Glen’s Retro Show – by Brad Feingold
Glen Planamento is the chief cook and bottle washer at Glen’s Retro Show, which really means he is the Concept Designer, Product Test Engineer and the Retail Guru at GRS, where he believes that every game, no matter if it’s an original arcade machine, an Arcade1Up, a...
End Of Days : Simpsons on Commodore 64 – by Michael Mertes
...Yet somehow, on hardware that was vastly underpowered compared to any 16-bit hardware at the time, The Simpson's Arcade Game was ported to the Commodore 64. Released in 1992, the game remains a high point of interest for Commodore 64 fans for being one of the last...
Lee Actor: Hard Drivin’ – by Patrick Hickey, Jr.
Originally released in the arcade in 1989, Hard Drivin’ was pushing polygons, speed and a sexy sports car-inspired cockpit. The gameplay was fast, fun and influenced a ton of games afterwards, especially the Cruisin’ the World series. Essentially running on 32-bit...
Cruis’n USA – by Ken Horowitz
Midway and Jarvis had a long history, one filled with collection of arcade hits. It was also a relationship that wasn’t entirely planned. What was clear from the beginning was that the video game industry was the career of choice for Jarvis; he spent far too many...
Mario Kart : The History – by Todd Friedman
There have been many racing games before and after Mario Kart, but none of them compare to the popularity of Nintendo’s series of racing games that have been created for multiple consoles. Every console and handheld that proceeded after Super Nintendo had a new...
Atari 2600 Encyclopedia: Do you know Basic Math?
Release Date: 1977 Publisher: Atari Controller: Joystick Players: 1 - 2 Genre: Education Alternate Title: Fun with Numbers Model #: CX2611 Rarity: 3 Programmer: Gary Palmer This early example of “edutainment” surely ruined many a Christmas back in the day. This is...
Sega Turbo – by Kevin Butler
At the start of the 1980’s, games such as Galaga, Tempest, and the big one, Pac-Man, consumed my quarters in droves. That’s when I noticed a new driving game... Turbo! Unlike the previous games, Turbo was different in every way. Not only did it have the usual steering...
Racing Games – by Brett Weiss
Gaming is an expensive hobby, right? Well, it doesn’t have to be. There are plenty of great games for various consoles that won’t break your budget. This is especially true of racing titles, which are ubiquitous and often inexpensive. Here are six such games that are...
Video Game Trading Card Spotlight – Owen Rubin
Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Owen Rubin, who currently is displayed on card number 315, from the Superstars of 2012 Collection. Owen was one of the first programmers hired by Atari in 1976. He designed games for Atari for almost 9 years. His most...
Pitstop II – Prepare to Race – by Michael Mertes
The last five races have been grueling, but you’ve finally made it to the final track in the "Grand Circuit Tour." The crowds in the stands are loud, but the sound they make is nothing compared to the roar of the F1 cars that will be lined up at the track as they make...
iiRcade Report – by Brad Feingold
Striker 1945 - Psikyo Released in 1995, this game pretty much flew in under the radar but had several sequels to follow. This game follows the traditional top-down shooters of the 80’s, with a lot stronger graphics and music to get your hands pumping and shaking while...
Video Game Trading Card Spotlight – Josh Tsui
Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Josh Tsui who currently is displayed on card number 3447, from the Superstars of 2020 Collection. Josh spent over two decades working in video game development on key franchises such as Mortal Kombat, Tony Hawk, and Fight...
Atari 2600 Encyclopedia: Do you know Mega Force?
Release Date: 1982 Publisher: 20th Century Fox Controller: Joystick Players: 1 Genre: Shoot’em Up Alternate Title: N/A Model #: 11005 Rarity: 2 Programmer: Doug Neubauer Based on the 1982 Barry Bostwick movie, Mega Force puts you in control of the world’s most...
Atari 2600 Encyclopedia: Do you know Keystone Kapers?
Release Date: 1983 Publisher: Activision Controller: Joystick Players: 1 Genre: Arcade Alternate Title: N/A Model #: AX-025 Rarity: 2 Programmer: Garry Kitchen Take control of Officer Kelly, the most physically fit cop in the history of video games. While on patrol at...
Arcade Versions of Popular R-Type Series Coming to iiRcade
iiRcade Inc., the ultimate connected arcade machine that allows gamers of all ages to play their favorite retro and modern games in arcade style at home, is adding R-Type and R-Type II as well as Armed Police Unit Gallop, officially licensed by Tozai, Inc. and Irem...
Video Game Trading Card Spotlight – Łukasz Dziatkiewicz
Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Łukasz Dziatkiewicz who currently is displayed on card number 3170, from the Superstars of 2019 Collection. Łukasz is a freelance journalist, President of the Polish Pinball Association (PSF), IFPA Polish Country Director and...
Atari 2600 Encyclopedia: Do you know Defender?
Release Date: 1981 Publisher: Atari Controller: Joystick Players: 1 - 2 Genre: Shoot’em Up Alternate Title: N/A Model #: CX2609 Rarity: 1 Programmer: Bob Polaro You are in control of the Universal Space Ship Defender and are tasked with protecting the planet from an...
Video Game Trading Card Spotlight – Ralph D’Amato
Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Ralph D’Amato who is displayed on card number 3142, from the Superstars of 2019 Collection. Ralph is the producer and member of the development team that created the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater video game franchise. He produced the...
From Arcade to Console: How Street Fighter Influenced Arcade Gaming
While Street Fighter is a legendary franchise today, with some of the largest eSports tournaments behind it, it’s interesting looking back on the early days of arcade gaming. Consoles brought Street Fighter to the living room, but the arcade days hold plenty of...
Video Game Trading Card Spotlight – Sami Cetin
Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Sami Cetin (UK) who currently is displayed on card number 482, from the Superstars of 2013 Collection. Sami is one of the World Record Holders at Super Mario Kart SNES. In 2012 he won the World Title that was held in...
Atari 2600 Encyclopedia: Do you know Adventure?
Release Date: 1980 Publisher: Atari Controller: Joystick Players: 1 Genre: Adventure Alternate Title: N/A Model #: cx2613 Rarity: 2 Programmer: Warren Robinett In this ambitious ground breaking game you have the honor of controlling the first great video game hero....
Five Game Boy Games You Shouldn’t Sleep On
Nintendo’s Game Boy is one of the most influential consoles ever and easily the reason why Nintendo still exists to this day. Losing several wars in the home console wars over the past 20 years, it’s been the Game Boy family of consoles that allowed the brand to fight...
Pac-Man 99: The Fever Is Back (Pac-Man Fever That Is)
Pac-Man 99 is the latest classic game to get the 99 Battle Royale treatment. Nintendo and Bandai Namco literally surprised everyone when they dropped the trailer on us this past Tuesday and a released it the next day! Pac-Man 99 is a free to play download game for...
Video Game Trading Card Spotlight – Eric Olofson
Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Eric Olofson who currently is displayed on card number 2472, from the Superstars of 2016 Collection. Eric has been playing video game since the late 1970’s. He has been trying to break records ever since. His first world...
Welcome to Walter Day’s Fantasy Land – by Walter Day
Everybody has their innermost desires. Everybody has secret aspirations and goals they hope to achieve in the course of their lives. Some people wish for a new car, some for a better home, and some for a wonderful romantic relationship. Unbelievably, one of my most...
Atari 2600 Encyclopedia: Do you know Birthday Mania?
Release Date: 1984 Publisher: Personal Games Controller: Paddles Players: 1 Genre: Shoot’em Up Alternate Title: N/A Model #: N/A Rarity: 10 Programmer: Robert Anthony Tokar The ROM for this long lost Holy Grail has finally surfaced It’s your birthday and it’s time to...
Video Game Trading Card Spotlight – Ed Fries
Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Ed Fries, who is displayed on card number 365, from the Superstars of 2012 Collection. Ed has been in the gaming scene since the early 1980’s. He ahs been part of some historic gaming revolutions and games. After working on...
Time Splitters – by Bill Donohue
By now, many people know that down on the 40 Deuce, Super Bomberman 2 was the game of choice. I’ve written about how the game took over our spare time like a vampire does young, good looking women. It was the only game we knew, the only game we needed to know... IT...
Craig Broadbrooks: NHL Faceoff ’98 – by Patrick Hickey Jr.
After the monumental successes of the original NHLFaceOff and its successor, NHL FaceOff 97, Craig Broadbooks and his team at Killer Game proved, at least for the time being, that its hockey franchise could hold its own with the likes of EA Sports NHL series on the...
To Mod Or Not To Mod? That Is The Question.
Being able to customize your things is really cool. Putting your own personal stamp or improving something you love can be a good thing, however it can also devalue the item if you want to sell it later down the line. What may seem priceless and worth hundreds of...
It Figures : A Sephiroth story – by Michael Mertes
It's not uncommon in today's world to walk down the toy aisle of any big box store and see action figures from games like Halo, Super Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog, Pokemon, Street Fighter, and Mindcraft. Before the late 1990s, any action figures related to video...
The Nostalgia Dollar – paying the price for our emotional connection to childhood favourites
By Brandon Keenen, Chief Marketing Officer for Antstream Arcade. 2020 was a financial success for the games industry, but nowhere has this expressed itself as uniquely as in the retro gaming space, where prices spiked thanks to a wave of renewed interest in the...
Video Game Trading Card Spotlight – Justin Pursell
Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Justin Pursell, who is displayed on card number 3530, from the Superstars of 2021 Collection. Justin is one of the most talented artists I have seen in a long time. His artistic precision makes all his artwork look realistic...
Clock Tower – by Michael Mertes
The blood-curdling scream of one of your friends tears through the halls of the Barrows mansion like a sonic boom. The sound startles you so bad that you lose your footing and smash face-first into the mansion floor. Fearing that you could be the next person...
Atari 2600 Encyclopedia: Do you know Gyruss?
Release Date: 1984 Publisher: Parker Brothers Controller: Joystick Players: 1 Genre: Shoot’em Up Alternate Title: N/A Model #: PB5080 Rarity: 4 Programmer: N/A This port does a pretty good job emulating the arcade title. You are marooned just outside of Neptune and...
Crocodile Hunter : Lights, Lava, Action – by Patrick Hickey, Jr.
Nintendo is often considered the king of video games, mainly because their original characters have endured for decades. Mario, Luigi, Link, Bowser, Donkey Kong and the rest of Nintendo’s crew are timeless. However, the brand is far from perfect. Their infamous...
Five Nintendo Games That Deserve a Sequel
The Nintendo Switch is a force of nature, but there are several notable holes in the console’s library. Old School Gamer’s Patrick Hickey Jr. shares his thoughts on what old first-party titles from Nintendo could be brought back to make millions of gamers happy....
Video Game Trading Card Spotlight – Van Burnham
This week we look back at an interview I did June 16th, 2017 with Van Burham. Van has gaming in her blood and decided to write a book about the histroy of gaming from 1971-1984. The book called Supercade" was a smash hit. She is now in the process of publishing the...
Atari 2600 Encyclopedia: Do you know Congo Bongo?
Release Date: 1983 Publisher: Sega Controller: Joystick Players: 1 - 2 Genre: Arcade - Platformer Alternate Title: N/A Model #: 006-01 Rarity: 4 Programmer: Steve Beck / Phat Ho What causes a normal everyday hunter on a jungle safari to be pushed over the edge? Two...
Atari Jaguar: Food for the Worms – by Michael Mertes
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is acquiring one of the last games released for the Atari Jaguar... Worms. Worms was released in 1998, just two years after Atari pulled the litter box out from under its black cat console and discontinued further...