Retro online game expo to happen in Layton this weekend

The Utah Retro GameXpo will happen Friday and Saturday on the Davis Conference Center.

Layton • Tracy Charlton is a staunch advocate for the retro of all of it, particularly in terms of gaming.

His first gaming console, which his mom purchased him when he was 12, was an unique Nintendo, an enormous computer-like console with a tiny controller. His favourite recreation: “The Legend of Zelda.”

He beloved the journey of it, of enjoying the sport by and discovering its secrets and techniques. “I didn’t want it to end,” he says now. It’s a love he by no means was in a position to let go.

Charlton’s appreciation for retro gaming is what impressed him to start out the Utah Retro GameXpo, happening Friday and Saturday on the Davis Conference Center in Layton for its fifth iteration.

According to him, the “comic convention for video games” will function quite a lot of vendors promoting previous video games, art work primarily based on in style titles and different items.

Special visitors from the gaming world will likely be in attendance, corresponding to like Jason Paige, the singer behind the unique “Pokemon” theme music; voice actors Gini Holtzman and Melanie Kohn, who voiced Peppermint Patty and Lucy from “Peanuts”; and Paul Niemeyer, an artist who has credit on video games like “Mortal Kombat” and “Pac-Man Plus.”

The expo may also have gaming tournaments on old and new programs for video games like “NBA Jam,” “Halo 2” and “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.” There will even be a retro museum put collectively by Charlton’s good friend who collects previous pc programs.

The expo first began as a tent occasion within the again parking zone of the shop Charlton owns in Layton. The store, Minus World Video Games, which has been open since 2019 and is simply throughout the road from one other enterprise geared towards nostalgia fiends — Skatestation.

Old-school cool

Stepping into Charlton’s retailer is like passing a degree in a recreation, or falling right into a Warp Pipe, Mario-style.

Games from consoles previous adorn the partitions and aisles — every part from Apple and PC video games, just like the “1988 President Elect” simulation, the place the participant can act like the following president, to all iterations of video games that appeared on Playstation, Nintendo DS, Game Boy, Wii, GameDice and N64.

A flick through the shows of pre-owned titles will stoke nostalgia in even essentially the most informal players. Take, for instance, a $5 Wii recreation the place customers can play as Disney’s Hannah Montana and rock out. The Xbox part is a shrine to each model of Madden {that a} soccer fan might need.

“When people come into my shop, they look around and they remember things from their childhood, and it brings back those memories,” Chalrton mentioned, sitting behind the counter at his retailer. “[I’ve] had people say, ‘I used to play this with my dad,’ and sometimes tears will come to their eyes because they’re thinking of those things.”

Charlton says 99% of what he sells is pre-owned, and he at all times checks to ensure the consoles and video games are working. Aside from video video games, Charlton’s store additionally sells vinyl data of music from well-known video games, which he additionally performs within the retailer.

If the gaming merchandise isn’t sufficient to ship guests again to the previous — one step into the again room is.

The black carpet with fun colorful patterns (from Joy Carpets) is similar sort that appeared to look in almost each previous arcade. The partitions of the room overflow with online game posters and a show case that holds recreation collectible figurines. An previous Sony TV is plugged in and it performs old-timey tech commercials for gaming consoles and computer systems.

A time warp again to childhood

Charlton hopes his expo — from the free-play gaming area to the cosplay contest — will assist transport folks again to how they felt after they had been rising up and experiencing these video games for the primary time in the identical manner his store does.

His favourite half about operating the shop and internet hosting the expo is listening to suggestions from the group.

“I like making people happy,” he mentioned. “When people come in and you see them smile and you see them having fun, that’s kind of what I look forward to.”

Tickets for the Utah Retro GameXpo might be bought at utahretrogamexpo.com/event-passes.