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What’s Up America! – Video Warriors Mini Documentary From 1980

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We love finding obscure mini documentaries from the early 80s, just like this What’s Up America! mini documentary, titled Video Warriors, which provides an insight on the state of the arcade video games industry circa 1980.

This documentary features a fresh-faced Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell, Lyle Rains (Atari VP of Engineering, Coin-Operated Games Division), and Roger Hector (Atari Manager of Advanced Products) to name a few. The focus is primarily on Atari Coin-Ops games, but arcade games from other manufacturers are also shown. We really love the part where Roget Hector discusses his co-creation, Atari’s (unreleased) Cosmos holographic handheld games system!

For those of you outside of North America, the What’s Up America! TV series ran on the Showtime channel from 1979-1981. Now go and enjoy this hit of nostalgia!


source: Scottith Games

 

VergeWorld: ICarus – A Nostalgic Blast!

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Whoa, the team at Retro Bones have been busy tinkering on VergeWorld: Icarus, a new sci-fi racer shoot’em up game (with exploration elements) for the Amiga, Atari and Mega Drive!

What is VergeWorld you ask? Far into the future, on a distant and inhospitable planet, mankind engages in one thing it knows well – war. The tyrannical corporate regime wants to enslave all inhabitants of the Kingdom – humanity’s new home. As a young smuggler, Nix, aboard the aircraft Icarus, you want to help the oppressed by joining the Revolt.

Download the Amiga demo to prove your worth by completing the infamous Death Run challenge and convince the Revolt to accept you as one of them!

image source: Retro Bones

 

HIGH SCORE – A New Netflix Docuseries Tracing The History of Classic Video Games

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If you have Netflix, then mark August 19th on your calendar to watch HIGH SCORE, a new 6 part documentary series tracing the history of classic video games.

Narrated by the voice of our favourite video game plumber, Charles Martinet, this docuseries traces the history of classic video games, featuring insights from the innovators who brought these worlds and characters to life.

We have watched a plethora of documentaries on the history of video games, so we expect to hear some of the same stories, but that isn’t a bad thing at all. With Netflix behind this documentary, we are assured of high production value!

We can’t wait to watch this to get our nostalgia hit! Get Ready!


source: Netflix

 

Online Pre-Orders For Atari VCS and Accessories Start Today for Gamers in Australia and New Zealand

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PSA: For those of you not in the know, Atari have been tinkering away for a while, creating a new Atari gaming system. The time has come where an official announcement was made this morning about this new gaming system, its availability and price for Australian and New Zealand gamers. We hope to get our hands on an Atari VCS system in the near future and give you our thoughts on it!

The press release is provided below with photos of the system(s), their peripherals, where to pre-order, and most importantly, the prices:

Atari® — one of the world’s most iconic consumer brands and interactive entertainment producers — today announced that it has signed a distribution agreement with Bluemouth Interactive, a supplier of premium video game products, as part of its worldwide Atari VCS hardware launch strategy into the Australian & New Zealand market.

Atari® returns to the living room with the Atari VCS — a completely modern gaming and video computer system, blending the best of consoles and PCs to delight a whole new generation of  gamers and creators.

The all-new Atari VCS home gaming and video computer system is a unique PC/console hybrid platform inspired by classic Atari consoles and contemporary gaming and multimedia PCs. Like the legendary Atari 2600 did in 1977, the new Atari VCS is set to invigorate the TV-centric gaming and home entertainment experience. Users will enjoy an ever-expanding Atari world of all-new games, classic and remastered favorites, streaming media, and personal apps. The Atari VCS is powered by an AMD RyzenTM 1606G high-performance Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) with Zen-core and Radeon Vega Graphics, enabling gaming and video streaming up to 4K HDR at 60fps.

Atari VCS 800 Black Walnut All-In-One Bundle

Atari VCS 800 Onyx Base

Unlike other home game systems, owners can also install Windows or Linux operating systems via the unique Atari VCS “PC Mode” and use a mouse and keyboard to transform the Atari VCS into an expandable PC to enjoy more of their favorite games and applications. The Atari VCS combines the best of consoles and PC into one ultra-versatile device.

“We are delighted to announce our new partnership with Bluemouth Interactive to bring the Atari VCS overseas to Australia and New Zealand,” said Atari CEO Frédéric Chesnais. “Bluemouth Interactive is an experienced distributor of video games, accessories, and gaming hardware, making them the ideal partner to help Atari launch its first new home gaming system in decades.”

David Provan, Managing Director of Bluemouth says, “Working with the Atari team and being given the responsibility to drive this exciting new piece of the iconic Atari brand in this territory is both a privilege and an honour for me personally and professionally. One of the most recognisable and authentic brands not just in gaming but as a lifestyle brand itself, the Atari VCS will honour its past but will be ready for the future.

Atari VCS Wireless Classic Joystick
 

Atari VCS Wireless Modern Controller

At a time when we are all looking for fresh and innovative ways to consume various forms of content (both new and old), the VCS combines nearly 50 years of entertainment into one stylish
creation, opening up our lounge rooms to near infinite content possibilities from one device. Its form and function is unapologetically different, as Atari fans want it to be. Being a PC/Console hybrid device allows for a stylish yet minimalistic icon to grace our lounge rooms, whilst offering the power, openness, and upgradeability that typically only comes with a big ugly PC. That for me is its ‘X Factor’, and for that I’m very excited!”

Bluemouth Interactive will commence full distribution of the Atari® VCS Console and peripherals range effective immediately.

Scheduled to launch in November 2020, the Atari VCS lineup of video computer systems, bundles, and peripherals are available now for preorder at EB Games, JB HiFi, The Gamesmen,  Catch.com.au, Mightape.co.nz, and Atarivcs.com.au.

The Atari VCS 800 (8GB) Onyx Base system will retail for just AU$699.95 (NZ$749.95), while Atari VCS 800 “All-In” system bundles include
the Atari VCS Classic Joystick (available separately for AU$109.95 (NZ$129.95) and Atari VCS Modern Controller (AU$109.95 (NZ$129.95) all for AU$849.95 (NZ$899.95) combined. The Atari
VCS Classic Joystick and Modern Controllers were created in partnership with PowerA.

image source: Bluemouth Interactive

 

Celebrate PAC-MAN’s 40th Anniversary

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Well, well, well, the yellow dot (or is it pill?) muncher turns 40 years old today [May 22]!

Ah, what a time to be alive to see a childhood video game (character) we cherished reach such a huge milestone! The year-long Pac-Man 40th anniversary celebrations kick on, so make sure you do not miss out!

If you didn’t know about Bandai Namco’s Pac-Man 40th anniversary year-long celebrations then have a read of this and then go Join the Pac!

image source: Pac-Man Official Site

 

The Internet Arcade – Online Classic Arcade Gaming

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Are you sick of mucking around with MAME to get your classic arcade gaming fix?

Well, if you didn’t know, the Internet Archive has you sorted with their Internet Arcade. The Internet Arcade is a web-based library of classic arcade (coin-operated) video games from the 1970s through to the 1990s. You can play all of these classics in your browser, with the emulation being in JSMAME, which is part of the JSMESS software package.

So no more stuffing about configurations and chasing questionable ROM files all over the net, the Internet Arcade has you sorted with well over 1,700 games! Well, don’t sit there and stare at this, go and play some classic arcade games.

 

Missile Command: Recharged – It’s a Blast

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Atari’s seminal 1980s arcade classic, Missile Command, has now been Recharged and is ready for blasting on your favourite iOS and Android device!

Missile Command has been one of our favourite games to play due to its compelling simplicity and very visceral and satisfying gameplay – aim at the falling missiles, fire and destroy, it doesn’t get better or simpler than that.

Missile Command: Recharged is actually quite well (re)done with beautiful neon visuals paired with cool electronic music that Jeff Minter would be quite proud of. The game also has power-ups, upgrades, and an augmented reality feature, making this game quite a blast (pun intended).

The current Atari cops a lot of stick for milking their original IP, including from us, but this free to play game (with a one time purchase to remove the ads) is a pleasant surprise – it is really well done.

If you want a (free) Missile Command game for your smart device, then you can’t go wrong with Missile Command: Recharged. Get it now!

 

Game Over: Hardest Video Games Ever

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Even though I have been gaming for over three decades, I am still your average gamer. The 80s arcade games definitely toughened me and sharpened my skills, but there were some games that no matter how sharp I was, I could never beat them.

The following list of wickedly difficult games is an admission of sorts that I never got to see the end credits. Heck, I don’t even think I saw more than a few levels (without cheating) on any of these games.

What are some of your most hardest games ever played? Let us know via Twitter or Facebook.

OUR HARDEST GAMES LIST

Contra / Gryzor / Probotector

Ghosts’n Goblins

Mega Man

Battletoads

Bionic Commando

Green Beret / Rush’n Attack

Impossible Mission

Robotron:2084

Rolling Thunder

Defender

Robocop

Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels

ESWAT: Ciyt Under Siege

Slap Fight

Hellfire

Rick Dangerous

Airwolf

Paperboy

Game Over

 

Celebrating Our 8th Anniversary!

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It is amazing to think that we started ausretrogamer 8 years ago! How time flies when you are having fun!

When we started our site and social media channels in January 2012, we had no idea what was to come. We were pleasantly surprised to find so many like-minded people who enjoyed playing and talking about old games we used to play many many decades ago. Nostalgia is a powerful force that binds us all – long may it continue!

To all the people that have contributed and to those that are still contributing content and everyone that engages with us, thank you very much – you all rock our world!

Looking forward to another year full of retro gaming goodness 🙂