Classic Game Fest 2024 - Report!

 

Classic Game Festwas an unforgettable event, filled with memorable moments and excitinginteractions. Among the notable guests were Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell,Keystone Kapers creator Garry Kitchen, and David Crane, the legendary creatorof Pitfall! Their presence added a ton of nostalgia and prestige to thefestival, helping attract a bunch of old-school gamers. Speaking of, Old School Gamer Magazine was set up near me, and it’s always great catching up withpublisher Ryan Burger. During the event, Isold quite a few books, which is always nice, and I met some new readers whoshared my passion for video games. Additionally, I caught up with friends,including the talented video game artist Kale Menges, who has contributedentries to my Omnibus and 100 Greatest books, and David Kaelin, who runsClassic Game Fest, as well as the Game Over Videogames retail chain.

One of thehighlights was spending quality time with my son, Ryan. We had fun running ourbooth, and we had a great trip to and from Austin. We also enjoyed a deliciousmeal at Hopdoddy Burger Bar with my niece Cara and her family. It was great tomeet their adorable new dog, Moonie, and see what their kids have been upto—they are adorable! The vendors roomat Classic Game Fest was essentially a museum but with everything for sale. I recorded a walkthrough, capturing the incredible variety of Sega Genesis, SegaCD, Dreamcast, and Saturn games on display, including many rare titles. I evenpicked up a new NES homebrew, a fantastic side-scroller that is decidedlyretro. Now back home, I'mexcited for my next video game con, the Portland Retro Gaming Expo. I’mparticularly excited about the panel I'll be hosting on the industry crash. Itwill be called, “I Survived The Great Video Game Crash of 1983.” Classic Game Festwas a blast, blending the fun of connecting with fellow gamers, the thrill ofdiscovering rare games, and the pleasure of spending time with family andfriends. See ya’ll inPortland!