PLAY Expo Comes to London

PLAY Expo is a celebration of video games that is packed with hundreds of games, consoles, arcades, traders and exhibitors. The Expo is coming to London on the 11th and 12th August at the Printworks in Canada Water.

PLAY Expo London

I went to a PLAY EXPO Margate 2 years ago and had an amazing time playing the freeplay arcade and pinball machines. It was well worth the time and money to mooch around for a few hours. I can't go to this one in London as I am away on my holidays but if you do go I hope you have a great time!

Castlevania: Season 2 Trailer Drops

Netflix has just dropped the season 2 trailer for their animated show Castlevania. I reviewed Castlevania Season 1 before and stated that it was a great animated show, recalling the best of anime whilst avoiding a lot of the tropes and fan service (read: panty shots of the female characters) which has blighted the medium over the last two decades. The season ended on a cliffhanger and it is with bated breath that I wait for October 26th for the return of the show.

Okami Soundtrack Released on Vinyl

Okami is one of gamings most beautiful examples for the argument of video games as art. The imagery from the game is stunningly presented in a traditional Japanese brushstroke form and the music is a collection of traditional instruments and modern synthesizer sounds, recalling a dreamily imagined Japan that has never truly existed.

Data Discs is releasing a 4 disc pressing of the remastered soundtrack for the game and I for one am intrigued and excited. According to Data Discs:

OKAMI is presented as a quadruple LP boxset, comprising over two hours of newly remastered music and packaged in a spot-varnished hardboard slipcase. It is accompanied by a 40-page artbook and double-sided lithographic print, featuring original illustrations from the CAPCOM archives in Japan. A download code for the album in both lossless and lossy formats is also included. Available in the following editions:
  • 4 x 180g Frosted Clear with “Cherry Blossom Pink” and “Amaterasu White” splatter (LIMITED EDITION)
  • 4 x 180g Frosted Clear

Pre-orders are open for Data Discs customers and I've already placed mine. At a hefty £64.99 it is a high asking price, but for the soundtrack to one of my favourite games (and soundtracks) of all time that seems like a price worth paying. Once I recieve my copy I'll do a review of it right here on this page, just like I have for my other soundtrack reviews (which you can check out below if you like).

For a listen to some of the soundtrack check out the official Data Discs Soundcloud page.

Okami Vinyl

The Mysterious Cities of Gold Soundtrack on Vinyl

I am a huge fan of the animated series Mysterious Cities of Gold, it is my favourite programme of ALL time and was a formative part of my childhood; single handedly igniting my interest in anime, manga, South and Central American cultures and synthesizer music (It's why I love Jarre, Vangelis and Oldfield).

In my mancave I have a MCOG medallion, an original cel, a French book discussing the making of (even though I haven't studied French since my GCSE's 20 years ago) and a model of the golden condor. However no mention of The Mysterious Cities of Gold would be complete without a mention of the mesmerising soundtrack. There have been some amazing soundtracks for TV shows over the years but the synthesizers and futuristic sounds used in the soundtrack gave this series a unique, mesmerising atmosphere all its own.

Wagram have re-released the original French soundtrack, which contains all the key themes and tunes from the series. The track list is:

Track 1 Cités D'or

Track 2 Thème De Zia

Track 3 Thème De Tao

Track 4 Thèmes D'Esteban

Track 5 L'aventure De Tao

Track 6 Le Vol Du Condor

Track 7 Heureux Esteban

Track 8 L'aventure D'Esteban

Track 9 Tristes Cités D'or

Track 10 En Naviguant

Track 11 Les Incas

Track 12 Esteban Dans La Ville

Track 13 La Tempête

Track 14 Les Dieux Des Incas

Track 15 Les Aventures Electroniques

Track 16 Les Cités D'or (Instrumental Version)

The vinyl was re-released on 15th December 2017 but I only got around to getting it recently. I've reviewed the soundtrack before but only on CD. This vinyl has a lot of great tracks but is by no means complete. The most glaring omissions is St. Elmo's Fire (also known on other versions of the soundtrack as La Passage Secret), known to many fans as the Song of Mysterious Awesomeness. The sense of awe and wonder this music piece brought in me at the time was palpable, I would shake with excitement as this track was reserved for only the most special moments of the series. It is used when a new discovery is made or when the characters experienced a grand phenomena. The juddering driving synths mixed with the whoozy flow of the main tune lend the piece an otherworldly air which perfectly suited the air of mystery. I have extremely powerful memories of this track as this music was used on the maiden flight of the golden condor. The point when the machine comes online for the first time and flies is etched in my memory. I've seen this episode more than any other (I watch the series annually) but I still get goosebumps when the music kick in. The link to this moment is below and I would recommend you watch it (it kicks in at 56 seconds).

New Battle Angel Alita Trailer

Battle Angel Alita (Gunnm in Japan) is a masterful piece of work which is an essential sci-fi read. Over 9 graphic novels we follow the adventures of Alita, a young cyborg girl who is discovered broken but with her brain intact by Dr Daisuke Ido. Ido is delighted with his find and takes Alita to his home and repairs her. Over time there develops a father-daughter bond but Alita has amnesia and is unhappy as she wants to find out more about her mysterious past. Over time she learns that she knows the powerful 'Panzer Kurst' fighting technique and enters the Motorball Tournament, a Running Man style gauntlet filled with cyborgs and other mechanical marvels. Over the course of 9 graphic novels Alita learns more about her past and the unfair society she lives in.

I have the collection and they are all first prints.

The original run of Battle Angel Alita is one of my favorite manga ever and so when I saw the latest trailer I am beyond stoked! I hope it is more Sin City and less Ghost in the Shell in terms of live action adaptations. Here's hoping!

Shadow of the Colossus Soundtrack on Vinyl

Shadow of the Colossus is one of my favourite games of all time. This is in no small part due to the phenomenal soundtrack which was created by Kou Ootani, who also soundtracked the wonderful Haibane Renmei (one of my favourite animes). The Ico OST is scarce but perfectly pitched for key events, like the original Prince of Persia game. However the Shadow of the Colossus has an emotive score full of longing but also adventure, it suits the mood perfectly and the soundtrack is a master class in scoring for a game and shows how much the perfect soundtrack can add to the impact of a game.

When iam8bit announced that they were doing a vinyl release of the soundtrack mid-last year I pre-ordered it and lo, a mere 10 months or so later the vinyl has finally arrived and definitely looks the part. I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet due to having a busy weekend with the family but I know the album well, as long as it wasn't pressed too hot it should be great. Check out my pics below and my links to other SOTC related articles I've written.

Kaneda's Theme Disco Reprise is Italian Awesomeness

Akira was a seminal film for so many reasons and the soundtrack is a large part of why it blew away so many people. The stirring and haunting soundtrack by the collective Geinoh Yamashirogumi is a masterpiece, mixing stirring beats with more traditional elements of Japanese music, such as gamalan (check out my review of the vinyl soundtrack here). YouTuber Peter Zimmerman has created an Italian pop mix of the 'Kaneda' track and even though it sounds like a weird mix it works. Check out the track below and let me know what you think.

Crazy Retro Game Prices

The retro gaming scene goes through swings and roundabouts. Often, when a new generation of gaming arrives it spells the end of the previous generation and frequently, this is the best time to pick up some future classics and rare collectables. However, some games go under the radar, are much coveted, have limited editions or have a small print run and fetch a high price for those reasons. But occasionally the retro game prices can make your eyes water and that is what this post is about. I'll start off with these two but will add more as I find them.

Have you ever come across crazy prices in shops for rare games? I know in gaming expos and conventions crazy prices for retro games is the norm but how about in the wild?

Cowboy Bebop Homage in Gumball

The Amazing World of Gumball is a hilariously funny cartoon series that airs on the Cartoon Network. It is replete with comic, video game and now, anime references. Cowboy Bebop is one the greatest anime series and Gumball has created an homage in its honour, titled Barcode Cowboy about the ultimate worker, Larry Needlemeyer. Check it out below!

RIP Steve Ditko

Steve Ditko was the legendary artist and creator behind many iconic comic characters including Spider Man, Dr. Strange, The Creeper, The Question,  Captain Atom, Mysterio, Green Goblin, Dr. Octopus, Kraven, Lizard, Electro and my favourite Squirrel Girl. He past away today and will be fondly remembered by many. His artwork is embedded in my mind as I loved the reprints of the original Spiderman run which I collected in the 80's.

To remember how much he changed the comic world watch the BBC4 documentary 'In Search of Steve Ditko.'

Sega Master System: A Visual Compendium Kickstarter Goes Life

Bitmap Books have been releasing some amazing visual compendiums of retro game consoles over the past few years. I've already spoken about the NES and SNES compendiums before but I am very excited about their latest announcement, the Sega Master System Visual Compendium. Sam Dyer, founder and graphic designer of Bitmap Books, has been working very closely with SEGA to make the 6th visual compendium something really special. The Kickstarter went live a couple of days ago and I've gone in for the softcover book. Check it out.

Welcome To Night Vale To Tour UK

Welcome to Night Vale is touring the UK again. For the uninitiated Nightvale is a cult podcast, similar in style to shows like Twin Peaks, X Files and the works of H.P.Lovecraft but presented in the format of a radio show. The podcast is an online phenomenon, being one of the most downloaded podcast of all time.
I went to the show a few years ago and had an amazing time so if you fancy seeing it check out the See Tickets website for availability. The tour hits Edinburgh in August and other cities in London in January.

Room to Dream Takes Us to Lynch's World

I am a huge David Lynch fan. Ever since I watched Twin Peaks and discovered his filmography I have been in thrall of this most singular of directors. However, Lynch is a private man and not much about his background or where he gets his ideas from has been revealed. Room to Dream is part-memoir, part-biography, which interweaves the story of Lynch alongside his personal reflections, might change all that. The book (and audiobook, which I am currently listening to) have been released today and I am very excited to get into Lynch's world. I'll provide a review once I've finished with the book but based on the first chapter it seems to be positive...

Calamari Inkantation in Nintendo Labo

It was only going to take a while, we all knew it. With Nintendo Labo a world of creativity and craft was made available to many and we all knew there were some people who would take the potential of what could be done with the system and run... and boy did Japanese electronic artist Geniway leg it. Using the piano tool Geniway plays Calamari Inkantation from Splatoon and it is a delight. Check it out.

Asterix in Britain Exhibition in London

So there I was, perusing the Guardian TV Guide (yes, I'm a Guardianista), when I saw this:

I was excited and waves of nostalgia ran over me as Asterix was a big part of my childhood, okay, not as big as Tintin and certainly not anywhere the level of The Mysterious Cities of Gold formative, but a big part nonetheless. To be able to see the original works and sketches of one of the co-creators of the most famous cartoon Gaul is super exciting. So looking at the details the exhibition will run from 10 May 2018 - 30 September 2018 at the Jewish Museum near Camden Town. I hope to be visiting soon and will let you know what I thought!

LINK- The Jewish Museum Homepage

LINK- The Tintin Shop in London

V&A Video games: Design, Play and Disrupt Exhibition on Soon

London is abound with museums and I often go to some of them pretty regularly. Very few have ever run video game exhibitions but that is about to change. From 8th September 2018 the Victoria and Albert Museum in London will be running the Video games: Design, Play and Disrupt Exhibition.

Although there's not much to go on yet the V&A consistently runs excellent exhibitions.

Although there's not much to go on yet the V&A consistently runs excellent exhibitions.

On its website it states:

This exhibition provides a unique insight into the design process behind a selection of groundbreaking contemporary video games. Design work, including concept art and prototypes, feature alongside large-scale immersive installations and interactive.

Not much to be going on for the moment sure, but the website does feature some art and graphics from games like The Last of Us, No Man's Sky and Journey. I hope to be going and will be booking tickets soon but thought I'd let all you good people know as I know for a lot of you it's your jam too!

LINK- Official V&A Video games: Design, Play and Disrupt Exhibition Ticket Site

Dev Quest Docs Looks at What Makes Indies Tick

I am fascinated by the indie game scene and the insightful Indie Game: The Movie opened the way for most people to see the behind the scenes story of the creators and programmers. With Dev Quest, indie game creator, Adriaan de Jongh (Hidden Folks) travels around the world and chats with people from various studios, including Night School Studios (Oxenfree), Anamita Design (Machinarium, Samorost) and Kitfox amongst many others, about their processes and design philosophy. The whole 4-part documentary series is bitesized at under 45 minutes but is extremely watchable due to the warmth and affable host. For those looking for a more positive look at the indie scene than was sometimes presented in the sometimes dour Indie Game: The Movie, this is the tonic.

Space Harrier Soundtrack on Vinyl

Space Harrier was a game I was aware of but never really got around to playing, even though I owned a Megadrive and Master System. However, for those who have fond memories of the game or the soundtrack, Data Discs have released the soundtrack on vinyl. I have purchased a few soundtracks in my time from them and can say that they are always amazingly presented and the pressings are crisp and clear. Check out the Data Discs website in the link below and check out my other vinyl reviews.

Space Harrier Soundtrack on Vinyl ©DataDiscs

Elton John Duets With Minnie Mouse

I love YouTube. Sometimes, whilst searching for something you come across something strange, beautiful, weird or wonderful and this video has elements of them all. Wanna see Elton John sing with Minnie Mouse? Here ya go and you're welcome!

Mystery World Dizzy Cartridge Arrives

I am a HUGE Dizzy fan and have spoken about my love for the series many times before (including meeting the creators the Oliver Twins and getting my swag signed). So when the Kickstarter for a NES working cartridge copy of an unreleased Dizzy game came up I funded that quickly. Now nearly half a year later my cartridge has arrived and I love it. I hope to play it soon but for the moment it's sitting on my pile of shame.