On September 30 , I spend a geektastic day at thePortland Retro Gaming Expo . I arrived ahead of time and got a look at many booths before they spread ( later , they would be swarmed by thousands of meeter ) . For much of the day I was one of several referees for theClassic Tetris World Championship . The whole day was a joy – a convention lobby satiate with classic game , from Atari to Zelda , with pinball in between . And , this being a Portland event , there were game - themed crafts everywhere . The exhibition organizers summarized the weekend like so :
I just want to emphasize that this consequence had a " Mega - cade " and it was , indeed , mega . I bring my tv camera and captured some picture from the upshot – some before the action began , some in the midst of it . Have a look , and clack on any photo to enlarge :
Oregon Trail, 2012
This actually happened . In 2012 . I have hope for future generation . ( To the side of the mega - cade was a big area with various definitive computers and game systems set up for free play . )
Atari 2600 - Combat
This also hap , in a little time - warp area in the back of the hall . In the closeup you could see that the game isCombat . prompt you of your childhood much ?
Scenes from the Mega-cade
The Mega - cade was candidly more mega than these photos convey . row of pinball machines , standup colonnade games , co - op games , and lots of driving secret plan – all in freeplay fashion ! – made for a geeky paradise . I kept returning to the update X - Men co - op game , both because it was popular , but also because I had burn 60 minutes ( and many clam ) on that game in years past .
I was peculiarly flurry by this " Granny and the Gators " game . Click to enlarge , trust me . ( The second photograph is a item of the play area . )
Here ’s the X - Men game . observe that in this modified version , rather of two CRT screens , it has one prominent ( and quite nice ) LCD .
The family that act as X - Men together … stays together .
It ’s severe to see here , but this is a parent teach a child to play theEmpire Strikes Backgame . This kid ’s gon na grow up right .
Games, Games, Games
There were thousands of game magazine ( and some floppy / CD game ) on display , plus some other neat memorabilia . Here ’s a face at part of what you missed .
NES Tetris : " From Russia With Fun . "
I foot up some excellent Tetris fridge attraction from this vendor :
Hey , look – modern Atari 2600 games !
In caseful of emergency :
This booth was helping an autism charity . There were crowds around it later in the day ( this was taken before the doors opened ) .
Retro Systems
set of retro plot systems were pose up on the show floor – you could play most of them , and many were also for sales event .
Guess what cost $ 200 these Clarence Day :
The Power Glove : it ’s so bad . ( And it ’s $ 249.99 . )
Check out the price shred on this :
R.O.B. cost less on his own , out of the boxwood :
My forefather had a system much like this one . Portable !
Note: We almost never do this, but 72 images—that’s a lot of images. So we’re splitting this into two pages.
Note the game pucks on top :
This Vectrex has a steering steering wheel !
I was burn out away to see a real live Computer Space console . If you do n’t know what that is , read your history .
Classic Tetris World Championship 2012
The Classic Tetris World Championship start three years ago ; its birth is documented in the filmEcstasy of lodge : The Tetris Masters . This year , as I peer review , I caught a few poignant second .
player practice just before the 32 - actor bracket head - to - head match began .
Matt Buco ( go forth ) crown out in his all important 2d game , leaving the game in his opposition ’s hands . ( I featured Buco’sTetris max - outin January . ) At this moment the bunch cried " Buco ! " in unbelief . Ben Mullen ( right , crouching ) , another Tetris sea captain , watches in concern . At the far rightfulness , Tetris captain Dana Wilcox look on . In the next round , Buco , Mullen , and Wilcox were all eliminated . ( I refereed the Mullen and Wilcox match . )
Ben Mullen watch as Buco ’s score is beaten , removing Buco from gambling . Let me be clear : Mullen was Buco ’s competition , but he was not happy to see this happen . Update , Sunday , Oct 7 : Breaking news show update – Mullenmaxed out NES Tetrisone week after this photo was taken . Good job , Ben !
Trey Harrison was overcome much like Buco . In this scene , he has already unplugged his controller , recognize his top - out mark will be beaten . Seconds later he was eliminated .
The final rounds of the tournament were a bit fancier . You may recognize the apparatus fromEcstasy of Order ; this is the quad - instrument panel Tetris screen as actor vie . you may also see my phone live - pour the legal action .
Here ’s a closeup of the first - place trophy ( there was also a cash prize ) . This thing is a fingerprint attracter .
And here ’s Jonas Neubauer holding his trophy aloft as the fog machines kicked in .
That’s All
You really need to go to thePortland Retro Gaming Exponext year . I ’ll be there , and taking scene . Come dead X - Men with me , o.k. ?
