OK so I'm off to GEEK 2013 this weekend down on the seafront in Margate in Kent.

Following the overwhelming success of the pilot event in February last year the organisers were delighted to be able to announce that GEEK (Game Expo East Kent) is back for 2013, bigger and better than before.The expo is taking place over the 21st - 24th February at the Winter Gardens down on the front in Margate.

With some top draw luminaries, gamers and a shed load of gaming companies turning up it looks set to be a stellar event of galactic proportions. There will be Kickstarter talks, Cosplay events, Indie developer talks, and a full screening of 'Bedroom to Billions' by Gracious films which I can't wait to finally see on screen.

But of course the real pull is the ReplayEvents Retro Arcade which is rolling into town for the expo.That means 1000's of arcade cabinets, retro consoles and computer games to go physically blind on while playing for hours upon hours upon hours…all on freeplay too!! Happy Days indeed. Together with a pinball zone and arranged tournaments on games like Super Mario Kart and other classics the day promises to be a massive hit for gamers.

So if you haven't already bought a ticket then get one now (what are you waiting for you fool), and if you really can't make it then never fear because we will be posting a full trip report up on the website upon our return with lots of colourful pics, news and comments from the weekend. Until then happy gaming and remember 'good games never die!'

Full report NOW up online Take me to the report!

PlayExpo 2012 - Manchester

Play Expo just took place at Event City in Manchester over the weekend of the 13 & 14th October. The show was divided up into four areas; re.play, now.play, pro.play and cos.play. Although all areas were worthy in their own right it was of course the re.play area that I had travelled all the way up from London to embrace.

Read my full report hot of the press from the greatest Retro Show ever to be put on in the UK! Take me to the report!

Retrogaming News..........posted 08/10/2012
Well the time has come around very quickly and this weekend it will be time to pack some bags and fill the pockets with credits and head off to the PLAYEXPO 2012 in Manchester. http://www.playexpo.net/

I'm really looking forward to the event and I've got a two day show ticket to prove it, so I wholey intend to play on as many classic retro cabinets, consoles and computers as I can get my sorry, sticky little hands on.

Rumour has it that there will be a 70 plus Retro Arcade Room filled with cabinets all set to freeplpay! There will be classics like Defender, Pacman, Joust, Burgertime, Donkey Kong, Space Invaders etc, etc, my fingers are twitching with anticipation!

Of course I'll be taking the camera and trying to capture as much of the essence of the Expo as I can. So check back on the site in the next couple of weeks for a trip report upon my return and remember to catch my Tweets live from the show with pictures and sounds etc by following me @jamehand

HAPPY GAMING EXPO!

Retrogaming News..........posted 28/09/2012

A welcome back to 'Retrogaming Radio', off the airwaves for several years, but now back with a bang and celebrating it's first year anniversary. The new show which hit the airwaves back in August 2011 made a proud return to the retro scene with more content news and views than ever before via it's unique combination of Streaming TV Player and Shoutcasts.

RetroGaming Radio began as a weekly short show in 1998 (then dubbed Retro Radio) to provide a supplement to the news feeds that classic video game and emulator players so desperately needed. The show started off as a straight opinion program but soon grew into a complete, full-service broadcast including reviews of cool old games, modern software/hardware related to classic gaming and the ever-popular interviews with famous (and infamous) figures in classic gaming.

In 2008, the show left the airwaves - waiting for more content to become "retro" and for technology to evolve so that RetroGaming Radio could be reborn. Demand continued to be huge for the show.

The show's massive archives became available on a shoutcast server in July of 2011, dubbed RGR Plus; the classic RetroGaming Radio shows plus reairings of other Shane R. Monroe related shows.

RetroGaming Radio returned to the public airwaves with new shows in August 2011 which featured a brand new exciting technology called RGR+TV. This HTML5-based player allowed the show to trigger videos and web content without the need for user interaction.

Our goal is to provide the classic gaming community a quality program that is exciting, entertaining and informational. We work to bring you useful product reviews that you can depend on before shoveling out your hard-earned cash.

Catch the new show and Podcast here http://www.retrogamingradio.com

Retrogaming News..........posted 27/07/2012
I've recently found a renewed desire to get The Basement Arcade back up and running with lots of new content, reviews, news and links plus maybe even some new sections all coming very soon!

So with no delay lets get straight into some Retro Gaming news that all hardcore fanboys (and girls) will be pleased to hear about. PLAYEXPO is coming to Manchester on the 13th and 14th of October of this earth year.

If you have never heard of PLAYEXPO before, firstly where have you been? Secondly, now you have heard about it you simply must attend! http://www.playexpo.net/

Over the past two years, Replay Events have delivered their annual Replay Expo to over 7,000 gamers. The show is the only UK video games expo which caters for every aspect of video games – from console, PC and mobile to classic gaming including arcade and pinball right through to pro gaming/eSports and even cosplay.

The Replay Expo has outgrown its old venue and this year is moving to a new location: EventCity in Manchester. Rebranded Play Expo, the 2012 expo will feature four distinct events: re.play, now.play, pro.play and cos.play.

re.play will be the biggest retro exhibition ever in UK! Past events have featured classic console, computer, arcade and pinball games from the past forty years. The re.play area at Play Expo 2012 will be bigger than ever, making it the largest retro themed event ever held on these shores! I do urge all fans to get there if they can!
Tickets range from £8.80 to £13.20.

Here's a taster of what to expect just click on image:

Classic 80's Arcade..........posted 18/07/2012
I came across this video online and it provided so many memories that I just had tostick it up on the site! Real classic 80's arcade nostalgia. Below is a brief explanation behind the film from the guy that created it...enjoy.

DONKEY KONG turns 30..........posted 20/07/2011
Donkey Kong is 30. Feeling old yet?

While lacking the fanfare of Pac-Man's big birthday last year, the importance of Donkey Kong reaching the big 3-0 goes beyond a popular game title and fodder for documentary films. Had a red cap wearing Italian not chased a large ape up a skyscraper three decades ago, the video games you know and love in the modern day may not have happened. Read on..... http://www.examiner.com/arcade-game-in-national/donkey-kong-turns-30-how-this-arcade-classic-shaped-today-s-video-game-world

Atari's Greatest Hits..........posted 14/04/2011
It's the news that any self respecting retro gamer has been waiting for, and probably the most important retro release to date on Apple's shiny iPhone and iPad hardware, yes it's Atari's Greatest Hits!

Atari have just released this must have gaming application on the App Store and the best news is it's free - well sort of. You get Pong free with it but the rest of the games can be bought in bundles at £0.59 or as a complete package of 99 games for £8.99.

The back catalogue includes Atari's Arcade Cabinet Hits in addition to the VCS / 2600 Home Computer systems ROM collection so you can get the likes of Missile Command and Asteroids etc as well as Star Raiders, Yar's Revenge and Adventure.

This really is a brilliant addition to the ever growing retro collection of games now playable on the iOS operating system. I've already downloaded my copy and I strongly advise you to do the same.

Llamasoft Revival..........posted 05/03/2011
Any self respecting addict from the classic era will instantly recognise the name Jeff 'Yak' Minter! He is the founder of the famous 80's software house Llamasoft.

In 1981 Minter started independently writing and selling video games for the Sinclair ZX80 and then later the Sinclair ZX81, Commodore VIC-20, Atari 2600, and ZX Spectrum.

Minter also went on to develop a number of what are now considered classic games, all written in assembly language for many later home computers (such as the Commodore 64, Atari 400/800 and Atari ST). Games included: Gridrunner, Abductor, Matrix: Gridrunner 2, Hellgate, Hover Bovver, Attack of the Mutant Camels, Revenge of the Mutant Camels, Return of the Mutant Camels, Laser Zone, Mama Llama, Metagalactic Llamas Battle at the Edge of Time, Sheep in Space, etc.

Fans of Minter's games can identify a number of distinctive elements common to many of his games, i.e 'arcade style shoot 'em ups' and frequent references to llamas, sheep and camels'!

To cut to the chase, on January 5th, 2011 Jeff released Minotaur Rescue for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), and iPad. Now he has released Minotron 2112 for the iOS, it's pitched as follows - 'An all time classic revisited: Minotron 2112 is harder, faster, better, stronger!
Reimagined from the classic Atari ST and Amiga game Llamatron comes a new version with that 80s arcade feeling.

Both games are real gems for the retro gamer and definitely worth checking out on The App Store for anyone who is lucky enough to own either an iPod, iPhone, iPad or all three. Happy Retro Gaming folks!

TRON LEGACY..........posted 21/11/2010
As excitement continues to grow with the imminent release of TRON Legacy I thought it might be a good time to remind ourselves of the original TRON movie from way back in 1982 that spawned the Classic Arcade Game TRON, so here is a blast from the past I hope you enjoy it!

Updates to the site..........posted 22/01/2010
I have been busy updating the site this week in various areas. Some of the changes are not obviously apparent as they are editorial changes to copy on many of the pages where errors occured or links were dead or indeed dates needed updating etc, etc. But also some new content has been added.
Checkout the Sound Fixes page for some new sound bites which have been posted up there as well as a series of new links on the page to various sound pages I have come across of late while surfing. Also do not forget that Guess The Game has an all new game character to try and guess.

iPhone & iPod Touch..........posted 22/01/2010
And the 'Retrogaming' reasons keep coming to buy that iPhone or iPod Touch: Sega to Launch iPhone’s First Official Emulator http://bit.ly/6OwjF0 #apple

Atari Arcade..........posted 29/12/2009
Retro gaming just seems to get better of late. Next up we have an online arcade courtesy of Atari. That's right you can play some Classic original Atari Coin-op games now online in their full glory. Play them anytime and free of charge:
http://www.atari.com/arcade

Dragon's Lair..........posted 08/12/2009
If you were still looking for an excuse to buy an iPhone or iPod Touch then here is the deal maker, 'Dragon's Lair' has just been released on the app store for both touch models, check out the story here:
http://www.top10.co.uk/mobilephones/news/2009/12/arcade_classic_
dragons_lair_hits_iphone/

Guess The Game..........posted 06/12/2009
Yes its a month already and the new Guess The Game is already up. Get on over there and check it out.

Updates Galore..........posted 06/12/2009
Yes some updates across the site; Glossary updates, Timeline updates and checkout RetroGaming Roundup via the new link on all 1st level pages its the best podcast on the net for retro gamers everywhere.Classic Arcade Games Trivia

Quiz..........posted 05/12/2009
Here is a fun little quiz I came across on the web. If you think you know your Classic games then give this a go. Here is the websites strap line to whet your appetite: 'If you like 1980's video games and were a video game junkie, then this is the quiz for you. Given game characteristics, see how many of these you can guess.' Here is the score I posted, see if you can beat it! Link below screengrab -

http://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/VideoGames/Classic-Arcade-Games-1979-1984-288926.html

The Invasion..........posted 16/11/2009
Some of you may already have visited the 'Space Invader - the story of an invasion site', if not then you should pay it a timely visit - http://www.space-invaders.com It tells the story of an Urban Invasion in the form of a 'Reality Game' online. It appears the invasion has hit London town. One of my scouts and part time contributors Paul J Ronalds managed to snap the following image below on a trip to London last week!

Tim Burnham..........posted 10/11/2009
This guy is totally addicted to Video Games in the best possible way. Here is the info that appears on the YouTube page about his arcade: (This was filmed for a local TV show called "Chronicle". They said the TV crew would stay for up to two hours but ended up staying for 4 hours due to the fun factor. Since the airing, the basement has been expanded another 600 square feet to accompany 20 more games). Check him out on YouTube at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19M6fvwe2kU

Chasing Ghosts..........posted 01/02/2007
Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade is a love letter to arcade gaming, an era past and stained forever into popular geek culture. If you were part of the scene, a kid of the 80’s, or just a pop culture fanatic, Ghosts offers an entertaining look at the days of Pac Man. Read a review of the film here

GP2X..........posted 07/04/2006
What if you could play all your favourite Classic Games on the move, on your way to work, on the train or even while at work. Well now you can with the GP2X. Its an open source handheld games console which runs linux. This means a whole world of Classic Games and emulators in your hands..brilliant! www.GP2X.co.uk

OutRun 2006..........posted 07/04/2006
What a month to be a Retro Gamer! Not only do we see the release of Taito Legends 2 but hot on its heals comes OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast. Released on Playstation2, PSP, XBox and PC and its a storker too cementing the fact that 'Good Games Never Die!" www.outrun2006.com/es/

Taito Legends 2..........posted 07/04/2006
Finally the long awaited Taito Legends 2 has been released on Playstation 2, XBox and PC and its as good as was hoped for. Only gripe is that the XBox and Playstation releases have four exclusive games each, meaning you would have to own both versions to have the full back catalogue of games Boo-Hoo! www.taitolegends.com

MAME cheat..........posted 06/04/2006
Here is a small cheat which re-maps your keyboard when playing Defender to give a more authentic feel to playing the MAME 0.84 version onwards, kinda brings back the old arcade feel. Gratefully donated by a "Phred Williams" get it here defkeyz.zip

Request to find a long lost game..........posted 05/12/2005
This is a request for help by a visitor to our site, please read and see if you can help.

I'm trying to find the name of an old arcade game I used to love. Its a space shooter scrolling top down, similar to galaga and galaxian in style, but most of the battles took place over a wire mesh type structure. Enemies were both ground cannons on the wire structure and space craft, it was out in the late 80's early 90's. Thanks Jon. If you know email us at thebasementarcade@yahoo.co.uk

Latest RetroGaming Radio Show..........posted 18/11/2005
The guys at RetroGaming Radio have revamped the site as well as publishing the latest broadcast for download so get over to their brilliant site via the new link added to every page on this site.

Gaming Room Photo's..........posted 5/6/2005
Have you got Photo's of your home Gaming Rooms, in your Basements, Garages or Attics. Why not send them to us, we will create The Basement Arcades very own gallery. Let others admire your collections by emailing them to us at thebasementarcade@yahoo.co.uk

Classic Gaming Expo UK 2005..........posted 4/6/2005
The time of year is fast approaching again when British Gamers get their very own Classic Gaming Show CGEUK visit the site for full details

Atari 2.0 Flashback Preview..........posted 3/6/2005
Our friends at Atari realise that Retro Gaming is big business, so getting back on the bandwagon their R&D division have been busy recreating past consoles that were hits decades ago.

Atari Flashback got some mixed reviews when it was released but version 2 promises to put right a lot of the wrongs of the original re-release as it were. Flashback is a new console version of the ever popular Classic 2600 VHS Home Console System which made Atari's name in the home market.

Over at ClassicGaming.com they have managed to get a sneak preview of the system from the latest E3 Show. Be one of the first to find out what all the fuss is about.

Rebirth of The Basement Arcade..........posted 28/5/2005
Well it has been a while and alas work etc have got in the way but we are back bigger and better than before. The rebirth of The Basement Arcade has begun. There is a new layout and some new features. Some areas have been dropped and some new areas added. The Guess The Game has been plugged back in and is raring to go. So get your credits out and blast around the site I hope you enjoy it.