Brett Weiss's Blog

 

Rescue from Poseidon’s Gate

Audacity Games

Atari 2600

Action/Adventure, 1 player

2025

Created by David Crane

 

Rescue from Poseidon’s Gate for the Atari 2600 wasdeveloped and programmed by David Crane, best known as the creator of Pitfall!and co-founder of Activision. It is the newest release from Audacity Games, acompany formed by Crane along with Garry Kitchen and Dan Kitchen, dedicated toproducing fully packaged new titles—“probrews” as some have called them—forvintage Atari hardware. Like earlier Audacity releases, the game includes aprofessionally printed box and manual, a scannable QR code for uploading scoresto an online leaderboard, and a physical cartridge that works on both originalAtari consoles and modern clone systems.

I picked up my Collector's Edition review copy (thanks,Garry!) this past weekend at the Houston Arcade Expo, where I once again caughtup with my friends from Audacity Games. I’ve known the group for years, havingspent time with them at various gaming conventions and events at the National Videogame Museum in Frisco, Texas where their passion for preserving andextending the legacy of classic gaming always shines through.

 

In the game, players assume the role of a deep-sea diveron a mission to rescue the Amphitrite mini-sub, which has become trapped on theocean floor 100 fathoms below the surface. The adventure unfolds across fivesequential phases, each with distinct objectives and hazards. It begins with acontrolled descent, during which the player must manage air supply whileavoiding or shooting dangerous sea creatures.

Upon reaching the bottom, the diver explores the seafloor in search of Poseidon’s Gate, the grotto where the stranded mini-sub islocated. Movement here involves short, floaty hops reminiscent of lunargravity, requiring careful timing. The third phase introduces the Shark Grotto,where the diver must fend off waves of sharks with a harpoon to free themini-sub. After the rescue, the player retraces their path toward the ship’sanchorage, conserving air and avoiding familiar threats, before reaching the finalphase—climbing the ship’s anchor chain to the surface. Success depends onbalancing ascent speed with limited oxygen, all while evading additionalunderwater dangers. Throughout the journey, air management remains central togameplay, with emergency air tanks available to replenish supply. Running outof air before reaching safety results in failure.

 

The game unfolds at a slow and methodical pace, which isone thing that makes it so absorbing. The deliberate movement heightens thetension, forcing you to think carefully about each action—this is not an easygame. The graphics are gorgeous, among the best ever seen on the Atari 2600.The player character is large, detailed, and smoothly animated, while thebubble effects and recognizable sea creatures lend the underwater world asurprising sense of depth (so to speak) and personality. It’s a technicallyimpressive showcase for the 2600, reflecting Crane’s mastery of the hardwareeven decades after his original breakthroughs. While it’s not my favoriteAudacity release (that honor belongs to Casey’s Gold), it is a qualitytitle.

The undersea world is filled with both hostile andhelpful creatures, as detailed in the game’s colorful manual. Among the threatsare Red Crabs that steal small sips of air when touched, Electric Eels thatattack aggressively on sight, and three species of Jellyfish—blue ones fast anddeadly, purple ones sluggish, and orange ones drifting cooperatively to blockmovement. Even brief contact with a jellyfish drains air and stuns the diver.Rock Crabs are instantly fatal, easily recognized by their bright orange shellsand black-tipped claws, while Sharks, the apex predators of the sea, can drainabout a third of the diver’s air with a single bite. Yet not every creature isdangerous. Goldfish are harmless and worth 150 points each, with all 150needing to be touched or harpooned for a perfect score. Sunfish, which arearmor-plated and not to be shot, can buoy the diver up or push him down. TheGold Crab provides small sips of air when touched and may also hold treasure,though killing it to claim its riches forfeits its life-giving benefit. Theelusive Seahorse is rare but required for a perfect game.

Treasure plays a major role in scoring. Gold Crabsscavenge valuables dropped by careless tourists, and the diver must choosebetween harvesting treasure or preserving a source of oxygen. Thetreasures—rings, watches, necklaces, money bags, and gold coins—are worth from1,000 to 5,000 points, with an extra life available for certain totals. Notreasures appear in Practice Mode. Points accumulate across all five phases,and a Status Screen accessible via the Select button displays elapsed time,lives remaining, air tanks collected, and total score. Achieving a perfectscore requires completing all phases, collecting every treasure, touching all150 Goldfish and three Seahorses, and finishing without missing any items.

 

Players who complete the rescue of the Amphitritemini-sub while achieving at least 50,000 points gain entry into the “Deep SeaDaredevil Club.” By uploading their qualifying score to Audacity Games’ onlineleaderboard via smartphone, players become eligible to receive an embroideredmembership patch (available for a small shipping and handling fee). Those whoachieve a perfect score earn the right to receive an additional “Perfect Game”patch, commemorating their accomplishment.

 

Rescue from Poseidon’s Gate continues Crane’s longand influential career in game design, which began in the late 1970s with Atariand Activision. Like other Audacity Games projects, it fuses new gameplay ideaswith the technical and aesthetic limitations of the original 2600 hardware. Themanual, filled with diagrams, cute illustrations, and plenty of information, evokesthe charm of early Activision instruction booklets while adding modernenhancements such as QR-enabled score tracking. The result is a carefully createdblend of classic Atari/Activision style and modern production values—a deepdive into nostalgia that shows how the retro gaming spirit still thrives todaythrough Audacity Games’ commitment to keeping that legacy alive.

With the tragic passingof Billy Hudson, aka Billy Chaser, I decided to share the interview I did withhim for CultureMap when The Game Chasers Movie—which ultimately becameAdventures in Game Chasing—starting filming, way back in November of 2019. Billwas generous with his time and provided some interesting history on The Game Chasers’ YouTube channel and lots of background info on the film. RIP, Billy, you wereloved by many.

BRETT WEISS: How did youmeet Jay?

BILLY CHASER: Blockbuster Video. We worked together at a store in Grand Prairie.

WEISS: Were you guysmovie buffs?

CHASER: More gaming thanmovies, but yeah, we liked movies, too. We’d work our shift then go play videogames. I lived in an apartment at the time and was studying at The ArtInstitute in Dallas. This was in 1999.

WEISS: How long did youwork at Blockbuster?

CHASER: Less than a year.After that, I got a job at a television station.

WEISS: When did you guysstart The Game Chasers channel?

CHASER: We started it in2010 and began making videos in 2011.

WEISS: Was the channelyour idea, and you approached Jay with it?

CHASER: Yeah.

WEISS: Was he receptiveto the idea right away?

CHASER: Yeah, he’sgenerally up for anything. He loves video games and that sort of thing.

WEISS: I assume you guyswere going around looking for video games long before you started the show?

CHASER: Yeah, yeah, yeah.Three to four years before the show started, we would go out to flea marketsand pawnshops and Craigslist finds. It was a competition in a way. We didn’t goout together as much as we would separately. After work, I’d hit a pawn shopand show Jay what I had, and he’d get mad and say, “I can find better stuff.”So he’d go to a Good Will or a Salvation Army and find stuff. He and his wifeat the time were double-teaming it and finding all those games at differentplaces and collecting them.

WEISS: Lots of goodfinds, I’m guessing?

CHASER: During thatthree-to-four-year time frame, we probably amassed about 70 percent of ourcollection. It was much easier to find stuff back then.

WEISS. Oh, I can relateto that for sure. What was the germ of the idea for the Game Chasers show? Whatinspired you?

CHASER: I was alreadymaking videos on YouTube. My professional background is in video and film. Wewere watching a show called American Pickers. I don’t know why, we just likedit. I’d go over and hang out, and we’d watch American Pickers. It was entertaining,and one day it hit me that we should do a show like this, but make it aboutvideo games.

We were watching oneepisode, and they went to this place that had a bunch of junk, but in thecorner they had a Vectrex just sitting there. They never mentioned it, theynever touched on it, they never talked about it, and I’m sitting there like,“Dude, there’s a Vectrex in there, why aren’t you picking that up? C’mon, man!”

WEISS: They probablythought it was just a crappy old black-and-white TV or something.

CHASER: Yeah, the Vectrexis amazing. It drove me crazy, so I’m like, “Dude, let’s just do this withvideo games. We’ve got a Toy Chasers show as well. We collect toys, too. G.I.Joes, Transformers—basically all the stuff we grew up with, because we’re stillbig kids.

WEISS: What are some ofthe challenges and annoying aspects of filming The Game Chasers?

CHASER: The annoyingaspect is that since we keep it 100% real, sometimes we go out and findnothing, which is getting more and more common. Getting kicked out of fleamarkets, the pressure to produce something that you have no control over is achallenge because we can’t control if a flea market is going to have vendorsthat carry games. A regular show like American Pickers has all these producersand people who work on them. They can send them out to places to look forstuff, because in TV, time is money. There’s no way that if we were on TV theywould do it the way we do it, because that’s a waste of resources, going out ona weekend and potentially finding something or finding nothing. On TV, you haveto meet a schedule. It’s just us, and we have no control over what we’re goingto find.

WEISS: What is yourfavorite aspect of creating the show?

CHASER: I like thetechnical aspect. I hate going out and shooting because it’s stressful tryingto find something so we can make a decent video, but once I sit down in my caveto edit it, I can relax and do my thing. Probably the best part is reading thecomments after we post a video. When people say that they love it. We getmessages from people saying they really appreciate the videos, that they helpedthem when they were going through a rough time. It makes it all worth it.

WEISS: The show isdefinitely entertaining. I find myself cracking up when I’m watching it. Do youguys have a background in comedy? Do you enjoy comedy films?

CHASER: We grew up likingthe same type of 80s and 90s comedy road movies. We share the same type ofhumor. We incorporated a lot of that into the show naturally. Our animatedcartoons are where we go really crazy, where we get as creative as we like. That’swhat I really enjoy doing. The more scripted stuff. I love creating somethingout of thin air that never existed before. I can’t really do that with Game Chasers, because whatever happens, happens, depending on the situation. Butwith cartoons and a movie, I can create something from my mind that neverexisted.

WEISS: What is the moviegoing to be about? Is it going to be similar to the show, or maybe somethingcompletely different?

CHASER: Think of it as afictionalized retelling of the Game Chasers in a prequel kind of way. It’s kindof how the Game Chasers came to be, but fictional. It’s a road trip comedy, butwith elements of…it’s deeper than that. It’s not an hour-and-a-half of raunchycomedy with fart jokes. It’s got heart and soul and a lot of that kind of deepstuff. It’s basically Jay and I tracking down the original NES that we used toplay as kids and how we use that to reconnect with our youth.

WEISS: But it’s fictionaland scripted.

CHASER: Right. It’sfictional and scripted, but with elements of reality. Real life is boring. Thethings that happen to us in real life are boring, so you’ve got to “movie itup” and make an entertaining movie. The core soul elements of why we go and connectwith these games and why we play them—that’s there, the essence of the movie,the heart and soul of the Game Chasers. While it may be in a different format,the basics of the Game Chasers are still there at the epicenter of it all.

WEISS: What can you sayabout casting at this point? Other than you and Jay, who is going to be in themovie?

CHASER: It’s going to bea combination of people fans have seen on The Game Chasers, people they’vegrown to know and love. There will also be a few people fans haven’t seen thatwill add a great deal of interest to the film. We’ve got our eyes set on onewell-known Hollywood actor for a role. I want people to know that the moviewon’t be just us taking the camera out and shooting the movie ourselves. We’regoing to be hiring a professional film crew, a cinematographer, a VX artist whoworks on The Walking Dead and The Orville.

WEISS: What are some ofthe challenges associated with putting on a video game convention?

CHASER: One challenge ishow many of these shows are popping up now. There’s over saturation to somedegree, which can be both good and bad. A good thing is that people are used tothem and know what they’re about. They can come out and have a good time andknow what to expect, but also the vendors only have a finite amount of thingsto sell. If somebody visits one show, maybe they don’t want to go to another. A“been there, done that” sort of thing.

WEISS: Did you and Jaystart Retropalooza because you noticed that the Dallas/Fort Worth area didn’thave much in the way of retro gaming conventions?

CHASER: That’s somethingwe talked about. At this point, it’s mostly Jay who does it. Originally, wetossed around the idea of doing a show…crap, at this point is was more than sixyears ago. There was Screwattack Gaming Convention [in the Dallas area], but itwasn’t really like the other conventions we went to. It was more like a partyfor Screwattack fans. Sure, there was a vendor room where people could buy andsell, but it was more of an afterthought. We wanted to do a really bigconvention with a ton of vendors where people could come out and buy, sell,find anything they want.

WEISS: Yeah, Retropaloozais much more mainstream than Screwattack. That show was great fun, but theydefinitely catered toward their audience. They didn’t really do that muchoutreach to the community, at least for the first couple of shows.

CHASER: It was nothinglike what we had in mind for the area. We tossed around the idea for aconvention, and I kind of wavered on it at first, because I’m not a fan oforganizing things. I’m the “artsy” guy for lack of a better word. I hate makingcalls and all that other stuff that goes into putting on a convention. I waslike, “If you want it done, you’re going to have to do most of it. He kind oftook it over and to where it is now.

WEISS: For you, what isthe retro gaming culture like in the Dallas/Fort Worth area?

CHASER: It’s still goingreally, really strong. Every month, Facebook groups get together to buy, sell,and trade at a store or whatever. There are so many stores that have popped upin recent years. The DFW retro gaming scene is probably the best in thecountry. It seems to have the most people, the most competition. It’s a hotbedfor buying, selling, and the overall celebration of it.

 

Dallas Fan Festival iscoming up October 4–5 at the Irving Convention Center, and I’m already buzzingwith excitement. This year’s guest list is packed with familiar faces fromacross television, movies, gaming, and fandom. William Daniels will bethere—Mr. Feeny himself—as well as Ed Begley Jr., and Dean Butler, who fansknow from Little House on the Prairie and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (one of myfavorite shows). Glenn Morshower from 24 will also be making an appearance, andof course two of my personal favorites, Kathy Coleman and Wesley Eure from Land of the Lost. As a huge fan of that show, a nostalgic favorite, I can’t wait tosee them again, and it’s always extra fun since we’ve become Facebook friendsover the years.

Another guest I’m lookingforward to is Robbie Rist (I definitely grew up Brady—he was Cousin Oliver onthe show), along with Melody Anderson from the Flash Gordon movie (anotherfavorite). That colorful and quirky film holds a special place in my heart, andgetting to see Melody again is a real treat—the first time was way back in 2006at Comic-Con San Diego. Even better, Sam J. Jones will be back—Flashhimself—and I have great memories of hanging out with him at the Houston Arcade Expo when we were both guests.

As a hardcore gamer, it will be cool seeing Samantha Kelly (Princess Peach) and Kenny James (Bowser). Adding to the mix will be a roster of talented voice actors from anime and video games, plus an array of comic book creators, making this event a true celebration of fandom across generations.

But Dallas Fan Festivalisn’t just about the celebrity encounters. The weekend will be full of Q&A’swhere fans can hear behind-the-scenes stories, autograph and selfieopportunities to make those memories tangible, and an incredible vendor roompacked with comics, toys, memorabilia, collectibles, artwork, retro games, andmore. There will also be cosplay, trick-or-treating for kids and families, andpanels, demos, and workshops that give fans a chance to dig deeper into thecreative worlds they love.

For me, part of the magicof a convention like this is the sense of discovery. You never know what you’llfind in the vendor hall or who you’ll meet in the halls—maybe a favorite actor,maybe a fellow fan who loves the same obscure show you do. I’ll be filming theevent for my YouTube channel so you guys can come along for the ride, and youcan bet I’ll be on the hunt for retro games and vintage toys to show off. It’sa mix of nostalgia, community, and the thrill of the hunt for something new toadd to the collection. With so many favorite guests on the schedule and so muchto see and do, I can already tell this Dallas Fan Festival will be one for thememory books.

Labor Day weekendin Seattle was unforgettable—my first-ever PAX West (and my first time inWashington state!), and I was struck by just how huge and full of energy theevent was. From wandering the vendor booths to checking out demos, there wassomething exciting around every corner. One of the biggest surprises was thenumber of retro games on the vendor floor—NES, SNES, N64, Genesiscarts and consoles filled three large booths. I even came across a few raritiesI never expected to see at a show like this, making it feel like a collector’sdream. A short walk away, near the tabletop and retro console sections, thefree-play arcade was buzzing with Japanese candy cabs, pinball, and classicmachines that instantly brought the nostalgia flooding back.

The showroom flooritself was nonstop—rows of booths filled with indie experiments and AAAheavy-hitters side by side, including a forthcoming Masters of the Universegame I’m excited about. I picked up three titles from Limited Run Games(couldn’t resist!) and showed them off in my video recap, which you can watchHERE. Still, the highlight of the whole trip was Nintendo’s enormous setup.Their two massive booths showed off the brand-new Nintendo Switch 2, withplayable demos of big titles like Kirby Air Riders, Pokémon Legends: Z-A – NS2Edition, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Borderlands 4, and more. Kirby Air Riders wasthe real standout for me—it was the first time the game had been playable inthe U.S., and it’s already shaping up to be something special ahead of itsNovember release. Entry even required a “Warp Pipe Pass,” which added a fun,exclusive feel. Getting hands-on time with the Switch 2 and catching a glimpseof what’s coming next was easily the most memorable part of the weekend. Asidefrom seeing friends, of course.

 

What happens when youtake the creativity of a retro gaming fan, the charm of a backyard course, andthe chaos of Mario Kart—then invite a bunch of gaming legends and fans to tryit for real? You get one unforgettable VIP party Saturday night after the Utah Retro GamExpo! You can watch my party recap by clicking HERE.

I was honored to be aguest at this year’s convention, and the after-party was nothing short of epic.Hosted by the event’s owner at his own home, the backyard featured a fullyrealized real-life Mario Kart track—complete with sharp turns, tricky straightaways,and the potential for a little friendly mayhem. And yes, there was aspectacular crash during the night. Fortunately, the driver lived to tell thetale, adding a bit of real-world drama to the evening’s fun.

The party lineup wasstacked with talent and personalities from across the retro gaming and popculture scene: artist Paul Neimeyer (Mortal Kombat logo), game designer WarrenDavis (Q*bert), YouTubers Mr. Wright Way and GameDad, Gary from Roxolid Productions,Gini Holtzman (Peppermint Patty from Peanuts), and even the actor who portrayedJax in the original Mortal Kombat game! With such a guest list, theconversations were as entertaining as the activities—it was great getting toknow the convention host and catching up with Warren and talking about writing.

And speaking ofactivities—the Mario Kart course wasn’t the only attraction. A home arcade wasconnected to the backyard, loaded with retro arcade cabinets, Skee-Ball, andmore. It was the perfect place to recharge between races and enjoy a hit ofgaming nostalgia.

We were also treated tosome amazing BBQ, fueling us for the night’s adventures. The combination ofgreat food, great company, and the surreal experience of racing karts in aretro-themed backyard made this one of the most unique gaming parties I’ve everattended.

If you’ve ever wonderedwhat it’s like to step inside the chaotic fun of Mario Kart—and live to tellthe tale—this is the video for you!

 

Casey’s Gold is a remarkableadventure platformer that pushes the Atari 2600 to awesome heights. Designed byDan Kitchen for Audacity Games, the title evokes the polish and responsivenessof a vintage Activision release—Casey moves with a smoothness and precision,making every jump and crouch feel natural.

You guide Casey across trains,mines, and frontier towns, collecting lost gold while avoiding hazards likebats, lizards, vultures, rattlesnakes, and fire ants. The game blendsplatforming with exploration and puzzle-solving in ways rarely seen on thesystem. Players can climb ladders, enter train cars through roof hatches, useTNT to blast through mine walls, and uncover cleverly hidden collectibles inshadowed corners.

The level design is creativethroughout. Warp flags allow instant transport across train cars, wells hideunderground mines or teleport you across town, and buildings may require keysto enter. Each stage feels layered with secrets, encouraging you to searchevery nook and cranny. The hidden items—conductor hats for extra lives, pocketwatches for time, and balloons for bonus points—add to the fun of discovery (toborrow a phrase found in ColecoVision manuals).

Casey’s Gold is not a quickplaythrough. It’s a long, addictive adventure with multiple gold rushes, mineexpeditions, and train raids to complete. While fun and rewarding, the gamecries out for a password system or save states to preserve progress, sincesessions can run long and test endurance as much as skill. Pause would be niceas well. For this reason, playing the digital version, exclusive to theCollector’s Edition, is the preferred method.

From the instantly recognizabletrain cars to the desert backgrounds and eerie mines, Casey’s Gold looksfantastic for a 2600 title. The character design of Casey himself ismemorable—he certainly looks the part of a train conductor—and the locomotiveengine is a graphical highlight.

Audacity Games was founded by DanKitchen, Garry Kitchen, and David Crane, three of the most important figuresfrom Activision’s legendary Atari 2600 era. In the early ’80s, they createdsome of the most enduring and inventive games for the console, and withAudacity they’ve reunited to continue that tradition. Their philosophy is unusualin today’s market: every release comes as a deluxe physical cartridgepackage—complete with box, manual, overlays, and often special extras.

Theirdebut game, Circus Convoy, proved that the 2600 still had untapped potentialeven four decades later, and Casey’s Gold carries that torch forward. I’m fortunate to know Dan, Garry,and David personally, and I often see them at retro gaming conventions andevents at the National Video Game Museum. Their enthusiasm for preserving thespirit of classic gaming is infectious, and having Dan sign my copy of Casey’sGold makes it even more meaningful.

Casey’s Gold is a fun, ambitioustitle that could easily sit alongside Activision’s finest. It rewardsexploration and persistence and is one of the most impressive adventures ever createdfor the Atari 2600.

A big thanks to Dan Kitchen fordesigning such a creative game—and for signing my copy!

 

When people think ofclassic video game consoles, the Atari 2600—originally known as the Video Computer System (VCS)—almost always springs to mind. Released in 1977, thislegendary system helped popularize home gaming, setting the stage foreverything that followed. Long before modern-day shooters dominated ourscreens, Atari was creating early examples of the genre, right in your livingroom. In my latest YouTube video, I take you back to that golden era with acountdown of the Top 10 First-Party Shooters for the Atari 2600—that’s right,only official Atari releases, no Activision, Imagic, or Parker Brothers thistime! So, no Demon Attack or River Raid!

These first-party titles arestill incredible fun to play day, brimming with innovation, intensity, andsurprising variety. The video walks through some true greats—like theunforgettable Missile Command, a nuclear nightmare of twitch reflexes andedge-of-your-seat defense, and Yars’ Revenge, arguably the system’s mostimaginative shooter, which combines colorful visuals, coded backstory, and analmost hypnotic gameplay loop. Not to mention, it was the best-selling originalAtari game for the system (not based on an arcade game).

But that’s justscratching the surface. The countdown features ten titles, ranked from #10 to#1, highlighting not just the classics but also a couple of slightly deeper cuts you might have missed. These are the games that pushed the limits of whatthe 2600 could do—technically, creatively, and gameplay-wise—offeringeverything from fast-paced action to arcade-style thrills.

If you're a longtimecollector, a nostalgia-chaser, or a younger gamer who is simply curious aboutwhat Atari was doing when it owned the home gaming industry, this is amust-watch. I bring the perspective of a retro historian and lifelong fan toeach pick—and yes, I expect some debate!

Watch the full countdown on YouTubeby clicking HERE.

Did I overlook yourfavorite Atari-published shooter? Was your personal #1 ranked too low? Let’stalk shop in the comments—because celebrating gaming history is even betterwhen we do it together.

 

Looking for the best retro arcade in Austin, Texas? Join usfor a full tour of Pins Mechanical Co., a standout destination for classicgaming, pinball action, and family fun. In this video, we explore one of thecoolest arcades in Austin, featuring a massive lineup of free-to-play retroarcade games like Donkey Kong, Super Pac-Man, Gauntlet, Asteroids, Mario Bros.,Popeye, and Kangaroo. My wife Charis shows off her Centipede skills, my sonjumps into Kangaroo, and even beats us on the Elton John pinball machine.

Pins Mechanical offers a deep selection of modern andvintage pinball machines, including X-Men, Pulp Fiction, Scared Stiff, TheMandalorian, The Godfather, Iron Maiden, Guns N’ Roses, Hot Wheels, LooneyTunes, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Pinballs cost $1 per play, while allarcade games are free. Even better, the quarters you do spend benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities, combining gaming with a great cause.

But the fun doesn’t stop with games. Pins also featuresduckpin bowling, arcade basketball, patio pong, and foosball. There’s aretro-styled lounge setup that looks like a 1970s–90s living room—complete withworking NES and Sega Genesis consoles you can actually play. It’s the perfectspot to sit back, sip a cocktail, and enjoy the nostalgic atmosphere.

Don’t miss me shooting hoops and taking on the strength meter—will I ring the bell or come up short? Whether you're a retro gamingcollector, pinball wizard, or just visiting Austin with family or friends, PinsMechanical is a must-visit arcade and bar experience.

Watch the full video now to see what makes Pins Mechanical Co. in Austin, TX one of the most unique arcades in the country. Be sure tolike, subscribe, and drop a comment if you’ve been to this amazing place—or areplanning to go!

#AustinArcade #PinsMechanical #RetroGaming #PinballAustin#FamilyFunAustin #ArcadeTour #DonkeyKong #NESGaming #AustinTexasAttractions

 

When the original Nintendo Game Boy launched in 1989,I’ll admit—I didn’t see what the big deal was. In fact, I made a whole YouTubevideo recently talking about just how wrong I was. You can watch the video byclicking HERE.

During the early 1990s, I preferred the Sega Game Gear. It had a larger, full-color, backlit screen, a more comfortable formfactor, and seemed like the obvious choice for anyone who wanted a handheldgaming experience. In comparison, the Game Boy felt underpowered, with its greenishmonochrome display and no backlight. I figured it was only a matter of timebefore it faded away and its games hit clearance bins.

But history, of course, had other plans.

What I failed to appreciate back then was the geniusof Nintendo’s approach: the Game Boy was affordable, durable, and, mostimportantly, fun. The battery life crushed the Game Gear’s, and the killerapp—Tetris—was an instant classic. It appealed to gamers of all ages andquickly made the Game Boy a cultural touchstone. Even as more powerfulcompetitors came and went, the Game Boy held its ground. It was hard to competewith Nintendo’s excellent marketing and their killer first-party titles.

It wasn’t until the late 1990s that I had a change ofheart. When the Super Game Boy was released, it gave me a fresh perspective—Ifinally saw those tiny cartridges on a big screen and in color, and itcompletely changed how I viewed the system. From that point on, I startedplaying and collecting for the console, discovering just how rich and variedthe Game Boy’s library truly was—The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, Kirby’sDream Land, Donkey Kong, interesting ports of Mr. Do!, Dig Dug, and Miner 2049er,a Star Trek-themed side-scrolling shooter, and way too many others to mention.

Looking back, the Game Boy wasn’t a technologicalmarvel—it was a triumph of design, software, and smart business decisions. Itredefined portable gaming and left a legacy that still resonates today. Andyeah… I was way off. Until the Super Game Boy arrived…

 

In celebration of the50th anniversary of Jaws, we’re excited to share something truly special—avideo of my son’s absolutely AMAZING Jaws collection, built over many yearswith passion, dedication, and a deep love for the legendary shark filmfranchise. [Click HERE to watch].

Steven Spielberg’s Jaws,released in 1975, was a groundbreaking cinematic event that forever changed thefilm industry. Adapted from Peter Benchley’s best-selling novel, the story of agreat white shark terrorizing the small beach town of Amity Island grippedaudiences and became the first true summer blockbuster. Its suspensefuldirection, unforgettable score by John Williams, and iconic performances by RoyScheider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss made it an instant classic—andsparked a cultural phenomenon that still resonates today.

My son’s collection is ajaw-dropping tribute to that legacy. It includes everything from Benchley’soriginal hardcover novel to rare vintage magazines, action figures, andView-Master reels that bring scenes from the movie to life in 3D. You’ll alsosee original theatrical posters from Jaws 3 and Jaws: The Revenge, vinyl records, laserdiscs, paperbacks, and even an Atari 2600 homebrew game.

One highlight is a PS2 copy of Jaws Unleashed—signed by the Angry Video Game Nerd, a beloved figure inretro gaming circles. Each piece in the collection tells a story, and in thevideo, my son shares how he found many of these treasures, from used book stores to major department stores.

We’ve even includedvintage photos of him as a young child, already obsessed with sharks andSpielberg’s masterpiece. His passion has only grown stronger over the years.

Whether you're a die-hardJaws fan, a movie memorabilia enthusiast, or just love a great collector'sstory, this is a must-watch.

🎬 Stay tuned till the very end for aspecial surprise you won’t want to miss!

🦈 Happy 50 Years of Jaws!