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While the video game industry has evolved over the decades into the multi-billion dollar behemoth it is today, in the past it was more niche. Unlike comics where older releases are made available for new readers in new mediums, be they collected editions or digital editions, once a video game console is no longer supported, a large number of games end up being lost to the ages. Because of the ever-evolving landscape of hardware compatibility, and licensing agreements, games of the past tend to be harder and harder to find so celebrations like the Long Island Retro Gaming Expo become more and more important for the preservation of the medium’s history.
The most significant and unique thing that this event does compared to other similar events in the area is host more tournaments in a wider variety of games than any other event. Tournaments are held in modern games like Dragon Ball FighterZ, Pokken Tournament,
and even Mario Strikers: Battle League which only came out a few months ago, while also reaching back to classics like Mario Kart 64, 007 Goldeneye, NHL 94, Tecmo Bowl, Mario Kart Double Dash, and many others. The blend of new and old is important from a teaching aspect as it allows for newcomers to the medium to learn about the way that games changed and developed over the decades.
Beyond tournaments, contests also exists in the form of high score competitions. Games like Galaga, Crash Team Racing, and Dig Dug are showcased and competitors work to get the highest possible score. Free Play exhibits also exist to allow players the opportunity to play games from basically every console, from widely known and played consoles like the Gameboy, Sega Genesis, and the PlayStation Portable, to lesser-known consoles like the Intellivision, the Sega Game Gear, and the Nintendo Virtual Boy.
The expo also hosts a wide variety of guests from podcasters and YouTubers who are knowledgeable about video games new and old, while also hosting musical acts such as 88bit. Events like the Long Island Retro Gaming Expo are invaluable for the conservation and preservation of old media, something that is harder and harder to do as the remake and remaster becomes commonplace in the video game industry. For a frame of reference outside of video games, it is not dissimilar from how the original trilogy of Star Wars has not been rereleased unedited as they were originally issued without additional scenes. There is something to be said for allowing the director or creators to see their vision to the best of modern technology, however for the historical preservation of the media, it is important to keep the original intact and accessible. While Spyro may now be playable on current-generation consoles and updated to the graphical standards of today, that is not what the game originally was and players, and the next generation of developers, should see the roots that these things came from.
