gamer

Our Fun Factory Gets a RPI2DMD Retro Arcade Wall Clock

16/08/2022 By ausretrogamer

We have always admired the Run-DMD clock and RPI2DMD arcade wall clocks, but getting one always proved elusive.

In October last year we serendipitously stumbled upon a new post on a UK pinball forum advertising a limited run of these DMD retro arcade clocks. We immediately registered our interest and the rest as they say, is history! The maker of these was going to do a run of about 30 units, so we definitely got lucky, as they got snapped up within minutes of the post going live!

Let the build begin!

We received our meticulously handmade RPI2DMD Retro Arcade Wall Clock in early January, which was amazing, considering all the international shipping disruptions due to the pandemic.

We must say, this amazing DMD panel is eye-poppingly gorgeous in real life and is quite large – which is a good thing. The DMD clock is connected via WiFi (it also has an Ethernet/RJ45 port), allowing us to login and configure our location (for time and weather information) and the animations we want to cycle through.

Speaking of animations, this thing is loaded! It has 5235 animations to be exact. The animations range from arcade and pinball attraction screens, logos, consoles, computers, to Christmas and Halloween GIFs to name just a few. There were also some *ahem* questionable adult animations, but we switched those off for obvious reasons.

Setting up the RPI2DMD

Specs of the RPI2DMD Retro Arcade Clock include:

Built on Raspberry Pi, Custom software, Colour panels, Remote accessibility and settings
Brightness settings dependant on the time of day (so it can go dim at night, and then on bright at 8am for example)
Edit the display duration (or switch the individual function off!), choose different fonts & background images
Display a 7-day weather forecast (using an API key from OpenWeatherMap)
WiFi and Ethernet connection
5000+ animations across 14 categories

And of course, to do all of this, ideally you would need a Wifi Connection, or wired Ethernet (although not essential, highly recommended – the Weather forecast does NOT work without an internet connection).

The wait to get one of these was definitely worth it. It looks absolutely amazing and is always a great conversation starter.

Testing the RPI2DMD

Tiny Pinball That Can Play Pinball Fantasies

29/07/2022 By ausretrogamer

This miniature homemade pinball machine is so darn cute!

Don’t be deceived by its tiny looks – this little beast can play one of the greatest pinball games from the 90s, Pinball Fantasies, on its tiny screens! To make it even more like its bigger and heavier brother, it sports a working plunger and haptic feedback for added realism – mind totally blown!

For those of you that want to know the technical aspects of this creation, check out it out here.

source: Sprite_tm

story source: hackaday.com

Intoxicating Nostalgia: The LEGO Icons Atari VCS (10306) Set

20/07/2022 By ausretrogamer

Here we were thinking it doesn’t get any better than Lego’s Nintendo Entertainment System set, but looks like we were terribly mistaken! Lego have now gone up another level with their amazing Atari VCS/2600 (10306) set! Just look at the intricate detail, it oozes an intoxicating aroma of nostalgia. The set contains 2,532 pieces that create the iconic woodgrain console, three game carts, a CX40 joystick, three-shelf cabinet and three 3D vignettes of classic 2D games!

Just like when the Lego NES set was released, this won’t be cheap. Slated at a retail price of AU$369.99, you can grab one from 1st August – not long to wait now!

image source: Brickfinder – Facebook

Lego Ideas: Game Boy Colour Transformer “PRISMATIS”

15/07/2022 By ausretrogamer

We love Lego Ideas that have a nostalgic link to our past, just like this Game Boy Colour Transformer “PRISMATIS” by Baron Von Brunk.

Built in 2017, this particular Lego Ideas entry is based on an iconic full-size 1990s Game Boy Color, with its crisp lime green colours, a battery case on the back that comes off to store two batteries that double as missiles – how clever! Baron tells us that the transformation process is straight forward without the need to remove parts. The Transformer arms and hands are articulated with individual fingers on each hand – talk about attention to detail! Oh yeah, how cool is that speaker vent – another great touch to this very cool Lego Ideas entrant.

Review: Final Vendetta

17/06/2022 By ausretrogamer

Sorry Double Dragon, Final Fight & Streets of Rage, there is a new beat’me up contender that kicks your a***

As an enduring genre we have always loved beat’em ups, especially at the arcades! Starting with Double Dragon in 1987 where we could play with a buddy kicking two-shades out of the baddies, we were very excited to get our hands on Final Vendetta!

Final Vendetta harks back to the good ole days of arcade beat’em ups, like Final Fight, with hard-hitting action, packed with modern stunning pixel art visuals, thumping dance/techno soundtrack featuring exclusive tracks by Utah Saints (yep, Utah Saints!), and most importantly, being able to brawl with bad dudes and tough girls across (six) very dangerous environments.

The hardcore fighting action pulls no punches in Final Vendetta, with heaps of enemies to take down with one of three playable heroes (characters) that have varying fighting styles with fresh beat’em up mechanics like the ability to block and strike downed opponents and a plethora of other moves and combos to master. Oh yeah, to ensure your character’s health bar is always in tip top shape, there is succulent street food to sample across each level.

With only having time to play the arcade mode before this review, FV has four exciting game modes in total, with the aforementioned Arcade mode, Survival, Versus and Boss Rush – enough to keep you brawling for ages!

Goddamn this is a top class game. There honestly isn’t enough superlatives to describe the luscious visuals, the amazing sound effects and soundtracks, and of course, the gameplay with its usual moves and combos. But what sets Final Vendetta head and shoulders above anything else that came before it are the newly minted beat’em up mechanics/moves like blocking, striking downed opponents and performing juggle combos – these truly are the cherries on top of an already delicous cake!

Here is the final word on Final Vendetta – it is simply the complete beat’em up video game package, and we would go as far as saying this is the genre’s magnum opus – it’s that bloody good!

Details:

Game: Final Vendetta
Platform(s):
- Digital: Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox X|S & Steam
- Physical: check retailers at Numskull Games
Available: June 17, 2022 (UK and Europe)
Price: US$24.95 (Switch eShop)

Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium Launches In July

10/06/2022 By ausretrogamer

Put Your Arcade Skills to the Test When Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium Launches This July

Get ready to relive some of your favourite arcade memories when Capcom Arcade 2^nd Stadium – chock-full with 32 classic Capcom games – releases worldwide on July 22, 2022 on Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®4, Xbox One and Steam. Retro fans and arcade novices alike can experience (or re-experience!) arcade mainstays like STREET FIGHTER, SATURDAY NIGHT SLAM MASTERS, BLACK TIGER, MEGAMAN 2 – THE POWER FIGHTERS -, A.K.A. MAGIC SWORD and more. Friends and family can even get in on the action with local multiplayer available across a number of titles.

Similar to the original Capcom Arcade Stadium released last year, players can expect an abundance of customization and gameplay options in Capcom Arcade 2^nd Stadium, including:

Online leaderboards: Climb the ladder and see how you stack up against other players.
Display settings: A variety of display settings (Normal, Arcade, Full Screen), screen filters, arcade cabinet designs and frames to personalize every gaming experience and maximize the feeling of playing at your own home arcade.
Gameplay options: Including adjustable Game Speed (from “Very Slow” to “Very Fast”) and Difficulty Level to increase accessibility – or to give yourself an added challenge.
Rewind: This Rewind feature is available across all Capcom Arcade 2^nd Stadium games and allows players to jump back 10 seconds in time to save themselves (or a friend) from any unforeseen dangers. Whether you’re struggling to defeat a boss or want to practice a tricky segment of a game, the Rewind feature unlocks a whole new dimension of gameplay.
Invincibility mode: Play all the titles in the collection in an invincible state, available as free DLC!

All players start out with SONSON, the 2D side-scrolling platformer first released in 1984, for free. Players who pre-order or purchase Capcom Arcade 2^nd Stadium before August 5, 2022 will receive the “Display Frames Set 1,” which gives players access to 32 title-specific display frames that open new customization options for their digital arcade cabinets. Additionally, players who pre-order or purchase Capcom Fighting Collection™ before September 30, 2022 will receive Three Wonders, which packs three arcade games into one, as a bonus game for Capcom Arcade 2^nd Stadium.

With Capcom Arcade 2^nd Stadium, players have the freedom to build up their own personalized collections by purchasing individual titles. For maximum nostalgia, players can choose to purchase the “Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium Bundle 1” for access to all 32 titles.

Original Capcom Arcade Stadium players also receive bonus content in Capcom Arcade 2^nd Stadium, including:

Capcom Arcade Stadium Music & Lights: Players who have save data from Capcom Arcade Stadium receive access to this new feature that allows you to change the colours and music for the menu screens.
Instruction Card Backgrounds: Anyone who purchased at least one title from Capcom Arcade Stadium will be able to set instructions and key art from past titles as their background for the game.

Lastly, to celebrate Capcom’s 39^th anniversary and the first year since the release of Capcom Arcade Stadium, we are making Street Fighter II – The World Warrior – available to download for free in Capcom Arcade Stadium through July 21, 2022.

The full game list for Capcom Arcade 2^nd Stadium is below. Prepare yourself…it’s a long one!

1943 Kai – Midway Kaisen –
A.K.A. BLOCK BLOCK
A.K.A. KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND
A.K.A. MAGIC SWORD
A.K.A. THE KING OF DRAGONS
A.K.A. VAMPIRE SAVIOR – The Lord Of Vampire –
BLACK TIGER
Capcom Sports Club
DARKSTALKERS – The Night Warriors –
ECO FIGHTERS
Gan Sumoku
Hissatsu Buraiken
HYPER DYNE SIDE ARMS
HYPER STREET FIGHTER II – The Anniversary Edition –
LAST DUEL
MEGAMAN 2 – THE POWER FIGHTERS –
MEGAMAN – THE POWER BATTLE –
NIGHT WARRIORS – Darkstalkers’ Revenge –
Pnickies
Rally 2011 LED STORM
SATURDAY NIGHT SLAM MASTERS
SAVAGE BEES
SONSON
STREET FIGHTER
STREET FIGHTER ALPHA 2
STREET FIGHTER ALPHA 3
Street Fighter Alpha – Warriors’ Dreams –
SUPER GEM FIGHTER – MINI MIX –
SUPER PUZZLE FIGHTER II TURBO
The Speed Rumbler
THREE WONDERS
Tiger Road

NOTE: Press Release & Images supplied by Capcom Europe

Grab Your Free Sega Mania Issue #4 Digital Magazine Now

20/05/2022 By ausretrogamer

Who doesn’t like freebies? If you did put your hand up, then we respectfully ask that you see yourself out 😉

For those of you that love freebies, then you’ll love this one! You can now grab the Sega Mania Issue #4 Digital Edition (Magazine) totally free of charge (it’s usual price is A$5.00 / GBP£2.50)! It also comes with a new exclusive cover design by ’90s Sega artist Duncan Gutteridge and an awesome Mega-CD Mini mag!

What are you waiting for, go and grab your free copy of Sega Mania!

source: Sega Mania

Our Passions In Life, from Retro Gaming to Formula 1 Watches

05/05/2022 By ausretrogamer

We have a lot of passions in life, some come and go with time, while others stick around for the long haul!

It is no secret that we love video games, especially the retro kind, and let’s not forget pinball – that silverball has captivated us for a long long time. How boring would life be if we only had one or two passions (Ed: there is nothing wrong having one or two passions!), so we have other loves which on the surface seem diametrically opposite to video games and pinball, like our love of Formula 1. In reality these passions have a lot in common, especially the emotions they invoke!

So why are we blathering on about our passions and invoking emotions? Well, it is important to share your passions and be proud in what you love and enjoy. We have also been thinking recently how all of these converge and the best way to represent them in one product! It occurred to us that we have always been into wristwatches, ever since we got our first digital watch 40+ years ago. These days we have a modest collection of watches, spanning all eras since the 1970s, but there is one special watch that fuses all of our passions into one, the TW Steel TW1017. This Nigel Mansell F1 inspired watch reflects who we are and what we love – from fast cars to button mashing on our fave games to flipping a steel ball with pinpoint accuracy. The watch is bold, big and loud, just like all the things we love in life.

What are your passions and do you have an item or product that represents them all? Hit us up on Twitter, Mastodon or Facebook to tell us all about it.

May The 4th Be With Your Star Wars Home Theatre Room

04/05/2022 By ausretrogamer

Since it is that day, May the 4th, we thought we’d share some amazing (and possibly very expensive) Star Wars inspired home theatre rooms!

These were just some of our favourites, with plenty more on this Star Wars always Facebook post. What are your faves?

image source: Star Wars always via Facebook

Taito Milestones – Nintendo Switch Review

11/04/2022 By ausretrogamer

ININ Games has been quite prolific of late in teaming up with iconic arcade brand, TAITO – they keep giving us a jolt of nostalgia with their TAITO classics remastered for a new generation of systems (and gamers) to enjoy. Taito Milestones is the latest output of this collaboration, bringing a compilation of 80s classic Taito arcade games to the masses.

This special retro compilation may not be for everyone, but for those gamers of a certain age that played these arcade games ‘back in the day’, these games represent a new way of playing them on their contemporary consoles. Let’s get straight to the point, this Taito Milestones compilation is for those that seek a hit nostalgia, which is always welcome. For those that have no nostalgic pull to any of the games in Milestones, don’t be fooled by the simple graphics, as these games were designed to pull the player in and extract as many coins from their pockets.

There are 10 classic Taito arcade games which you may have heard of or even better, played them in the 80s! For western gamers, there may be a few titles that you may have not gotten to play as they were either exclusive to Japan or not widely available to play in arcade centres. There are the obvious classic titles like Elevator Action, Qix, Alpine Ski and The Ninja Warriors. That doesn’t mean that the other six titles are unheard of or not playable, they were just lesser known by western audiences back in the 1980s. We love platform and shooter/shoot’em up games, so Space Seeker, The FairyLand Story and Halley’s Comet are welcome additions – we have to say, we loved Halley’s Comet as it is a super fast paced vertical shmup with great enemies and power-ups. The emulation for all ten titles is absolutely spot on, so there is nothing to be concerned about on that front – just play and enjoy!

If you are a retro fan and don’t already own some of these games on the Switch, and want to dive into a nostalgic gaming experience by playing ten classic Taito arcade games, then Taito Milestones is for you. There is definitely something in this collection for every retro gamer. Is it worth the A$58 (digital) – only if you don’t already have some of these.

The physical edition (starting at €39.99/A$58.00) and the digital download version of TAITO MILESTONES for Nintendo Switch launches on April 15th, 2022.

QIX (1981)