AUSRETROGAMER

The Pop-Culture E-Zine

You are here: Home / Archives for PAXAus 2023

PAXAus 2023

10 Years Of Classic Gaming at PAX Aus

By

Cheers to 10 years of inducing intoxicating gaming nostalgia at PAX Aus!

Another PAX Aus is done and dusted, but this was no ordinary year, it was the 10th year the event had been held here in Melbourne (Australia, not Florida).

For this celebratory year, the Classic Gaming (CG) area was moved from its usual Freeplay section to the main Expo Hall, rubbing shoulders with modern AAA gaming heavyweights and indie devs.

Starting the Classic Consoles (as it was known back then) area in 2013 with Retrospekt, Retro Domination and our (Ausretrogamer) team, we knew it would be a hit with attendees of all ages – which not even Melbourne’s inclement July weather could stop anyone getting their nostalgia hit at the inaugural PAX Aus event.

Over the years, the Classic Gaming area has grown from strength to strength, with its popularity ensuring that it returns at every PAX Aus – with an even bigger floor space! The inaugural teams may no longer be involved, but the baton change with the Weird and Retro and the Press Play On Tape Podcast crew has ensured the growth and sustained popularity of the Classic Gaming area.

For the tenth anniversary, the Classic Gaming area didn’t disappoint, with a plethora of amazing machines from yesteryear to tickle every nostalgic nerve in the body. From all of our old favourites from the 8-bit and 16-bit era (hello Atari, Commodore, Sega and Nintendo) all the way through to some darn awesome old-school PC power – and whomever thought of using the Dance Dance Revolution mat to control your (Doom Slayer) character in Doom (cheekily christened Doom Doom Revolution) should be given a knighthood! We hear that we have to now call Aaron (aka: Blahjedi), Sir Aaron of Press Play On Tape podcast, from now on 😉

Doom Doom Revolution!


image & video source: Aaron ‘Blahjedi’ Clement – PPOT

Back in 2015, Skott Kellett proposed to include pinball in the Classic Gaming area, which was an instant hit! The pinball section has now become a permanent fixture of the Classic Gaming area, ensuring gamers can get their mechanical hit via the silverball game. Skott is still the main wrangler of the pinball section, with games provided by Reality Games Australia, Mr Pinball Australia and the Australian Pinball Museum. We were lucky enough to experience some quite rare and hard to find pinball games, from Dutch Pinball’s The Big Lebowski, CGC’s Cactus Canyon Remake, Pinball Brothers‘ Queen, to American Pinball’s amazing Galactic Tank Force, complete with tank tracks and backbox turret!

But wait, there was more! PLAION Australia had the yet-to-be released Atari 2600+ console on display, which was impressive. We have been quite critical of Atari over the years, but even we are quite excited to get our hands on the new 2600+ console!

Last but not least, it is the people that bring the Classic Gaming area to life that we love the most, from the CG showrunning team members to the PAX Aus Enforcers, and the public that come in and reminisce with us about systems and games from a long long time ago.

See you at PAX Aus 2024!

We are going home – to the Classic Gaming Area!

Here are a few of the nostalgia inducing systems and displays!

Pinball in the Classic Gaming area is as popular as ever!

Classic Gaming is nothing without the awesome people that make it happen and for those that come and visit!



Cheers To 10 Years – See You At PAX Aus 2023

By

Wow, we still can’t believe that PAX AUS is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year!

It is also hard to believe that the Classic Gaming area, or Classic Consoles as it was known in the inaugural year, has been at PAX AUS since the beginning. From the Showgrounds in Ascot Vale in 2013, where it was bitterly cold, we were quite excited when PAX Aus was moved to its new and much bigger home in 2014, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. By moving PAX AUS from July to October, it also ensured that we would have better weather, but then again, this is Melbourne, so anything can happen, in any season!

We are indulging ourselves with nostalgia by reflecting on years gone by at PAX AUS – there has been countless awesome memories and meeting new and amazing people that we are proud to call our friends. Cheers to ten years!

We hope to see some (or all) of you at PAX AUS 2023!

slides created by: Aaron ‘Blahjedi’ Clement (Press Play On Tape podcast)



PAX Aus 2023 – But Wait, There Is More!

By

With only a few more sleeps till PAX Aus 2023 kicks-off this Friday, there are more exciting and enticing news coming out from Australia’s premier gaming and pop culture event!

PLAION is proud to announce the Atari 2600+ – a modern day faithful recreation of the pioneering console that first appeared in 1977.

The new Atari 2600+ system will be on display at PAX Aus this week in the Classic Gaming area. The Atari 2600+ is launching worldwide on 17th November 2023 and available to pre-order for $189.95.

Nintendo has revealed more of their PAX plans – Not only will PAX visitors be able to experience Super Mario Bros. Wonder ahead of release, they will also be able to play Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet: The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero Part 1: The Teal Mask, Detective Pikachu Returns and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown on Nintendo Switch.

Detective Pikachu Returns is launching on the first day of PAX, Friday 6th October. Also available to play on the Nintendo stand will be  an unreleased game from Square Enix – STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R. See all the Nintendo PAX news here.

image source: Rocketcomms



‘Cheers to 10 Years’ – PAX Aus Announces Even More Major Content

By

‘Cheers to 10 Years’ As PAX Aus Announces Even More Major Content

With only three weeks to go until PAX Aus 2023, there is even more delicious content including more news from Nintendo and announcements from SEGA, Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, Star Wars Unlimited, Five Nights at Freddy’s and more to sink your teeth into!

We are hoping to see as many of you at PAX Aus this year, so we can’t wait for these weeks to fly by! Oh yeah, you should know where to find us by now (ahem, at our home base, the Classic Gaming area).

OK, without further ado, here is the awesome news…..

PAX Aus 2023 is shaping up to be an absolute whopper and there’s no better way to celebrate the last 10 years than showcasing even more great gaming content with more major announcements confirmed today. So please, take it slow and try not to stuff your face too quickly with all this delicious content…

In addition to Nintendo’s tournament in PAX Arena, Nintendo returns to the PAX expo floor headlined by Super Mario Bros. Wonder – playable before its release on 20th October! Fans can also shop in-person at the Nintendo booth with My Nintendo Store, which will have merchandise to peruse and purchase. Look forward to more information coming soon about the playable titles and available merch from Nintendo.

Gaming icon, SEGA will be attending PAX Aus this year with a booth showcasing Sonic Superstars and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. Melbourne-based Ukiyo Studios will be presenting “SEA What I Made! (SWIM)”, the largest Southeast Asian indie games delegation of its kind to grace Australian shores. A total of 15 titles from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines will feature a variety of game genres from turn-based RPGs to Southeast Asian-inspired Diablo-likes and even restaurant management sims.

And for tabletop fans, Star Wars: Unlimited will be demo-ed for the first time in Australia at PAX Aus. Two icons of the tabletop world will also be at PAX Aus – Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering. Attendees will be able to learn to play Dungeons & Dragons with their friendly Dungeon Masters waiting to guide you on a quest. From there, visit the D&D Superstore where you will be able to find everything you need and want from sourcebooks to minis to collectibles and more. For Magic: The Gathering fans and noobs you can learn to play and get lost in the Wilds of Eldraine with fantastical creatures, unbelievable settings and beloved characters with a unique twist.

Pack your Senzu Beans and Devil Fruit, because the tabletop major moments don’t stop there with Dragon Ball Z and One Piece showcasing their games and hosting tourneys at the event. Compete for glory in the Dragon Ball Super Regionals and One Piece Card Game Tournament, pick up a free demo deck (while stock lasts), as well as try your hand at the new Dragon Ball Super Fusion World card game.

Vanguard, Weiss Schwarz, Shadowverse and Final Fantasy Trading Card Game will also be showcased at PAX Aus and Asmodee, yes, them of Exploding Kittens, CATAN, Ticket to Ride, Dobble/Spot It and so many more legendary games fame will be bringing their latest and greatest games.

What’s October without a jumpscare? Five Nights at Freddy’s will be activating the world of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza where Freddy and the gang are dying to meet you – step into the scene and see if you can survive five nights?

While on the topic of bears, what about bears, in space?! Hear from Broadside Games as they discuss how they went from working a day job and developing games on the side to focusing on a game full-time! The team behind the upcoming action-packed game, Bears In Space, tell all at PAX Aus!

And lastly, tabletop legends Phil Walker-Harding (Sushi Go, Bear Park, Imhotep) and Matt Dunstan (Fairy Tile, Relic Runners) will also be on the floor at PAX Aus, with Walker-Harding demonstrating his game, Spellbook, and Dunstan showcasing a new game, to be revealed for the first time at PAX Aus.

With 3-Day and Saturday Badges sold out and limited single-day badges available, you better gear up for PAX Aus’ 10th anniversary celebration. PAX Aus 2023 takes place October 6-8 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. For more information and badges, please visit their official website.

image source: PAX Aus