For those of us of a certain age there is something magical about an old-school arcade. Everything about them from the flashing lights to the sound to the smell conjures up the heady days of the beginning of the explosive growth of video gaming. The appeal is such that even those of the later “Nintendo” or even the “Playstation” generations can get swept up in it.

This week we explore that appeal with two serious retro gaming enthusiasts, both professionals in the industry, who have turned their love of gaming’s early days into major collections. We also interview Dan Halligan one of the organizers of the NW Pinball and Game Room Expo which will be at the Seattle Center this summer.

And, of course, we have the weekly geek news and geek events in the Seattle area.

Our Geek Week

• Listening to the audiobook of Blackout by Connie Willis
• Picked up Plants vs. zombies for the iPhone
• Fixed the Seattle Geekly Events Calendar
• Started working on a new D&D adventure (using material from Kobold Quarterly)
• Princess Bride Trivia Night! Strike Force Buttercup won, only missed 1 question, also congratulations to Team ROUS and Team of Unusual Size.
• Game Day!
  
  • Ticket to Ride
    

  • Tsuro
  • Fluxx

Retro Gaming Madness

Thanks to Rick and Matt for taking the time to talk with us about their collections. Just to give you and idea of the scale involved below are a couple pictures Matt sent us of part of his console and computer collection

• Dan Halligan from the NW Pinball & Game Room Show

Retro Gaming Resources

• Places to play
  • Georgetown Liquor Company
  • Shorty’s
  • Ground Kontrol
• Community forums, resources and information
  • Arcade Museum Forums
  • The Real Bob Roberts. Resource for parts to fix old arcade machines
  • The Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator (MAME) developer site
  • Arcade Controls. Information on building and maintaining a multi-game MAME box
  • Ultimarc and Groovy Game Gear. Modern arcade hardware for newer games or building a MAME box

Wil Wheaton’s 2007 PAX keynote speech. An eloquent exposition on the significance of the early days of gaming.

Dare Shannon to Watch A Bad Movie

This week’s bad movie was The Stuff (1985)

If you want to dare Shannon to watch a bad movie, e-mail us at seattlegeekly@gmail.com or call us at (206)201-2352

Check our Dared Movies Page to see what is on the list and what Shannon has already watched.

Next week’s bad movie will be G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009)

News

• Comic-Con Wooed by Anaheim After Contract Expires
• Meet Blackbeard, The Villain Of ‘Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ Played By Ian McShane
• Pre-order Kirby Krackle’s new CD E for Everyone

Events

• February 26 – 27 midnight, 2010 Egyptian Theater 805 East Pine Street, Seattle Midnight Movies: The NeverEnding Story
• February 27, 2010 7pm Blue Highway Games 2203 Queen Anne Avenue North, Seattle – PandemicTournament. This, our second most popular strategy game, is a cooperative for 2-4 team members. 4 different diseases have begun to spread through out the world, you must work together to stem the rate of infection, find the cures, and completely erradicate the diseases. All of human kind is depending on your efforts.
• February 6 – March 6, 2010 Odd Duck Studio 1214 10th Ave – Seattle – I Still Won’t Be Ignored. Blood Squad presents fully improvised shows live onstage in the style of horror films based on a made-up title from the audience. For this run they will perform in the “bunny boiler” genre. Your wife is out of town, your marriage hasn’t exactly been paradise. And then, after some heavy drinking and solemn reflection about who you are as a couple, a super hot chick comes out of nowhere for a night of crazy sexy time. It’s just one night…or so you think. Who’s leaving strange messages on your wife’s phone? What about that strange woman who visited your daughter at school? Why are those closest to you….dying. If that crazy bitch can’t have you, then no one can…and she won’t be ignored!
• February 28, 2010 9pm CanCan 94 Pike St, Seattle – Sepiachord CD Compilation Fundraiser – Live performances by Superfluous (the Ukulele Tribute Act), Blackbird Orchestra (special intimate setting set), and Toy-Box Trio!
• March 4, 2010 7pm Liberty Theater 116 West Main Avenue, Puyallup – Art Spiegelman – Pulitzer Prize-winning artist, illustrator, and author of the critically acclaimed graphic novels Maus and Maus II, Art Spiegelman will discuss the evolution of comics and their value as artistic and cultural mediums. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $5 for Pierce College students. Tickets are available at the Office of Student Life, College Center building, Room 210, Pierce College Puyallup, 1601 39th Ave. SE or online at Ticketmaster. Early ticket purchase is recommended.
• March 5, 2010 7pm Secret Garden Bookshop 2214 NW Market Street, Seattle – Book Launch Party with Joni Sensel. Join prolific YA fantasy author Joni Sensel as she celebrates the release of her latest book The Timekeeper’s Moon
• March 5, 2010 7pm University Bookstore 4326 University Way NE, Seattle – Dan Simmons. Dan Simmons signs his latest book Black Hills

Contest!

New Contest
Burning Crusade Art Book & Production DVD Giveaway!

A great giveaway for serious WoW-heads. The art book is filled with over 200 pages of artwork from the first World of Warcraft expansion and the behind-the-scenes DVD offers more than two hours worth of developer interviews and commentary on all aspects of the creation of The Burning Crusade, as well as trailers and cinematics from the game, and even footage of panel discussions from BlizzCon.

This contest will run from today to Sunday March 7 and we’ll ship the book and DVD to you via USPS. As a special bonus we’ll also throw in a “Slashdance” loot card from the WoW collectible card game. The code on the card can be redeemed for a stack of 100 in-game “GRENADEs” (Goblinoid Resonant Electro-Neural Automatic Dancing Emitter) that you can throw at other players to make them dance!

“How do I enter?”
Please register / log in to our website, and leave a comment on THIS POST. You can just say “hi” or whatever! One entry per person please, we’ll delete any multiple or offensive posts. Make sure you use a valid e-mail address when you register so we can contact you if you win!

“How will you randomly pick someone?”
We have D&D dice of all shapes and sizes, even a 100 sider! We’ll roll and see who wins!

And there is still time to enter the
Heroes Season 1 & 2 DVD Giveaway!

Arguably the most talked-about television show of the 2006-2007 season, the Emmy-nominated fantasy Heroes gives viewers blends comic book-style adventure with plotting and characters as rich and layered as any graphic novel or drama series.
–Amazon

We are giving away brand new boxed sets of the first two seasons!

The contest runs from February 11 until February 28 with the winner picked on March 1st. We’ll ship the DVDs to you via USPS

“How do I enter?”
Please register / log in to our website, and leave a comment on THIS POST. You can just say “hi” or whatever! One entry per person please, we’ll delete any multiple or offensive posts. Make sure you use a valid e-mail address when you register so we can contact you if you win!

“How will you randomly pick someone?”
We have D&D dice of all shapes and sizes, even a 100 sider! We’ll roll and see who wins!

Not Our Contest

Submit your story to win a trip for two to Pro Tour San Juan!

Do you think you have a great Magic: The Gathering story? Wizards of the Coast wants to hear how Magic is part of your life today. Tell us a true story about Magic, and the most creative, unique, and relevant one will win a trip to Pro Tour–San Juan, May 27-30, 2010.

The first-place prize includes travel and accommodations for yourself and a friend. A second-place winner will receive travel and accommodations for him- or herself.

Share your story by emailing mymagic@wizards.com by 11:59 p.m. (PST) March 31, 2010. Need inspiration? Try thinking about this:

• What is the most fun you’ve ever had playing Magic?
• How long have you been playing Magic and what keeps you coming back for more?
• How have you helped your Friday Night Magic community evolve?
• Has Magic: The Gathering changed your life for the better?
• How has Magic affected other parts of your life?
• Where is the most unique place you’ve played Magic?

Along with your story and signed waiver, please provide your contact information (name, email, phone) and the store where you attend Friday Night Magic.*
*FNM location is optional.

Winners will be notified by April 5, 2010. Entries will be judged on creativity, uniqueness, and relevancy.

READ THE OFFICIAL RULES AND FILL OUT THE PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT BEFORE YOU ENTER.

By submitting this information, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to be subject to the Official Rules. You also agree to be contacted by Wizards of the Coast and/or its representatives throughout this contest.

ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST BE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OF AGE AND BE LEGAL U.S. RESIDENTS. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

Music

Music this week was Moon Patrol: Road To Tyco Station by SpookyBlue and Dig Dug: Six Feet Under by injury. Both are available, along with thousands of other video game music remixes, at OverClocked ReMix

Next week’s show will be Episode #52, Author Torrent! We have interviews with authors, Matthew Flaming of The Kingdom of Ohio, Adrian Phoenix of the Maker’s Song books, Eric S. Brown of the War of the Worlds Plus Blood Guts and Zombies and an interview with Amy from the Book View Cafe website.

Seattle Geekly by http://www.seattl-geekly.com is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.