Just a quick heads up for fans running iOS, Galaga 30th Addition is on sale in the app store now. According to the description the app includes original and remakes of Galaga, Galaxian, Gaplus and Galaga ’88.

Via – Itunes

Anyone who is familiar with Genius Guides will know that their eBooks are always high quality and packed full of useful info.  Retro gaming hardware fans are in for a treat with the release of the Classic Videogames Hardware Genius Guide.  From the makers of Retro Gamer magazine comes this comprehensive in-depth look into the last 50 years of consoles.  Featuring systems such as the Amiga, ZX Spectrum, c64 and PC engine to name a few.  With a US$8.99 price tag its well worth grabbing a copy.

Link  – Classic Videogames Hardware Genius Guide

One of my fondest memories of old school game mags was the full-page spread containing detailed level maps.  It was awesome being able  to take a look at the level design from a top down perspective and explore area’s that I would have otherwise missed.  That’s why I was so impressed to find The Video Game Atlas.  It’s a fairly comprehensive collection of video game maps sorted by system, games and levels.

All of the content is cataloged quite nicely and everything ranging from Atari 2600 to Iphone games are included.  definitely worth a look!

The Video Game Atlas

For those of you who have never heard of Squid Kids Ink they’re the producers of the NES cart-shaped 10-Doh! figures that are part of the So Analogue Series.  The series includes the NES-shaped 10-Doh!, floppy disk A-Driive and the cassette-like B-Side. Unfortunately they will be a limited run and no release date set as yet. I’m sure any retro geek will agree these are gorgeous figures and destined to become highly collectible. Stay tuned for updates.

Once upon a time the dinosaurs roamed the earth. and are now extinct.  Similarly, before the emergence of the internet into mainstream society, Bulletin Boards reigned supreme.  For those of you who may be unfamliar with this earlier, superceded technology Bulletin Boards or BBS’s  hosted a variety of services. Through the use of modems and phonelines they were a one stop shop for file sharing, global mail systems and text based online games. They were also notorious for many dubious scene related activities and provided a meeting point for hackers and pirates of the era.

This 3 disc set chronicles the story of the BBS from its inception to its demise.  It’s not only a documentary but a mini-series totalling 5 hours and spanning 8 episodes.  The director Jason Scott has gone to exhaustive lengths to compile the most definitive guide to Bulletin Boards that exists and probably ever will.  It contains over 140 interviews with Sysops, Software Engineers and scene people that influenced and shaped the BBS landscape.  I can’t recommend this documentary enough to anyone who has even the slightest interest in the early days of online communities.

Link – BBS: The Documentary

Angry Video Game Nerd « Cinemassacre Productions.

For those of you who haven’t checked out the Angry Video Game Nerd head on over to Cinemassacre Productions.  Jame’s unique style of video reviews are highly entertaining and full of laughs. The site also includes an extensive list of board game reviews, movie reviews and loads of extras.

Each week here at retro-geek we’ll be featuring an article called Bargain Hunter. This will provide you with tips and tricks from our own experiences with collecting and buying to sell for a profit. We will endeavor to cover everything from rummaging through items at garage sales to spotting bargains on eBay. So let’s get started with the first Bargain Hunter – Our Top 10 Rare Nintendo 64 Titles

In recent years, the Nintendo 64 has been gaining momentum in the second hand market. If you are doing the rounds at the usual sources ie Car boot sales, Garage sales, Auctions etc; it’s not unlikely to stumble across a stash of n64 gear. These games are great as they are very durable and age well, not only holding their value, but mostly increasing in value over time. To maximize profit it is important to look for games that are complete with original boxes, manuals and advertising material. This will inevitably increase their value significantly. It’s important to note that if you’re buying and selling for a profit, or you are a collector, you need to have rough idea of how much individual games are worth.

The list below highlights the 10 of the most rare n64 games and their respective value. Note: The price difference between boxed games and loose cartridges can vary ie boxed Starcraft 64 is worth more than Mario Party 2, yet a loose Mario Party 2 cartridge will fetch a higher price than a loose Starcraft 64 cartridge. Ironic! Following, we will be ranking these games based on the boxed value.

  1. Bomberman64: The second attack!

      $70-$100

  2. International Superstar Soccer 2000

      $100-$140

  3. Starcraft 64

      $70-$100

  4. Conkers Bad Fur Day

      $70-$100

  5. Clayfighter 63 1/3: Sculptor’s Cut

      $70-$100

  6. Ogre Battle 64

      $70-$100

  7. The legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

      $60-90

  8. Harvest Moon 64

       $60-$90

  9. Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness

       $60-$90

  10. Mario Party 2

       $50-$80

Please note that all prices are based on current market price as of Jul 2011.

Well that wraps up our first Bargain Hunter article, we hope you enjoyed reading and don’t forget to leave a comment if you’ve managed to spot any these titles!