Blow The Cartridge on Kickstarter!


source: Kickstarter

 

Shotgun: 4-Player Death Match On Your C64

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shotgun-box-contents-1What’s better than playing a death match with a friend in the same room? Playing a 4-player death match with your closest mates in the same room on your venerable Commodore 64!

Forget Goldeneye 007 on the N64, we give you Dr Wuro Industries’ Shotgun! This fast-paced death match game is available to download for free or you can grab the awesome boxed version (€16.90 + shipping) which comes in a plastic box with a flip-cover (which can be turned around to showcase the different covers), a 5.25″ floppy disk and a printed manual! The boxed version also comes with three additional extras – everyone loves surprises!

So grab the Protovision 4-player interface, plug in four joysticks, invite three of your closest friends and load Shotgun for some death match shenanigans on your C64 – let the rage begin!

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shotgun-box-contents-2image source: Dr Wuro Industries