This is going to pretty much be a short and sweet post because there is so much that I am getting ready to write about from the ReplayFx event this past weekend in Pittsburgh, PA. But here is the thing. My mother used to tell me when I was younger that used to play too many video games. This was the one phrase that pretty much haunted me through my high school, college and even after school. But years later, I really didn’t realize it until I went to ReplayFX.
With over 1200 video games/pinball games and even home console systems, I officially can say that, oh man I can’t believe that I am saying this…. my mother was right. When I first walked into the hall, I was thinking, ok this is not what I expected. Although it was mostly because I walked into six oversized inflatable rides. But turning to the left and turning to the right, I was completely speechless. I have never seen this many arcade and pinball games in my life. Even though I was over tired, I knew that this was my home for the next four days.
Everything that was from the retro world of video games was pretty much there. Although there were a few titles that I was not familiar with and there a few missing. But that really wasn’t a problem. Pretty much every day, I went to the show and spent no more than an hour playing my old favorites. Zoo Keeper, Discs of Tron, Rampage and even Baby Pac Man and Shootout. See?!?!!? This is was only five of the 1200 + games there.
And at the end of each night, that was it! I was burned out. To have this open until 1am each night was like trying to do a marathon. I couldn’t do it, no matter how hard I tried. I just couldn’t do it. There were too many to play. I really tried. I was so burned out that the following Monday, I even skipped the weekly pinball club in Iowa. How was that possible? I actually played too many video games over the weekend.
I wish that this was a joke. But unfortunately, it’s not. And I am getting ready to write a lot this month on the event and some of the other exciting new things I have discovered. So for now, I am going to have to….
Keep Calm and Insert Coin
Brad has been a die hard arcade fan ever since he can remember. From the first time he played Space Invaders, to the first time he played Pacman, Brad has always had a love for video games. Hanging out at either the Great American Fun Factory in the mall, or spending the night in front of the glowing games at the local roller rink, he was always thinking about when he can spend the next quarter. He also worked at Babbages, which is now GameStop, for over six years. Mostly because they had a really sweet checkout policy on new products and great discounts. But since he had the Atari 2600, he has never looked back and owned some of the greatest home machines, NES, SNES, GENESIS, Turbo Graphix 16, GameBoy, Game Gear, Lynx, Playsation 1,2,3,4 and Vita, XBOX, Gamecube, and N64...just to name a few. Brad is also a reviewer for Mobile Beat Magazine as well as a freelance videographer, part time disc jockey, performing artist and photographer. But has a true love is for video games and Star Wars, as he is a member of the 501st Central Garrison. His ultimate dream is to own a fully working pinball machine and arcade machine. Difficult to say which one, but a Star Wars one would be nice start.
