I Have a Confession To Make: I Hate SMUPS!
Hello all, if my inbox is going to be filled with hate mail, here it comes. I hate shoot em ups (smups) games. I mean I can’t stand planning them at all. I see them in an arcade, plunk in a quarter or two, and then get bored with them. For some reason whenever I bring...
Video Game Trading Card Spotlight – Rusty Key
Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Rusty Key who is displayed on card number 2111, from the Superstars of 2015 Collection. Rusty is a huge arcade preservationist, with an enormous collection of rare and arcade games. By 2014, his arcade collection hit 30...
RETROSPECTIVE: The Best of the Rest
After Street Fighter II came Mortal Kombat. After Mortal Kombat came a tsunami. As the Street Fighter II phenomena grew in arcades and then again when ports of the popular games came to home consoles, nearly every company in the industry suddenly found themselves in a...
Video Game of the Day – May 8th – Utopia
Video Game of the Day is a daily show available on Amazon Alexa devices and here on this website. Each day, we briefly discuss the history of a single game, randomly chosen. If you would like to listen on your daily flash briefing, you can enable Video Game of the Day...
Missile Command: Recharged Review
With its signature trackball controller, tense gameplay, and gut-punching sound effects, the original Missile Command that graced arcades is an absolute classic. Throughout the years, we've seen many different ports and takes on the original Missile Command formula. I...
Video Game of the Day – May 6th – Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune
Video Game of the Day is a daily show available on Amazon Alexa devices and here on this website. Each day, we briefly discuss the history of a single game, randomly chosen. If you would like to listen on your daily flash briefing, you can enable Video Game of the Day...
Old school video games vs their modern remakes
Playing Video games is fun and improves health. However, playing some awesome classic games today can prove to be a tough task. Modern machines can't support the original systems and graphics. If you missed out on the old games or you want to experience the nostalgic...
VECTOR 21 (GCE Vectrex) Designed by George Pelonis
Available for $21 from Fury Unlimited (www.furyunlimited.com) Take it from someone who knows – when you start out learning to program on a new platform, you try to pick a project that is not overly complex. Making your first project a homebrewed 3D shooter like Quake...
A Final Fantasy Retrospective.
Final Fantasy has been around for over 30 years, and the franchise is still going strong today. There was a joke back in the 90's I remember about there never being a real FINAL Final Fantasy. Look how far the series has gone since it premiered back in 1987. 15...
Video Game Trading Card Spotlight – Andrew Breyer
Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Andrew Breyer, who is displayed on card number 14, from the Superstars of 2011 Collection. Andrew was the 1981 Atari 2600 Asteroids Champion, which earned him a $5,000 prize. As one of the most completive Atari 2600 console...
Why Online Slots Are the Original Retro Games
When we think of retro games, a select number of classic titles often come immediately to mind. Pac Man, Zelda, Taxi Driver, Super Mario, and Doom are classics of the genre, games that instantly evoke that strong feeling of nostalgia that draws us to retro games in...
System Profile: Atari 2600
I have a question. “Have you played Atari today?” When the Fairchild Channel F came along, Atari realized that the market for home video game consoles that could only play one game, like Pong, was fading fast. So, in 1976, Atari frantically started working on project...
Tales of the Turbo: The Exotic Import to Sheboygan
I can tell some of you have read the title of the topic and are wondering how, by Alcorn's beard, is the TurboGrax-16 considered "exotic"? And what the hell's a "Sheboygan" anyway? Fear not, noble reader, all will be explained. Note: please, don't hurt yourself trying...
RETROSPECTIVE: A Fight of the Heavyweights
Capcom & SNK: Best Frienemies It is almost impossible to overstate Street Fighter II’s influence over the gaming world, arcades in particular, in the early 1990s. In just about every arcade the world over, gamers flocked around the cabinet - some to try their...
Ulimate Guide to the NES Library 1985-1995 – Review By Ryan Burger
Knowing of Pat Contri since I started up Old School Gamer Magazine, I knew I wanted to check out one of his books. Recently, at the Retro Game Con in Syracuse, NY, I asked him what book I should start out with. He said while he has the SNES book released more...
A Talk With Jim Levy – By Brett Weiss
In 1979, programmers David Crane, Larry Kaplan, Alan Miller, and Bob Whitehead left Atari to begin creating games independently of the company. They were dismayed with their relatively low salaries, especially given the millions their games were bringing in. Withmusic...
War Games – By Leonard Herman The Father of Video Game History
A strit Begolli, commonly known as Polaki, is just an average video game collector like the rest of us. His niche is rare consoles and he boasts a collection of over 181 systems including some of the rarest and mostexpensive consoles, such as a Japanese Atari2800, a...
Video Game of the Day – April 27th – StarCraft
Video Game of the Day is a daily show available on Amazon Alexa devices and here on this website. Each day, we briefly discuss the history of a single game, randomly chosen. If you would like to listen on your daily flash briefing, you can enable Video Game of the Day...
Is the World Ready for an Arcades Comeback?
It’s an obvious truth that there are many millions of players out there who are hooked on the old-style gaming. They either get their fix playing on the original consoles rescued from the cellar, cleaned up and made ready for action or by using more modern tech to...
Video Game of the Day – April 26th – Animal Crossing
Video Game of the Day is a daily show available on Amazon Alexa devices and here on this website. Each day, we briefly discuss the history of a single game, randomly chosen. If you would like to listen on your daily flash briefing, you can enable Video Game of the Day...
Video Game Trading Card Spotlight – Andrew Seklir
Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Andrew Seklir, who is displayed on card number 2421, from the Superstars of 2016. His documentary film trading card is featured on card number 2495. Andrew is one half of the team that directed, produced and edited the...
NEC, The Hudson Bee and TURBOGRAFX-16
The late 80's and early 90's where breakthrough years for classic gamers, the Sega Genesis had hit the market in 1989, SNK released the mind-blowing arcade perfect home console, Neo-Geo in 1990, the Nintendo Entertainment System was still going strong and in late...
ADVENTURE VISION: A History of Entex
Handheld games, some referred to as Tabletop games for their bigger size, date as far back as the early 70's. One that stood out was the first cartridge based tabletop gaming system, The Adventure Vision, released in 1982. Now, let’s play the Song of Time on our...
Video Game of the Day – April 22nd – Castlevania 2: Simon’s Quest
Video Game of the Day is a daily show available on Amazon Alexa devices and here on this website. Each day, we briefly discuss the history of a single game, randomly chosen. If you would like to listen on your daily flash briefing, you can enable Video Game of the Day...
Sinistar: Noah Falstein: More Than Words – By Patrick Hickey
All developers want their games to be remembered, but they don’t get to choose how. With super solid gameplay that had everything to do with a fantastic custom joystick, Williams’ Sinistar set the bar high for every shooter that followed. For that reason alone, it’s a...
Dual Reviews – By Michael Mertes
Breakout: Pilgrim in the Microworld - Book Review By Michael Mertes As a video game player, you can probably name a few different game titles that intrigued you so much that you could potentially be clinically Thoughts of the game and how to play it race through your...
Video Game of the Day – April 21st – DemiKids: Light and Dark Versions
Video Game of the Day is a daily show available on Amazon Alexa devices and here on this website. Each day, we briefly discuss the history of a single game, randomly chosen. If you would like to listen on your daily flash briefing, you can enable Video Game of the Day...
SCOTT PILGRIM Vs CGM!
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game Developer: Ubisoft Chengdu, Publisher: Ubisoft Format: Digital Download, Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360 Cost: $10/800 points Reviewed by: Scott Marriott Inspired by both the graphic novel series and Universal Pictures film, the video...
Words from the Weiss By Chris Cavanaugh
Pop-culture expert Brett Weiss has written numerous articles that have appeared in Comic Buyer’s Guide, Fangoria, Allgame.com, and past issues of Classic Gamer Magazine. Brett recently authored two books: Classic Home Video Games: 1972-1984 and Classic Home Video...
Stamp Out the Terrorists! – By Michael Thomason
Move over James Bond, there is a new secret agent to save the day! Be warned that the CIA agent in question, Roy Heart, throws stealth and espionage out the door. He is capable of sliding past security cameras to avoid detection, but primarily he is just a bad ass...
Video Game of the Day – April 20th – Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
Video Game of the Day is a daily show available on Amazon Alexa devices and here on this website. Each day, we briefly discuss the history of a single game, randomly chosen. If you would like to listen on your daily flash briefing, you can enable Video Game of the Day...
Metal Storm – By Michael Mertes
The open elevator ride on the Pluto defense outpost has easily been the worst you’ve ever taken. Laser shots from almost every direction have almost hit you, and robotic cargo movers have malfunctioned and are blocking your attempts to get down the elevator shaft. Up...
Mac Attack! – Yes, Virginia, Mac Computers Had Shooters… Really!” – By Richard Moss
It may be strange to imagine, but there has never been a point in the Mac’s life where shooters weren’t available for it. I mean, when you think Mac, even if you think games, you probably don’t think shooters, except maybe Marathon (more on that later). Shooters...
Video Game of the Day – April 19th – Yukon Trail (ft. Adrian Simple)
Video Game of the Day is a daily show available on Amazon Alexa devices and here on this website. Each day, we briefly discuss the history of a single game, randomly chosen. If you would like to listen on your daily flash briefing, you can enable Video Game of the Day...
3D Dot Game Heroes: Inspiration or Limitation
From the outset of 3D Dot Game Heroes, two things are made plainly clear: The game is an unabashed clone of The Legend of Zelda, and the developers at From Software never let the task of emulating a classic franchise get in the way of lighthearted fun. Both...
RETROSPECTIVE: A Tale of Street Fighters
Days of Future's Past My nephew is 11 years old. He has just about every modern console known to man, a gaming PC, a powerhouse iPad and iPhone and the other day, in casual video gaming conversation, he happens to mention Street Fighter II. I paused immediately,...
Video Game of the Day – April 18th – Final Fantasy 3
Video Game of the Day is a daily show available on Amazon Alexa devices and here on this website. Each day, we briefly discuss the history of a single game, randomly chosen. If you would like to listen on your daily flash briefing, you can enable Video Game of the Day...
Video Game Trading Card Spotlight – Chris Cavanaugh
Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Chris Cavanaugh who is displayed on card number 512, from the Superstars of 2013 Collection. Chris is also featured on card number 588. Chris is the Co-founder of Classic Gamer Magazine which was founded in 1999. Chris was...
Video Game of the Day – April 17th – Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!
Video Game of the Day is a daily show available on Amazon Alexa devices and here on this website. Each day, we briefly discuss the history of a single game, randomly chosen. If you would like to listen on your daily flash briefing, you can enable Video Game of the Day...
ARCADE…TO GO By Skyler Miller
Despite its promise of evolution, Atari Classics Evolved can't help but feel a bit stale. It contains the familiar lineup of Atari arcade games -- Asteroids, Missile Command, Centipede, etc. -- found in other compilations, with 11 games in total. Each game comes in...