PRE-ORDERS ARE NOW OPEN! I’m incredibly excited to announce that my first book in three years is now available for pre-order! Retro Pop Culture A to Z Volume 2: From Activision to Zelda will ship in September of this year. And as a special thank-you to everyone who pre-orders, I’ll include a FREE GIFT with your book! U.S. residents only, at least for now. To pre-order your signed-or-unsigned copy,…
My wife Charis and I recently had the incredible opportunity to tour the famous Brady Bunch House in California, and it was an experience we’ll never forget. Walking through those rooms that so many of us grew up seeing on television was truly surreal. It felt like stepping right into a piece of TV history , with so many familiar details bringing back memories of one of the most beloved shows of…
Texas Frightmare Weekend – May 22-24 20 th Anniversary Show For horror fans, spring in Texas means one scary thing: Texas Frightmare Weekend . Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, TFW has grown into one of the largest horror conventions in the nation—and I’ve been fortunate enough to attend since the very first show back in 2006, when it was held at the small Grapevine Convention Center in…
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 was developed 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 , a company formed by Crane along with Garry Kitchen and Dan Kitchen, dedicated to…
With the tragic passing of Billy Hudson, aka Billy Chaser , I decided to share the interview I did with him for CultureMap when The Game Chasers Movie —which ultimately became Adventures in Game Chasing—starting filming, way back in November of 2019. Bill was generous with his time and provided some interesting history on The Game Chasers’ YouTube channel and lots of background info on the film.…
Dallas Fan Festival is coming up October 4–5 at the Irving Convention Center, and I’m already buzzing with excitement. This year’s guest list is packed with familiar faces from across television, movies, gaming, and fandom. William Daniels will be there—Mr. Feeny himself—as well as Ed Begley Jr., and Dean Butler, who fans know from Little House on the Prairie and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (one of…
Labor Day weekend in Seattle was unforgettable—my first-ever PAX West (and my first time in Washington state!), and I was struck by just how huge and full of energy the event was. From wandering the vendor booths to checking out demos, there was something exciting around every corner. One of the biggest surprises was the number of retro games on the vendor floor —NES, SNES , N64, Genesis carts and…
What happens when you take the creativity of a retro gaming fan, the charm of a backyard course, and the chaos of Mario Kart —then invite a bunch of gaming legends and fans to try it 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 a guest at this year’s convention , and the after-party…
Casey’s Gold is a remarkable adventure platformer that pushes the Atari 2600 to awesome heights. Designed by Dan Kitchen for Audacity Games , the title evokes the polish and responsiveness of 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…
When people think of classic video game consoles, the Atari 2600 —originally known as the Video Computer System (VCS)—almost always springs to mind. Released in 1977, this legendary system helped popularize home gaming, setting the stage for everything that followed. Long before modern-day shooters dominated our screens, Atari was creating early examples of the genre, right in your living room. In…
Looking for the best retro arcade in Austin, Texas? Join us for a full tour of Pins Mechanical Co. , a standout destination for classic gaming, pinball action , and family fun. In this video, we explore one of the coolest arcades in Austin, featuring a massive lineup of free-to-play retro arcade games like Donkey Kong , Super Pac-Man, Gauntlet, Asteroids, Mario Bros., Popeye, and Kangaroo. My wife…
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 YouTube video recently talking about just how wrong I was. You can watch the video by clicking HERE . During the early 1990s, I preferred the Sega Game Gear . It had a larger, full-color, backlit screen, a more comfortable form factor, and seemed like the obvious choice for…
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Jaws, we’re excited to share something truly special—a video of my son’s absolutely AMAZING Jaws collection, built over many years with passion, dedication, and a deep love for the legendary shark film franchise. [Click HERE to watch]. Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, released in 1975, was a groundbreaking cinematic event that forever changed the film industry .…
Fan Expo Dallas 2025 is right around the corner, and from the looks of the guest list, it’s shaping up to be an awesome weekend. As always, the show is bringing together fans of comics, sci-fi, superheroes, classic TV and film, and everything in between. I’ll be there covering it all for AntiqueWeek , my YouTube channel , and my social media platforms, so if you’re planning to attend, be sure to…
If you’re a horror fan, there’s no better place to be than Texas Frightmare Weekend , one of the largest and most legendary horror conventions in the nation. Now in its 16th year, this event has solidified itself as the Southwest’s premier horror convention, drawing in fans from all over for a weekend packed with celebrities, vendors, panels, and all things macabre. This year’s lineup is…
If you’ve never been to the Texas Pinball Festival in Frisco, Texas , you’re seriously missing out on one of the most electric, nostalgia-packed events in the state. Held this year from March 21–23, the festival once again transformed the Embassy Suites Convention Center into a buzzing, blinking wonderland of classic and modern pinball machines and arcade cabinets—and yes, I was there, camera in…
I had the chance to play Dungeons & Dragons: The Tyrant’s Eye for the first time the other day at Arcade 92 in Flower Mound, Texas, and within minutes, I knew this was something special. Pinball and Dungeons & Dragons feel like a match that should have happened long ago, but Stern has finally made it a reality. This machine doesn’t just borrow the branding—it embraces the core of what makes D&D…
Superman has been a cultural icon for nearly a century, embodying hope, strength, and the idea that doing good is always the right choice, especially for the downtrodden. Since his first appearance in Action Comics #1 in 1938, the character has been reinterpreted in countless ways, across comic books, television, and film (the less said about the video games, the better). I discovered Superman…
If you’re a fan of retro gaming and happen to be in Houston, you’re in for a treat. Retro City Games , located at 11300 West Rd, Suite P, Houston, TX 77065, is the newest video game store in the area, having opened its doors around three months ago. Despite being a fresh face in the scene, it has already made a significant impact on the local gaming community with its incredible selection,…
There’s something magical about setting sail on a Royal Caribbean cruise, and my recent trip from Galveston to Costa Maya and Cozumel was an unforgettable experience. From the moment my wife and I stepped aboard, we were blown away by the sheer size and beauty of the ship—it was like a floating city packed with entertainment, incredible food, and stunning ocean views. I even made a YouTube video…
For more than two decades, I was a full-time freelancer . In addition to authoring books about video games and popular culture, I wrote for numerous journals, magazines, newspapers, and websites about pretty much anything and everything. It was fun while it lasted. You could call it my dream job, and many people did. During my peak time, I would have more than 80 articles published in print each…
Rolling Stone recently released their list of " The 50 Greatest Video Games of All Time ," sparking lively debates among gamers on social media. This ambitious ranking celebrates the best the medium has to offer and showcases a diverse array of titles spanning decades, genres, and platforms, though there is plenty of recency bias. This refers to the tendency to overvalue newer experiences while…
If you’ve ever wanted to experience the magic of an old-school arcade, Time Rift Arcade in Bedford, Texas, is the place to be. Owned and operated by David Murray, better known as The 8-Bit Guy , this spot isn’t just an arcade—it’s a celebration of gaming history. Whether you’re a retro gaming fan or just curious about what made arcades so iconic, stepping inside is like traveling back to a time…
Harlan Ellison, the late, great science fiction and dark fantasy author, was never one to shy away from controversy—or criticism. In the early 1980s, as Star Wars mania reached a fever pitch, Ellison set his sights on the Atari 2600 adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back. True to form, he delivered a blistering critique, famously dubbing the game “an insult to the human intellect” and “a…
Retro gaming fans, buckle up! Adam Koralik , the charismatic Sega aficionado and all-around gaming guru, recently made another guest appearance on my channel —and this time, the topic was one for the ages. Adam and I sat down to chat about something unexpected: Nintendo games he wishes could have graced Sega consoles. As you might imagine, his choices were as entertaining and insightful as the man…
