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Retro Gamer

Our Fun Factory Gets a RPI2DMD Retro Arcade Wall Clock

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We have always admired the Run-DMD clock and RPI2DMD arcade wall clocks, but getting one always proved elusive.

In October last year we serendipitously stumbled upon a new post on a UK pinball forum advertising a limited run of these DMD retro arcade clocks. We immediately registered our interest and the rest as they say, is history! The maker of these was going to do a run of about 30 units, so we definitely got lucky, as they got snapped up within minutes of the post going live!

Let the build begin!

We received our meticulously handmade RPI2DMD Retro Arcade Wall Clock in early January, which was amazing, considering all the international shipping disruptions due to the pandemic.

We must say, this amazing DMD panel is eye-poppingly gorgeous in real life and is quite large – which is a good thing. The DMD clock is connected via WiFi (it also has an Ethernet/RJ45 port), allowing us to login and configure our location (for time and weather information) and the animations we want to cycle through.

Speaking of animations, this thing is loaded! It has 5235 animations to be exact. The animations range from arcade and pinball attraction screens, logos, consoles, computers, to Christmas and Halloween GIFs to name just a few. There were also some *ahem* questionable adult animations, but we switched those off for obvious reasons.

Setting up the RPI2DMD

DMD Wall Clock

Specs of the RPI2DMD Retro Arcade Clock include:

  • Built on Raspberry Pi, Custom software, Colour panels, Remote accessibility and settings
  • Brightness settings dependant on the time of day (so it can go dim at night, and then on bright at 8am for example)
  • Edit the display duration (or switch the individual function off!), choose different fonts & background images
  • Display a 7-day weather forecast (using an API key from OpenWeatherMap)
  • WiFi and Ethernet connection
  • 5000+ animations across 14 categories

And of course, to do all of this, ideally you would need a Wifi Connection, or wired Ethernet (although not essential, highly recommended – the Weather forecast does NOT work without an internet connection).

The wait to get one of these was definitely worth it. It looks absolutely amazing and is always a great conversation starter.

Testing the RPI2DMD

Shinobi on DMD Wall Clock



A Rare 1990 ATARI STe Computer Promo Film

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If you were in the market for an Atari STE and were stumped on how to use, then this 28 minute promo film from 1990 may help!

The cheese factor is off the scale in this video, but we couldn’t look away, as there were some things we actually learned or were reminded of that we had forgotten about our 16-bit Atari!

Watch it, as you may learn something new too (or at least rejog your memory) 😉


source: Computer History Archives Project



Intoxicating Nostalgia: The LEGO Icons Atari VCS (10306) Set

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Here we were thinking it doesn’t get any better than Lego’s Nintendo Entertainment System set, but looks like we were terribly mistaken! Lego have now gone up another level with their amazing Atari VCS/2600 (10306) set! Just look at the intricate detail, it oozes an intoxicating aroma of nostalgia. The set contains 2,532 pieces that create the iconic woodgrain console, three game carts, a CX40 joystick, three-shelf cabinet and three 3D vignettes of classic 2D games!

Just like when the Lego NES set was released, this won’t be cheap. Slated at a retail price of AU$369.99, you can grab one from 1st August – not long to wait now!

image source: Brickfinder – Facebook



SNES and Famicom PVM All-In-One Consoles!

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Being fans of Swedish outfit, Love Hultén, there is no shortage of retro gear they make that make us drool!

Their latest creations, the SNES-PVM and Famicom Computer(FC)-PVM all-in-one systems combine a 9″ Sony Trinitron PVM-9042QM monitor with genuine Super Famicom and Famicom consoles – which are absolutely gorgeous!


video and image source: Love Hultén



First Video of Final Fight Ultimate on the Sega Mega Drive

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As huge fans of the beat’em up genre, we are quite excited to see this homebrew version of Final Fight, titled Final Fight Ultimate on the Sega Mega Drive!

Retro developer, Mauro Xavier and his cohort of CFX experts, Edmo Caldas (music) and Master Linkuei (ripping, tricks & tech support) are bringing us one of the all time classic co-op beat’em ups on Sega’s 16-bit beast. To say we are excited for this port would be a massive understatement. We need Final Fight Ultimate in our life ASAP!


source: Mauro Xavier



History of The Addams Family Pinball Machine

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Ask anyone that played pinball in the early 1990s to name their favourite machine, we reckon The Addams Family will be right at the top of the list.

Without a doubt, The Addams Family pinball machine is one of the greatest machines of all time. Not only was it the best-selling solid state pinball machine of all time (selling over 20,000 units worldwide) TAF, as it is affectionately known, is still beloved by many and enjoyed some 30+ years after its release. This Pat Lawlor and Larry DeMar designed pinball machine is an absolute masterpiece.

Enjoy this cool history about The Addams Family pinball machine!


source: Kevin Carrington



Nintendo’s ‘Top Gun’: Landing Trouble

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

Only a few more days until I watch “Top Gun: Maverick” in an IMAX theatre, and I’m so excited to finally see it. I’ve been wanting to watch the Tom Cruise sequel since I saw the trailer almost two years ago.

I have a lot of fond memories of playing the 1987 Nintendo game “Top Gun.” When I was little, I loved the movie, so I asked for the flight simulation game on my birthday. My father played the game more than I did when I first got it. He enjoyed showing me how many times he could effortlessly land his F-14 fighter plane on the U.S. aircraft carrier. I had a difficult time landing my F-14 at first. I couldn’t get the timing and steadiness right as I approached the aircraft carrier.

When I would hear one of the film’s iconic songs, like “Take My Breath Away” or “Danger Zone,” I would get anxious and frustrated. The songs made me think about my inability to land my jet on the large carrier.

Coming into land

Then my brother started playing “Top Gun” when I wasn’t playing it. He landed on the aircraft carrier with no problem within about three tries. It floored me. I thought, how was I so bad at landing? I kept trying, and I kept crashing like an amateur. I even started to wonder if I was playing on a harder mode than my family. Or that my brother and father had some sort of cheat code that they found somewhere or through someone they knew.

All my gamer friends at school would make fun of me because I was unable to land my F-14 on the aircraft carrier. I would come home from school or baseball practice and try to land, again and again. I got so discouraged; I didn’t play “Top Gun” for a week. I just let the game cartridge sit in the corner of my room, on my dresser. It was basically my way of ignoring the game.

Landed!

Then, one weekend morning, I got up early and I slide “Top Gun” into my NES. I took a few deep breaths and anxiously played the game until I got to the aircraft carrier. I kept my controller steady, and I kept hitting all the right buttons. If I could’ve nervously started biting my fingernails, I would have, but my hands were busy. My F-14 steadied out and I landed like it was a piece of cake. I called my friends and told them, waking most of them up from a deep sleep.

After I successfully landed my jet on the aircraft carrier, it became rather simple. The trick: I wasn’t thinking about failure so much.

image source: mobygames



Tesla Coils Performing The 8-Bit Super Mario Bros. Theme

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Nikola Tesla was one clever cookie – imagine what he could’ve come up with if he was still around? Well, we would guess that he would use his namesake coils to perform an 8-bit cover of the Super Mario Bros. theme.

Watch out for the sparks!


source: Franzoli Electronics



PICOmputer ZX: Raspberry Pi PICO Powered Pocket ZX Spectrum

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Need a(nother) new project in your life? If you do, then check out Peter Misenko’s (aka: bobricious’) super cute PICOmputer ZX – Pocket ZX Spectrum on Hackaday, powered by a Raspberry Pi PICO!

This is an ongoing project, so expect more details and instructions on Hackaday. Also follow bobricious’ GitHub here.

image source: Hackaday



The Tabletop Retro Gaming Royal Rumble

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There is no doubt that we are still in the honeymoon period with our gorgeous Taito EGRET II mini tabletop arcade, but there are a few seasoned classics that could easily knock it off its perch!

Of course the Sega Astro City mini is another beautiful little arcade in the mould of the EGRET, just a tad smaller in stature and without a number of bells and whistles that its bigger brother enjoys.

The arcade mini contenders face-off!

Going toe to toe!

Then there are the tabeltop  heavyweights that have withstood the test of time, Grandstand’s seminal Astro Wars (1981) and Nintendo’s Game & Watch tabletops from 1983. We would’ve added the Vectrex too, but we thought otherwise 😉

Now don’t get us started about superior graphics and sounds on the Sega and Taito arcade minis, that is a given, however there is something quite charming about VFD (Vacuum Fluorescent Display) displays and simple pew pew pew sound effects – they never get old!

We have wasted too many batteries to count playing Astro Wars, Mario’s Cement Factory and Donkey Kong Jr., which we still keep coming back to till this day – that’s 4 decades, and counting! Let’s see if we will be saying the same about the new arcade minis from Sega and Taito in the 2060s.

Let the Tabletop Royal Rumble begin!

For now, the EGRET II mini with the trackball & paddle controller is consuming our gaming time!