Tag: Video Games

  • Welcome The Getaway: High Speed II Pinball to the collection. A future project

    Welcome The Getaway: High Speed II Pinball to the collection. A future project

    I just managed to get “The Getaway: High Speed 2”. Ever since playing it at Pinfest24, I have been thinking about getting one. It’s such a fun game, and I enjoyed the game flow. It has some solid shots, and the “SUPERCHARGER” mode is fantastic. A small elevated loop, fed by the left ramp and fitted with a magnetic ball accelerator, makes the balls go mega fast around the loop, sometimes five times, sometimes ten times.

    When I came across a great deal on the pinball info forum, I couldn’t resist checking it out. The pinball machine is being sold as a project and comes with a new playfield, decals, and side rails that need to be installed. The machine is currently playable, so I’m planning to replace the playfield next summer when I feel more confident about taking on a full playfield swap. The playfield is made by Buthamburg.

    I had the pleasure of meeting Andy from Hull, who happened to be selling a pinball machine not too far from my place. I popped over to his place, checked out the machine, played a few games, and had a great chat about pinball. A few hours later, his friend was driving to SouthCave with the pinball machine in his van, to drop it off at my place ;-)

    This is my first Steve Ritchie game.

    The Getaway: High Speed II is a pinball machine from February 1992, manufactured by Williams Electronic Games, Inc. 13259 units were produced.

    Design team

    Game Design: Steve Ritchie

    Mechanics: Carl Biagi

    Software: Dwight Sullivan

    Artwork: Doug Watson Mark Sprenger

    Animation: Scott Slomiany

    Sound: Dan Forden

    Music: Dan Forden

  • Modding Millipede PCB (Centipede, Millipede, Super Breakout and Warlords)

    Modding Millipede PCB (Centipede, Millipede, Super Breakout and Warlords)

    One of my all-time favorite games is Centipede, and I recently installed the Super Multipede v2.0 on my Millipede Arcade machine. This upgrade extends the capabilities of the Atari Millipede board, allowing me to play Centipede, Millipede, Super Breakout, and Warlords.

    In addition, it includes a High Score Kit that enhances the high-score features of the games and stores high scores for all of them. The installation process was super easy, and it only took a few minutes to set up and get used to it.

    So happy, bloody love playing these games.

    Details

    Super Multipede v2.0 

    Game List – 

    • Centipede
    • Millipede
    • Super Breakout Double
    • Super Breakout Cavity 
    • Super Breakout Progressive
    • Warlords (single player)
    • Easy install – No soldering, board modifications or special wiring. Plug in and go!
    • Save your scores forever – We use a serial eprom, not failure prone NVRAM or batteries
    • High Score Save – Saves the Top 8 scores! Super Breakout and Warlords save the top 5 scores
    • Has separate score tables – Different high score saving for Centipede, Millipede and Super Breakout with number of lives chosen (SBO saves also with different Game Modes) and Warlords has 1 High Score Table. 
    • ROM Revisions – Uses most current rom revisions
    • Attract Sounds – Hear what you’ve been missing! Set at 25%, 50% or 100% of the attract screen rotation for each game!
    • Freeplay – No more coins or opening up the coin door!
    • Coin Up – Still supports coins if wanted (Warlords only Free Play)
    • Attract Mode – Minimize your screen burn. No more “static” screens!
    • Change DIP settings – Menu driven. No more pulling out your game to get inside to change dip switches!
    • Rom Saver – Original program roms CAN be removed (4 eproms in row 1)
    • Support – Can be used in an Upright or Cocktail cabinet!
    • Backup and Restore – Able to backup high scores and restore them later! Ideal for before and after game room parties!
    • Reset Button – Restart a game without turning the entire game off (Requires to be ENABLED in menu)
    • Choose your game! Centipede, Millipede, Super Breakout and Warlords!
    • HIgh Score Table – Save your top 8 scores with initials (Top 5 on SBO and Warlords)
    • Cocktail or Upright. Flips for cocktail mode on Centipede and Millipede. SBO will play on P1 side, Same as Warlords (single player)
    • Free play or coin/token
    • Separate High Score Tables
    • Attract Sounds that you can set for 25%, 50% or every attract screen! 
    • Coin per credit if not on freeplay
    • Show original Atari logos or the website logo
    • Menus for normal dip settings, custom settings
    • Save all 8 scores, only top score, top 3 scores
    • Backup and restore scores before and after your next party
    • Menu for game select
    • Able to enable or disable the sub menu for settings (now guests cannot get in)
    • “Stealth Mode” – Choose what game the kit boots to! (Game is last game played or from game list)
    • Rom Saver – all original program roms CAN be removed with kit installed (1H – 1M)
  • ZX-HD HDMI Interface comparison with RGB connection

    ZX-HD HDMI Interface comparison with RGB connection

    I am really impressed with the ZX-HD interface; the games look great, IMO. i wanted to compare a ZX Spectrum connected to the TV via RGB with a ZX Spectrum connected to a monitor via HDMI using the ZX-HD interface. This would allow me to remove the TV on my main gaming desk, giving me more room.

    Note I didn’t optimise the visual settings on my monitor, so I bet I could get it looking even better. But I am so happy with it as is. Deffo will remove the TV.

    Details;
    – connected to the TV via RGB Scart Video Cable TV Lead (Retro Computer Shack)
    – connected to the monitor via a ZX-HD HDMI Interface (Bytedelight)
    – using a DivMMC Enjoy! PRO for media loading.(Bytedelight) Sinclair ZX Spectrum Retro Gaming Retro Computing

  • TOP GAMES THAT I PLAYED IN 2022

    TOP GAMES THAT I PLAYED IN 2022

    Top games that I played in 2022. One game dominated the year for me, ELDEN RING. Its bloody amazing, love everything about it. Much better than I thought it would be. Spent a lot of time retro gaming, building up the collection and getting to know Mister FPGA more.

    Lewis introduced me to Warzone (COD), wasn’t sure I would enjoy it. But have got quite into it. Playing with Lewis and Dave (dave not that keen on it)

    Treated myself to a RTX4090 (Luke got the RTX3090, he was a happy chat. And Issac got Lukes 2070s)

    #GameoftheYear

    1. Elden Ring, What an amazing game, I loved every minute of playing it. Was so involved. I took my time and just lost myself in the world
    2. PUBG: Battlegrounds is Still our goto Battle Royale. Chris, Dave, Lewis
    3. Vampire Survivors
    4. Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 I Started playing this loads with Lewis and Dave. Lots of fun, I even bought the season pass
    5. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Played The Witcher 3 again, as it got a complete engine upgrade. Still, an amazing game; loving it
    6. Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration What a great way to experience these games, the developers and the stories behind the games. Really hoping they do this for more retro studios/devs
    7. Neon White
    8. Tinyfolks
    9. V Rising
    10. Horizon Forbidden West
    11. Maneater
    12. Days Gone
    13. Tinyfolks
    14. Capcom Arcade Stadium
    15. God of War
    16. New World
    17. Agatha Christie: The ABC Murders
    18. Capcom Arcade Stadium
    19. Horizon Zero Dawn PC, Steam
    20. Half-Life: Alyx Oculus
    21. Lost Ark
    22. Cannon Fodder 3


  • The Witcher 3 next-gen

    The Witcher 3 next-gen

    Think its 6yrs since I first played it, The Witcher3 is looking really lovely
    @witchergame #TheWitcher3NextGen @CDPROJEKTRED

  • INSOMNIA GAMING FESTIVAL,

    INSOMNIA GAMING FESTIVAL,

    INSOMNIA GAMING FESTIVAL with the boys, whilst Kat goes to Birmingham shopping :-)
    NEC

  • Bloody loving Elden Ring

    got Ultrawide screen working on, thanks to flawless widescreen
    it’s like Skyrim/Zelda, but with great combat. Bloody loving #EldenRing hope Bethesda and Nintendo taking note, the bar has been lifted

  • Horizon Forbidden West

    Horizon Forbidden West

    #HorizonForbiddenWest I am enjoying it and a step up from the original. But had a few issues, stuck in the environment and had to restart, and the climbing/jumping mechanic is terrible. So frustrating. gutted really. But does look nice and lovely world created