Free Cereal, Rad Pinball, and… Hentai Gameshows: How We Won it all at 2D Con

2D Con started 15 years ago as a LAN party. Since then, it’s grown to encompass every form a game can take – be it board game, game show, or, of course, pinball machine. Duh dude, why the frick would we be here otherwise? Stop wasting everybody’s time. 

This year’s 2D con had a pinball tournament. Last year, we famously got third after going out like absolute losers on a Stars in their amazing race format. This year, Matt ditched the Amazing Race in favor of progressive points or something? Basically, you scored standard 7,5,3,1 in each round, but then a total number had to be reached or you were out? It was dope. I’m not just saying that because (spoiler alert) I won it ALL this year. 

But the thing is that it’s not really about the pinball at 2D con. Like the pinball is super fun, and there was an extensive arcade with like 20 pinball machines, at least that many arcade cabs, and a whole room of Japanese rhythm games – but it’s about the people.  People at 2D con go all out, cosplay, room parties – it’s the whole thing. 

This year was no exception. I actually stayed late to see what it was like when it got weird this year. Let’s say things did not disappoint. 

Cosplay was ridic

In Nudge 5, we have two two-page spreads dedicated to the awesome costumes and people watching that happens at 2D con. There’s a quirkiness here that’s missing from a lot of more corporate-type cons. I always think about how lucky we are to have cons like 2Dcon in Minneapolis and MGC in Milwaukee – places that haven’t been hoovered up by giant companies just trying to make money. 

There’s still community here. These are organic events that have grown in scale and scope because people asked for it! A few years ago, the Con tried to move to another hotel – but quickly moved back when the FANS said that the Doubletree in Bloomington was more lit. Guess what, dear reader? THEY WERE FUCKIN’ RIGHT. 

A huge part of this community loves anime and cosplay. This year’s costumes were awesome, even if I realize how old I’m getting by not understanding any of the Fortnite shit that people wear. Like baguettes and mime crap? Weird ass guns and hammers? IDK, just give me Black Knight Sword of Rage and put me in a home. 

The best part is that you see how diehards of all fandoms find each other. Friends, couples, even corgi facebook groups all are pretty heavily represented here. We actually overheard this insanely costumed couple talk about how they found each other later in life as divorced warhammer fans. That’s so fuckin’ awesome. Hollywood make that movie, you cowards. 

Don’t worry, capitalism is still represented in a fun way

The thing about cons – there’s always gonna be something to buy. But it doesn’t have to be obnoxious. 2D con doesn’t have a TON of booths, but the ones they have are frickin’ awesome. The used game and VHS booth was obvy a favorite as was the Pokemon plush wall – but there was a ton of stuff. I really wanted a Berserk rug for my house, but couldn’t justify that as a Nudge purchase. I’d say maybe next year, but we all know that money is going directly into a pinball machine.

Tons of high-level video game tournaments

Throughout all of Saturday there were a ton of super competitive tournaments happening. I watched someone just absolutely beat the hell out of Tetris with this insane wrist flick technique. I was mesmerized. Followed that up with some video game musical chairs, which was emcee’d by a Red Bull DJ and had contestants make their way through a series of challenges on different video games. One level was some first-person shooter, the next Cuphead, the next Mega Man 2, etc. 

Watching these people compete is what I imagine it’s like when someone watches me play pinball. They’re impressed, amazed, and vaguely disturbed. This is one of the few places in the world that you’ll be able to find someone absolutely acing an entire Dreamcast game in one room 

Metric crapload of indie video and board games

Early in the day, a couple of hours before the tournament, I had a chance to just sorta walk around and talk to people. It was awesome to hear about these people’s passion projects. Games that they saw in their minds that had to exist in real life. It reminded me a lot of the insanely thriving homebrew pinball scene. 

These people were the same. One of my favorite moments was with this guy, who explained that the creator of the game he was representing had walked away to DM a game (mad props), but that he’d do his best to walk me through it. Essentially it was a modification for DnD type games where large monsters had different areas to attack – like Snes RPGs of the 90s. They represted it with this cool miniature. Everyone knows I love a miniature. Here’s the miniature. 

Winning the 2D Con Pinball tournament

Part of 2D con is the giant arcade – when I went in initially, nobody knew if there was a tournament or not this year. I was sorta bummed because as mentioned previously, last year I took 3rd at the 2D Con pinball tourney. I just had a feeling that Matt, the dude who ran it last year, probably would do another one. After all, I think we had like 30 people at that one. 

This year, instead of Bad Penny, MGC and LITT brought a bunch of their games there so me and my buddy Luong waited around for Matt to show up by playing a bunch of GOT LE. That game is underrated at this point. Sorta the one that got me into pinball.

Anyway, this article is long – but eventually Matt did show up. We did the progressive strikes or what the fuck ever it was called… and I frickin’ won man! I did it! There were some hella good players in my last 4ish games so I’m taking this as a legitimate win. Get you a pinball personality with a winning streak, am I right? Sorry, Kaneda – you’ll never know what this feels like. 

From there, I had to hustle my ass to the taco spot so I could be back in time for the Hentai Gameshow and room parties. 

Hentai Gameshow? Underwhelming. Room Parties? Off. The. Chain. 

This is the line for the hentai gameshow. Let that sink in. There was like a running line to get in even after it started, like we were in an exclusive dance bar or strip club. It was crazy. That said, the actual show itself… underwhelming. 

The hosts seemed cool and smart, but their PA was brutal, they couldn’t control the audience, who talked over almost everything they said, and the “gameshow”? Well, it was mostly just bachelorette style party games like pin the junk on the hunk and tossing rings on a dildo, etc. Kinda tame and lame imo, but I guess I dunno what I was expecting. If they want some creative direction for next year, me and the homie Nora have some ideas.

But as bad as that was, the room parties were… unreal. You see, as with most cons, there aren’t beverage or food licenses that people can use to set up actual shops, so they sort of get around it by running these party rooms that work on Tips. Each party room has a different aesthetic and vibe. 

We started at the Ramen House (fully operational), then made our way down to an 80s pancake party, a cereal party, a movie house that only showed Nic Cage movies, a bar where they threw sparkles into every drink, and… the Sonic Room. Which featured Sonic the Hedgehog, a live DJ and disco, and… a thousand corn dogs? For real. They were everywhere. I ate one and felt okay, even though it was extremely room temperature. Like my 12 year old beagle, Cooper, that dog had been sitting for a sec. 

The night only got weirder from there. Ask me about it in person. For all y’all wondering? 2D con happens every dang year. Come out and see what all the fuss is about. Maybe you’ll even dethrone me at the Saturday tourney. No Days Off.