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Smokin’ Hot Jazz Cover Of The Pokémon Theme

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Scott Bradlee (of Postmodern Jukebox fame) gives us a smokin’ hot jazz cover of the Pokémon theme song, featuring Sara Niemietz on vocals – we can’t stop listening!


Video source: Scott Bradlee on YouTube

Source: via Laughing Squid

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msausretrogamerMs. ausretrogamer
Co-founder, editor and writer at ausretrogamer – The Australian Retro Gamer E-Zine. Lover of science fiction, fashion, books, movies and TV. Player of games, old and new.

Follow Ms. ausretrogamer on Twitter

 

 

Video: Miyamoto On How World 1-1 Was Made

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In this adorable and fascinating video from Eurogamer, Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo designer Takashi Tezuka explain (with much enthusiasm) how Super Mario Bros.World 1-1 was made.


Video source: Eurogamer on YouTube

Source: Eurogamer via Laughing Squid

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msausretrogamerMs. ausretrogamer
Co-founder, editor and writer at ausretrogamer – The Australian Retro Gamer E-Zine. Lover of science fiction, fashion, books, movies and TV. Player of games, old and new.

Follow Ms. ausretrogamer on Twitter

 

 

Scott ‘Skooota’ Kellett On Pinball At PAX Aus 2015

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featuredCheck out Episode 167 of New Games Plus (a TV show about videogames, culture, anime, movies and more which airs on community channels around Australia and New Zealand) for an interview with the awesome Scott ‘Skooota’ Kellett about how he organised the very popular pinball section of the Classic Gaming Area at PAX Aus 2015. Skip to 12:18 for the start of the interview – great work Skooota!


Video source: New Games Plus on YouTube

Source: New Games Plus

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msausretrogamerMs. ausretrogamer
Co-founder, editor and writer at ausretrogamer – The Australian Retro Gamer E-Zine. Lover of science fiction, fashion, books, movies and TV. Player of games, old and new.

Follow Ms. ausretrogamer on Twitter

 

 

Contra: 7″ Bill and Lance Action Figures

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Contra-1Oh my gawd! Just in time for Christmas, well, they aren’t available just as yet, but anyway, where were we? Oh yeh, those awesome people at NECA (creators of cool toys and collectibles!) have announced that they will release (April 2016) a special edition 2-pack action figure tribute set of fan favourite Contra video game characters, Bill ‘Mad Dog’ Rizer and Lance ‘Scorpion’ Bean!

For those of you that don’t know, Contra was also known as Gryzor and Probotector. Anyway, this Bill and Lance 2-pack action figure set will be the first appearance of non-movie-based characters in the NECA series, which will pay homage to Konami’s 8-bit glory days. Standing approximately 7” tall, the figures have all new head sculpts and “pixelated” paint deco. The set includes custom-designed weapons based on the classic game; detachable blast effects for the weapons; and that infamous power-up capsule with a clear support stand for “floating” effect.

For those collectors among you that will not open their packaging, a special window box package will be used to recreate the look of the classic game cartridge – which will look damn fine on your shelf!

April 2016 can not come fast enough! Here are a few more pics to whet your insatiable appetite:

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Contra-7image source: NECA

 

Casio Game and Watch Time

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If you thought that Nelsonic and Nintendo were the only ones making games on digital watches, then think again! Casio wasn’t going to sit on the sidelines and watch (Ed: pun intended!) Nintendo reap the benefit of this new gaming phenomenon.

With their pedigree in making fine time pieces, it was natural for Casio to jump in on the whole games-on-watches craze in the early 1980s. These games were mainly a left-right (two button) affair, but boy, they were so cool to have (Ed: If you were lucky enough to have one). Remember, this was all before we started killing time playing games on our smartphones. Some things never change.

If you were one of the unlucky ones (Ed: just like us!) to not have experienced Casio’s game watches, then here is a sample of their finest gaming pieces:

Aero Batics (GA-7)
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Super Slalomer (GS-2)
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Football (GS-12)
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Space Hero (GH-17)
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Space Warrior (GS-16)
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Zoomnzap (GZ-1)
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Champion Racer (GR-15)
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Super Windsurfing (GS-20)
Casio_8

Egg Panic (GE-6)
Casio_10

Moon Fight Robot (GR-3)
Casio_11

Scramble Fighter (GF-2)
Casio_12

Car Race (GD-8)
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Game-10
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Soccer (GS-11)
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Hustle Monira (GM-5)
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Golf (GG-9)
Casio_18image source: supplied

 

Video: Why Do We Think Video Games Are Just For Boys?

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Why do we think video games are just for boys? Adam Conover from College Humor’s ‘Adam Ruins Everything‘ explains in this amusing and informative video.


Video source: CollegeHumor on YouTube

Source: via Cheezburger

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msausretrogamerMs. ausretrogamer
Co-founder, editor and writer at ausretrogamer – The Australian Retro Gamer E-Zine. Lover of science fiction, fashion, books, movies and TV. Player of games, old and new.

Follow Ms. ausretrogamer on Twitter

 

 

Pinball Heaven: A Tour Of The Stern Pinball Factory

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JohnsArcade_SternTour_TitleHey peeps, prepare to be absolutely gobsmacked! John’s Arcade together with Greg from Arcade Impossible, go on an exclusive access-all-areas tour of the new Stern Pinball Inc. factory in Elk Grove, IL.

This already awesome tour is made even more awesomer by having the famed pinball designer, George Gomez, as the personal tour guide – it doesn’t get any better than that! Whether you are a pinball fan or not, you will appreciate the behind-the-scenes of how pinball machines are made and distributed around the world. Grab the pop-corn as this great feature runs for 1:37:56 (to be exact), settle in and enjoy!


source: John’s Arcade Game Reviews & Tech

Masters Of The Universe Affinity

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MOTU_Title_altIt is no secret that I am a huge fan of Mattel’s original Masters Of The Universe (MOTU) toy series. I have been a fan since I first encountered the MOTU action figure line at my local Treasureway store (similar to Target / Kmart) in 1983. I remember being mesmerised by the He-Man figure in a big blister pack emblazoned with the MOTU logo. However, $15.99 was a lot of money in 1983 and it was going to require a big effort to convince mum I needed this toy. I got to work (in convincing my mum) and just a few weeks later I was the proud owner of my very own He-Man, but on the back of the packaging were the other figures in the series and I knew I had to have more – and just like that, I was hooked!

My ingenious (as I thought at the time) plan to expand my MOTU collection involved the argument that I needed an even split between ‘goodies’ and ‘baddies’ to be able to play out my (imaginary) battle on Eternia (a.k.a. the couch). I continued to collect more original MOTU action figures over the years, and although I never completed the set, I was very grateful for and thoroughly enjoyed playing with the figures I had.

Fast forward three decades, and my original MOTU collection is proudly displayed in the home office. I am so glad I kept the action figures all this time – they provide an important link to my childhood, a time where my imagination took me to wondrous places in the universe, thanks to Masters of The Universe.

The most powerful toy line in the universe!
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Yo DJ, spin that MOTU wheel!
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Cel shenanigans
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In the most powerful club in the universe!
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The MOTU story books (latter ones became comics) were damn awesome!
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Very hot MOTU wheels
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Show-bag full of MOTU weapons of mass fun!
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Man-At-Arms vs Skeletor!
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The most awesomest books in the universe!
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Don’t get bored playing Monopoly. Play to save He-Man!
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Laser blasting with the man with Man-E-Faces
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Evil lurks in many corners. Watch out Hulk!
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Great pants Brutus! Oh wait……
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Trouble setting up Castle Grayskull? Don’t worry, this scary looking He-Man will help!
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Oh, so that’s how the labels are applied!
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The showcasing rig
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Giddy-up Cringer! Oops, I mean Battle Cat!
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2015 Australian Timezone Supanova Pinball Championship Grand Final

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Supanova_GF_TitleThis past weekend pinball players from all around Australia descended on Supanova Brisbane to compete in the grand final of the 2015 Australian Timezone Supanova Pinball Championship, with the winner walking away with a brand spanking new Stern WWE Wrestlemania Pro pinball machine! With all Australian state winners (and runners-up) in attendance, this wasn’t going to be an easy flip and tilt to become the national champion.

Supanova_GF_Winners

With an impressive line-up of pinball machines (2 x WWE Wrestlemania Pro, 2 x Kiss Pro and 2 x Game Of Thrones tables) to compete on, it was game on! After winning the Supanova Melbourne state final, we interviewed Johnny Crabtree and predicted that he would be a sure bet to hoist the national trophy and truck back the brand new pinball machine. So, how did we go with our prediction? We were right on the money! With 34 points in the final, Johnny fought off some stiff competition from Greg Siegele (2nd on 33 points) and Richard Rhodes (3rd on 31 points) to win by one point to claim the national title and the big winner’s prize of a Stern WWE Wrestlemania Pro pinball machine. It just goes to show how close the competition is among the top tier pinball wizards. Congratulations Johnny, a very well-deserved win!

The crowd gathers to watch the pinball wizards do what they do best
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Let the flipping begin!
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Marty Robbins keeping a close eye on the competition
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Greg Siegele scores an impressive 126,523,740 on WWE Wrestlemania!
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And the 2015 Australian Timezone Supanova Pinball Champion is – Johnny Crabtree!
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Enjoying their spoils – winners are grinners!
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image source: Australian Pinball League

Congratulations and thank you to the organisers, volunteers and sponsors (AMD, Timezone Australia, Supanova Pop Culture Expo and Australian Pinball League) of the event – without them, this would not be at all possible.

Roll on 2016 and keep flippin’!

 

Awesome LEGO Tribute To Crash Bandicoot 2

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We’ve said it before: LEGO and retrogaming is a match made in heaven – and this simply awesome tribute to Crash Bandicoot 2 by LEGO artist Martin Stipkovic is no exception!

Blow up those Nitro Boxes, Crash!
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The whole amazing structure
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What’s hiding in the base?
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A mini tribute to Crash Team Racing!
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Source: via Kotaku

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msausretrogamerMs. ausretrogamer
Co-founder, editor and writer at ausretrogamer – The Australian Retro Gamer E-Zine. Lover of science fiction, fashion, books, movies and TV. Player of games, old and new.

Follow Ms. ausretrogamer on Twitter