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PAX Aus 2025: The Fun Came, We Saw, We Played!

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From Gaming to Cosplay, PAX Aus 2025 Had It All!🎮✨

Can you believe it’s been a whole year since the last PAX Aus? Time really does fly when you’re having fun—and wow, did we have a lot of it this year!

From the moment the doors opened, PAX Aus 2025 was bursting with energy, excitement, and that unmistakable buzz of shared geekdom. Whether you were there for the blockbuster game reveals, epic cosplay, thought-provoking panels, or just to roll some dice and mash some buttons, there was something for everyone.

The Main Hall was a sensory overload (in the best possible way), filled with new gaming experiences, neon lights, and endless action. Meanwhile, the Tabletop and Freeplay areas became mini worlds of their own – where strangers became teammates, rivals, and friends over cards, boards, and controllers.

And of course, we can’t forget the heart and soul of the show (Ed: we are biased!) – our beloved Classic Gaming area. But don’t worry, we’re giving that its own spotlight soon (because it totally deserves it). Keep an eye out for that post if you’re craving a dose of retro nostalgia! 👾

For now, grab a snack, get comfy, and let your mouse wheel (or index finger) do the work—scroll on and soak up all the PAX Aus 2025 goodness!

image source / copyright: ausretrogamer.com

The Legend of Zelda Live-Action Movie Is In The Works

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Not to be outdone by Mario, Nintendo’s other massive franchise, The Legend of Zelda, is going to get the love-action movie treatment!

Currently in the works with Nintendo and Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Legend Of Zelda film soon be a reality – Wahoo, or should that just be “woohoo”?!

Wes Ball, the visionary director behind the Maze Runner trilogy, will step into the director’s chair for this upcoming live-action Zelda feature film. The live-action film, set to be distributed by Sony, is a joint venture between Nintendo and Avi Arad’s Arad Productions, Inc., promising an epic collaboration that merges the gaming and cinematic worlds.

Shigeru Miyamoto, the iconic Nintendo representative director and visionary behind legendary franchises like Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda, is set to produce the film. Miyamoto shared the exciting news on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, revealing that he and Arad have been tirelessly crafting the live-action adaptation for many years.

In this unprecedented partnership, gaming giant Nintendo and entertainment powerhouse Sony are co-financing the project, signaling a groundbreaking moment where two industry giants unite to bring a beloved gaming universe to life on the big screen. The collaboration promises to deliver an immersive and captivating experience for fans and newcomers alike.

Fans can expect nothing short of a cinematic masterpiece (Ed: we hope!!) as Ball takes on the challenge of bringing iconic Nintendo characters and worlds to life in a way that has never been seen before.

The anticipation is building as the creative forces behind this project continue to unveil their vision for the live-action adaptation. With Wes Ball at the helm, supported by the creative genius of Shigeru Miyamoto and the backing of Nintendo and Sony, this collaboration is set to redefine the boundaries of gaming and cinema, promising an unforgettable journey into the heart of beloved Nintendo classics. Stay tuned for more updates as this epic adventure unfolds!



The Sony HB-F5 MSX2 Computer – The Gaming System That Came Before the PlayStation

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On a recent hunt for retro gaming systems we came across the Sony HB-F5, Sony’s first MSX2 based computer gaming system that was released in Japan in 1985.

There were two HB-F5 variants that were released – grey and back. Both of these colour variants are quite rare and difficult to find in working condition (and with working game carts).

These aren’t cheap, but if you are after this oddity, there is one currently available (at the time of publishing) on Facebook Marketplace for $1,050 – and you thought the PlayStation 5 was expensive!

PS: Don’t mistake that RGB21 output for SCART – they look similar, but the pinouts have differing designations!

image source: Facebook Marketplace



The Nintendo Snack Pack DOES What Sega Don’t!

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The Nintendo Snack Pack Dedicated Oldschool Entertainment System (DOES)

We have always been in awe of Starforce Pi’s creations, like the amazing PC-Engine SD and Sega OMega Drive.

This time around we are in awe of The Nintendo Snack Pack, a portable gaming/streaming system fitted into a 1972 Sony TV-740 case, including a large 20,000mAh battery and 12v charger that makes it an easy proposition to carry around and play!

The Ninty Snack Pack specifications are quite impressive (see below), but at the heart of it are two boards, the SNES mini and NES mini, stacked on top of one another. Switching between ‘channels’ is done via the large retro-style rotary dial on the front of the all-in-one unit.

The rotary dial not only allows you to switch between SNES and NES gaming fun, but it also allows you to switch to a SEGA channel which comes complete with 8/16-bit Sega fun and a host of other gaming systems to play. The third channel, VIDEODROME, is used to stream classic cartoons, movies and other shows via Chromecast, and last but not least, the fourth channel allows any console with an AV/composite connection to be plugged in and played – wowser, this is one super impressive DIY creation!

It would be a huge understatement for us to say how much we’d love The Nintendo Snack Pack to be sitting in our games room right now!

The Nintendo Snack Pack DOES What Sega Don’t!

Nintendo Snack Pack SPECS:

  • Authentic Nintendo NES Mini Board (Channel 1)
  • Authentic Nintendo SNES Mini Board (Channel 2)
  • 4x Controller Ports (1-2 Player for Channel 1 & 2, respectively)
  • Google Chromecast 2nd Generation (Channel 3)
  • RCA Audio/Video Input (Channel 4)
  • Aluminium Rotary Dial to switch channels
  • 8″ IPS LCD screen in 4:3 aspect ratio, 1024×768 (HDMI/RCA/VGA)
  • Logitech 1.2watt Stereo Speakers (Z120)
  • 20.000mAh 12V DC Battery
  • Vintage 1972 Sony TV-740 Converted Case
  • Dimensions: 25 x 20 x 24 cm, Weight: 2.5kg (5.5lbs)

story & image source: Starforce Pi



20 Years of PlayStation: 1994 – 2014

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We say better late then never!

This 8 year old infographic by Reddit user Adiost (aka: Dmitry Pankin) celebrates the PlayStation timeline from its beginnings in 1994 with the groundbreaking PS, all the way through to the PS Vita Slim in 2014 – 20 years of awesome play (well, 28 years, but who is counting)! 😉

image source: imgur



Have A Blast With The LEGO Sony Walkman

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What do you get when you cross Lego with an iconic piece of audio history – you get the LEGO Sony Walkman, that’s what!

Forget about your CDs and MP3 files, grab your trusty old cassettes (if they haven’t oxidised!) and blast them on this awesome Lego Ideas entrant – vote here so this becomes a reality!

source: LEGO Ideas – Sony Walkman



From Bedrooms to Billions: The PlayStation Revolution

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If there is one thing we know for sure, it is that the folks at From Bedrooms To Billions sure know how to create a compelling documentary.

Hot off the heels of their successful self titled From Bedrooms to Billions and The Amiga Years documentaries, the From Bedroom to Billions film makers have embarked on telling the definitive story of how PlayStation took gaming to the next level in The PlayStation Revolution documentary.

Take a gander at the below trailer and press release photos, as we are sure that your anticipation and excitement level will be turned up to the max! We honestly can’t wait to watch The PlayStation Revolution.

Available: September 7, 2020
TVoD Platforms: iTunes, Amazon, Sky Box Office and Vimeo
Physical platforms: DVD and Blu-ray

Roll on September 7th!!!

image source: From Bedrooms to Billions

 

Lusting for the Sony PSX DESR-7100 PlayStation 2 Console

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It is no surprise that we (outside of Japan), missed out on a lot of cool gaming products, just like this Sony PSX DESR-7100 PlayStation 2 console!

The Sony PSX DESR-7100 is a digital video recorder that can be used to record and playback TV programs (on its hefty 250GB HDD), play your favourite PlayStation 1 and PlayStation 2 video games and of course, to blast your audio CDs on.

The DESR-7100 has interfaces (under the front panel) for two PlayStation memory cards, USB (to connect with the PSP) and Sony’s proprietary Memory Stick PRO Duo. The rear of the system has two PlayStation (DualShock / DualShock 2) controller ports, VGA, S-Video, composite video, RGB/SCART and RF (VHF and CATV connections).

The infrared remote makes the whole package feel more like a one stop media centre, which would have been mind blowing for us back in 2003!

This model (7100) came with a 250GB HDD, but the entire DESR range starts at the lower-spec models (DESR-5000) and goes all the way up to the top of the range DESR-7700 which includes all the bells and whistles for the time, like the Ghost Reduction Tuner and the introduction of the Broadcast Satellite (BS) inputs/outputs.

Oh yeah, the DESR range also introduced Sony’s XrossMediaBar (XMB) which we grew to love and use on the PSP, PS3 and 2008-era Bravia TVs!

Who has one of these? Hit us up on Twitter on Facebook and show us some photos so we can drool some more.

image source: eBay

 

Console Variations: Rarest Consoles Ever Made

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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]

 

Introducing the PlayStation Classic – with 20 Classic PS1 Games

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It was inevitable! After the success of Nintendo’s NES and SNES Classic Minis, of course Sony PlayStation were going to do the same.

In case you haven’t heard, come this December 3rd, there will be a cute little PlayStation Classic you can procure for USD$99.99/AUD$149 which will be pre-loaded with 20 classic PS1 games, including fan favourites Final Fantasy VII, Jumping Flash, Ridge Racer Type 4, Tekken 3 and Wild Arms.

The new PlayStation Classic will be 45% smaller than the original PlayStation

For all Australian fans, the PlayStation Classic is available now via pre-order from JB Hi-Fi for $149.00. If you prefer EB Games, they will begin pre-orders on Thursday (September 20) from 9:00am. For more info, go here.


video source: PlayStation

image source: PlayStation