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Retro Gamer is the deal. Their last issue of 2024 is on stands in the US (Barnes & Noble) now and has Tekken on the cover. It’s always the one I buy off the newsstand now that I have a digital subscription because it has the 2025 calendar! I’ll post a pic when I’m in the office again.
Anyone who loves retro gaming should always be reading Retro Gamer monthly.
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ooo where are those coasters from? and is the calendar any good?
and yeah, i subscribed to retro gamer for years, running lower on magazine space these days but happy for the ones i’ve got! learned a lot about uh, amiga and the EU PC scene in the day
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If you have a tablet, switch to their digital subscription if you’re out of space. It’s a really nice app. You can even click on a story and go right to that page.
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I got the 8bitdo Neogeo CD wireless controller a while ago, despite not having anything that could use it. It uses some newer bluetooth stuff so didn’t work with Switch or 8bitdo adapters. But I’m keen for any KOF97 merch anyway!
But Blueretro added support for it at some point! A cheap Saturn blueretro adapter later and now I can play KOF 97 with a KOF 97 pad! With the nice CD soundtrack and also using Saroo with minimal load times now.
…aaand I don’t like it much lol, I prefer the Saturn pad. Weird because I love the similar stick on Neo Geo Pocket, it’s just not as good as the Saturn dpad at this size.
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Not coasters, if you’re referring to the picture below the calendar, those are actually the separate months of the calendar (a My Nintendo item which they have every year as a “free” reward for accruing platinum points not including shipping cost). They sit stacked up together on a little stand, here’s what it looks like below. It’s all paper and nothing fancy but is definitely a nice little item to have in my home office space.
Had a $5 Best Buy certificate that was about to expire and decided to use it on this:
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No new PCB today 
But I did get a new arcade game in the form of a NeoGeo MVS Cartridge. It’s Fullsets’ Project Neon, a shooter long in development, and boy did the team deliver. Been having a blast with it.
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Got a bunch of Switch games recently, I always wanted to play Lunar, finally getting through it.
My budget is tight right now, between jobs with two kids. But some random small purchases bring have made me happy.
The beautiful vintage point and click film camera - I was watching Dirty Pair and it had ads on neon billboards in the future, and a bit like Blade Runner some are for defunct or merged companies, like Konica. Which sent me down the rabbit hole looking for the most 80s looking thing to match!
Also grabbed this little Casio which has a cartridge feature to plug in various music pieces.
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Nice. I used to have one of those keyboards. Only ever had the 1 ROM cart for it though.
Years ago I sold my white New 3DS when I got a black one, and regretted it. Finally found another in perfect condition, never letting either go again!
Please forgive the grotty house, two little boys mean I now live in filth lol.
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Finally had a chance to take pix of some recent pickups from Japan.
First we have PlayStation…
Nothing pricey here. Most either more expensive in the States or just weren’t available here. Have wanted to try Hermie Hopperhead since I saw it in Diehard Gamefan eons ago. 1995? Probably!
Sega to finish it out…
Now here I spent some dollars. Zero Gunner 2… wanted this version since release. Gungriffon II… sure I’ll have some more mechs on skates! They all kinda speak for themselves. Cheaper in the JPN release or never came out in the US. Very happy to add more cool stuff!
I’m also still arranging my stuff on the wall. Don’t like to advertise everything I have much but, here’s a look at about 70% of my collection. A lot of stuff is on shelves in the finished basement too ready to go down there and portable is mostly in boxes.
Still working on labeling and need more Retro Protection covers.
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Some nice solid buys you have right there. Nothing ultra rare or very expensive but that’s the point. There’s still plenty of great games to be had for a reasonable price 
EDIT: Just looked at some of those Saturn and DC prices. Holly crap, those game have shot up in price or just have tourist tax applied 
Still, at least you got some very nice game and a chance to visit Japan
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I didn’t actually visit Japan! Sorry if you got that impression. I simply ordered online like any other US-based schlub would do, and did so before the new fees kick in for small dollar purchases because we are governed by idiots.
Those games came from Suruga-ya, who I think have a few more stores on the ground now and don’t just sell online? The prices I got, compared to Price Charting, were actually really good, and because I ordered more than $200 US, I got 20% off of that AND free shipping. It was quite a deal.
Saturn and Dreamcast games have definitely gone up or at least stayed put at their long time high pricing. Games on those systems are just plain rare. We loved it, but most people skipped it. I’m often amazed at the high prices on Nintendo and Sony stuff knowing that the production was so much greater for those systems on the “hit” titles and even a niche title probably got a lot more copies made than most Dreamcast/Saturn niche games.
Anyway, yeah, I didn’t break the bank and got some actual good deals.
As for Japan, my son is there. He’s at Naval Base Yokosuka. I hope to visit him at some point next year.
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Ah, that explains the prices. We have one of those stores near where I work. I did a video in it once.
Still, good to hear about the discount and you could get the parcel over before fart pants new taxs hit.
I wonder how your son is liking Japan? Does he get much time away from the base? There’s a navy base in Iwakuni (Yamaguchi Prefecture) that I’ve been to a few times. I found it amazing how it’s like stepping in to a US town complete with American street signs and stores 
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I remember your video with Suruga-ya! As a guy who orders from them somewhat often it was awesome of you to put that up! I have compared their prices to ebay and the like, which for foreigners who love shooters/fighting games/old shit is probably the easiest and best option before them, and they really do stand out on pricing.
Here’s an idea for you, go back to your local Suruga-ya with the prices you see on my stuff and see if they’re priced the same in store? That would be a useful and very interesting video! I can probably give you pricing on about thirty games I bought this year alone from them. lol! LMK if you want to give that a try.
As for my son, he has an apartment not far from the base. He seems to really enjoy living there! It was his choice. When you enlist, they ask for your first, second, third, etc options and he listed Japan number one. I’m pretty sure that was because of growing up with me as his Dad and being super into Japanese video games and very interested in Japanese culture. Kinda rubbed off on him.
That said, he was at sea for a good three months with stops in Guam and the Philippines this summer. He finally has a month at “home” before heading to sea again. And as you say, the base is like a mini USA! I did a facetime with him in his apartment and even that is somewhat “Americanized” compared to what I see in Japanese apartment videos from around Tokyo, etc. It’s very interesting how the two cultures come together near the bases.
He did get to go to Comic-Con Japan last year. Sent me some photos from there too. Looked like a great time.
As I said though, I want to come visit. I’ll be sure to let you know if I’m in country and anywhere near you. IIRC, you’re in the south of Japan?
I’d love to go back to Suruga-ya but I just don’t have the time. It’s only about 10 minutes walk from where I work but life is so tight. I finish work, I need to get home ASAP to do other stuff. Only on a Friday night do I not go home, but then it’s right out to meet the friends.
Yeah, having a full-time job in Japan is a busy life. English teachers really don’t know how lucky they are in terms of free time.
Good to hear your son is enjoying his life in Japan and got to visit Comic-con. I bet that was great! Just imagine all the “true” cosplay.
You’re right about me living in the south. I’m actually at the very bottom of Honshu but after that is Kyushu. That’s where the pretty large Suruga-ya is and Mandrake as well. Oh and a Gamest
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