The Pop-Culture E-Zine
Ah geez there are some keen and very very clever peeps out there!
This Cursed Halo Kart mashup of Halo and Mario Kart is based on the Cursed Halo Again mod created by modder and Steam user InfernoPlus.
Just like in Mario Kart, players race around the track in their Halo modded vehicles, trying to win by all means, including shooting each other! This is our kind of Mario Kart game 😉
story source: technabob
Ah Atari, they know exactly how to squeeze every ounce out of their IP with products that hit the nostalgic sweet spot!
This time around, good ole new Atari has partnered with Retro Arcade to create high-quality authentic replica arcade machine Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) for Black Widow, Gravitar and Major Havoc – iconic Atari arcade games prized for their advanced gameplay and relative rarity of their cabinets.
These reproductions are officially licensed 11.5 x 20.75 inch (29.2cm x 52.70cm) reproductions based on the original arcade board sets and are a new revision in the PCB history. The boards use the original bill of materials, follow the original schematics, and can be used to replace damaged original boards by using the original parts from these boards.
OK, we must admit, we are actually impressed with these replica/repro PCBs, even if the price (US$245) is a tad too much when taking into account the exchange rate.
Oh yeah, these are available in limited quantities at Atari.com.
PS: To sweeten this juicy deal, Atari is offering $10 off (code: “PCBOOPSIE“) on any one of the three Retro Arcade PCB boards (yeah, we know, boards is redundant in PCB boards) 😉
Major Havoc challenges players with a journey through exciting gameplay styles, including Breakout-style mini games where a knowledgeable gamer can warp through different levels.
A multi-directional shooter with a reputation for difficulty, Gravitar is arguably also the first cave-flyer ever made.
The arcade classic Black Widow is one of the very first twin-stick shooters ever made.
This is more of a PSA (that’s Public Service Announcement) for PC gamers (with an Amazon Prime sub) out there!
The list of free titles during the awesome month of May reads like a who’s who of video games – from STAR WARS™: Rogue Squadron 3D (on May the 4th!), to the retro gaming splendour of NEO GEO titles like Last Resort, Super Sidekicks, King of the Monsters 2 and Robo Army to name just a few!
Better clear your diary, as you’ll be playing video games quite a bit.
List of free games on Prime Gaming during the month of May:
The LEGO Group social media team recently teased us all with a tweet introducing the addition of Donkey Kong to the world of LEGO Super Mario!
They might as well take our money right now!
We can’t wait to show you the new additions to the world of LEGO Super Mario™! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/sa5XF0LdCo
— LEGO (@LEGO_Group) April 26, 2023
By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.
With “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” breaking records at the global box office, it makes me wonder why it took Hollywood so long to produce such a successful film based on a video game property. There have been other films based on video games that have made money (“Sonic the Hedgehog” and its sequel), but nothing like the grosses of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” It’ll easily pass the $1 billion mark worldwide.
I caught the “Hitman” films on cable recently, and as someone who loves the games, one thought raced through my mind: How did they screw this up? The 2007 “Hitman” film, starring Timothy Olyphant as the assassin, had no redeemable value whatsoever…it’s a violent mess that gets mindbogglingly boring by the third act. And the villains were cartoons. When I saw it in the movie theater, I was peering at my watch, waiting for the credits to roll. Olyphant is an immensely talented actor; he couldn’t even save the film.
The “Hitman” world from the games is so rich and sprawling. Producers and Hollywood executives had enough material from the iconic game for five movies. Or they could’ve taken all the great parts of the games and put them in one film.
When I heard the news that Rupert Friend was set to star in “Hitman: Agent 47,” I had hoped that the film could be exceptional. I was a fan of Rupert Friend’s performance on the Showtime series “Homeland.” He was terrific as CIA operative Peter Quinn. The British actor was miscast as the assassin. I remember being confused by the muddled opening credits that had clips that were more interesting than most of the action sequences in the film. It didn’t help that every actor and actress in the movie seemed extremely wooden.
“Hitman 2: Silent Assassin” is one of my favorite video games. The IO Interactive developed, stealth video game had the best storyline of any “Hitman.” Back in the early 2000s, I played “Silent Assassin” on my GameCube. The story of Codename 47 who comes out of retirement when his friend, Reverend Emilio Vittorio, is kidnapped by unknown assailants, could make a great plot for a “Hitman” film. It’s not an origin story, but it could be an excellent spine for a screenplay. 47 resumes work for the ICA in hopes of finding his close friend.
I doubt a studio will finance another “Hitman” film after the dismal box office returns of the previous two. However, the “Hitman” games are so iconic, there must be a filmmaker who can put their own imaginative spin on the vast property.
As a LEGO sucker, I mean a fan, yeah, let’s go with a LEGO fan, this teaser video from LEGO that I found on Facebook of their new Ultimate Collector Series version of the T-65 X-Wing Starfighter is mind blowingly detailed – with updated and authentic wing and engine design along with a new cockpit interior. There is even a place for your R2-D2 droid figure in the socket behind the cockpit!
With 1949 LEGO bricks to build this detailed X-Wing, you better get onto it on May the 4th and blast off to fight for the Rebel Alliance!
NOTE: This new set will be released on May 4th (Star Wars Day) and will retail for AU$369.99
Lil ausretrogamer is a tad too old for these, but if she was still a little bubby, then these Bumkins Silicone Nintendo Game Boy, NES and Link (Zelda) teethers would be sitting on her high-chair right now!
Consider this a public service announcement for those of you that have babies in your household that require teethers right now 😉
image source: Amazon US – Bumkins
story source: technabob
By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.
Two weeks ago, I bought a copy of “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” because of “Saturday Night Live’s” “HBO Mario Kart Trailer” sketch.
Pedro Pascal is one of my favorite actors. His performance on the Netflix series “Narcos” is incredible, and when his character, Javier Pena, was no longer on the hit series, I stopped watching. When I saw that he was hosting “Saturday Night Live,” I was excited and instantly thought to myself, what took so long?
In my freshman year of college, my roommates and I would play “Mario Kart 64” on Nintendo 64 for hours after classes. We would often bet a six-pack of beer on a race. Sometimes the person who came in last would have to buy a 24 case for the other racers to share. Everyone was on a college budget, so you really didn’t want to finish last.
I haven’t played the game in a few years, but when I watched the great “SNL” sketch, it piqued my interest again in the iconic game. The sketch was one of the funniest things that the writers have come up with this season; and it’s been an exceptional season. The spin on Pedro Pascal’s involvement in HBO’s “The Last of Us” and a dystopian “Mario Kart” world was brilliant and cleverly funny. When I first watched the sketch, I thought, that’s going to go viral. Since it’s airing, the sketch has had 12 million views on YouTube.
A couple of weeks ago, I was looking over all the Nintendo Switch games at my local Best Buy. My mind went to the “SNL” sketch, and I realized I didn’t own a single “Mario Kart” game. That afternoon, I purchased “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” and played the game for hours when I arrived home.
I’m sure “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” will have numerous references to “Mario Kart.” I just hope they somehow include my favorite racetrack in the film, Sweet Sweet Canyon…but I doubt it.
With the new The Super Mario Bros. movie out now in cinemas, of course there were going to be brands clamouring to license the world’s most famous plumber to use on their products!
A case in point is Lush, you know, the folks that make and sell those smelly soaps. Being a plumber and climbing in and out of sewer pipes, Mario gets a tad dirty on the job, so what better way to cleanse himself than to use the new Lush bath product line!
The Lush product line is of course inspired by the Super Mario Bros. film which includes a peach and pineapple-scented Princess Peach body spray, Mario (Cola) and Luigi (green apple) shower gels, Princess Peach (peach) and Bowser (cinnamon) shower jellies, a gold coin (honey) soap bar, and a question block bath bomb that includes one of six different power-up soaps inside!
So when heading to watch the movie, make sure you smell peachy by using these new Lush SMB film bath products!
story source: technabob
U.S. based eBay user shdurr0 has created some very quirky custom action figures based on vintage gaming systems from the 70s and 80s, just take a look them below! These may not be to the caliber of Dano Brown’s custom-made video game toys, but they are still worth a mention.
If you are inclined to take a peek and possibly grab one (or all) of these one-off creations, go and check them out.
PS: Love the ‘AGES 45 & UP‘ on some these – a nice touch indeed 😉
image source: eBay