Arcade Lounge

Waka waka waka! PAC-MAN, is headed to reality TV. Merv Griffin Entertainment has teamed up with Namco Bandai Games, to develop an unscripted series based on the hugely popular video game. This marks the first major foray into TV for PAC-MAN whose only previous TV presence was a short-lived animated series in the early 1980s. The project also coincides with the 30th anniversary of the best-selling game and 1980s pop culture icon.

The PAC-MAN reality series is envisioned as a “big, crazy Wipeout-type event with a lot of energy,” said Merv Griffin’s president of TV Roy Bank. “The idea we have is to take what PAC-MAN is and bring it to life, to bring what is essentially the world’s biggest game of tag to television.” The project is now being taken out to the broadcast networks in America. I have tried to search for some updates but can’t find anything at the moment, rest assured I shall have my finger on the button and as soon as something is announced I will let you guys know.

Via: BuddyTV

Who can say they did not enjoy setting up and toppling dominoes as a child? Captured in a kind of slow-motion sequence, that same sensation is beautifully converted from a toy concept into this clever contemporary coffee table.

While it might look simple, this modernist exercise in “physics and play” takes a single craftsman an impressive six weeks to construct by hand, as each attachment, angle and position must of course be carefully accounted for – not so simple as our childhood playthings after all.

While it is also available with a solid wooden top surface, it would seem silly to put so much craftsmanship into something and not be able to see its most striking feature from every angle – thus the glass top with wood trim seems to serve the design best.

Available by licensing order only from SIDD price on application.

The most recognizable and unforgettable characters in the video game industry team up to bring you the Nintendo Collector’s Edition of the world’s most popular board game, Monopoly. No controllers are necessary this time as you join forces with Mario, Luigi, Link, Zelda, Kirby and others on a quest to defeat your opponents and own it all. I must admit that I’m not keen on the many different versions of Monopoly out there, being a bit of a purist myself I usually prefer sticking with the original but this one is something I’m looking forward to playing.

The Nintendo Collector’s edition comes complete with 6 collectible pewter tokens featuring Mario’s Cap, Link’s Iron Boots, Donkey Kong’s Barrel, Hylian Shield, Koopa Shell and NES Controller. Rules include a 60 minute speed play option for a shorter game with the same amount of fun. Now you can buy, sell and trade your favorite Nintendo characters for a whole new game-playing experience. From everyone’s favorite red-capped plumber to barrel-tossing Donkey Kong to bounty hunter Samus Aran, they’re all up for grabs in this cool looking version of Monopoly.

Available from Amazon for £31.46

OK so summer is not officially over yet but someone seems to have forgotten to tell the weather that and I’m starting to feel a little chill in the air. However, I’m a firm believer that every cloud has a silver lining and some cold weather means I have a good excuse to buy myself one of these very cool Space Invaders scarfs.

Available from bits2die4 for approx £34.00 it’s made from 100% Merino Wool, making the scarf warm, comfy as well as very stylish. It comes in three different colors — I liked the blue-red-orange combo the best and will certainly be adding this to my winter wardrobe.

Recently, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that producers Lorenzo di Bonaventura (GI Joe and Transformers) and Gigi Pritzker have ‘optioned the rights’ (Hollywood parlance for, ‘found some cash and proffered it at some bemused but delighted rights holders’) to coin-op classic Space Invaders. Released in 1978 this early shooter pitted the player against waves of iconic alien craft; it became the most successful arcade game of the era and its huge popularity was widely credited with causing a coin shortage in Japan.

We have been scratching our heads here thinking how this simple game will inspire a 90 minute movie but we’ve decided it doesn’t really matter, because marketing, nostalgia and plenty of cool retro merchandise will ensure a healthy opening box-office.

We’ve also been having some fun coming up with plots for other 80′s coin-ops that would make great movies. My favourite so far is…..
Paperboy, The Movie (Atari, 1984)

‘Delivering’ fast-paced excitement and ‘first class’ entertainment, this nostalgic movie will remind film-goers what life was like when work meant clambering on to a BMX bike and throwing newspapers straight through the windows of badly drawn houses. And if runaway lawnmowers and savage dogs aren’t enough to contend with, our novice paperboy hero (I’m thinking Justin Bieber, naturally) must prepare for a confrontation with the Grim Reaper himself! Something to do with a dead letter office? We’ll patch those details in later.

We would love to hear any ideas you might have…..

It’s great to see people making their own arcade machines, after all that’s how we started at surface tension many years ago! So we loved Youtube user Vcoleiro’s cracking mini Space Invaders machine. He’s actually packed a Game Boy Arcade into the cab, so you need not play just Space Invaders on the setup — it will accept any GBA cartridges.
A great way to recycle your old GBA SP, this 7 inch by 3.5 inch by 4.5 inch cabinet is made of 6mm medium-density fiberboard and has the A, B, right bumper, left bumper,  start, and select buttons with a small joystick on the the deck.

I personally find this thing to be as awesome as the full sized arcade, and I can’t wait to try it out if I ever get the chance!

Take a look at master miniature craftsmen Vcoleiro1′s YouTube video of his amazing build.

Nothing will ever replace the joy of visiting your local bowling alley and draining a couple cold ones with a few bros.  You get drunk, hit on women, pee on the seat and fall face down in an alley for a good night’s rest.  Or if you keep your wits about you, which is another way to say “don’t get wasted”, you’ll probably find a beautiful babe to take home.  But alas, you’ll still need to seal the proverbial deal once you’re back at the pad.  What’s a fine gent like yourself to do?  Show off your bowling skills using this 8-foot Tavern Bowling game, but of course.

It’s based on the original Shuffle Alley game, which apparently was popularized in the 1950s.  Abstaining from a double vision (hopefully beer goggles as well) is the first objective.  Next objective, slide the chromed steel puck down the game’s waxed formica lane to strike ten 10 1/4″-tall pins.  You can choose from a variety of bowling games – there is even one that dims the lights for blind bowling.   A 27-inch LCD with a 1600×900 resolution keeps tabs on the score, while commentary from PBA Champion Parker Bohn III blasts over the two 30-watt and one 100-watt speaker.

If you have nearly £4000 to spare and would like to kit out your mancave with a home bowling table head to Hammacher Schlemmer and place your order.