AUSRETROGAMER

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About

Spreading the nostalgic vibe of everything retro from the 80s, 90s & 00s, plus a sprinkle of contemporary pop culture.

Who we are

ausretrogamer.com – is an independent e-zine committed to spreading the nostalgic vibe of retro gaming and general pop culture across the known universe

Ausretrogamer was established in 2012 and has grown to become a popular independent source for high quality old-school gaming and pop culture news and information.

ausretrogamer, msausretrogamer

Awards & Nominations

Events

The ausretrogamer team love to take part in events – we are proud to have been the showrunner of the Classic Gaming area at PAX Aus in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Our very own, Alex Boz has also appeared on multiple PAX Aus panels: Geek Trash or Treasure? Finding Collectibles with Real Value and Blast from the Past – How Yesterday’s Heroes Became Today’s Icons.

pax-aus-2016-panel-2

We have also covered the following events:

Please contact alex[at]ausretrogamer.com if you have an event you would like us to contribute to or cover.

Other work

As well as articles published on the ausretrogamer site, founder Alex Boz regularly contributes to publications such as:

You can also listen to Alex on his many podcast appearances here.

Appeared in

We have also had the privilege to appear in many national and international media, from gamer-centric sites to print magazines, radio and TV:

Social media

Ausretrogamer is active on social media, so join in the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

Sign up for the ausretrogamer daily newsletter [SUBSCRIBE].

Contact

Get in touch with us to discuss submissions and suggestions for posts, events, projects and/or collaborations – or just to say hi!

Advertising

We welcome advertising (options include ad squares and banners, side bar text links and sponsored posts) – please visit our advertising page if you are interested.

The Team


MrAlexBozVR, ausretrogamer, retro gamerAlex Boz, Co-founder, Editor-In-Chief  and Video Game Historian
Alex is a collector, arcade extraordinaire, pinball tragic, an Atarian and a C64 lover. Alex has been gaming since the early 80s when the weapon of choice was a joystick with a single fire button.
Follow Alex Boz on Twitter & on Substack

 

ms ausretrogamerMs. ausretrogamer (Kerith S), Co-founder, Editor and Writer
Lover of science fiction, fashion, books, movies and TV. Player of games, old and new.
Follow Ms. ausretrogamer on Twitter

 

 

Mat Panek, Chief Games Reviewer
Retromancer – Collector, repairer & fan of retro games & tech. Atari to Amiga, Nintendo to Sega! LD, Zip, Beta and a proud dad! One half of the TiredParents on Twitch.

Follow Mat on Twitter and Twitch

 

Dr. Brant Raven, Reviewer and Star Wars fanatic
Scientist, philosopher & technologist. Science Fiction über-aficionado, retro gamer, curator & bibliographer. Creator of the Star Wars Bibliographic Database.
Follow Brant Raven on Twitter and Pinterest

 

Contributors:

brant ravenAaron Clement, Contributor
Tassie based retro gaming guy. Father of 3 and married to the very tolerant Kellie Clement. Coffee powered!
Follow Aaron on Twitter

 

 

David Cutler, U.S. Contributor
Love books, writing, sports, law, history, science, tech, film…oh, and tacos.
Follow David on Twitter
David also writes opinion pieces for The Baltimore Sun

 

 

Dylan C. (aka: ausmoderngamer)
Teenage video gamer and ausretrogamer contributor. When Dylan isn’t dribbling on the virtual basketball court he is ripping it up for real on the football field.

 

 

 

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Disclaimer:
The opinions, advice, products and services (if applicable) offered by third party sources are not necessarily endorsed by the author. Whilst all reasonable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information in the web page(s), the author cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions.

Legal:
This site, compilation and unattributed content is copyright © of ausretrogamer – the Australian Retro Gamer E-Zine. Comments, stories, submissions, or entries submitted by others are owned by their respective author, who agrees to grant permission to publish their stories on this site. No warranty or guarantee of any kind is given regarding the operation of this site, and all implied warranties are revoked to the maximum extent possible. The right of editorial control is reserved and exercised at the sole discretion of the editor-in-chief.

Privacy Policy

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Forgotten Worlds Magazine Issue 4: A Nostalgic Dive into the Classics of Gaming Journalism

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Press Start To Play!

Get ready to be transported back to the golden age of gaming magazines with Forgotten Worlds Issue 4! This edition is a true love letter to the legendary publications that defined gaming journalism in the ‘90s and early 2000s, from Mean Machines to EGM, Super Play, GamePro, Hyper, and CVG. With over 100 full-color, perfect-bound pages, Issue 4 is packed with stories that will hit the nostalgia sweet spot for any retro gaming fan.

What’s Inside?
This issue takes you behind the scenes of the most iconic gaming magazines ever printed. Through exclusive interviews with the editors, writers, and artists who crafted these classics, you’ll get a rare look at what it was like to be on the frontlines of video game journalism. Daniel Wilks from Hyper magazine, for example, shares fascinating anecdotes about the highs and lows of capturing the magic of gaming culture for print. And that’s just the start—there’s something for every fan, from the console wars to the rise of imports and RPGs!

A Kickstarter for the Ages
To make Issue 4 happen, the Forgotten Worlds team has launched a Kickstarter campaign that is well worth checking out. Fans of retro gaming history can grab their copy through the campaign, as well as enjoy exclusive perks and rewards. Whether you’re a collector, a historian, or just someone who loves a good deep dive into the evolution of gaming, this Kickstarter is your ticket to securing this limited-edition treasure.

So why wait? Join the campaign, snag yourself a copy, and get ready to relive the glory days of gaming journalism with Forgotten Worlds Issue 4!

Suzanne Ciani’s Unpublished Atari Ad Jingle In New Video!

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It is great being in touch with your childhood heroes, like Atari’s Howard Scott Warshaw.

Howard recently posted on his Facebook account about a video featuring the unpublished Atari ad jingle by Suzanne Ciani in stunning 3D animation. In case you didn’t know, Suzanne was the amazing electronic music composer that created the iconic soundtrack for Bally’s Xenon pinball machine!

This reimagined video featuring Suzanne’s jingle was created by the amazing and talented Philippe Lafortune of Retro Gamers Hub & The Geek Connoisseur fame.



How To Afford A Real Pinball Machine In Your Home

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Pinball has been around for a long long time. As an iconic cultural phenomenon, pinball has had more golden ages than we can count! It just so happens that it finds itself again in the middle of another golden age era.

With popularity at an all-time high, it seems pinball has attracted players from all walks of life, age and gender. The by-product of this popularity is that affording a pinball machine in your home right now may seem like an out of reach possibility, however, we are here to tell you that there may be a way!

Of course you can go and play pinball at a location near you (which you should, if you are able to), but if you are like us, you’d want to have a pinball machine in your home, ready to be played whenever you get the urge to belt the silverball around the playfield.

New or Old Pinball Machines: Profit or Break-even

The cost of ownership is quite steep, with new pinball machines fetching well above the AU$10K mark these days. The second-hand market isn’t much better, with popular old titles costing way more than new machines – it’s crazy times! There was a time in the early 2000s when you could pick up machines for the same price it costs to buy a PS5 now, but those days are long gone. You can still find cheap machines, but you’ll have to be prepared to look long and hard (and possibly travel interstate) and spend a lot of time and more money in getting it to a working and playable state.

If you have the means to be able to purchase a new or second-hand pinball machine, we are here to tell you that this investment will pay itself in spades, not just in fun times (which is priceless!), but when it comes to moving the machine on to replace it with another one, you’d expect to make a tidy profit or at worse, break-even. There are caveats though, if you abuse your machine and don’t take good care of it, then of course you won’t get top dollar. From our own experience, we have never lost on a sale of one of our machines, which means we haven’t needed to dip into our savings or redraw from the home loan to afford the next pinball that catches our eye. Since machines seem to go up in price (there has been no price correction in over a decade!), what may seem expensive right now, could look like a bargain in a year or two. Again, the initial outlay is quite high, so only jump in if your finances allow it.

Swapping

If you already own a pinball machine(s) at home that you don’t want to offload it to afford another one, then swapping is an option that many pinball owners get into to get their fix. There are many pinball based social media groups and forums that have swapping available, so if you want to swap your Stern Spider-Man for another title, this is the best way to go! Like with any swap, it’s best done with others that you may know or who have a reputable standing in the community that are local to your area.

Rent A Pinball Machine

You read that right! If you don’t have a machine to swap or you can’t justify outlaying AU$10K+ for one, then there is another way to enjoy pinball in your home – rent one (or more)! The global pandemic had a huge impact on location pinball, so some operators, like Ryan from Melbourne Pinball Hire, got creative by offering their extensive range of pinball machines for rent. The rent process is pretty straight forward – you find the machine you want, contact the operator, pay for the month’s rent and then wait for the machine to be delivered and setup for you. All you have to do then is enjoy playing the machine without any other worry! The longer your rental agreement (like a multi-month rental), the better the price.

Once again, there are plenty of pinball operators out there that offer their machines for rent, so hit the pinball social media groups to find the nearest one, or if you are in Victoria, then Melbourne Pinball Hire has a great collection of pins to choose from between AU$375 – AU$500 per month!

JJP’s Guns N Roses machine rental from Melbourne Pinball Hire

image source: Melbourne Pinball Hire



DISCLAIMER: We are not a financial advisor. None of the information provided in this article should be considered as financial advice. This feature is strictly informational/educational.

The Tabletop Retro Gaming Royal Rumble

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There is no doubt that we are still in the honeymoon period with our gorgeous Taito EGRET II mini tabletop arcade, but there are a few seasoned classics that could easily knock it off its perch!

Of course the Sega Astro City mini is another beautiful little arcade in the mould of the EGRET, just a tad smaller in stature and without a number of bells and whistles that its bigger brother enjoys.

The arcade mini contenders face-off!

Going toe to toe!

Then there are the tabeltop  heavyweights that have withstood the test of time, Grandstand’s seminal Astro Wars (1981) and Nintendo’s Game & Watch tabletops from 1983. We would’ve added the Vectrex too, but we thought otherwise 😉

Now don’t get us started about superior graphics and sounds on the Sega and Taito arcade minis, that is a given, however there is something quite charming about VFD (Vacuum Fluorescent Display) displays and simple pew pew pew sound effects – they never get old!

We have wasted too many batteries to count playing Astro Wars, Mario’s Cement Factory and Donkey Kong Jr., which we still keep coming back to till this day – that’s 4 decades, and counting! Let’s see if we will be saying the same about the new arcade minis from Sega and Taito in the 2060s.

Let the Tabletop Royal Rumble begin!

For now, the EGRET II mini with the trackball & paddle controller is consuming our gaming time!



15 Atari Facts You May Not Have Known About

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Gotta love video gaming related facts! Here at ausretrogamer HQ we absolutely love digging around and finding all kinds of video game related facts, especially the more obscure and lesser known ones. Since June is ATARI month, for this new ‘Did You Know’ series, we kick things off with 15 facts about the iconic Atari, which you may or may not have known (or perhaps forgotten about)!

Was it all fun and games at Atari? I would have given an arm and a leg to had been part of this great company that brought video games to the masses. If only I was born in a different era and resided in California back in the 1970s.

There has been much written about Atari – from well known facts to myths and even fan fiction. We set the record straight on a few unknown (and well known) historical facts at the once mighty Atari.

Fact 1. First video game to have background music
To contrary belief, it wasn’t Namco’s Rally-X that first featured background music (BGM), it was beaten to the punch by Atari’s Cannon Ball – an Owen Rubin developed game. Unfortunately, the feedback was not great from location testing. Arcade operators disliked the BGM, citing it as being annoying. Sadly, the game was never mass produced.

Fact 2. Space Duel was the first multicolour vector game
Another contradiction in video gaming folklore – Tempest was not the first multicolour vector game. That gong belongs to Space Duel – another Owen Rubin game. To rub salt into the wounds, Owen Rubin’s colour vector generator code was used by Dave Theurer in Tempest. Owen never received any credit for his effort.

Fact 3. Missile Command was going to be called Armageddon 
Atari had designs and cabinet prototypes created for Armageddon, later to be renamed by Gene Lipkin as Missile Command.

Fact 4. The Last Starfighter
In 1984, when Atari was being carved up and sold, two games in development based on the film, The Last Starfighter were redone to become Star Raiders II and Solaris.

Fact 5. The naming of Yars’ Revenge 
Howard Scott Warshaw (from E.T. fame) named his game Yars’ Revenge after Ray Kassar (Ray spelled backwards). The ‘Razak’ solar system was also based on Ray’s surname, with the letters ‘ss’ replaced with a ‘z’ and the surname spelled backwards. Very clever indeed!

Fact 6. Championship Soccer / Pele’s Soccer
Championship Soccer, aka: Pele’s Soccer was the first video game to license a sports personality, the lovable Brazilian soccer maestro, Pele!

Fact 7. The Atari and Nintendo deal
Atari was in talks with Nintendo in regards to their Family Computer (Famicom). The deal would be for Nintendo to design the printed circuit boards and engineer all the electronics, while Atari would design the console case and packaging. Basically, Atari would be selling Nintendo’s product for them in the USA and the rest of the world under the Atari brand. Imagine if this deal had gone through.

Fact 8. Naming the Atari 7800
After the Atari 5200 debacle, the marketing department at Atari would not dictate the functions or features of the new Atari 7800. However, they did come up with the product name by adding 2600 to 5200. Absolute genius (Ed: stop being sarcastic!).

Fact 9. Burying Atari
Atari could only wish they could bury the E.T. myths. When the decision was made to close the El Paso (Texas) plant, truckloads of unused and faulty stock was being ferried to the Alamogordo, New Mexico city dump. The deal was to dump the goods and steamroll them. As the media got wind of this, it was made out as if Atari was trying to “cover up” and they became the media whipping boy with the video gaming woes of the early 80s.

Fact 10. Cloak & Dagger
At the end of 1983, Atari was manufacturing upgrade kits to turn rival Williams’ Robotron:2084, Defender, Stargate and Joust cabinets into a new Atari game called Cloak & Dagger. Cloak & Dagger (originally titled Agent X) was designed to plug directly into the existing power supply in these games. Indeed, this was very cloak and dagger like of Atari. By the way, the movie of the same name was a gloried Atari advertisement.

Fact 11. Clandestine sale to Philips 
Without the knowledge of James (Jim) Morgan at Atari, Warner Bros. management (Manny Gerard and Rob Newman) were surveying Atari at the request of Steve Ross (Warner Bros head-honcho). The staking out of Atari was to take visual inventory and current status of projects for a possible sale to the Dutch electronics giant, Philips. There were a series of talks between Steve Ross and Wisse Dekker (Philips CEO), but in the end, after being burned by the Magnavox Odyssey, Philips chose to walk away from the deal.

Fact 12. First Nintendo, then the Amiga Hi-Toro
It seems that Atari had a knack of getting itself into some wheeling and dealing, but ultimately, choosing to opt out of certain deals. After the Nintendo deal fell through, Atari struck a gentleman’s agreement with the Amiga Corporation in early 1984. The ‘Letter Of Intent’ between Atari and Amiga had Atari advancing $500,000 to  the cash strapped Amiga Corporation so that they could continue developing the ‘Lorraine’ chipset. Atari was never interested in acquiring Amiga, they just wanted to get their hands on the chipset that Jay Miner and Joe Decuir had created. The chipset was going to be used in Atari’s arcade machines, consoles and home computers. Dave Morse’s intention was always to find a buyer for his fledgling and struggling Amiga Corporation. This is where Commodore stepped in and the rest, as they say, is history. Hindsight is always 20/20!

Fact 13. Shedding Atarians
The gravy train at Atari was coming to a screeching halt. Under James Morgan’s NATCO (New Atari Company) cost saving plan, Atari’s ranks shrivelled from 7,800 employees in January 1983, to an astounding 1,500 by the end of May 1984.

Fact 14. Atari MindLink – Bionic Breakout
Atari was always at the forefront of product development. Atari’s MindLink product was a headband controller that controlled game play by the player just looking at the TV screen and ‘thinking’ about moving an object. There was no extra sensory perception going on here, the MindLink controller would  read the resistance of the muscles in the player’s forehead and interpret them into the appropriate joystick or fire button signals. Was it ahead of its time, it sure was. The market did not take the product seriously so Atari chose not to pursue production of the MindLink.

Fact 15. I, Robot – The last Atari, Inc. Coin-op 
The final coin-operated game under the Atari, Inc. banner was I, Robot (1984). Created by Dave Theurer and Rusty Dawe, I, Robot was the first commercial arcade game to feature filled 3D polygonal graphics. Sadly, only 750 machines were produced, with even less being sold. If you have one in your possession, hold onto it, it is worth a small fortune!

With a vast amount of information out there on Atari, we cross referenced facts, myths and misinformation with the definitive book, Atari Inc. – Business Is Fun by Curt Vendel and Marty Goldberg. If you weren’t aware, Curt Vendel is an Atari historian (since the mid 1980s) and has the largest Atari collection in the world. Curt has collected vast amounts of Atari paperwork and other memorabilia over the last few decades. His intimate knowledge of Atari is second to none.

image sources: various



Our Favourite Retro Games on the Pico-8

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There are a heap of great Pico-8 games out there, but for those of you yearning for a hit of nostalgia on the fantasy console, you may find it difficult to find that classic 80s game you enjoyed in the arcade amongst the plethora of available Pico-8 games.

Well, we are here to help you find a few needles in the massive haystack of Pico-8 games that will help with your hunger for nostalgia. Get your Pico-8 ready, and start favouriting these games:

Wizard Rule: If it’s Wizard of Wor you are after, then this port is absolutely amazing. We can’t stop playing it!

Galactic Wars: Um, it’s Galaga, and it’s awesome.

Pico Tetris: As if it wasn’t addictive enough on the Game Boy, this version is just as addictive.

Pico Sprint: A suped up version of Super Sprint on the Pico-8, need we say more?

Pico Frogger: Leap onto the highway and avoid the cars and other obstacles to reach the other side. The iconic arcade game is superb on Pico-8. If in case this Frogger version doesn’t feel right, then check out Minionsoft’s Frogger.

Bomb’n Picoman: eliminating your enemies by placing bombs strategically, just like Bomberman, it’s darn enjoyable.

Sonic 2.5:  Don’t be thrown off by the .5, there is nothing half about this version of Sonic The Hedgehog. This is a work of art and has the speed to match.

MOTU: If you liked Palace Software’s head-chopping Barbarian game, then this version with Masters of The Universe characters takes it to a new and cooler level.

Super Mario Bros: How can we have a list without the little Italian plumber? Easy, we add him here as SMB is cool to play on any device.

Gaplus – Galaga Edition: There is nothing Galaga about this side-scrolling shoot’em up, but that’s not to say it is bad. If you like games like Salamander or R-Type, then this game is for you!

Bubble Bobble: The cutest dinos, Bub and Bob, are back and still as awesome as ever. This game never gets old -on any platform!

Minionsoft Scramble: The Minionsoft treatment is fantastic on this classic arcade game!

NOTE: Most games are available via the official PICO-8 site, while others can be found via itch.io.

Well, there you have it, a list of a few classic old games (and some not so old) to play on the Pico-8 that will satisfy any retro gamers’ nostalgia yearnings. Enjoy!

 

Happy Holidays and All The Very Best for 2021

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Wow, it has been a year that most of us would probably rather forget. Here’s hoping that 2021 is a better, safer and healthier year for everyone!

From the ausretrogamer team, we wish you all an awesome Festive Season, which we hope is filled with fun, laughter and lots of gaming, be it video games, pinball, boardgames or otherwise!

Be merry and we’ll see you all in 2021!

 

Weird and Retro’s MEGA PS VITA Sale!

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There comes a time when we have to let go of things, even those we hold precious and dear in our gaming collections.

Weird and Retro‘s Serby has decided to part ways with his massive PS Vita collection – and what a mouthwatering collection it is! If you are after some hard to find and precious PS Vita games or systems, then read on! Before you ask, “Why would you sell this awesome stuff?”, then all we can tell you at this stage is that Weird and Retro have a project in the works that has been a labour of love – but more on this in the future when more details are known.

Oh yeah, having seen and drooled over Serby’s gaming collections, including this vast PS Vita one, we can tell you that it’s been meticulously curated, catalogued and stored – it’s in as perfect condition as possible! When you scroll through the list of items, please keep in mind that the pricing is in AU$. Before we hear anyone say, “I can get this at a better price”, also keep in mind that most of these PS Vita items were bought from the US or Japan, so you will know that shipping and GST is not cheap when getting products sent to Australia!

The below excerpt is from Serby’s Facebook For Sale post, so please ensure you keep checking the post, as individual items may have been sold!

PS: If you don’t have Facebook, then don’t fret, you can also get in touch with Serby by checking out the MEGA PS Vita listing on Gumtree!

Hello, I’m a massive PS Vita collector (over 300 Vita games) but am now selling most of my collection in order to build up another gaming collection. On offer are the following games, Collector Editions, Memory Cards, Japanese Limited Edition PS Vita system bundles, and hardware.

Please note if there are 2 listings for the one game, the cheaper one is for opened and the second is for New/Sealed (as per individual prices & description).

PS Vita Games:
Accel World VS Sword Art Online [Sealed-Asian English] $75
Alone With You C.E. [LRG – SEALED Sega CD OST] $90
Another World 20th Anniversary Edition CE [LRG – SEALED Game-Opened CE] $100
Assassin’s Creed Chronicles [R4] – SOLD!
Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation [Charity Chest Edition No.5 of 10 Ubi-Soft Australian exclusive] $? – Ed: This caught our eye as we didn’t know this existed! Could it be only 1 of 10 worldwide? If so, WOW!
Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation [Canadian Steelbook Exclusive] $150
Atari Flashback Classics C.E. [LRG] – SOLD!
Axiom Verge Multiverse Edition $70

Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation [Charity Chest Edition No.5 of 10 Ubi-Soft Australian exclusive!

Bad Apple Wars Day One Limited Edition $70 – RESERVED/PENDING PAYMENT
BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma Extend $25
Borderlands 2 [R4] $20
Borderlands 2 [R4-SEALED] $55
Broken Age [LRG] $55

Call of Duty Black Ops: Declassified [R4] $30
Child of Light [R4] $60
Chronus Arc [LRG-SEALED] $45
Civilization Revolution 2 Plus [Asian Eng.]$85
Corpse Party Blood Drive Everafter Edition [SEALED Game/Opened CE] $80 – RESERVED/PENDING PAYMENT
Cursed Castilla EX Limited Edition [Play-Asia] $80

Damascus Gear Operation Osaka [LRG – Sealed] $80
Dariusburst CS Chronicle Saviours [LRG] – SOLD!
Deadbolt [LRG – Sealed] $60
Deemo: The Last Recital [LRG – Sealed] $60
Demetrios The Big Cynical Adventure [RAG-SEALED – only 999 produced] $60 – RESERVED/PENDING PAYMENT
Digimonstory Cybersleuth [Japanese] $20
Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention [R4] $35 – RESERVED/PENDING PAYMENT
Disgaea 4: A Promise Revisited CE $80
Dragon Fantasy [LRG – Sealed] $70
Dragon Quest Builders [Asian English] $150
Dragon’s Crown [R4] $50
Dragon’s Crown + PreOrder Book [R4] $70
Dungeon Hunter: Alliance $25
Dynasty Warriors Next [R4] $25 – RESERVED/PENDING PAYMENT

Epic Mickey 2 [R4] – SOLD!
Exist Archive $40

F1 2011 $30
Factotum 90 [LRG – Sealed] $60
Fernz Gate [LRG-SEALED] $60
FIFA Football [R4] $10
Final Fantasy X [Korean] $20
Forma.8 [LRG – Sealed] $60
Freedom Wars [R4] $30
Fuuraiki 3 [Japanese] $75
Futuridium – Extended Play Deluxe [LRG]$60

G Generation Genesis (Double Pack) [Korean] $50
Girls und Panzer: Senshadō, Kiwamemasu! Collector’s Edition [Japanese] $140
Gravity Rush [R4] $75
Guacamelee! [LRG] $60
Gundam Breaker (The BEST) [Japanese]$25
Gundam Extreme VS Force [Korean] $25
Gunhouse [LRG] $50

Hatsume Miku Project Diva F 2nd [Chinese] $40
Hello Kitty to Issho: Block Crash V [Japanese Arknoid/Breakout game] $80
Hue [LRG – Sealed] $60

Iconoclasts CE [LRG-SEALED Game/Opened CE] $130
Injustice: Gods Among Us [R4] $25
Invizimals: The Alliance [R4] $10
Invizimals: The Alliance [R4-SEALED] $15

J-STARS Victory VS+ [R4] $45 – RESERVED/PENDING PAYMENT

Killzone Mercenary [R4-SEALED] $50

La-Mulana Ex C.E. [LRG] $80
LEGO Batman 3 Beyond Gotham [R4-SEALED] $30
LEGO Chima Laval’s Journey [R4] $15
LEGO Hobbit [R4-SEALED] $30
LEGO MARVEL Avengers [R4-SEALED] $35
LEGO MARVEL SuperHeroes Universe [R4-SEALED] $30
LEGO Ninjago Nindroids [R4-SEALED] $30
LEGO Ninjago Shadow of Ronin [R4 Photocopied B&W Cover] $10
LittleBigPlanet PlayStation Vita [R4] $15
LittleBigPlanet PSV Marvel Super Heroes [R4] $15
LittleBigPlanet PSV Marvel Super Heroes [R4] $20
Looney Tunes Galactic Sports [R4] $15
Looney Tunes Galactic Sports [SEALED-R4] $20
Lost Dimension [R4] $45
Lumines [R4] $30

Macho Tales [LRG Standard Edition] $60
Metal Gear Solid HD Collection + 2 Guide Books $75 – SOLD!
Metal Slug 3 C.E. [LRG-SEALED Game/Opened CE] – SOLD!
Minecraft: PlayStation Vita Edition [R4] $25
Mind Zero $40
ModNation Racers: Road Trip [R4] $15
ModNation Racers: Road Trip [R4-SEALED] $30
ModNation Racers Sony PROMO Release (PAL Exclusive] $50
Mortal Kombat $70
Mutant Mudds Deluxe [LRG] $50
Mutant Mudds Super Challenge [LRG-SEALED] $50
Mystery Chronicle One Way Heroics [LRG-SEALED] $55

Natural Doctrine [UK] $40
Need For Speed: Most Wanted [R4] $30 – RESERVED/PENDING PAYMENT
Nova-111 [LRG] $50

Octodad: Deadliest Catch C.E. [LRG] $90
Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee C.E. [LRG]$100
ONE PIECE Burning Blood $30
One Piece Pirate Warriors 3 [R4-SEALED] » $75
One Piece Unlimited World Red R4-SEALED] » $75
Operation Abyss New Tokyo Legacy [R4] $30
Organ Trail [LRG] $60

Pantsu Hunter Back to the 90’s L.E. [Play-Asia] $90
Persona 4 Dancing All Night Crazy Value Pack Collector’s Edition [Japanese minus Obi] $70
Persona 4 Dancing All Night [R4] $55
Persona 4 Golden (R4) $120
Persona 4 Golden Solid Gold Premium Ed $450 – RESERVED/PENDING PAYMENT
Phineas and Ferb: Day of Doofenschmirtz [R4] $15
Photo Kano Kiss [Japanese] $25
Plague Road [LRG – Kickstarter cover variant] $55
Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale [R4] $20
Playstation Vita Pets [R4] $30
Proteus [LRG] $55
Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly $45
Psycho Pass: Mandatory Happiness CE [R4] $100
Putty Squad $55
Puyo Puyo Tetris [Japanese] $55

Race the Sun [LRG] $60
Rainbow Moon Limited Edition [Play-Asia SEALED Game/Opened CE] $100
Rainbow Skies Limited Edition [PlayAsia SEALED Game/Opened CE] $100
Rayman Legends [Japanese/Cover Variant] $30
Rayman Legends + Rayman Origins [EU Exclusive & unique Double-Game on 1 cart & dual game single manual] $90
Rayman Origins [R4] $25
Reality Fighters [R4] $10
Reality Fighters [R4-SEALED] $15
Resistance: Burning Skies [R4] $30
Revenant Dogma [LRG-SEALED] $50
Ridge Racer [Korean] $50
Risk of Rain [LRG-SEALED] $60
Rocketbirds Hard Boiled Chicken [LRG – Sealed + Sealed OST CD] $100
Rocketbirds 2: Evolution [LRG-SEALED + Sealed OST CD] $100

Saturday Morning RPG $100
semispheres LE [Orange Cover Variant]$35
Shakedown Hawaii $60
SHINOBIDO 2 Revenge of Zen $45
Shovel Knight $90
Siralim 2 [LRG-SEALED] $60
Skullgirls: 2nd Encore [LRG] $100
Skyforce Anniversary [LRG] $75
Smart As… [R4] $10
Smart As… [R4-SEALED] $15
Söldner X2 Final Prototype [eastasiasoft] – SOLD!
Sorcery Saga:Curse of the Great Curry God [R4] $30
Soul Sacrifice [R4] $25
Soul Sacrifice [R4-SEALED] $45
Spelunky CE [LRG] – SOLD!
Spy Hunter [R4] $40
Spy Hunter [R4-SEALED] $70
Stranger of Sword City [R4] $45
Super Hydorah CE [LRG] – SOLD!
Super Monkey Ball Banana Splitz [R4] $40
Super Mutant Alien Assault [LRG-SEALED] $60
Superbeat Xonic $20
Superbeat Xsonic [Korean – Rare] $35
Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment LE [Japanese SEALED Game/Opened CE] $75

Taiko no Tatsujin: V Version [Rare Chinese version with English printed colour instruction sheet] $75
Taiko no Tatsujin: V Version [Japanese] $60
Tearaway [R4] $15
Tearaway [R4-SEALED] $25
Teslagrad [Value Pack – NTSC Variant SEALED Game/Opened CE] $110
Tetris Ultimate [Korean release in Full English] $70
The House in Fata Morgana C.E. [LRG] $200
The Jack and Daxter Trilogy [R4] $45
The King of Fighters ’97 Global Match CE [LRG-SEALED Game/Opened CE] $150
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II [R4] $60 – RESERVED/PENDING PAYMENT
The Muppets Movie Adventure [R4] $20
The Muppets Movie Adventure [R4-SEALED] $25
The Ratchet & Clank Trilogy [R4] $65
The Walking Dead Season 1 $70
The Walking Dead Season 2 $70
The Wolf Among Us $35
thomas was alone [LRG] $60
Touch My Katamari – SOLD!
Trillion God of Destruction [R4-SEALED] $80

Ukiyo no Roushi [Japanese Samurai game] $35
Uncharted: Golden Abyss [R4] $25
Undertale Collector’s Edition [LRG-SEALED Game/Opened CE] $120
UnEpic Limited Edition [Play-Asia No.231 of 500] $275
Utawarerumono Mask of Deception [LRG-SEALED Game/Opened CE] $75
Utawarerumono Mask of Truth [SEALED Game/Opened CE] $75

VA-11 Hall-A C.E. [LRG-SEALED Game/Opened CE] $210
Vegas Party [SEALED] $20
Velocity 2X: Critical Mass Edition [US with RARE Manual, OST CD & SLG Aluminium Art Plate] $100
Virtua Tennis 4 World Tour Edition [SEALED-UK PAL] $35
Volume [LRG-SEALED] $60

Windjammers C.E. [LRG] – SOLD!
Winning Post 8 20th Anniversary Box Collector’s Edition [Japanese] $110
World of Final Fantasy [R4] $45

XBLAZE Code: Embryo $40
XBLAZE Lost: Memories $40

Ys Memories of Celceta CE $120
Ys Origin CE $120
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana L.E. [R4-SEALED Game/Opened CE] $220 – RESERVED/PENDING PAYMENT

———————————————————
PS VITA MEGA PACKS
———————————————————
PS Vita Indie Games Mega Pack (4GB) $40 – RESERVED/PENDING PAYMENT
PS Vita LEGO Action Heroes Mega Pack (8GB) $55
———————————————————
PS Vita HARDWARE
———————————————————
PS Vita CIB Aqua Blue & 32GB card + 6 Games $500 – RESERVED/PENDING PAYMENT
PS Vita CIB Lime Green & 32GB card + 6 Games $500
PS Vita TV [R4 CIB] $250
PS Vita 64GB card $180
PS Vita Ethernet Development Tool $70
———————————————————
PS Vita Game Sets
———————————————————
Signature Edition Games: ALL-4 Vita Releases with All 4 Pre-Order Coins $500 Includes:

– Darkest Dungeon Collector’s Edition
– Slain: Back from Hell Limited Edition
– The Count Lucanor [SEALED Game/Opened CE]
– The Long Reach [SEALED Game/Opened CE]

ALL-6 RED ART GAMES Vita Releases (All 6 New/SEALED) $350 – Includes:

– Bit Dungeon + [RAG-SEALED]
– Demetrios The Big Cynical Adventure [RAG-SEALED]
– Ice Cream Surfer [RAG-SEALED]
– Riddled Corpses EX [RAG-SEALED]
– The Bard’s Tale Remastered And Resnarkled [RAG-SEALED]
– The Deer God [RAG-SEALED]

MLB Full Physical Set: $275
– MLB 12 The Show (USA)
– MLB 13 The Show (USA)
– MLB 14 The Show (USA)
– MLB 15 The Show (rare Korean physical cartridge edition)

FIFA Full Set: $50
– FIFA Football (R4)
– FIFA 13 (R4)
– FIFA 14 (R4)
– FIFA 15 (R2 UK – No R4 released)

PLEASE NOTE: The 5 downloadable game codes in the MEGA PACK are EXPIRED and you cannot redeem them (having said that I heard that it may still work but I have not tried so I’m listing them as NO GAMES – only the physical 4GB & 8GB SONY PlayStation memory cards to use on any Vita models. It took me a long time to come across these Mega Packs and now this is a chance for you to own one yourself.

Thank you for looking and I hope you find something here you enjoy. If not, I will be listing a large portion of my vast personal gaming collection (numbering in the thousands) as I take it out from storage, couple of tubs at a time. This includes games, consoles, Press Kits, gaming merchandise, promo items, development units, original posters, gaming accessories, Rare games, and more that I have purchased and collected over the past 30 years, most in very good to mint condition.

Thank you again and have an Ace day 

Seen anything you like? Of course you have! We have and are still trying to pick up our jaw off the floor! This is one MEGA PS Vita Sale that will probably never be repeated!

 

Review: Sega Mega Drive Mini – Welcome to the Next Level!

By

Casting our mind back to November 1990, we recall walking into our local family run Home and Entertainment Centre with our hard earned money (from pushing trolleys at our part-time job) to be faced with a dilemma of what new gaming console to buy for the new decade. This decision wasn’t taken lightly, as we had been 8 and 16-bit computer gamers till that point. We remember paying $399.99 for the Sega Mega Drive (Altered Beast pack-in) that day and another $100 for Golden Axe. Let’s just say that it was the best decision we ever made. We instantly fell in love with Sega’s 16-Bit console and that love affair is still as strong as ever.

Fast forward to the present day and the excitement of bringing home a mini version of Sega’s venerable console feels just the same as it did almost 29 years ago! Cracking open the box, we found a super cute shrunken Mega Drive Mini console, about 55% the size of the original Model 1 Mega Drive, two 3-button USB controllers, one HDMI cable and one USB to Micro-B power cable.

Being a genuine made Sega product, everything feels high quality. You can tell that Sega took a lot of care and poured their heart and souls into crafting this sleek and miniaturised Mega Drive. We love the attention to detail, like the cartridge flaps retracting, but obviously they are there for aesthetics, so you can put away your game carts. The headphone volume slider feels the same, albeit on a smaller scale, as do the reset button and on/off switch – it all feels very familiar, which is a good thing. The 3-button controllers are identical to the ones we had in 1990, except these are USB, not D-Pin connected. On that front, it would have been great if Sega had included 6-button controllers so that we could play games like Street Fighter II right out of the box. But don’t dwell on this, as you can use the Retro-Bit® 6-button controllers on this Mini.

Once the Mega Drive Mini was fired up, we were keen to start playing one of the 42 pre-loaded games (full list of games further down). The menu we were presented with was quite easy to navigate, with an awesome catchy tune created on the YM2612 sound chip by legendary composer Yuzo Koshiro (Streets of Rage and Beyond Oasis). Knowing that the pre-loaded titles from both first-party and third-party development teams were all handled by the premier developer, M2 (SEGA AGES and SEGA 3D Classics Collection), a team renowned for high attention to detail and accuracy, we knew the games ported to the Mega Drive Mini were in good hands – the M2 team should be commended for their brilliant effort. Oh yeah, both Tetris and Darius make it in the overall games list, which means the Mega Drive Mini is the only console where you’ll be able to play these two newly published Mega Drive games – how cool is that?!

Just like in 1990, the first game we fired up was Golden Axe. The hit of nostalgia was purely intoxicating. Our muscle memory didn’t let us down, so playing the game was just as fun as it was back then. However, unlike back then, we could now save our game at any point to come back to it later – so no more pesky pausing for 24 hours and running a high power bill. The game playing experience felt authentic, even if playing on a modern television. Having said that, there are settings available to change the aspect ratio (4:3 or 16:9) and for those of you that want the same visual experience from three decades ago, there is a CRT filter, which adds scan lines and adjusts the colour of the display to emulate the look and feel of a CRT television (see photos of this further below) – it’s pure magic.

Lovingly crafted from the ground up, the sleek and miniature SEGA Mega Drive Mini is for all retro gamers, especially those that have fond memories playing the original 16-bit console back in the day. Sega have truly delivered a high-quality, plug-and-play, collectable version of their awesome console. As their famous slogan once said, and it still rings true now, “To be this good takes AGES, To be this good takes SEGA.”

If you want to see the Sega Mega Drive Mini in the flesh, we will have it available in our Classic Gaming area at PAX Aus 2019. The Sega Mega Drive Mini will be released on September 19 at a retail price of AU$139.95.

The Mega Drive Mini 42 pre-loaded titles:

1. Sonic the Hedgehog
2. Ecco the Dolphin
3. Castlevania: The New Generation
4. Space Harrier 2
5. Shining Force
6. Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine
7. ToeJam & Earl
8. Comix Zone
9. Altered Beast
10. Gunstar Heroes
11. Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
12. World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck
13. Thunder Force III
14. Super Fantasy Zone
15. Shinobi III
16. Streets of Rage 2
17. Earthworm Jim
18. Sonic the Hedgehog 2
19. Probotector
20. Landstalker
21. Mega Man®: The Wily Wars
22. Street Fighter II’®: Special Champion Edition
23. Ghouls ‘n Ghosts®
24. Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle
25. The Story of Thor
26. Golden Axe
27. Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium
28. Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball
29. Vectorman
30. Wonder Boy in Monster World
31. Tetris®
32. Darius
33. Road Rash II
34. Strider
35. Virtua Fighter 2
36. Alisia Dragoon
37. Kid Chameleon
38. Monster World IV
39. Eternal Champions
40. Columns
41. Dynamite Headdy
42. Light Crusader

Disclosure: The Sega Mega Drive Mini was kindly provided by Five Star Games for this review.