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January 20, 2015
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RePlay - January 2015
RePlay's January 2015 DIRECTORY

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The Way We Were: Arcade Expo Wows Gamers
  
Kenny, John & Erin
Show Director Kenny Hardy, Founder John Weeks and PR/Event Specialist Erin Cavanaugh have every reason to be excited about the success of Arcade Expo, held this past weekend in Banning, Calif.
They say you can never go home again. But, for three days in mid-January, an event called the Arcade Expo brought back the feelings and excitement of the golden age of pinball and video for over 3,000 players and spectators at a Southern California town named Banning.
Pinball room
As far as you can see, pinball machines lined up row after row, covering truly golden oldies and more contemporary games.
Here, nearly 800 vintage pins and videos...from ancient Gottlieb add-a-balls thru to hits and also-rans of the video boom era...were all on stage for folks who paid one admission price to play these golden oldies free.

The equipment, the venue (a 40,000 sq.ft. warehouse) and the idea belonged to collector John Weeks who, together with his assistant Kenny Hardy, created this unique super retrocade that ran for three days. Trade notables like Roger Sharpe and Walter (Twin Galaxies) Day drifted among attendees who, just like in the golden days, were youngish males for the most part..."game geeks," if you will, who scoured the floor looking for their favorites of yesterday and often finding them.
Eddie
RePlay Publisher Eddie Adlum is honored with the Walter Day's Video Game and Pinball Trading Cards' Superstars of 2015 card as a "Pioneer of Video Game Journalism." Pictured with Eddie are Mark Hoff (Walter's right-hand man, who began working for Walter Day in the arcade when he was 14), video game record holder Billy Mitchell (the first perfect game in Pac-Man among his achievements), Eric Tessler (the benefactor who has financially made it possible to produce the card series) and Walter, whose passion for the game industry is second to none.
Weeks told RePlay he was delighted with the event and has decided to make it an annual outing, maybe even do it twice a year. More on this welcome addition to the coin-op show calendar next issue.

The show organizers pulled out lots of stops to make the Arcade Expo memorable. Walter Day made several collector card presentations, famous players like Billy Mitchell signed autographs, food vendors sold hotdogs, burgers and beer outside, and several tournaments took place in separate areas  back inside. It's fair to say not every machine was in top working order. Lights didn't light in every video header and flippers didn't bat balls in every pin. But, in the main, most games did their tricks just like in days gone by. Asteroids, anyone?

Asteroids
Arcade Expo attendees have fun on Asteroids and Asteroids Deluxe.
NBVA Has Busy Agenda in Vegas

The National Bulk Vendors Association has announced its convention agenda for the group's annual trade show, which will be held in conjunction with March's Amusement Expo.  

 

NBVA will kick off its week of activities by participating in the new all-show Gala on Tuesday, March 24, a day before the convention hall opens for exhibits, from 6:15-8:15 p.m. On March 25, the group will open its co-located convention exhibits, following a morning membership breakfast and general meeting, 8-9:30 a.m, at the Westgate Resort and Casino (formerly the Las Vegas Hilton). That evening, the bulk vending organization will host its annual banquet from 7-10 p.m. at the same venue.  

 

NBVA exhibits will be found alongside the Amusement Expo in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Hall N1.