PORTLAND, Oregon—If you think you’ve seen everything there is to offer at a massive “retro gaming expo,” then you’re a lot like me. I went to last weekend’s Portland Retro Gaming Expo with low expectations, simply hoping to have fun and play games with a few friends. But the annual show has continued its explosive growth, and this year’s edition featured so much rare and weird gaming stuff from yesteryear that I couldn’t help but pull out my camera.
In part, I’m a sucker for rare games, in original, mint-condition boxes, being collected and sold in a giant pavilion, which PRGE offered in its biggest show floor yet. And I always enjoy a massive free-play floor that lets me save quarters on classic pinball and video arcade machines, which PRGE also delivered with its biggest selection since the show began in 2006.