Throughout the year and most likely within travelling distance from yourself a retro gaming expo or even a general gaming expo is probably going to take place. There will be people talking about retro games, you will be able to play retro games and of course buy retro games too.
In the UK we have various such as the Play Expo’s, Revival and smaller events and over in the States you have the legendary Portland Gaming Expo and the SoCal Retro Gaming Expo to name just a few.
Every year I attend events and look forward to them like a little kid waiting for Christmas. If you haven’t attended a retro gaming expo before, here are some reason why I think you should go to one.
More Retro Gaming Posts:
- Best CRT TVs for Retro Gaming
- My Retro Gaming Christmas Memories
- The UK Retro Gaming Scene
- What is Considered Retro Gaming
- Retro Gaming Documentaries To Watch
Loads of Retro Consoles & Computers to Play
At most good Retro Gaming Expos you will find a wonderful selection of retro consoles and computers like the Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum to play. You will find all the big hitters from back in the day like the Sega and and Nintendo systems, but you will also find more obscure systems too that are always great to play. I first played a Vectrex at a retro event and I then ended up getting one myself. An Expo is a great way to experience a wide range of different games systems.
Play Arcade Games
As well as consoles and computers you will find lots of arcade games too. Playing these are always a lot of fun especially playing the arcade games you played back in the day. A really good Expo will have all the classics and I will usually end up playing Star Wars the arcade game (by Atari) along with Robotron 2084, Centipede and many others too. It is always great to have loads of old school arcade cabs in one place and free to play and this is a great reason to go to a Retro Gaming Expo.
My article – The Joy of Playing Old Arcades can be found here.
Play Pinball
Don’t forget the Pinball Tables too. As well as consoles, computers and arcade cabs a good Expo will have pinball tables too. I love playing pinball and if I ever have the space and the money I would love to own one. At Retro Gaming Expos you will normally find pinball’s you can remember playing back in the day and others that you have never played before and possibly didn’t know existed,
Find Games That You Don’t Normally Find Out in the Wild
At a Retro Gaming Expo you will normally find a trade hall or area with loads of traders selling lots of retro goodness. The prices may vary at each event but an Expo can be good opportunity to find games and systems for sale that you don’t normally find in the wild. Most things you can of course find on eBay but at an Retro Gaming Expo you can pick up and hold the product and really get to see what you might possibly buy and being face to face with the seller can sometimes be easier to get a better deal if you don’t mind a bit of haggling over the price.
Unusual Merchandise
As well as games and hardware you can also find some other cool retro related stuff to buy at Expos. T Shirts, pixel artwork and retro toys will often be found so it’s not just about the games, In the past I have found arcade marquee artwork and even hand crafted items too. You can really find some cool stuff that you’ve probably never even thought about adding to you collection or games room.
You can find my Retro T Shirts here.
Meet Up with Social Media Buddies
Across social media I am chatting to people in the retro community all the time. In message groups, on YouTube and by email as well sometimes. I am constantly in touch with other retro gaming fans and collectors. It is at Retro Gaming Expos that I actually get to see these people in person which is always a lot of fun. To be able to chat in person, play games and arcades is always so much fun and really does make a lot of the events really special. If you have a lot of buddies on social media why not think about arranging to meet up with them at an upcoming Expo.
Make Friends and Influence People
Through the people you already know well you can also meet new people who you can then connect with online and meet up again wit in the future at Expo’s. This is something that I have personally experienced and to be able to make new is a great thing. Of course this also means you might get a few new followers or subscribers too ha ha.
Meet Developers
Expos aren’t just about old games, they are about new games too. These can be new games for retro systems or new games being remastered for current gen systems and sometimes new games inspired by retro games. At the Expos you can try these new titles as well as meeting and chatting with the various developers too. If you like this sort of thing like I do then it is always interesting to chat with developers and new games as well as chatting about some of the older games they were involved with too. Where else can you do this?
Interesting Retro Related Talks
It is highly likely that some interesting talks will take place at the Expo you choose to attend. It might be developers or maybe some high profile YouTubers and usually these talks can be very interesting and entertaining. Take a look to see what going on as there is bound to be someone talking about a retro related subject that you will be interested in.
Trade Stuff
If you are meeting up with your buddies then this can be a great opportunity to trade stuff. Swap doubles or just trade the games and stuff you don’t want. This can be a great way to get some new additions to your collection at an Expo without having to spend any money.
Of course you don’t have to trade if you want to pass on a gift to a friend this can also be a great opportunity to do so. I have been given games in the past at Expos and have given games myself too and either way it felt great.
Discover New Retro Games
You might discover newly developed retro games like I mentioned above but you might also play an old retro game that you have never played before or possibly never heard of. A Retro Gaming Expo is a great place to discover retro gaming titles that you haven’t experienced. It might be ab arcade game, a new title or even a really old Atari game but who doesn’t enjoy discovering fun retro games.
Immerse Yourself in the Retro Gaming Community
I have mentioned a lot of different reasons to go to a Retro Gaming Expo but I will finish with this one. A Retro Gaming Expo is just a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the Retro Gaming Community. In one location you can meet your buddies, meet developers, meet YouTubers/Bloggers and play games as well as buying some too. There is no better location to be able to experience pretty much every aspect of retro gaming community. If you are on social media a lot talking to people then get to an Expo you will have a lot of fun.
Check online to find you nearest Retro Gaming Expo or Event. Have a look at what will be taking place at the event and find out who will be going. An Expo can be a great way to get a lot more out of this fantastic hobby. For me each year I’m looking to see when events are being held as they can really be a big highlight of the year.
You can find my Play Expo London video here on my YouTube Channel.
Thanks for reading this article, you can find my previous article here.
About The Author
