Retrospelsmässan 2014 - Impressions

Except for being a lot of fun and a wonderful experience, Retrospelsmässan left a big impression on me as a gamer and even as a person.

I live in a small town and locally there's basically no one with the same taste in games as I am. People see those games as either childish or bad because they're old. I know a few people who love Nintendo both in real life and quite a lot on the internet, but it wasn't until Retrospelsmässan I realized how many people are into the same things that I am. I mean... There was a ton people there and even though Sweden is a big country, it has a small population. Seeing this many retro-loving gamers made me very really happy but at the same time sad that I live in a crappy town like that. I left the event with a higher self-esteem. Sure, I never even wanted to stop loving what I love and I knew that there's a lot of people like me, but it was still different to actually see that in real life.

Charles Martinet was probably the biggest highlight of this year's event. Not only was it a great experience to meet him in person and get a cool autograph, but it also made me remember why I love Nintendo that much: Fun! This guy, he clearly loves what he is doing. It is almost impossible to not smile when he is around: All the time sitting and signing and all throughout his speech, you could feel the joy in that. He seems to be a very nice person. And that's exactly what I love about Nintendo in general: having fun. And that's what Nintendo accomplishes with basically any game they make.

In 2012 and 2013 I was on another Swedish gaming event (more E3-like), Gamex. While the first time was good, the second left me disappointed. Nintendo wasn't there, which was a shame, but the biggest problem was (which I was told before) that it was like a freaking pre-school with all the kids running around and playing PEGI 18 games. It was annoying and made getting to any game almost impossible without standing in a long queue. That was not the case here. Yes, there were some kids too, but they were on a whole different level. They were not only much calmer, but they also knew a lot about retro-games which makes me really happy, because from what I see everywhere (and hear what they say in my sister's school) the kids today have a horrible taste in games, only wanting to play violent, mainstream games and mobile games, while LAUGHING at my sister for playing Pokemon on 3DS. The kids of RSM show that there's still some hope left in the young gamer generation.

Retrospelsmässan is the best gaming event in Sweden. It is made for true gamers and gives you the chance to relieve those amazing retro moments, meet people and so much more. I am really happy that I went there and will be there next year!