Awesome Games

The OLED version of Samsung’s wraparound 49″ display takes gaming to the next level. With deep blacks and vibrant colors, this 32:9 ultrawide screen immerses you in the action. It’s got a 240Hz refresh rate, 0.03ms response time, and is compatible with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro for smooth panning. It also has built-in smart TV apps for streaming content.

Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws is an open-world game that puts you in the role of Kay Vess, a mischievous young woman attempting to start a new life against the backdrop of Imperial rule. Taking place between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, she and her companion Nix must elude the Empire and contend with galactic crime syndicates.

The steampunk world of Clockwork Revolution bears more than a passing resemblance to BioShock: Infinite, but it’s the start of a new game franchise. The first-person RPG has you traveling through time to witness key moments in the history of Avalon, and your decisions and actions can have profound effects on the city’s future.

The first officially-licensed Xbox wireless arcade controller looks like a winner. It has ten arcade-quality buttons and a joystick and is fully programmable. Plus 8BitDo supports modding by using standard button sizes and a Sanwa mounting plate. Compatible with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows 10/11. Pre-orders start shipping on 6.30.2023.

Originally known as Setris, the puzzle game Sandtrix is a unique Tetris variant where the blocks are made out of sand, so they crumble on impact. It adds a new dimension to the classic puzzler and is surprisingly fun to play. There’s a web version, or you can download it for Windows or Linux on Itch.io.

Musician Davidlap has become quite the expert at replicating various sounds on his electric guitar. In this video, he does a mighty fine job reproducing sound effects from the Mushroom Kindom, from the satisfying coin collection “ding” to the urgency-instilling “hurry up” music that kicks in when you get a star power-up.

While you could buy a playable Pac-Man game for less money, the official LEGO version gives you the joy of assembling one yourself. The 2651-piece kit features a mechanical playfield and scoreboard, spinning Pac-Man and ghost characters on its top, and a light-up coin slot.

Do you need a break from your regular music playlists? Then open up this video, hit play, and drop it into a background tab. Jorf assembled this epic 10-hour and 53-minute mix of 227 tracks programmed by various chiptune musicians and played with the classic 8-bit sounds of the Nintendo Entertainment System.

Ed from Fifty Percent Awesome wanted an arcade cabinet but didn’t have space for one. Instead, he built an arcade system inside of a custom coffee table. Under its lid, it has a 4-player controller, a de-cased LG TV, speakers, and a Raspberry Pi 400 for emulating games. It runs on AC power or Ryobi 18V power tool batteries. It all comes together in part two.

(PG-13) Jack Black never plays video games anymore… except for all of them. That’s what we gleaned from this Tenacious D track and its animated music video by Oneyplays’  Chris “Oney” O’Neill and Adam Paloian. By the end, you’ll be rooting for Kyle Gass to exact his revenge. And here we thought they were friends til the end.

This small, programmable computer keyboard connects via USB or Bluetooth and provides nine mechanical keys and three knobs for controlling games and productivity applications. It’s available in a plain version and one with RGB accent lighting for about the same price. Note, the programming software is for Windows only.

Tactile Turn’s limited-run Spring 2023 pen features a design inspired by classic 8-bit game consoles, specifically the NES. The titanium pen has a two-tone Cerakote finish in grey and black with a textured orange pocket clip and a red “Reset” button to retract its ink cartridge. Available in Standard (5.8″), Short (5.3″), and Mini (4.6″).

The Gran Turismo franchise hits the big screen with a true story about a gamer who got so good at the racing sim that he became a pro race car driver. Director Neill Blomkamp (District 9) brings his VFX prowess along with stars David Harbour, Orlando Bloom, Archie Madekwe, and Djimon Hounsou. In theaters 8.2023.

Arcade cabinets are usually made from plywood or particle board. For his entry into DainerMade’s Pallet Challenge, Wooden It Be Grand decided to make an arcade machine. He built its panels by gluing the wood planks side by side, then planed and sanded them even. It’s one of the coolest arcade machines we’ve seen.

This upcoming sim from the creator of the surprisingly fun Gas Station Simulator lets players renovate, upgrade, and operate a roadside diner. Once you open your doors, watch customers and staff interact, and do your best to turn a profit. Hungry for a cup of coffee and a slice of apple pie? Add it to your Steam wishlist now.

Mario is everywhere these days. Now help the plumber and his brother Luigi warp their way from the Mushroom Kingdom to your desktop with one of these ceramic warp pipes from Paladone. They’re perfect for holding pens and pencils, cacti, and especially piranha plants.

The 8-bit NES offered family-friendly games like Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda. But in the hands of Aussie builder Electrosync, the console is now a killer robot. After ripping out the console’s innards, he installed a remote-controlled drivetrain and a spinning sawblade to take down other beetleweight combat robots.

NCSOFT’s upcoming action-adventure game Project M is based on the idea that the universe is a simulation and that every particle is data that can be manipulated by your decisions and actions. The trailer’s intro is performed by an AI-generated version of NCSOFT strategy boss Songyee Yoon, complete with a deepfaked voice.

The Nintendo Gamecube hasn’t been produced since 2007, but it still can play some pretty great games. Maker and modder Peter Knetter took it upon himself to design and build a LEGO Gamecube. After sifting through a sea of blue building blocks, he filled the case with the console’s guts and built a matching LEGO controller.

We’ve heard Radiohead’s In Rainbows played with the sounds of Super Mario 64. Now enjoy another classic alternative album played in Nintendo style. Something is Real put together this epic remake of Nirvana’s Nevermind using the 64-bit game console’s sounds. The chiptune version of In Bloom is something special.

(PG-13: Gore) As crime in Detroit reaches a new high, you are the solution – at least Omni Consumer Products thinks so. OG RoboCop Peter Weller returns to voice the man-machine hybrid in this FPS splatter-fest with a hint of detective work. Coming to PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 9.2023.

Arcade machines are lots of fun, but they aren’t typically living room friendly. Bob from I Like to Make Stuff shows off a piece of furniture that combines a storage unit with a Raspberry Pi arcade, and four sets of arcade controls in a hidden, slide-out shelf. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can buy the plans to build your own.

Classic arcade machines have a big cabinet necessitated by a CRT monitor and multiple circuit boards. Jody Del Bianco’s Plycade embraces modern tech like a flat screen and a compact PC and sets them into a 28mm-thick plywood cabinet for a small footprint and a light, airy design. A wall-mounted version is also in the works.