Dragon Quest, speedrunning, eSports… today has a full slew of panels we think might be of interest to our readership, so we’re going to highlight them right here before you head out to tackle the day. These are either Nintendo-themed or connected to Nintendo in some way, either through topic, concept, or gaming history.
Remember that all our suggestions are subjective, so do flip through the program / scroll through the app 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!
Dragon Quest Then & Now – Echoes Through the Ages – 10:30am-11:30am (Raven Theatre)
This panel will give a behind-the-scenes look at how developers from Square Enix, both established and newer, maintain series roots while catering to present-day RPG enthusiasts in creating modern-day classics like DRAGON QUEST® XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition for the Nintendo Switch system.
The Cromulent World of Fictional Simpsons Games – 12:30pm-1:30pm (Sasquatch Theatre)
Anyone who grew up in the ‘90s knows about the (mostly terrible) legacy of Simpsons video games, but what about the fictional games within the show itself? On this panel, join Talking Simpsons Podcast hosts Bob Mackey and Henry Gilbert, and comedy writer Mike Drucker (Nintendo, Marvel, Adam Ruins Everything, The Tonight Show, The Onion, and Full Frontal with Samantha Bee), as they give you a guided tour of the various ways The Simpsons has parodied the medium of video games. From Bonestorm to Escape from Grandma’s House to Robert Goulet Destroyer, we’ll walk our captive audience through the many, many games available exclusively in Springfield!
PANELISTS: Bob Mackey [Host, Talking Simpsons], Henry Gilbert [Host, Talking Simpsons], Mike Drucker [Comedy Writer]
Speedrunning: Why Walk When We Can Backdash Cancel?? – 8:00pm-9:00pm (Sasquatch Theatre)
Speedrunning. Zip Dashing. Rapid Moseying. We’re a bunch of speedrunners, and we’re going to show off a bunch of cool speedruns! We’ll be chatting about the behind the scenes of speedrunning, and all the coolness and weirdness that comes from a community that really likes playing video games quickly. It’s a world of drama, passion, and FRAME OPTIMIZATIONS.
So stop by, watch some speedruns, ask some questions, and keep going fast.
PANELISTS: BIGHONKINBURGER [Indie/PC, Speedrunner], SpikeVegeta [Interviewer, Speedrunner, Games Done Quick], Keizaron [Interviewer, Speedrunner, Games Done Quick], Jovo [Production Consultant, Jovo Productions]
LET’S GO! The Making of Smash Forward, Esports Documentary – 9:00pm-10:00pm (Sandworm Theatre)
The game is changing. Join the cast and crew of Smash Forward for a special insight into the making of one of the first esports documentaries focused on the Pacific Northwest grassroots community on the cusp of its exponential growth. Follow top players and commentators, and explore Seattle’s prolific Don’t Park on the Grass and Vancouver’s The Pinnacle. An exclusive cut will be shown, then ask the team any questions! Gaming is so much more than a game: it’s a medium players use to overcome.
PANELISTS: Melissa Dex Guzman [Director, Moon Ghost Productions], Kial Natale [Director, Moon Ghost Productions], Martin Byerley [Player, Independent], Jen Zall [Community Builder, Independent], Courtney Gilbert [Community Builder, Independent], Brendan Pryde [Streamer, Independent]
