Weekend Recap

I seem to be spilling my seed all over everyone else’s blog today. Definitely time to start thinking about egocentric comment-aggregating doohickeys so I can feel at least halfway erudite when I load my own page. Meanwhile, here’s a frill-free, not at all arranged to maximize numerous potential punchlines, summary of my weekend in a convention center full of classic video games and pinball: WHEE BLING BLOOP BLOOP BLOOP!

Okay, so I was in a room with the official world champion of Dig-Dug, and didn’t ask him to autograph my breasts. But is that really so wrong?

This year, I moved from appreciating California Extreme the way one would appreciate any event with friends and a zillion pinball machines on free play, to attempting to take it seriously and attend panel discussions. On the future of classic video games. By the world champions of Dig-Dug, Pooyan, and Crystal Castles.

They took themselves very, very seriously, so I didn’t feel it was necessary for me to really join in the gravitas. Wouldn’t've been able to anyway.

Apparently, the future of classic video gaming is in the heart and hands of a little Russian child, who has been playing Dig-Dug 15 hrs/day for the past ten years. He hasn’t yet burst upon the world classic video game scene, but when he does, the age of the semi-specialist will be over. No more can a man dream of being world champion of Elevator Action, Fishin’ Frenzy, and Dig-Dug; he must choose, and play nothing but Elevator Action for fourteen years straight.

I couldn’t actually see a tear in the eye of the Crystal Castles champion. He was too brave to cry in front of an audience of hungry pinball amateurs. But even as the panel discussed the bright future of their hobby, sadness filled the air, for what was once will never be again.

The ensuing barbecue with the usual Silicon Valley crew was delicious, and full of good cheer until the inevitable lemon fight.