Hello and I hope everyone is having a good 2009 so far!  For me, I'd settle for warm. 

The early part of this year has been exciting for Specialty Gamer as T-shirts finally became available for sale.  What better way to show your support than with a very stylish screen printed T?  The T's are lovingly modeled by Video Game Girl and Video Game Guy and only cost 10!!  Check out Video Game Guy and Video Game Girl showing off the goods at http://www.specialtygamer.com/shirt/

Also, with a new year comes a new 2009 calendar (ahem, featuring original artwork designed by myself) following in the tradition started way back in 2008.  For anyone who I have your address on file, its been sent out.  Some people got theirs in January, some of you I may have just sent it recently.  Hey, I can't afford a mail staff so I'm stuffing envelopes in myself - and boy is that not fun, so I do it in batches!

2 New Interviews in Features

Its nice to see some exclusive content being posted lately that you can only read on Specialty Gamer.  I am talking about the 2 interviews by our own John and Dante.

John does a Q&A with Brandon Cobb, founder and president of Super Fighter Team - the publishing and development team responsible for Legend of Wukong, recently released in December, 2008 for the Sega Genesis.  Super Fighter Team also released Beggar Prince previously, Super Fighter Block Battle for cell phone, and is working currently on Zaku, a 100% built from scratch shooter for the Atari Lynx.  How cool is that?  http://www.specialtygamer.com/features/interviews/brandon-cobb-super-fighter-team/

Dante does his Q&A with Brian Ashcraft, author of the book Arcade Mania!, a profile on the history of Japanese arcades.  Brian is also a journalist for outlets such as Kotaku, and contributing editor for Wired.  http://www.specialtygamer.com/features/interviews/an-interview-with-brian-ashcra/

Specialty Gamer will be at this year's NWCGE !

Another development to look forward to in 2009 is the announcement that Specialty Gamer will be a vendor at this year's NWCGE in Portland in September.  That's still a ways away, but we're working on getting some cool promotions to coincide with the event.  I might see if I can figure out some kind of cool show only trinket to give just to the Newsletter subscribers that come by and say hi at our table.  Anyways, more updates about the show as it gets closer - don't worry, you'll be kept informed.

In addition to that, we will have game goods for sale.  A good mix of expensive collector stuff, budget everyday stuff, and random parts that people tend to look for to help complete their sets.  So why not pencil it into your calendar? 

For more details visit the NWCGE or Retro Gaming Expo websites.

http://www.nwcge.org

http://www.retrogamingexpo.com

Latest Feature Articles

Q&A w/ Brandon Cobb of Super Fighter Team

  Written by John Hancock on January 29, 2009 | Comments (1)

It was my honor to be able to interview Super Fighter Team founder Brandon Cobb.  He was gracious enough to discuss me some of their previous, current, and upcoming video game projects for the Sega Genesis and Lynx.   Super Fighter... Click to read full story.

F.E.A.R. 2 Demo Review: The Creators Still Haven't Learned That Typing Out Acronyms Sucks

  Written by Dant Rambeaux on January 28, 2009 | Comments (0)

    The Fear series is one of the last few horror games in existence. I hesitate to call it “survival horror” because the player has more than enough firepower to fend off enemies, and the controls are much too good.... Click to read full story.

Games in 2009

  Written by Dant Rambeaux on January 25, 2009 | Comments (3)

The post-holiday gaming drought is in full effect, with big-named titles growing few and far in the coming months. Resident Evil 5 and Street Fighter IV are on their way, but for the most part gamers are left working their... Click to read full story.

An Interview With Brian Ashcraft

  Written by Dant Rambeaux on January 23, 2009 | Comments (0)

Brian Ashcraft is a journalist and published author who lives in Osaka, Japan. He writes frequently for Kotaku.com and is a contributing editor to Wired Magazine. To many, he leads one of the most enviable lives imaginable. Even so, he... Click to read full story.

Curious Gaming: Kolibri Edition

  Written by Dant Rambeaux on January 11, 2009 | Comments (3)

Let’s face it. Air-based shooters, in terms of controls, have reached a creative impasse.  The game play was destined to be limited, but there are plenty of ways to build around that to still create a unique experience. Some games... Click to read full story.

Retro Game Challenge - a trip back to the 80's coming to the DS

  Written by Brian Moy on January 7, 2009 | Comments (5)

Retro Game Challenge is a game coming soon for Nintendo DS that I've been following.  Its already out in Japan, but said to be out February this year.   It sounds like the kind of game that someone would think... Click to read full story.

The Silent Hill Experience

  Written by Dant Rambeaux on January 5, 2009 | Comments (1)

  In the midst of my jobhunting, registering for classes, and catching up with old friends, I finally found some time to spend with The Silent Hill Experience. I’m a big fan of crafting a suitable environment for the... Click to read full story.

Home: Where the Heart is or a Narrow Miss?

  Written by Dant Rambeaux on December 20, 2008 | Comments (2)

The first thing you will notice about the virtual world of Home is that it looks wonderful. While it’s lacking a variety of areas at the moment, growth is quickly on the way as more companies and developers begin... Click to read full story.