This post has been a long time coming!
Not content with the home office acting as our games room, Ms. ausretrogamer came up with the idea to transform the garage into a fun factory – a place where all of our retro gear would be setup to be played and enjoyed.
Once the overall design was pitched, it took a while for me to come around to convert the garage into a gaming space. The garage was basically going to provide an idyllic setting for all of our computers, consoles, arcade and pinball machines in the one space so that they could be enjoyed by anyone at anytime – no more fetching stuff out of cupboards and wiring them up to be used!
With the garage already sporting painted walls and ceiling, the next step was to make it secure from the elements – we didn’t want dust to come in and damage the delicate old school gear. Once the garage was secure and weather tight, the interior design was kicked off by Ms. ausretrogamer. Her eye for detail and use of space was second to none! I must admit, I had trouble picturing how the whole thing would look like, but I should not have had any doubt. Ms. ausretrogamer’s vision for the room was exactly what both of us had wanted, I just didn’t know it till I saw it done!
The games room, now called the ‘ausretrogamer fun factory‘ started taking shape once we relocated the computers, consoles and the Dreamcast kiosk on one side, the cupboards holding the precious software on the opposite side and the larger items (pinball and arcade machines) utilising the rear of the room. Every inch of the room was used to its fullest extent – no waste of space in this fun factory!
The ausretrogamer fun factory has evolved over the last few years, with old items making way for newer old items, with the overall design and function remaining true – which is an ideal space for friends and family to get together and have fun!
All great ideas start with a mess!
Starting the building process
Starting to take shape
Getting the console area setup using a Data Centre grade power-strip!
Testing 1, 2, 3 – we have POWER!
Getting the artwork setup
A comfy chair is a prerequisite!
Fun Factory MK I – console area
Fun Factory MK I – panoramic view
Fun Factory MK I – the pinball and arcade machines area
Fun Factory as it is TODAY! There have been quite a few moves and changes!
Fun Factory – the current pinball and arcade area. Fun times ahead!
If you intend on using any of the photos from our Ausretrogamer Fun Factory, please credit them back to this article – thank you.
The worst kept secret in gaming has finally been confirmed!
The games in the fourth class of The Strong’s World Video Game Hall of Fame® battled enemy starships, avoided tackles, climbed through dark tunnels, and fought off fantastical creatures to win their esteemed places in the hall.
image source: The Strong – Museum Of Play
We got excited with today being Friday (Ed: TGIF!), but we got even more excited when we realised it was the fourth day of May, Star Wars Day! So, May the 4th Be With You all!
There is something about lo-tech chiptune music that gets the old aural nostalgic nerve tingling. Listening to 8 Bit Weapon’s self titled album of chipmusic certainly took us back to the heyday of computer generated music that we loved to listen to, even if the associated game was absolute crap. Music has a way of speaking to us, no matter the times we are in.
image source: 8 Bit Weapon
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image source: Anippon
This is an old one, but we thought it was still worth repeating, in case you missed it the first time around.
First of all, thank you all that voted in our 
image source: Stern Pinball Inc.
Special occasions like anniversaries usually come about a few times in a lifetime, so what better way to commemorate and remember a special anniversary than a beautiful and awesome memento to mark the occasion!
image source: NZ Mint
