Midwest Gaming Classic

Hippster

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Donor 4 years: 2017-2018, 2023-2024
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Enjoying the last day of this year's Midwest Gaming Classic in Milwaukee. Never disappoints! Some pics of the video section. Small portion of what is here. Pinball, console, artists, historical, cosplay, board games, guest panels and of course, merch.
 

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Enjoying the last day of this year's Midwest Gaming Classic in Milwaukee. Never disappoints! Some pics of the video section. Small portion of what is here. Pinball, console, artists, historical, guest panels and of course parts and merch.
Just found out about this wish I knew lol there was a gentleman with a DK posted online but I guess this event got all of his games sold at once . Seems awesome I'll have to remember next year
 
It was another really fun MGC. Highlights included hanging out with with Deathball creator Tony Hauber (we bought a cabinet last year), talking with Eugene Jarvis who was just walking the game floor checking out the offerings, seeing Jonah Ray from MST3K riff the awful Atari Jaguar infomercial, and watching Walter Day's new documentary. He did a Q&A afterward that was very interesting, especially in relationship to the recent Billy Mitchell news.

Can't wait for MGC to roll around again next year. We never miss it.
 
The upright Vectrex was the first I had seen.
Just found out about this wish I knew lol there was a gentleman with a DK posted online but I guess this event got all of his games sold at once . Seems awesome I'll have to remember next year
It is the first weekend in April.
 

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My wife and I really enjoyed catching up with Gar and Mar. Their setup is always great, but I thought this year's was exceptional. The cabaret collection was a highlight, which included a recently-acquired, pristine Wizard of Wor survivor.
 
We used to go every year. Four or five of us would make the trek from Minnesota. We'd bring games, we'd get hammered, we'd buy games, we'd hang out at the hotel bar and watch the awful karoke, etc. First they allowed drinking everywhere. Then they banned drinking in the gaming hall. That really sucked. Then they moved the venue from Brookfield to DT Milwaukee, which we never really got used to, but we still went. Then they changed the rules, basically saying a cabaret game was worth half a show entrance fee, a cocktail game was worth a zero show entrance fee and a countertop game was also worth a zero show entrance fee. So basically you had to bring a full-size upright or cockpit or it wasn't even worth it anymore. Well of course I build cabarets and countertop games and had been showcasing them at several MGC's in a row. Suddenly they basically told me that none of my games were worth bringing anymore. I'm not sure who came up with the idea that anything less than an upright was worthless, but I'm surprised that rule has never been challenged. Then the show changed from an arcade and console gaming show to a pinball showcase and comic con cosplay event. Once that happened it really wasn't that much fun anymore. They still had some arcade games and there were still a lot of console gaming areas, but the pinball presence became massive.

They also used to have a really cool arcade/gaming flea market in a tent attached to the show which pretty much went away once they moved it downtown. That was always a highlight to hit before we left. We bought a lot of things at that flea market. Boxed Vectex systems, Sean Kelli multi carts, top loading NES and SNES consoles, several cheap used NES and SNES games, complete control panels of random games, action figures, pinball mods, etc. It's a shame they had to change it so much as it used to be one of my favorite times of the year and now I probably will never go again.
 
Went Saturday. Haven't gone for the last 2 years. They sure don't have as many arcade machines as they use to. Had plenty of pinball, so that is where I spent most of the time. Wish I could've bought more stuff at the vendors, but it's mostly ebay or higher prices.

I miss the old place when it was by the mall. That was my favorite.
Parking is stupid. I miss the huge open parking lot.
I think they need to do this twice a year. There is a lot of people.
 
Dang. I even went flying yesterday - we could have taken an Uber or Lyft there.

They had both the new Atari products - it would have been cool to try them!
 
We used to go every year. Four or five of us would make the trek from Minnesota. We'd bring games, we'd get hammered, we'd buy games, we'd hang out at the hotel bar and watch the awful karoke, etc. First they allowed drinking everywhere. Then they banned drinking in the gaming hall. That really sucked. Then they moved the venue from Brookfield to DT Milwaukee, which we never really got used to, but we still went. Then they changed the rules, basically saying a cabaret game was worth half a show entrance fee, a cocktail game was worth a zero show entrance fee and a countertop game was also worth a zero show entrance fee. So basically you had to bring a full-size upright or cockpit or it wasn't even worth it anymore. Well of course I build cabarets and countertop games and had been showcasing them at several MGC's in a row. Suddenly they basically told me that none of my games were worth bringing anymore. I'm not sure who came up with the idea that anything less than an upright was worthless, but I'm surprised that rule has never been challenged. Then the show changed from an arcade and console gaming show to a pinball showcase and comic con cosplay event. Once that happened it really wasn't that much fun anymore. They still had some arcade games and there were still a lot of console gaming areas, but the pinball presence became massive.

They also used to have a really cool arcade/gaming flea market in a tent attached to the show which pretty much went away once they moved it downtown. That was always a highlight to hit before we left. We bought a lot of things at that flea market. Boxed Vectex systems, Sean Kelli multi carts, top loading NES and SNES consoles, several cheap used NES and SNES games, complete control panels of random games, action figures, pinball mods, etc. It's a shame they had to change it so much as it used to be one of my favorite times of the year and now I probably will never go again.
 
We used to go every year. Four or five of us would make the trek from Minnesota. We'd bring games, we'd get hammered, we'd buy games, we'd hang out at the hotel bar and watch the awful karoke, etc. First they allowed drinking everywhere. Then they banned drinking in the gaming hall. That really sucked. Then they moved the venue from Brookfield to DT Milwaukee, which we never really got used to, but we still went. Then they changed the rules, basically saying a cabaret game was worth half a show entrance fee, a cocktail game was worth a zero show entrance fee and a countertop game was also worth a zero show entrance fee. So basically you had to bring a full-size upright or cockpit or it wasn't even worth it anymore. Well of course I build cabarets and countertop games and had been showcasing them at several MGC's in a row. Suddenly they basically told me that none of my games were worth bringing anymore. I'm not sure who came up with the idea that anything less than an upright was worthless, but I'm surprised that rule has never been challenged. Then the show changed from an arcade and console gaming show to a pinball showcase and comic con cosplay event. Once that happened it really wasn't that much fun anymore. They still had some arcade games and there were still a lot of console gaming areas, but the pinball presence became massive.

They also used to have a really cool arcade/gaming flea market in a tent attached to the show which pretty much went away once they moved it downtown. That was always a highlight to hit before we left. We bought a lot of things at that flea market. Boxed Vectex systems, Sean Kelli multi carts, top loading NES and SNES consoles, several cheap used NES and SNES games, complete control panels of random games, action figures, pinball mods, etc. It's a shame they had to change it so much as it used to be one of my favorite times of the year and now I probably will never go again.
I've been around the arcade community too long and the job effectively ruined the hobby element (as I've noted many times). I actually appreciate that I can get away from it at MGC now. I volunteer with console museum and meet new people into different things.

the vendor section is something like twice as big as the game hall, but if you came looking for arcade-related items, that ship has sailed. there was a seller kind of in the middle of the game hall selling pinball parts. while there is a significant pinball presence, you're not going to find anywhere near as much as you would at Pinball Expo. what I found surprising was Marco Specialties was not with Stern, instead Kingpin and Tilt Amusements (distributors) were there in their place.

the timing of this show being the same weekend as Game On Expo and 2 weeks after Texas Pinball Festival resulted in some industry people not coming I'm guessing. I didn't think it was possible to top 2024, but seemingly we managed to do it again.

My wife and I really enjoyed catching up with Gar and Mar. Their setup is always great, but I thought this year's was exceptional. The cabaret collection was a highlight, which included a recently-acquired, pristine Wizard of Wor survivor.
I've worked for them since they opened (minus the 1 year I was in Texas with gamefixer). they treat me very well. I apologize for Asteroids Deluxe and Baby Pac-Man being down, I wasn't officially working with them (as noted above) and there were too many humans for me to fix anything anyway. I got all the MGC casualties fixed, now I have to handle all the arcade floor games and clean pinball again.
 
Enjoying the last day of this year's Midwest Gaming Classic in Milwaukee. Never disappoints! Some pics of the video section. Small portion of what is here. Pinball, console, artists, historical, cosplay, board games, guest panels and of course, merch.
Quick note on the Alan1 Missile Command cab, I talked to them when they were setting up at the Arcade Expo in Las Vegas, and he said they were still tweeking the software as they just started building the entire cab 2 months ago. :eek:

So props to them for being that dedicated to the classics.

They had an original Joust, Asteroids, And Missile Command as well as their custom cabs of all three. Very cool. Whatever you think of the gameplay, you have to give them props for keeping the OG classics alive in such a massive form. I really think someday these will be collectable and sought after.

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My wife and I really enjoyed catching up with Gar and Mar. Their setup is always great, but I thought this year's was exceptional. The cabaret collection was a highlight, which included a recently-acquired, pristine Wizard of Wor survivor.
No pictures of the cabaret/mini collection? 😉

Scott C.
 
I like that Missile Command front art design. I kind of like it a lot!
What do the sides look like?
Most importantly....what's the game play like? Is it any fun? Does it have that "just one more game" appeal?

(And...can I put a Bestech chassis in there? ;) )
 
We used to go every year. Four or five of us would make the trek from Minnesota. We'd bring games, we'd get hammered, we'd buy games, we'd hang out at the hotel bar and watch the awful karoke, etc. First they allowed drinking everywhere. Then they banned drinking in the gaming hall. That really sucked. Then they moved the venue from Brookfield to DT Milwaukee, which we never really got used to, but we still went. Then they changed the rules, basically saying a cabaret game was worth half a show entrance fee, a cocktail game was worth a zero show entrance fee and a countertop game was also worth a zero show entrance fee. So basically you had to bring a full-size upright or cockpit or it wasn't even worth it anymore. Well of course I build cabarets and countertop games and had been showcasing them at several MGC's in a row. Suddenly they basically told me that none of my games were worth bringing anymore. I'm not sure who came up with the idea that anything less than an upright was worthless, but I'm surprised that rule has never been challenged. Then the show changed from an arcade and console gaming show to a pinball showcase and comic con cosplay event. Once that happened it really wasn't that much fun anymore. They still had some arcade games and there were still a lot of console gaming areas, but the pinball presence became massive.

They also used to have a really cool arcade/gaming flea market in a tent attached to the show which pretty much went away once they moved it downtown. That was always a highlight to hit before we left. We bought a lot of things at that flea market. Boxed Vectex systems, Sean Kelli multi carts, top loading NES and SNES consoles, several cheap used NES and SNES games, complete control panels of random games, action figures, pinball mods, etc. It's a shame they had to change it so much as it used to be one of my favorite times of the year and now I probably will never go again.
RIP 'The Good Ole Days'.

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