Classic Game Fest is a two-day event that celebrates exactly what it sounds like: classic video games and people who love them! This year, the festival takes place at the Palmer Events Center on July 28-29. Badges can be purchased through the website, but kids under 12 get in free with a kids pass. If you haven’t been to Classic Game Fest you’re in for a retro treat!
Here are some events you won’t want to miss!
SATURDAY
The fun starts at 10 AM on Saturday and 9 AM for VIP Wristband holders.
Super Smash Bros. Melee hosted by EON Gaming
This is an all-day activity for attendees to take part in, whether you’re a casual gamer or a little more experienced. If you love Super Smash Bros. and its characters (Bowser, Kirby, Donkey Kong, Pikachu and more), this is something you won’t want to miss. Get ready to enter the fray!
Women in Game Development Panel hosted by Kay Lynn Syrin
A lot of gamers are women, so it stands to reason that a lot of women would also be interested in creating and developing video games too. The panel will be hosted by local game programmer and cosplayer Kay Lynn Syrin, and features an array of artists, engineers, project managers and testers in Jeadyn Draper, Caryn Wicke, Logynn Hailley and Eva Tran.
This Controller Sucks! Panel hosted by Jason Lord
“This Controller Sucks!” is an interactive showcase created by host Jason Lord with his EXTRATERRIBLE team, in which he helps other gamers open their minds with regard to intuitively bad controllers that highlight good design. This should be a fun learning experience, especially for those who know just how awful it is to use a bad controller (N64, anyone?).
There were also be tournaments for Mario Kart, Duke Nukem 3D, and more throughout the day on Saturday, plus a visit from special guest Warren Davis, a legendary game developer for Q*Bert. In addition to all of the panels and activities, there will be music provided by rock bands like Zërowolf and Bitforce and by nerdcore artists like DJ R.O.C.K.M.A.N. and Creative Mind Frame (AKA 1-UP). The event will close at 7 PM on Saturday.
SUNDAY
The fun starts from 10 AM to 5 PM on Sunday, including the following activities:
Giant Joystick Challenge! Tournament hosted by EXTRATERRIBLE
Just like it sounds, and from the creators of “This Controller Sucks!,” this tournament will involve using giant joysticks, which are sure to be a little harder for the participants to use than your average joystick.
Costume Contests hosted by Christina Revis/Stina Glitters
Cosplayer and costume maker Stina Glitters will host the 2018 Classic Game Fest costume contest, which includes children and adults. We can’t wait to see all the different video game characters who show up to the fest this year! Don’t forget: for everyone’s safety, weapons of all kinds (including prop) are prohibited at Classic Game Fest.
VGBS Gaming Podcast Panel hosted by Jeffrey Wittenhagen
VGBS is a podcast for gamers, by gamers! Hosted by Jeffrey Wittenhagen and Kyle Gilbert, the podcast covers gameplay, the making of video games, and more, from a personal point of view.
Throughout the day Sunday, there will be more tournaments – several for Mario Kart – and special guest John Newcomer, who was a game developer on Joust, will make an appearance. Music will be provided by Mega Ran, 88-Bit and DJ R.O.C.K.M.A.N.
Check out the Classic Game Fest 2017 photo gallery to see all the fun to be had! Let us know what you’re excited for at this year’s Classic Game Fest! You can get more information about badges, vendors and parking availability on the festival website.
Featured image credit: Catherine Gonzales/Shuffle Online
Originally hailing from Pennsylvania, Jackie has called Austin home since choosing to attend the University of Texas, where she graduated with a degree in multimedia journalism. She loves spending time with her dogs, writing about pop culture in all its forms and spending time with friends – eating, drinking and doing trivia.