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Mini Review: Within The Blade on XBox Series X/S

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We knew there was a good reason for buying the Xbox Series S console! With games like Within The Blade (WTB) by Ratalaika Games – a feast of ninja action with a retro flair, it hits the sweet nostalgic spot for us.

Within The Blade’s aesthetic is inspired by those sprites and pixels from the 8-bit day of ole, but with a polish for contemporary gaming systems. The retro style presentation of WTB and the easy to pick up and play are the strong suits for this game.

Within The Blade

WTB is a platforming hack’n slash, but the devil is in its details as your ninja encounters new and unique enemies which forces him to learn new battle tactics, improve the quality of weapons and learn new skills. Oh yeah, the blood and gore as your ninja hacks through each enemy is so visceral, so if you are squimish of the site of virtual blood and that squirting sound, then you may need a sick bag while playing WTB.

Game Features:

  • Over 100 types of weapons that players can find or craft
  • Branching skills to level up and master
  • Secrets to unlock, with epic items to find
  • Randomly generated levels
  • 5 unique acts with 5 levels
  • Distinct visual style, with a distinct medieval feel

Featuring 25 levels and some unforgettable boss encounters, players can also complete additional tasks to gain more experience and money to help level up their ninja. WTB ticks all the boxes for us, so if you like retro-styled ninja hack’n slash platformer games with a twist of RPG elements, then you should seriously check it out!

Publisher: Ratalaika Games
Developer: Ametist Studio
Platforms: Xbox, PS4/PS5 and Switch
Release: July 16, 2021
Price: US$10.99/€10.99/£9.99



Disclaimer: Xbox Series S/X review code for Within The Blade was provided by PR Hound.

What Arrived: An Xbox Series S and an Arduboy FX

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Our postal service surprised us today with not one, but two packages! Wow, AusPost never ceases to amaze us.

XBOX Series S

We may stir up a few hardcore retro gamers with this first package, but before they start flying off their handle, relax, we got the Xbox Series S for a couple of reasons, the main one being that we can legitimately play our retro games on it via the retail version of RetroArch. Yep, you read that right, there is a legit RetroArch version available on the Microsoft store. The other use case we have is playing the classics we know and love via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which we scored for a bargain ($2 for 6 months)!

ARDUBOY FX:

The second parcel to arrive was in a much smaller package, which we honestly didn’t know what it was till we opened it. The story goes like this – we ordered the Arduboy FX almost a year ago, which at the time we were told that it would arrive by September 2020, but COVID derailed that ETA. Opening up this package was a total surprise and we must admit, we got more excited for the Arduboy FX than the Xbox Series S.

We bet you’ll guess what we will unbox and play first 😉

Happy Gaming peeps!

Arduboy FX



 

Discovering Fall Guys’ Chaos

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

I love the chaos of the new game “Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout,” developed by Mediatonic. I discovered Fall Guys, a platformer battle royale game, by hearing someone on the radio talking about it. Since its release on August 4, the game has become a unique alternative for Fortnite. The game is sort of a mix mash of Mario Party and Fortnite, but with funnier, and just as original looking players.

The jellybean-like figures manoeuvre through a three-dimensional playing field. The figures can jump, grab, and dive to help with gameplay. The aim is to qualify for rounds by completing each of the random mini-games. At times, you have to work as a team to make it to the end of the mini-game. The obstacles that randomly change throughout the game can be difficult to navigate even for an experienced gamer.

Players gain Kudos, an in-game currency, by completing matches. You get “Crowns” by winning; they are the ultimate currency. I’m not a fan of getting pink slime on me. When it first happened, I didn’t know what had happened to my dinosaur avatar.

Manoeuvring around the sliding walls in early rounds is easy. But the disappearing levels of plates and the turntable-like obstacles are sometimes difficult to master. The ability to dive becomes vital on those obstacles. Being able to grab other players helps as well.

My strategy is to always hang back behind the group or cluster of players as I move around the outskirts of the mapped obstacles. I think it’s oddly enjoyable to manoeuvre around giant fruit flying at you as you run with a herd of other players. I got taken out by a watermelon in one round.

I haven’t played a game this original and entertaining in years. I’m still discovering the various rounds. Sometimes, it’s not easy; but the game gets its hooks in you and it’s difficult to put down the controls.

 

Relics Unearthed From The Codemasters Vault

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When we saw Codemasters’ thread on Twitter of all the relics they found in their vault, our knees buckled due to all of the nostalgia. Check out the classic games, consoles and peripherals they unearthed from their storage, some being over three decades old! We are well and truly intoxicated with nostalgia.

The gobsmackingly gorgeous Sega Saturn Development Unit. It’s MASSIVE!


source: Codemasters via Twitter

 

 

A Case for EA Sports Koepka PGA Tour

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

EA Sports should bring back their PGA Tour game series for all gaming platforms. But this time, don’t have Tiger Woods or Rory Mcllroy endorse the game, give the honor to Brooks Koepka, the current ranked. golfer in the world.

I’ve played every version of EA Sports PGA Tour since 2003. Koepka could bring a jolt to the game’s popularity and significance. There hasn’t been a new version of the series since 2015.

Brooks Koepka is a quiet athlete. That seems rare in the age of Twitter and TMZ Sports. Koepka is on social media, but he rarely posts anything, and when he does, it’s usually about a tournament he’s participating in or Nike, one of his sponsors. He’ll occasionally post a picture on Instagram hanging out with his girlfriend, Jena Sims, and friends somewhere where there is water.

Koepka is a methodical assassin on the golf course in the final rounds of PGA Tour majors. If he is leading or if he’s a few strokes off the leader, he is unemotional and poised to a point that he has the rigorous strut of Arnold Schwarzenegger in “The Terminator.” Do you know the greatest reason for animal survival in the wild? It’s not size; it’s not speed; it’s not strength. It’s adaptability. That’s what Koepka does at the end of a major, he adapts; and that usually leads to a victory.

image source: EA Sports

During his interview with David Feherty on the Golf Channel’s “Faherty,” there were moments when he looked like he wanted to bolt from his chair, he seemed so uncomfortable. He came off as a man who didn’t like talking about himself. But Feherty, being an exceptional interviewer, knew when to insert humor and pull back.

Koepka is sort of the reluctant face of the PGA Tour at the moment. No other player has won 4 major championships in 3 years. Of course, Tiger Woods is still one of the most popular athletes in the world; especially after his storybook win at Augusta in April. But this year, Koepka and Woods are even at one major apiece.

Koepka, at 29, has another two decades of winning majors if he stays healthy and hungry. He could easily be the most popular golfer on the PGA Tour for the next ten years. EA Sports should consider the influence Koepka may have on the game, and, for them, perhaps gaming.

 

Game Wars: PlayStation 2 vs Xbox

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As it has always been customary, a gamer would choose one system to be loyal to and then rubbish the competition and defend their chosen system to the death, metaphorically speaking of course!

At the dawn of the 21st century, the old guard, Nintendo, took a back seat to watch the new looming console war between Sony’s PlayStation 2 and the new kid on the block, Microsoft’s Xbox. BBC Worldwide’s The Money Programme follows Sony executive Alan Welsman, frantically preparing for the vital launch in November 2000. Meanwhile in Seattle, Microsoft’s Jay Allard reveals the secrets of the X-Box, slated for an early 2001 launch. Caught up in all of this is British games designer Martin Kenright, racing against time to complete a driving game, which, he hopes, will steer him to a fortune (Ed: driving puns fully intended).

Now sit back and enjoy this doco!


source: Manufacturing Intellect: Documentaries

 

Conquered: EB Expo 2016

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ebexpo16_titleAs the old saying goes, time flies when you are having fun. This year’s EB Expo has come and gone, and yep, we had fun, lots of it!

A highlight for us was being invited by our Weird and Retro friends to assist in their awesome Retro Gaming section in the Freeplay City area. With 64 classic gaming systems to play, EB Expo attendees were not short on getting their nostalgia fix! From the ultra-rare Philips CD-I development kit, to the Commodore, Sega, Nintendo, NEC, Samsung and Atari wares, there was plenty to reminisce about.

While in the main hall, we got to sit on the Iron Throne, gawked at Optimus Prime, bumped into awesome cosplayers, played on PlayStation, Nintendo and Xbox’s latest gear and shopped at EB Games’ massive Mega-Store! No need for more words, we’ll just leave some of our photos from EB Expo 2016 to speak for themselves…

With the sun shining, it was time for EB Expo 2016!
ebexpo16_welcome

First stop, Hall 6 and straight to the Weird and Retro Freeplay classic gaming area
ebexpo16_retro_packed

Time for a Hewson classic! Go Pogo!
ebexpo16_retro_nebulus

The new generation enjoying some old generation gaming!
ebexpo16_freeplay3

Whoa, a Jaguar in the wild!
ebexpo16_jag

Attendees wowing at the 16-bit computing wonders!
ebexpo16_freeplay4

Freeplay City Mario Kart 64 4P Showdown!
ebexpo16_freeplay_mk64

More 4P shenanigans on the Nintendo GameCube!
ebexpo16_freeplay1

Whoa, a rare beast – the Philips CD-i dev kit!
ebexpo16_cdi_dev

Which classic system to play first?
ebexpo16_retro

Difficult decision: go straight for Hotel Mario or play Transylvania on the Apple IIe?
ebexpo16_retro1

We weren’t aware that Deadpool was on the C64. And is that Stunt Car Racer on the Amiga? Whoa!
ebexpo16_retro4

The decision of what to play on next just keep getting harder!
ebexpo16_retro2

Doing the math on the Jaguars!
ebexpo16_freeplay2

The dark side of Sega. Oh wait, look at that beautiful Atari ST!
ebexpo16_retro3

Busted! Weird and Retro’s Serby blowing bubbles all the way to his own PS4 Pro!
ebexpo_serbywins

What’s this, an Atari sign and some old wares? Time to shop!
ebexpo16_atari

Cosplay heroes!
ebexpo16_cosplay1

Time to hit the Great (Main) Hall Of EB Expo 2016
ebexpo16_popculturemerch

Aha, a chill session may be in order!
ebexpo16_chill

The Iron Throne rules this hall!
ebexpo16_ironthrone

Anyone want a test drive?
ebexpo16_forza3_car

Hang on, we want a test drive in Optimus Prime!
ebexpo16_optimus

Hulk Smash!
ebexpo16_hulksmash

Lego Xbox!
ebexpo16_xboxlego

Lego Kong Ride and some sweet Poke Balls!
ebexpo16_kingkong

A work of Lego art!
ebexpo16_legopokemon

We found Pikachu! Quickly, where are our Poke Balls?
ebexpo16_pikachu

Shop till you drop at the EB Games Mega-Store!
ebexpo16_eb_megastore

The temptation is strong in these ones!
ebexpo16_darth_mmh7

Stocking up on a few goodies *wink*
ebexpo16_ninty_gear

We’ve hit the motherload of retrogaming goodies!
ebexpo16_retro_store

Surely we can squeeze this beauty in our checked luggage…
ebexpo16_c16

Scarily beautiful!
ebexpo16_alien

Bumped into the famous Nintendo brothers…
ebexpo16_marioluigi

Mind blowingly cool!
ebexpo16_cosplay2

Of course we had to go here too!
ebexpo16_pokemonalpha

Woohoo, just dance!
ebexpo16_justdance

Jump on the tractor!
ebexpo16_farm

Gonna grab a seat at Nintendo-land
ebexpo16_nintendo

Let’s all play! Got lots of streetpasses here *winks*
ebexpo16_nintendo_stand

The Nintendo posing podiums!
ebexpo16_nintendo_posingpodiums

Another posing podium!
ebexpo16_southpark

Heading over to Xbox
ebexpo16_xbox

Forza Horizon 3 was quite popular!
ebexpo16_forza3

Dr. Curlytek conquered the VeloDrone!
ebexpo16_velodrone

Waiting their turn patiently for some VR
ebexpo16_vr_kids

Aha, there they are! 
ebexpo16_ubisoft

The unmissable PlayStation exhibit!
ebexpo16_ps

Wowing the masses with PlayStation VR
ebexpo16_psvr_1

Dare to enter!
ebexpo16_resievil

Driveclub VR = WOWSER!
ebexpo16_driveclubvr

A well deserved award!
ebexpo16_psvr

All  good things must come to an end. Till the next EB Expo…
ebexpo16_packup

‘Player Two’: Videogames Can Be A Spiritual Experience

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Player Two is a short film by John Wikstrom based on a YouTube comment by 00WARTHERAPY00 on the PBS Game/Show ‘Can Video Games Be A Spiritual Experience?‘ episode. This beautiful film tells the touching story of a boy discovering a ghost driver of his father’s fastest lap in RalliSport Challenge on an old Xbox console years after his death.

Source: John Wikstrom on Vimeo via Laughing Squid

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msausretrogamerMs. ausretrogamer
Co-founder, editor and writer at ausretrogamer – The Australian Retro Gamer E-Zine. Lover of science fiction, fashion, books, movies and TV. Player of games, old and new.

Follow Ms. ausretrogamer on Twitter

 

 

Interactive Family Tree Of Retro Controllers

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controllers

John Kowalski (Sock Master) has created an awesome interactive retro controller family tree which takes us from Atari 2600 and Intellivision to PS3 and Wii controllers. Click on the pictures in the tree and you will find out key information about each controller – for example, the Atari 2600 controller was first released in 1977 and was sold until about 1991! While the WaveBird is notable for being the first wireless first-party controller.

As Sock Master describes:

‘I’ve put together a chart, or controller family-tree, that tries to connect all the current console controllers with their predecessors… a lot of the information presented here is my opinion. I try to keep things accurate, using facts that I know, but also making some of my own conclusions where no hard evidence is available… 

There are still a number of gaps in the family tree, as a lot of controllers are still missing from the chart. Eventually, I will try to fill in some of the holes. Current things that are missing are controllers I couldn’t get my hands on, controllers from less popular consoles, and most of the 8-bit era.’

Sock Master’s Interactive Retro Controller Family Tree
controller family tree

Source: Sock Master via Geekologie

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msausretrogamerMs. ausretrogamer
Editor and Researcher at ausretrogamer – The Australian Retro Gamer E-Zine. Lover of science fiction, fashion, books, movies and TV. Player of games, old and new.

Follow Ms. ausretrogamer on Twitter

 

 

Time For Some Retro Recycling

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What should you do when your console dies and goes to console-heaven? Take a leaf out of Michael Chipper’s book and recycle it into a cool clock!

Game Boy Colour Clock
Game Boy Colour Clock

PlayStation Clock
PS Clock

PS3 Clock
PS3 Clock

Game Boy Clock
Game Boy Clock

Nintendo Wii Clock
Wii Clock

Xbox 360 Clock
Xbox 360 Clock

PS2 Clock
PS2 Clock

Xbox Clock
Xbox Clock

Source: SlothJunk on Etsy via Cheezburger

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msausretrogamerMs. ausretrogamer
Editor and Researcher at ausretrogamer – The Australian Retro Gamer E-Zine. Lover of science fiction, fashion, books, movies and TV. Player of games, old and new.

Follow Ms. ausretrogamer on Twitter