So? how was PAX East 2012? Awesome. Simply awesome.
Unfortunately, I can’t really get into all that right this second. Aside from the fact that, two days later, and I’ve barely made a dent as it pertains to all the stuff that I need to catch up, last weekend was also my last chance to screw around before buckling down and getting ready for COMICS VS GAMES, plus finally finishing up FORT90ZINE4ANSWER.
But real quick: had an amazing time, hanging with dear friends, plus making plenty of new ones! And I honestly can’t remember a single PAX in which I played as many amazing games as I did. Highlights include Super Time Force, Dyad, Skulls of the Shogun, Crimson Dragon, Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown, plus the Metagame naturally.
Oh, and I got the chance to meet (and interview) Suda 51! That was kind of amazing. And man, did he get excited upon hearing that my favorite game of his is Flower, Sun, and Rain! Also showed him the entries I received for the No More Heroes art contest from last year, which he also dug.
Once I’m done with everything that I absolutely need to get done, ASAP, I should have time to file a report. In the meanwhile, be sure to tun into the live broadcast of the Fangamer podcast tomorrow (or later tonight, since I know most folks will be reading this in the morning), which will be all about last weekend.
Also, keep an eye out on my corner of MSNBC, which is where much of my PAX reporting is going towards. Thus far, have written about a group that helps the the handicapped enjoy video games like the rest of us, and earlier today I wrote about the golden age of arcades being alive and well.
I actually wrote about arcades twice today, which was a rare treat. In case you haven’t heard, there’s this 9 year old kind in East LA who made and maintains an amusement center made entirely out of cardboard, packing tape, parts from old toys, and calculators, and he is beyond rad.
Speaking of arcades, while in PAX, I got the following info from someone who I believe wishes to remain anonymous (though if he or she wishes for me to say who it is, I’ll gladly do so). Behold the new Chinatown Fair?
The photos were posted on Facebook, I believe either on or around last Friday, with the following?
“i passed by chinatown fair today and saw that it was undergoing renovations. the new owner saw me peering in and chatted me up. it seems that his business plan is to create an venue for family and kids.
the interior paint design is really child-like with the bricks painted in individual colors to create a multi-color diagonal pattern. basically, he’s created a design to repel the goth kids that used to hang about.”
I have to wonder if it re-opened for business on Sunday, since the interiors are reminiscent of a giant Easter egg.
Again, the photos above are not from me, but a friend of a friend on Facebook. I’ve been meaning to make a second return visit, especially since my first one failed to reap anything, but again, I’ve just been so damn busy. Hope to be back tomorrow with a follow-up of some kind.