DISCOVER

10 Player Bomberman Battle Royale (Saturn)

Many Bomberman connoisseurs consider Saturn Bomberman to be the best Bomberman of all time. See for yourself! Up to 10 players can join in the most intense and zany game of Bomberman you will ever play.

Adventuring Parties

Interact with roaming hordes of live-action role-players on the show floor. Join them on their quests, witness the action and fun to be had as part of a LARP group. Follow them to their destination, or just get a side quest from them? If you prove yourself worthy, perhaps they will invite you to join their merry band. All are welcome to learn about and join in the live-action role-playing in the Deeplight LARP Adventure Room! Just ask these adventuring parties how to get there…but beware the toll troll! Hosted by Deeplight Larp Facebook facebook.com/deeplightlarp

Arcade Manufacturer Showcase

See all the latest and greatest coin-op and home arcade games from the biggest manufacturers including Stern Pinball, American Pinball, Raw Thrills, Spooky Pinball, Chicago Gaming, Skee-Ball, Jersey Jack Pinball, and many others! Then, find out how to bring your favorite game to your home or arcade from the manufacturers and distributors on site!

Artemis Bridge Simulator

Immerse yourself in this starship bridge simulator. This is the premier event for the actual built bridge with Spaceship type walls, monitors, and a large central view screen. Take one on of seven different positions and work together to overcome whatever the universe throws at you. Will you be the Captain, Helms Officer, Weapons Officer, Science Officer, Communications Officer, Fighter, or Engineering Officer? Yell things like “Give it all she’s got, Cap’n!” and “Logically speaking, there is no chance for survival.”

Batmobile

Holy Batmobiles, Batman, it’s the Batmobile! As every good sidekick knows, don’t fiddle with the knobs, don’t push the buttons, and don’t scuff the Batinthian Leather! Damien, this goes double for  you! But definitely come get a photo with a Batmobile modeled on the 1966 TV show vehicle.

Atomic batteries to power. Turbines to speed.

Roger. Ready to move out.

Ben Heck: Make a gameBADGE

Ben Heck guides workshop participants in assembling an updated design for his single-board gaming computer! The workshop is intended to teach how to assemble a simple computer. Each participant will get to take home the assembled computer (Ben Heck gameBadge). Attendees are expected to bring their own soldering supplies. Help will be provided so everyone is assured of a completed project to take home. Please note that the project must progress from the first step to the last, meaning people must be on time to do the first step. If you are late, you may not be able to complete your project.

Click here to see the project in further detail!

gameBade Project Preview Video

Workshop Requirements

This workshop DOES NOT PROVIDE soldering tools, you will need to bring your own, at a minimum:

• Soldering iron, with medium to fine tip
• Sponge/stand, for holding your iron and keeping it clean
• Solder (lead-free or leaded, leaded is easier)
• Tweezers, for holding small parts
• Side cutters, for cutting wires and leads
• Work mat (even if just a piece of cardboard!)

There will be a finite number of extra tools, but these are mostly so (Ben or assistants) can help people if they get stuck during assembly. If you sign up for this workshop, please bring the tools listed above so we can ensure you, and everyone else is able to complete their Gamebadge3 in the time allotted.

Skill Requirements

We recommend that attendees have *some* soldering experience before building this project or bring a parent/friend who does and can help them out. Ben and his assistants will help you if you get stuck, but we will not have time to build entire kits for people. This kit has been simplified compared to previous workshops which will help.

BHOP Esports

BHOP will be at MGC with StepManiaX and an assortment of activities! They’re here to make friends and learn about how video games have impacted your life for the better. Stop by for a friendly chat and a good time!

BitBuilt Experience

The BitBuilt Experience is people from BitBuilt and the Ben Heck Experience coming together to show you how they have hacked consoles to give them more functionality! Whether it is adding a composite out to a system like the Colecovision or finding a way to make a portable Atari 2600 using the original boards, this is a fun room to check out!

Blood on the Clocktower

Blood on the Clocktower is a bluffing game enjoyed by 5 to 20 players on opposing teams of Good and Evil, overseen by a Storyteller player who conducts the action and makes crucial decisions. During a ‘day’ phase players socialize openly and whisper privately to trade knowledge or spread lies, culminating in a player’s execution if a majority suspects them of being Evil.

Boardtality! Presented by Wings Academy

Hang out near the Mortal Kombat actors AND bust a board to pieces with your bare hands?! It’s every kid’s dream. Well, it’s MY dream. But I won’t be there (as I’m the disembodied voice of MGC). However, YOU can take a kid and let them feel the power and break a board with the help of the Wings Academy Taekwondo crew and the Mortal Kombat crew.

Bonus Stage: Gaming Discussions

Saturday

10:30 AM – Lacey Johnson Music – The Video Game Cover Queen

11 AM – Gary Katzer (RoXolid Production) – Collecting Tips and Getting Great Deals

11:30 AM – Premium Edition Games – Modern Retro Done Right

12 PM – Jay From Square Pegs “Tales from an Industry Nobody”

12:30 PM – TigerChainsaw – 15 Video Game Facts You Didn’t Know

1 PM – LARP – Live Action Role Playing Demonstrations

1:30 PM – My Life in Gaming – Classic Games + Building a YouTube Empire

2 PM – The Game Beaters (NES Devs) + New NES Games in Development

2:30 PM – The Game Beaters (NES Devs) + New NES Games in Development

3 PM – Imoto Arcade – A Wealth of Pinball Industry Knowledge

3:30 PM – Meeples and Wine Podcast – Wine Pairing and Video Games

4 PM – Chris Downing “The History of Portable Modding”

4:30 PM – Dave Zilog and Moto – Sega Master System PAL Games

5 PM – Indie Arcade Wave – The Boom in New Arcade Development

5:30 PM – Indie Arcade Wave – The Boom in New Arcade Development

6 PM – Mark Valuch Pinball – The REAL Pinball Experts

6:30 PM – Lame Dad – The Carnage and Destruction of Video Games

7 PM – Debate This! Podcast – The Wild Hypothetical Gaming Questions

7:30 PM – Debate This! Podcast- The Wild Hypothetical Gaming Questions

 

Sunday

10 am – Carcade/ESports – The ANYWHERE Arcade and the Esports Landscape

11 am – Scott Adams – The Godfather of Adventure Games

11:30 am – John Hancock – Tips For New Collectors

12 pm – Adam Koralik – The Sega Pluto Prototype

12:30 pm – Ally Low – So You Made a Retro Game… What’s Next?

1:30 pm – TigerChainsaw – 15 Video Game Facts You Didn’t Know

2 pm – Theater of the Mind – How to start a Podcast, Live Stream, or Show

2:30 pm – James Kilpatrick – Online Games That have Vanished!

3 pm – LARP – Live Action Role Play Demonstration

3:30 pm – LARP – Live Action Role Play Demonstration

4 pm – Duckfeed Podcast Featuring Bob Mackey

4:30 Pm -Duckfeed Podcast Featuring Bob Mackey

Brick Battle Royale

First, build your minifigure fighter Then pick a partner from Giant Chicken to skeleton mob. Then build a base out of blocks Finally, duke it out to be the winner. (Rules are a simple homebrew system for all ages up to 8 players) These sessions can be 30 minutes if you’re short on time, or extended to longer if all the players are up for it.

ByteOff Awards

The NESmaker Byte-Off awards are our way of celebrating this amazing, diverse, creative, ingenious, passionate community. It is designed to be a collaborative event to drive new ideas and give everyone a platform to show them off. Many games that started off as fun, small scale Byte-Off demoes have gone on to be fully fleshed out and have been published for retro and modern consoles. Who will win this year’s annual NESmaker Byte-Off awards? Find out at Midwest Gaming Classic! To play the entries and for details, go to www.TheNew8bitHeroes.com

Classic Gaming and Computing Museum

The Computing and Gaming Museum is one of the centerpieces of the Midwest Gaming Classic! Check out hundreds of different consoles from Pong to the PS5 and everything in between! Discover the joys of early computers, share the fun of hit games from the past, and check out the present of video games in the home! Best of all? Unlike a museum where you can just look, in the Computing and Gaming Museum, it’s almost all playable too!

Comedy Shows

Catch 3 hilarious comedy performances at the Game Show stage featuring Ross Rooster Huff, Chuck Charles, Dean Berg, and Ka$h Money Karl! Meet the comedians: (more…)

Cursed Halo

It’s Halo, but completely broken and absolutely absurd! Random explosions, confetti, and… Minecraft? Look, I’m not going to try to explain this completely random treasure trove of silliness all bottled up in the Halo game we all know and love, just swing by the Games, Guys, and Beer room to play it for yourself!          

D&D: Homebrew Worlds

This workshop will teach you how to create unique and engaging worlds for your D&D home games. Learn worldbuilding techniques and tips to make your campaign come to life in just 30 minutes to an hour. Create memorable locations, NPCs and plotlines that will make your game truly special.

Deeplight LARP Adventure Room

Have you ever been curious about what it would be like to try and sneak around as a stealthy rogue and steal valuable treasures, or conquer the playing field as a strong and brave warrior? Maybe combat isn’t your thing, and you would like to dress up in your favorite garb and simply roleplay in person as a dashing bard or cunning merchant! Give it all a try in Deeplight LARP’s Adventure Room! We are looking for brave adventurers like yourself to run through a variety of Live Action Role-Play scenarios. Deeplight LARP will also be discussing how to get into Live Action Role-Playing, what to expect at events, and how to interact safely while immersing yourself in the Deeplight LARP world. If you’ve ever been curious to play some of your favorite characters in person with other players, this is where you can finally have that experience!

Hosted by Deeplight Larp

Facebook facebook.com/deeplightlarp

Discover Dungeons & Dragons

No Experience Necessary! Walk up, sit down, play! From the Birthplace of the “Game that Changed the World” come join Realms of Adventure with the very first role-playing game that has ignited the imaginations of millions of gamers around the world for five decades! We will teach you the basics of the original role-playing game and give you a taste of this collaborative storytelling game that relies more on teamwork and less on competition to win the day. Ever wonder what changed the face of tabletop and video gaming from the early days of Pong and Space Invaders into the magic of Legend of Zelda and the Elder Scrolls saga? Let us be your guide and companion through amazing lands and dread dungeons to battle monstrous foes, best deadly challenges and seize marvelous treasures to forge your own legend! Join Wisconsin (Harold) Johnson, Keith Polster, Tom “The Dwarf” Darga, and others on fast-paced and quick intro adventures in the endless Realms of Adventure.

Free Geek Twin Cities

Free Geek Twin Cities- We are an electronics recycling and refurbishing center located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. We have a mission to keep electronics waste out of landfills and repurpose it into usable technology. Thanks to the donations we receive, we can get computers into the hands of our community’s financially needy and help bridge the digital divide. We’re hosting a family-friendly recycling activity where we’ll help you disassemble controllers to help the environment! A few items from the legendary Computer Reset warehouse in Dallas, TX will be on sale as well.

Future Classics

Try out the classics of the future from various developers of all sizes! From VR to console, Steam to mobile, you might be the first to check out tomorrow’s hot new game!

Are you a developer? Register here to show your games at MGC.

Game Center Arcade

When the show opens, so does the largest arcade in Wisconsin! Featuring hundreds of arcade video and pinball machines, this is a room that you don’t want to miss!

Interested in bringing a machine to share and getting awesome rewards? Click THIS!

 

 

Garcade

The incredible Menomonee Falls-based arcade the Garcade joins us and is throwing an EPIC bash! Featuring games, a DJ, and a friendly competition, come celebrate the Garcade with them! Can’t wait? Visit the Garcade in Menomonee Falls today to play over 175 games for one price!

Learn More About the Garcade at the MGC

Giant Death Cannon D&D

Michael Fidley’s Giant Death Cannon DND 5th edition. With election defeat all but certain what is a gnome to do? Why hire a group of adventures to secure a doomsday weapon of course. Humor-based Dungeon and Dragon role-playing game for Level 3 characters. Please make a character before the game, or one can be provided for you. No previous DND experience needed

Guys, Games and Beer

The fun-loving Guys, Games and Beer podcast is an amazing group of guys (and gals!) that get together to discuss games and beer! They love sharing their favorite games with people, whether it is classics you may know, or extremely unique and one-of-a-kind things you may never seen! Walk into the room and become part of the G2B family and see what all the fun is about!

KingPin Kiddie Ride Menagerie

Want to put your kids into a vehicle from a popular 80s cartoon, the back of an animal, or onto a space ship? These are just some of the options that KingPin Games will have in their KingPin Kiddie Ride Menagerie at the show! Hop on (as long as you are the correct size and / or weight) and take a ride down memory lane in this fun area! If you love one of these, you can bring one home with you or get it to put at a location to share after the show is over! Want to reserve one for delivery at the show? Contact Chris at KingPin at (608) 393-2299 for current inventory and pricing!

Learn to Play Crokinole

Crokinole (KROH-ki-nohl) is an exciting disc-flicking dexterity game. Like tabletop curling or shuffleboard for your fingers. Players: 2-4 | Age: 8+ Estimated playing time: 30 minutes BGG Complexity Rating: 1.24/5

Learn to Play D&D

Interested in what Dungeons & Dragons is all about? Maybe you saw it played on Stranger Things, or Youtube, or Twitch but you’ve never played yourself. Well, here’s your chance to find out what all those strange looking dice are for and what this role-playing game is all about! These short sessions are designed to get you into the action quick (15-30 minutes) and then if you want more can be extended to a longer game. Add it to your schedule or just drop by the Tabletop RPG area to see what’s available. Run by various DMs including Dan Houser, John Mares and more!

Learn to play ORK!

You am Ork! Enter the bone-cracking World of Orkness with Ork: The Roleplaying Game. Termed a “beer and pretzels” game where monstrous, hilarious adventure matters more than rules and tables. Claw your way out of the Gunk Pit, earn your name with acts of spectacular violence, and bring terror to the Squishy Man villages in the name of Almighty Krom. Run by Dan Houser, cover artist on the game, illustrator and RPG developer.

Learn to Play Red Dragon Inn

In Red Dragon Inn, you and your friends are a party of heroic, fantasy adventurers. You’ve raided the dungeon, killed the monsters, and taken their treasure. Now you’re back, and what better way to celebrate your most recent victory than to spend an evening at the Red Dragon Inn. You and your adventuring companions will spend the night imbibing, gambling, and roughhousing. The last person who is both sober enough to remain conscious and shrewd enough to hold onto their Gold Coins wins the game. The four characters are Deirdre the Priestess, Fiona the Volatile, Gerki the Sneak, and Zot the Wizard.

MGC Main Stage

The MGC Main Stage features entertainment, our famous Saturday night Cosplay Contest and the epic MGC After Party (additional ticket required)!

View the full-stage lineup!

MGC Select Auction

Last fall we helped sell 60+ games to their new homes.  Classics from Robotron to Tetris and Ms. Pacman to more modern titles, pinball games to arcade classics.

Games will be sold in a LIVE auction that will also be fed over the Internet on our site (http://www.oldschoolgamerauctions.com/watch/).

Games will sell for anywhere from $100 to as much as $5,000.

Most working games will sell for between $500-$1000.  Buyers onsite will pay a 10% buyer’s premium (12% if paid with a credit card) and all online bidders will pay the 15% premium plus sales tax.  Items will be sold in the order posted as of Saturday evening at 6 pm when we will be doing a full walk-through and showcase of products being sold on Sunday at noon.

Further details here: http://www.oldschoolgamerauctions.com/select/

Midwest Gaming Classic Merchandise

MGC merch booth – where you can live out your dreams and dance the night away! Actually, you know what? Please don’t do that. But DO shop for exclusive Midwest Gaming Classic merchandise including limited edition items that can only be purchased at the show!

Nostalgia Music & More Gaming Jukebox

Listen to music from your favorite video games at our specially built jukebox courtesy of our friends at Nostalgia Music & More in Waukesha!

Click Here for a Full Track List

Pokemon TCG Play & Tournaments

Catch all the Pokemon card action you can handle.

Replica Movie Cars

“Check out all the replica movie cars made by enthusiasts at the Midwest Gaming Classic! Whether you’re looking to travel back in time, bust some heads (metaphorically speaking), discover if something has survived, party on, or if you want to see a talking car, we might have just the thing!

Rocket League 2v2 Open LAN Party

Game Together MKE is be hosting a 2v2 Rocket League open LAN party at the Midwest Gaming Classic from March 31 to April 2. And for all the spectators out there, we’ll have a 55-inch TV broadcasting the Rocket League matches. Don’t miss out on the ultimate gaming experience! Join us at the Midwest Gaming Classic and show off your skills!

Secret Stage

You’ve found the Secret Stage presented by Future Classics, inside of Cosplay HQ. The stage will feature a variety of content including the Cosplay pre-judging and more. Check out the schedule below for a full listing.

Saturday

• 10:00 AM Stage Opening presented by Sorta Ridiculous Productions
• 11:00 AM Carolyn
• 12:00 PM Cosplay
• 1:00 PM Cosplay
• 2:00 PM Legal Issues in Video Games in 2023 by Ross Hersemann & Sam Castree
• 3:00 PM Interviews with the devs hosted by Sorta Ridiculous Productions
• 4:00-6:00 PM Cosplay
• 6:00 PM “Death” is coming! by Scott Langteau
• 7:00 PM Interviews with the devs hosted by Sorta Ridiculous Productions
• 8:00 PM Stage Close presented by Sorta Ridiculous Productions

 Sunday

• 10:00 AM Stage Opening presented by Geeks By The Creek
• 11:00 AM Interviews with the devs hosted by Geeks By The Creek
• 12:00 PMInterviews with the devs hosted by Geeks By The Creek
• 1:00 PM NESMaker Live Demo
• 2:00 PM Interviews with the devs hosted by Geeks By The Creek
• 3:00 PM “Death” is coming! by Scott Langteau
• 4:00 PM Interviews with the devs hosted by Geeks By The Creek
• 5:00 PM Stage Close presented by Geeks By The Creek

Steel Battalion LAN

Want to check out one of the largest setups of Capcom’s Steel Battalion controllers on the original Xbox in the world? Guys Games and Beer are getting it ready for it’s return to the Midwest Gaming Classic. It’s even bigger and better this time!

Strange Things Afoot-The Cave of Mysteries

Strange Things Afoot is a tabletop RPG that draws inspiration from creepypasta and urban legends. Players take the role of high school students struggling against supernatural forces. In this adventure the characters assist in a search and rescue mission to find two missing children.

Think Quick Escape Room

Think Quick Events is excited to be bringing its escape room experience to the Midwest Gaming Classic 2023! This year, players are being sent to Battle Island and entered into the island’s Trading Card Game Tournament to win the ultimate prize! But, the winning cards are locked away by numerous traps and puzzles! Gather your friends together to find all of the missing cards you need before the Grand Master banishes you to The Dark Realm!

Tickets are $25 per person, with a max of 6 people per group. Buy your tickets early and save $5! Register for your early tickets below, or come see us at our table for more information!

Time Machine DeLorean

Wait a minute Doc, are you trying to tell me Matt Hissem built a time machine… out of a DeLorean?! The way we see it, if you’re going to be at the Midwest Gaming Classic, you might as well do it with some style… as this incredible DeLorean is going to be on the show floor! Great Scott!

Vendor Hall

Over 100,000 square feet of gaming goodness! Whatever you are looking for – from games and systems to shirts, toys, machine parts, costume pieces, and so much more – find it among our 100+ vendors from all over the country! Remember, if you pre-ordered tickets, you get into the vendor hall 30 minutes early on Saturday, and for VIG, it’s an HOUR early on Saturday!

Want to be a vendor at MGC? Sign up here!

Videogame Sage

Video Game Sage is a website dedicated to all things retro gaming and is excited to be hosting a room at Midwest Gaming Classic. At VideoGameSage.com you can work on your collection, participate in challenges, buy and sell video games, or just hang out and chat with people who love gaming, classic to current gen. Stop by the VGS room and play games from the past or some of the newest homebrew creations for the NES.

Wolfheim Boffer Room

Wield foam weapons and head to the Wolfheim Boffer Room to challenge friends and friends you haven’t met yet to armed (foam) combat! Or receive training from seasoned boffer veterans to learn how to properly, um, boff. Wolfheim is a part of the Amtgard foam combat society. We are a fast-paced foam fighting group with a magic system intermixed. Come join us for a combat demonstration and learn more about our game and where to find your nearest local park!

World of Nintendo Retail Store Exhibit

Step into the World of Nintendo with this unforgettable living history exhibit! Travel back to a time when stores were transformed into immersive, animated wonderlands, and experience the vibrant history of Nintendo like never before. With this exhibit, you’ll have the rare opportunity to catch a glimpse of what a World of Nintendo store was like in the 1990s. Don’t let this rare chance to delve into the history of Nintendo pass you by! Located in the Video Game Sage room.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Play and Tournaments

The Yu-Gi-Oh! card game has been extremely popular for years, we’re hosting some great Yu-Gi-Oh! tournaments, as well as open play! They will also be hosting friendly competitions here throughout the day!