This is a call to action for all lovers of Lego and retro gaming to head to the Lego Ideas site and vote for the Lego Outrun and Lego Pac-Man Action Figure!
What are you waiting for, go and vote!
image source: Lego Ideas
Pac-Man
Pac Maze: An Immersive Pac-Man Inspired Escape Maze
A real life Pac-Man escape maze? Yep, you have read that right!
The peeps at Pac Maze have created the ultimate nostalgic Pac-Man inspired escape maze in Melbourne for one day at a secret location within 15 minutes from the CBD!
This immersive activation will bring a huge maze with the chance for players to lose themselves in a pixelated world, running, dodging ghosts and grabbing fruit to be the ultimate winner. Inside the maze, players will need to complete a coded pac puzzle along with collecting fruit. The first to complete the puzzle and collect all the fruit will be crowned the ultimate winner. If a player gets caught by a ghost they will lose a life – lose 3 lives and you’re out! Now that is old school rules.
Once players escape the Pac Maze they can kick on in the 80’s themed pixel room, which will include the OG Pac-Man game and a DJ who will be belting out the classics to wind the clock back.
Sounds fun! For full event details and ticketing, go here.
PS: We hope this isn’t the same mob that ran the much maligned Mario Kart (IRL event) in the CBD.
JUMPGRID: The Bullet Hell Hyper-Pac-Man
Whoa, this new Ian MacLarty developed white-knuckle dodge’em-up is straight outta Melbourne!
You may be asking, what exactly is this game? Well, let us tell you, at its essence, JUMPGRID is a bullet hell hyper-Pac-Man. The player must survive an ever-moving cosmic obstacle course by deftly teleporting between nodes on the “jump-grid”. Clear all nodes to open a wormhole to the next level. Success requires only a few seconds of precision finger ballet, but touch any of the pulsing hazards and the level instantly resets, ready for you to try again, and again, and again… This is a game about honing your muscle memory until you learn to dance with your fingers!
Features
- Skin-of-your-teeth gameplay with easy to learn controls
- Over 100 uniquely challenging levels
- An original pulse-pounding electronica soundtrack
- Flaunt your skill and find fame on the speedrun leaderboards
- Adjustable game speed
Jumpgrid will be hitting PC/Steam, Mac and Itch.io on February 12 for US$4.99 / £3.99 / €3.99 / A$7.50.
image source: Ian MacLarty
Quarter Arcades Galaga ¼ Scale Arcade Replica
Whoa, seemingly out of nowhere we get the biggest surprise (so far) of 2019 – The latest Numskull Designs Quarter Arcades GALAGA ¼ scale arcade replica machine is coming to Australia!
We were totally blown away with their Pac-Man ¼ scale machine (which we got to play at PAX Aus 2018), so to say we can’t wait to play their Galaga machine would be a gross understatement.
The new Galaga ¼ scale arcade machine is currently available for pre-order (AU$278) via EB Games Australia!
Who is in? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook.
image source: EB Games Australia
WWII Inspired Video Game Propaganda Prints
We are huge fans of Fro’s (aka Fernando Reza) video games related propaganda posters!
His latest series are inspired by World War II video game propaganda prints. This latest set contains a whopping 26 prints! There are six new Mario and Zelda prints each, as as well as Metroid, Galaga, Pac-Man, Space Invaders, Tetris, Metal Gear Solid, Joust, Frogger and many more great prints – check them all out here.
Duck Hunt – For Vital War Needs
Space Invader – Stop the Invasion
Mario – Superior Firepower
Galaga – Protect
Zelda – Victory
Tetris – Build for Victory
Zelda – Hope for the Future
Mario – Building for Victory
Pac-Man – Protect Our Pellets
Duck Hunt – Keep’em Firing
source: Fro Design Company
80’s Arcade Video Games, Pinball and Mullets
Ah the good old days of the 1980s, hanging out at our local arcade parlours with mates and our monster mullets!
Thanks heaps to We Are Diehards on Facebook for sharing this most awesome vid with us all – let the nostalgia ooze baby!
source: We Are Diehards via Facebook
How to Win at Pac-Man
Waka, waka, waka, wanna play Pac-Man like a champion? If you are sick of getting gobbled by Inky, Pinky, Blinky and Clyde, then check out this ‘how to play’ vid, as it will get ya playing for hours instead of minutes!
This guide basically teaches you how to play two of Pac-Man’s maze patterns (there are three officially, but two are 99% the same as each other). So what are you waiting for, go and munch some dots like a champion.
source: stevepiers
80’s Street Party To Celebrate Barkly Square’s 35th Anniversary
Woohoo, who doesn’t like an 80s party? If you put your hand up, then this isn’t for you! For everyone else, read on…
Barkly Square is turning 35! Barkly Square will be marking this milestone (September 7 to 9) with an 80’s themed street party celebration which will feature 80s-style workshops and cool stuff from the best decade, like arcade games, flash dancers, hula-hoops, scrunchies and even an old-school JB Hi-Fi 80s type stall to name just a few!
If you want to attend and celebrate 80’s style, then check out the full details here.
image source: Barkly Square
Retro Gaming Festival Coming To QV Melbourne
Woohoo, it’s Game/On at QV Melbourne from this Friday, 31 August till Sunday 23 September!
QV Melbourne welcomes the new spring season with their month long Game/On event which will feature a retro gaming world with Pacman, Donkey Kong to name just a few, gaming lounges and an Augmented Reality (AR) Scavenger Hunt, live music and lots more to get your game on!
In the QV Melbourne Retro Gaming Arcade Zone there will be all of your favourite retro video games, from Frogger, Pac-Man to Donkey Kong and Space Invaders! And guess what, it’s all FREE to be enjoyed from 11am – 7pm daily in QV Square.
image source: ms.ausretrogamer
Did you say you want competitions? Well then you are in luck! There will be plenty of Gamer vs Gamer Competitions, so grab your friends (or a few strangers) and get your game on in a Super Smash Bros. showdown in QV Square! Competitions will be held every Friday from 5pm. Heats are on the 31st August, 7th and 14th of September, with the finals taking place on Friday, 21st September. If you think you’re up for the challenge (of course you are!), then get practising and register here!
If you prefer a quest, then the Augmented Reality (AR) Scavenger Hunt is for you! Explore the QV Laneways with this exclusive and FREE AR scavenger hunt for your chance to win part of a $10,000 prize pool. Some of the great prizes up for grabs include:
– Republic Boutique gift voucher
– Dyson Supersonic Hairdryer
– $100 Bar Tab from Father’s Office
– Marshall Midi ii Bluetooth Headphones, plus more!
For more deets on the AR Scavenger Hunt, check out the T&Cs.
And for every one that just wants to immerse themselves in Game/On nostalgia, there will be a party on every Friday night from 4-7pm, with a Nintendo themed candy bar, a DJ spinning retro chiptunes and a live progressive art installation in Albert Coates Lane, painted by some of Melbourne’s most vibrant visual artists. Like we said, the best part is that it is all FREE for you to enjoy.
Oh yeah, make sure you tag @qvmelbourne and use the hashtag #QVGameOn when you visit QV Square for Game/On between Friday 31 August and Sunday 23 September to go in the draw to win a $500 QV shopping spree.
Game On like Donkey Kong!
image source: ausretrogamer at PAX Aus
Pop Culture Temptations
It is quite dangerous working near cool pop culture stores in Melbourne. Within a stones throw from the office, we have Minotaur, All-Star Comics Melbourne and ZiNG Pop Culture tempting us with their wares.
With mid-year sales going on right now, the temptation is unbearable – sorry wallet…
