Classic Game Fest 2024 - Report!

 

Classic Game Fest was an unforgettable event, filled with memorable moments and exciting interactions. Among the notable guests were Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell, Keystone Kapers creator Garry Kitchen, and David Crane, the legendary creator of Pitfall! Their presence added a ton of nostalgia and prestige to the festival, 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 with publisher Ryan Burger. During the event, I sold quite a few books, which is always nice, and I met some new readers who shared my passion for video games. Additionally, I caught up with friends, including the talented video game artist Kale Menges, who has contributed entries to my Omnibus and 100 Greatest books, and David Kaelin, who runs Classic Game Fest, as well as the Game Over Videogames retail chain.

One of the highlights was spending quality time with my son, Ryan. We had fun running our booth, and we had a great trip to and from Austin. We also enjoyed a delicious meal at Hopdoddy Burger Bar with my niece Cara and her family. It was great to meet their adorable new dog, Moonie, and see what their kids have been up to—they are adorable! The vendors room at Classic Game Fest was essentially a museum but with everything for sale. I recorded a walkthrough, capturing the incredible variety of Sega Genesis, Sega CD, Dreamcast, and Saturn games on display, including many rare titles. I even picked up a new NES homebrew, a fantastic side-scroller that is decidedly retro. Now back home, I'm excited for my next video game con, the Portland Retro Gaming Expo. I’m particularly excited about the panel I'll be hosting on the industry crash. It will be called, “I Survived The Great Video Game Crash of 1983.” Classic Game Fest was a blast, blending the fun of connecting with fellow gamers, the thrill of discovering rare games, and the pleasure of spending time with family and friends. See ya’ll in Portland!