☆ A Video Games Party Like No Other ☆ #EGX2015 #GamersUnite

I've just recovered my senses from my very first visit to EGX at the Birmingham NEC and to say I was blown away would be an understatement.

I've been looking forward to my first visit for a long time and ever since I had been accepted for my press passes i'd been marking the days on my retrogaming calendar!

☆ My Top 5 Video Games That I Need To Play At EGX 2015 ☆ #EGX #GamersUnite #GameDev

The EGX fairy has been and it's Day 3 of the awesome video games event EGX 2015.

I'm off to Day 4 on Sunday 27th September and it will be my first ever visit to EGX and boy am I excited.

I'll be going there hoping to cover everything that I think Games Freezer readers will want to read about so it should be a busy day and I can't wait to get to the NEC to experience it.

Let's have a look at all the cool things i'm getting excited about which includes my TOP 5 video games that i'm looking forward to playing and probably being crap at....

✴ Thunder Clap To Let The World Know All About Templar Battleforce ✴ @TreseBrothers #GamersUnite #GameDev

Recently I discovered the joy of the Trese Brothers latest instalment of Video Games perfection Templar Battleforce and have been playing the Beta ever since.

This is a game worth shouting about and we will all get a chance to shout as loud as possible if we join together during the upcoming Thunder Clap!

☆ Let Battle Commence In "Templar Battleforce" ☆ @TreseBrothers #GameDev #GamersUnite

The Triple Trese Brothers (there's 3 bros now) Are Back With Possibly Their Best Video Game Yet!

My favourite Indie Game Dev's Are Preparing To Launch Their Latest Video Game Onto Steam Next Tuesday 22nd September.....

Are You Ready For : TEMPLAR BATTLEFORCE?

I AM.................

☆ The Golden Era Of Wrestling Video Games ☆ #Retrogaming #GamersUnite

As I don my rose tinged spectacles and hook myself up to my freshly filled bottle of nostalgia fluid I take a trip down memory lane to a time when colourful wrestling characters filled my thoughts and events like Summer Slam and Wrestlemania defined my year.

☆ This Is Retrogaming Present & Future ☆ #Retrogaming #GamersUnite

Since starting Games Freezer 2 years ago I have seen the landscape of retrogaming change quite considerably in that short space of time and I think it's for the good of retrogaming.

It feels like the status and profile of retro gaming has increased beyond what it was 2 years ago and the retro gaming communities seemed to have swelled to a large online presence.

I can't quite ascertain why exactly but I think it has to do with the following key factors that have contributed to the growing presence of what feels like a fully fledged retrogaming movement.

☆ Vault 111.Com Is My Current Home From Home ☆ #Fallout4 #GamersUnite

As the wait for Fallout 4 continues the anticipation heightens i'm grabbing onto anything Fallout 4 related and and pawing over it.

I've just come across this awesome site that let's fiddle around with building a Fallout character from scratch and assigning your character with 'Special' points.

☆ If Ye Enter My Maze Ye May Never Leave! ☆ @HyperLiger #Retrogaming #GameDev #GamersUnite #PixelArt

I know exactly the video game you want to play right now......

It's all about Pixel Art Characters and Mazes.....

Wanna Play?

☆ Why Doesn't London Get Much Video Game Love? ☆ #GamersUnite #retrogaming

 

As I walked through London this afternoon I started to think about the video games that I had played that featured London as its key location

Surprisingly I couldn't really think of many. 

☆ A Cool Sea Faring Adventure That Needs A Kickstart ☆ @PeraGames #Kickstarter #GamersUnite

My weekly Kickstarter search has led me to a beautiful looking game called Overfall that needs a Kickstart to ensure it gets made.

For me when I saw the beautiful hand drawn artwork it was love at first sight, see what you think of this cool game...

☆ Gonarch The Testicle Spider Gets Its Own Podcast (sort of) ☆ @gonarchslair #retrogaming #Gamersunite

Welcome to Gonarch's Lair

A new video games podcast that I stumbled across today.

☆ The Re Release Of A Recreated Video Games Legend ☆ #Retrogaming #GamersUnite

Call me sad but this video which details the operating guide for the recreated ZX Spectrum has got me all excited for the new recreated ZX Spectrum that is being released this week......

🎮🕹️ A Visual Treat For All Amiga Fans 🎮🕹️ #Retrogaming #GamersUnite @BitmapBooks

Last Weekend I Attended A Charity Auction In Aid Of My Best Friend's Daughter To ensure That She Received The Best Specialist Treatment Possible For Her Particular Conditions.

As part of that auction, the generous folks over at Funstock.Co.Uk donated the Commodore Amiga Visual Compendium to be auctioned off. How cool is that!?

☆ My Top 5 Joe Bleeps Chiptune Tunes ☆ @joeteach #Chiptune #Retrogaming #GamersUnite

Continuing this weeks accidental theme of video games and music I have stumbled across Joe Bleeps and his vast array of cool chiptune tracks on Soundcloud.

I only came across Joe through +Retro Games Collector (thanks dude!)
  
Now I'm really glad that I checked out Joe Bleeps' tunes because they are awesome.

☆ Feast Your Eyes On The Beautiful 'Club Nintendo Goodbye Coin' ☆ #Nintendo #GamersUnite

Like a gleaming diamond in the rough I stumbled across this awesome goodbye treat in the Club Nintendo Shop.....

Take A Look At This Mega Cool Club Nintendo Coin As We Say Goodbye Club Nintendo!

☆ Listen To Guile's Theme Played By NIM16 ☆ @Nimrod16Cr #retrogaming #gamersunite

Carrying on with the Video Games Music theme of yesterday's article I have just fallen in love with music from another source........

I have just discovered the delights of the cool retro video games covers band

NIM16

☆ Awesome Video Games Music Concert Coming To London & Manchester ☆ #retrogaming #GamersUnite @VideoGamesLive @TommyTallarico

Last week I was flicking through Time Out magazine and stumbled across this awesome sounding Video Games concert event that I would just love to go and see....... 

It's called "Video Games Live" and its at the 'O2 Shepherds Bush Empire' on Sunday 20th March 2016 at 2pm & 7pm and Manchester Albert Hall on Saturday 19th March.

Allow me to explain what this is all about...........

☆ Iron Maiden "Speed Of Light" Arcade Game ☆ #Retrogaming #Arcade #GamersUnite

Fancy a bit of heavy metal chip tune and a game of Donkey Kong inspired retrogaming platform game 8 bit fun?

Well I've got something that you might like...........

☆ Gameblast 2016 - A Chance For Gamers To Change Lives ☆ @SpecialEffect @gameblast16 #GamersUnite #gameblast16

This year I took part in my first GameBlast and now i'm already looking forward to next years installment of gamings coolest charity gaming weekend as the date has now been set....

☆ The Most Fun You Can Have With Pixelated Weapons! ☆ #retrogaming #GamersUnite

You know those weapons in shooter games that you get that make the level that much more fun. The weapons that make you smile and give out a litte cry of "yess!" when you collect them.

Now obviously I am no gun toting maniac in real life but there's something really satisfying about using a mega cool weapon in a video game.

Sometimes the satisfying thing about the weapon is the noise it makes or the way it looks or the effect it has on the non player characters / enemies in the game.

As I think back to all the games I've played with a must have weapon in them it brings a smile to my face as I remember some of the immense fun to be had.

Come with me as I walk you through some of my faves from down the years.............

☆ Happy Meal Mario Madness Returns ☆ @McDonaldsCorp #GamersUnite

A few weeks back I noticed a press release detailing that Mario and the crew would soon be back in the Happy Meals boxes.........I never eat McDonalds BUT when it comes to Mario figures then I had to take one for the team!

I've been excited to see what was on offer for the last few weeks and over the weekend I got the chance to sample some of the Happy Meal delights and this is the Mario loot I uncovered.....

☆ Pang Man Part 15 – Cool Stores: Hamleys (Regent Street) ☆ #GamersUnite

Pang Man has been on his travels again and this time he has nipped over to Regents Street in London for a trip down to the legendary Toy Shop ...... Hamleys Of London!

☆ Spectrum Addict The Movie ☆ @AndyRemic #retrogaming #gamersunite #kickstarter

I've just finished watching the trailer for the Kickstarter "Spectrum Addict - The Movie" and I've fallen head over heels for this cool sounding retrogaming project!

☆ My All Time Favourite Ninja Video Games ☆ #Retrogaming #Gamersunite

Ninjas are cool - FACT
Every little boy growing up in the 80's wanted to be a Ninja - FACT
Ninja Video Games are awesome! - FACT

☆ "A WINNER IS YOU!" ☆ #Retrogaming #GamersUnite

A quote from a video game can stick with you forever.

Some are thought provoking, some are iconic but most are funny!

There's some great websites out there that use video games quotes as their basis such as my friends at classicallytrained.net who utilise video game quotes to teach us valuable life lessons (check the site out when you get a chance, i'll be reviewing Jon Harrison's book soon so watch out for that)

Today I want to share with you some of my favourite video games quotes from down the years.

☆ "This Book Is A Dungeon (This Dungeon Is A Book)" ☆ #GamersUnite @nmeunier

So i'll confess immediately that i'm a BIG fan of Nathan Meunier.....

Nathan is a cool freelance writer (mainly video games related) who shares his techniques with budding writers like myself.

Of course this is cool in itself.........BUT.........

You just gotta see what Nathan has brought out now.....its mega cool on many levels!

☆ LEGO Arcade Machine Perfection ☆ @BrothersBrick #Retrogaming #Lego #Gamersunite

 

Video Games & Lego are the perfect mix.

Everyone loves Video Games …. Right?

Everyone loves Lego …. FACT!

☆ Down To Margate With All My Retrogaming Family ☆ @ReplayEvents #Retrogaming #GamersUnite

We've had PLAY Blackpool and now it's almost time for PLAY Margate........

Are YOU Ready For The Video Gaming Time Of YOUR LIFE Player ONE?

☆ The Mystical Four World Warriors ☆ #Retrogaming #Gamersunite #StreetFighterV

They were the untouchable street fighters........

They had an allure and an aura about them......

They struck fear into a generation of gamers........

They were the greatest world warriors we'd ever seen.........

They were Balrog, Vega, Sagat & M Bison

🧔 My Video Gaming Facial Haired Heroes 🧔 #Retrogaming #GamersUnite

Facial Hair seems to be everywhere right now. A clean-shaven bloke is now a rarity and it would seem that beards and moustaches are here to stay in the world of mandom.

So in honour of the hirsute man I have compiled a nice list of mainly retrogaming bearded fellows who rock the best beards.

Let's take a walk down Beard Road and stick a left down Moustache alley into the world of fuzzy pixel faces.........

My Modification Nightmare 🎮 #GamersUnite #Nintendo @nintendorepair

Have You Ever Started Something And Wish You Hadn't?

Well, recently I had that sinking feeling consume me after I started to mod my Nintendo DS Lite with what I thought was a simple piece of DIY.....

A DS Lite case swap......

☆ A Retrogaming Virtual Reality Experience Like No Other "Pixel Ripped 1989" ☆ @pixelripped @Anagamedev @StefKeegan #Retrogaming #GamersUnite #OculusRift

Well this Kickstarter has got the lot........... Virtual Reality Retrogaming A game within a game  Created by a Pie Maker from Brazil!! Created by Brazil's FIRST VR Developer! Intrigued? I am...........

☆ Atari The Box Art Oil Paintings ☆ #Retrogaming #GamersUnite

Have you ever wanted to see the classic Atari retro gaming cartridge and box art recreated in beautiful oil paintings?

I'm pretty sure I heard you say YES.....

Good, Read On!

☆ The Atari 800 And Me ☆ #Retrogaming #GamersUnite #Atari

The retro gaming machine that holds a dear place in my heart has to be the Atari 800 XE/XL.

 

I've written about this ugly duckling of the computer games world before and how it came into my possession as a second choice to the ZX Spectrum.

 

I've grown to love this grey beauty and even more so as I look back on the many hours that I spent loading tapes and playing some of the cool games that introduced me to the wonderful world of 8-bit computers.

 

So the question is, which games do I fondly remember the most on my beloved Atari 800……..let's take a look, shall we?

☆ Come & Get Your Retrogaming Amiibos! ☆ #Retrogaming #Amiibo

I haven't been one to get involved in the Amiibo scene thus far.

I looked at the figures and thought they were neat but never really fancied collecting them as I don't own a Wii U and kind of think what is the point if I can't use them for what they intended for.

Well.....that view may have just changed!

☆ PIXELS - Playing Cards For Retro Gamers ☆ @weTakeBreath #Retrogaming #GamersUnite

Cool Playing Cards Always Seem To Prove Popular On Kickstarter And These Ones really Caught My Eye.....

Let me introduce YOU To PIXELS Playing Cards made specifically for Video Games Fans like you and me....

☆ Has There Even Been A Better Time To Be A Retro Gamer? ☆ #Retrogaming #GamersUnite

As I strolled into work in the London sunshine (which is good for the soul) it dawned on me that it's an awesome time to be a retrogaming gamer.

 

I can't remember any period of time where an appreciation for what has come before in the world of video games has been so strong.

☆ The Toys You Pestered Your Parents For (30 years ago) ☆ #GamersUnite #Retrogaming

I often take a peek in the local Charity Shops for some retrogaming bargains. Often there is a deluge of Playstation 2 FIFA games and not much else. 

Sometimes there's the odd gem but mainly it's a bit of a let down. The best purchase I have made is a Game Cube for £5 and also I managed to find a Playstation 1 version of Street Fighter Alpha.

Then more recently I took a trip to a Charity Shop near work and was taking a peek at the books section when I came across a book called TV CREAM TOYS………………

☆ Another Games Freezer 10 Links Video Games Roundup... ☆ #GamersUnite #Retrogaming

Another Busy Week In The Freezer Has Left Me With Loads Of Things To Share With You But With Not Enough Time In The Day To Do So....

So I thought i'd give you all a run down of tehe coolest things I came across on my retrogaming travels this week....

Eyes down for a full house, get your browsers primed for a Games Freezer 10 Links Video Games Roundup!

☆ Behold The Mighty POWER UP! ☆ #Retrogaming #GamersUnite

Over the history of video games there have been many examples of video game characters who collect a particular on screen item and transform into another guise completely or gain a certain attribute that makes the game even more fun.

It got me thinking about the characters over the years who have had the most entertaining and enduring on screen transformations through the use of power ups.

Take a look at my picks and let me know which characters you would add to this list….

☆ The Second Coming ☆ #Retrogaming #GamersUnite

As I was making my way into work this morning I was just thinking how I hadn't heard too much of an update on the recreated Spectrum in a while and then lo and behold an update drops into the Games Freezer mail basket!

☆ The Handheld That Almost Passed Me By.... ☆ #GamersUnite

Having never been one to keep up with current trends in video games I tend to focus my efforts on obtaining the retro gaming systems from the past that I owned and loved or the ones that I wish I had owned.

 

More recently though I have been dabbling in looking out for more current consoles that are now available at super cheap prices.

 

One such console that I recently acquired fitted the super cheap bill perfectly and it's now something that I just can't put down…..

☆ Was There Ever An A-Team Video Game? ☆ #GamersUnite #Retrogaming

I'm a big fan of the A-Team (who isn't?!) I was just thinking today that I can't ever recall an A-Team video game.

You can imagine that there is plenty of potential with an A-Team game for a squad-based tactical shooter of some kind. 

You could have some RPG elements in there and some great potential storyline and side missions.

Imagine the fun you could have with modding the van with all sorts of cool add ons.

At this point, I did what everyone does in this situation and googled it......

This is what I found...

☆ Talking About My Generation ☆ @bitmap_books @C64Reloaded @Spelpappan #Retrogaming #Commodore64 #GamersUnite

Those cool cats at Bitmap Books are masters at producing the most awesome video games related books and now they are looking to make an english version of a Swedish book called Generation 64.

If you are a Commodore fan then read on.....

If you are not...........then READ ON anyway....you're going to love this book...

☆ A Championship Manager Cult Legend Retires ☆ @90sfootball #Retrogaming #GamersUnite

Every version of Championship Manager always seemed to have that player that you just had to purchase but wasn't that well known and actually may not have been that well known but they proved to be the bedrock of any team that you built on the mighty CM.

One of those such players has now reached the end of his career and retires with a career in football that didn't quite live up to it's ratings and wonderkid status in Champ Manager!

His name is................

☆ Beans Beans Good For Your Heart ☆ @kumobius @tcmg @zzymyn #Retrogaming #GamersUnite

Do you like your platform games to be old school?

Do you like to smile as you play?

Do you like to tap your foot as you play to brilliantly crafted retro platformer tunes?

Well, I think I've found the game for you………

☆ Classic Console Magazine ☆ @cconsolemag #retrogaming #gamersunite

My favourite retro gaming read at the moment has got to be Classic Console Magazine...This free magazine is full of retro gaming goodies and I thought i'd point you in the direction of where to grab this cool publication so you too can enjoy this monthly morsel of gaming goodness...

☆ Silent But Violent ☆ @SilentAgeGame @houseonfiredk @u9i #Android #GameDev #GamersUnite

I'm constantly looking for a game on Android that I can lose myself in for hours on end. It's been a quest for me since I was given my Nexus 7 for Christmas a couple of years back.

 

The thing is, it's pretty rare to find an Android game that can actually consume me for more than a few sittings.

 

So far the only games that I have truly immersed myself in on Android are:

 

• The Walking Dead Season 1&2

&

• Limbo

 

Until now that is……………….

☆ Let's Do The Video Games 'All Nighter' ☆ #GamersUnite #Retrogaming

Being a gamer of a certain age with kids means that when it comes to all video games 'all nighters' they are sadly a thing of the past.

But I fondly remember those times when I would buy a game and have the freedom to play it till the sun came up.....and then i'd go to sleep, wake up at lunch time and play it some more!

☆ Website Of The Day - "Games That Weren't" ☆ #Retrogaming #GamersUnite

I first came across this awesome website when I visited this years PLAY Blackpool in March.

GTW had two tables set up with various examples of games that weren't and from that moment on they had my attention.

☆ Take A Trip Through Four Realms ☆ @Hugebot #GameDev #Kickstarter #GamersUnite

I've been following the progress of Four Realms for a while now and now Hugebot are ready to unleash this cool retro styled game on Steam Greenlight and Kickstarter.

Let's check back in on developer Del Mason to get a full update on all things Four Realms.