VGXPO Philadelphia in eleven pictures or less

By Joe Fourhman | November 26, 2008

As mentioned on the latest Aeropodcast, I spent Saturday in Philadelphia for VGXPO – America’s Video Game Expo. Not to spoil it for anybody, but it wasn’t that great. Small, demo-free, and poorly laid-out, the only mitigating factor is that tickets are cheap (under $15) and anyone can attend. Except David Jaffe, who was scheduled for a live video chat that was cancelled… and no one told him. But there were moments of awesomeness, so follow the Ice Climbers inside for a peek at the show.

This was, like, the most convention-y booth at VGXPO. Most other vendors were just a folding table and a curtain. This was Intel’s zone, where they had some PC games in demo kiosks (like Guitar Hero, sigh) and a big center stage with race cars on it.

Being a new release, a few booths were letting people play Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe to get some attention. Note, this was not an official Midway Games booth. Midway had no such booth. It’s that kind of show. Not even Midway goes to it. This was Gamervision.com’s booth.

Anyway, I’m pretty sweet on Green Lantern’s Oa level, with those emotionless Guardians standing in the background!

Spoiler alert: Gamervision helpfully set up a fatalities cheatboard!

There were robots.

And absurd PC gaming chairs that look like medieval medical apparatus.

Doesn’t matter what the event is, if it’s somehow pop culture related, you can count on a couple of Star Wars cosplayers. I must see these guys five times a year.

Here’s that 30-man DDR I was all into. Anybody who wanted to could walk in, claim a dance pad, and then go head-to-29-other-heads in ballroom-sized DDR. I did a six minute set (third place) and a ten minute set (second place). ALL HAIL YOUR NEW AEROPAUSE DDR MASTER.

Here’s me in mid jump.

And guys, if I had her number, I’d def give it to you.

My grandparents had this game. Still do. I love the slogan “No TV Set Is Needed.” Remember, Blip came out in 1977, so that’s actually a response to Pong and the few other pre-cartridge TV gaming systems.

This Blip was found in the Retro Con room, which contained a handful of vendors specializing in, well, retro stuff. Retro Con also had a “Video Game Museum,” which, keeping in theme, was a folding table with nearly every gaming system heaped on it.

Another room was devoted to the anime scene, with import goods, cosplay info, and commissionable artists.

Top right, a very nice sexy Samus print.

Top left, a decidedly non-canon Kingdom Hearts print.

Next year’s event is already booked in the same location (the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia) for October 9 through 11.