Console makers like Nintendo and Sony have been doubling down on nostalgia lately, but the Rose City has long celebrated the pixelated and polygonal adventures of the past.

The Portland Retro Gaming Expo is returning to the Oregon Convention Center this weekend for its 12th celebration of all things Mario, Sonic and everything in between. This year, guests include Garry and Dan Kitchen, who developed Atari 2600 classics like "Ikari Wariors" and a port of the original "Donkey Kong," as well as authors like Chris Kohler.

Tommy Tallarico, who cut his teeth in the '90s and '00s as a correspondent for G4TV and is now president of Intellivision, will give the keynote.

And, of course, all manner of games and consoles from the good ol' days will be on display and for sale across the convention center.

The folks behind the expo consider anything that came before the current crop of consoles as retro for the purposes of the event, which means Big Daddies from "Bioshock" and Marcus Fenix from "Gears of War" now belong in the same category as Mega Man and Donkey Kong.

You'll find those titles and more in Hall H, where the Retrocade will feature several consoles and cabinets ripe for the playing. The Portland Indie Game Squad will also be on hand, showing off some of the most recent projects from local game developers.

Hall H will also feature a DJ and the adjacent area is where visitors can find vendors selling all sorts of old-school gaming gear.

This year's expo kicks off Oct. 19, although only the Retrocade will be open. The full event opens Oct. 20 and lasts through Oct. 21. Breakout lectures and other events will take place throughout the weekend, including an auction, cosplay contest and several video game tournaments.

The expo will also host the Classic "Tetris" World Championships throughout the weekend.

If you go: The Portland Retro Gaming Expo opens Oct. 19 at the Oregon Convention Center and closes at 8 p.m. Oct. 21. Tickets range from $16-$27 for a one-day pass or $35 for a weekend pass. retrogamingexpo.com

--Eder Campuzano | 503.221.4344

ecampuzano@oregonian.com