{"id":23081,"date":"2021-11-12T01:16:44","date_gmt":"2021-11-12T01:16:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pinballnews.com\/site\/?p=23081"},"modified":"2021-11-14T22:15:42","modified_gmt":"2021-11-14T22:15:42","slug":"houston-arcade-expo-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pinballnews.com\/site\/2021\/11\/12\/houston-arcade-expo-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"HOUSTON ARCADE EXPO 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With international visitors now allowed to travel to the US, we wasted no time and got on the next available flight to get to Houston and make our first visit to the Houston Arcade Expo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/a>
The Houston Marriott Westchase hotel<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The show is held at the Houston Marriott Westchase, which is a large business-orientated hotel on the west side of the city. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/a>
The entrance to the hotel<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The complex includes several conference rooms, but it is the Grand Pavilion and the Grand Foyer which are hosting the Houston Arcade Expo this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/a>
The Grand Foyer is at the front on the ground floor, while the Grand Pavilion is behind it<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Thursday<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We got to the show on Thursday afternoon to check out the set-up ahead of the public opening of the show at midday on Friday and will be updating this report across the whole weekend with all the latest news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Grand Foyer will host multiple stands from vendors and individuals. Amongst those with tables allocated are Dirty Donny Gillies and Sam J. Jones (a.k.a. Flash Gordon).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/a>
The Grand Foyer where many vendors and special guests will have their stands<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

For the games you have to move next door to the Grand Pavilion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Some
Some of the pinballs at the Houston Arcade Expo 2021<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Game Preserve<\/a> had a large structure to build and put in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Getting<\/a>
Getting The Game Preserve’s stand set up<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"It<\/a>
It’s mostly built but still needs more work<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The adjacent Marco Specialties<\/a> stand was suitable impressive with multiple new Stern Pinball<\/a> titles, including many new Godzilla<\/a> <\/em>machines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Plenty<\/a>
Plenty of new Godzilla machines to play<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Incidentally, Pinball News Editor, Martin Ayub, will be interviewed for MarcoTV<\/a> on Saturday afternoon and you should be able to watch it soon afterwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are plenty of other pinballs already set up, with more constantly arriving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Some<\/a>
Some of the pinballs already set up at the show<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Some<\/a>
Some of the pinballs already set up at the show<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Further into the hall there are lots of customised machines. Here are a few which caught our eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"This<\/a>
This beautiful Spider-Man had custom graphics and sparkle powdercoat and clearcoat throughout<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"This<\/a>
This Philina conversion of a Gorgar has all-new graphics and rules<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"This<\/a>
This attractive Black Knight 2000 is also for sale, and at a good price<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

It’s the Houston Arcade<\/em> Expo show, so it’s not all about pinball. There are plenty of classic video games too and multiple console and PC\/Mac games too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Some<\/a>
Some of the arcade video games at the show<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"More<\/a>
More arcade video games being set up<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Space City Open<\/a> pinball tournament is being held at the show. Run by the Space City Pinball League<\/a>, it is hosted in the Richmond Room which is just off the main hotel lobby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"This<\/a>
This way to the Space City Open<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The tournament starts at 5pm on Friday, but machine set-up and configuration was under way on Thursday afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Some<\/a>
Some of the Space City Open tournament machines<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Friday<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Houston Arcade Expo opened to the public at midday on Friday, although there was still some set-up work taking place in both the Grand Foyer and the Grand Pavilion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Some<\/a>
Some of the first guests at the show’s registration desk<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

At the desk, guests could buy single or multi day passes, as well as T-shirts and posters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"T-shirts<\/a>
T-shirts from this and previous shows were available<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

There were also banners detailing the musical and seminar performances across the three days. With a stage and a DJ desk, there would be plenty of music to accompany the games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Music<\/a>
Music and seminar schedules<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

With vendors selling replica weaponry (and this being Texas), there was another banner detailing the rules to keep everyone at the show safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Rules<\/a>
Rules of engagement<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The registration desk is located at the entrance to the Grand Foyer which is where many of the vendor stands are located, away from the noise of the arcade machines in the Grand Pavilion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"One<\/a>
One of the two rows of stands in the Grand Foyer<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Some<\/a>
Some of the writer and game creator stands in the Grand Foyer<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

‘Dirty’ Donny Gillies had set up his stand near to the entrance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Dirty<\/a>
Dirty Donny was selling prints of his very colourful and vivid artworks<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

It’s a diverse selection of vendor stands at the show – especially in the Grand Foyer – and we’ll take a closer look at what they were selling or promoting a bit later, but let’s go into the main show hall – the Grand Pavilion – to see how that looked at midday on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/a>
The Game Preserve had almost completed their setting up<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Most of the pinballs are located in a block in front of the stage and loading doors, although there are plenty more scattered throughout the hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/a>
The largest block of pinballs at the show<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"One<\/a>
One of the rows of games<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Another<\/a>
Another row of games<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Another<\/a>
Another row of games<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Another<\/a>
Another row of games<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Another<\/a>
Another row of games<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Another<\/a>
More games in another part of the hall<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Another<\/a>
Another row of games<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Another<\/a>
Another row of games<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Another<\/a>
Another row of games<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Another<\/a>
Another row of games<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Another<\/a>
Another row of games<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Another<\/a>
Another row of games<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Another<\/a>
Another row of games<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Marco Specialties had their collection of new Stern Pinball titles set up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Five<\/a>
Five Godzilla Pro machines<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Four<\/a>
Four Godzilla Premiums<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Along<\/a>
Along with these Turtles and Avengers games, there were also two The Mandalorian games<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/a>
The boxes for the games on the show floor<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

There is also a raffle to win a The Mandalorian<\/em> pinball with tickets costing $25 each or five for $100. The draw will take place at the close of the show on Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Details<\/a>
Details of the prize raffle for a The Mandalorian pinball<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Texan hardware manufacturer and game developer, Multimorphic, were also here to showcase some of their latest products on two of their P3<\/sup> pinball platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Multimorphic<\/a>
Multimorphic had two of their P3 platforms, this one featuring the Heist! game<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Their second P3<\/sup> was running the Sorcerer’s Apprentice<\/em> game, but also included their new alternate generic cabinet\/backbox artwork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/a>
The new, shiny, generic P3 cabinet artwork<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/a>
The new backbox side art<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This Ghostbusters<\/em> game had a bunch of mods as well as coloured balls installed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/a>
A great-looking Ghostbusters<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This Stern Star Trek<\/em> also had a load of mods, but in this case each one had a corresponding QR code so you could get more details and potentially buy them yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/a>
A highly-modded Stern Star Trek game<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Do<\/a>
Do you want to know more?<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Later in the afternoon more games had arrived, including a selection of pinballs from Joystix<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Joystix<\/a>
Among others, Joystix brought this Star Wars Comic Pin home pinball<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"They<\/a>
They also brought this JJP Guns ‘N Roses Limited Edition<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/a>
A selection of newer Stern Pinball titles<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Who<\/a>
Who remembers this from the movie ‘Big’?<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Space City Open 2021<\/a> began at 5pm on Friday with players split into two qualifying groups – Red and Blue. The Red group played six 4-player matches first, with the Blue group following at 8pm. Qualifying continued on Saturday at 9am when the Red group played another six rounds of 4-player matches, with the Blue group doing the same at midday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/a>
The Space City Open was well-attended<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The machines in use for the tournament were: <\/p>\n\n\n\n