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Written by Dustin Murphy
When it comes to gaming, Retro Gaming is where gaming belongs in many aspects. It’s because of games that launched on consoles such as the Odyssey 2, Famicom, NES, and even the Atari. It is because of these consoles that gaming has come as far as it has, but also as a staple point for interactive media. When looking at games, it’s not hard to see that many of them give off a nod or stash a few tropes that are hidden by the developers to honour games that have long-since become classics within a growing and aging industry. Because of the rarity, but also the fandom: Con’s have become a huge thing that allows fans, but also enthusiasts to find, collect, and even trade for games they have been looking for. This is where Super! Bitcon 2015 came into place when it opened up yesterday morning in Oklahoma City, OK. With lines that and crowds of fans filling the convention hall, it was not hard to see how well favored retro gaming was, but also to see those who are trying to keep such a medium alive to this day. With vendors selling games new and old, it was interesting to see where the supply and demand for games such as Super Mario Bros. (NES), The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (N64), The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64), Parasite Eve (PS1), Parasite Eve 2 (PS1), Mortal Kombat (SNES), and even games such as Shin Megami Tensei’s Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (PS1) would run for. The prices? Were actually quite easy to go by for those wanting to trade since many of the vendors went by varied prices on ebay based upon condition, but also prices based upon price charting, which helps retro collectors and even new game collectors get an idea of prices.
But what is it that made Super! Bitcon so special besides the trading, buying, and everything inbetween? The memories. When at Super! Bitcon it was not surprising to meet YouTube celebrities like AlphaOmegaSin, Midwest Retro Gamers, Patrick Scott Patterson, acapella game music sensation Smooth McGroove and even OrtPro (click their names to visit their YouTube channels or website!). All of which had their hearts stolen by the family dog Lucy who managed to get into Super! Bitcon, it was quite fun seeing the reactions, but also getting to discuss games, internet coverage, but also the chances of how YouTube can expand viewership and reach for gaming journalism and community reach. However, it wasn’t just getting to meet personalities such as theirs, but there are other reasons that made Super! Bitcon so unique. Let alone did this have one of the largest collections of retro games I’d ever seen for trade, it was also the fact that the community itself was beyond generous, kind, and even shared a fondness for such great games as well as the memories those games helped forge. Let alone was there consoles and gamers of all sorts, but there was also something a bit more enjoyable about Super! Bitcon than what was originally thought to happen outside of video games.
When separating away from the main floor there was a tabletop village where players gathered to play card games such as Magic the Gathering, Pokémon, and many more: Cards Against Humanity anyone? What made this experience the most unique out of the conventions that are there was the sheer size of it and even the ages of the fans themselves. There were fans who were the age I was when gaming, which made it even more inspiring to revisit retro gaming as I have, but also to enjoy it for what it is and to embrace it all the more, but to also relish the capability to help others enjoy it themselves. When wandering the floors it isn’t odd to see old standee’s, instruction manuals, consoles, games, and even imports of older games for those fans trying to find what they wanted, there was plenty of fun to be had with the museum, artists, and even the panels that took place for fans as well as press members to sit in on and watch. The event itself is one that is unique, fun, and is surely to draw in bigger crowds with each passing years and even more attention from companies such as Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, and many more in the future as the event continues to grow in support and fandom in the years to come. It is an event we can heavily suggest going to, but also joining the Facebook community for the Oklahoma Retro Gamers Society. Till we get our interviews up, stay tuned, and enjoy. If you attended? Let us know your impressions.
Editor’s Note: We want to thank the Retro Gaming Society of Oklahoma for allowing us to attend the event and get initial impressions of it. We look forward to having more editorials and articles regarding this. Due to the fact we were invited to this event we would like to give those a chance to read our ethics policy, which can be found here.
About the Writer:
Dustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, MMO’s, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable and can’t be softened by even the biggest names in the gaming industry. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. To follow Dustin, hit him up on Twitter over at @GamingAnomaly, find him on his Google+. Wanna game with him? You can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.