Hey folks! It's been awhile since I posted a blog on GameSpot. Things have been busy with business and I really haven't had time to post any updates. The script for my game review on 'Ghosts And Goblins' (NES/SNES) is complete, and I've had to wait to find a proper camera to record the footage.

In the mean time, I have made some purchases to improve the quality of my room.

I bought a display case to store my games: (Boxed games not shown)

Slimcase PS3 (160 GB HDD)

Mini refrigerator for personal fuel:

Will keep you updated about the game review, it IS coming, I promise.

After thinking about it for a bit, I've decided to do a game review on Gamespot. I will stick to the games I know: the retro era games.

I should have it released by mid-May. It will be a game series, the Ghosts N Goblins/Ghouls N Ghosts series, with an empahsis on the NES/SNES ports.

It will not be an Irate/AVGN/Pat The NES Punk clone review. It will be a little bit different, hopefully informative, fun and humorous all at the same time. Now, though I said that it won't be AVGN or Irate, but there will be a certain element of frustration noticeable in this video, for obvious reasons; considering this series is one of the most difficult video games ever made. There will be a gratuitious montage sequence, of me trying to beat the game, ending in hilarity.

It will take some time, getting the right camera, figuring out how to record game footage, making an intro theme (yeah), even coming up with a script to have everything organized and be able to present the games in an organized manner. I like improv, I'm simply not good enough to do it that way.

Feel free to comment, and I'm very excited about this project. :)

Hello, people that happen to read this. :)

Well, after a steady diet and avoiding any and all fast food resturants, I saved enough money for a 2008 CFMOTO 250cc motorcycle, paid in cash at my pawn shop. I've always wanted a motorcycle. Now, I have to go to school to get my certification in Florida, which is happening next month. In the meantime, I'll change the fluids, fix any scratches, buy my helmet and get ready to ride!

I'm so psyched! XD

Hello there! I have a couple of Nintendo Entertainment Systems lying around (in preparation to open my online gaming retroware shop). I had one in particular that was worn out, scratched up and barely worked. Normally, I don't do custom work on NES, because there won't be anymore of these made. But, considering the condition of the NES, I decided that I would attempt a renovation, with custom paint, bypassing the NTSC lockout chip, and doing some internal readjusting to increase the quality of the system itself.

So, the first thing I did, was take the system completely apart. I even made sure to remove the power wires, buttons, controler ports, etc, to where I just had the bare casing. I took 600-grit sandpaper and smoothed down the surface. Then, I took some plasic-grade primer and covered both the top half and bottom half with it.

I painted the top red, and the bottom white.

While the paint was drying, I went ahead and looked at the guts of the system. I took the 72 pin connector off, and manually readjusted the contact pins with a screwdriver, and for good measure, cleaned them.

I also, (using an online self-help blog), found out how to bypass the NES lockout chip. The NES10 lockout chip is the main reason why you'll get a blinking red light. So, with a little luck, I managed to get it. All you do is cut/remove the fourth pin closest to the cartridge connector, as shown here. You can use a needlenose plier, a knife, or a tiny screwdriver to this effect.

Also, I took a piece of steel wool, and scrubbed the metal cage that houses the guts of the NES, and for good measure, sprayed some grey anti-rust paint on them.

Finally, the paint dried. I put it all back together.

The bottom turned out fine, but as you can see, the top front has some tiny splotches, due to dust in the air. However, the 'guts' modfication I did worked perfectly. No more blinking red light, and most games don't need to be reloaded more than three times.

A couple of future improments:

Resand & repaint top

Component OUT

Stereo Mod

Ironically, when I showed it to a friend, he said it reminded him of a Pokeball. I didn't notice it until he told me! :D

More to come.

Some people are the most creative in the late hours of the night. Where I am, it's 1:00 am in the morning. I have to get up at seven, but it's no big deal. It is one of those situations where you mind doesn't want to go to sleep. So, I figured on doing a blog.

Now, what about?

Well, as I noted in my NES Tech article in the retro forums, I replaced the connector in my NES Side Loader. It works great, and I play games now with more ease. Sometimes still it doesn't want to load, but that's because of the lockout chip freaking out, not the connectors. When I get my NES toploader (which will be here in a couple of days), it does NOT have the lockout chip, nor some crazy spring loaded casing, so I'll be able to play my games as easily as anyone.

I also have recieved copies of NES cartridges via Ebay.

Some of the highlights are:

Contra/Super C
Castlevania II - Simon's Quest
Zelda

And, some new games arrived at the pawn shop, where I work.

Some of the highlights from the pawn shop are:

Pilotwings
Super Mario RPG (Already have a copy, but $3 you can't go wrong.)
The Duel: Test Drive 2 (A personal favorite of mine)

Anyway...

Also, I mentioned I'm going to college. What I didn't mention is how expensive higher learning is. Just recently, I had the college counselor tell me if my tuition didn't get paid on time, they would bring a bunch of strong-arm guys to come in and break my legs!

...Just kidding. But it is freaking expensive. Books are crazy as well. I cheat here.. instead of buying them from the bookstore, I simply buy them online.

The Christmas season is upon us. I think Christmas is one of those things, as you get older, is something that you aren't as eager for to happen. One of the reasons for this I think is...instead of being the kid getting the free presents...You are the adult getting the free presents for the kids! All the while your presents that you are so excited about are a pack of tube socks (I keep losing mine, and I'm ecstatic when I get more.)

I really don't mind Christmas, but I do believe the meaning of it is lost to some. Oh, well, such is the way with the cynicism of age.

Anyhow, that's all for now.

Stay C-l-a-s-s-y, stay retro.

Hello world. Trying this blog thing out. Believe it or not, I used to keep a journal when I was a kid. Thought I would give this a try and see what happens.

First of all, my real name is Tommy. I currently work as a full time pawn broker and a part-time college student. I am a former EMT, but due to the economy, got laid off.

I've been playing video games for over twenty years. I started out with an NES, but was also into the Arcades, which was a big thing back then.

Currently, I'm collecting legacy/retro console and games as part of a hobby.

This week, I decided to try out the Nintendo Light Zapper. Unfortunately, light guns don't work on new plasma/lcd TV's. You have to use a tube TV, which I have. I have both the classic gray/silver and safety cone orange. So, I decided to play Super Mario Bros/Duck Hunt. I played the Clay Pigeon Shooting mode. So, on I went. *poof* *poof* Doing pretty good... All of a sudden... The game freaks out, changes colors. Now... I'm in Single Duck Hunt mode, in Level 1. And it's all glitched up... Normally, this calls for the standard reset button... but... I'm too lazy to get up and do it. So I started playing it. It still works! In this version, you can see them fairly well, but they look like.. well they don't look like anything but different. Your dog is mutated into something unrecognizable. All that is understandable is the score screen, which is all I need.

Incidentally, I put a picture up of it in my pictures, if anyone is interested.

After about 20 minutes worth of this. I said 'Screw It', got up and put in a copy of Hogan's Alley, imo the best Zapper game NES has. Ah, the joys of the Trick Shooting game, where you have to hit flying cans into chutes perfectly.

Anyway, that's enough for now. Will post something better and more interesting later.

Stay classy, stay retro.

-TerragonSix