Feeling the Nintendo vibe as you eagerly await to get your hands on the Switch? Seems like PAX East is definitely feeling the hype, and that’s reflected in all the Nintendo-themed panels we’re seeing this weekend. What to choose?!
There are a few panels we’ve highlighted below that we think might be of interest to Nintendo fans. Remember that all our suggestions are subjective, so do flip through the program on your own for more information or to see what else is on offer.
At the very least, we hope our suggestions may help to narrow down your choices for the day ahead, or perhaps spark an interest in something else you might not have otherwise noticed!
11:00am-12:00pm – Which Mario Game is Objectively the Best Ever? (Condor Theatre)
Which Mario game can be truly considered the best ever? Super Mario 64? Super Mario World? New Super Luigi U? The debate has raged for decades, but now our panel of experts is ready to give a final, totally objective answer. Using the magic of a March Madness-style bracket, we’ll mercilessly debate a field of 32 core “run and jump” Mario games down to one indisputable “best.” Attendees will be able to play along by marking their own brackets for legal, non-betting-related purposes (wink wink).
12:30pm-1:30pm – Going Retro in 2017: The Challenges of Yesterday and Today (Arachnid Theatre)
What do we think of when someone in 2017 says “retro”? Square pixels, low-fi sound effects, and primary colors? We don’t often think of those things as a once unavoidable limitation. So where do modern tools come in when trying to recreate a retro experience? Lets go back to a time when the words “anti-aliasing” didn’t exist.
In this talk, 2 developers discuss the design approach to their game and how they balanced “going retro” with the advantages of today’s technology to achieve their vision.
2:00pm-3:00pm – Pokemon GO and Learning with Augmented Reality* (Arachnid Theatre)
Pokemon GO has taken the world by storm! But did you know we can learn from augmented reality? In this panel the expert presenter will show you how the (AR) of Pokemon GO will shape how future students learn through experience in areas like internships and study abroad. The future of college student learning is a Pokedex of opportunity! Gotta catch them all!
*Please note this panel has an age warning of 13+.
9:30pm-11:00pm – Who Wants To Be a Nintendoaire? (Arachnid Theatre)
Do you think you know all the ins and outs of Zelda, Mario, Kirby, and the gang? Do you know when Waluigi debuted? How about Baby Bowser? Do your friends and family oft refer to you as “the one who knows all the random game stuff?” Well, Who Wants To Be A Nintendoaire might be the panel for you! Join Neal and Zach from Nintendo World Report as they test your Nintendo trivia mettle for the chance to win prizes of all shapes and sizes.
