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PSA: The Mario vs. Donkey Kong eShop Demo For Nintendo Switch Is Out Now

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When Donkey Kong raids Mario’s toy factory and makes off with the merchandise, Mario has to once again face his biggest rival

Starting today (Feb 1st), a demo featuring four levels from the first world of Mario vs. Donkey Kong, the enhanced version of the Game Boy Advance classic, is available for download on Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch. Check out the demo before the full game launches on Friday 16th February and take a closer look at the Mario vs. Donkey Kong – Overview Trailer below for additional details!

Solve puzzles, overcome challenges and find the keys to rescue the Mini-Marios and thwart Donkey Kong. The demo also gives players a first look at the new Two Player Co-Op mode, in which they can share a Joy-Con with a friend and team up as Mario and Toad. Players will also have access to the game’s new difficulty settings –Classic Style features the same difficulty level as the original Game Boy Advance version. Anyone who wishes to take things easier, can try Casual Style with no time limit and the ability to restart from checkpoints.



Atari THE400 Mini Pre-Orders Now Open!

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Whoa, I am late to the party, but just in case there are others that aren’t aware, Atari announced that the Retro Games Ltd. made THE400 Mini pre-orders are now open – but only to US residents (boooo)!

For our Australian friends, don’t fret, cause you can also pre-order THE400 (Atari) Mini system right now at The Gamesmen site (The Gamesmen have exclusive retail rights in Australia)! Priced at AU$189.95 and shipping in late March (March 28th, 2024), this is a pretty cool system to pick up.

For everyone else, Amazon is also offering pre-orders on the THE400 Mini right here.

So, who is getting one?



Pac-Man Lifesized Maze: Melbourne

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Get dot-munching for real!

  • What: Pac-Man Lifesized
  • Date: 27-Mar-2024
  • Where / Venue: The District Docklands, 23 – 37, Shop CWF01/01a Level 1/29 Star Cres, Docklands VIC 3008, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3008
  • Tickets: Child $12.00 / Adult $18.00
  • Where to buy: Hidden – Melbourne

Experience the excitement of a real-life Pac-Man maze as you elude colorful ghosts and snatch up fruit! This March (2024), The District Docklands in Melbourne will host an incredible Pac-Man Escape Room Maze. This immersive pop-up event, officially endorsed by Pac-Man, will immerse you in an escape room adventure within a massive maze.

Prepare to outmaneuver ghosts, gather your favorite fruits (bonus points if you can devour all five), and tackle puzzles along the way. Each participant has only three lives, and if caught by one of the four ghosts, a life is lost. You can embark on this adventure solo or with a team of up to 10 people – the choice is yours. The first person to collect all the fruit and conquer the puzzles will earn the title of the ultimate Pac-Man Player!

Additionally, the venue will feature Pac-Man video games for you to enjoy once you’ve completed the maze. Melbourne’s up-and-coming DJs will be spinning ’80s tunes during the session and at the pixelated bar, providing the perfect opportunity to relax and grab a refreshing beverage after your thrilling adventure



LEGO Ideas: METROID – E.M.M.I.

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Ah LEGO Ideas, you do get some pretty darn awesome product ideas, just like this METROID – E.M.M.I. entry by DirectorInfamousCockroach100!

What’s there not to love here, there is Samus Aran (based on her Metroid Dread appearance) and the E.M.M.I. robot enemies  featured in Metroid Dread!

DirectorInfamousCockroach100 states that:

Originally I was going to build Samus’ ship but I couldn’t crack the design :/ so here is the E.M.M.I! The Robot enemies featured in Metroid Dread.

The design here is a bit bulky but I wanted to try and make it as posable as possible! Of course it comes with a transparent stand just in-case, the build is not the most stable!

So if you are yearning for a Lego Metroid set of some kind, then you better get voting on this one!



Retro Puzzler Chip’s Challenge Lands on Nintendo Switch Later This Month!

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Classic Puzzle Game ‘Chip’s Challenge’ Returns on Nintendo Switch this January!

The 1989 classic made available for Nintendo Switch for the first time! Features display filters, suspend points and live gameplay rewind. Releasing January 25th, 2024.

Developed by Imagine Software and published by Pixel Games UK, this 1989 classic returns with over 140 levels to put your mind (and your fingers) to the test — available for the first time on Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo eShop.

In ‘Chip’s Challenge’, players take on the role of Chip — a puzzle obsessive who desperately wants to join Melinda the Mental Marvel’s computer club. His initiation takes the form of a series of increasingly difficult puzzles. To succeed Chip slide blocks, dodge hazards and collect the computer chips to pass each level. Are you up to the Challenge?

‘Chip’s Challenge’ for Nintendo Switch allows players to play this classic puzzle game with many modern features, including:

● Display filters, including an 80s-style CRT filter; and

● Suspend points – save and restore up to 4 suspend points per game

image source: Pixel Games UK



Dive into the Depths of Thrills with Stern Pinball’s New JAWS Pinball Machines!

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Just when you thought it was safe to go back into your gameroom…🦈

Get ready to embark on a heart-pounding adventure as Stern Pinball, Inc. introduces its latest masterpiece – JAWS pinball, featuring one of the most iconic motion picture thrillers of all time from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment. Immerse yourself in the suspense and excitement of all four blockbuster JAWS films, brought to life with brand-new mechanical features inspired by iconic movie moments and cutting-edge technology. The JAWS pinball games are available in Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition (LE) models, offering enthusiasts a range of options to experience the adrenaline-fueled action.

A Journey to Amity Island

Step into the fictional world of Amity Island, nestled off the coast of Long Island, New York, a charming fishing community that turns into a hotbed of danger as the Fourth of July vacationers approach. Uncover the thrilling narrative where the Amity Island mayor conceals shark attacks to safeguard the island’s tourism money, leading to even more terrifying encounters. As a player, you’ll have the chance to play as Quint, Hooper, and Brody – the grizzled fishermen determined to save Amity Island’s residents and the Fourth of July celebrations.

Experience the Heart-Stopping Gameplay

The JAWS pinball games promise an immersive experience, with players grabbing their harpoons to tackle the most dangerous ocean creatures on the planet. Animated lighting effects create tension as you spot “blood in the water,” and the motorized “Shark Fin” target makes a splash across the playfield. Navigate the “Orca Boat” upper playfield, featuring a “Lookout Tower” ramp, a ship’s wheel horizontal spinner, and a “Radio” stand-up target to call for help. Brace yourself for the motorized custom sculpted “Great White Shark” bash toy, crashing through the bottom of a fishing boat and adding an extra layer of excitement to this thrilling pinball odyssey. Will you survive JAWS?

A Symphony of Sound and Vision

In addition to the gripping gameplay, JAWS pinball games feature custom speech by actor Richard Dreyfuss and the iconic movie theme music by John Williams. Immerse yourself in the world of JAWS with audio and visual elements that pay homage to one of the greatest movie franchises of all time.

The Limited Edition Experience

For collectors and enthusiasts, the Limited Edition model is a must-have, limited to just 1,000 games globally. This highly collectible version includes a full-color mirrored backglass based on the iconic JAWS movie poster by artist Roger Kastel, a reflective foil high-definition cabinet decal with hand-drawn artwork by Michael Barnard, exclusive custom “Great White” powder-coated pinball armor, Speaker Expression Lighting with JAWS-themed game effects, a custom designer-autographed bottom arch, exclusive inside art blades, upgraded audio system, anti-reflection pinball playfield glass, shaker motor, a sequentially numbered plaque, and a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Stern President & CEO Seth Davis and Chairman & Founder Gary Stern.

Connect and Compete with Insider Connected™

Take your pinball experience to the next level with Stern’s award-winning Insider Connected™ system. Engage with the game and a global network of players through features like progress tracking, Achievements, special JAWS Quests, and the pursuit of a lifetime Bounty Hunter rank.

Seth Davis, President & CEO of Stern Pinball, expresses excitement, saying, “Honoring one of the greatest movie franchises of all time, we’re giving JAWS our most advanced software and hardware to date. We can’t wait to debut JAWS Pinball’s heart-pounding gameplay to the world!”

Are you ready to face the Great White Shark and save Amity Island? Grab your harpoon and dive into the thrilling world of JAWS pinball!

PS: Before we forget, the new JAWS pinball games will make their debut at Stern Pinball’s official booth (#16254) at CES 2024 (if you are lucky to attend, make sure you head straight there)!

Indicative Pricing ($AUD):

  • JAWS PRO – $11,950
  • JAWS PREMIUM – $15,500
  • JAWS LIMITED EDITION – $20,500

JAWS Limited Edition

JAWS Premium

JAWS Pro

image source: Stern Pinball, Inc.



Disclaimer: Press release supplied by Stern Pinball, Inc.

Tekken 8 Will Be Accessible To Gamers With Colour Vision Deficiency

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When it comes to fighting games, there is Street Fighter and then there is Tekken, easily our favourite 3D based fighting video game (sorry Soul Calibur).

With the release of Tekken 8 scheduled for late January 2024, we were quite chuffed to see that the game will be accessible for gamers with colour vision issues, including achromatopsia – how awesome is that!

Thanks to SJS | Gatterall for bring this cool news to our attention. Hopefully more games will be accessible for people with colour  blindness and other forms of achromatopsia.

source: SJS | Gatterall on X (formerly Twitter)



Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story is Coming in 2024

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Gridrunner. Revenge of the Mutant Camels. Tempest 2000. Llamatron. In the British gaming universe of the ’80s and ’90s, nobody made games like Jeff Minter.

Revealed in the Day of the Devs showcase, Digital Eclipse’s Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story is an interactive documentary coming to PC and consoles in 2024. Play the history of one of the weirdest, wildest game developers to ever exist — a man who loves shooters and sheep, lasers and llamas!

PS: We are looking forward to playing the (never released) Konix Multi-System – Attack of the Mutant Camels ’89!!

Journey back in time to an era of cassette tapes, photocopied zines, and README.TXT. An era in which a kid with a Commodore VIC-20 and dreams of radioactive sheep could become one of Britain’s best-known game makers. A virtual museum of design documents, playable games, and all-new videos tell the fascinating story of a true independent game designer.

FEATURES

  • Four “interactive timelines” tell the story of Jeff Minter and Llamasoft through archival photos, design documents, playable games, and more historical artifacts.
  • Over an hour of all-new video featurettes from Paul Docherty, director of the upcoming documentary film Heart of Neon.
  • Game library features 42 classic games from 8 different platforms, including the unreleased Konix Multi-System hardware.
  • The all-new Gridrunner Remastered updates the classic game’s graphics and sound, while still running on the original Commodore 64 code for 100% accurate gameplay
  • Two of Jeff Minter’s innovative “light synthesizers,” Psychedelia and Colourspace, are fully playable with all-new console controls.
  • Save, load, and rewind your gameplay at any point, plus other quality-of-life features.
  • Supports English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, and Japanese.

INCLUDED GAMES

  • Sinclair ZX81
    • 3D3D
    • Centipede
  • Commodore VIC-20
    • Abductor
    • Andes Attack
    • Deflex V
    • Gridrunner
    • Hellgate
    • Laser Zone
    • Matrix: Gridrunner 2
    • Metagalactic Llamas Battle at the Edge of Time
    • Ratman
  • Commodore 64
    • Ancipital
    • Attack of the Mutant Camels
    • Batalyx
    • Gridrunner
    • Hellgate
    • Hover Bovver
    • Iridis Alpha
    • Laser Zone
    • Mama Llama
    • Matrix: Gridrunner 2
    • Metagalactic Llamas Battle at the Edge of Time
    • Psychedelia
    • Revenge of the Mutant Camels
    • Revenge of the Mutant Camels II
    • Rox 64
    • Sheep In Space
    • Voidrunner
  • Sinclair Spectrum
    • City Bomb
    • Headbangers Heaven
    • Rox III
    • Superdeflex
  • Atari 8-bit
    • Attack of the Mutant Camels
    • Colourspace
    • Gridrunner
    • Hover Bovver
    • Turboflex
  • Konix Multi-System
    • Attack of the Mutant Camels ’89
  • Atari ST
    • Llamatron: 2112
    • Revenge of the Mutant Camels
    • Super Gridrunner
  • Atari Jaguar
    • Tempest 2000
  • Reimagined
    • Gridrunner Remastered

image source: Digital Eclipse



Killer Instinct on Steam Is Free – Get It Now

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Wanna kick to the head, for free?!

The legendary fighting franchise with over-the-top action, a wild cast of combatants, rocking reactive music, and C-C-C-COMBO BREAKERS is now free to play on Steam!!!

If you are an existing paid owner of the Killer Instinct (2012) game, you’ll be automatically upgraded to the Anniversary Edition (which is A$39.95).

Go on, what are you waiting for – go and break out some killer combos!!

image source: Steam



The Legend of Zelda Live-Action Movie Is In The Works

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Not to be outdone by Mario, Nintendo’s other massive franchise, The Legend of Zelda, is going to get the love-action movie treatment!

Currently in the works with Nintendo and Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Legend Of Zelda film soon be a reality – Wahoo, or should that just be “woohoo”?!

Wes Ball, the visionary director behind the Maze Runner trilogy, will step into the director’s chair for this upcoming live-action Zelda feature film. The live-action film, set to be distributed by Sony, is a joint venture between Nintendo and Avi Arad’s Arad Productions, Inc., promising an epic collaboration that merges the gaming and cinematic worlds.

Shigeru Miyamoto, the iconic Nintendo representative director and visionary behind legendary franchises like Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda, is set to produce the film. Miyamoto shared the exciting news on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, revealing that he and Arad have been tirelessly crafting the live-action adaptation for many years.

In this unprecedented partnership, gaming giant Nintendo and entertainment powerhouse Sony are co-financing the project, signaling a groundbreaking moment where two industry giants unite to bring a beloved gaming universe to life on the big screen. The collaboration promises to deliver an immersive and captivating experience for fans and newcomers alike.

Fans can expect nothing short of a cinematic masterpiece (Ed: we hope!!) as Ball takes on the challenge of bringing iconic Nintendo characters and worlds to life in a way that has never been seen before.

The anticipation is building as the creative forces behind this project continue to unveil their vision for the live-action adaptation. With Wes Ball at the helm, supported by the creative genius of Shigeru Miyamoto and the backing of Nintendo and Sony, this collaboration is set to redefine the boundaries of gaming and cinema, promising an unforgettable journey into the heart of beloved Nintendo classics. Stay tuned for more updates as this epic adventure unfolds!