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My Retro TVs – Channel-surfing the 80’s

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Channel-surfing the 1980’s📺

Teleporting to the 80s TV decade in 3, 2, 1……. My 80’s TV is your one stop shop for everything that you loved on TV from the best decade of the 20th century!

But wait, there is more! For those that are yearning for TV shows from the preceding decades (50’s, 60’s and 70’s), then you are catered for as well! For the younglings amongst us, there is a ton of 90’s and 00’s TV show content to sink your teeth into.

We love the depiction of the different CRT TVs (and also fonts), depending on the decade chosen – a very cool feature! A huge thanks to the creator, Joey Cato, for this nostalgia inducing My Retro TV portal!

So, what are you watching first?

source: My Retro TVs



Stunt Car Racer Coming To The Commodore Plus/4

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Brrrrrrrrrmmmmm, brrrrrmmmmm, brrrrrrrmmmmmm

Geoff Crammond’s Stunt Car Racer (SCR) on the C64 was our most played car racing gaming (sorry Buggy Boy) back in the day. Surprisingly, it has held up quite well and is still a joy to play.

Hungarian developer, Gergely Patai, had reversed engineered this superb racing game on C64 and modified its physics to run at 50 FPS – yep, you read that right, 50 (freakin!) Frames Per Second! You can grab the SCR C64 50FPS version here.

To our astonishment, Gergely is now porting this marvel to the Commodore Plus/4! With plenty of limitations to work around, we are darn impressed with Gergely’s achievements and devleopment skills in squeezing SCR to play on the Plus/4. Not bad for two weeks worth of effort!

Gergerly notes the challenges he had porting SCR to the Plus/4:

The biggest limitation was RAM space. The original game doesn’t leave much of the C64’s memory untouched, and the Plus/4 has less accessible RAM while needing an extra 1K for colour information. For the time being, my solution was to remove load/save functionality and the ability to change key bindings, so I’d be able to get a working game and have some breathing room to shuffle things around. At the moment I have a bit over 2K memory left, so I should be able to restore some of the missing bits.

We can’t wait to see the finished product!



2023 Pokémon World Championships Drone Light Show

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Guess what went down at the 2023 Pokémon World Championships in Yokohama, Japan? Brace yourself: a spectacular drone light show featuring our beloved pocket monsters! Yep, those little critters took to the skies like they were auditioning for Pokémon’s Next Top Aviator. It was a feast for the senses, well, mostly for the eyeballs – sorry taste buds.

Hold onto your Pokéballs, because this show was a real treat. Thanks to ZoëTwoDots and their time-lapse wizardry, you can gobble up the entire dazzling display in a mere 28 seconds! No need to twiddle your thumbs for a tedious 11 minutes like the lucky folks who were actually on the scene. They say good things come to those who wait, but we say great things come to those who’ve mastered the art of fast-forward.


source: ZoëTwoDots



Power Up At The UK’s Science Museum

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160 consoles. Five decades. Game on!

The UK’s Science Museum has a new interactive gallery, POWER UP, which is on right now in London’s South Kensington district.

Immerse yourself in a hands-on gaming experience, featuring the very best video games and consoles from the past 50 years!

Back in the early 1970s, Pong, a simple tennis-themed game, took the world by storm as one of the first commercially successful arcade games. From there, the gaming industry continued to grow, introducing us to iconic titles such as Space Invaders, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong.


source: Science Museum

From its humble beginnings with Pong to the immersive VR worlds of today, gaming has been an integral part of our lives. It has evolved, adapted, and thrived, capturing the hearts of both the young and the young at heart. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer, a nostalgic enthusiast, or a casual player looking for some fun, the gaming world has something extraordinary to offer you.

Day and annual passes for POWER UP are available now. Book your tickets here.

source: © Jody Kingzett, Science Museum Group

source: © Science Museum Group



The Sony HB-F5 MSX2 Computer – The Gaming System That Came Before the PlayStation

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On a recent hunt for retro gaming systems we came across the Sony HB-F5, Sony’s first MSX2 based computer gaming system that was released in Japan in 1985.

There were two HB-F5 variants that were released – grey and back. Both of these colour variants are quite rare and difficult to find in working condition (and with working game carts).

These aren’t cheap, but if you are after this oddity, there is one currently available (at the time of publishing) on Facebook Marketplace for $1,050 – and you thought the PlayStation 5 was expensive!

PS: Don’t mistake that RGB21 output for SCART – they look similar, but the pinouts have differing designations!

image source: Facebook Marketplace



MS Excel In 1990 – It’s Oh So Cheesy!

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Oh wow, the cheesiness of this long-form 1990 Microsoft Excel commercial is absolutely dripping!

The cringe factor is off the charts too. It’s like a slow-moving train-wreck, you can’t keep your eyes off it!


source: Wall Street Oasis



A Very Cool Custom LEGO Nintendo Game Boy

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Get ready for a blast from the past with this incredible creation by LEGO Masters finalist and avid gamer Nick Lever! Combining his love for LEGO and Nintendo, Nick has brought the iconic Game Boy to life in a whole new way. Prepare to be amazed as he unveils his 1:1 scale LEGO version of the beloved portable gaming system!

Constructed using a whopping 354 pieces and 115 unique parts, this life-sized masterpiece is a sight to behold. But that’s not all! Nick’s attention to detail is truly remarkable, as he has included a fully functional D-pad that you can actually press, as well as slots for inserting game cartridges. It’s like stepping back in time and holding a piece of gaming history in your hands!

Although you won’t be able to play any games on this LEGO Game Boy, Nick has thoughtfully crafted four custom game cartridges to accompany his creation. Get ready to dive into classic titles such as Tetris, The Legend of Zelda: Links Awakening, and the timeless Pokemon Red and Blue. While some may miss the absence of Donkey Kong Land, it’s hard to complain when these games are considered among the greatest of all time. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if you find yourself sneaking in a quick gaming session instead of being productive this afternoon!

Now, here’s the exciting part. If you’re feeling inspired and eager to build your very own LEGO Game Boy, you’re in luck! Nick is offering the required piece list and instructions for sale. Simply reach out to him on Instagram to get your hands on this valuable resource. Get ready to unleash your inner builder and embark on a nostalgic journey back to the golden age of gaming!

So, grab your LEGO bricks, channel your creativity, and prepare to experience the joy of constructing your own life-sized Game Boy. This project is sure to bring hours of fun and a sense of accomplishment. Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to merge two beloved passions and create something truly extraordinary. Get ready to level up your building skills and embrace the world of LEGO gaming!



story source: technabob

Topher Grace’s Star Wars: Always Rulez

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If you can’t stand the thought of sinking 30+ hours watching all the Star Wars films (including Rogue One and Solo), then this Topher Grace Star Wars: Always edit is for you!

Topher has mashed all of the Star Wars films into a 5 minute Cliff notes version for those that are time poor. With that said, we actually don’t mind this 5 minute version of the Star Wars saga.

May the FORCE be with you!


source: Lou’s Cafe



New POKÉMON Gear Is Coming…😍

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Yo POKÉMON fans, now you can wear clothing based on this ever popular franchise!

The cool folks at BlackMilk will range the entire POKÉMON clothing collection on their site, which drops at 7:00am, June 20th!

What are you waiting for, mark your calendars now and set your alarms!

image source: BlackMilk



Moon Dog Venue Coming To Footscray

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“Grand Sale, Grand Sale, where? In Foot-is-cray!” – Franco Cozzo

Why are we quoting Franco? Well, the old Franco Cozzo furniture store in Footstcray has shutdown and will now (pending planning approval) be the future location of Moon Dog Footscray!  Woohoo, this is some very welcome and good news!

The iconic site (at 54-58 Hopkins Street, Footscray) is prime real estate and in an excellent location, accessible only a few minutes from Footscray train station. As part of their planning permit, the Moon Dog folks will look to preserve the iconic building, which would be a great tribute to the legendary Franco Cozzo. This new site will have a 900 person capacity, which means (if approved) it will be far larger than the Moon Dog World in Preston, which is licensed for 725 people.

Footscray prime real estate!
image source: IL Globo

Since Moon Dog World in Preston opened in October 2019, it has remained quite popular with patrons and it even weathered the pandemic lockdowns, so let’s hope the same will happen with the new Moon Dog, where patrons can chill out (and also play some pinball). Speaking of pinball, we are hoping they follow the Preston model and ensure the Footscray venue includes some silverball action too – if they do, then we’ll definitely need to update our “Where to Play Pinball in Melbourne” article *fingers crossed*

The iconic Moon Dog World – Preston

Pinball action in the shipping container (Moon Dog World – Preston). Let’s hope they include pinball at their new venue!

The ever popular Moon Dog World – Preston
image source: Moon Dog on Facebook