Arcade Expo video games, pinball this weekend

Hundreds of vintage and retro video games, pinball machines and gaming systems were hauled in to the Ramada on Plantside Drive for this weekend's Fifth Annual Arcade Expo. Organizers Mark Hagan and Joe Stith expect between about 4,000 people of all ages to join them to celebrate what they can only describe as "nerd culture."

"This is a magical gaming haven, an American Institution. A lot of kids have never heard of these games and we didn't want (the games) to die. We decided to bring that magic back," Stith said about how the Arcade Expo came to fruition. "We're trying to bring old school back."

Admission is $20 for an all-day pass — free for kids younger than 10 — to play unlimited video games, compete in a costume contest, enjoy two concerts and hear keynote speaker David Crane, who created Pitfall, speak.

There even is a seminar available in how to construct a costume for the costume contest. Todd Brooks took his 7-year-old son, Jeremy, to the Expo for the second year. "He gets to see stuff that I used to play with when I was little and it's a thing we can both share in," he said.

"It's awesome," Jeremy added. "You can play a whole bunch of games, some I didn't even know about."

The Expo seems to be more about just playing games, it's about coming together for a common love. "The games don't matter nearly as much as the company," Liam Randall said after finishing a game with his 5-year-old son, Eamon.