Nanotech’s Multipin is a digital pinball simulator, mashed-up with the physical look of a classic pinballer. The game is a full-sized pinball machine that provides electronic renditions of 17 pinball machines in a single cabinet. The system comes loaded with a number of original pinball games, as well as several modern remakes of classic Gottlieb pinball titles from the 1970s and 80s. And if 17 games aren’t enough Nanotech plans on offering upgrade packs with additional tables you can load in later.

Games are played on a large 32-inch 720p high-def LCD monitor that’s set into the playing surface under glass. Multipin not only looks like a pinball cabinet, the game is controlled with all of the classic trappings, a mechanical plunger, clicky flipper buttons, and a realistic audio experience which includes all of the sounds you’d expect to hear coming from a mechanical pinball machine. There are even digital motion sensors in the cabinet that let you nudge and shake the ball around (and eventually tilt the machine if you go too far). There’s also a second LCD screen under the machines backglass that’s used for displaying scores, game graphics, and the occasional mini-game.

Here’s some video from a recent episode of NBC’s TechNow showing off the Multipin in action:

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The best thing about the Multipin? You can buy one for yourself – now. This isn’t vaporware, it’s a real thing. The $6000 (USD) machine is available now over at Hammacher Schlemmer. Sure, you’ll need some seriously deep pockets to buy one, but if you’re a serious pinball addict, you might want to put Multipin on your Christmas list this year.

The seller “mywantlist”, is offering both an original super-rare yellow Computer Space machine (only 1800 made), and one of the slightly less rare green models that came out after the initial popularity of the 1st gen. Both were made by Nutting Associates all the way back in 1971. I especially love the original manual, complete with mention of “Nolan K. Bushnell,Chief Engineer.”

The yellow machine is still functional, although it has a blurry picture. Unfortunately the green monster is only outputting some sounds and a “rolling picture”, so you’ll have to know something about game repair if you really want to get it working again. On the plus side, it’s the two player version, so if you ever get it working, you can take on an opponent.

The yellow one currently has a bid of $2499, but will probably climb over the next couple of days. The green one is only at $1499, so you might want to bid on that one if you’re more of a cheapskate when it comes to your classic arcade systems. While you’re over there, be sure to check out mywantlist’s other auctions, because he’s clearing house on some other rare retro arcade games too.

[via gamovr]

There are tons of APCs floating around the webiverse, but this one I spotted today is my new favorite. Featuring a minimal metal and wood case, and three simple knobs labeled “BLEEP”, “BLOOP and “LOUD”, it’s the perfect addition to any electronic musician’s collection of instruments.

This particular gem was created by Anko over at The Munkey Shop, and can be found on his Etsy shop for just $45 (USD).

This hacked-together Atari 2600 Portable goes by the name “Stella-Tubby” – which does a good job summing up its less than svelte form-factor as a handheld gaming console. Retro-modder Nonogadi built out this portable 2600 with an integrated 5″ LCD screen, as well as built-in joystick and paddle controllers. Plus, it’ll run on a pair of 9-volt batteries if you don’t feel like lugging around an A/C power brick.

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The Stella-Tubby has found its way all the way from Singapore over to eBay auction block, but is priced at the somewhat astronomical starting bid of $400 bucks – a bit irrational for what amounts to a 30 year old gaming system with a $25 LCD screen embedded into it. Still, you’ve got to give it up to Nongadi for the time and effort it probably took to build this oddity.

Apparently, this Rambo TV Game console came out at some point back in the 1990s. It’s a serious doppelganger for the Atari 2600, and actually claims to have had 208 built-in games. Despite the “2600 compatible” labeling, the photos on the box make me think this was one of those cheap NES/Famicom clone systems from China. And check out those joysticks…

While I certainly don’t remember this system, I did manage to find a brief mention of the Rambo TV console over on the Ultimate Console Database – and the version they show has 2,001 built-in games.

And the one in this YouTube video claims to have a whopping 11,555 built-in games! Of course, they neglected to mention that 11,554 of them suck, and the final one is a knock-off of  E.T.: the Extra-Terrestrial.

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There’s not much more to say about this rarity, except that anything that combines an Atari 2600 and Sly Stallone is okay in my book.

[photos via Flickr]

LoL Software’s TALKBOX app for the iPhone lets you manipulate sounds with your mouth, creating that classic 1970s guitar wah-wah sound.

You manipulate the tone by changing the shape of your mouth while the sound samples play. Because you need to put the iPhone really close to your mouth to get the effect right, you might look a little silly playing the TALKBOX, but once you perfect the mouth movements, you’ll have a hard time putting it down. Check out the video below for a little Hendrix Star Spangled Banner tribute…

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TALKBOX comes pre-loaded with almost 30 built-in guitar, bass, and funk tracks for you to pair up your voice with. I’m hoping they’ll add the ability to load your own tracks in, but for now you’re limited to the built-in tunes. You can grab a copy over at the iTunes App Store for just 99 cents and rock out!

Just don’t blame me when people think you’re trying to eat your iPhone.

This Space Invaders piggy bank looks just like a miniature cocktail table version of the classic arcade shooter. The 1/6th scale game has a tiny little version of the game on a built-in LCD screen. Just drop a 100 yen coin (between the size of a nickel and a quarter) into the slotto kick off the fun.

Each coin you drop into the slot adds another alien to the display – all the way up to 80 invaders. It also plays the familiar sounds of the retro classic. My Japanese isn’t very good, but from what I can tell from this press release, you might actually be able to play the game on the tiny LCD screen (please, oh please say it’s true!)

Scheduled for release later this month at a price of ¥5775 /$59 USD, the bank holds just enough to cover its own cost with a little bit to spare. No word on where you might be able to find these stateside, but if you’re willing to read a little Japanese, you can find more info over on the TakaraTomy website.

[via GamOvr]

Featuring such greats as David Hasselhoff, Christopher Plummer and Marjoe Gortner, this 1979 low-budget schlock ripoff on Star Wars’ popularity was originally titled Starcrash, but later got renamed to Female Space Invaders, presumably because video games were starting to take off, or LucasFilm sued them. Either way, all I know is that the movie features boobs, lightsabers, horribly bad acting, terrible special effects, and nary a Space Invader among the bunch. Where do I sign up?

Here’s a quick synopsis from the seller of this obscure DVD: “Former model and Bond girl Caroline Monroe plays Stella Star, an intergalactic smuggler. Along with her partner Akton, she’s on the run from cosmic cops Thor and L (a robotic cowboy with a Texan accent) when they come across the sole survivor of a space battle instigated by the villainous Zarth Arn. Captured by their pursuers, but with the knowledge of Zarth Arn’s dastardly deed, they are brought before the Emperor of the Galaxy (Christopher Plummer), who asks of the four a special task: to find Zarth Arn and destroy him before he can use his super weapon to conquer the galaxy!”

But enough of my yakking. This preview clip from the movie pretty much sums it all up:

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Ok, now if only they changed that opening title from “You are about to be HURLED” to “You are about to HURL”, it might be more accurate. I suppose if you’re looking to do your own little MST3K party and want a REALLY bad flick to throw out non-sequitirs at, this could be the one. You can find a copy of it over on eBay for the low, low starting bid of $4.99.

One of the rarest bits of gadget history you can find, this beautiful specimen of the highly collectible Hewlett-Packard HP01 LED calculator watch is available for auction over on eBay. There’s just over 2 hours left in the auction so if you want to get your geek on, you’d better get your bids in fast!

Graphic designer Marshall Alexander’s cutout characters includes a veritable menagerie fantastical creatures and critters all made from boxy paper cutouts, but his latest series, Foldskool Heroes 3, has got to be my favorite. These fun papercraft creations are anthropomorphic renditions of classic systems of our childhood. Heroes 3 includes the C64, an Atari 2600 and a loving tribute to Nolan Bushnell, Pong.

The best part is that Marshall offers up precise PDF templates for each of his paper toy designs, letting you make your own with those office supplies you stole from work. Head on over to Marshall’s site and print some out now!

[via NOTCOT via theawesomer]

Yep, you read that right. Slime is all grown up and now available in such olefactory delights as “Elegance”, “Hot”, “Relax” and “Love”.

Now I have no idea how Slime could be elegant, and I really, really don’t want to know what Love Slime smells like. And Hot Slime might have been better named Hot Mess.

If for some reason, your curiosity is truly piqued, you can get your hands on a can of the slimy stuff over at the Japan Trend Shop for the low, low price of $19 a can.

The 4-port USB 2.0 hub may look exactly like an old school cassette tape, but I can pretty much assure you that you’ll wreck your tape player if you attempt to pop this thing in and listen to it. I can only imagine the horrific screeching sound that would come out of my speakers when I press play. Of course, assuming that you actually follow the instructions and use it as a proper USB hub, it should be much more benign.

It’ll look really great sandwiched between your old Steve Miller Band, Boston and Foreigner tapes that I’m sure you still have lying next to your Walkman. You can get your hands on the USB cassette tape USB hub at UK gadget shop I Want One of Those for £12.99 (appx. $24 USD).

[via Random Good Stuff]

Emily from Carolina Patchworks is at it again with another one of her pixel-y good video game quilts, this time with those pesky monochrome 8-bit invaders coming in for a landing.

The Space Invaders throw measures in at 48 x 67 inches, making it just big enough to keep your kneecaps cozy and warm while you sit on the couch playing one of your newfangled “next-gen” video games.

Each throw is custom made to order, and retails for $250. You can get your hands on this – or one of her other cool game quilts – over on Etsy. Got a special request for a video game quilt? Just drop her a note, and she’ll get you a quote.

At first glance, I actually thought they looked like South Park’s Eric Cartman dressed up like fat Elvis with a jumbo 1970s ‘fro. But maybe that’s just my mind playing weird tricks on me – after all, I’m writing this on only a couple of hours sleep this week.

Apparently, the squishy disco hair serves as a cover for the speaker drivers. I can’t tell you much more, except that they connect to any MP3 player or computer with a standard 3.5mm mini stereo jack, and they can charge via USB.

At this point, I can’t find anyone who’s retailing these disco citizens yet, but if you’re up for picking up a lot of ‘em wholesale, head on over to 50Fifty Concepts and cut yourself a deal to ship in a gross.

Flickr user j.rusten furniture studio shared the story behind these headphones he made for himself. He says, “I adapted a pair of normal safety earphones for speakers, and added a vintage look. I cut the outside portion of the cups off, replaced with a curved flat sheet of plastic -over which I mounted the grill (from an old record player) and the cork which I sanded to shape. Then I painted the rest of the shell green, and installed some $50 drivers.”

I really like the funky 70s aesthetic of this particular pair, but I especially love the idea that folks could make them to suit their own personal style and color scheme. Although, the likelihood of me successfully sanding down curved cork so I can sport these is basically nil. I’m just impatient like that. Plus, where does one find old record player parts to pillage?

[via Make:]

But what’s in a name, really? Even if you are a stickler for factory-authorized products, these lamps are just too cool to pass up if you’ve got a serious retro-gaming obsession like me.

Space Intruderz are the brainchild of Yensen Páez and Chilean design shop Unison Idea Studio. And while it was difficult to find any details on where to purchase these lamps, a little bird told me they retail for around 23,500 Chilean Pesos (just under $48 bucks each). For more information on ordering, you’ll have to reach out to Unison via e-mail.

[via MoCo Loco]

The display includes a fully-functional Atari 2600, along with a wide assortment of about 50 classic games to keep your mind sharp in between the Cap ‘N Crunch and the Mrs. Paul’s Frozen Fish. I especially dig the retro wallpaper and crappy old color TV which complete the kitschy rec room motif.

Koppa’s Farwell Foods is a great example of why we need little neighborhood grocery stores (I’ve heard their Fulbeli Deli makes a mean sandwich too). If you happen to be in the Milwaukee area, check them out at 1940 N. Farwell Ave.

[photos via Flickr and Play in the City]

An awesome work of baked goodness, everything you see in the picture is edible other than the board that the cake sits on. I can’t get over the details on this cake. From the perfectly black and red joysticks, to the woodgrain icing on the console and the tiny Atari logo, it’s just mind-boggling.

From the looks of it, pastry chef Mendy Pound can bake cakes in just about any design you can imagine, so if you want a tasty PS3, Wii, N64, Sega Genesis, or even a Fairchild Channel F, I’m pretty sure her bakery can handle your request.

I’m guessing that the only game this 2600 could actually play would be Cakewalk.

[via Flickr]

Imagine a world where you can barely make out the difference between the blocky little plumber and his squared off foes. Beavertron Entertainment’s re-imagining of the classic Super Mario Brothers does a pretty good simulating what the 2600 version might have looked like.

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While it’s not perfectly accurate (there’s no way the 2600 could have produced those original NES sounds or the relatively crisp text at the top of the screen), but it’s still fun to watch.

Next up, Bioshock on the VIC-20.

Designed by Stuart Witts, the shirts feature big, bold, blocky images of either a pair of black and white race cars or a bright green soccer player. While they’re not based directly on any specific retro games, they really take me back to the mood and style of the classic gaming era.

You can find these and other cool shirts from Witts over on Bountee for the rather odd price of $21.24 each.

[via Level Select]