Retro

STARCADE – The Classic Arcade TV Game Show Will Be Recorded Live at Netherworld

May 15, 2023 By ausretrogamer

If we lived in Brisbane, we’d be all over this awesome event that Netherworld is hosting this Saturday (May 20th)!

This Saturday is STARCADE!!! A classic arcade TV game show recorded live in the Netherworld with YOU as the star! Register to be a contestant via events.humanitix.com/starcade !

A love letter to the classic 80’s arcade show Starcade, everyone is encouraged to look the part! The show will be broadcast on the day via twitch.tv/netherworldarcade with no tuning into the community television station needed.

Over a number of 4 player heats, players will be pitted against other contestants in both classic arcade trivia AND classic arcade gaming, so you’ll need both brains AND arcade brawn to make it through to the final round. Each round will consist of quick fire, hand on the buzzer trivia questions followed by some classic games chosen at random.

Registration comes with your first drink and a Starcade enamel pin. If you don’t want to participate in the game show, you’re more than welcome to just rock up to watch along in the audience! It kicks off this coming Saturday (May 20th) at midday and is suitable for all skill levels.

Event Details:

Date/Time

Sat 20th May 2023, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm AEST

Cost

Cost of entry is AU$30

Location

Netherworld: 186 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006

Suzanne Ciani’s Unpublished Atari Ad Jingle In New Video!

May 10, 2023 By ausretrogamer

It is great being in touch with your childhood heroes, like Atari’s Howard Scott Warshaw.

Howard recently posted on his Facebook account about a video featuring the unpublished Atari ad jingle by Suzanne Ciani in stunning 3D animation. In case you didn’t know, Suzanne was the amazing electronic music composer that created the iconic soundtrack for Bally’s Xenon pinball machine!

This reimagined video featuring Suzanne’s jingle was created by the amazing and talented Philippe Lafortune of Retro Gamers Hub & The Geek Connoisseur fame.

Atari Introduces New Collectible Replica Arcade PCBs

May 1, 2023 By ausretrogamer

A NEW REVISION IN ARCADE CIRCUIT BOARD HISTORY

Ah Atari, they know exactly how to squeeze every ounce out of their IP with products that hit the nostalgic sweet spot!

This time around, good ole new Atari has partnered with Retro Arcade to create high-quality authentic replica arcade machine Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) for Black Widow, Gravitar and Major Havoc – iconic Atari arcade games prized for their advanced gameplay and relative rarity of their cabinets.

These reproductions are officially licensed 11.5 x 20.75 inch (29.2cm x 52.70cm) reproductions based on the original arcade board sets and are a new revision in the PCB history. The boards use the original bill of materials, follow the original schematics, and can be used to replace damaged original boards by using the original parts from these boards.

OK, we must admit, we are actually impressed with these replica/repro PCBs, even if the price (US$245) is a tad too much when taking into account the exchange rate.

Oh yeah, these are available in limited quantities at Atari.com.

PS: To sweeten this juicy deal, Atari is offering $10 off (code: “PCBOOPSIE“) on any one of the three Retro Arcade PCB boards (yeah, we know, boards is redundant in PCB boards) 😉

Major Havoc PCB: Revision D

Major Havoc challenges players with a journey through exciting gameplay styles, including Breakout-style mini games where a knowledgeable gamer can warp through different levels.

Gravitar PCB: Revision C

A multi-directional shooter with a reputation for difficulty, Gravitar is arguably also the first cave-flyer ever made.

Black Widow PCB: Revision A

The arcade classic Black Widow is one of the very first twin-stick shooters ever made.

FREE Video Games in May on Prime Gaming!

April 28, 2023 By ausretrogamer

This is more of a PSA (that’s Public Service Announcement) for PC gamers (with an Amazon Prime sub) out there!

The list of free titles during the awesome month of May reads like a who’s who of video games – from STAR WARS™: Rogue Squadron 3D (on May the 4th!), to the retro gaming splendour of NEO GEO titles like Last Resort, Super Sidekicks, King of the Monsters 2 and Robo Army to name just a few!

Better clear your diary, as you’ll be playing video games quite a bit.

List of free games on Prime Gaming during the month of May:

May 4: STAR WARS™: Rogue Squadron 3D — Save the Rebel Alliance from imperial onslaught in this thrilling flight simulation game where players take on the role of Luke Skywalker and assemble their Rogue Squadron team to fly into battle, engage in intense, fast-paced space and planetary missions to continue the fight for freedom.
May 4: Super Sidekicks — Dribble, pass and use a variety of techniques to compete against the best teams from around the world as players battle for the SNK Cup.
May 4: Samurai Shodown IV — Test your samurai skills using powerful attacks to wage intense battles and defeat Amakusa before he conquers the modern world.
May 11: Planescape: Torment: Enhanced Edition — Explore the planes, survive dangerous combat scenarios and solve mysterious puzzles in this story-rich, tactical role playing game set in the Dungeons & Dragons multiverse.
May 11: Lake — Take on the role of Meredith Weiss and take a break from the big city to decide how you want to experience the beautiful Providence Oaks, featuring its iconic lake and scenery.
May 11: Robo Army — Take on high-powered collisions in this beat ’em up title as players crush and destroy their enemies to restore peace from the robot corps known as Hell Jeed.
May 11: Last Resort — Save humanity’s first hotel on Mars by taking down hordes of aliens in this small co-op shooter game.
May 18: Kardboard Kings — Own the best card shop in town by earning a reputation with customers, beating your shop goals, unlocking new decorations and more!
May 18: The Almost Gone — Unlock intricate dioramas to experience the plethora of connections of your life in this narrative puzzle game about death, loss and mental health.
May 18: 3 Count Bout — Become the world’s strongest wrestler by learning the moves and winning hard fought battles to take the champion’s throne for yourself.
May 18: Alpha Mission 2 — Recapture the universe from the seven star alliance by utilizing 11 types of various power armor in this vertical scrolling arcade game.
May 25: Lila’s Sky Ark — Protect a psychedelic world from bizarre beasts and punishing bosses in this poetic mystery filled with secrets, puzzles and music.
May 25: Agatha Knife — Embark on a whimsically twisted adventure with Agatha, as players join her in exploring her love for eating meat and her friendships with animals.
May 25: King of the Monsters 2 — Become the undisputed king of the monsters as players take on earthshaking battles against a plethora of behemoths.
May 25: Kizuna Encounter — Engage in intense battles as players use both weapons and fists alike to win in single-round sudden death tag-team matches.

DOOM on the Commodore 64 is so RAD!

March 20, 2023 By ausretrogamer

DOOM has been run on a multitude of devices – if it has a screen, then DOOM has ran on it! With this being the case, why not have DOOM run on the trusty 8-bit micro, the Commodore 64?

As you can see from the video below, that is exactly what we have here – a DOOM tech demo going by the title of RAD-DOOM which enables gamers to play DOOM on their Commodore 64 via the RAD Expansion Unit by Frenetic.

The RAD Expansion Unit contains a Raspberry Pi that takes the role of a CPU replacement for the Commodore 64. The graphics are still rendered by the original VIC-II chip. All technical details of RAD-DOOM can be found in Frenetic’s GitHub repo.

The gameplay starts off with keyboard controls, with the 1351 mouse control enabled later on. The special settings menu is visible from time to time where graphics rendering options and screen presets are available.

It’s amazing (and darn awesome!) what is still possible on the 41 year old 8-bit computer! Long live the C64!

source: emulaThor

STILL STANDING (2023) – A Must Watch Documentary!

February 23, 2023 By ausretrogamer

Just in case you have been living off the grid, welcome back! Now, hop to it and watch the Still Standing documentary film!

Still Standing is a journey back in time, a time when arcade and pinball were the hottest entertainment in town. Adelaide producer and cinematographer, Brad Gilbertson, has shot this beautifully, inducing the kind of nostalgia that is intoxicating for the generation of kids that experienced the arcade and pinball golden era. The emotive and amazing stories and histories will have you gripped like a Darth Vader choke-hold right till the end.

Be ready for some heart-wrenching stories

Still Standing is a first of its kind Australian documentary film, peeling back the curtain on what it truly takes to create and run iconic arcades, past and present. We admit, we shed a few tears (of joy mainly), but we will not spoil it for you, so you can experience this authentic and beautiful documentary for yourself.

Why are you still reading this? Go on, watch Still Standing now, and remember, game over is not an option!

Still Standing is now streaming worldwide – more details here.

PS: We eagerly await the physical release of this wonderful documentary!

★★★★★

source: BGVC

Do The Math – Atari XP: 50th Anniversary Box Set

February 8, 2023 By ausretrogamer

Do The Math! Atari doing what they do best, squeezing every cent out of their IP

Goddammit Atari, just when we thought you had redeemed yourself with the amazing Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration collection, you go ahead and become the exploitative shell of a company yet again 🙁

Don’t get us wrong, the concept for the Atari XP: 50th Anniversary Limited Edition Box Set is super cool, but the price is way too much for the majority of Atari fans, especially in the current global financial climate.

Anyway, if you have a cool USD$999.99 / AUD$1440.00 / £830.00 burning a hole in your pocket, then this collection may be right up your alley, but you better hurry, as these are limited to 100 worldwide!

Just like Pokemon, will you get them all?

PS: We always wonder what Nolan and Ted (RIP) would have thought about this ‘new’ Atari…….

We just want this Missile Command light up cart!

Will you get them all?image source: Atari Interactive, Inc

Gone (Adult) Toy Hunting

January 20, 2023 By ausretrogamer

Ah, let’s not kid ourselves, these aren’t exactly adult toys, but they do indeed invoke nostalgia, a yearning if you will, for us adults of a certain vintage to want raid the toy shelves of our nearest department store!

If you are lucky enough to have a BIG W near you, you may want to head in and check out the toy section, as they are stocking a myriad of toys that us Gen X’ers will go absolute bonkers over!

The toys that grabbed our attention were of course the Star Wars action figures and the Nintendo related toys. What I wasn’t expecting was the variation of Masters of the Universe stock, which also included the retro 40th anniversary line – we had to wipe our drool!

See anything that takes your fancy?

This packaging brings back memories!

The MOTU Revelation line is very tempting!

Not sure we can relate to this MOTU, but younger generations may appreciate it

Stratos ($19) versus Mer-Man ($50) – big difference

Pokemon, Minecraft and Roblox – Big W has you covered!

Cat Peach!

Our favourite Princess – we miss her so much

Weeping At Another Video Rental Store Closing

January 18, 2023 By ausretrogamer

Another Australian video rental store bites the proverbial dust!

We reported back in 2019 when the last Australian Blockbuster was closing its doors, and this time it’s no different, which we are sad to report that the independent family run video rental store in Kambalda, a mining town in the WA Goldfields, is closing its doors one last time after 40 years in business.

Run by the Assaad family since 1983, the video rental store has succumbed to FIFO (fly in, fly out) – where mining workers no longer reside in the town and are instead flown in and out. The steady decline has been a long time coming, with patronage almost nil which left the Assaad’s with no other option than to close this once thriving video rental store.

We wonder if there are other video rental stores still about in Australia? If you know of any, please let us know!

story and image source: ABC

Operation Switch: Arcade1Up Pinball Mod

January 10, 2023 By ausretrogamer

Performing essential surgery on our Arcade1Up Pinball machine

The Arcade1Up Pinball machines have recently received a new lease of life with community enhancements, like Team Encoder’s brilliant A1Pinner software, which allowed owners of these machines to install other Arcade1Up pinball packs (Marvel, Star Wars and Williams) and the Pinball Arcade and Zen Pinball applications (Android versions) with their plethora of pinball tables. Team Encoder went as far as creating a custom launcher and the ability to change the display to 1080p, which was a bit of a hit or miss due to the limited hardware spec inside these pinball machines.

We came across IntecGaming’s Nintendo Switch DIY Pinball kit about a year ago and have been eagerly awaiting its release. Once IntecGaming had this kit up for pre-order, we immediately jumped on it. The improvement is great value with this low cost kit, and of course, playing video games, especially the pinball (and shoot’em ups) variety in 1080p is exactly what this machine should have had from the start.

The IntecGaming Switch DIY Pinball kit is a physical modification to the Arcade1Up Pinball Machine, so we had to get our hand dirty so to speak. With no soldering required, this was as easy as unplugging the old and replacing them with the new! Of course the control panel with its ball-top joystick provides the arcade experience we were missing when playing Switch games.

Without further ado, here are the steps (with photos) that we took to operate and modify our A1Up Attack From Mars pinball machine:

Time to commence Operation Switch!