RetroGameCon will return to Syracuse this weekend for a celebration of classic video games. More than 3,000 fans will meet at The Oncenter to swap game cartridges and memories.

What started in 2012 as a way for a few hundred people to find elusive games from systems like the Atari 2600 and the Nintendo Entertainment System, also known as NES, has grown into a full convention aimed at all ages featuring musicians, cosplayers, tournaments and seminars with industry insiders.

“It’s the biggest gaming-centered convention in upstate New York, and possibly even the state,” said Patrick Milligan, RetroGameCon director.

Two-day passes for RetroGameCon are $20 online or $25 at the door. Single-day, family packages and a limited number of VIP tickets are also available. Tickets may also be purchased online.

This year’s keynote panel features video game pioneers David Crane and Gary Kitchen, most famous for challenging a generation of players in the 1980s with titles such as “Pitfall!” and “Chopper Command,” and for bringing “Donkey Kong” to the Atari 2600. Also on tap are two of the motion capture actors for the original “Mortal Kombat” fighting game.

The convention will feature more than 20 tournaments, with gamers competing for prizes and bragging rights in popular games like “Super Smash Bros.” and “Mario Kart.” One stage in the main hall will feature musicians performing remixes of game scores and original 8-bit-inspired songs.

The diverse ways people celebrate their gaming passions is what impressed Johnny Klimek of Rochester when he attended RetroGameCon for the first time last year.

“It’s really taking all that stuff from your childhood that you love and bringing it to a new life in this day and age,” Klimek said. “It’s nostalgia, but it’s new and fresh at the same time.”

Courtesy of RetroGameCon

RetroGameCon partners with Extra Life, a charity that supports the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, by offering raffle tickets throughout the convention. Raffle tickets are $1, and all proceeds go to Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital in Syracuse.

One new take is an original game being released for the NES. “Justice Duel” comes on a cartridge — the way it was made in the 1980s — and plays in any NES or NES-compatible system. As a convention exclusive, developers Mega Cat Studios converted the Niagara Mohawk Building, an art deco masterpiece in downtown Syracuse, into a playable level.

“It’s very much the atmosphere of Disneyland for gamers,” Klimek said. “There’s just something for everyone.”

At 35, Klimek represents the nostalgic gamers who grew up on the first home consoles. He said the convention is more than an attempt to recapture a fleeting past.

Other twists come when fans dress up as their favorite game characters. Milligan said dozens of attendees show up each year in hand-crafted costumes. Many compete in the cosplay contest to see who has the most accurate and original costume. This year, the contest features more than $1,000 in prizes across both adult and kids categories.

Cassie Gardner-Lindsey will make the trip from Bangor, Maine, so she can show off her gender-bended version of Caesar from the anime and game franchise “One Piece.”

“It’s so much fun,” Gardner-Lindsey said. “It’s being you, but an extension of your life that you can’t do in your normal life.”

The 23-year-old marketing assistant said one of the best parts about cosplay for her is the connections she makes with other cosplayers and convention attendees.

“It’s just a cool way to express yourself and take pride in the things that you enjoy,” she said.

Courtesy of RetroGameCon

This year’s head cosplay judge, Nicole Amber, agreed, saying it’s the community that keeps her coming back to the convention each year. A web developer for Syracuse University, Amber likes how accepting cosplay is of different ages, body types and interests.

“We’re all just a bunch of nerds who have a passion for games and anime and like to geek out about our characters,” Amber said.

Shared passions lead to lasting friendships, and sometimes even to marriage proposals.

Last year, Klimek proposed to his girlfriend, Channie Pankratz, on the vendor floor. Pankratz sells original game-themed glassware and ornaments through her company The Item Shop. But Klimek wanted to sell something else — an idea.

“I was dressed as a white mage,” Klimek said. “I told her she has a tendency to wander away from the party and that she needed a dedicated healer. So, I asked whether I could be a permanent member of the party.”

Pankratz was arranging her table in the vendor hall at the time. She remembered looking around and seeing a man dressed in Duke Nukem at the next table. Other vendors and attendees had gathered in a small crowd to watch. She was stunned.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better proposal,” Pankratz said.

In the heart of the convention dedicated to the couple’s shared passion for games, amid the thousands of excited fans and artists, Pankratz was surrounded by everything she loved.

She said yes.

Published on November 13, 2017 at 7:02 pm

Contact Noah: nkbuntai@syr.edu