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Retro Gaming

Ah the 1980s, We Miss You So Much!

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Gotta share this video that was posted by video game history guy, John Anderson. Using John’s words, this is, “A 1981 TV news report by WMAQ-TV in Chicago about the makers of Defender (Williams Electronics) and inside the Midway factory assembling Pac-Man arcade cabinets (350 a day!)”.

Ah the 80s, we definitely miss you so much!

source: John Anderson via Twitter

 

The Most Accurate Arcade Diorama!

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Holy smokes! Just as we were scrolling aimlessly through our Twitter feed and were about to give up and shut the app, we came across xevious765_bt’s Tweet which almost made us choke on our own spit!

The (loose) translation of xevious765_bt’s Tweet is, “The arcade diorama was taken by a close female photographer, ‼＼(^o^)／ 📷 and the real feeling is different when I take it with a good camera of the one eye reflex! of ▽*) Course, the cameraman’s arm is good.”

Gotta thank their close female photographer friend for snapping these awesome pics. Oh, and to the creator of the arcade diorama, wow, talk about intricate detail – simply amazing!

[source: xevious765_bt via Twitter]

 

Sega Mega Drive Classics coming to PlayStation 4 and XBox One

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HOLD ME CLOSER SHADOW DANCER! SEGA MEGA DRIVE CLASSICS COMING TO PLAYSTATION 4 AND XBOX ONE

SEGA® Europe Ltd. has an Altered Beast™ of an announcement certain to create an Alien Storm™ amongst the Shining Force™ of retro SEGA fans out there, as SEGA® Mega Drive Classics™ is set to release for PlayStation® 4 and Xbox® One on 29th May, 2018.

The collection has over 50 retro classics to experience across every genre; arcade action, shooters, beat ‘em ups, puzzlers, old favourites and hidden gems, with a raft of modern features. These include online multiplayer, achievements, mirror modes, rewind and save states meaning players old and new should find revisiting these great games an absolute Sonic 3D Blast. Visit the Sega Mega Drive Classics product page for more details.


source: SEGA Europe

SEGA Mega Drive Classics is available to pre-order now. It comes complete with a double sided Golden Axe™ and Streets of Rage™ poster, identical to the ones you would have seen in the game’s 90s inspired retro gamer’s bedroom, the hub through which players can access the entire collection!

To Gain Ground™ on all the latest information about SEGA and the SEGA Mega Drive Classics visit www.sega.co.uk.

Go now, be the Light Crusader™ you always dreamed you could be…

PS: Oh how we wish Sega Mega Drive Classics would somehow materialise on the Switch 😉

image source: SEGA Europe

[PRESS RELEASE supplied by Five Star Games]

Create Your Own Miniature Arcade and Pinball Parlour

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UPDATE: 33 Games is no longer available via Etsy (as at May 1 2018)

If you don’t have the space or can’t afford a row of classic arcade and pinball machines at your place, then 33 Games may have the next best thing – miniature 1/12th scale arcade and pinball replica machines!

Standing 6 inches tall and mostly made of wood and plastic, these mini arcade machines and pinball tables are an absolute meticulous work of art by Alan Friggens of 33 Games. The range is quite extensive for both arcade and pinball machines – all the greats are there, from Robotron, Galaga and Final Fight, to Bally, Gottlieb, Williams, Data East, Stern and Jersey Jack Pinball machines! We just wish Alan made JJP’s Dialed In mini pinball machine (hint! hint!).

33 Games offers these scale miniature machines as a single buy (pinball $36.82 / arcade $27.61) or in a special ‘pick any 3’ for $92.08 for 3 mini pinball tables or $73.66 for 3 mini arcade machines of your choice. Oh yeah, the pinball machines also have a LED lighting option which adds custom fitted LED lighting under the playfield and behind the backglass to really make them pop!

Which 33 Games mini arcade and/or pinball machines would you get? Jump on Twitter or Facebook to let us know!

image source: 33 Games via Etsy

 

The Legend Of Zorba

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Kevin Lieber of Vsauce2 fame checks out the old, interesting and weirdly obscure 10kg portable CP/M machine, the Zorba!

Now imagine lugging this beast around to play video games like Zork! That is exactly what Kevin does as he dives into the complexity of this early text adventure which paved the way for the Skyrims and Witchers of today 😉


source: Vsauce2

 

NESmaker – Make New Cartridge Based Games For the NES

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We’ll keep this short and sweet – if you want to realise your childhood dreams of making a new (cartridge based) playable game for the NES but don’t have the necessary coding expertise, then hit the NESMaker Kickstarter immediately. Hurry up, ’cause there are only a few hours left to secure this awesome bit of dev-kit!

Go on, unleash your inner game developer without the need of coding skills!

PS: Don’t worry about funding, the project has already blown waaaaay past its goal and has unlocked a number of stretch targets!


source: The New 8-Bit Heroes

 

Replicade X Tempest Mini Arcade Machine: The Early Bird Catches The Cool Worm

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If you were like us, you may have backed New Wave Toys’ first Kickstarter which was a Replicade Centipede mini arcade machine.

When we got the note that their Replicade X Tempest mini arcade was now live on Kickstarter, we jumped on it right away! Yes, we broke our first New Year’s resolution – no backing Kickstarters in 2018, but we made an exception for this, cause it is that good.

The Replicade X Tempest Kickstarter has already blown past its goal, so this will happen and we can’t wait! For everyone that went gaga at our photos of the insert coin light up keychain, here is your chance to grab one by backing this campaign with as little as $25USD.

Instead of regurgitating all about New Wave Toys’ Replicade X Tempest mini arcade right here, why don’t you go and check out the Kickstarter now and decide for yourself.

source: Replicade X Tempest on Kickstarter

 

Everything Retro Is Hot At CES 2018

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If you were in Vegas last week for the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) you would have been forgiven for thinking that it was the 1990s!

It definitely looks like companies are finally tweaking to the fact that retro gaming is big business. From Hyperkin announcing the mighty Ultra Game Boy to Retro-Bit announcing their partnership with Sega, it looks like 2018 is going to be a big year for retro gamers and their credit cards!

Here are our hot retrogaming picks from CES 2018:

Hyperkin Ultra Game Boy in an aluminium case will turn heads for sure!
image source: Gizmodo

Retro-bit did a mic drop by announcing that they had signed a licensing agreement with Sega to produce accessories for Sega’s Mega Drive, Saturn and Dreamcast gaming consoles! They even showed off games for the NES and SNES! These guys were on fire in Vegas!

Retro-Bit’s Sega Dreamcast Bluetooth Controller, Receiver and TV connectivity cables

Retro-Bit’s Sega Saturn controllers!

Retro-Bit’s Sega Mega Drive / Genesis Bluetooth Controllers

Retro-Bit’s Games for the NES (Holy Diver) and SNES (R-Type Returns CE)

source: Retro-Bit on Twitter

(Atari) Table Pong – If you weren’t lucky enough to snag this via its super early-bird Kickstarter price, then you will be paying three times more for it now!

source: Alex Kidman via Finder

 

Ausretrogamer is Six Years Old

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Ausretrogamer launched six years ago today! We’re not doing a whole lot to celebrate, unless eating cupcakes and doughnuts counts as a celebration – but we didn’t want to let the day pass without some sort of acknowledgement. It would be an understatement to say that the retro gaming scene is a tad different today than when we launched in January 2012. Back then there was no NES or SNES Classic Minis nor was there a PAX event in Australia.

The retro gaming community has grown in leaps and bounds with its momentum showing no slowdown – long may it continue to be this way. In fact, if we can blow our own horn for a moment, we’ve set new traffic records on ausretrogamer in 2017 – and we have all of you awesome peeps to thank for that!

We at ausretrogamer are not planning on stopping anytime soon. Your enthusiasm and excitement for retro gaming and its limitless possibilities is what keeps us motivated to keep on going. Who knows what the next six years will bring, but rest assured, we will keep doing what we do as long as you keep reading and engaging with us on social media. Thanks heaps!