Play History

Someone go clean that gravestone!

A full-page from Automatic Age magazine, January, 1934, with an op-ed from Babe Kaufman entitled "From A Woman's View Point" where she briefly describes her time in the coin-op biz.

In an industry absolutely dominated by men, to a degree north of 99%, Babe Kaufman consistently prospered, expanded, and leveraged her personality.

A full-page ad from Billboard Magazine, September, 16, 1933, with Babe Kaufman's picture in the center with the headline "America's Only Woman Jobber from Coast to Coast" with lots of marketing text around.

Cap off International Women’s Day with this thread and tribute to an early pinball legend.

Meet Babe Kaufman — America’s Only Woman Jobber!

Just like the @ourlostarcade.bsky.social podcast I'm totally not intending to do...

What if the Apple ][ had run on Field-Sequential? One thing I remain fascinated by is the field-sequential color system. Essentially, unlike composite video, which sacrifices color depth in space, field sequ...

New blog post! A what-if scenario where we try to see how a home computer designer might've dealt with the field-sequential color television, had the Korean War not stopped that standards' rollout. Enjoy! nicole.express/2026/the-app...

What Is the First Nintendo Crossover? — Thrilling Tales of Old Video Games The search for the first instance of one Nintendo product referencing another.

Revel in Nintendo nostalgia as I attempt to track down the first instance of Nintendo crossing over one franchise with another.

Some of this is a little mutable but I think says a good deal about me.

Episode 151: Games Preservation at MIT Museum | Video Game History Foundation From vacuum tubes to virtual worlds, Dr. Flori Pierri, Associate Curator of Science and Technology at the MIT Museum, joins us to explore their unexpected journey into the world of video game preserva...

This week on the Video Game History Hour: We're joined by @flori-p.bsky.social, Associate Curator of Science and Technology at the MIT Museum!

Dr. Pierri trained as a natural history curator. So how did they end up working in game preservation? At MIT? The story of their career will surprise you!

A Spook Gun cabinet by Bally Mfg. https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/10__Bally_Mfg__Co__Spook_Gun_Arcade_Shooter__-LOT460613.aspx

Flyer for Bally's Spook Gun from 1958.

An unrestored Spook Gun cabinet. https://www.liveauctioneers.com/price-result/1950s-bally-spook-gun-coin-operated-rifle-gallery/

They say it's the season for scary games. What better time to play Spook Gun by Bally?

A Dale Gun-style game advertised for its "junior" quality, the novelty of sniping the undead has never really gotten old.

This interview comes from Gamer Handbook which I scanned last year! Be sure to check it out, I was quite chuffed to come across it

archive.org/details/Game...

The '90s Lobo fighting game got censored because of... Tupac? It never got the attention of Mortal Kombat or Night Trap, but Ocean's Lobo fighter was saddled with a similar form of censorship.

New story up on what happened to Ocean Software's Lobo fighting game, with a bunch of never-before-seen renders made for the game.

Many of them are webringed to each other, but no I don't think there's a comprehensive list.

I do think there are some which aren't as inciteful as others and therefore don't really serve the purpose of proper context.

Misadventure 5 (1982) This is a continuation of the story of Bob Krotts, which I wrote about here, so you should read that post before you read this one. Krotts ran a “Softcore Software Company” which publis…

Bob Krotts wrote a series of "naughty" games for TRS-80; I had trouble getting number 5 to work, but I have now unveiled the mystery, which involves many deathtraps and a strange application of pants.

bluerenga.blog/2026/03/02/m...

YouTube video by They Create Worlds Podcast TCW 253 - Masanobu Endō

From “Dig Dug” tactics to “Xevious” secrets and “The Tower of Druaga” that helped shape Zelda, Masanobu Endō pioneered concepts that still resonate in games today, from hidden secrets to layering story into gameplay. www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmKv... #MasanobuEndo #Xevious #TowerOfDruaga

Stage Clear: Winter 2025/26 Happy new year! With record delay, here's the roundup of what I've been up to in December, January and February.

the monthly update for February. and January. and, uh, December.

hey, at least I got the post up on the last day of the month for once.

savestate.site/stage-clear-...

The @intelligentspeech.bsky.social conference begins imminently!

Thanks to all who have shown support for independent podcasting scene. You can still get a ticket that will allow you to view the VODs at a later date!

Super interesting guy - I've been meaning to write an article about his wild career.

Tomorrow, I'll be giving a talk at Intelligent Speech at 4:20pm about the San Diego arcade rivalry of Sega/Gremlin and Cinematronics!

intelligentspeechonline.com

All based on research for my upcoming book - I hope to see some of y'all there!

It’s our 9th birthday and our 150th episode all at once; let’s party! In our latest VGHH podcast host and VGHF Director Frank Cifaldi is joined by two founding board members Simon Carless and Steve Lin.: https://gamehistory.org/episode-150-vghf-founding-retrospective/

Oh yeah - we're live.

www.twitch.tv/play_history

Our never-ending torment peppered with 70s music trivia continues. Oh yeah and that Star Wars thing happens.

Be not afeared - join us.

But don't those run off of Texas Instrument integrated circuits? Why would the Odyssey 100 be classed as analog where Pong and the GI system are digital - if that's your argument?

You argue that it's analog? Every analysis that I've seen determines that DTL constitutes digital underlying it.

Its labeling as "analog" was initially a legal tactic as a defense in the lawsuits by Magnavox and Sanders.

We're in the final days to get your ticket for @intelligentspeech.bsky.social where I'll be moderating and presenting on Saturday!

intelligentspeechonline.com/speakers/

Check the schedule and get a ticket (promo code: PLAY)! The ticket also gives you access to VODs if you can't make it.

Tomorrow at 7PM CST, @quarterpast.bsky.social and I will be resuming our Arcade Dating - putting all the arcade games of the 1970s and 1980s in chronological order.

www.twitch.tv/play_history

This is the year of the Shoog-A-Loos. If you understand that joke, you are REQUIRED to come.

A Popmaticorn vending machine from 1938. https://www.pinrepair.com/arcade/corn.htm

1938-07-02 The Billboard pg 74. Two men stand beside a Popcornmatic machine outside of a drug store.

Getyer popcorn here!

Popmatic Mfg Co. was one of the premiere popcorn makers in the 1930s.

This model, Popmaticorn, is a beautiful example of vending machines from whence came the classic Coke dispenser.

We're in the final days to get your ticket for @intelligentspeech.bsky.social where I'll be moderating and presenting on Saturday!

intelligentspeechonline.com/speakers/

Check the schedule and get a ticket (promo code: PLAY)! The ticket also gives you access to VODs if you can't make it.

Colorful characters abound in the field! Having had a chance to speak with many of them, they often as loud as their tailored suits.

Flyer front for Flying Circus, available from Phonographic Ruffler & Walker. https://www.pinrepair.com/arcade/flycirc.htm

Flying Circus cabinet, manufactured by Alca. https://www.pinrepair.com/arcade/flycirc.htm

Flyer back of Flying Circus by Alca Electronics. https://www.pinrepair.com/arcade/flycirc.htm

IT'S MONTY PYTH- Oh, wait... Ahem: Ruffler & Walker's FLYING CIRCUS on the scene.

A curious electro-mechanical model game with a unique acrobatic theme.

This week on The Digital Antiquarian: Gabriel Knight 3 www.filfre.net/2026/02/gabr...