The Pop-Culture E-Zine
Finally, we are privy to the conversation between Nintendo’s 3DS and Sony’s PS Vita. So what is the conversation about? Let’s just say that the poor little PS Vita is after some friendly advice from the 3DS. This may start a Nintendo vs Sony war!
source: The Warp Zone
Let’s face it, we all have our video game character crushes. Don’t even try to deny it! Some of us even have a list of virtual females we would love to date or have as girlfriends (Ed: Really? That is sad!).
The nerd playboy, Melvin (Michael Adams Davis from The Warp Zone), has taken time out of his busy schedule to put together a ‘Top 5 Video Game Girlfriends‘ list for us hot blooded gamers. No drooling allowed!
source: The Warp Zone
What do you get when you cross a Rubik’s Cube wiz that is also a Mega Man fan? Watch Kyudan’s video and find out.
Before anyone complains about the colour of 8-bit Mega Man, you should be aware that the standard Rubik’s Cube does not have the colour scheme to support two separate shades of blue on such a small scale.
source: Kyudan
Warning: the following video contains explicit content and language! Proceed with caution!
Right, with that warning out of the way, we can now click on play and watch Biting Elbows awesome official video for their track, ‘Bad Motherf**ker’. This video could have been inspired by ‘Mirror’s Edge’. Whatever the inspiration, we are glad Biting Elbows created this slick first-person chase video.
WARNING: Explicit lyrics! —- WARNING: Explicit content!
source: Biting Elbows
The Retro Duo Portable V2.0: another clone system to satisfy your nostalgic hunger. These so-called ‘clones’ are fast growing in popularity. Companies like Hyperkin and Retro-Bit have capitalised on the popularity of retro gaming by producing systems that can play your old console cartridges.
Retro-Bit is having a second crack at this caper by creating the Retro Duo Portable (RDP) V2.0 – a portable (to an extent) unit that plays SNES carts from any region without hacking or modifications. The RDP V2.0 is also capable of playing NES carts using the bundled RetroPort adapter, which sticks out like a sore thumb. The RDP V2.0 can also play Sega Mega Drive / Genesis cartridges using the RetroGEN adapter, which is sold separately.
Retro-Bit’s first attempt at hardware console creation was modest. The screen wasn’t too flash, the unit felt cheap and games compatibility was limited. They have learned from the experience and introduced a number of improvements for V2.0. These include: upgraded LCD screen, crisper sound, improved D-pad and button layout, better battery life (Lithium-ion) with LED indicator and most importantly, enhanced game cartridge compatibility.
The RDP V2.0 comes in a slick looking package. Inside you will find a vast amount of gear – the console itself, a plastic stand, TV/AV connection cable, power supply unit, RetroPort adapter, a controller hub and two SuperRetro controllers (which can also be used on your SNES!).
After playing with the unit for a number of hours (on one battery charge!), here are our thoughts:
The unit feels sturdy in hand and has a nice soft coating. It doesn’t suffer from that cheap feel you get from other ‘clones’.
The D-pad and button layout is identical to a SNES pad, so you should feel right at home. However, the shoulder buttons do let the controls down as they are too close to the cartridge slot, but this is only a minor niggle. The external control pads are great to use if you intend on hooking the RDP V2.0 up to a TV, or if you use them natively on your SNES.
We did have a few compatibility issues with the Super FX SNES games, but overall we were pleased with Retro-Bit’s claim of improved compatibility.
Using the RetroPort adapter to play your NES carts basically renders the unit ‘un-portable’. The adapter sticks out above the unit which looks damn ugly. But hey, if you want to play your native old NES carts, you will put up with this unsightliness. Playing the RDP V2.0 with the RetroPort adapter definitely got attention on public transport.
The improved LCD screen is better than the original RDP (it has an increased pixel count), but it has a long way to go. You still have to ‘angle’ or ‘tilt’ the unit to get the best visibility, which gets annoying after a while. There is a contrast reset button which has three preset contrast settings for brightness. The clarity is average when compared to modern handhelds; but considering the price of the unit, it is understandable.
The beefing up of the sound is great in theory, however we did find the sound became distorted at maximum volume with a distinct ‘crackling’ on certain games (Super Smash TV). The sound was fine when playing with headphones, however the placement of the headphone jack should have been placed on the side of the unit, not on top (it gets in the way!).
Should you rush out and buy the Retro Duo Portable V2.0? It depends, if you are happy emulating (legally) your 8-bit and 16-bit Sega or Nintendo games, then the answer is no. However, if you want a system that you can plug in your library of SNES, NES and Mega Drive carts, then the RDP V2.0 is perfect. The other plus to owning the RDP V2.0 is that you will safeguard your Sega and Nintendo hardware from further abuse, and let’s face it, these old consoles won’t last forever!
Verdict: If you like the sound of a console that can play your SNES and NES cartridges out of the box, then check this unit out.
I was stunned to find that this “How To Pick The Perfect Video Game” flowchart was created by Mike Brunson of online gaming company, Silver Oak Casino.
Mike has plotted a decision tree with modern and retro video games covering most genres. Go through the flow and find out which game you end up on.
Click on the image to see the full flowchart
Are you one to count all the money you spend on your hobby? Are you in it for the enjoyment the hobby provides or the money it may make?
Hardcore collectors seek to procure ‘Complete In Box’ items as a hobby, with a view that the item will appreciate in capital value due to its condition and desirability amongst other collectors or retro gamers. I personally buy gear to play with, not to have it sit in a box and gather dust.
By definition, hobbies don’t need to generate money. For that reason, I never keep track of how much I spend on retro gaming – It would probably freak me out! I also have a very understanding partner and she encourages me to embrace and enjoy my chosen hobby.
With finite disposable income, we have to pick and choose what we can afford and what we will leave for those more affluent. I do get emotional sometimes over certain ‘hard to get’ items and push myself beyond set limits, but luckily this seldom happens.
I judge the worth of the items I buy according to the nostalgia and enjoyment they bring, not by their monetary value. Heck, sometimes it is just the thrill of the chase that brings me joy – even if I leave empty handed. I do not have regrets about any items I have procured over the last 30 years. I just wish I had kept most of the gaming gear I had as a kid, but I’m sure that could be said for most of us, and there is no point crying over spilt milk.
With the intoxicating allure of nostalgia, we embark on replaying games we enjoyed as children. We like to recapture that exhilarating feeling when whacking that chunk of plastic into our favourite console(s). For that reason, the joy of playing old video games will always be priceless to me.
Ever wondered what has become of your favourite Street Fighter? Wonder no more! The talented Canadian 2D and 3D artist, Arman Akopian (aka: I-GUYJIN-I) has taken it upon himself to collate and show us what has happened to our favourite Street Fighters in the ‘Street Fighter Chronicles’.
Time hasn’t been too kind to our fighters – did you know that Zangief found God! I am still devastated to what has become of my favourite fighter, Ryu – very sad indeed.
Source: I-GUYJIN
What do you get when you cross an iconic toy car brand with a video gaming icon? You get the awesomely cool and soon to become collectable, Atari Nostalgics Hot Wheels series.
This Hot Wheels series consists of six Atari games inspired vehicles:
Mattel and Atari have capitalised on the retro gaming movement by creating this range of collectable vehicles. If you were lucky enough to find them all, hold onto them, they will become highly sought after in no time. If you are anything like me, rip them out of their packaging and have some fun!
Wouldn’t it be fun to dress up as your favourite fighter and reenact their moves in a real life one-on-one fight? Well, these Neo Geo cosplay fans did just that. Check out their ‘The King Of Fighters 2001’ live action video.
Source: El Gamer Cosplayer