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Donkey Kong Inducted Into The Amusement Industry Hall of Fame

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Step right up, folks! Prepare for a thrilling trip back in time to witness the birth of a gaming legend!

Let’s enter Nintendo’s magical realm, where imagination reigns supreme, and discover the incredible tale of Donkey Kong’s rise to the Amusement Industry Hall of Fame!

In 1981, two genius minds at Nintendo, Shigeru Miyamoto and Gunpei Yokoi, unleashed a game that set the arcade world ablaze! Donkey Kong stormed the scene, selling like crazy and becoming an instant sensation!

So, my fellow gamers and dreamers, let’s celebrate the timeless wonder of Donkey Kong. Let’s embrace the joy it has brought us and the endless possibilities it holds. It’s a testament to the power of imagination, proving that even a humble arcade game can withstand the test of time.

Donkey Kong’s legacy still lives on, and now forever enshrined in the Amusement Industry Hall of Fame. Congrats DK!



story source: RePlay Mag

Gamer Golf or Real Golf?

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

Sometimes it’s hard to decide to play golf on Nintendo Switch or play on a real course in the elements. I recently had an experience where I wished that I had stayed home and played golf on my Switch or Playstation.

When you play golf on Switch, you don’t have to worry about other golfers, especially ones with bad attitudes, coming up behind you and giving you anxiety. Playing real golf makes me a little anxious at times anyway.

I was playing on this small, 9-hole course the other day and a light rain was coming down; it was the kind of weather that I liked playing golf in. When I was playing on the 4th hole, a fun par 3, I noticed this older gentleman coming up quickly on the hole behind me. He was playing very fast. When I put my ball into the hole, my phone rang. It was an important call. I walked off the course slightly and took the call. The elderly gentleman played the par 3 rapidly. When he was done, he approached me with a heated look on his face.

He asked, “Do you want to play together?”

“I’d probably slow you down,” I replied. “You can go ahead of me.”

He chuckled and walked on in a huff. I wanted to play alone, and he looked like a fast player. There was no one behind me after the call, so I could take my time.

After some time passed, I was setting up my shot on the 6th tee, and I saw the older gentleman talking to the ground crew guys who were working on the putting green of the hole ahead, hole 7. It looked like he was yelling, and he kept pointing at me. His arms were very animated. I hit my shot with a 3 wood and the ball landed near a sand trap. As I was walking to my ball, I saw the older gentleman coming toward me in the distance.

As he began to approach me, I took a few practice swings with my pitching wedge. My hand on the grip got tighter as he came closer. He looked upset. I stopped studying my shot and just stared at him. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks, and turned around and started walking in the opposite direction. He was muttering something as he left my hole.

After that interaction, I shot 2-over. So, not a bad day on the course in hindsight.

Golf in my living room never involves worrying about any speedy, angry players rushing me. I’ve probably played a round of golf on “Tiger Woods PGA Tour,” on Playstation, hundreds of times, and not once have I ever felt hurried while on a difficult hole.



Topher Grace’s Star Wars: Always Rulez

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If you can’t stand the thought of sinking 30+ hours watching all the Star Wars films (including Rogue One and Solo), then this Topher Grace Star Wars: Always edit is for you!

Topher has mashed all of the Star Wars films into a 5 minute Cliff notes version for those that are time poor. With that said, we actually don’t mind this 5 minute version of the Star Wars saga.

May the FORCE be with you!


source: Lou’s Cafe



The Definitive History of SEGA WORLD Sydney

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Who knew that Sega OziSoft convinced Sega (Japan) to pump AU$80 million dollars into the world’s largest indoor theme park (at the time), SEGA WORLD Sydney in Darling Harbour! We still regret not visiting Sega World in Darling Harbour (Sydney) while it was still open. We’ll never get to cross that off our bucket-list.

This SL Films’ half hour documentary provides interesting insights into the history of the site, and an analysis into why it closed down, touching upon the local industry and local conditions.

If you are like us and never got to visit Sega World, this definitive history of the theme park/amusement centre is the next best thing!


source: SL Films

image source: SL Films



Netherworld – Daytona USA Tournament

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Day-toooooo-naaaaaa USA! We absolutely love Daytona USA, it was and still is one of Sega’s most iconic arcade driving/racing games!

If you always fancied yourself as great Daytona USA player, then listen up, there is a tournament this Saturday (June 17) at Netherworld in Brisbane that you may want to participate in.

Rev your engine and put the pedal to the metal – the Netherworld Speedway is hosting the Daytona Cup with our major race sponsor Slipstream Brewing Company! Alongside a selection of Slipstream Brewing Co beers we’ll be pouring a special collab brew just for race day – the Powerslide East Coast IPA. Qualifying (time trial mode) happens from 10am to 3pm with the top 8 from each track going into the finals from 3pm. The finals (linked 4 player normal/battle mode) will be separated into Beginner, Advanced and Expert races with prizes awarded to the top 3 drivers on each track. For a little overtime, the top four overall participants with the highest points across all tracks earn a chance to compete in a one off Grand Prix mode on the advanced stage for ultimate glory.

Tournament Details:

  • What: 4 player link-up Daytona USA Championship tournament
  • When: Saturday the 17th of June from 10:00am
  • Where: Netherworld – 186 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006, Australia
  • Tickets: Entry ticket comes with one free drink and tournament entry – https://events.humanitix.com/nwdaytona

image source: Netherworld

 



Dreamcast and GameCube Gaming On The Go

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Ever dreamed of having a portable version of Sega’s Dreamcast and/or Nintendo’s GameCube consoles? You may not need to dream anymore!

We know you’ll throw the old, “but my Steam Deck (or Ayaneo or hacked PS Vita) can emulate these consoles already!”, well let us tell ya, these portable versions are a step closer to their original source (by using the original’s internals)!

It is quite impressive to see these innovations come to life, even though it may offend the purists (and possibly get Nintendo’s lawyers onto these merchants).

These portable systems aren’t necessarily cheap, but they scratch an itch for the nostalgic in us – especially the Portable Dreamcast! Now, what can we offload to procure one of these……..

Where to buy:

  • Portable Dreamcast (on AliExpress)
  • Portable GameCube (on AliExpress)

Portable Dreamcast

Portable GameCube



Guide: How To Softmod Your PS VITA

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This guide will provide you the steps to permanently mod your PS VITA (2000 Series models!) using the browser-based hack/jailbreadk. This mod is perfectly safe and allows you to run emulators, homebrew apps and load/play backups of your PS Vita, PSP and PS1 games. This mod will work on any PS Vita firmware version (up to and including v3.74).

As mentioned above, this guide is intended specifically for the PS Vita 2000 models, however, most steps can still be followed to mod your 1000 model. As for modding the PS TV, there are a number of differences in the process, therefore we recommend you to visit VitaHacks site for the specific guide.

OK, so you want to unleash your PS VITA, then follow along!

Before you begin, you’ll need the following items:

  • SD2Vita Pro – PS Vita Card Adapter (approx. AU$13); and
  • Samsung 256GB EVO Plus Micro SD (approx. AU$34)

NOTE: Prices are correct as at date of publication!

First thing – grab your fully charged PS Vita 2000, SD2Vita adapter and micro SD card!

Insert the micro SD card in the SD2VITA adapter

Check your system’s software (firmware) version to ensure you are at the latest version (3.74)

Connect your PS Vita to your local WiFi, and log into the PSN Store at least once before starting this mod!

Installing VitaDeploy and Henkaku is as easy as opening up the web browser app and navigate to jailbreak.psp2.dev

At the HENlo – a Playstation Vita Jailbreak site that appears, tap on “Unlock my Vita” and then “Unlock”

On the black screen menu, navigate to and select “Install henkaku” and press the X button. Once that is done, do the same for “Install VitaDeploy”. Once done, navigate down to “Exit and mount sd2vita to ux0” and press the X button

Don’t forget to insert the SD2Vita adapter (with the micro SD) into your PS Vita and ensure your device is connected to the internet before performing the next steps!

Open the Vita’s Settings app, and open “HENkaku settings”

Select “Enable Unsafe Homebrew” check-mark

Open the VitaDeploy app and navigate to “Install a different OS” -> “Quick 3.65 install”. The app will download and install v3.65. It will ask you if you really want to do it — just press X to confirm. Once complete, the Vita will reboot.

Open the Settings app and then go to System Information to confirm that you are now on v3.65 with the enso permanent hack

Now it’s time to setup the SD2Vita storage! Open VitaDeploy and navigate to Miscellaneous -> Format a storage device. Select “Format target storage” and follow any prompts. Reboot the device.

Open up your Settings app, then navigate to Devices -> Storage Devices, and enable YAMT. Reboot the console.

Open VitaDeploy -> File Manager, and make sure that the “uma0” partition is visible. Navigate to the “ux0” partition and select all of the folders except “SceloTrash” (use the SQUARE button to select). Press the TRIANGLE button and select “Copy”.

Navigate to the “uma0” partition, press TRIANGLE to bring up the menu, and select “Paste”.

Return to the Settings app and navigate to Devices > Storage Devices. Set the following options:
– ux0: SD2Vita
– uma0: Internal Storage 

Reboot the Vita, then head to Settings -> System Information and the memory card size should now reflect the capacity of your microSD card (in our case, our micro SD’s capacity is 256GB)

Now to the business end of the mod – Installing the core homebrew apps! 

Open the VitaDeploy app and naviate to App Downloader, and install the following apps:

– VitaShell – file management system
– VitaDB Downloader – Library tool to browse and download various apps and homebrew games
– Adrenaline – a PSP environment that allows you to play PSP and PS1 games with perfect performance
– PKGj – Powerful app that allows you to install backups of your PS Vita, PSP, and PS1 games
– Custom Themes Manager – as the name implies, this allows you to manage custom themes
– iTLS Enso – adds TSL v1.2 to the device, which fixes many plugin errors, adds more installer options, allows secure (https) internet access, and restores access to the PS Store
– Registry Editor – this allows you to improve the color saturation on the PS Vita 2000 models

Once all the apps have been downloaded and installed, exit the VitaDeploy app and reboot your Vita
NOTE: We installed additional apps, which aren’t mandatory

Now that your PS Vita 2000 has been jailbroken, feel free to explore and install custom themes (like we did – see below)

Once you have that cool custom theme, it’s time to check out the homebrew apps, emulators and homebrew games in VitaDB Downloader. Once done there, grab the backups of your favourite PS Vita, PSP and PS1 games via PKGj 

We used the SwitchView UI frontend (from VitaDB Downloader) to make our Vita look like the Nintendo Switch!

Finally, time to enjoy and play some games on your freshly modded PS Vita! Bonsai!

all images remain the property & © of ausretrogamer.com



007 Bond, a Laser Watch, and Rolex

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

“From Russia with Love” is one of the best James Bond video games. Sean Connery made a rare return to the iconic character by contributing his voice to the EA Redwood Shores (now Visceral Games) game. The fact that EA Redwood Shores got Connery back to voice Bond seems miraculous now. Having him contribute to something new in the 007 medium was an incredible accomplishment on EA’s part.

The 2005, third-person shooter video game is as entertaining as the classic Bond film it’s based on. I liked how the game used elements from the later films, like the jet pack from “Thunderball,” and the Aston Martin DB5 that was introduced in “Goldfinger.” Entertainment Arts should have produced another Bond game with Connery’s younger likeness as Bond; however, they lost the rights to Activision in 2006.

I really enjoyed using the laser watch in the “From Russia with Love” game. You used the wristwatch to penetrate bulletproof glass and destroy control panels. The watch in the game looks like Bond’s Rolex Submariner 6538. During the great action of the game, it’s sort of difficult to see an up-close image of the classic wristwatch, but it looks like the iconic Submariner 6538 to me.

JAMES BOND’S ROLEX SUBMARINER 6538. Image source: everestbands

In the scene at the beginning of “Goldfinger,” when Connery, dressed in a white tuxedo, peers down at his Rolex Submariner, it may have been one of the most blatant product placements in a film. I’ve always wondered how many Rolex Submariners were sold due to that quick shot in “Goldfinger” when Connery steadily lights up the face of the wristwatch with his lighter.

I’m sure there were thousands of men who saw that watch in “Goldfinger” and went directly to a jeweler. I’m sure a Rolex was as expensive in 1964 as they are today, adjusted cost, of course. The Rolex Submariner 6538 has become such an iconic watch because of Bond. Almost sixty years after the release of “Goldfinger,” Rolex is still the ultimate luxury watch. There’s Tag Heuer and Richard Mille, but Rolex seems like a classic, just like James Bond.



XBHD – EON Gaming’s Revolutionary New Original Xbox Adapter

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XBHD, EON Gaming’s Revolutionary New Original Xbox Adapter Launches 20 June

World’s first plug-and-play HD adapter with multi-video output, built-in LAN party support, and more

EON Gaming, makers of the acclaimed GCHD MK-II, and Super 64, have revealed their next flagship adapter, this time for the original Xbox, called the XBHD. This full-featured, first-of-its-kind adapter unlocks the potential of the original Xbox for gamers worldwide on Tuesday, 20 June 2023 for $189.99 USD through Amazon as well as their worldwide retail partners including Castlemania Games, Retro Saga, and Games Connection.

The 2001 launch of the original Xbox sparked an unforgettable era. Microsoft entered the gaming console scene, going toe to toe with industry giants Sony and Nintendo in the 6th generation of consoles. Going on to sell more than 24 million units worldwide, Xbox offered greater processing power, internal storage, onboard LAN connectivity, and a host of exclusive titles such as the seminal Halo: Combat Evolved. Xbox was a force to be reckoned with and quickly moved from underdog to industry staple.

The XBHD pays tribute to these beloved titles with a robust set of features and the best video quality possible. Make use of dual HD video ports to host head-to-head matches or simplify streaming setups with no additional hardware or power required. Gather friends and recreate true LAN party experiences thanks to three RJ45 ethernet connectors, seamlessly enabling LAN support for up to four consoles.

Experience the original Xbox with perfectly translated visuals supporting 480i, 480p, 720p, and even 1080i resolutions. Additionally enjoy the flexibility of the MiniTOSlink 3.5mm port, providing clear audio through headphones, speaker systems, and even capture cards for streaming.

Key Features:

  • The XBHD is a plug-and-play HD adapter for the original Xbox
  • No mods required & no external power required
  • Provides the best visual signal possible on original hardware
    • Losslessly translates the component video to HD
    • 480i, 480p, 720p, and 1080i compatible (NTSC resolution settings required)
  • Lagless input – controller inputs appear on screen instantly
  • 2 HD video out ports for simultaneous video streaming (noiseless dual HD video output)
  • 3.5mm MiniTOSLINK jack (audio output)
  • 3 Ethernet ports for simplified LAN experience
  • Custom designed plug that matches original Xbox aesthetic

“The Xbox was home to the LAN party.” said Justin Scerbo co-founder of EON Gaming. “The magic of linking consoles together to enjoy an expanded, connected local gaming experience was something that defined us then, and something we long for now. With XBHD, we wanted to bring that possibility back. Now, it’s easier than ever, and these classic games have never looked better.”

“I remember packing up my Xbox, 4 controllers, the cables, and an old, hefty tube TV into my small Miata, driving down to my friends house, and having a Halo party that felt like it lasted for days,” said Justin Chou, co-founder, EON Gaming. “Now-a-days, although everything’s become easier with the use of online matchmaking lobbies, I can’t help but feel like I’ve lost something magical. I miss sharing a living room with my closest friends and playing games all night.”

The XBHD launches worldwide on Tuesday, 20 June 2023 and retails for $189.99 USD (approx. AU$290.00) via Castlemania Games, Retro Saga, Games Connection, and Amazon, shipping worldwide.

For more information, please visit EON Gaming’s official website



[press release supplied]

LEGO Icons PAC-MAN Arcade – Waka waka waka

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Just in case you have been living under a rock all this time with no internet connection and no one to tell you about this awesome news from Lego………..

Are you ready for this awesome news? Of course you are! Lego announced the Lego Icons PAC-MAN Arcade set on their social channel – with the set earmarked to be released on June 4th for the sum of AU$399.99 – not exactly cheap, but looks pretty darn good.

image source: LEGO