Thanks To All Who Attended PRGE 2011!

by RecycledGamer on 10-12-2011

PRGE vintage living room display. Photo from user Chicago John on Flickr.

The Expo is over, but we have not forgotten the outstanding support we received from our attendees, volunteers, exhibitors and sponsors. Saying thanks just doesn't seem like enough to show our appreciation to these fine people and businesses, but the Portland Retro Gaming Expo would not happen without their support.

Attendees

If nobody came to the Expo year after year, we wouldn't have a show now would we? By paying for admission to our event year after year you help put Portland on the map as a destination for video game fans. Our show is as large as events in much larger cities and it's all because of your support. Thank you!

Volunteers

From our board members to the individuals who donate their time, PRGE is an organization completely powered by volunteers. Operating an exposition of this size required many person-hours and many of the duties are decidedly NOT fun. In the end, over 100 people came together in 2011 to make the Expo happen and for that we thank them.

Speakers and Entertainers

PRGE was very fortunate this year to host an awesome schedule of speakers and entertainers from all eras of video game history. Many of them assumed their own expenses to join us. Thank you all for the support and confidence you showed in us!

The 2011 speaker roster included:

Thor Aackerlund
Pat "the NES Punk" Contri
David Crane
Jesse Dyer
Ed Fries
Tod Frye
John Hancock
Garry Kitchen
Robin Mihara
Portland Alter Egos Society
Bobby "Fatboy" Roberts and Cort Webber
Bob Smith
Chris Trimiew
Rob Zdybel

Freeplay Arcade Contributors

In 2011 we enjoyed the largest Freeplay Arcade yes with over 30 arcade machines, over 40 playable consoles and even 6 pinball machines! we realize that moving heavy arcade systems is difficult and risky, but these amazing people stepped up to provide an awesome arcade experience with smiles on their faces the whole time. A special PRGE thanks goes out to the following:

Portland Arcade Collectors (Darryl, Chris, Jeremy, Jeff, Toby, Rich, Corky, etc.)
Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade
Envision Classics Arcade
Best Bout Gaming
Bill Carlton

Media

2011 was our best year ever in terms of interest from online and traditional media. The support was overwhelming and we apreciate everyone who helped spread the word.

Coming in 2012

We are already at work planning for the 2012 Portland Retro Gaming Expo so watch for more information on this site.

PRGE will be sponsoring the Cowlitz Gamer's for Kids charity game expo in Kelso, WA for the 3rd year running. The event is expected to take place in April 2012 with more information to be posted here as it becomes available.

PRGE is also a supporter of the Seattle Retro Gaming Expo expected to take place in May of 2012. More information at SeattleRetro.org.

Finally, we were excited to discover that Vancouver, BC is stepping up to put on the Vancouver Retro Gaming Expo on March 17, 2012. Several PRGE staffers and friends are already making plans to attend. More information at VancouverGamingExpo.com

Collector's Guide to Game Expo Shopping

by RecycledGamer on 9-16-2011

R.O.B. commands you to collect NES games!

While the Portland Retro Gaming Expo started out as a small collector-focused convention, the most popular part of the event has always been the Vendor Marketplace. Here are a few tips for everyone from the casual retro gamer to the passionate collector for getting the most out of any classic video game expo.

Make a list
Knowing what you are looking for before you enter the chaos of Saturday morning in the Vendor Marketplace is key. Write down specific games you're targeting so you don't forget anything. Smart phones are handy for keeping your list in digital form. Many buyers keep a checklist of games they have for each system so they can quickly identify if a game will fill a hole in their collection. Ask vendors if they have a specific game you're looking for. Most vendors know their inventory and are happy to pull games and get you on your way to the next booth.

Arrive early
While the Expo opens to the public at 10:00 AM on Saturday, attendees who buy their passes online ahead of the Expo will gain entry 1 hour early at 9:00 AM. This extra hour can make the difference between getting that rare item or not! Arrive early so you have time to pick up your badge and get in line for the opening bell at 9:00 AM.

Haggle
Most vendors at PRGE are open to haggling on price, particularly if you are buying a quantity of merchandise. Haggling is a subtle art. Ask for a 50% discount on one game and you might risk offending the seller. On the other hand, it is common for sellers to discount the total price when you buy several items. It never hurts to ask! The worst that can happen is the seller says no.

Payment methods
More and more vendors are accepting credit cards via iPhone apps like Square, but it is always a safe bet to carry cash with you if you plan to buy. Cash in hand is a great motivator when haggling over price! There will be two ATM machines located in the show hall at the admissions desk.

Carrying your finds
You will be amazed how quickly you accumulate merchandise at the Expo. Smart shoppers will bring their own bag or backpack to carry their finds through the show. The show hall is right next to the parking garage where attendees can park for just $3 per day. (Be sure to ask for a parking slip at the admisisons desk to take advantage of this rate.) With your car nearby, it's easy to use your car trunk as a storage locker. Best to keep those game finds out of sight of prying eyes, however!

Great deals on Sunday
While the initial rush on Saturday in the Vendor Marketplace is exciting, Sunday is a great day to get some deals as well. Vendors are generally more willing to negotiate price on Sunday - especially as the end of the day approaches. If you were on the fence about an item on Saturday, be sure to take a walk around the Marketplace on Sunday to see if the item is still available. You might be suprised what kind of deal you can get!

That's it! Follow these tips to help ensure you have a fun and successful hunt at the Expo. Good luck!

Diary of a Dreamcast Fan

by John Hancock on 9-9-2011

Exactly twelve years ago on September 9, 1999 (9-9-99) I had huge a smile on my face. I had a new job as an assistant manager at a local Gamestop, watching unfold one of the most energetic console launches in North America. The launch of the Dreamcast gave me faith that Sega was finally going to deliver a sleek and dependable and cutting-edge system. All of these promises, as well as a launch price of a mere $199.99, were hyped by the media.

The system launch ended up being a slam-dunk success. The Dreamcast launched with approximately 18 titles, although our store was missing a few. Soul Calibur was the highlight of the launch, boasting amazing graphics and rich gameplay. I bought a Dreamcast along with Soul Calibur shortly after launch. Soul Calibur became one of my favorite games to play and I put in several hundred hours while rekindling my interest in Sega products. Over the next two years the system became a staple in my game playing, offering dozens of quality titles.

Reflecting back upon the system, what it offered was value, diversity, and a fresh, new direction for console gaming. The system was my first foray into online console gaming. The Dreamcast was the first console to ship with a standard modem and games such as Phantasy Star Online and NFL 2K1 provided proof that consoles could provide solid online gaming experiences. Those two games alone provided endless entertainment for me and my roommates. Phantasy Star Online alone provided over a thousand hours of gametime.

As an early adopter of the Dreamcast I meagerly picked up a title every month or so. I usually waited for sales, bought used, and was patient as I built my library. Sadly the Dreamcast ended it's life early when Sega pulled the plug on the platform in March of 2001.

12 years later, the Dreamcast is fun system to collect for. There are many hidden gem games that never got the attention they deserved. I have recently wrapped up my collection of 252 complete US Dreamcast titles. This conquest spanned over a decade and had me searching countless flea marts, thrift shops, and classic game conventions.

Let this be a time to remember a wonderful system and what it offered gamers around the world. For me, the Dreamcast is still thinking.

John Hancock is a video game collector and one of the organizers of the Portland Retro Gaming Expo. He resides in Longview, Washington.

See John's Dreamcast collection »

Cowlitz Gamers for Kids Expo Raises $2,750 for CJAC

by RecycledGamer on 4-11-2011

The Cowlitz Gamers for Kids charity video game expo took place in Kelso, WA this past Saturday and raised over $2,750 for the Children's Justice and Advocacy Center (CJAC) of Cowlitz County!

Highlights of the event include classic gaming tournaments, a freeplay arcade of old-school console and arcade game systems, and a pannel discussion by NWC champions Robin Mihara and Thor Aackerlund.

In the tournaments, the first place trophy for the Super Mario Bros. World 1-1 speed run went to Andy Patterson after two tie breakers. Jake Lorimer took home the Atari 2600 Berserk award. Both winners are Kelso residents.

The Daily News of the Lower Columbia covered the event and published an article, "Video game enthusiasts turn their passion into a way to help others", on Sunday.

The volunteers and staff of the Cowlitz Gamers for Kids Expo and the Portland Retro Gaming Expo thank all who attended and contributed toward raising funds for CJAC.

A Guide To U.S. Game Consoles

by Jon Rose and John Hancock on 1-30-2011

Collecting video games is fun, but sometimes a person new to collecting games (or even an old one branching out to a different system) can be pretty overwhelmed by the sheer number of consoles available. Everyone knows the system that they grew up with, we have discovered many of our favorite games on consoles we neither owned, nor even knew existed, prior to collecting them.

The PRGE console guide is a list, sorted by era, of every video game console released in North America. It's a great resource for a collector or player interested in "branching out" and a nice overview of many of the consoles that you may see at a classic game event. And you may read about a few that you will never see.

Read more...

Join Our Mailing List for the latest Expo News

by RecycledGamer on 1-13-2011

PaperBoy Get the latest classic video gaming news by joining our email mailing list. We send out information on our show as well as other events in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. We generally send emails every month or so and more frequently as we get closer to the Portland Retro Gaming Expo in September.