The Pop-Culture E-Zine
When you dream of having an arcade and pinball parlour integrated in your home, Gary McTaggert’s Willy’s Arcade is surely the perfect blueprint.
The former Valve programmer has the most awesome home arcade setup we have ever seen, from the classic arcade cabinets (Ed: which there are a lot of!) and pinball machines, to the fantastic nerdy artwork adorning the walls, and that oh-so-brilliant diner in the kitchen – it is truly the stuff of dreams!
Source: GaryMcT via Cheezburger
The Bitmap Brothers: Universe is a singular collection of never-before-seen concept artwork and archive material, covering seminal titles such as Xenon 2: Megablast, Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe and The Chaos Engine.
The book also features an authoritatively written inside story of the company and its games. Written by Duncan Harris (contributor to Edge and Rock, Paper, Shotgun), it weaves together new and original first-hand interviews with The Bitmap Brothers’ key figures, including founder Mike Montgomery and lead artist Dan Malone – offering an unrivaled glimpse at the groundbreaking, enigmatic, Ray-Ban-wearing Bitmaps team. This luxurious hardback will include:
The Kickstarter campaign for The Bitmap Brothers: Universe runs until 11 May 2015, and is seeking to raise £40,000. Special items available via the campaign are a signed, dedicated copy of the book (by Mike Montgomery), and a signed, specially-commissioned Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe print by original artist Dan Malone.
The Bitmap Brothers: Universe will join the stable at videogame history publisher Read-Only Memory, which includes the celebrated Sensible Software 1986–1999 (2013) and Sega Mega Drive/ Genesis: Collected Works (2014) – which we said ‘This is the only Sega Mega Drive /Genesis book you will ever need’!
image source: Read-Only Memory
Amid the cosplay, celebrities, wrestling matches and artwork at Melbourne’s Supanova Pop Culture Expo was (our highlight!) the Australian Pinball League’s Victorian State Final of the 2015 Australian Timezone Supanova Pinball Championship.
The competition on Saturday involved qualifying rounds and a final for the day’s top scorers (in all ages and under 18 categories) to win an iPad Mini! (read more and see the under 18 and all ages winners).
However, Sunday was when the serious action began. Highest scorers on all competition machines (in participating Timezone amusement centres in the lead up to Supanova or during Saturday’s qualifying rounds) battled it out to become the Victorian State Champ and win an all-expenses paid trip to compete in the National Grand Final at Supanova Brisbane – November 29, 2015.
But just when you thought it couldn’t get any better – as well as the awesome title of ‘Australian Timezone Supanova Pinball Champion’, the overall winner will be awarded a WWE Pro Pinball Table valued at over AU$8,000! And best of all, it’s not too late to enter – check for upcoming state finals on the Australian Pinball League’s website.
Image source: Stern Pinball
Although the 16 Victorian finalists (including two impressive under 18s) were nervous, there was a lot of excitement and the mood was fun and friendly (typical of Australian Pinball League events). Finalists played on each of the four competition tables (two WWE Pro tables and two WWE Legends of Wrestlemania Limited Edition tables) and winners were determined by overall ranking.
It’s the serious end of the competition!
The action is focused and frenetic!
And the winner is………
The action was frenetic and the scoring was close throughout the final, but there could only be one winner: Johnny Crabtree from the Western Wizards with 52 points! Followed by Joe Gregus with 47 points and Luke Marburg with 45 points (full results).
Congratulations to the Victorian State winners [L to R]:
Luke Marburg (3rd), Johnny Crabtree (1st) & Joe Gregus (2nd)
Once the adrenaline rush had waned, we spoke to the winner and a number of other finalists.
Johnny Crabtree (1st place, 52 points)
ARG: Congratulations on your win! How do you feel?
JC: Thank you! I am rapt!
ARG: Were you nervous playing in the final?
JC: My nerves were a bit frayed when I drained the first two balls on three of my four games, but once I calmed myself down, I managed to rack up some high scores on the last ball of each game! ARG: Oh wow, that is even more impressive!
ARG: Let’s go back a bit now. Which table did you qualify on and what was your qualifying score?
JC: I qualified with a score of 180 million on Metallica at Timezone in Geelong. ARG: Holy smokes, that is a huge score!
ARG: Have you participated in any other pinball tournaments?
JC: I have participated in tournaments run by Melbourne leagues, like the Western Wizards and the Peackock Inn Pinball Allstars. I have also played in Slam Tilts tournaments and came third in the Pinball HQ @ Coogee Diggers comp.
ARG: That is an impressive playing CV. When did you first start playing pinball and what table was it on?
JC: I was in my teens, maybe 15 years old when I first played Bally’s Lost World.
ARG: Do you own any pinball tables?
JC: I sure do. I have Shark, Gilligan’s Island and AC/DC.
ARG: We’ll leave you to enjoy this moment and thank you very much for talking to us.
JC: Thank you!
Wal Dickie (8th place, 38 points)
ARG: Thank you for talking to us Wal. Let’s get the ball rolling, pardon the pun – which table did you qualify on?
WD: No worries at all, it is great to speak to you. I qualified on Star Trek Pro at Timezone Forest Hill.
ARG: Now that is a coincidence! I went there last night and the machine was out of service? What score did you get on it?
WD: (laughs), yeh I broke it! I got 77 million on it.
ARG: Now I know who to blame. Have you participated in any other pinball competitions?
WD: Yes. I was the 2013 Vic State champion. I also play in the local leagues (Peackock Inn Pinball Allstars).
ARG: You seem to know how to bump the tables and hit those flippers with surgical precision – when did you first start playing pinball and what was the table you played on?
WD: I started playing pinball when I was 10 years old in 1974. I still remember the table, it was Gottlieb’s Sky Jump.
ARG: Do you have an all-time favourite pinball table?
WD: (thinks for a long time) that is a tough question to answer. If I had to pick one, it would be The Addams Family.
ARG: Do you have any tables at home?
WD: (smiles) Of course. I have The Lord Of The Rings, The Addams Family, Johnny Mnemonic and World Cup Soccer.
Shane Rubans (6th place, 44 points)
ARG: Hey Shane, congrats on making the finals! Can you tell us what table you qualified on?
SR: Hey Alex, thank you and it’s great to meet you in person. I qualified on Wrestlemania.
ARG: What was the qualifying score?
SR: I got 27 million.
ARG: Have you participated in any other tournaments?
SR: Yeah! I got the buzz when I played and competed at PAX Aus in 2013. I also competed at last year’s Supanova.
ARG: When did you first start playing?
SR: I first played pinball in 1986. But over the years there were less places to play, so I lost interest. My love of pinball got reignited at 2013 PAX Aus, I entered the competition and did quite well. The pinball buzz was back! I also enjoy playing Pinball Arcade on consoles. It’s great for practicing your skills.
ARG: Glad to hear you got the pinball buzz again. Do you have an all-time favourite machine?
SR: Sure do – it’s the Williams High Speed table.
ARG: Oh yes, a WEC System 11 table! Kudos. Do you own any tables?
SR: I actually have a High Speed table and also a Stern Ripley’s Believe It Or Not table.
ARG: That’s awesome! Thanks for chatting to us and we’ll hopefully catch up at a future Peacock Inn meet!
SR: Sure thing and thank you.
Skott Kellett (10th place, 31 points)
ARG: Hi Skott, thank you for taking time out to chat to us. We know you are busy participating in the tournament and also helping out in the pinball area.
SK: It is great to chat to you guys. I can finally put a face to the names! It is busy, which is great. I volunteered to help out in the area – I assist Norbert in setting up and also packing up the gear.
ARG: That is great to hear! It sounds like hard work, but very rewarding?
SK: Absolutely! It is very rewarding to see people playing pinball.
ARG: Let’s get to that tough questions now – what table did you qualify on and what was your score?
SK: I qualified on The Walking Dead with a score of 62 million.
ARG: Apart from participating in this competition, have you played in other tournaments?
SK: Yeah, I participated at the PAX Aus in 2013 competition after not playing much pinball over the last decade. Ever since then, I have made every (Timezone Supanova Pinball Championship) State final! On another topic, I came 5th in the Blockbuster Video Street Fighter II tournament held at the Glasshouse (Olympic Park precinct)! ARG: Oh wow, that is fantastic – a blast from the past! You already had the competitive pedigree!
ARG: When did you first play pinball and what was the table you played on?
SK: Growing up with older brothers, I got to go to some places that perhaps I should not have been allowed in (laughs). I recall playing Pin•Bot around 1986 at the Jamaican Smoking Cafe.
ARG: Do you own any tables?
SK: I recently got the green light from my wife to get a table. I am thinking of getting one I can restore so I can learn how to repair it myself.
ARG: That sounds like a great plan! We wish you all the luck and hope you find your table very soon!
SK: Thank you.
ARG: Before we let you get back to your volunteering, do you have any dream tables?
SK: The Addams Family and Fish Tales!
Jordan (7th place, 40 points, top ranked junior, plus winner of Saturday’s under 18s Pinball vs. Supanova final)
The ongoing success of pinball is dependent on the next generation taking to the flippers and propagating the fun. As well as showing us that young people are getting into pinball, fifteen year old Jordan racked up high scores that would give a seasoned veteran a run for their money.
ARG: Congratulations and well done on becoming a junior pinball champion. So Jordan, tell us, when did you first start playing pinball and what was your first table?
Jordan: I was 10 years old when I started playing pinball at a holiday park in Anglesea. The first machine I played on was Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
ARG: Oh wow, Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a great machine, it is great to hear that you cut your teeth on an older table. Do you have an all-time favourite pinball machine?
Jordan: The Addams Family! I played it while on holiday in Torquay and was instantly hooked.
ARG: Where do you go to play pinball?
Jordan: I mainly play at Timezone in Geelong. I also look out for pinball tables when I go to the movies.
ARG: What would help make pinball more popular with the younger generation?
Jordan: Pinball is becoming cooler, more family-friendly places with tables would help raise its popularity. An endorsement from a celebrity would help too, especially someone young people can identify with.
ARG: We got side-tracked for a second there. What machine did you qualify on and what was the high score?
Jordan: I got 12 million on Legends Of Wrestlemania, and I actually got 110 million on Star Trek Pro after the final, once the pressure was off!
ARG: Oh wow, 110 million! That is a super impressive score. As long as you had fun – that’s what it’s all about. Thank you for chatting to us and congratulations!
Jordan: I definitely had fun and thank you.
More young people enjoying some pinball action!
These guys said more bars with pinball tables (in the style of Forgotten Worlds) would raise the popularity of pinball with younger people.
The driving force behind the championship is APL director, Norbert Snicer. Norbert has a long history in the amusement industry and a wealth of pinball knowledge. His obvious passion and enthusiasm is very infectious and we were thoroughly impressed by the fun and professional tone of the event. He was a very friendly and interesting person and we hope to bring you an article about Norbert and some of his other ventures in the near future.
The man we all need to thank, Mr. Norbert Snicer!
It would be remiss of us not to mention Amusement Machine Distributors (AMD) – the official Australian distributor of Stern Pinball tables, and the championship’s major sponsor. AMD kindly supplied the pinball machines that were enjoyed by all at Supanova. And the good will continues with all proceeds from the pinball machines going to Mission Australia – a charity which helps people in need regain their independence and move away from homelessness.
If you want to find a pinball club near you, head to the Australian Pinball League (APL) site and check for clubs in your state. For those lucky enough to be in or near Sydney, check out the awesome Pinball HQ at Coogee Diggers!
Pinball wizards group shot!
Image source: Australian Pinball League
Both myself and Ms. ausretrogamer had a fantastic time at Supanova, with the main attraction being pinball (of course). The people we met and spoke to were all having fun and were genuinely keen to chat about pinball and everything else pop culture. We will definitely be back for the next competition in Melbourne! But, as always, all good things must come to an end. Instead of saying goodbye, we’ll say, see you at the next pinball competition!
On a cold and miserable night in Melbourne earlier this week, eight hardened retro gamers converged on Wadham House for the monthly Retro Tuesday meet.
Serblander, of Weird and Retro fame, convinced the organisers to make the meet all about Atari‘s little feline, the Lynx. With all members contributing their Lynx wares, there was ComLynx action aplenty. Checkered Flag provided some friendly rivalry (Ed: and some very colourful language!), while Dr C. stamped his dominance, yet again, on the 8-Player Slime World.
The night wasn’t just for great gaming fun (which it was!), the display that Weird and Retro had put together for the Lynx was a great homage to the Atari handheld! Check out the pics and drool over that store stand and all those different Lynx boxes!
As usual, it was difficult to leave my Lynx friends, but good things must always come to an end. After leaving the Retro Tuesday meet, I was informed that a new California Games BMX bandit was crowned – well done & congrats to Serby!
Thank you to: Aleks, Stacey, Jerry, Pedro, Callum, Paul and Mal for an awesome night of Lynx action! Can’t wait to do it again!
The Great Wall Of Lynx
The one and only, Atari Lynx
Badges of honour
The Games!
The Lynxes!
Travel in style, keep your Lynx in a pouch
Fan magz – Lynx User!
Serby preparing the awesome Lynx stand!
Jerry is the BMX bandit on the big screen!
Dr. C cautiously approaches the ledge! Double backflip coming up!
ComLynx gaming = heaps of fun!
Yours truly giving the thumbs up! Too bad my car was off the road!
More Checkered Flag action coming up!
8P Slime World! Let the smack talk begin!
LCD comparison: Original vs McWill’s LCD modded (with VGA) Lynx II
Handheld gaming is still popular as it’s ever been. The ability to play console quality games, especially retro games, on the mini-computer in my pocket, is totally insane. I can grind through dungeons in Final Fantasy; or zoom across Sonic’s digital landscape collecting enough rings for a chance at the bonus stage in order to get those elusive chaos emeralds in the Hedgehog’s Mega Drive/Genesis classic.
Playing these games on my smartphone got me thinking about portable gaming. When I was younger, I used to spend countless hours on my Nintendo Game Boy and later, my Sega handhelds. Nowadays, I love my Nintendo 3DS, PSP and the PS Vita, but I look back to my favourite handhelds of the past, and the one that sticks out most in my mind, is the Sega Genesis Nomad.
This thing was a portable Sega Genesis system that nearly played every game cartridge that I had. There were only a couple that wouldn’t work, but this was long before you could download a software patch to fix such a problem. For those unfamiliar with the Nomad, this thing was a pocket sized Sega Genesis – as long as you had large pockets, it could go with you anywhere! Oh yeah, and as long as you had a handy supply of AA batteries (the unit was powered by six AA batteries). The battery pack that attached to the back of the machine was quite bulky. The batteries drained rather quickly, so, unless you had a part-time job to keep buying them, they were quite difficult to obtain. This wasn’t much of a deterrent, as you could play Sonic and Mortal Kombat on the go!
Luckily, there was an adapter that made it possible to plug directly into mains power and even the cigarette lighter in your parents car – and with the headphone jack, you could be gaming without bothering the passengers. You could literally take it anywhere with the vast library of Genesis games – you were never short on playing awesome titles. The Nomad even had interfaces to connect to a regular TV, just like a home console, and also a second player controller connection for some 2P action!
There were some attempts at bringing home console games to the portable realm, with NEC having a similar unit (Ed: the TurboExpress), but with Sega, you had their extensive library of games to draw from which the others could never compete with (Ed: except for NEC’s PC Engine GT). Sega had a massive hardware push through the 90’s, which ultimately didn’t work out for that side of their business. But it sure was a lot of fun while it lasted, and their Nomad was truly a remarkable device.
It pains me to this day to think that I traded it when the Playstation 2 hit the shelves and I just had to have one. I learned my lesson at that point and I have never traded away any of my old consoles since; portable or otherwise.
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Matt Thames
Blogger and Brand Manager at Selby Acoustics.
Game: World Games
Genre: Sports / Events
Format: Commodore 64
Media: Tape or Disk
Year: 1986
Developer: Epyx
Publisher: Epyx
As the years roll on, there are video games that have aged well and others that have not. It is no secret that Epyx had the sporting events genre video games down pat. They had all the main seasons of the year covered in their sports games, from performing breathtaking Hot Dog Aerial manoeuvres in Winter Games, to throwing a Javelin across the field in Summer Games II. They didn’t just stop with Olympic events type games. Epyx branched out to street / sub-culture sporting events style games like California Games, which was yet another exemplary title to show off the Epyx sports games pedigree.
From all the great Epyx sports video games, one that has the most obscure and diverse events, is World Games. Don’t get me wrong, obscure does not mean it is terrible, it’s quite the opposite. The eight (8) sporting events take place across the world in their country of origin: Weightlifting – Snatch and Clean & Jerk (Russia), Slalom Skiing (France), Log Rolling (Canada), Cliff Diving (Mexico), Caber Toss (Scotland), Bull Riding (USA), Barrel Jumping (Germany) and Sumo Wrestling (Japan). Just like in previous games, World Games allows the player to compete in all events (sequentially), choosing some events or just one event. If you aren’t sure of your form, then the game does provide a practice facility. The playing mechanics may take some getting used to (pushing forward, pulling back), but persist and you will be richly rewarded.
The level of detail in Word Games is second to none, from the inhaling and exhaling weightlifter that grips the weight bar, to the brave cliff diver that waves at you after he nails his dive. The humorous touches when you stuff your event, like the caber hammering you into the ground, are a stroke of genius. Each event feels distinct and Epyx left no stone unturned on any of them – they are all visually impressive with well-developed play mechanics. You will experience frustration in playing some events (like the Caber Toss in Scotland and Bull Riding in the US), but as mentioned previously, persistence and timing are key to your success in obtaining a gold medal.
When it comes to crowning a gold medal winner, the developers at Epyx deserve the gong for creating sports games with great graphics, awesome sound and most importantly, loads of fun and playability. World Games is another title deserving of its entry in the sports games winner’s circle. Just like a fine wine, World Games has aged very well. Play on your own, or better still, grab a few mates and go for gold!
image source: C64-Wiki
What does one do with an unused Atari 2600 4-switch plastic case? Well, to keep it in the Atari family, the plastic case gets transformed into secure storage for the Atari Lynx II and all of its peripherals and games! If you have this case and would like to do some DIY, read on…
What you need:
* Atari 2600 4-Switch plastic case
* Packing foam (from Clark Rubber)
* Chalk
* Bread knife
Here we go:
Clean that case! Use a wet sponge on this baby
Open her up and measure the bottom of the case
Slot the packing foam into the bottom of the case
Lay the Lynx wares how you like
This is the layout I like!
Carefully trace around the items with chalk. Remove items and get carving with the bread knife!
Ta da, finished! Yep, it was that easy
Case (about to be) closed!
With the NES and Mega Drive getting their Made In Australia once-over, we thought we would complete the trilogy by documenting the video games that were made Down Under for Nintendo’s 16-bit powerhouse, the Super Nintendo!
Looking at the SNES games developed in Australia, it is great to see so many chart topping titles in the list, from the awesome Super Smash TV, to MechWarrior and the cyberpunk-fantasy action role-playing game, Shadowrun.
The SNES was blessed with great titles and I am proud to say that Australian made games were counted amongst them. Which Australian made SNES game did you like?
Super Smash TV (1991)
Cal Ripken Jr. Baseball (1992)
George Foreman’s K.O. Boxing (1992)
NBA All Star Challenge (1992)
Super High Impact (1993)
MechWarrior (1993)
Shadowrun (1993)
Choplifter III: Rescue Survive (1994)
WCW Superbrawl Wrestling (1994)
Radical Rex (1994)
Super Solitaire (1994)
Super International Cricket (1994)
True Lies (1994)
Jim Lee’s WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams (1995)
image sources: destructoid, giantbomb, gamefaqs, rfgeneration, mobygames, wikimedia commons & retrogamingaus
If you ever wanted a quick reference guide on the history of pinball, then you have come to the right place. Those Silver Oak Casino guys aren’t just about online gambling, they also create awesome and informative infographics, like picking the right video games and indulging you in a brief history of pinball. Check it out, you may learn something.
source: Silver Oak Casino
Following on from our look at Aussie made NES games, the Made In Australia series dives straight into the 16-bit era this time around, starting with Sega’s Mega Drive. The Mega Drive was an instant hit for Sega – it had a headstart on Nintendo’s 16-bit offering and it never looked back.
With a pedigree in arcade gaming, Sega’s 16-bit machine wasn’t short on awesome arcade conversions. Who could forget their first play on Golden Axe? It was like (Ed: almost) having the arcade machine in your bedroom! With sleek looks and a plethora of crtically acclaimed games, the Mega Drive went from strength to strength and smashed all kinds of sales records across the globe. Australian coders also jumped on the 16-bit development bandwagon (Ed: especially Beam Software!) and created a handful of Mega Drive games – some more well known than others. Do you remember playing any of these?
NBA All Star Challenge (1991) – Beam Software
George Foreman’s K.O. Boxing (1992) – Beam Software
Blades of Vengeance (1993) – Beam Software
Tom & Jerry: Frantic Antics (1993) – Beam Software
Radical Rex (1994) – Beam Software
True Lies (1994) – Beam Software
Australian Rugby League (1995) – Dreamtime Interactive (in conjunction with I-Space Interactive)
image source: Moby Games, Games Database, retro gaming australia
In the next Made In Australia feature, we will look at Super Nintendo games that were made down under. Till then, play hard and have fun!