<![CDATA[Flashback Games - Retro Gaming News]]> http://www.flashbackgames.co.uk <![CDATA[Spacewar! Turns 50 This Week!!!]]> http://www.flashbackgames.co.uk/ArticleOverview.asp?ArticleID=132 15 February 2012 22:31 GMT
Often referred to as the first video game even though Tennis for Two, a version of Tic Tac Toe (OXO) and the 1951 Science Fair's Nim were all prior electronic games to Spacewar!. For me this was where it all started, a real video game with recognisable graphics on a real Vector CRT display (non of that coloured lights or oscilloscope nonsense). 

Spacewar! pits two warring space craft at opposing sides of a strong central  source of gravity a Sun or Black Hole (I can't really tell). Where you try to kill the opposition using the latest in laser BLIP techno. The game features some brilliant gravity physics and occasionally hectic gameplay depending on how good your opponent is. 

Coded by Steve Russell, Martin Graetz and Wayne Wirtaenem, the game idea was dreamt up in 1961 with the first version complete by February 1962. 

Tonnes more information can be found about Spacewar! with a quick google or by visiting the Spacewar! Wiki page here...

Instead of reading about it why not play the ground breaking game Spacewar! right in your browser. It is runs on a javascript PDP-1 emulatior and plays pretty well. Play it Here...

Happy Birthday Spacewar!
]]> <![CDATA[Homebrew Meet Up In The Lass O'Gowrie Manchester]]> http://www.flashbackgames.co.uk/ArticleOverview.asp?ArticleID=131 01 February 2012 13:30 GMT
Like the next man I love a pint or three, I also love Retro Gaming. So what could be better than a mash up of my two favourite past times. On January 28th and 29th The Lass O'Gowrie pub in Manchester hosted the follow up to the brilliant events 'In Da 80's' and 'Homebrew'. Where genuine geniuses continue the art of creating games and hardware for the machines of yesterday. 

This event although smaller than the last was still a great day out with a few brilliant moments such as me getting my ass kicked on a Warlords variant on the Atari 8-bit (Castle Crisis i think) and winning a badge in a raffle. 

I played a really impressive version of bomberman on an Acorn BBC Master and had a brief chat with the owner of said machine and a Modded Acorn Atom, who kindly dismantled it to show me the gubbins inside.

Other stand outs were some of the hardware that was being showcased, including an Atari 7800 Expansion Module (XM). 

This awesome piece of kit adds extra goodness to the already great Atari 7800:

System BIOS
128K of bank switched RAM
HSC BIOS and 2K of non-volatile memory for high score game saves
POKEY and a YM2151 for arcade quality audio
SIO and XEGS keyboard connectors for A8 peripheral compatibility (software required)
NES like mappers

In other words it makes new games if programmed for the XM look and sound better and with the ability to save hi-scores… Cool, YES!!!

Here is a list of games already in production:

http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/173454-7800-expansion-module-xm-hardware-game-details-12711/

Here is a blog on the 7800 Expansion Module Project.

http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/consoles/7800/expansion

In the end I had a curry... Mmmm!

A great event all in all … 
]]> <![CDATA[Commodore 64 30 Years Old This Week]]> http://www.flashbackgames.co.uk/ArticleOverview.asp?ArticleID=130 08 January 2012 16:19 GMT
Happy New Year Everyone!!!

Welcome to 2012, apparently according to lore this will be the last year of human civilisation. Ah well at least there is plenty of things to keep ourselves busy before the apocalypse is upon us. 

For a start several Retro Gaming events are happening at the first half of this year.

The Last Retro Computer Games Festival Ever
Aldershot, 21st Jan 2012, 2pm - 1am
Scale: Est. 30-50

Homebrew Gaming Weekend
The Lass O'Gowrie, Manchester, Fri 27 - Sat 28 January 2012
Scale: Est. 100

GEEK 2012 (Gaming Expo East Kent)
Margate, 15-19 February 2012
Scale: Big!

RV 2012
Oxford, May Bank Holiday (Friday 4th - Monday 7th May 2012)
Scale: Est. 50 - 75

HISCORE 2012
Arcade Barn, Exeter, 26-27th May 2012
Scale: 40-50

Games Britannia & Games Britannia: REPLAYED
Rotherham, S Yorkshire
Schools/Students: Monday July 2nd - Friday July 6th 2012
General Public: Saturday July 7th - Sunday July 8th 2012
Scale: Big!


All information lifted from the RetroGamer.net forum. I do hope they don't Mind

----------------------------------

Also it was 30 years ago this week when the insanely ace Commodore C64 was first introduce to the world. The loveable brown bread bin became the worlds best selling computer to ever to be hooked up to a BW portable TV. 

The Commodore 64 was an 8-bit computer that dominated the home micro scene all over the western world for more than ten years. Although even at the time the 6510 processor running at 1MHz was a bit cack compared to dare I say the Z80 (personal opinion only - no hate mail please), with 64k of memory, a 16-colour graphics chip and the awesome SID sound chip the C=64 could really make arcade quality games for the home. 

The Commodore 64 was not only great for kids playing games but was a  really useful computer for the small business and budding musicians.

Selling up to 17 million units, Commodore managed to make millions of kids in the eighties have the best Xmas or Birthday ever. With thousands of brilliant games available some classics such a Uridium, Bruce Lee, Paradroid and many other ground breaking titles changed the face video games into to what we have today.

Many Happy Returns...

Thank You Commodore!!!!

See Many Great Commodore Games, Computers and Consoles in our Retro Games Shop Here…
]]> <![CDATA[Festive Magazines - Where Are You!]]> http://www.flashbackgames.co.uk/ArticleOverview.asp?ArticleID=129 21 December 2011 09:50 GMT
I was looking at the Retro Gamer Cover this month (another sterling issue by the way), and I was wondering why magazines no longer have a festive cover. Mostly, back in the day (jumpers for goal posts), every year we could look forward to bumper festive issues. Magazine that was as thick as my 10 year old fist, perhaps a freebie and a cover that told you it is the big bad Christmas Special! 

Aside from Retro Gamer this year the Multi format gaming magazine treat us to covers that are less that festive. Issues released in December have from Edge and Apple logo and Games ™  has a admittedly very attractive 2012 prediction cover. 

Ah well, it is just a good job that some of the old magazines are now available via the interneb to view online or download as PDFs. I thought it would be sporting to share some of the links that I have found, so that you can read a retro magazine with a festive flavour.

worldofspectrum.org

retromags.com

zzap64.co.uk

ysrnry.co.uk

oldgamemags.com

retroactionmagazine.com

www.crashonline.org.uk

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
]]> <![CDATA[Acorn BBC Turns 30 Years Old Today - Happy Birthday]]> http://www.flashbackgames.co.uk/ArticleOverview.asp?ArticleID=128 01 December 2011 08:47 GMT Happy Birthday to the Humble Acorn BBC Micro home computer!!!

Revealed on the 1st of December in 1981, the BBC Micro was part of the BBC and Government initiative to get home micro's into the hands of the UK minions. As part of The Computer Literacy Project  the Acorn BBC became a huge success selling over 1.5 million units, many of these into schools around the UK. 

The machine is not only best know for its great legacy (ARM) and some of the best and most influential games ever written (Elite), but also for it's part in an unofficial census, the BBC Doomsday Project. Information collated by children in the 1980's, over a million people contributed, the project was probably the most ambitious attempt ever to capture the essence of life in the United Kingdom. Distributed on laser disc's and using the BBC micro for playback it was reported that every school UK would have access to view it. As a note only a few of the several thousand  playback machines and discs are still functioning. Luckily the BBC have just re-issued the information online and it is available once more to explore.

For more information about the Humble BeeB see its wiki entry...

A great history at reghardware.com. Link Here

The BBC Doomsday Project Doomsday Reloaded

]]> <![CDATA[REPLAY EXPO - BLACKPOOL Nov 5-6 - Commentary On Twitter]]> http://www.flashbackgames.co.uk/ArticleOverview.asp?ArticleID=127 02 November 2011 18:16 GMT
Here at FlashbackGames towers, we have been busy updating and upgrading our lovely website. As part of our refurbishment we are now a part of the world wide phenomenon that is twitter. One of the tools that helped bring down tyrannical governments is now available for your entertainment. By following us you will not only part of the magic that allowed the Arab Spring to spread all around the middle east, but you can also find out the latest additions to our website, the score I just beat on one of the Cave shooters on my Ifob and what I have had for my tea. 

The biggest reason for adding twitter is to be able to give a bit of a running commentary on the forthcoming @ReplayExpo in Blackpool, upload lots of pictures and hopefully have a chat with some of the retro heros that will be attending. Hopefully I'll be able to bend the ear of Roger Kean and Oliver Frey and maybe a pint or two with the event revellers (It'll be good to catch up with Gordon Sinclair again). Really hoping we can take loads of pics and let everyone who can't make it feel a part of the party. 

You can watch the weekend unfold through our twitter page on this our FlashbackGames page:

Here...

Or  our Twitter Page

twitter.com/@FlashbackGames


With a bit of luck I can post most of the tournament results. According to the Replay Expo Site the Electronic Dojo team will be hosting Brawl4ALL where some luck punter can win a few bob. 


If it was anything like last years event it will be blooming great, a brief over view of what happened: 

here...

and

here...

For more information about the Replay event at Blackpool please visit:

www.replayexpo.com


Hopefully I'll see you there...
]]> <![CDATA[Mablethorpes hiddens Arcade Gems - Sky Kid]]> http://www.flashbackgames.co.uk/ArticleOverview.asp?ArticleID=126 12 October 2011 18:28 GMT
Being the Baron of Flashback towers means that I am constantly living the high life. What that really means is once a years I get to do a little bit of travelling. It could be New York, Paris or even Melbourne, but for my holidays this year we when one better. We took a caravan trip to the 1980's, in the form of the seaside town of Mablethorpe in Lincolnshire. Actually I went there last year too, that year being 1985 as 'Back To The Future' was showing at the local ABC cinema, so I think that means in Mablethorpe it is now 1986. 

Being a seaside town this means Mablethorpe has a multitude of "Video Arcades" unfortunately there are not many that reflect the decade that the rest of the town still seems to be in. A couple of the larger "Arcades" have a lot of newer "Video Games" and I did come across a Mame cab, there was nothing of real retro gold in any of these.

And then I came across a gem at the "Trustville" holiday resort site. In a lonely corner of the Cafe/Event room was a smaller room chock full of penny pushers and kiddies rides. Standing proud in the corner was Namco's Sky Kid. A great little shooter with bombing missions and tougher than it looks gameplay. Although the cab was a little beaten up, it was amazing to find it fully working and where it should be, in a blooming arcade! I must have chucked a couple of quid in there and I am happy to say that it was still only 10p a go. So I got plenty of action for that princely sum. 

I just thought I would share my piccies with anyone who is interested.

Mablethorpe, it is a really great little town... 

]]> <![CDATA[Brighton Invaded by THE HAND BAKED ARCADE]]> http://www.flashbackgames.co.uk/ArticleOverview.asp?ArticleID=125 23 September 2011 08:29 GMT Those nice chaps at HAND BAKED ARCADE are at it again by bringing retro gaming to the masses. This time it is the lucky sods in Brighton that are reaping the benefits from all the retro gaming goodness that HAND BAKED ARCADE bring.

Here is a snippet of the spiel they sent in:

The Hand Baked Arcade's temporary retro video game exhibition is to be installed at the soon-to-be launched 'Blind Tiger' venue (aka Hector's House) in Brighton. These Sunday events will be running from 4pm - 11pm on the 2nd Sunday of each month until the end of the year. The Hand Baked Arcade has been seen at many events including Glastonbury and Bloc Weekend, dozens of night clubs and art galleries and even on The Gadget Show Channel 5.

This does sound like a very promising series of events. It's just a shame that it is so bloomin far away from me...

For more information visit the web site: www.handbakedarcade.co.uk
]]> <![CDATA[The IBM PC and World Wide Web come of age]]> http://www.flashbackgames.co.uk/ArticleOverview.asp?ArticleID=124 16 August 2011 18:54 GMT
There have been two big events in the Retro calendar over this past week. The humble IBM Personal Computer made its debut on the 12th of August 1981 and the Tinterneb was born thanks to Sir Tim Berners-Lee on 6th August 1991. Two events that will in most cases touch every person living on the planet either directly or indirectly. 

From 1980 onwards the office and later the home would be invaded by oversized beige boxes trying to connect to the outside world through a spaghetti of wires. Firstly through the Prestle service and Micronet 800 (a bit of a mix between Ceefax and the internet) and later to the World Wide Web (or the worlds largest database of porn to some).

For more information about Prestle Click Here

I think that the question of why 'o' why did it become so popular when even in the early 80's it was vastly under powered and really, really over priced still needs answering. Compared to the Apple II, Amiga and the Atari ST, with the later computers having a sophisticated Graphical User Interface and massive raw processing power in their bellies (oh and they looked the part too). Even the lowly C=64 did a better job at running the home and office due to it's massive software library.  It also begs the other question of who bought the Fu*&ing things. 

Anyhow Happy Birthday to you both!!!!

I like a good celebration just like the next man. So we are having another sale. Yippee!!!
]]> <![CDATA[Hyper Neo Geo 64 - The Future Of SNK]]> http://www.flashbackgames.co.uk/ArticleOverview.asp?ArticleID=123 06 July 2011 09:23 GMT
Admittedly, I have never had much experience with Neo Geo Hardware, it was always far too expensive and ruddy hard to find in the shops anyhow. These days nothing is too far away thanks t-tinterneb. Of coarse recently I have had the opportunity to become a little more au fait with the Neo Geo monster from SNK. The Neo Geo AES and MVS and CD were all base on the first generation of modular hardware, using hi-res 2D sprites and super smooth animation. Before the Neo Geo, SNK already had released over 20 stand alone arcade games including the ACE Ikari Warriors and its follow up (and my personal fav) Victory Road. 

By the mid 1990's SNK really needed to update its current hardware. The original Neo Geo MVS is a marvellous 2D powerhouse, but the vogue in the arcades and home consoles was for 3D games. With the offerings from Sega; the Virtua Fighter series, its amazing driving games, Sega Rally and Daytona, and Namco's seminal driving game Ridge Racer, these games were something that the Neo Geo MVS hardware was unable to compete with. It was time for an upgrade!

The Hyper Neo Geo 64 was introduced in the guise of 3 base (console) boards; Fighting, Driving and Gun. The graphics looked amazing and some great games were released that showed the potential of what was possible with the new hardware. Although at the time the some of the fighting games were met with criticism from fans of the originals due to the new dimension. 

I managed to get a hold of a brand spanking new fighting board recently with 3 different games. Buriki-One, Fatal Fury: Wild Ambition and Samurai Shodown 64: Warriors Rage. They all work really well with my Super Gun and Neo Geo pad.  I am really impressed with the visuals of all three games, but it will most likely take a while to get to grips with games mechanics especially Buriki-One as this has an especially strange control system where the stick makes the combat moves, kicks and punches and the buttons move the character, very strange, but I'm sure to get used to it. Samurai Shodown 64 2 IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE, I really like the visuals and plays really well, I have a lot learn, but I am sure I will have fun doing so. I still have to try out Fatal Fury properly, but when testing it again visually it looks pretty cool.

It is just a shame that the Hyper Neo Geo 64 system was so short lived only being in production for 2 short years. I for one would have loved to build up a collection of games.
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