AUSRETROGAMER

The Pop-Culture E-Zine

You are here: Home / Archives for Geek

Geek

The Twelve Gifts Of Christmas

By

Xmas_Gifts_HDR“On the First day of Christmas my true love sent to me”, No, no, no! There will be no ‘The Twelve Days Of Christmas’ singing here, thank you. With Christmas just around the corner, we thought we would ease the gift buying burden by giving you ‘The Twelve Gift Ideas For Christmas’ to help you get something special for your really cool geeky / nerdy partner.

Forget about going out to the local shopping centre and battling for a car park only to get frustrated when you can’t find anything suitable. We are here to make this Christmas shopping period a pleasant experience from the comfort of your own home and one where your partner will thank you for the awesome gift (Ed: don’t you mean gifts!)!

Enough chatter, as promised, here are The Twelve Gifts of Christmas!

Star Wars: The Original Topps Trading Card Series, Volume One – Just in time for the Force Awakens!
Xmas_StarWarsTopps

If they are Zelda fans, then this 2.5″ 8-Bit Link Action Figure will tickle their fancy
Xmas_Link

But if they are a Donkey Kong kinda guy or gal, then they’ll go ape over this!
AMazon_DK

Secure their DS / 3DS with a retro NES inspired case! 
Xmas_3DScase

Sega fans rejoice! Plug and play the Sega Nano on any TV (with composite connectivity)
Xmas_Nano
There should always be a Masters Of The Universe gift under the Christmas tree
Xmas_MOTUcomic

If clothing is preferred, then nothing says cool like a C64 tee
Xmas_C64tee

Bookworms partners will love this Commodore book!
Xmas_BrianBook

Can’t afford a real Intellivision? Then the Intellivision Flashback is the next best thing!
Xmas_Intell

Or maybe they are a ColecoVision type of gamer…
Xmas_Coleco

Forget forking out thousands for an arcade machine, grab them a My-Arcade mini retro machine!
Xmas_minarcade
And if you really want to spoil him or her, get them the ultimate handheld emulation system, the GPD XD
Xmas_GPD

image source: supplied

1Up Living: Furniture And Homewares For Geeks

By

heading

1Up Living makes and sells furniture and homewares for geeks – pixel art chopping boards, coffee tables, pixel wall art and Tetris shelves! But if you prefer to DIY – they also provide step by step guides, see here and here.

Chopping Boards
chopping boards

Coffee Tables
table 1

table 2

table 3

Pixel Wall Art
pixel wall art

Tetris ShelvesTetris Shelves

Source: 1Up Living via @thinkgeek

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

msausretrogamerMs. 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

 

 

DigitalSoaps: Soap For Retrogamers

By

featured image

Chrystal Doucette started DigitalSoaps in January 2009, she was inspired to create her hand-poured retrogaming-themed glycerin soaps by memories of chocolate 5.25-inch floppy disks from her childhood. Although she didn’t find the chocolate disks, she found many molds shaped like electronics and the rest is history.

Check out Chrystal’s Etsy shop – it has enough soap and shampoo to even get Mario clean after a trip down the sewer! Here a few of the best (just don’t get them mixed up and try to use them with your precious consoles).

Chrystal and a SNES soap
snes soap

The Legend of Zudsa Ocarina of Grime!
Legend of Zudsa

Press A to scrub
nes soap

Gotta wash em all: Poke Ball with surprise toy inside
pokeball soap

Soapemon Game Boy cartridge set
pokemon soap

Soapy PlayStation
PS soap

Bath time awaits! PS4
PS4

Genesis does what regular soap don’t
sega genesis soap

Soaper Mario Bros. 3
soaper mario 3 soap

Soapic the Hedgehog 2
Soapic the Soaphog Sonic 2 Sega Genesis soap

Mario Bath 64
mario kart

Wetris
wetris soap

Jump in the bath: Xbox 360
xbox 360 soaps

Donkey Klean Country
DK

Source: Geekologie, DigitalSoaps Etsy Shop

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

msausretrogamerMs. 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

 

 

Valentine’s Day Bling For Retrogamers

By

Everyone loves some bling – even retrogamers. But retrogamers also like to let their geek flag fly free and proud. So when it comes to jewellery, wear your nerdy heart on your finger with these awesome rings.

A Legendary Zelda Cart Ring
Zelda Cart Ring

Invade My Heart!
Space Invaders Ring

You Control My Heart!
NES Controller Ring

You Can’t Take This Ring From Me
firefly ring

Are You Ready For a Lifetime of Adventures?Adventure Time Ring

A Wonderful Ring
Wonder Woman Ring

This is the Ring You’re Looking For
R2-D2 Ring

I Love You. I Know.Star Wars Rings

I Hope This is My Ring
Umbrella Corp Ring

The Building Blocks of Love
LEGO Ring

Mario Loves Peach!
Super Mario Ring
Press X to Fall in LovePlaystation Ring

It’s Dangerous to Go Alone!
Triforce Rings

A Timeless Love
TARDIS Ring

I Choose You!
Poke Ball Ring

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

msausretrogamerMs. 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

 

 

Nintendo Game & Watch: Octopus

By

Octopus_GandWHow old were you in 1981? I was still in single digits and blissfully unaware how addictive Gunpei Yokoi’s Nintendo Game & Watch creations would turn out to be.

On this day (July 16) in 1981, Nintendo released Octopus – their latest handheld classic in the G&W wide-screen series. Oh how I lusted after this one (like many other Game&Watch releases), but alas, I never got to have my own till recently.

If your name is ‘Jenifa Stuart’, I have your Octopus Game & Watch!



Tempest 2000: Psychedelic Fun On The Jaguar

By

Format: Atari Jaguar
Release Date: April 13, 1994
Publisher: Atari
Developer: Llamasoft (Jeff Minter)

It has been a long time coming. Nineteen years to be exact. It took us nineteen years to finally take Jeff Minter’s game for a proper review spin.

Tempest 2000, the beefed-up remake of Dave Theurer’s 1981 arcade classic, was Atari’s  killer game that helped it shift lots of Jaguar consoles upon its release in 1994. This game was never going to be a straight ‘pretty up’ by Jeff Minter. The great Yak added his usual quirkiness to this seminal favourite. What he produced was nigh on perfection.

You may ask, what is so damn good about Tempest 2000. Well, if you are patient for one second, we will let you know. Yak (Jeff Minter) took a first generation arcade game and injected crisp 3D polygon graphics, an awesome techno soundtrack and oodles of new enemy types and obstacles.

T2K_screenshot3_arg

Don’t think that Tempest 2000 is just an audio visual enhancement to the original – Yak also added 100 varying webs (levels), new opponents, collectable power-ups like the particle-blaster/laser, jumps, and A.I. Droids who destroy anything that gets too close. Thrown in this awesome gaming mix was the new “Melt-O-Vision” transition effect – very psychedelic (very Jeff Minter) indeed. Add the different types of play options – two-player cooperative and competitive play modes, and you got yourself one awesomely gorgeous masterpiece.

T2K_Jaguar_arg

No game, no matter how great it looks and sounds, is complete without a complimentary control system. There is only one way to play Tempest 2000, and that is with a rotary controller. You could use the standard Atari pad, but it just doesn’t do the game justice. The rotary control enhances the enjoyment of the game and it definitely helps in achieving those lucrative high scores.

Tempest 2000 is a an incredibly great title which was released on an incredibly obscure system. This game is the jewel in the Jaguar’s crown. If you haven’t played it, you are missing out big time!

Graphics Superbly crisp 3D polygons that only the Yak can produce. Yes, the Jaguar can handle it.

90%
Sound A perfect techno soundtrack. Light-synthesizer tunes throughout with very meaty sound effects. It is an awesome aural pleasure. Make sure you turn up the volume!

95%
Playability Getting into the game is quiet easy – spin around on the web and blast away the approaching enemies. To truly experience this game you must play it with a rotary controller.

90%
Lastability Considering there are 100 levels to complete, this game will last forever.

91%
Overall Jeff Minter can seriously do no wrong. The Yak knows how to produce brilliant games, and this one is no exception. Even Dave Theurer approves of it (Ed: we made that up)! Get it and play hard.

91%

 

The Thrill Of The Chase: NYC Style

By

If you are ever in the city that never sleeps, then you are in for a treat. Apart from the many great sights and sounds, you must head down to the gritty and cool East Village (Lower Manhattan) area – there, you will find two amazing retro gaming stores: ‘8Bit & Up’ and ‘Video Games NY’.

VGNY_1            VGNY_2

VGNY_3     VGNY_4     VGNY_5

I was lucky to be in the Big Apple on my last US trip when a few kind Twitter friends passed on some inside tips on these two stores. I seized the opportunity, and I am glad that I did. For mine, ‘Video Games NY’ is the pick of the two – it oozes retro from floor to ceiling, literally! The hardest problem you will have is getting an increased luggage allowance to bring your retro haul back to your country of origin (or state).

Oh yeah, while you are in New York City, you must also visit the ‘Nintendo World’ store – you can read about it here.

VGNY_7              VGNY_8

8bit_2      8bit_4      8bit_3
8bit_5          8bit_6

Video Games NY: 202 E 6th St  New York, NY 10003

8Bit & Up: 35 St. Marks Place #2  New York, 10003



Genealogy of the PC-Engine

By

Welcome to the PC-Engine Family Tree

Have you tried to understand the NEC PC-Engine range of consoles and been totally confused or lost ? Don’t worry, you are not alone.

We have tapped our inner genealogist and have created the NEC PC-Engine Family Tree. The tree shows the lineage of native consoles, per region, and their media type.

Hopefully, this family tree makes things clearer and a tad easier to understand the NEC PC-Engine console range.

click above image to expand it to its full glory!

 

Note:

  • The PC-Engine family tree does not include any add-ons that enhance the consoles. It also excludes the UK PAL TurboGrafx console released by Telegames.
  • This NEC PC-Engine family tree only covers native NEC systems that play PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 game formats.