The Midwest Gaming Classic (MGC) is an annual trade show open to the general public celebrating all forms of gaming, including

video games Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This feedbac ...

, arcade games,

pinball Pinball games are a family of games in which a ball is propelled into a specially designed table where it bounces off various obstacles, scoring points either en route or when it comes to rest. Historically the board was studded with nails call ...

TTRPG A tabletop role-playing game (typically abbreviated as TRPG or TTRPG), also known as a pen-and-paper role-playing game, is a form of role-playing game (RPG) in which the participants describe their characters' actions through speech. Participan ...

, Tabletop

board games Board games are tabletop games that typically use . These pieces are moved or placed on a pre-marked board (playing surface) and often include elements of table, card, role-playing, and miniatures games as well. Many board games feature a co ...

, trading and

collectible card games A collectible card game (CCG), also called a trading card game (TCG) among other names, is a type of card game that mixes strategic deck building elements with features of trading cards, introduced with ''Magic: The Gathering'' in 1993. Genera ...

with a focus on

retrogaming Retrogaming, also known as classic gaming and old school gaming, is the current playing and collection of obsolete computer game, personal computers, video game console, consoles, and video games. Usually, retrogaming is based upon systems that ...

. The event has been held in several locations in Wisconsin since launching in 2001.

History

The event that became the Midwest Gaming Classic was first held on June 30, 2001 as Jagfest 2K1. It was the 5th US show titled Jagfest dedicated to the ongoing fan base and homebrew scene of the

Atari Jaguar The Atari Jaguar is a home video game console developed by Atari Corporation and released in North America in November 1993. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it competed with the 16-bit Sega Genesis, the Super NES and th ...

. In 2001 the show organizers decided to open it to all consoles in an effort to expand attendance and be more inclusive. The show expanded to include a museum area, and started a tradition of having consoles and computers on display playable by show attendees, as well as gaming competitions held on multiple platforms. That first year had 15 tables and 20 games available to play. By 2015, it had grown to over 1,000 playable games. As the event has grown the venue has changed to accommodate its size, and its continued evolution to include more types of games like

(2002), arcade games (2003),

(2011),

claw crane A claw crane, claw machine, toy crane, or skill crane is a type of arcade game known as a merchandiser, commonly found in video arcades, supermarkets, restaurants, movie theaters, shopping malls, and bowling alleys. Machine components A cl ...

games (2015),

air hockey Air hockey is a ''Pong''-like tabletop sport where two opposing players try to score goals against each other on a low-friction table using two hand-held discs ("mallets") and a lightweight plastic puck. The air hockey table has raised edges ...

(2018)

Magic:_The_Gathering ''Magic: The Gathering'' (colloquially known as ''Magic'' or ''MTG'') is a Tabletop game, tabletop and Digital collectible card game, digital Collectible card game, collectable card game created by Richard Garfield. Released in 1993 by Wizards ...

(2019), and

LARP A live action role-playing game (LARP) is a form of role-playing game where the participants physically portray their characters.(Tychsen et al. 2006:255) "LARPs can be viewed as forming a distinct category of RPG because of two unique feature ...

and foam weapons (2023).

Events

The Midwest Gaming Classic had a focus on retrogaming, but has grown to cover modern game systems as well. The devices on display range from the newest gaming devices to some of the oldest, such as the original

Pong ''Pong'' is a table tennis–themed twitch arcade sports video game, featuring simple two-dimensional graphics, manufactured by Atari and originally released in 1972. It was one of the earliest arcade video games; it was created by Allan Al ...

. The event also attracts video game champions from the past. The event is known for its pinball games, gaming museum and modern game tournaments. It also has a display of gaming systems that never had success due to a superior competitor or change in technology. Nearly all game systems on display can be played by attendees.

Growth History

References

External links

Midwest Gaming Classic
- official site. {{Video Game Trade Shows Recurring events established in 2001 Video game trade shows Video gaming in the United States