Gaming Relics

If you're into collecting retro video games (and I assume you would be if you've visiting this blog) then you've probably heard of Custom Game Cases. In fact, I've done a post on them and showed off their work. While this is a good company, the lead times in getting orders filled can take months. I've been looking for an alternative and I've finally found one...Gaming Relics.

Gaming Relics use the same awesome type of hard plastic clam shell like cases that Custom Game Cases uses, but they'll get your order to you in a matter of days after your order has been placed. I recently placed an order last Tuesday and the order arrived Saturday. I'm located in SC and they are located across the country in CA. Best of all, their prints are beautiful and make your loose carts look so much better on your shelves.

My recent order just consisted of 3 cases, 1 NES and 2 Super Famicom (SFC). I'm slowly working on having cases made for all of my loose NES and SNES games. I can't find many custom SFC covers so when I noticed that Gaming Relics had cases for Chou Makaimura (Super Ghosts 'n Goblins) and Super Mario: Yossy Island (Super Mario World 2) I wanted to check them out first hand.

I'm very happy with the outcome and I've already placed them on my shelves. From what I can tell these are more or less feature the game's retail artwork that just wraps around the case...which I'm OK with. These were priced a dollar less than their SNES cases at just $4.99.

I only have a handful of NES games left to get cases made for. I'm going alphabetical order to get these done so the next up was Bible Adventures. 

If you aren't familiar with these case, they are about the same size as an original NES or SNES cardboard box. The plastic is a smokey dark gray and very sturdy. The cases snap shut and features a firm grasp. The inside of the case has two clips (left side) to hold the instruction manual in place. The other side (right) has a place designed for the different type cart and has 4 clips that hold the cart in place. The outside of the box has a clear film that allows you to insert you own artwork or the artwork that places like Gaming Relics offer.

I mentioned I just placed an order for 3 cases because that is their optimum number of cases you can order and they can still ship via USPS 1st class for around $5. This is my second order with Gaming Relics and I couldn't be happier. I will be placing additional orders in the near future as my OCD just can't come to grips with a shelve full of loose game cartridges!

Mega Construx Borderlands 3 Claptrap

One of my favorite modern gaming franchises is Borderlands. I was hooked with the first game and Borderlands 2 took it to the next level. I anxiously awaited the announcement of the inevitable third game in the franchise and was excited when the details of the game were released online. I resisted the temptation to buy the game on release day, opting to wait and ask for the game for Christmas. While I still haven't really jumped into Borderlands 3 feet first due to work and other priorities, I like what I have seen.

The toy collector part of me has wanted to pick up some of the various action figures I've seen from the new game, but so far I've resisted. However when I saw that Mega Construx had released a small Claptrap how could I resist?

Mega Construx aka MegaBloks, has a history of obtaining licenses for various pop culture franchises. Probably best known for their HALO sets, they have released the first of many (I hope) Borderlands figures.

I found this Claptrap at a Walmart while I was traveling for work. The $4.99 price tag was a little steep for my liking, but I caved as I love this annoying little robot. Claptrap comes on a small blister card where you can clearly see the figure and it's accessories.

A lot of these new single blister carded Mega Construx figures don't require much building. In Claptrap's case all I had to do was pop on the flaps that go on just the arms, afix the computer pad in his hand and then attach Claptrap to a clear rod on the display stand.

I love the weathered look on the body. The paint apps are spot on and look fantastic. The arms are attached to the body using a ball joint so they move freely and have a good range of motion. His wheel is made of a rubber like material and rolls smoothly across a flat surface.

This is a fun little toy and makes a nice little shelf decoration down in my game room. I don't know if there will be more Borderlands 3 figures released, but if not this is a great little piece.

Player 1 Up

I know it's been awhile since I've posted anything new on this blog. I've been picking up games here and there and still playing said games into the wee hours of the night, however I've just had a creative block when it comes to posting new content.

However I recently had a chance to (finally) visit a new "barcade" that moved into downtown Rock Hill, SC, Player 1 Up. I took several pictures while I was there because I thought it could make a good blog post.

While I'm not a drinker, I do love playing arcade games so when I heard this establishment was moving into my hometown I was super excited. I kept peeking through the door before they opened so I could see some of the cabinets they had. It was like a kid on Christmas Eve, anxiously awaiting for the next morning. I had hoped to go to their grand opening, but kids aren't allowed and I couldn't find anyone to watch my girls. I was OK with staying home because (for now) the place is rather small and on opening night it was jammed packed with people. Small space, lots of people = hot, not fun.

A few weeks after the opening my wife and I finally got a "date night" and we headed downtown for dinner and some fun. While we initially thought about grabbing some food at Player 1 Up, neither of us wanted to settle for bar food so we hit up favorite place of ours right on Main Street instead. Afterwards we made the short walk to Player 1 Up, paid our $5 cover charge at the door and then walked around, trying to decide which game we wanted to play first.

I was impressed with the variety of games. They had some older games like Dig Dug (that's my wife playing), Asteroids, Frogger, Donkey Kong and more. They had some great beat 'em ups like the TMNT arcade game, P.O.W., and Bad Dudes. Great fighting games like Primal Rage, Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat II. My wife and I first tackled the TMNT game and played it through completion. Why not since they were all on free play?

The whole bar was decorated with video game related content - from posters, banners and even old video game marquees mounted around the top of the bar. Many of the sports game (like NFL Blitz) proved to be really popular later that evening.

I eventually made my way to the other side of the bar and I found Bad Dudes tucked away in the corner. Man I lost so many quarters to this game back in the day. While it's not the best beat 'em up (too bad they didn't have Double Dragon!) I did have fun working my way through the game.

The "upper level" of the bar housed 5 great pinball machines. I love pinball...I mean love pinball. My wife took me to the Pinball Hall of Fame in Asheville, NC and I was in heaven. I was glad to see that Player 1 Up had some great tables too, such as the classic Pinbot!

My personal favorite of the tables was Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast. I had not seen or played this table before and it was great. Jurassic Park was to the left and it was pretty awesome too.

Near the pinball tables was a dining area with some tables and chairs. Several posters from the era adorned the walls in this area, along with a projection screen. As the night wore on this place got more and more crowded. Again, since I'm not a drinker my wife and I only hung around for a few hours before we ended up calling it an evening. I should mention they have a little outdoor patio section where they have ping pong tables and corn hole. 

Overall I'm really impressed with the bar and I look forward to some of the future changes I've seen mentioned on their Facebook page. Since my initial visit I saw they brought in the awesome Golden Axe: Revenge of Death Adder. I'll go back just to play that game again! If you're in the Rock Hill area you owe it to yourself to drive to downtown and check out Player 1 Up.

The search for arcades @ Myrtle Beach, SC

Located on the upper floor (or is the bottom floor?) inside Ripley's Wonderworks at Myrtle Beach, SC is one of the last arcades I've managed to find at the beach. It's a shame really because I have so many memories have taking a roll of quarters to the Pavillion area and playing random video games until the money ran out. Double Dragon was always a favorite of mine back then. Now finding arcade games at the beach isn't an easy task.

While the actual game selection was somewhat limited inside Wonderworks, the designs on the walls leading to the bathrooms (of all places!) were too cool not to show. There were several different classic arcade games showcased and underneath each was a plaque that gave a brief history of the game. You can click on any picture to view a larger image.

One of the few games I hadn't seen in an arcade before was this Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game. While it's no "Turtles in Time", I found it pretty fun to play. The graphics were very animated and the action was very fluid. I would have liked to have had more time with the game, but the upper level also included a ropes course that my daughter was waiting to go on with me.

Growing up my family took many vacations to Myrtle Beach and one of my favorite rainy day spots was the old Briarcliffe Mall. Inside was a cool arcade, KB Toys and a movie theatre. Now called the Myrtle Beach Mall, it's a shell of itself. There isn't a lot inside the mall to be honest. The movie theatre is still there, but I don't think I've seen a movie there since A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 5! However there is one two reasons to go to the mall. Player's Choice. 

Player's Choice alone is worth going if you love video games and all things pop culture. For as long as I can remember there have always been great arcade cabinets and pinball machines inside the store you could play for just a quarter. Games like Konami's Simpsons, Capcom's Alien vs. Predator, Ivan Iron Stewart's Super Off-Road and even Sega's Spider-Man arcade game. They also sold new and used video games and systems going back to the Atari and NES through current gen. Comics, TPBs, Pops! and other assorted action figures are also always in stock. I know I could spend a good bit of time in the store alone...but a year or so ago they leased the empty space next to their store and put in a full fledged retro arcade!

On my last visit I was greeted with Pac-Man and Kung-Fu at the entrance of the black light soaked room. I was never good at either of those so I continued to keep looking around.

On the left side was Dragon's Lair, Dr. Mario, Super Mario Bros., Kangaroo, Ghost 'n Goblins...

Followed by Track & Field, Joust, Burger Time, Double Dragon and an old school juke box in the back left corner. In the center of the room were a few more classic games like these Donkey Kong games.

On the opposite side was Commando, Contra, Tetris, Jungle Hunt, Q*Bert...

Toobin', Dig Dug, Tapper, Punch Out! and a few other games. Along the back of the arcade were several pinball tables, but in my haste to start plugging quarters into the games I forgot to snap more pictures!

The walls of the arcade had various video game art/logos with some 80's nostalgia mixed in. At one point I do remember looking up from my game and seeing Skeletor from Masters of the Universe! Like the games inside the Player's Choice store next door, all the machines in the arcade were just $.25. It was so much fun re-living a part of my childhood as I beat Double Dragon again. I played several other games as well, but I didn't get to play everything that I wanted to before I had to leave. Thankfully however the place we stay at the beach is just down the road from this mall so I get to frequent both the store and the arcade with each trip to the beach.

I'm sure there are other gaming spots at Myrtle Beach that I haven't quite found yet, but when I do you can expect me to be in my element.