WaR breaks out at EB Games Expo

It is always a pleasure meeting up and chatting with like minded and passionate retro gamers. One retro gamer in particular is so passionate and down to earth, he is like a magnet for other retroholics. The retro gaming magnet I speak of is none other than Aleks Svetislav (aka: Serblander or Serby), one half of the great Weird and Retro (WaR) team. I have caught up with Serby a few times during the year and it never ceases to amaze me at the things they get up to – from hunting arcade machines across the country, to running retro club days and their awesome television show segment on New Game Plus on channel 31, to name a few.

In the recent past, WaR have been involved in events bringing retro gaming to the masses. Their events caught the eye of EB Games Australia which has lead to the WaR team being invited to participate in this years EB Games Expo (October 4 – 6). We caught up with Serby to get the lowdown on all things EB Games Expo and Weird and Retro.

For those that have been living on the moon and have not heard of Weird and Retro, this is what the lovely folks at EB Games have said about them:

“Weird And Retro are Australia’s premier retro gaming gurus. Watch them on TV or game with them in person at their numerous community events. Weird and Retro are keeping the pixelated past alive by bringing weird and retro to all generations!”

Now, on with grilling Serby!

AUSRETROGAMER [ARG]: Hey Serby, take us through the details of how your involvement with the EB Games Expo came about?
Aleks Svetislav [Serby]: It all started on Twitter. Earlier this year, our good friend Susie (@SiouxsieKate on Twitter) mentioned us to the community manager of EB Games Australia (EB) answering her call for any retro collectors in Melbourne to help out with retro consoles for their EB GameAThon; a 25 hour livestream to raise money for the Starlight Foundation. I followed up, they agreed, we gave a presentation, the crowd (and EB directors watching) loved it, and the rest as they say, is retro gaming history.

ARG: Who came up with the awesome idea of a ‘Retro Gamer Garden’ theme for the Expo? 
Serby: The Retro Gamer Garden theme was put forward to me at our first business meeting with EB by Kelsey Gamble. I loved it (as well as the complimentary lamb business lunch)! While we worked together on it in terms of adding extra themes and features, the credit for this awesome theme goes to EB Games!

ARG: Did you have any other ideas apart from the Garden theme?
Serby: Once I heard of their Retro Gamer Garden idea, I was sold. There was no need to explore any other themes. We were all excited about the garden theme and were on the same page, so it was full steam ahead. What we did do was add to the theme – for example, I came up with the idea to have a ‘gaming pond’ where you could play retro fishing games on a fishing controller while sitting in the comfort of a fold-out camping chair (ARG: You are so clever Serby!). Bringing a VHS player to watch old school cult classics while playing the movie tie-in games, as well as some other features that we hope you will get to see next year.

ARG: What is your main aim or what would you like (hope) to achieve with the Retro Gamer Garden?
Serby: We are very experienced with gaming events, expos, red carpet events and crowds. What we aim to achieve with the Retro Gamer Garden is the same as with all our other events: to make people aware of and excited about the rich history and great fun that retro gaming has to offer. This is not only for the bearded merchants of reminiscence from ye old times, but for all the younger generations who may not have been exposed to or have had a chance to enjoy gaming on actual retro hardware.

ARG: How will the retro systems be sourced? Are you bringing your own? If so, which ones? How are you going to cart this precious cargo? Will there be any arcade machines?
Serby: One of the reasons that Weird And Retro was chosen to run the retro event for EB Games Expo (apart from all of our event experience and good working relationship with EB) is that we can supply and run all the retro games and systems needed for the event. As such, EB offered to fly us to the expo and back and have all our retro ‘luggage’ transported by their transport company. However, due to the uber rare and expensive nature of our collection, we did not want to take any chances with couriers damaging our rarities. So, we offered to drive a hire truck to Sydney and back ourselves. This way, we not only ensure that everything will get all the TLC that it needs, but we just scored another ‘paid for’ Retro Road Trip! Oh, and there may also be an arcade machine or gaming kiosk coming with us too.

ARG: Will you be running competitions during the expo? If so, which games, what format and most importantly, what are the prizes?
Serby: As with all of our events, we will be running some WaR comps (not to be confused with ‘war camps’). Like at all of our larger events, we aim to have our regular 10-player Saturn Bomberman tournament; running on a projector in front of a large audience. We will have to see if space and facilities will permit this. Back by popular demand will be C64anabalt: the recent cartridge release from the ever awesome RGCD. This C64 release is based on the popular Canabalt game. As far as prizes go, isn’t seeing and playing with your favourite retro gamers from the television screen in real life prize enough? (winks).

ARG: If PAX Aus is anything to go by, I reckon your area will be extremely popular! Do you have helpers on hand? If not, can I sneak into your luggage.
Serby: (Laughs), thanks for the offer Alex, but EB security already have an ‘AusRetroGamer Wanted’ poster (ARG: I have been exposed!) at all entry points so smuggling yourself through them would be tougher than squeezing anything past a cavity search by the TSA (laughs). Apart from the ‘faces’ of Weird And Retro (Serby & Kano), we will almost have the full contingent of ‘WaRiors’ coming along and helping out: Pedro (aka: RetroGamerRival), Jamie, Stacey Borg, and returning to EB from our previous EB GameAThon venture: Jerry (aka: @icemanfx). ARG: No love for ausretrogamer hey. This changes everything Serby (wink).

ARG: Can you give us an exclusive on something about the EB Games Expo that we didn’t already know about?
Serby: For AusRetroGamer? Absolutely! Those that follow our Weird And Retro twitter exploits, you will know of our retro hunts. Well for this years EB Games Expo, we will be bringing the mother-load of our Retro Road Trip pick-ups! I am talking about none other than an original 1986 4-Player Atari Games arcade cabinet that is Gauntlet II! ARG: WHOA, I am fully gobsmacked! I hope she is guarded like Fort Knox.

ARG: Apart from the Expo, will you have time to go on a retro hunt while in Sydney?
Serby: Weird And Retro never goes to Sydney without visiting our friends and previous event sponsors: ‘Retro Games Top Ryde City’ and ‘The Gamesmen’ in Penshurst! If you want retro, then do not go there! Leave it all for us!

ARG: What is next for Weird and Retro?
Serby: WaR is breaking out on all fronts! Apart from EB Games Expo, we are already booked for the annual two day AFTERSHOCK event taking place at Monash University (Caulfield Campus) on Saturday 7 – Sunday 8 December. Events for 2014 are looking good with the 7-day Computer Games Boot Camp 2014, PAX Aus and EB Games Expo 2014. Monthly club meets (in Victoria) include: Retro Tuesday on the first Tuesday of every month; and AUG (Amiga Users Group) every third Sunday of each month. I was recently stopped at a Cash Converters (pawn store) while on a GameCube retro hunt by a mature couple who were big fans of our WaR segment on the New Game Plus TV show, which reminds me: we need to record more WaR TV segments! We have also set-up our Weird and Retro YouTube channel so watch out (no pun intended) for upcoming feature length segments, reviews, event videos and more! Our weirdandretro.com site is under construction – this is where you will find a host of retro related goodies in the not too distant future. In the meantime, if you cannot join us in person at any community event, you can follow our exploits on Facebook and Twitter. If you like to see a lot of ‘Retro Gaming Show & Tell’ then following us on twitter is highly recommended!

ARG: Hang on, did you say PAX? Are you joining us at the Classic Games Console crew?
Serby: Looks like it (winks).
ARG: Oh man, that is awesome! We will have a blast.

ARG: Finally, what is your all time favourite arcade game?
Serby: As a Highlander would say: “There can be only one!” But as Weird And Retro has two co-hosts, I will give you (my) two. My two all time favourite arcade games are Gauntlet II and Mortal Kombat II. Gauntlet II was the first game that introduced me to multi-player gaming. It was more than just 2 players at one time, which has led me to my love (and vast collection) of multi-player LAN games and consoles. As for Mortal Kombat II, I was a champion. Having played the game for five plus hours a day, every day, for almost a year, at a local Dandenong arcade (for free), I was bound to become a flawless champion! Anyone want to take on Kitana?

Well there you have it. Thank you Serby for your time and candid responses. We wish you all the best at the upcoming EB Games Expo. We are certain the Retro Gamer Garden will be quite popular. All the best in your future retro endeavors and adventures. We will definitely see each other again in the not so distant future.