Well, I'll tell you. Having gone online many months ago to see when 2019's expo was going to take place, I managed to snag some early-bird tickets that included entry to the VIP chill-out room with unlimited snacks!
There has been a long build-up of excitement to this event in the Davies household, although strangely Hannah hasn't been part of that, opting to stay home and go clothes shopping rather than play pinball all day. Each to their own, I guess. Pete and I zoomed off to be there as soon as the doors opened for uninterrupted play.
The event felt like it had doubled in size since last year, with games cabinets spilling out of the ballroom and into the hallways of the hotel where they hold this. Pete has doubled in size too, but a canny father took along a folding step to give him maximum advantage at the games.
And what games they were! All the classics from Asteroids to Galaga, every Donkey Kong and Pac-man you could imagine, as well as Star Wars and pinball machines from each decade. While Pete took on Battlezone I played a very strange game called Eyes (like Pac-man, except you're an eye). There was also a memorable Polynesian pinball machine made entirely out of wood.
Pete's brain was somewhat overcome by having to divide time between unlimited computer games and unlimited snacks. After our third go stocking up on peanut butter cups, Cheetos, Pirate's Booty and Skittles we decided it was probably time to go. We'd been there for five hours, and the place was so packed now that we couldn't get a look in on any machines, pinball or arcade. That's the danger of getting featured on my blog, I guess.
Starting with something more to Pete's size.
Concentration (and a lolly).
I got on the hi-scores for Mr Do! A game literally no one else was playing.
The usual outcome in Outrun.
Mechanical Pong.
Some knights having a fight. Not entirely sure what they were doing here.
Polynesian pinball.
An arcade game based on the band Journey. Yep! Don't stop believing!
Even the Empire gets thirsty.
Continuing the Star Wars theme.
The snack room! Not the most VIP of VIP things, but unlimited.
Measuring up to the big boys.
Mario playing Mario.
