Old School

Tetris 35th Anniversary Silver Coin

May 2, 2019 By ausretrogamer

Last year’s NZ Mint commemorative Space Invaders 40^th Anniversary Silver Coin totally blew us away. Luckily for us, there is another classic video game anniversary this year which NZ Mint will help us celebrate and commemorate with one of their beautiful and special silver coins.

35 years ago, a puzzle game was born from the imagination of computer programmer, Alexey Pajitnov. That puzzle game was Tetris! Inspired by Alexey’s favourite puzzle board game, Pentominos, Pajitnov created an electronic version that let players arrange puzzle pieces in real time as they fell from the top of the playing field. The resulting design was a game that used seven distinctive geometric playing pieces, each made up of four Tetriminos. The genius of Tetris is in its simplicity which hooks you in immediately, but to master it you need the precision of a skilled surgeon and the reflexes of a cat.

Tetris was dubbed the first ‘killer app’ when it was bundled in with Nintendo’s Game Boy handheld system. We easily spent thousands of hours playing Tetris all those years ago and the passion to play it till this day still burns brightly as the first time we made four lines vanish on screen! That fun little puzzle game from 1984 has been responsible for hooking people into playing video games.

To commemorate the 35th anniversary of Tetris on June 6, NZ Mint has released a limited edition 1oz silver coin. The silver coin features the Tetris game’s iconic Tetrimino shapes on a chequered, proof background, arranged in a way to make it appear as if they are falling, much like in the game itself – very clever and iconic! The coin is housed inside a specially designed Tetris-themed arcade cabinet and includes a colourful image of the Kremlin, paying homage to the game’s Russian origins. The cushioned black felt base which holds the coin can be slipped out by lifting up the arcade cabinet, revealing the gorgeous coin. The entire package, from the coin, the felt cushion and arcade cabinet housing oozes quality and gets the nostalgic juices flowing.

If you are a coin collector or you loved (and still love) playing Tetris, then the Tetris 35th Anniversary limited-edition silver coin is the perfect memento for you.

Disclaimer: NZ Mint kindly provided the Tetris 35th Anniversary silver coin for this article.

Evercade – It’s Coming!

April 26, 2019 By ausretrogamer

A new console has been announced and it looks very intriguing!

The Evercade is a brand new handheld console with unique multi-game retro cartridges from leading games publishers and console platforms. The first publisher to jump onboard, Atari, will be bringing 20 of their classic game carts from their 2600 and 7800 back catalogue. We are are eagerly awaiting news on future publishers.

Little is known at this stage about the Evercade, but the few bits and pieces of information has definitely piqued our interest, like:

An ever expanding library of games
Officially licensed content
No internet connection required
Collectable elements (unleash the trophy hunter inside of you!)
Save game progress; and
Connect to your TV via HDMI (sounds good to us)

The Evercade is one retro playing console we will keep an eye on and let you know more details as they come to hand.

Sega Mega Drive Mini: To be this good takes AGES, To be this good takes SEGA

April 3, 2019 By ausretrogamer

Just in case you have been in a cave without any outside contact, get your diary out now and mark September 19, 2019 as the date that the beautiful Sega Mega Drive Mini will be released in the wild to go toe-to-toe with its old foe, the SNES Classic Mini! Oh yeah, this ain’t no Flashback system!

We were amazed to find the following letter, with love, from SEGA:

My Old Friend,

I know it’s been a while. Time moves forward, yet not a day goes by that you’re not on my mind. I, the popular, star-console, you, the shy, unassuming kid, but we found common ground when we played Ecco the Dolphin together. You were so fast, racing through the Green Hill Zone with my pal, Sonic!

You sure knew how to play. The way that CRT hue hit your glazed over face as you spent another hour playing Castlevania: Bloodlines…We both knew things would change and that we’d move on to other great things, but lately, I’ve been thinking about spending time together once more. We didn’t do what we were told, but we made a good team.

I look a bit different now. I’m much smaller. I’m packing 40 games inside my sleek, molded shell, and more blast processing power than ever before.

We lived fast and dangerously, together, playing the games some of the adults weren’t too keen on (but you had the cool parents). We had the games your friends wanted to play, a whole stack of them. Shining Force, Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine, and Earthworm Jim, to name a few.

Sure. there were other distractions (remember pogs?). I was never jealous though because we still had Altered Beast and Gunstar Heroes.

I will try to write more regularly. I hear there is this friendly meeting space called “social media” now where I can share more.

I hope to hear from you soon.

With love,

SEGA Mega Drive Mini @-}–

Wow. We’ve never seen the SEGA Mega Drive Mini express itself like that before. If you’d like to write back, here is some information you may find useful when crafting your reply 😉

When: September 19, 2019

What: Miniature Sega Mega Drive console which will be plug-and-play ready with 40 classic games built-in! Oh yeah, the controllers will have 3 fire-buttons, not 6 (Ed: Oh well, it’s better than nothing)

Price: AU$139.00 / US$79.99 (Pre-orders via JB Hi-Fi or Play-Asia)

Announced titles (and more to come!):

Sonic the Hedgehog
Ecco the Dolphin
Castlevania: Bloodlines
Space Harrier 2
Shining Force
Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine
Earthworm Jim
Comix Zone
Altered Beast
Gunstar Heroes

So there you have it. Are you excited? Of course you are! Let us know on Twitter or Facebook which other titles you would like to see make the list of 40 legendary games.

Now, there are no limits with the Sega Mega Drive Mini!

image source: Sega Mega Drive Mini

Happy April Fools’ Day

April 1, 2019 By ausretrogamer

You got to love April Fools’ Day tricksters. The more elaborate the April Fools joke (or trick), the better.

One games publisher that loved staging elaborate April Fools’ Day jokes on unsuspecting fans was Irem. While in business, Irem always had a joke or two up their sleeve come April 1.

They would create websites that were usually dedicated to promoting something that tended to poke fun at themselves and their own games, like the three “real life” models of the R-Type R-9 unit you could choose to purchase, or their new Irem Zoo, and our absolute favourite, their EXIDNA XAVY console, which was touted as the ultimate games machine that housed a self-propelled folding controller!

Irem had a lot of us gamers going with their elaborate jokes till we realised it was a ruse and in good fun. Here are a few listings of Irem’s sites that had us fooled over the years:

image source: Irem – via wayback machine

exA-Arcadia – The New Arcade Kit System

March 18, 2019 By ausretrogamer

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Eric Chung, President and CEO of exA-Arcadia (EXA) has declared in his recent interview with Shmup’Em-All that their new arcade conversion kit system, exA-Arcadia, will be this generations’ NEOGEO. With a pedigree of SNK’s NEOGEO MVS arcade system, exA-Arcadia has some big shoes to fill. Eric’s statement does indeed seem bold, but he is confident that their innovative kit system will revolutionise and revitalise arcade gaming for developers and operators alike, giving them an easy to use system (to develop games) at a cost effective price point.

The exA-Arcadia System with four game cartridges as shown at JAEPO 2019
source: eXa-Arcadia via Twitter

So what does exA-Arcadia bring to the table for the operator? As already stated, this is an arcade conversion kit system, just like the NEOGEO MVS was back in the 90s, so its main aim for operators is to provide modern arcade content at a budget friendly price. This is all achieved by its clever hardware design, based on a secure Windows PC platform, which is more powerful than the PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X consoles, which can hold up to four games (delivered in cartridge format about the size of the old CPS3 cartridges). The best part is that exA-Arcadia is JAMMA and JVS (JAMMA Video Standard) compatible, allowing it to be used inside almost any existing operable arcade cabinets. It is also compatible with both 16:9 LCD and traditional 4:3 CRT monitors. exA-Arcadia claims that their vertically oriented games can be played in horizontal mode, so operators don’t need more vertically oriented monitors in all of their cabinets to play EXA format games.

exA-Arcadia stand with sample games at JAEPO 2019
source: exA-Arcadia via Twitter

The attraction of exA-Arcadia is realised even further (for operators), as once the system is purchased, it is fully owned by the operator, meaning that there is no requirement for internet connectivity to access gaming content, nor is there a need to share revenue with the manufacturer or distributor – more money left in the pocket of the operator. For operators that want to offer their customers an online experience, exA-Arcadia has a feature that integrates with streaming services like Twitch. Together with a smartphone app and card system, the exA-Arcadia’s feature set can provide operators a deeper insight into their customer interactions, which helps in building loyalty and decision making on what is popular, ensuring that customers keep coming back.

With its Windows PC based architecture, the EXA system is open to both traditional (big name) developers as well as the smaller independent ones. The initial release of ten games that were showcased at California Extreme (CAX) and Stunfest in late 2018, clearly shows that the current focus is on shoot’em up (shmups) games, however there are currently fifty games in the development pipeline that represent a variety of gaming genres, like fighting, sports, classic retro style platformers and four player games to balance out the EXA line-up.

Visitors enjoying the exA-Arcadia offerings at CAX 2018

exA-Arcadia presence at California Extreme (CAX 2018)
source: Tanoshimasu via Twitter

Eric Chung is confident that their exA-Arcadia platform can overcome stiff competition from systems provided by the giants in the industry, namely Sega’s ALL.NET and Taito’s NESiCAxLive. Eric claims that exA-Arcadia’s attraction is its lower entry cost (prices have yet to be confirmed as at writing of this article) and the fact that they will not force revenue sharing on coin drops. The overall cost will most likely be even lower than the others (Sega and Taito) as there is no equipment required, like network routers and servers, and no monthly fee to access the manufacturer’s network.

There is no doubt that exA-Arcadia has captured the attention of the amusement industry and developers alike. We will definitely be keeping a close eye on developments, as the potential of what it promises will surely result in shaking things up in the industry.

Aka To Blue Type-R at Stunfest
source: Shmup’Em-All via Twitter

*This feature first appeared in the February 2019 issue of the NAMOA ‘The Collector’ trade magazine.

CONTRA: Celebrating 32 Years of the Irresistible Force

February 20, 2019 By ausretrogamer

Contra, Gryzor or Probotector. No matter what name you know this classic Konami run and gun game by, you will definitely remember it as one tough mother of a game! Konami had an instant hit on their hands when they released the arcade machine on this day [February 20] in 1987. Happy 30th anniversary Contra, you irresistible force!

For those that have been away from Earth since early 1987, here is the lowdown on Contra:

Midnight, September 12 2631. The Marines catch sight of a small-sized meteorite that is fast approaching Earth. The meteorite plummets 20km north-east of New Zealand, at the Gal Mosquito Archipelago. The command keep watch of the meteorite.

Two years later, in December 2633, an intruder known as the Red Falcon is occupying the Gal Mosquito Archipelago and is planning the fall of mankind. Command orders confidential investigations at the enemy’s front base. The marine post orders for two “Contra” soldiers, Private First Class Bill “Mad Dog” Rizer and Private First Class Lance “Scorpion” Bean on a mission. The mission being: penetrate the insides of the enemy, destroy the front base and the entire centre of operation.

Hot Mobile Gaming: The Handheld PC-Engine

January 4, 2019 By ausretrogamer

If you haven’t been able to afford the astronomical prices for the PC-Engine GT (TurboExpress in the States) or the PC-Engine LT, then this DIY kit may be what you were looking for to morph your trusty PC-Engine into a mobile gaming powerhouse!

Sporting a 4 inch LCD and a custom 3D printed case (in varying colours), this awesome kit by Team Mercurius transforms the trusty original PC-Engine (and CoreGrafx & CoreGrafx II) console into one beast of a mobile gaming system. The unit operates via a USB power supply or you could hack and include a mobile battery for some true retro gaming on the go.

あけましておめでとうございます。

メルクリウスの次回出荷は1月中旬を予定しております。

今暫くお待ち下さい。#PCEメルクリ pic.twitter.com/46y9bdRU7s

— 「液晶操作機器搭載裏蓋壱號」（メルクリウス） (@mercurius2018) January 1, 2019

The whole kit will cost you under AU$200, however, the retailer (Ken Chan) does not sell internationally, so you will need a friend based in Japan or a proxy service to buy and ship it for you (when it is available).

image source: Akiba PC Hotline & Mercurius

[Story via Akiba PC Hotline!]

No QB Kneel in EA’s Madden

December 10, 2018 By David Cutler

By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

I’ve been playing EA Sports’ Madden for most of my life. It’s probably one of my favourite games. With each new edition, the graphics are enhanced and the speed increases. The game is so iconic, I can’t imagine gaming without Madden. Madden has been the go-to, two player game for most gamers; especially ones who love the NFL.

Several years ago, to make Madden more of a challenge, a friend, who I always played Madden with, thought it would be fun if we eliminated the option to QB Kneel. We kept losing close games to each other by using the QB Kneel offensive play when one of us was slightly ahead. It got kind of boring. And Madden is a lot of things, but boring shouldn’t be one of them.

source: EA Sports

When we removed the play option from our games, it made Madden even harder. When you got a comfortable lead, you couldn’t just sit on it and stop thinking about strategy. Fumbles and interceptions became more prevalent in the final minutes of a contest without the QB Kneel.

I started to not use the QB Kneel when I played single player Madden. It seems simple to just run the ball until the clock runs out, but when you’re playing a solid team on the most difficult setting, a fumble always seems to transpire. You quickly realise how important the QB Kneel is. I even tried throwing it. That was a mistake. The defences are too good to let a pass sail by, and if you miss your man, the clock stops.

Adding an extra bit of difficulty to a game that can already be a struggle isn’t wise, but if you want to get better at Madden, try it once. Even if your play with the Patriots or the Eagles, a fumble seems to always happen when you’re trying to run out the clock. I’ve even had easy field goals blocked with seconds left in the game. Playing without QB Kneels makes the urgency to score early even greater.

2018 Reset C64 Craptastic 4KB Game Competition Results

October 11, 2018 By ausretrogamer

This year’s Reset C64 Craptastic 4KB Game Competition was a great success and we would like to thank all of the competitors for their participation and hard work. Also a big thank-you to the judges and competition sponsors: RGCD, Pond Software, Bitmap Books and Protovision.

Every single entry was produced in the spirit of the competition and contained humour, creative ideas, and a demonstration of amazing skills by the developers – which is exactly what Craptastic is all about! Alas, there has to be a winner (even though we are proud of all the entries) and this time it is Paul Koller for his amazing Conga 4096. The arena shooter, based on RGCD’s Pan Dimensional Conga Combat, is definitely a worthy winner and is an amazing achievement by Paul and unbelievable for a 4KB game!

The winner: Conga 4096 by Paul Koller

Judges’ comments and more details will be published in a special Craptastic Reset mini-issue which will be out soon. Until then, enjoy the games which can be downloaded from the 2018 Craptastic page, and congratulations again to all of the entrants.

PLACINGS

Conga 4096 by Paul Koller (28.86)
WTF by Misfit (26.71)
Snake-a-Space (aka Molly) by Jamie & Molly Fuller, Wave Hero by Geir Straume (26.57)
Chef Quest by Pond/Privy Software, Orbs by Raffaele Formato/Raffox (26.43)
Dustin’ Pond/Privy Software (26.14)
#2vABC by James (24.57)
Kalle Kloakk 4k by Megastyle (24.43)
Trump Tower by Megastyle (24)
Endless Worlds by Derek, Mach-Tank by Malcontent (23.43)
Space Poker by Karol Stasiak (23)
Elevator Eric by Derek (21.43)
Rabid Robots 4k by Richard Bayliss/Alf Yngve (21.14)
Mind the Mines by Derek (21)
Freaky Fish by Chris Page (20.43)
Toxic by Richard Bayliss/Shaun Pearson (19.43)
Memory Safe by Jamie Fuller (19.29)
Parking Assist Chicken (PAC) by Goerp (17.58)
4kventure by Endurion (16.57)
Sheeps! By Matthew Clarke (16.29)
Roll Roll Roll by Cout (14)
G7000 Racer by Igmar Coenen (13.71)
I Found A Moon Rock In My Nose by Cout (12.57)
Plunko by Cout (12.43)
$100 Box by Cout (11.14)