JXD The Android Gaming Tablet

 

In this day and age we are all for collecting all the classic games and playing them on the original consoles with the original controllers.  That is the best way to play retro games, the nostalgia is there with the feel and the touch of the machines.

Pushing in a cartridge into the slot on the Sega Master System, pressing the power button on your Nintendo NES console or even pumping coins into an original arcade cab.  These are all the things we remember of gaming as kids and still love to do, but in the present day this is not always possible for everyone and we like to preserve our machines and games of old and keep them in good condition plus access a range of games at any one time.

But wait........our delivery from Funstock.co.uk landed. So without delay we opened it up to see an Android tablet ..." But wait ........this had analogue joysticks and a D-pad!  We now had in our hands the JXD S7800b !

So this is an Android tablet built for retrogames....we are quite impressed!  The console holds well in your hands and is light too.weighing only 500g! Your thumbs lay ontop of the joysticks just right and still leaves your fingers to be hitting the L1 and R1 buttons curved into the corners of the console!  The tablet has all the buttons you'd expect from modern handhelds and they are all positioned correctly which will suit most games and gamers!

It has Android OS so this tablet is easy to navigate with the D-Pad or even the touch screen (yes touch screen!!) The Google Play store app is supported so you can download your Gmail or any other Android apps that take your fancy, even the retro games which are available are easy to access.  So this being just like your Android  phone (without calls) you can also surf the internet with pure ease using WIFI

No beating around the bush, this is a very fancy multi emulator in a branded tablet - but JXD have done this very well.  As we all know downloading ROMS can be annoying but the JXD makes this simple.  The console comes pre-loaded with a cloud app that puts your games into genres and categories for you.  All you have to do is simply choose your game and press download! Its that easy.  The 8GB of storage gives you tons of space for games and if you want more for movies or such there is a memory card slot too. The JXD is pre set to play Megadrive, SNES, Famicom, Gameboy, DS,GBA, MAME, PS1, N64, Arcade and  better still the DREAMCAST!!! 

Of course you can download more emu's for other consoles and formats (if you know how to do that sort of thing) and we are told the JXD also supports Speccy, Amiga, 32x and Atari Jaguar!!

One of the best features of the JXD is the screen it comes in at a massive 7" and is bright, responsive and colourful which makes the games llok great! If you wish to have more definition you can plug this badboy into your HDMI on your TV and go Large!!!  The speakers sit either side of the console giving you good stereo sound.  There is a 2.0 megapixel camera on the back and also one on the front if you want to take selfies, there is also an excellent Key Mapping feature if you download Android games that use touch screen controls, but you do have the option to use these on all games....we don't!

Battery life is good, we have been playing Crazy Taxi most of the day and with its 5000mah battery you can play for quite a while!   There is not much else to say about the JXD you just haver to play it for yourself to experience it.  This is a great retro meets modern gaming console with added emu's to get you started. There are even a few bundled games on there to get you going!

Like any emulation system -it plays emulated games, this means sadly that not all games play perfectly or have sound, but this you'll experience across a number of systems anyway. The majority of roms across a range of systems worked. Some didn't so we moved onto the next game - easy.

Watch the Official Trailer below or visit Funstock.co.uk to snap up your console (don't forget to use the code GYL at checkout for 5% off!!!)

A New Retro Gaming Movie - FIZZ! The Surge of Video Games

Fizz! The Surge of Video Games is a unique 90 minute retro video gaming documentary movie made with lost and unseen archive footage which was filmed between 1989 & 1998.

All of the video had been originally shot to TV broadcast standard and the tapes have been carefully kept,restored and enhanced for maximum ouput quality. All of the broadcast formats which the footage has been kept on are now obsolete.Sony Betacam SP,Panasonic MII and Sony BVU SP were all broacast high quality recording video formats for TV in the last 1980's and early to mid 1990's.These were all analogue tapes, the cameras and recorders were all 4:3 aspect ratio and there was no digital recording available anywhere on computers.

This was an era before widescreen TV,16:9,HD,DVD.computer editing and the Internet.The only storage device for video at the time was on a VHS video cassette.

Fizz! The Surge Of Video Games is pure retro.The stories are told using 22 interviews filmed between 1989 & 1998 with key people who were working in the business back then.Games developers,marketing people,console manufacturers,retailers,Games chart research,trade bodies,games publishers.The big names in games back then are all included.Sony,Sega,Electronic Arts,Philips,3DO,Virgin Games,Mindscape,Interplay,Codemasters,Psygnosis,David Perry,HMV.Plus many notable video and audio appearances from some very familiar household names.

Fizz! The Surge Of Video Games tells the story exactly as it was because it was filmed as the marketplace and business evolved over a nine year timeline.

Beginning with momentum in the established 8 and 16 Bit era with a strong presence from the Commodore 64,Spectrum,NES,Sega Megadrive-Genesis, Atari ST,Amiga & SNES.This was a console and home computer gaming sector when titles were published on cartridge and floppy disk.Using interviews & footage filmed at the time,the documentary discusses how it all grew and then the problems which lead to the eventual decline.

As the 1990's wore on,new CD-Rom formats began to arrive, and an almighty hardware & console battle began to escalate.Established names such as Sega & Nintendo now faced competition from hardware heavy weights Panasonic,Sony and Philips who were all looking for a slice of the action.

It was also an era of progress and change as games developers who'd established 2D games and genres now faced a challenging prospect in a new world which would be three dimensional.

CD-ROM also saw the arrival of 'Edutainment'.A whole new genre where the vastly improved storage capacity of Compact Disc meant that people could play games and learn at the same time.

Watch Sony's first ever game launch filmed in 1993,two years before Playstation. There's a host of unseen promotional videos with celebrity appearances and a theatrical party event showcasing a now massive game franchise. 

Meanwhile on the PC there was the arrival of WIndows 95 which promised the end of DOS and the dawn of a stable platform backed by Microsoft.Hardware technology powered ahead with faster processors and 3D graphics cards fuelling high end games to rival any console.

This is a piece of modern history using 100% brilliantly shot,lit & edited archive footage with an excellent voice-over. 

Fizz! The Surge Of Video Games will be produced in English,French,German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Portugese, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish & Danish languages.Worldwide release Summer 2014.  

A KickStarter campaign will be announced very soon.

Press email contact: media@fizzmovie.com 

Jesse McClure - Storage Hunters - BLOG Exclusive

Everything is worth something, but some things are just not worth selling! 

I have a unique job where every day has something new in store, but I always have the same goal regardless: SELL EVERYTHING.  Having grown up in the art of resale since I was 12 years old, I have grown accustomed and built up a sort of immunity to the idea of keeping “stuff.”  The thought of finding something “cool” and potentially keeping it, whether it's from a storage unit, a garage sale, or an auction, no longer peaks my interest anymore. I don't mean to say that as if  I'm one of those mindless people that express zero-emotion in their day-to-day lives. It's more the idea that if I did not approach it this way, my house would probably be featured on an episode of  Hoarders!. You know, one of those reality shows where I am just like the 60-year old lady who has floor-to-ceiling trash filling her entire home and no longer has any room left for herself or her 12 cats to sleep anymore.





There is however, one thing, out of all the antiques, trash, electronics, cars, guns, dirty mattresses, and adult toys I find that I absolutely cannot come to terms with selling. Ladies and Gentlemen, that one thing, is arcades!!!!.

Since I was a small child I've had this fascination with these large machines that too many non-fans may just see as glorified televisions in a wooden painted box dedicated to one lame video game. But whenever I see an arcade, whether it is at a laundry mat (launderettes), a family fun centre, or even a pizza restaurant, I see something different. I see art.

To be quite honest, I'm not really even into playing video games. I get a joy in simply collecting and displaying arcades, as if they were literal pieces of handmade art, like a painting or sculpture. Now that's not to say that many of these machines were probably made on some assembly line in Japan, but I still appreciate them just the same.  

I just don't like the fully restored, pristine condition machines either. In fact, I have more beat-up, graffiti tagged machines then perfect condition ones. And you know what? That's okay with me. These aged machines tell a story.  A story when the arcade was king, when going to these late night amusement centres were a social hangout spot, when people would leave their homes to play video games, as opposed to locking themselves in their rooms to playing Call of Duty all night. (Nothing against any of those people, I love console gaming on occasion too!)  

I just love to see these classic monsters in action. I like to see people, young and old, English, American, whatever, enjoy the experience of playing an arcade. This is why I am so excited for Play Blackpool. I would be lying to you if I didn't tell you the 12-year old inside me is completely ecstatic about being a part of this exciting event. I can't wait to see all these games in action, and all the awesome people that will get to enjoy them. 

This coming May 3^rd and 4^th, me and thousands of others will be at Norbreck Castle in Blackpool having the gaming times of our lives! I hope to see many of you out there, and if you would like to get beaten in any classics, please just ask. I'm open to all challengers!

Thanks to

Jesse McClure - follow at @storagehunters

See at Jesse McClure www.playblackpool.net in May!

RIP The Ultimate Warrior

You may have grown out of it as you grew older - others still love it, but when we were kids WWF (WWE) Wrestling was a huge part of our childhood!  These guys were heroes, they were full of muscles some were large and some were small but each had charisma and their own style and personality. 

We grew up with these guys bashing the hell out of each other with their fists, chairs and anything that they can get their hands on.

We each had our favourites but nobody can deny that The Ultimate Warrior was everything every childhood wrestling fan wanted. He weighed in at a huge 275 pounds, 6ft 2" tall,  
 had muscles on muscles and with his multi coloured facepaint and over the top intensity he was pure awesomeness. 

Many wrestlers couldn't stand up to his power and strength and he feared nobody! His career peaked when he took on possibly the most iconic wrestler of all time Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania V1 headlined as the Ultimate Challenge!

In this huge match up the Warrior defeated Hogan for (both WWF Belts) with his trademark Gorrila Press move and then continued to own the ring in a hail of applause and fireworks for sometime after.

The Ultimate Warrior is a WWE icon and hero to many, every child of our generation will have memories running down to the ring at 100 MPH shaking the ropes and striking fear into his opponent, he even beat Andre the Giant in 30 seconds!   Who else could do that!!!

So today just take a minute close your eyes and remember the man from parts unknown!

We will always believe

#RIPWarrior

Hints and Tips for videogames pioneers – the video!

When Andrew Hewson announced to GamesYouLoved.com he was going to bring the wisdom of the 80s and 90s game development experiences to life through a ‘hints and tips’ book – we were excited to say the least!

Not only had Team - GamesYouLoved.com grown up with playing the Hewson and 21^st Century Entertainment gaming classics across a range of different microcomputers - we had been fully aware of Andrew’s part in the UK’s gaming history which sprung up during the 80s and into the 90s.  

It was more than just making and publishing the games for Hewson. It was about a whole generation of kids like us at the time inspired to use a computer. The part Andrew played in providing articles and content for the gaming press as well as his own published books of the 80s is a testament to this cause.

There were the games too, Pinball Fantasies, Firelord Zynaps, Uridium and Nebulus –really fantastic games with amazing graphics and addictive gameplay.

The people involved with Hewson in the design, artwork and development of these games were our heroes. We wanted to know more and Andrew was there with the help of his son Rob to do the job for us.

Kickstarter provided a great forum for the project to live and really happen on a scale and was successful in its fundrasing and we at GamesYouLoved.com supported this thoroughly along with worldwide retrogaming community.

We were also privileged to hear first hand some of Andrew’s experience of Hewson in the 1980s at Play Expo Manchester - last October.

We heard about setting up the business and the early days, how Andrew marketed the business with investment in development rather than expensive advertising. Through the growth of gaming generally in the 80s, and Hewson with it into the years with 21^st Century Entertainment. This footage provided by GamesYouLoved.com in collaboration with Hewson will help formulate the bigger story to what is an amazing narrative of gaming history - which is due to be told with the forthcoming release of the book.

Part one: Hints & Tips for Videogame Pioneers - Part 1/3 - The Birth of Hewson Consultants - - part 2 and 3 to follow:

Commodore 64: a visual commpendium - Interview with Sam Dyer

We spoke to Sam Dyer - Author and inspiration being the new Commodore 64 Kickstarter



Tell us a bit about you first 

I'm 32 years old with an ever decreasing hairline and an ever increasing waistline. I'm a Graphic Designer and a huge C64 fan and retro gaming fan in general. As a designer I have over 10 years experience, working for award winning agencies in London and the South West. It has always been a dream of mine to design a book all about the Commodore 64.

How long have you been playing videogames now and what was your first computer or console? 

My first computer was a C64, handed down to me by my (very kind) Uncle. It must have been circa 1986. It came bundled with an Imagine multi-pack, International Soccer and a war strategy game called Theatre Europe! The Imagine pack had some amazing games on it such as Frogger, BC Bill, Arcadia and Pedro. I fell in love with this computer and over the next few years got loads and loads of games and spent many an hour in awe of the graphics and sound. Happy days! 

Tell us about your role at Retro Asylum? 

I absolutely love been part of the Retro Asylum. Since I have been involved about a year ago I have seen it go from strength to strength (obviously not just due to me joining!). My roles include uploading and writing site news, posting up reviews and essentially managing the front page. I also design the podcast covers with co-founder Dean Swain (Swainy). Also, every now and again you can hear me appearing on a podcast rambling on about my love of Sensible Soccer or looking at the career of a certain 8-bit games composer in a series called 'My 8-bit Life'. Been part of the Retro Asylum is loads of fun. It keeps me busy and out of trouble... 

Why are you into retro gaming now? 

Purely for nostalgic reasons. That warm fuzzy feeling I get when I am reminded of my childhood. It's addictive and I am constantly remembering little things that make me smile. I'm obviously a huge gamer too. I'm too tight to buy expencive modern games and have hardly any free time so the 'pick up and play' nature of retro gaming works for me perfectly.

Why do you think retro gaming is so popular in 2014? 

I think a huge part of it is down to emulation. It's there for all to get online, at the click of a button. Also nowadays, with YouTube and websites like Retro Asylum and GamesYouLoved, retro gaming is all over social media, constantly reminding people and sparking their memories. Also the retro gaming community is so friendly and welcoming and it's a great thing to be part of. I've made some great friends through this shared love.

Also, nowadays it's acceptable to be into Retro Gaming and not something you would be embarrassed to admit!
 

Tell us about your graphic design background? 

I went to Art College in Taunton where I spent 5 years and learnt loads. Then went to London and worked at some award winning agencies. I then took everything I had learnt and came back to the South West which is where I now ply my trade. Currently I am head of design at a brand agency and loving every minute of it. Every day if different and I am very lucky to do what I do. 

About the book...

Why the Commodore 64? 

The Commodore 64 was my first computer and the one I have the fondest memories of. It also played a massive part in inspiring me to become a designer. I used to be obsessed with the loading screens and box art. It is so visually rich, everywhere you look there is great design. Whether it's the iconic loading screens, Oliver Freys illustrations or the pixel art. I always wanted a book with all of this this stuff in it, but couldn't find one anywhere. So... I thought I would design one myself! 

Any particular C64 games you love - perhaps a top 10? 

Loads! In no particular order:
Batman The Movie
Up n down
Aztec Challenge
Cabal
Beyond the Forbidden Forest
Slap Fight
Treasure Island Dizzy
Blue Max
Ghostbusters 2
Ghouls and Ghosts

Can you give us any sneak insights into the book that people who are in the community would love to hear?  

One of the rewards I am most excited about is the chance for backers to 'own their own spread'. They pick the game, write the review and then I design it as a spread. I think it will give the book a unique feel and something that backers would be excited about. 

Getting the rights to use Oliver Freys illustrations is a massive deal for me. I have always loved his work and it will look stunning over double page spreads.

I am also planning to have a section on modern C64, looking at current day developers and the art they are producing.

When is the kickstarter due to start? 

1st April 2014

Any reveals on the pledges available? 

I'm still finalising the pledges but these will include a series of A2 loader posters, a chance to own your own spread in the book and also a chance to sponsor the book! There will also be smaller pledges where you can be credited in the book as an official supporter. 
  

Who is writing the book and why? 

The book will not have many words. It's a visual commpendium so accompanying each beautiful image may be a few game facts, a mini review or even a quote from the developer. 

Ex Sensible Software artist and C64 fan Stoo Cambridge will be writing the foreword and I'm hoping to get a few well known retro legends to also write some words here and there. 

What about design and illustration - as a designer what is your vision? 

As previously said, it has always been my ambition to create this book and if there is enough interest my dream will come true. What I would love would be too get the C64 book produced and then maybe do one on the Amiga. The dream would be to walk into a high street bookshop and see my book on the shelf. That would be pretty cool!

Back the project here NOW LIVE:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2146199819/commodore-64-a-visual-commpendium-by-bitmap-books

Watch the promo video:

 

My Gaming Life and Collection - by Nash Veggie

My first game console was the Atari 2600 when I was 7. I wanted every game I could find for it. I would go to department stores and stare at the Atari display dreaming of which game to ask my parents for next. 

Asking rarely did much good but I would usually happen upon a gift of Atari during birthdays and special occasions. During the video game crash of the 80s Atari cartridges could be found for a dollar each and I started building a good collection, all of which I still have today along with that first Atari 2600.

During the age of Nintendo many video rental stores also rented NES games. Those stores would close regularly only to sell their stock off at low prices. I bought many NES games this way. Not very long ago, I was approached by a man who once owned a video rental store and still had his stock of NES and SNES games in storage. I had done some computer work for him and he just wanted to trade out the work for the games. No arguments were made.

I have 58 unique consoles as well as a few arcade games in my collection. My favorite will always be the Atari 2600 but my prize pieces would be my boxed Vectrex and a Magnovox Odyssey, the first home video game console. 

Thanks to Nash Veggie for his Guest Glog. You can follow him on Twitter @nashveggie

King of Chicago - a GYL Review

Experience the new game released by Cinemaware in the words of a Chicago Crime Lord - or the nearest we can get to it - GYL Guest Reviewer, Andy Pryer @ClammyLizard

To maximize your reading pleasure, please read this paragraph aloud, in a gruff voice and out of the corner of your mouth:  Tired of bein’ a two-bit hood pullin’ nickle ‘n dime capers?  You’ve bin payin‘ your dues lang enough.  With Capone, the old Chicago boss in da big house,  dis town is wide open for a change a management an’ it’s time for da cream to rise to-da tap.

Indeed.  Al ‘Scarface’ Capone is in chokey and the underworld of Chicago has been shaken to it’s foundations.  This is the moment you’ve been waiting for; now’s the time to take over the ‘family’ business and expand it’s territory.

You’d better have a brain to back up that roscoe, or you ambitions will be cut pretty short.  Skill with a heater won’t get you far if you can’t trust anyone in your own organization after all.

If you’re going to be a successful head of the family, you’ve got to earn the respect of the existing crew, choose you friends and who you can trust wisely, make allegiances and show the other outfits you mean business. And if that isn’t enough, your moll certainly isn’t content to play second fiddle to your racket and has some demands of her own.

KOC is presented as what used used to be called an ‘Interactive Movie’, but not one of those full of FMV and dodgy acting, here we have soulful graphics drawn with an attention to period details which really help to set the mood. Honkey-tonk piano music and spinning newspaper headlines abound. 

The story is a complex and engrossing one and there are many, many paths though the game. The gameplay, which chiefly involves selecting a course of action in a timely manner throughout a series of well scripted conversations and encounters, is well suited to phones and is perfectly playable with one finger - ideal for a little incognito gaming.  Occasionally you may need to swing your gat around and burn some powder, but this too makes efficient use of the touch screen.

I must admit that I’d never played this game before, despite being a huge fan of some other Cinemaware releases, so I can say without the burden of nostalgia that the game holds up extremely well today, with Cinemaware doing what they do so well in setting the mood as perfectly as ever. 

The snappy dialogue is cliche, but in the best possible way.  While not a comedy game, it is amusing for the dialogs accuracy to the source material even when it’s not cracking one of it’s fairly frequent jokes. Opening the app transports you instantly and completely into the pin-stripe world of the 30s gangster movies, and whether you’re a fan of the genre or not, you’d find it hard to resist pull of an underworld that’s this fully realised.  

I thoroughly recommend King of Chicago as a first class piece of portable escapism, which is as relevant now as it was when it was first released, perhaps it’s even found the ideal home on smartphones?  It certainly makes my commute pass much more quickly.

Review by Andy Pryer for GamesYouLoved

You can buy the King of Chicago on:
iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/nsru5wr
GooglePlay-Store: http://tinyurl.com/pp3p8e8