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Retro Gaming Culture

The Atari PONG Coffee Table – It’s Not Just A Game

March 2, 2017 By ausretrogamer

UPDATE: Since this article was published, the Atari PONG coffee table crowdfunding campaign has been moved to Kickstarter (from IndieGoGo)!

Make way traditional coffee table, there is a new and fun coffee table in town!

If you are sick of the bland look and the one dimensional use of your current coffee table, then the retro futuristic Atari PONG game coffee table is for you.

Before you start casting aspersions, this is not your average DIY-Arcade-Cocktail-Table people make out of Ikea furniture (Ed: not that there is anything wrong with that!). This Atari PONG coffee table is WAY more than that – it is a physical implementation of the classic Atari video game! Think of it as a playable, mechanical homage to one of the first video games. The coffee table doesn’t just have an iconic game built in, it is totally multi-functional with four USB ports, Bluetooth for music streaming, clock and all of this in a great looking retro futuristic design.

Originally developed as a tribute to the iconic game, the plan of Table Pong Project was to bring back the same experiences you used to get when playing the digital version, with awesome retro sounds, bouncing lights and maintaining the same mechanics that stay true to the original gameplay. This coffee table won’t just be used for holding your books, laptops, drinks, food or your tired feet, no siree, this gorgeous thing will also reunite family and friends by stimulating social interactions, just like the old Atari VCS/2600 console did.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that this Atari PONG coffee table uses archaic technologies to bring it to life. Thanks to modern electronics, electric motors and magnetic fields, the Table Pong Project has managed to create a playable real-life coffee-pong table that is stylish and super fun!

With a smidge under 30 days left on the Kickstarter campaign, you still have a chance to grab yourself a piece of history which your family room will thank you for.

Hmm, there is a hard waste collection coming to our suburb, so it will be out with the old and in with the new (old). We definitely want to join the revolution! *wink*

 

source: Table Pong Project

 

Filed Under: Announcements, Retro Gaming Culture Tagged With: Atari coffee table pong, Atari Pong, Atari Pong table, coffee table pong, ff0000, Old School, real pong table, Table Pong Project

Pre-Order Your Neo Geo Pocket SD Flash Cart Now

March 1, 2017 By ausretrogamer

After the great response to our story on SainT’s Neo Geo Pocket SD Flash Cart project, we had been keeping a close eye on the genius hardware hacker’s progress on his highly anticipated piece of Neo Geo kit.

Well, it is time to pop the champagne! SainT has been keeping quite busy tinkering away on the device and we can now report that progress on this wondrous kit has reached a point where pre-orders are being taken. Hop to it now so you don’t miss out.

Check out SainT’s latest progress videos below and then make sure you pre-order your Neo Geo Pocket SD flash cart, as they will go quick!

The first video shows the functionality of the menu system and how the device will function from navigating the SD card contents to installing and running games.

This latest video from Retro HQ’s SainT shows that all issues have been resolved, including the running of 4MB games, like Metal Slug 2 – which works great! According to SainT, the hardware is now complete. Our excitement is set to maximum level!

source: Retro HQ

 

Filed Under: Announcements, Retro Gaming Culture Tagged With: flash cart, Neo Geo, Neo Geo Flash Cartridge, Neo Geo Pocket Color, neo geo pocket SD flash cart, NeoGeo, ngp, NGPC, Retro HQ, retrogaming, SainT

Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia

February 27, 2017 By ausretrogamer

In 2015 when our fave plumber, Mario, celebrated the 30th anniversary of his Super Mario Bros. game, an epic book was released in Japan to coincide with this momentous occasion. The Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros., also known as Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia: Nintendo Official Guide Book was available to lucky Japanese gamers all the way back in October 2015.

Just like the good (Ed: or bad!) old days where we would wait two years for a western release of awesome Japanese gear, the wait is (almost) over! The Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia will be available (in Europe and North America) in June this year via Book Depository.

We can’t wait to wrap our hands around this tome!

image source: mariowiki

 

Filed Under: Announcements, Retro Gaming Culture Tagged With: Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros., nintendo, Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary, Super Mario Bros. Book, Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia, Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia: Nintendo Official Guide Book

The Ultimate NES – Now You’re Really Playing With Power

February 26, 2017 By ausretrogamer

Whoa, our socks have well and truly been blown off! From all of the console mods and superguns we’ve come across, Gamester’s Ultimate NES (UNES) is by far the most impressive!

Gamester’s UNES hybrid console supergun can play original NES carts, JAMMA boards and Neo Geo MVS carts – how awesome is that! The impressive feats just keeping coming – the UNES has dual video outputs, allowing two different games to be played simultaneously on two TV screens! Oh yeah, the addition of the Neo Geo controller ports, hidden under the flap above the NES controller ports is downright ingenuous.

Best part about this console mod is that it was not turned into some Frankenstein monster – if you look at it front on, you would swear that it was just an original NES console. No one can tell the power that lurks inside this beast! Gamester’s UNES is truly playing with some serious power.

Ultimate NES Specifications:

  • Base: 1985 Nintendo Entertainment System with new 72 pin connector
  • Power Supply: Astrodyne external triple output, 5V@10amps, 12V@3amps, -5V@1amp
  • Outputs: Composite Video, S-Video, Component Video and Stereo/Mono Audio
  • Inputs: JAMMA Connector, Neo-Geo controllers
  • Video Encoder: NeoBitz + JROK Sync Cleaner
  • Weight: 3lb 8oz / 1.6kg

Looks normal enough…
UNES, Gamester, Ultimate NES, JAMMA, MVS, Neo Geo

Wait a minute, what are these extra Neo Geo controller ports…
UNES, Gamester, Ultimate NES, JAMMA, MVS, Neo Geo

That is one sexy rear!
UNES, Gamester, Ultimate NES, JAMMA, MVS, Neo Geo

The power is within! Oh, great NES game inside too…
UNES internal, UNES, Gamester, Ultimate NES

source: Jamma Nation X – Gamester’s Ultimate NES

 

Filed Under: Retro Gaming Culture Tagged With: Arcade, Console mod, Gamester, Gamester UNES, JAMMA, Jamma Nation X, Neo Geo MVS, NES, NES SuperGun, nintendo, Retro Gaming, Supergun, Ultimate NES, UNES

Donkey Kong Advanced

February 24, 2017 By ausretrogamer

Yep, you read that heading right – an advanced Windows version of the seminal Nintendo arcade classic, Donkey Kong. Take a bow on a job well done, Mr. Justin Bohemier!

When our very good friend Aaron Clement (from Press Play On Tape Podcast fame) gave us the heads up on this game, we thought we would do the same by sharing it with the rest of you. Before Ninty’s lawyers issue a cease and desist, make sure you grab your copy of Donkey Kong Advanced now!

So you may ask, what’s new in this version of Donkey Kong Advanced? Since you asked nicely, here you go:

  • Levels are different, some are completely new, while others have the same level structure with some differences
  • New switch, laser, and key system to save Pauline
  • Mario (Jumpman) can jump off high platforms and land without killing himself (yahoo!)
  • New heart bonus items are worth 2000 points but are tricky to get
  • Barrels rebound off the floor higher than before – so watch out
  • Hitting barrels with the hammer doesn’t pause the game during the explosion
  • Level 4 is icy – there is a special shoe item to pickup that makes it not slippery


source: Justin Bohemier

image source: Donkey Kong Advanced in itch.io

 

Filed Under: Modern Gaming, Retro Gaming Culture Tagged With: 2D platformer, 8-bit, DK, Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Advanced, Donkey Kong on Windows, new Donkey Kong game, nintendo

Atari Flashback 7 Console Giveaway Winners

February 23, 2017 By ausretrogamer

Our Atari Flashback 7 console giveaway was a huge success! We were inundated with heaps of drool-worthy retro entries, making picking the winners all that more difficult!

We congratulate the winners, Tim Barnett and Daniel Cook for their great retro photo entries. Hope both Tim and Daniel enjoy their Atari Flashback 7 console prize!

If you want to see the other awesome retro pic entries, head on over here.

Winner 1: Tim Barnett:
“This blanket took 400 squares and 5 months for my wife to crochet. That’s retro love!”

Winner 2: Daniel Cook
“The summer of 89/90 – the greatest summer of my life. Where me and my bro would stay up all night spending hours and hours on my newly acquired and much loved Commodore 64. Ahhhh… retro gaming heaven”

“Meanwhile back in the 80s…where a young boy (with his tragic retro haircut) would dream of killing rapidly descending aliens in his sleep” – Daniel Cook

Thanks to our great friends at Five Star Games for supplying the Atari Flashback 7 console prizes!

 

Filed Under: Announcements, Retro Gaming Culture Tagged With: 0000ff, Atari, Atari console, Atari Flashback, Atari Flashback 7, Atari Flashback 7 console, Five Star Games, Flashback 7

Contra: Celebrating 30 Years Of Awesomeness

February 20, 2017 By ausretrogamer

Contra, Gryzor or Probotector. No matter what name you know this classic Konami run and gun game by, you will definitely remember it as one tough mother of a game! Konami had an instant hit on their hands when they released the arcade machine on this day [February 20] in 1987. Happy 30th anniversary Contra, you irresistible force!

For those that have been away from Earth since early 1987, here is the lowdown on Contra:

Midnight, September 12 2631. The Marines catch sight of a small-sized meteorite that is fast approaching Earth. The meteorite plummets 20km north-east of New Zealand, at the Gal Mosquito Archipelago. The command keep watch of the meteorite.

Two years later, in December 2633, an intruder known as the Red Falcon is occupying the Gal Mosquito Archipelago and is planning the fall of mankind. Command orders confidential investigations at the enemy’s front base. The marine post orders for two “Contra” soldiers, Private First Class Bill “Mad Dog” Rizer and Private First Class Lance “Scorpion” Bean on a mission. The mission being: penetrate the insides of the enemy, destroy the front base and the entire centre of operation.

image source: GameFAQs

 

Filed Under: History, Retro Gaming Culture Tagged With: Classic Games, Contra, Gryzor, Konami, Old School, Probotector, Retro Gaming, Video Games

PIper: Build Your First Real Computer

February 17, 2017 By ausretrogamer

You know you have created something special when you have Elon Musk’s kids playing and loving it, and Apple Co-Founder, Steve Wozniak espousing how great your product is for young minds.

Piper is a computer kit that kids assemble themselves! The Piper Computer Kit is aimed at youngsters, growing their confidence around being creators of technology instead of purely consumers.

Kids are quite inquisitive by nature – when they are given iPads, computers and smartphones, they don’t see how technology actually works.  Kids may actually think that technology works by magic, and later in life, when the opportunity to learn or build something tech-related comes up, they feel intimidated.

With LEGO and Minecraft on the other hand, you can get started right away. It’s easy. This ease leads to confidence, which in turn leads to incredible creations. The Piper Computer Kit allows kids to create with code and electronics as simply as placing LEGO bricks or craft a diamond helmet in Minecraft. Piper truly inspires the next generation of inventors and creators!

To find out more about this great computer kit, visit the Piper site.

Build it and they’ll come

Build a real computer from 100+ parts and an engineering diagram!

Create your next science project or invent a new smart home device!

Learn to build and program electronics with immediate results!

source: Piper Computer Kit

 

Filed Under: Retro Gaming Culture Tagged With: Computer Kit, Minecraft, Piper, Piper Computer Kit, Piper Raspberry Pi, PiperUniverse, PlayPiper, Raspberry Pi

WIN: Atari Flashback 7 Classic Gaming Consoles

February 15, 2017 By ausretrogamer

Attention peeps: We are giving away 2 x ATARI FLASHBACK® 7 CLASSIC GAMING CONSOLES!

Yep, you read that right, our good friends at Five Star Games have provided us two brand new Atari Flashback® 7 classic gaming consoles to giveaway to our awesome audience!

For your chance to win, head over to our Facebook giveaway and post your most retro gaming related photo in the comments section!

So what are you waiting for, go and snap your most retro gaming related pic and enter the giveaway for your chance to snag a cool console!

If you don’t know what the Atari Flashback® 7 classic game console is, then here is what you need to know:

The console features 101 built-in Atari 2600 games. These games include Frogger and Space Invaders™, along with all-time Atari 2600 classics like Asteroids®, Centipede™, Jungle Hunt, Missile Command®, and Pong, among many more. The console includes two wireless controllers, styled like the Atari 2600 originals, and two legacy (DB9) controller ports for optional wired joysticks or paddles for that nostalgic hit!

image source: Five Star Games

 

Filed Under: Announcements, Retro Gaming Culture Tagged With: Atari, Atari 2600, Atari Flashback, Atari Flashback 7, Atari Flashback 7 console, Atari VCS, AtGames, Flashback console, Retro Gamer, retrogaming

A Retro Gamer’s Stroll Through 80s Yakuza 0

February 11, 2017 By ausretrogamer

Before we begin, let’s set the record straight – I have never played a Yakuza game! Yep, you read that right. You may throw out a “WTF?” at this point, and you’d be justified in asking exactly that – what the fudge, dude?

Well, I won’t bore you with why I haven’t played any of the previous Yakuza games (you can blame it all on those retro games I keep playing!), but at least you’ll get a perspective from a player experiencing the franchise for the very first time! I come into the Yakuza universe as a total noob, so go easy on me.

The vibrant lights of Pink Street!

So,”What’s this Yakuza 0 all about anyway?”, I ask myself. Well, first and foremost, I had heard that this prequel Yakuza action game, dubbed Zero, was set in the 80s, my favourite decade! That was enough to pique my interest in the game, so I thought I’d jump in the deep end and have a go!

Sobering up some drunkards, the old fashioned way!

Beating up peeps can work up a thirst

From a noob’s point of view, Yakuza 0 eases the player into the game with great cutscene sequences that set the narrative for the protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu, or simply just Kiryu. Obviously the title gives it away, Kiryu is a yakuza, a lowly debt collector for the Dojima Family (of the Tojo Clan). Kiryu is framed for murder and is then used as a pawn by a bent crime family lieutenant who aspires to be top dog. I’ll spare you the rest as I don’t want to spoil it for you!

Visiting the ‘family’!

No mobile phones in 1988, so pay phones were the best way to conduct business on the streets

I’ll be honest, I really wanted to play Yakuza 0 to roam the streets of 1988 Kamurocho, the notorious redlight district of Tokyo – to explore its karaoke bars, dart parlours and of course, its amusement centres – Club Sega and Hi-Tech Land were high on my list so I could play some (well, a lot of) Out Run! I really didn’t care for the story as to why I was setup for murder and the whole Empty Lot business.

Smoking can kill you! So can a bent lieutenant…

But before I could explore Kamurocho, I would have to dispense some good old fashioned beat-downs to street punks and hoodlums that were dumb enough to move in on my turf. Oh yeah, cash is earned the more peeps you beat up. These fight sections definitely reminded me of classic Dreamcast brawling action games, just like Shenmue. And just like Shenmue, it’s fun to explore the vibrant city you find yourself in.

Giving the vocal chords are work out with some karaoke

What I wasn’t counting on was the game’s ability to suck me into its story-line and its fascinating characters. I had to put the idea of exploration and playing Out Run to one side, as I set my sights on finding the people that framed me for murder and then confronting the bent Dojima lieutenant, Kuze. To say that I was now hooked on Yakuza 0 would be a gross understatement. With about 80 hours of gameplay, I have a way to go, and that is before I even touch any sidequests! So if you excuse me, I need to get back to being a yakuza and kick ten shades out of some really bad people.

Behold, the holy grail of arcades!

Damn, it’s closed. Can’t wait to play some Out Run!

image source: Yakuza 0

Filed Under: Modern Gaming, Retro Gaming Culture, Reviews Tagged With: 80s arcade, modern game, Old School, PlayStation 4, PS4, Review, Yakuza 0, Yakuza 0 PS4, Yakuza 0 review, Yakuza Zero

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