!Arcade!

PIK3A: Raspberry Pi 3 IKEA Cocktail Tables

May 1, 2016 By Ms. ausretrogamer

There’s no better IKEA hack than a retrogaming IKEA hack, and these fantastic ‘PIK3A’ Raspberry Pi 3 IKEA cocktail arcade tables are the best! Even better, you can make your own by following spannerspencer’s detailed instructions on the element14 website (PIK3A mark I and PIK3A mark II).

The PIK3A mark I

The PIK3A mark II

Sources: element14 via @mattgillard, and element 14

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Ms. ausretrogamer
Co-founder, editor and writer at ausretrogamer – The Australian Retro Gamer E-Zine. Lover of science fiction, fashion, books, movies and TV. Player of games, old and new.

Follow Ms. ausretrogamer on Twitter

A Huge Arcade Coin-Op Sale On Craigslist

January 23, 2016 By ausretrogamer

Last Saturday (January 16) in a storage unit in Grand Island Nebraska there was a huge one day sale on classic and vintage arcade machines, jukeboxes and various other coin-ops. These relics had not seen the light of day in over 30 years!

The seller on Craigslist stated that there was too much gear to move and everything had to go – at fantastically great prices (Ed: relatively speaking!). The array of machines that had to go included: Asteroids and Asteroids Deluxe, Galaga, Bi Plane, Head-On, Omega Race (stand up and sit down), Space Invaders and Tank II to name just a few.

So, who of you attended this once-in-a-lifetime fire sale? Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook and tell us all about it.

PS: I wish we had these kinds of storage unit sales in Australia!

A Space Invader lurks in storage

Oh wow, a sit down Omega Race!

A great view for the spiders!

Asteroids, Paddle-Ball (ahem, Pong!) and Head-On!

Oh that dust!

Oh wow, a stand-up Omega Race too!

Packed to the rafters!
image source: Craigslist

Interview With Retro Rich: A Neo Geo Superstar

January 12, 2016 By ausretrogamer

We’ll start this by thanking Twitter. I know, it is a strange way of starting an interview piece, but the context must be set. If it wasn’t for the social media Goliath, we would never had met so many fantastic people in the retro gaming community, just like our very good friend from the UK, Richard Evans (aka: Retro Rich). After many conversations, limited to 140 characters of course, we decided it was high time we got Rich in the ausretrogamer interview hot seat! Grab your favourite snack and beverage, kick back and let’s see what Rich has to say for himself…

AUSRETROGAMER [ARG]: So Rich, hope we can call you Rich, tell us how you got into gaming?
Retro Rich [RR]: You certainly can call me Rich! Well my first memory of gaming was at my cousin’s house when I was very young. He had what I now know to be an Atari 2600 with the game Combat. Whenever I went there I always asked him to play Combat with me. I loved the tanks! Around the same time I visited another cousin of mine and she had Grandstand Astro Wars. I wanted both the Atari and Astro Wars so badly, but it wasn’t until some years later I was lucky enough to own a computer of my own. My father decided that we needed a BBC Micro at home because that was what we had at school. I don’t really ever remember using it for school work, but I do remember playing Granny’s Garden and Magic Adventure at school. The first games we owned at home were Acornsoft titles Planetoid and Arcadians which were good clones of arcade hits Defender and Galaxian. I grew up with the BBC and ended up with it in my room, so I bought games myself. The ones which I remember and loved the best were Elite, Citadel, Chuckie Egg, Repton 3 and Codename: Droid. I only really replaced the BBC when I got a Sega Master System Plus many years later and it spiraled from there. Next came a Mega Drive, then the Playstation, Playstation 2, N64 and so on.

ARG: Are you equally both into retro and modern gaming?
RR: Not really, it’s mostly all retro nowadays. I do own an Xbox 360, but my son Ethan plays that most of the time. He plays FIFA and Minecraft a lot. The last games I played on the 360 were Skyrim and Fallout 3 which I think are amazing games. So immersive, especially in Dolby 5.1 surround. Bethesda are awesome! The trouble is I find I don’t have the time to get into those longer games, and that’s where arcade games fit in since I can just play one for 10 minutes without having to spend an hour remembering where I was.

ARG: What is it about retro gaming that you most like and enjoy?
RR: There is obviously a significant nostalgia value to these old games since I grew up with them. But more than that I think some of the games still hold up against the games of today. Gameplay truly is more important than great graphics and sound. I also really enjoy the social interaction of the retro gaming scene, which I mostly participate in through Twitter. I’ve made so many friends! It’s like becoming a member of a really large club where there are so many cool and interesting people with similar interests. A group of us have created our own gaming organization / club called the Gaming Illuminati which started from an informal high score competition. There are five of us now, and we have the website coded by one of our members (Rob). The site features our scoreboard where we compete against each other for fun. Finally another attraction for me is the engineering side. I love fixing things and vintage gaming provides opportunity for that in large amounts!

ARG: Tell us about your games room setup?
RR: Unfortunately I don’t have a proper games room as I’m limited by space, so my games share the lounge (Den, family room). If I move house I intend to buy a place with enough space for a proper games room.

My console collection consists of: Mega Drive (PAL), Megadrive 2 PAL (modded to allow 60Hz and NTSC and NTSC-J), a jailbroken Neo Geo X, SNES, Playstation 2 – 1st Gen, Nintendo Wii, XBOX, Nintendo Gamecube, Sega Dreamcast, Xbox 360, Atari 2600 Jr, Nintendo 64, Game Boy, Nintendo DS and a Nintendo DS Lite.

All the consoles that support stereo sound end up going through my surround amp in one way or another. I try and connect them to the TV using the best picture method, so where supported they have RGB Scart or component cables.

The arcade collection is as follows: Neo Geo MVS 6-slot Electrocoin Arcade and a JAMMA cabinet I built from a flat pack kit – which is wired for JAMMA+ and has various arcade systems installed; a Hyper Neo Geo 64, 2 x Neo Geo MVS 1-slotters and a GameElf with both horizontal and vertical game card (which has about 1000 arcade games).

ARG: Do you have a fave retro system? If so, tell us which one and why it is your fave.
RE: It’s really difficult to pick one only! I think my favorite console is the SNES. The SNES has some of my favorite games including Legend Of Zelda, Super Mario Kart and Super Mario World and I love the control pads on the SNES – small but perfectly formed with loads of buttons. I feel I also need to mention my Neo Geo X as it’s rather special. It has a Jailbreak by OMG-SNK installed which means it plays all but 2 of the 148 official Neo Geo games, and has emulators for Capcom CPS too. It also plays ROMs from most 16-bit and below systems including Mega Drive, Master System, SNES, NES, Game Boy, GBC, GBA and Atari. It has literally hundreds of games on it and is a great emulation system with the addition of being completely portable when the handheld is removed.

ARG: From chatting with you on social media, we know you are a huge Neo Geo fan – why do you have such an affinity for SNK’s Neo Geo?
RR: I’m actually quite a latecomer to Neo Geo would you believe? I never played or owned one as a kid. I saw games for sale in magazines and couldn’t understand why they were so expensive when compared to other games systems of the time. It was more a myth, with one of my friends claiming they had another friend who owned one. When I started getting interested in arcade games I watched John’s Arcade on YouTube and when I saw his Neo Geo 4-slot “Big Red”, I knew I wanted to get one – it just looked so awesome! I still want a US spec Neo Geo like that one, but I’m very happy with my UK spec machine. I love the architecture from a technical point of view, and it has in my opinion, some of the best arcade games ever made. I could literally list tens of games here as the best ones, but I particularly like the Samurai Showdown and King Of Fighters series, the Metal Slug series, Pulstar and Blazing Star.

ARG: Any plans on getting an AES? If not, what other potential retro gaming items are you targeting for 2016?
RR: I don’t have any immediate plans to get an AES because I own several MVS systems and obviously I still have a long way to go to get all the games I want. That coupled with the fact that MVS games are generally cheaper anyway, means I’m unlikely to start collecting for AES any time soon – unless I come into large sums of money obviously! I would like to make either a consolized MVS, or better still, a SuperGun with a cool custom enclosure and control panel. That might be a better option since I could then plug in other arcade systems including an MVS. I kind of like the idea of making this myself and I certainly have the technical know-how needed. The more challenging side of it would be making it look cool, but I have friends who could help me with that. On the console side, I would really like a NES and a bunch of games. Will probably start looking out for a good deal this year. Finally, I really want an original R-Type arcade board, or better still, a Nintendo R-Type arcade cabinet. I love this game which I first played on the Sega Master System as a kid. I would like to go for the Twin Galaxies world record on R-Type, but keep that to yourself… sshhh… ARG: Your secret is safe with us! *winks*

ARG: You recently put up a YouTube video (which our readers can see below), what are the plans for your channel?
RR: I’m going to keep it simple to start with and not over complicate it or try to come across as a pro when I’m obviously not. I will continue to record using my iPhone 6s for now, but if things work out I will get a dedicated camera later. I’d also like to aim to stick to one-take videos so that I don’t end up delaying a release due to editing time etc. I have enough to think about remembering all the stuff I need to say, and trying to stay focused as it is when I’m recording – not to mention how nervous I am! As far as content goes, I aim to keep it all focused on retro gaming. I will continue to upload my Twin Galaxies world record attempt videos. I also have a list of requests to cover and things I’ve added myself, which include: more restoration videos, including my Neo Geo MVS; videos on the Xbox Steel Battalion plus the controller; my JAMMA cab and it’s various systems and technical setup; the scan-line generator (in the JAMMA cab); my Hyper Neo Geo 64 and the four fighting games; my consoles and demos of the modified Mega Drive 2. I’m also going to do a video on the Neo Geo X jailbreak. I will cover some of the Neo Geo games, and will probably tweet out before I record it asking for suggestions from my followers for games they would like me to include in the video, and then I will credit them with a mention!

ARG: Now we get to the hard hitting question – do you have an all-time favourite game? If you have more than one, that’s cool, we will allow this privilege only this once *winks*
RR: Well, as predicted, that is a tough one! I have always loved the Legend Of Zelda games, and if you had to push me to pick one it would probably be A Link To The Past on the SNES, but I do really like the gameplay on the Wii versions. The Skyward Sword game with the Motion Plus controller really works for me. I also really love shmups, so Pulstar, Blazing Star and R-Type have to get a mention here too.

ARG: Where can people get in touch with you or check up on what you are up to?
RR: They can follow me on Twitter or subscribe to my YouTube channel. Oh yeh, check out http://gaming-illuminati.net. I love seeing and hearing about other collections and gaming related stuff, so just get in contact!

We wanted to keep Rich in the interview hot seat and ask him a heap more questions, but we had to allow him to get back to his family and his many retro gaming goodies. We can always ask him follow up questions on Twitter – so watch out Rich!

A big thank you to Rich for agreeing to this interview and allowing us to take a peek at his awesome gaming collection. I wonder who we will put in the interview hot seat next…………

The Mini Arcade By SuperGameCo

November 26, 2015 By ausretrogamer

Have you always wanted to make your own mini arcade tabletop machine? Are you a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) hack just like me? If you answered yes to both questions, then the SuperGameCo Mini Arcade may be just what you are looking for.

Made from bamboo panels that snap together, the Mini Arcade is a breeze to setup – if you prefer (Ed: are too lazy), SuperGameCo also offer the Mini Arcade in fully assembled form.

At the heart of the Mini Arcade is a very speedy Raspberry Pi 2 Model B computer, running Emulation Station. This ensures that the emulators and games run nice and smooth. We didn’t experience any slowdown during play – which was great. The 9″ LCD screen provides great resolution, but the marquee protrudes a tad too much which tends to get in the way if you are not sitting down low.

The control deck is made up of an 8-way Sanwa/Seimitsu arcade stick and 6 concave arcade buttons. These are complimented with a single player select button and an insert coin (credit) button on the left side of the unit to provide an authentic arcade feel when playing games via MAME.

Audio on the Mini Arcade is pumped through the front facing speakers via a stereo amplifier. We did find that the sound wasn’t as beefy as we would have liked, which took away a bit from the experience when playing shoot’em ups with booming explosions.

We found the Mini Arcade to be a breeze to operate and play games. The assembly was nice and easy, and once you are all setup, it is pretty straight forward to select your favourite old game and get all nostalgic. If you are struggling to find a Christmas present for your retro gaming partner, then the Mini Arcade may be a viable option.

PROS:
– Clever snap-together kit (or you could opt for it to be fully assembled)
– Easy to get started playing games
– Latest Raspberry Pi 2 Model B internals
– Quality Sanwa/Seimitsu arcade joystick
– Inclusion of the Insert Coin button provides an authentic arcade feel
– Multiple interfaces (USB/RJ45) for additional connectivity

CONS:
– Marquee is obtrusive when playing on the 9″ LCD display
– Button layout felt a tad cramped
– Sound is reasonable, but it needs to be meatier
– Insert coin button stickiness (may have just been our unit)
– Power supply cord was too short
– Graphics on the bamboo panels would be nice

The Mini Arcade product variants and prices can be found at the SuperGameCo store here.

Tiny Arcade: A Retro Tiny Playable Game Cabinet

November 25, 2015 By Ms. ausretrogamer

‘Tiny Arcade’ is an adorable arcade cabinet that fits in the palm of your hand – this is our kind of mobile gaming!

Made by Tiny Circuits, the Tiny Arcade has an analog joystick and two fire buttons, a built in speaker for playing audio, a Lithium battery, built in USB for charging (and programming), and a microSD expansion slot.

You can order your Tiny Arcade completely pre-assembled or as a DIY kit and there are plans for over twenty classic games available for free download by the start of shipping. The Kickstarter campaign has already well and truly met its target, so get your order in by 18 December 2015 if you want your own Tiny Arcade!

Games

Options: black acrylic, clear acrylic, basswood or the premium realistic 3D printed case.

Kickstarter rewards

Source: Kickstarter via Laughing Squid
Image and video source: Kickstarter

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Ms. ausretrogamer
Co-founder, editor and writer at ausretrogamer – The Australian Retro Gamer E-Zine. Lover of science fiction, fashion, books, movies and TV. Player of games, old and new.

Follow Ms. ausretrogamer on Twitter

Sean Tagg: The PAX Aus King Of Kong

November 10, 2015 By ausretrogamer

There was no doubt that the Classic Gaming area was popular at this year’s PAX Aus event. One of the more popular attractions were the competitions, especially the high score challenge on the original Donkey Kong arcade machine (Ed: a big thanks to Greg Pell for sharing his awesome machine with us all!).

The PAX Aus patrons swarmed to the Donkey Kong machine like moths to a flame. High scores were racked up while players took control of ‘Jumpman’ to hurdle over barrels in the attempt to save Pauline from the evil clutches of the great anthropomorphic gorilla.

With great poise and precision four-way control, Sean Tagg showed the masses how to go about saving Pauline. While Billy Mitchell was declared the King Of Kong all those years ago, it was Sean Tagg’s high score of 103,900 (on Sunday) which saw him crowned as the PAX Aus King Of Kong! Well done Sean!

Sean Tagg barrel jumps and then hammers his way up to the top!

Sean’s high score was enough to clinch the PAX Aus King of Kong crown

Like father, like son – Henry gets in on some arcade action!

The PAX Aus Classic Gaming medal is handed to its rightful owner!

Love Hultén: Fusing Modern And Traditional

October 17, 2015 By Ms. ausretrogamer

We’ve written about Swedish designer and craftsman, Love Hultén’s elegant retro arcade, the R-Kaid-R, before – but that’s only the beginning. Hultén creates stunning electronic devices by fusing modern technology with traditional artisan knowledge. Everything is produced, polished, and assembled in his one-man studio in Gothenburg, Sweden.

BATTLECADEConceptual arcade console for two players, inspired by classic board games like Battleship.

Video source: Love Hultén on YouTube

PE358Pocket sized portable game system inspired by the Game Boy Advance SP console built around a Raspberry Pi A+.

R-KAID-42R-Kaid-42 (Arcade for two) is a two-player arcade/MAME machine.

Video source: Love Hultén on YouTube

R-KAID-KURBITS
R-Kaid-Kurbits is a special hand painted edition of the R-Kaid-42 unit, inspired by traditional Swedish furniture painting techniques.

R-KAID-REVELATIONTwo-player arcade/MAME machine with two wireless joypads and a wooden bluetooth keyboard/mouse.

PIXELKABINETT 42Limited edition of 50, JAMMA board of your choice, or it can be customized to run a modern computer, emulating all your favorite games through MAME (buy the Pixelkabinett 42).

700The 700 is a conceptual two-player arcade/MAME machine inspired by the Telechron Electrolarm 700 from 1929.

R-KAID-44A hexagonal four-player arcade/MAME machine.

YESTERDAY PIXELVISIONRetro enclosure for LCD/TV monitors of different sizes.

Source: Love Hultén and Laughing Squid

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Ms. ausretrogamer
Co-founder, editor and writer at ausretrogamer – The Australian Retro Gamer E-Zine. Lover of science fiction, fashion, books, movies and TV. Player of games, old and new.

Follow Ms. ausretrogamer on Twitter

Toy Shack: A Vegas Toy Story

September 8, 2015 By ausretrogamer

When was the last time you walked into a toy store and got absolutely wowed? If you are like us, I bet it was way too long ago to remember.

On our recent trip to the US, we didn’t just get wowed, we got absolutely gobsmacked by Toy Shack, a superb toy store in Las Vegas. Nesteled within the Neonopolis shopping complex in downtown Vegas (Fremont Street Experience), Toy Shack is truly a magical place you must visit and experience when you come to the City of Sin! Toy Shack has it all, from every conceivable collectible toy, to old school video games and even some golden age arcade machines to slip a quarter or two to give you that much needed hit of nostalgia.

Both Ms. ausretrogamer and I were mesmerised in each aisle of the store, with vintage 80s toys, comics, games and other collectibles lining the walls, from floor to ceiling – the photos below will attest to that (to an extent)! We had a difficult time leaving Toy Shack with only a handful of bags of super cool items, but the luggage allowance kept us in check.

If you ever find yourself in Vegas and want to do something other than gamble, then head to the Toy Shack for the ultimate in vintage 80s toys – we highly recommend it!

Store: Toy Shack
Address: Neonopolis, 450 Fremont St #117, Las Vegas, NV 89101, USA
Hours: Mon – Sat 11am to 10pm; Closed on Sunday

If you find yourself in other cities within the US, then you may want to check out these places: Musée Mécanique (San Francisco), the Nintendo World Store and the 8-Bit & Up and Video Games NY stores (New York City)

We found it! I wonder what awaits inside…

I spy, Masters Of The Universe (MOTU) and Super Mario stuff!

Woo hoo! I love my MOTU gear – brings back great childhood memories

Oh man, so many MOTU temptations, especially that clock!

Aha, I thought I spied Super Mario action figures!

Oo’er, a nice but scary bust!

Golden oldies! Now when was the last time you found arcade machines in a toy store?

So much to look at! Wish I had compound eyes!

Already worked up a thirst, and we have barely scratched the surface in here!

G.I. Joe baby!

Holy smokes – more G.I. Joe goodness (among other cool collectibles)!

Visual sensory overload! Gotta take in all this Hot Wheels awesomeness!

Haha, this one is for you, Ms. ausretrogamer!

I wasn’t aware of all the diverse (and cool) Hot Wheels!

I’ll take that, thank you very much

Wish we had a limitless luggage (and financial) allowance!

Chocolate and Miami Vice Hot Wheels? Really? Wow!

Moving right along, we now hit the Twilight Zone

Where do I even focus here!

Found the cool action figures area! First thing we see, Mobile Suit Gundam wing!

What the – Lau as a Virtua Fighter 4 action figure? Want!

Found Lara!

One for the Final Fantasy fans!

Very apt seeing this MGS 2 tactical espionage action figure ;-)

Now this I did not know existed! The temptation to buy is unbearable!

First it was Virtua Fighter 4 action figures, now it’s Tekken 4! *mind blown*

Zelda fans rejoice!

We do need some new plates…….

Admit it, you wanna sing “Transformers, robots in disguise”

Found the old school video games section!

Oooo, GameCube and Tiger gear!

Whoa! Tele-Pong and Frogger tabletop! I wonder what is behind these….

Ah, there you are! Great to see a C64 and a Genesis among the stack of retrogaming gear

Man, this place is too much! I love Toy Shack!

If I guess what’s inside the box, can I keep it?

King of the stuntmen indeed

One for the KISS fans – yep, I am looking at you Mr. Matt Cawley

Now this is a WrestleFest!

Which item captures your eye? Could it be the Transformers or those Star Trek figures?

I knew I was gonna find Star Wars somewhere in here……

Old school Star Wars nirvana!

OMG, Heat Packin’ Jack!

Get in my belly!

I’ll take one of each, thank you (I wish!)

The original road warrior!

I look up and BAM, more MOTU goodness!

I do need a new alarm clock. This should help me get up on those cold mornings

Resistance (to buying temptation) is futile!

Must. Have. That. MOTU vinyl record!

Ladies and Gentlemen, introducing Mr. Ram Man himself

I need to unsee this, otherwise my bank manager will be calling me!

Spawning more goodness

Diecast to die for!

I’ll take one of, 154, 459 and 192 pieces, thanks

I kneel to the defender of the universe!

Fight of the Century?

Poke-a-board!

Yep, there are comics here too!

I guess E.T. didn’t phone home…….

The perfect action figure mix, Itchy and Sly

Your move, creep!

Be back to Toy Shack, we will!

Mixed bag! Hang on, that’s an Ecto-1!

These guys have ball-Z of dragons!

We see a heartening sight upon our exit – a young lad getting into some old school arcade action. Retrogaming is alive and well!

PAX Aus 2015 Primer: We’re Back, Again!

September 2, 2015 By ausretrogamer

Just like Arnie famously said, “I’ll be back” – well, we’ll be back too for our third straight PAX Aus event! Since the first PAX Aus in 2013, the ausretrogamer team is once again teaming up with the Retro Domination boys and the Weird and Retro crew for 2015 to bring you an even more awesome Classic Gaming area!

All your favourite retro gaming systems from Atari, Commodore, Sega and Nintendo (to name just a few) will be back on freeplay! For this year, the old school consoles and computers will be complemented by an array of ‘other’ bigger (and badder) machines that will inject even more nostalgia into the area. We can’t say too much at this stage, but be ready to be blown away!

With a stellar lineup of systems, games and tournaments, this year’s PAX Aus is sure to be another event you cannot miss! Hope to see you guys there!

Event: PAX Aus 2015
Date: Oct 30 – Nov 1, 2015
Where: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC)

If you want to reminisce about previous PAX Aus events, then get into your time machine and punch in 2013 and 2014 right now!

image source: Blow The Cartridge

Coming To America

August 7, 2015 By ausretrogamer

It’s been a while since we had a holiday – our last proper trip was to the Gold Coast (where we spent a lot of time at Timezone Surfers Paradise) almost 2 years ago. So we are well overdue for a vacation!

Although we have been to the US before and visited some great retrogaming tourist attractions (e.g. San Francisco’s Musée Mechanique, the Nintendo World Store in NYC, plus 8Bit & Up and Video Games NY) there are more than enough places left to visit to justify a return trip. This time we will be concentrating on the West Coast.

Los Angeles
Once we hit LA, we do what all tourists do, go on a TMZ Hollywood Tour to check out where the celebs hang out. Also, while in the US, attending a live taping of a show is a must – we will be ticking @Midnight off of our bucket list too (Ed: Hope Stacey Borg will be watching!). And no trip is complete without a feed and gaming session at Dave and Buster’s (in Hollywood).

Anaheim (a.k.a. Disneyland!)
When we think of Anaheim, we think of Disneyland! With a 3-day pass, surely we will get to experience everything that Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park have to offer! Then we’ll hit the Games of the Boardwalk and the ESPN Zone Sports Arena in the Downtown Disney District.

Once we are done with Disneyland, we’ll be checking out the Exodus Escape Room – Sherlock’s Study and Trap Room, and hopefully Video Game Geeks and Phat Collectibles. I get the feeling we should have booked an extra day or two…

Las Vegas
What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas! Nah, we don’t subscribe to that saying, we will be happy to share our Vegas experience with you all! I know that Alex is really looking forward to hitting the Pinball Hall Of Fame and then going retro gaming shopping at A Gamer’s Paradise store. We will have to be careful not to exceed our luggage limit!

We will also be packing a heap of coins to check out the casino amusement centres at New York-New York (The Big Apple Roller Coaster and Arcade), MGM Grand (West Wing Bar Arcade Lounge), Excalibur (The Fun Dungeon) and Circus Circus (Midway Arcade). We’ll even hit the arcade and gaming booths at Insert Coin(s) on the old Vegas strip.

Our non-gaming fun will involve the Zombie Burlesque and a tour of the classic Vegas signs at the Neon Boneyard. Last but not least on our Vegas hitlist, is the underground arcade joint, Flipperspiel Wunderland!

Vancouver
After Vegas, we will be venturing across the border into Canada to check out the wonderful city of Vancouver. While researching of the things to see and do, I stumbled upon the Movieland Arcade. I know we are both looking forward to this one.

We will be cramming a fair bit into our short stay in Vancouver, but places like Pub 340 (for some Karaoke fun!), EXP Restaurant and Bar and Golden Age Collectibles are high on our ‘to do’ list. And of course, no trip to Vancouver is complete without going to Gastown for some live music, board games, pool, darts and video games!

Seattle
Last on our whirlwind trip is beautiful Seattle. We will be getting more silver ball fever by visiting the Seattle Pinball Museum and then hitting the barcades like John John’s Game Room and Vidiot to quench our thirst and unwind with some games.

Our sweet tooth and gaming appetite will surely be satisfied at the quirky Full Tilt Ice Cream parlour. If that isn’t enough, then I reckon a bite and more gaming at Gameworks will satisfy our hunger.

There are a number of cool museums in Seattle, we’re looking forward to visiting the EMP Museum of Music – SciFi – Pop Culture, the Living Computer Museum and the Museum of History and Industry. Maybe we’ll also check out Pike Place Market for some arts and crafts.

A highlight for Alex is sure to be the Boeing Tour, while I’m looking forward to the carnival themed Unicorn & Narwhal bars and the Rock Box Karaoke Rooms and Bar. To finish up, Alex and I will be downing some hot dogs and frosty beers while playing the arcade machines and classic pinball tables at Shorty’s Arcade & Pinball. Oh boy, it will be quite difficult leaving Seattle, but all good things must come to an end.

Well, there you have it. I didn’t realise our itinerary was so packed with wonderful things to do and see in North America – we both can’t wait to get there! Rest assured, there will be plenty of photos (and maybe a few videos) from the places we visit, so stay tuned (and don’t forget to let us know about other cool places we could visit in these cities)!

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Ms. ausretrogamer
Editor and Researcher at ausretrogamer – The Australian Retro Gamer E-Zine. Lover of science fiction, fashion, books, movies and TV. Player of games, old and new.

Follow Ms. ausretrogamer on Twitter

!Arcade!

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