Retro Gaming

Console Variations: Rarest Consoles Ever Made

January 24, 2019 By ausretrogamer

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]

Polish Arcade Parlours and Games from the mid 1990s

January 21, 2019 By ausretrogamer

We love seeing old photos of arcade games and parlours, especially ones from Eastern Europe – just like these photos uploaded on Flickr by Marcin Wichary from mid 1990s Poland.

If you look closely, you will find some interesting bootleg machines, but that doesn’t matter, as this is great to see what gamers got to play in Poland in the mid 1990s.

You can check out the rest of the photos on Flicker.

source: Marcin Wichary on Flickr

Classic Gaming Consoles Redesigned as Cars

January 17, 2019 By ausretrogamer

Here is something to ponder, what if classic video game consoles were made into cars?

Ponder no more, as Jennings FordDirect from the UK has answered our question – check them out!

image source: Jennings FordDirect

[story source: technobob]

Quarter Arcades Galaga ¼ Scale Arcade Replica

January 15, 2019 By ausretrogamer

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

Nintendo Quest: The Unofficial and Unauthorised Nintendo Documentary is now on SBS OnDemand!

January 11, 2019 By ausretrogamer

PLEASE NOTE: As at February 11 2019, this documentary has expired and is no longer available to view!

Don’t you just love SBS Viceland! For the next 30 days (starting January 11 2019), you can watch the awesome Nintendo Quest: The Unofficial And Unauthorised Nintendo Documentary for free on SBS OnDemand. Oh yeah, it is geo-locked, so it is Australian residents only (sorry everyone else).

For those of you that don’t know about this documentary – it is a fun film that follows Jay Bartlett, a fanatic video game collector, who, on a dare, tries to collect all 678 original NES games – a long-time dream of his. The kicker is, Jay must achieve this tall order in 30 days without using the Internet in any way. While following Jay on his adventure, the film also examines Nintendo’s cultural history, their on-going legacy, and specifically, the endurance of the NES. If you have ever played on a Nintendo system, not just the NES, then we highly recommend you watch this most unofficial and unauthorised Nintendo documentary ever! Oh yeah, it is free (to watch) for the next 30 days, so hop to it!

image source: Rob McCallum Films

PAX Aus 2018 Classic Gaming Area Captured on VHS!

January 8, 2019 By ausretrogamer

Now this was a pleasant surprise from Jack (aka: NewOldStock)!

If you like your videos to be authentically gritty and grainy (like they were 30 years ago), then check out this one of the Classic Gaming Area at PAX Aus 2018 captured on a 1986 National (Panasonic) M5 VHS camera!

We spoke to Jack to tell us a bit more about how this cool video came about. Jack told us that he is an avid collector of vintage A/V equipment that he loves to restore and use – his dream is to ultimately become a filmmaker. The National (Panasonic) M5 camera that he used for this footage cost him AU$70 at Cash Converters – we reckon that is money well spent. He informs us that he wanted this particular brand and model due to its reliability and the fact that batteries are still being manufactured for it – some 32 years after its initial release (totally mind blowing)! Jack’s challenge to transfer the VHS footage to be viewed on the net was daunting, however with sheer determination and tenacity, he found an old DVD recorder in hard rubbish that he used to digitise the VHS footage – now that is fortuitous!

Thanks heaps to Jack and his hard work in creating this awesome video – we feel like we have been transported back to the 80s and absolutely love it! Enjoy!

source: OldNewStock

Fun Little Nintendo Console Infographics

January 6, 2019 By ausretrogamer

Thank you to our awesome friend Goose (on Twitter), for letting us know about these lovely little Nintendo console infographics.

We knew we had to share them with the rest of you! Now we just need to convince Entartika to create some for the SNES, N64 and GameCube.

image source: Fun Little Infographics on imgur

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!]

Wishing You All An Awesome Xmas

December 24, 2018 By ausretrogamer

‘Tis the season to be jolly, Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la!

No matter where you are on this beautiful blue marble of ours, and no matter if you celebrate Christmas or not, on behalf of the Ausretrogamer and Pinball Press team, we wish you all a safe and awesome Christmas / Festive Season! All the very best to you all for 2019!

Thank you to all of you that come and visit our site – you all rock!

Oh yeah, if you have all been good, we hope Santa can drag himself away from playing pinball and deliver your presents!

image source: boredpanda

Handcrafted, Vintage and Unique Retro Gaming Goodies

December 21, 2018 By ausretrogamer

When our friends at Pinball Press covered handcrafted and unique pinball products on Etsy, we have a lot of you asking us to do the same for retro gaming. So your wish is our command!