While AtGames licenses various Atari games for the Flashback consoles, this project seems partially related to retro gaming, but perhaps with a modern twist. It's been suggested the console may support HDMI for old atari game cartridges to display on newer HD televisions.
Ignoring the fact that Nintendo botched this launch promoting more disappointment than retro gaming, WalMart seemingly hoards stock from launch-day to sell the following week. Many of the units purchased went straight to eBay for hundreds of dollars. What sort of marketing strategy is this?
As fans parsed patent filings, desperate to seek info about Nintendo's NX console many gamers were eager to hear from Nintendo themselves. Rather than an official statement or gathering with a follow-up Q&A session, they sent a trailer. Behold the Switch.
With a modern design and button layout, the multitude of options on the Retro Fighters NES controller is a welcome addition to our retro gaming collection. Outfitted with analog sticks, triggers, and shoulder buttons, you'll find new comfort in playing all your favorite games on the NES or ROMS on your computer.
The massive engagement with Pokemon Go saw millions of downloads and spurred companies to re-evaluate the success potential of mobile gaming platforms. From gaming-centric websites to the local evening newscast, Pokemon Go was on everyone's radar... even investors. In fact, many investors bought Nintendo stock not realizing Pokemon Go was not their creation.
Second to chronologically come to market with a Toy-To-Life game, Disney Infinity held a lot of promise because of the amazing IPs they own. I was excited to see Nightmare Before Christmas, Marvel, and Star Wars take Infinity in bold directions. Instead, they closed it down and walked away. How Can Disney not make money on a Star Wars game?
Ignoring the fact that Nintendo botched this launch promoting more disappointment than retro gaming, WalMart seemingly hoards stock from launch-day to sell the following week. Many of the units purchased went straight to eBay for hundreds of dollars. What sort of marketing strategy is this?
As fans parsed patent filings, desperate to seek info about Nintendo's NX console many gamers were eager to hear from Nintendo themselves. Rather than an official statement or gathering with a follow-up Q&A session, they sent a trailer. Behold the Switch.
With a modern design and button layout, the multitude of options on the Retro Fighters NES controller is a welcome addition to our retro gaming collection. Outfitted with analog sticks, triggers, and shoulder buttons, you'll find new comfort in playing all your favorite games on the NES or ROMS on your computer.
The massive engagement with Pokemon Go saw millions of downloads and spurred companies to re-evaluate the success potential of mobile gaming platforms. From gaming-centric websites to the local evening newscast, Pokemon Go was on everyone's radar... even investors. In fact, many investors bought Nintendo stock not realizing Pokemon Go was not their creation.
Second to chronologically come to market with a Toy-To-Life game, Disney Infinity held a lot of promise because of the amazing IPs they own. I was excited to see Nightmare Before Christmas, Marvel, and Star Wars take Infinity in bold directions. Instead, they closed it down and walked away. How Can Disney not make money on a Star Wars game?
Hardware and software work together. One has less value without the other. Yet when we choose our gaming hardware, too often software is left out of the discussion. These "which console is right for me?" questions can't have a valid answer unless you also take into account the games you want to play. Too often these conversations revolve around processor speeds which can't be compared well across different platforms.
Virtual Reality had made promises for decades, yet never seems able to leap the technical barriers to a marketable product. Why must VR have such a high-end entry point? Mattel's Viewmaster VR is certainly a lesser product, but they managed to get a VR experience into mor homes than Oculus! VR should set more realistic standards and build a user base.
Each time I glance through my Facebook feed I'll see at least one post asking the best way to remove stickers and marks from game carts and discs. I'm all for cleaning up the carts I find in the wild, but names written in sharpie and video rental stickers can tell an interesting story and gives the game some personality.
Home ownership can come with a lot of hassles and some folks opt to rent a house. That's a smart option for some people. However, when it comes to media (music, games, movies) the same "access with no ownership" feels more like we're being trained to be content with not truly "owning" anything. That's a dangerous precedent.
When I first discovered video games, they came in a sealed cardboard box with a manual, the cartridge, packaging, and a variety of inserts - sometimes there was a comic book in the box. I become irked with today's gaming scenario in which digital downloads are used to save money and the notion of a game manual has been replaced by in-game tutorials.
There is always some discussion about defining “Retro”. We think it should be a factor of time since that is an exact measure that can be applied to all consoles regardless of other factors. Some feel a console is retro as soon as a replacement comes to market while others feel anything in the prior gaming generation is retro. We prefer a standard that is measurable across all gaming hardware.
Remember the days of instant load times, games that didn't need weekly patches, and bringing carts to a friend's house to play? Those days may be returning with the Retro VGS! This is a new cart-based game console that will cater to new - but retro inspired - video games.
The 1UPcard is a cleaning kit for your retro game cartridges. Comprised of a bottle of 99% Isopropyl alcohol and a custom card with two polypropylene felt pads. It works with any game cart and does a more thorough job than q-tips.
I know many of us have fond memories of Nintendo games and characters, but don't we also have similar feelings after growing up with Disney films? Sure Nintendo has the gaming edge with collectors, but Disney owns Marvel and Star Wars. I think the Infinity figures are very well made, as are amiibo. Yet, amiibo are in high demand and Infinity figures are often one BOGO sales.
While Atari spins it's wheels trying to figure out how to properly capitalize on their iconic IPs, they've decided to quell Jeff Minter's efforts to keep Tempest relevant. If Atari was smart, they'd partner with Minter or work with him in some capacity so that Tempest can live on and keep the Atari brand in modern gaming arenas.
If you've played Skylanders Trap Team, then you've probably played the in-game challenge called Skystoness. A physical version of the game can be found in specially marked General Mills cereals. Well made and well packaged - it's a diversion from the typically awful cereal box prizes.
While sorting through stuff, I came across a few arcade game marquees I had bought years ago. I had forgotten I owned these and my son was excited to see them since they are all games he loves to play both at home and when we visit arcades!
Retro game consoles and game carts are finite items. No one is manufacturing them anymore! What ever systems are out there is it! Don't ever throw a console away because the power light doesn't come on. It may be repairable.Too many consoles and games are discarded when they should be preserved - working or not. Someone out there is capable of fixing them. These amazing systems should never be put in the trash for any reason!
Its a shame that redemption machines have overrun arcades. Gone are the days of pure video games and pinball... in favor of redemption tickets. Jersey Jack Pinball have introduced pindemption in the form of a pinball table with modified rules that dispenses redemption tickets.
I remember when a kid brought a Mattel Electronic Football game to school and how mesmerized we all were to see it and be able to play it. Basic Fun offered a similar looking model that I found at Toys R Us just before Christmas.
Nintendo's amiibos are selling fast, but there seems to be a lot of confusion about product discontinuations and order cancelations with customers. All this makes me wonder how many owners use them in-game. They're more than just toys.
Just as the Shuffle-Play button on my Discman gave new order to old CDs, the ability to jump from console to console via emulators creates an amazing gaming session. Similarly, comparing the same title on different platforms is a breeze with emulation.
The town of Alamogordo, NM has completed the first of it's auctions of the Atari games dug up from it's now-defunct landfill. After spending 30+ years buried as garbage, bidders took the price of a single game over $1,500. While some may say, "You're paying for garbage," you have to consider the amazing backstory to these games and their place in Atari history. I feel this "garbage" has valid historical significance.
Back in the early 80s we'd show up at the Electric Playhouse arcade and find a new video game on the floor. Other times a buddy would call to say there was a new cabinet. I saw a Facebook post from a local arcade saying they'd acquired a Joust game. I hopped in the car and went off to play Joust!
With both the Colecovision and Intellivision Flashback consoles arriving in stores, I was eager to get my hands on them. I found both consoles at Toys R Us along with the Atari Flashback 4 & 5 and the Sega Genesis model - all from AtGames.
The video game industry needs a board or organization that promotes video games to the general public all year long. We see lots of advertising around console launches and significant game releases, but afterward, gaming disappears from general media attention.
I still play games I bought 30 years ago. Try doing that 30 years from today. That may not even be possible 5 years from today! Owning a physical copy of a video game gives you the control to play when you want or take it to a friend's house. Video game subscriptions alter the retail model and remove the security of buying media.
I've found some good mobile games for my Android phone. Most of these games were free and it is convenient to have them on a device I carry with me all the time. Many say mobile gaming will eventually overtake all other forms of gaming - in particular Nintendo's handheld market.
After playing with the Nintendo 2DS, their complete experience from hardware to function and games is brilliantly executed and far more fun than a phone full of games.
As much as emulators do not deliver a realistic experience of playing an Atari 2600 or NES or Colecovision, they offer game preservation and access to entire game libraries including rare and homebrew titles. Digital distribution hasn't added much at all to reading. Reading is nearly identical on a tablet and an actual book! Why hasn't the digital revolution revolutionized the experience?
In the golden age of arcades many of my favorite games were released to the Atari 2600 among other platforms. Many of those games have lived on to be released to mobile phones and tablets. Doodle Jump follows a reverse model.
I love my 2DS! The 3D effect of the 3DS didn't work well for me and seemed like more of a novelty than a benefit. There are some fun phone games, but the 2DS delivers a great experience with unique hardware & great games. I love my 2DS!
Saturday morning (4/26/14), in a matter of hours, a crew began to find Atari game carts, manuals, boxes and many CIB (although smashed) games. Over 30 different game titles were found - NOT just ET games.
We think retro gaming begins at 20 years. Currently we see the dividing line around the Saturn and Jaguar. There's no right answer, but we're curious to know what age you define a console/game as retro gaming.
I'd love to have a chunk of concrete with black plastic game-cart shards embedded in it, but the reality of filming excavators for a Microsoft documentary removes the fun and mystique of this Atari tale. Maybe we should up the ante on this tale and create the Curse of E.T. where this maligned game exacted revenge on those searching the remains and they all disappeared overnight. Ooh... spooky.
I'm curious to know the progress of the Microsoft documentary about the excavation of an Alamogordo, NM landfill that may contain tons of discarded Atari cartridges and hardware. Do the filmmakers have a plan? Do they know exactly where to dig?
The Binatone Brick phone is a bluetooth handset that can take a sim card to become a 2G cell phone - just like the 80's! Included is the game Snake as found on all the Nokia phones. Lets play....
Some people seem to think Tweeting or posting to Facebook is a social activity. Nope! Invite your friends over for a game night or go to an arcade/Barcade. Play, shout, interact! That - is social!
Arcades of the 80's were about video games, air hockey and frenzied fun. These days, arcades are packed with redemption games that spit out tickets for prizes that can be found inexpensively at toy stores and dollar-stores. Arcades need more real games!
I know retailers need to make space to sell the new titles for the new Gen 8 consoles from Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft, but destroying existing packaging, cover-art and manuals to put media in paper envelopes sends a clear message to customers - Don't shop here!
The Brick, from Binatone, is a blueTooth handset for your smart phone (iOS & Android) or you can insert your sim card and turn it into a stand-alone 2G brick phone.
"Game Of The Year" seems like a marketing ploy and is often the 4th installment in some epic franchise that's been cranked out for the last several years. I'd love to see a cool indie game take that title, but barring that... whatever game you loved playing most should be game of the year!
We take a look at the Atari Flashback and Sega Genesis Classic faux retro gaming consoles with built-in games. Often using emulation, they appear similar to the originals, but the game play often differs.
Social networks give people instant information, but it also provides an outlet for instant complaining. How many projects are abandoned because the general public doesn't understand the objective and immediately go to social media to criticize it?
I was fascinated by the scaled back featureless Wii Mini and was stoked to snatch one up and see how many retro compilation discs I could find in my Wii collection.
The original creators, Mike Stragey and Chris Tremmel, are uniting to reboot Boogerman which was originally released in the mid-90s for Genesis and SNES. This is an awesome feat of retro gaming preservation!
Funding is one component to a successful Kickstarter campaign, but exposure helps more than you may think. I you back a campaign, tel the world about it on social media. Backers can make a huge difference in a project's success.
After digging through every adapter I could find at Radio Shack, I just can't come up with a way to separate audio and video from the external cable on the Atari 2600.
A press release on the SNK Playmore website stated: Termination of the License Agreement between TOMMO Inc. and SNK PLAYMORE USA CORP. If you buy one on eBay be aware of the firmware version. V377 has issues with the MegaPack's required updater.
Skylanders Giants added a Halloween themed variant of Eye Brawl who is now jet black with a pumpkin head. It's logical to assuem you can play this character in-game, but this is NOT the case. The Special Edition Eye-Brawl figure is identical to the original figure that was originally released.
Both Infinity and Skylanders use an external device to insert 3D action figures into their games, but the implementations are quite different. I like Infinity, but both Skylanders and Skylanders Giants are far more engaging, clever and fun to play.
ROMs are great for rare games that are difficult to locate in cart form. Playing them on a computer is not as satisfying as playing on original equipment. The Ouya is a nice mid-point for easily playing ROMs on a big TV.
When I ordered the first NeoGeo X MegaPack of new games for my NeoGeo X, I wasn't able to run the firmware updater - required for the new games. I had to ship the unit back to Tommo, but their customer service was helpful, fast and got the handheld back to me in about a week.
Having watched a lecture by Jacque Fresco about our language and how open to interpretation it is, we began to wonder if the precision of Math and Chemistry could ever be applied to retro game reviews.
Capitalizing on the popular myth that Atari's ET game is the worst game in video game history, CNN referred to Fuel Industries' upcoming excavation of the Alamogordo, NM landfill a waste of time. Eager Atari fanatics differ on this opinion.
Get a mix of Nintendo history along with the adventures of a filmmaker and his buddy who are on a quest to obtain all retail released NES games in 30 days.
QR Codes appear on all sorts of products and provide in-store info, via a smart phone, on the web. We think video game packaging should include QR Codes to reach customers "at the register".
Today's games are nearly photo-realistic, but back in the early days of the Atari 2600, Intellivision and Colecovision, manuals added a richer context to the story and characters through text and images.
We backed the Ouya Kickstarter project last Summer out of desperation for something new in the midst of the endless Generation 7 of video gaming. An Android-based console seemed like just the thing to excite the gaming industry.
The most exciting feature of the Wii U was it's development equality. It was supposed to be easy to develop for Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo. So where are the Wii U games that traditionally had only Sony & MS releases?
Retro gaming seems steeped in the past but with each passing game-generation, it's future changes. Robust cart-based consoles gave way to disc-based units with shorter lifespans. Will retro gaming become ROM only 20 years from now?
Will "always on" be a positive change for the longevity of gaming and console gaming? Requiring a console to connect to the internet for each game title will likely shorten the life cycle of every game title.
In my hardcore days of retro video game collecting, going to yard sales meant dealing with a wide variety of people. Some were cool while others were scary weird.
SNK Playmore's respect for the AES (Advanced Entertainment System) of the 90's shows in the NeoGeo X Gold Edition bundle. Great retro console for portable & TV enjoyment.
If you take the time to give it a test drive, you may be surprised at how much fun it is to have such a unique gaming experience. I've always liked the Virtual Boy and wish consumers had spent more time with the in-store demo units than listening to reviewers.
In the late 90s we discovered a seemingly forgotten location that had Atari 2600 games in their stock room - in sealed boxes! Wise though led us to clean it out with a shopping cart.
If you love the holidays and remember the angst and craving for a new video game console on Christmas morning, Christmas Bytes may become your favorite retro gaming holiday film.
Growing up as an Atari-kid, I blamed the NES for doing away with the traditional joystick. Our quick look at several gaming consoles from the 70's & 80s reveals the slow evolution of the stick-less controller.
G4 TV isn't the only video gaming medium to be disappearing. What's happened to arcade compilation discs as a genre? Many of the titles may be available as DLC, but the disappearance of these games from retail stores is a blow to retro gaming. When arcade classics had a presence on retail shelves, retro gaming had a public presence too.
GameStop's CEO has been dropping hints that they are looking to "go retro" as a web initiative. Apparently they don't subscribe to the landfill rule when systems & games no longer interest gamers (paying customers), so they have a moderate stockpile of older games. But how might this effect the existing retro gaming market?
Many retro gamers, myself included, have always cited the Atari 5200's downfall to be the joystick controller. I never liked side-mounted fire buttons, but the internal flex circuit seems to be the main weakness. We're taking a look at the 5200 joystick and delving into it's guts.
If you were caught photographing your TV in today's modern age, you'd be laughed at. But back in the Atari 2600's initial release, it was the only way to verify a high score.
Apple's Siri assistant on the iPhone seems like an interesting idea that may actually be helpful, but we think she needs to be schooled on the finer points of Retro Gaming.
This recent darling of a Kickstarter campaign raised millions in one week showing that gamers want something new & different. It's open source may interest retro gamers eager to play ROM on their living room TVs.
Having run out of bookshelf space, I resorted to storing games in varying sized tubs. Retro Game Cases is a company that has come up with an amazing solution to game cart & manual storage.
Dropping TWEET and LIKE buttons on your site won't help much if your site isn't "ready" for social media marketing. Here are a few tips on getting the most out of Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest & YouTube.
GameBoy was a revolution in mobile gaming and Nintendo didn't plan on losing out on an ounce of it's selling potential. Game Boy is probably the most compatible platform to invade it's console predecessors.
I never cared about all the epic games, on early systems that were obviously designed as quests to be saved to memory cards. But Fatal Run for the Atari 2600 had an interesting "Continue" option on the intro screen. A precursor to game-saves? Maybe not, but a cool game in it's own way.
I grew up on board games, like most kids, but have continued to like them even as video games took over as my game-of-choice. We take a look at some board games that have been converted into video games and explore why video games can't always be good in board game format.
I wasn't familiar with Mattel Electronics' Intellivision II until I decided I wanted an Intellivision. Upon discovering this later release, I decided to pick one up and check it out.
Ignore the negative reviews saying this game doesn't live up to modern gaming standards. Based on a great classic arcade hit, BurgerTime World Tour is a slick update with much respect for the original.
Ratings systems sometimes make us wonder how wide an audience you really need to cater to when trying to provide game info. I'm more interested in the story and gameplay as opposed to how many times a character says Dick Bag.
We love epic gaming worlds to explore and conquer, but we still need an injection of manic fun to pump us up. 2 Fast 4 Gnomz does just that! A fun frantic platformer that's engaging, fast and unique.
Using DRM to nuke the used video game market seems damaging to gamers and the gaming industry. I thought used and new games benefit each other in the marketplace.
Discovering Max and the Magic Marker on WiiWare added a great game to our library. Discovering if adult actress Kayden Kross will come to our company bar-b-q will add a great story to our insanity.
People make all sorts of assumptions when you are introduced by your job title (Lawyer, Accountant, Game Developer, etc.). Are assumptions also made when you tell someone you're a retro gamer? Yes.
I don't believe in psychic powers, but how else could millions of tawdry "sexy-cheerleading-zombie-killer" fantasies conjoin into an amazing video game concept?
The Atari 2600 and the Jaguar are the only 2 Atari consoles I've had the opportunity to buy new during their initial release. Seeing new Atari product on retail shelves is an amazing thing!
A lot of gaming journalists have lately been saying they haven't touched their Wii in years. YEARS! There are a ton of great games on Wii even though the PS3 and Xbox are the industry darlings. Wii U is coming!
We decided our interior design skills were best employed by slapping classic video game decals all over the wall. Now our bathroom looks like an Atari asteroid field. We also did our best (aka: worst) Geekgasm impersonation.
Berzerk and Vanguard are 2 of my favorite arcade games that I don't believe have ever appeared on compilation game releases or reboots. I think both of them need to be shared with today's gamers who have an appreciation for awesome classic video games.
GameStop has an enormous inventory of used (ie: scratched & damaged) video game discs and no qualms about selling beat-up media. It would be great if the original owners would take better care of their game disc. Thanks.
In today's post 9/11 fear-mongering society, shouldn't a video game simulator of airport management include and promote cavity searches and testicular groping? Airport Mania is still a cool game.
We're too miscellaneous to consider ourselves game collectors. We have no mission, goals or plan. Our passion for games has amassed a large collection, but does that make us collectors?
Santa's elves aren't engineers. Don't expect them to be cranking out PS3s or Wiis. Parents are going to have to do some Christmas shopping to save the holidays. When you go to buy games, know your shit! The clerk at GameStop doesn't know what kind of console your kid has!
I love being able to download classic games from the NES, SNES and other systems on Nintendo's Virtual Console, but the interface kind of blows. It's a very clumsy way to navigate titles and discern info on unfamiliar ones.
Jam City Roller Girls is a slick WiiWare game that's a damn good time. Catch Whip It on DVD and get in the mood to whip around the track doling out mayhem. Juliette Lewis is awesome!
Delinquent and/or uninformed parents are the poison of a good gamer in the making. The parents I see on line in GameStop are abysmal people who are on their way toward raising morons regardless of their kid's gaming interests.
Those "arcade" joysticks made by third party companies rarely deliver a true arcade experience. Sometimes you have to do it yourself to make a truly rugged arcade joystick.
You may read phenomenal reviews of the latest $60 gaming masterpiece, but I guarantee you'll find some real gems in the discount bin for $3. If you pass on the games in the discount-bin you're missing out on some amazing crap. Crappy games can be a blast!
So many reviewers trash Defender for the Atari 2600 without taking into account the context of when it was released. One year after the arcade version, we were able to play Defender at home! Defender II (Stargate) was superior, but wasn't released for another 4 years.
I grew up with an infatuation with Bigfoot legends and UFO lore. This Halloween, we take aim at these pseudo-scientists and embrace the fear of becoming unemployed in a world where chasing imaginary creatures can lead to a career.
As much as I love 8-bit games on the original old consoles, I get excited to find a rebooted game. I wish more developers would take the time to include the original games on the rebooted releases.
Game developers can't keep raising the price of games and not expect a used market to develop very quickly. More importantly - who the Hell is trading in games for 40¢?
