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Fantastic Arcade’s second year to bring free indie gaming to the masses
Organizers prepare for 2010’s Fantastic Arcade in this file photo. Photo by Mark Matson for the American-Statesman.
The organizers of Fantastic Arcade, a four-day Austin event focused on independent video games, say that this year’s edition won’t stray too far from the formula that made last year’s debut a success.
Running alongside the successful film festival Fantastic Fest, the 2010 Arcade was an ambitious gathering that mixed live game demos, panels, karaoke events, video-game tournaments and even a raucous screening of “machinima” short films created with video game graphics tools.
The venues didn’t hurt. A cavernlike room at The Highball filled with game stations that felt like any gamer’s dream den, and screening rooms at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar next door gave the fest an electric party vibe. For the 2011 fest, which starts on Thursday, there’ll be a whole new set of carefully curated games to play and a few new events to attract gamers as well as walk-through traffic from the film fest. It’ll also be free this year, compared with $60 for a four-day pass at the 2010 event.
Mike Plante, a veteran of film festivals like Sundance who is lead curator, says last year’s Arcade attracted about 1,500 attendees. “For a brand-new event, the audience was strong and excited, which made it even more fun,” Plante said. “We want Fantastic Arcade to be a vibrant video-game experience in Austin that crosses over with genre film, and last year felt right.”
Last year, Microsoft’s Xbox Live service was featured prominently with lots of demo stations. This year, Sony and its PlayStation Network, which has suffered a rough year of hacking attacks, will be the presenting sponsor, providing game kiosks, prizes and special events. “Starhawk,” a high-profile PlayStation 3 game being developed by Austin’s LightBox Interactive, will be available to play in a tournament at the opening day happy hour, starting 5 p.m. Thursday evening.
As with the 2010 event, this year’s lineup of 20 games includes some that have already attracted great reviews and notoriety, including “Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP” and “Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet.” But there are also games you’re unlikely to see at GameStop, like time-traveling theology twister “Jesus vs. Dinosaurs” and “Deep Sea,” an audio-only game that requires a sensory-deprivation mask to play. “Deep Sea” was called “the scariest game ever” earlier this year by the gaming blog Joystiq.
Monsters, aliens, sex and blood are featured prominently in some of the games, a reminder that Arcade has a sensibility and vibe similar to the film fest’s. “The games have some sort of genre element - sci-fi, horror, acid trips,” Plante says. “I’m still working to get more crossover between the film and game worlds. The video-game scene right now reminds me of all the excitement of the indie film scene in the early ’90s.”
In addition to industry panels featuring game designers presenting “Director’s Commentary” sessions on their work, there’ll be daily happy hours and game tournaments. New to this year’s fest: a Yearbook Nerd Photo Contest. Attendees are being asked to send in their most awkward photos from their childhood or teen years for prizes.
Fantastic Arcade
When: Opening event 6 p.m. Thursday with Sony-sponsored happy hour. Arcade games open Thursday through Sunday, starting 11 a.m. every day
Where: The Highball, 1142 S. Lamar Blvd., and Alamo South Lamar, 1120 S. Lamar Blvd.
Cost: Free, under 18 need to be accompanied by a parent
Info: fantasticfest.com/arcade, twitter.com/fantasticarcade, facebook.com/fantasticarcade
Below: images from Fantastic Arcade games “Octodad,” “Deep Sea” and “Capsized,” courtesy of the festival.
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