The Pop-Culture E-Zine
We love old toys and video game catalogues. We have previously featured the Toys “R” Us 1996 Christmas catalogue and the hefty 830+ page 1992 Christmas Sears, Roebuck & Co. ‘The Great American Wish Book’ to tickle your nostalgic nerve.
Well, now we present you with the 1991 Toys “R” Us (US) catalogue that features classic toys and some very classic video gaming systems that will definitely jolt your nostalgic nerve. Enjoy!
source: eBay
As Queen’s Freddy Mercury once sang, ” Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?“. Could we be dreaming? The KORG music production studio will allow (from July 11) you to create 80s Sega arcade game sounds and Taito FM synth sounds on your Nintendo Switch.
Yep, dreams do come true! With the awesome collaboration between ‘SEGA’ and ‘TAITO’, version 3.0 of the KORG Gadget for Nintendo Switch is a reality that will include the 2 new gadgets – Sega’s Otorii and Taito’s Ebina!
Check out the video below and head to the KORG news site for more info on this music making awesomeness. July 11 can’t come fast enough!
source: KORG
[story & image source: Korg News]
The Japanese Mega Drive Mini with the Megadora Tower Mini and the Mini Cartridge Framed Set proves yet again that our Japanese friends always get the cool stuff!
The Megadora Tower Mini (complete with a Mega-CD and 32X) may just be an accessory, but we reckon it is damn awesome and we totally need it in our lives!!! Oh yeah, the 22 tiny Mega Drive cartridge framed set also oozes so much awesomeness that we can’t contain our excitement – we are totally giddy and intoxicated with 16-bit Sega nostalgia.
You can try your luck buying this awesome collector’s edition from the official Japanese Sega Store right now (¥25,877 / ~AU$343.00 – excluding shipping)!
So, who is getting this MEGALICIOUS beast?
image source: Sega Store
Let’s start with WOW! How damn WOW is this MegaSD FPGA cartridge from Terraonion?!
Before we tell you what this mega cart can do, we thought we’d let you all know that it isn’t cheap (€232.00 / ~AU$380.00 exc shipping), but then again, there is a lot of cool technology jam-packed into this cart!
So, what can this cart do? Actually, the better question would be, what can’t it do? The simple answer is, it can do everything, bar making you a nice cup of coffee. Check out some of the mouth watering specs and features, and then make your decision to pull the trigger on one or not…..
This is the world’s First Mega-CD/Sega CD FPGA Optical Disc Emulator! Please try not to drool when reading the specs/features:
• Plays both ISOS (bin+cue) and ROMS
• RAM based cartridge for instant boot
• Compatible with all original and region free patched Mega-CD / Sega CD bios
• Supports Mega Drive / Genesis, Sega CD / Mega-CD, Nomad, Master System and 32X games (requires 32X add-on)
• Fully compatible with Analogue Mega Sg!
• Easy to use interface for navigating your collection with screenshots, genre, year and description
• Save State support for Mega Drive and Genesis Cartridge games (8 slots)
• Built in cheat engine for Mega Drive and Genesis cartridge games
• Emulates all different Genesis / Mega Drive / Master System / 32x cartridge mappers.
• Stores all different Genesis / Mega Drive / Master System / 32x cartridge saves into MicroSD card.
• Per game Mega-CD / Sega CD Backup RAM and Cartridge RAM stored into microSD card
• Master System FM Core
• In-Game menu for fast reboot and swapping games (Genesis / Mega Drive and Mega-CD / Sega CD)
image source: Terraonion
Oh yeah, this awesome bit of kit starts shipping in the first week of August 2019 by a strict purchase order system, so act fast! The other morsel you should be aware of is that shipping times will depend on their sales volumes! We are champing at the bit for this mega cart!
When you stumble upon an awesome idea you must let everyone know about it. My good friend Raj informed me of a Lego Ideas campaign created by SpacySmoke which proposes the creation of classic Lego Sega arcade machines.
The idea campaign is still gathering support, so if you would like Lego to take note, then please throw your support behind this great idea by voting now – who wouldn’t like a Thunder Blade or Yu Suzuki classics like Space Harrier and Out Run replica Lego machines in their home? I have cast my vote, so should you!
source: SpacySmoke on Lego Ideas
Just in case you have been in a cave without any outside contact, get your diary out now and mark September 19, 2019 as the date that the beautiful Sega Mega Drive Mini will be released in the wild to go toe-to-toe with its old foe, the SNES Classic Mini! Oh yeah, this ain’t no Flashback system!
We were amazed to find the following letter, with love, from SEGA:
My Old Friend,
I know it’s been a while. Time moves forward, yet not a day goes by that you’re not on my mind. I, the popular, star-console, you, the shy, unassuming kid, but we found common ground when we played Ecco the Dolphin together. You were so fast, racing through the Green Hill Zone with my pal, Sonic!
You sure knew how to play. The way that CRT hue hit your glazed over face as you spent another hour playing Castlevania: Bloodlines…We both knew things would change and that we’d move on to other great things, but lately, I’ve been thinking about spending time together once more. We didn’t do what we were told, but we made a good team.
I look a bit different now. I’m much smaller. I’m packing 40 games inside my sleek, molded shell, and more blast processing power than ever before.
We lived fast and dangerously, together, playing the games some of the adults weren’t too keen on (but you had the cool parents). We had the games your friends wanted to play, a whole stack of them. Shining Force, Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine, and Earthworm Jim, to name a few.
Sure. there were other distractions (remember pogs?). I was never jealous though because we still had Altered Beast and Gunstar Heroes.
I will try to write more regularly. I hear there is this friendly meeting space called “social media” now where I can share more.
I hope to hear from you soon.
With love,
SEGA Mega Drive Mini @-}–
Wow. We’ve never seen the SEGA Mega Drive Mini express itself like that before. If you’d like to write back, here is some information you may find useful when crafting your reply 😉
When: September 19, 2019
What: Miniature Sega Mega Drive console which will be plug-and-play ready with 40 classic games built-in! Oh yeah, the controllers will have 3 fire-buttons, not 6 (Ed: Oh well, it’s better than nothing)
Price: AU$139.00 / US$79.99 (Pre-orders via JB Hi-Fi or Play-Asia)
Announced titles (and more to come!):
So there you have it. Are you excited? Of course you are! Let us know on Twitter or Facebook which other titles you would like to see make the list of 40 legendary games.
Now, there are no limits with the Sega Mega Drive Mini!
image source: Sega Mega Drive Mini
Well, Thank Gawd It’s Friday, or better yet, #TGIF!
Friday always feels good as it is the end of the working week and knowing that the weekend shenanigans are nigh.
To make Friday flow even easier, we thought we’d go shopping for some cool retro gaming and general pop culture stuff that you may also be interested in. Oh yeah, if you are keen on any of the gear below, just click on the pic and it will take you to the relevant merchant/store – too easy, here we go!
We have always wanted to attend an amusement (trade) expo, and it doesn’t get any bigger than the Japan Amusement Expo (JAEPO), which was held over the last weekend.
The heavy hitters of the industry were all there showcasing their latest games and machines (Sega, Taito, Konami, Capcom, Bandai Namco), hoping to attract distributors and operators alike. Oh yeah, Taito’s ‘Mega Rage Darius’ throwback section was a nice touch and proved quite popular!
image source: megarage_mizo
Here are some highlights and new machines that caught our eye from JAEPO 2019. Obviously Space Invaders and anything pinball related caught our eye.
Taito stand
Taito’s Densha De Go (train simulator) – Standard and Kids versions
Taito – Space Invaders Gigamax (10P Space Invaders with a display that fits on a side of a building)
Taito / Raw Thrills – Halo: Fireteam Raven
Street Fighter V Type Arcade (Capcom @ Taito’s stand)
Taito – Space Invaders Pinball Jam
2人対戦ができる、スペースインベーダーデザインの『SPACE INVADERS PINBALL JAM』
打ち返したボールが相手側に落ちると得点が入ります！
残り時間が少なくなるとどんどんボールが増えていきます…(o_o)#タイトー #JAEPO2019 pic.twitter.com/nwu15dEe9W— タイトーゲーム@「ダライアス コズミックコレクション」予約受付中！ (@TAITO_Apps) January 25, 2019
Arcade1Up Japan – Space Invaders 40th Anniversary
Konami – stand
Konami – Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) 20th Anniversary Edition
Bandai Namco Technica – Pac-Man Panic Pinball
Bandai Namco Technica – Super Panic Ball (pinball)
Bandai Namco Technica – unique tool display from a Jersey Jack Pinball cabinet
exA-Arcadia – the NEOGEO MVS of our time!
Arcade Buttons galore!
image sources: Arcade Heroes, Taito Zuntata on Twitter, Taito, Arcade1Up Japan, BemaniStyle, exA-Arcadia & BK2000
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]
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!
Here is a selection of pretty cool retro gaming items on Etsy to suit any budget and any occasion – let’s go shopping!
Sega Seal Of Quality
Streets Of Rage 3D Shadow Box Art – framed
Hylian Shield Wooden Pin – Zelda
Awesome Nostalgia Retro Gaming T-Shirt
Game Over – enamel pin
Street Fighter – Ryu: 3D Shadow Box Art (framed)
80’s Retro Gaming Cartridge Throw Pillow Case
Altered Beast T-SHIRT / Beast Mode Gym / Retro Gaming / Unisex
Video Game Controller Poster
Oregon Trail Mug
Pokemon 3D Shadow Box Art (Framed)
NES Controller Patch
Retro NES Controller Card – A Card For Any Occasion (Birthday, Christmas, Gift)
Pixelated Heart Deco Coin Necklace
Custom Commodore 64 Printed Converse Sneakers
