If you watched this year’sThat’s Adorbalevideo, then you already know that one of my favorite things about PAX is the people. The other big selling point of the event is the games, but not in the way that you necessarily think.

What I love about PAX is that it’s the only event that really gives me the special feeling I used to get when visiting a brand new, real life Video Arcade. Back in the 80’s and 90’s, gamers would travel miles across the country to find the arcades that had the most rare and unusual games. Stumbling upon these types of games for the first time in the wild would elicit amazing feeling of discovery, something that I’m not sure that anyone who has brought up on the Internet can fully conceive of. It was like spotting ashiny Pokemonfor the first time, only more awesome, because it was actually happening in your life, and not in a virtual plain of tall grass.

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That’s how I felt when I literally bumped intoCrowman and Wolfboyon the show floor while headed to an appointment. I wasn’t expecting to make friends with an all new black-and-white cartoon platformer about escaping from inevitable death, but there it was. It was like the first time I sawChiller, only not as terrifying. It felt great. Via la Video Arcade! Viva la PAX!

John and Molly sitting on the park bench

Close up shot of Marissa Marcel starring in Ambrosio

Kukrushka sitting in a meadow

Lightkeeper pointing his firearm overlapped against the lighthouse background

Overseer looking over the balcony in opening cutscene of Funeralopolis

Edited image of Super Imposter looking through window in No I’m not a Human demo cutscene with thin man and FEMA inside the house

Indie game collage of Blue Prince, KARMA, and The Midnight Walk

Close up shot of Jackie in the Box

Silhouette of a man getting shot as Mick Carter stands behind cover