In February, we took a trip down memory lane when we attended the Retro Gaming Expo. This two-day event was a nostalgic extravaganza with plenty of merchandise, vendors, exciting tournaments, and vibrant cosplay. The entire Expo was a delightful madness of retro gaming festivities.
It’s worth noting that retro gaming, while already established, has recently gained even more attention and popularity. This surge in interest could be attributed to millennials having the time and financial means to invest in cherished items from their childhood and expand their collections.
So what did we see at the Expo?
Inside the Expo Hall, we encountered several notable sections. One that stood out was the gallery in the center, which featured a chronological display of console games. It piqued my curiosity to learn that these games were hand-picked from the personal collections of the event organizers themselves.
As expected, a significant portion of the expo hall was occupied by enthusiastic vendors displaying a plethora of items for sale. The array of Nintendo and Sega consoles, cartridges, and various goodies seemed endless.
I couldn’t help but joke to my significant other that if I had half my salary, I could have amassed a collection of Sega consoles and Famicom games. It was especially fun to stumble upon some nostalgic PSOne and PSTwo items.
There were also a few rare items available at prices slightly below market value, but unfortunately, they were quickly snapped up within the first few hours of the event. That’s not surprising, considering their potential resale value. During our two-day visit, the most expensive items I came across were various limited edition or deluxe console sets priced around $500.
The third section of the event is the Free Play area, where you can try out the cartridges you’ve purchased and test them out on the spot. It’s also a great opportunity to engage in multiplayer battles like Street Fighter 2 or enjoy cooperative gaming experiences with titles like Streets of Rage or Contra.
Unfortunately, we missed the trivia contest. It was only held on the first day of the event.
Anyway, it was a chill gaming expo and we had fun.
So that wraps up what we saw at the Retro Gaming Expo, and we hope to see them again in the future. You can check out their Facebook page @RGX2019 to see future events!