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Console Variations: Rarest Consoles Ever Made

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We thought we’d seen every conceivable console variation that has ever existed, yep even the Pioneer CLD-A100 LaserActive that plays Mega Drive / Genesis carts, CDs and LaserDiscs, sadly, we were wrong (in a good way)!

Check out some of these amazing console variants (you may know some or most of them) and then go to the Console Variations site to drool over the rest!

Hyundai Comboy (NES variant sold in South Korea only)

N64 ANA (given away by All Nippon Airways (ANA) in April 1st 1999)

GameCube Panasonic Q (we knew about this one, but still cool to see it)

Nintendo Wii: 26k Gold aka Royal Wii (only 1 made!)

Atari Marlboro Lynx

Game & Car Navi HiSaturn

Sega Dreamcast: Maziora Edition

Sony PlayStation 10 Million (only 1 made)

Xbox Panzer Dragoon Orta

Atari 2600 jr. Black (only released in Ireland)
image source: Console Variations

[story source: Kotaku Australia]

 

Wireless Game Boy and GBA Controller

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Darn this Wireless Game Boy controller is ingenious!

In a nutshell, InsideGadgets’ Alex Iannuzzi has created a custom Game Boy (GB) TX cartridge which transforms the original Game Boy into a wireless gamepad that can be used on any device that accepts USB HID input, like a PC or Raspberry Pi (via a USB receiver). Oh yeah, there are receivers for the GameCube, Wii and SNES too – which is just awesome!

The GB TX cartridge works with Game Boy, Game Boy Pocket, Game Boy Colour, Game Boy Advance, and Game Boy Advance SP handhelds (Ed: there is also a GBA TX cart that works on the Micro, DS and DS Lite). The best part is that you don’t have to hack or upgrade the original Game Boy or the other GBA hardware to make this all work. Alex has done the hard work for your by designing and building the TX cartridges without the need to hack your precious Nintendo handhelds.

For more details or to place your order, go to InsideGadgets now. If you fancy yourself as a DIY guru and you want to have a crack at building one of these yourself, you are far braver than us, so go here.

image source: InsideGadgets

[story source: technabob]

 

A Rare Look Inside Nintendo During the SNES Era

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If you’ve ever wondered what it was like in the Nintendo offices during their Super Nintendo days, then this excerpt  from the 1994 French documentary film Otaku is exactly what you are looking for!

Thanks to William Cladley from Game Escape for discovering this film and for adding English subtitles! Oh yeah, you’ll all recognise a younger Shigeru Miyamoto who even back then was always striving for a balance in creativity and management – both attributes have served him well.


source: Game Escape

Classic Times at PAX Aus 2018

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There is one undeniable fact about PAX Aus – attendees love reliving their gaming past in the Classic Gaming area!

For the sixth year in a row the ever popular Classic Gaming area returned to PAX Aus – this year brought to you by Ausretrogamer, Bartronica, Bayside Pinball Club, Mr. Pinball, Pinmem, Press Play On Tape podcast, Weird and Retro and Zax Amusements. These groups all brought along their carefully preserved (and awesome) wares to create the magical and nostalgia inducing area.

From the Commodore 64, Amiga 1200, Atari ST and MSX old school computers to the Atari Lynx, Game Boy, WonderSwan, Neo Geo Pocket handhelds and Atari 2600, Vectrex, Sega Master System, NES, PC-Engine, Sega Mega Drive and Super Nintendo consoles (just to name a few!), the Classic Gaming area had your retro gaming covered.

Of course the area didn’t just cater for old school computer and console gamers, it had arcade machines from the golden age like Asteroids, Bad Dudes, Rampage, Double Dragon, Mortal Kombat 2, Rastan, Street Fighter II and a dozen pinball machines, from the new Stern Deadpool to the old High Roller Casino just to tickle your sentimentality without the need of extracting coins from your pocket!

Another section that made a return due to popular demand was the display museum. Standing along the right perimeter of the Classic Gaming area, the glass display cabinets created the perfect backdrop by showcasing carefully curated classic and exotic gaming pieces that invoked strong feelings of intoxicating nostalgia from gaming’s past. This of course was the intention the Classic Gaming team was going for.

With the area proving to be popular as ever, there was never an empty seat or a lonely controller – attendees took full advantage of playing on machines from their childhood and for those with families, it was great to see kids playing games that their parents would have enjoyed when they were their age. With smiles all around and a lot of positive feedback, we can safely say that the PAX Aus Classic Gaming area was a huge success.

So what will we have in store for you all in the Classic Gaming area at PAX Aus 2019? You will have to wait and see, but rest assured, we will definitely be tickling your nostalgic nerve.

 

 

 

We are at PAX Aus!

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Yo peeps, the Ausretrogamer gang and their awesome friends (Weird and Retro, Press Play On Tape podcast, Bartronica, Bayside Pinball Club) are all at PAX Aus 2018 this coming weekend running the awesome and nostalgia inducing Classic Gaming area.

If you are attending PAX Aus, come over, say hi and most importantly, play and have fun!

We are here!
image source: PAX Aus

Nintendo Files Patent To Turn Your Smartphone Into A Game Boy

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Just in case you have just come out of a cave with no internet access, let us tell you some massive news, Nintendo has patented a Game Boy case for touchscreen devices, like the smartphone in your pocket!

Check out the filed patent here, and then hit the Eurogamer feature story for more info on this cool throwback contraption!

source: Variety & Eurogamer

 

Super Mario Bros. Maze for a Rat!

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If you’ve read the headline and are thinking, “What? Why?”, then you are not alone. Nevertheless, we are always intrigued by retro gaming reference material used for other means. Actually, this one is quite cool!

The Q channel shows us how to build an awesome Super Mario Bros. style maze for a rat using cardboard and paint. Obviously the maze had to be tested, so their pet rat named Shelly goes in to show Mario how it is done! Spoiler alert, Shelly figures out how to make it through to the end. Told ya this is quite cool.


source: The Q

 

The Completely Insane Policies of Nintendo’s President

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Wow, imagine for one minute that Hiroshi Yamauchi was your boss! Actually, as much as he wasn’t a fan of video games, he did modernise Nintendo and transform the video game market, so he couldn’t not have been that bonkers, or was he?

To celebrate Nintendo’s 129th anniversary, YouTuber Larry Bundy Jr has made a fact hunt video about the former company president – highlighting some of his “completely insane” policies. The vid runs for a tad over 12 minutes and includes his public dispute with Square Enix, his dislike of Japanese Role Playing Games (JRPGs) and his ridiculous demands to be the only Yamauchi at Nintendo!


video source: Larry Bundy Jr

story source: Nintendo Life

The Largest Playable Game and Watch Device

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Cast your mind back to November last year when we told you about Dr Tom Tilley’s awesomely cool gigantic Nintendo Game & Watch Octopus game? No? Shame on you!

If you do recall Tom’s great creation, then you will be happy to know that the folks at Guinness World Records took note and have officially recognised Tom Tilley’s mega G&W Octopus game as the “Largest playable Game and Watch device”!

Tom’s feat will feature in the Guinness World Records: Gamer’s Edition 2019 at the start of the Retro Gaming section. Well done Tominator, all of us Australians (and fellow retro gamers around the world) are very proud of this achievement.

source: Guinness World Records

 

Classic Tetris Aussie Championship 2018

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Hey Aussie peeps, hold onto your hats, as we have some huge exciting comp news!

After 8 years of the Classic Tetris World Championships (CTWC) in the USA, the competition is coming to Sydney, Australia! Get your diaries out and mark yourself away on Thursday October 4th! This is a huge deal folks, so get Tetris’n.

So what is this all about you ask? CTWC has teamed up with the awesome 1989 Arcade Bar & Kitchen (22 King Street, Newtown) to crown the first ever Classic Tetris Australian Champion. Players will go head-to-head (in a best out of three games) on the Nintendo Entertainment System’s Tetris, until there is only one player remaining. There are prizes to be won, beers to be enjoyed and many classic arcades to be played. It is going to be one heck of a night that welcomes all level of Tetris fanatics, from beginners to pro.

Who will hoist the first ever CTWC Australia trophy? Well, you gotta be in it to win it!

The CTWC Australia event details:

  • When: October 4, 2018 (starts at 7:00pm)
  • Where: 1989 Arcade Bar & Kitchen – 22 King Street, Newtown
  • Event/Info: Official event page on Facebook
  • Entry: $15.00 – grab your ticket here. Each ticket is one entry into the championship and comes with a drink (beer or wine)

image source: 1989 Arcade Bar & Kitchen