The 2026 expo was dedicated to the memory of longtime staff member Terry Taylor, who died much too soon earlier this year. Several staff members donned caps that read “God Bless Terry Taylor.” Indeed. I don’t recall, but I’m sure I interacted with Terry at least once in all my years at LI Retro. He was memorialized in the Terry Taylor Vectrex Corner on the first floor, as seen via this Facebook post:
My three prior recaps were spread out over three posts per year. (This is post 1 from last year.) I feel I was judicious enough in my photography and culling for a singular, self-contained recap post. To help, for the first time, I’ve utilized page jumps (a.k.a. anchor links) at the top and peppered throughout.
I was quick to buy my weekend pass when tickets went on sale in winter, and I gradually built up my biggest budget ever. (I will not divulge the amount.)
In the days and hours leading up to August 8 (I didn’t go on the 7th), I had the usual performance and social anxiety that comes with being on the autism spectrum. I prayed for the strength and coping skills to get through any and all situations. So, you can understand why I needed many deep breaths as my mom drove me to the Cradle of Aviation Museum parking lot.
SPOILER: All that worrying was for nothing. I had a great time without any hitches.
ARRIVING AT THE MUSEUM Mom’s car pulled into the lot at 9:29 AM on Saturday, August 8.
Despite the high heat and humidity, I wanted to arrive as early as possible so I wouldn’t have to wait too long on line outside.
There were two lines: one on the left for those retrieving their badges at the box office via QR code, and one on the right for those who already had badges. Of course, the left line was the longer one and my Saturday destination. I’d be on the right line on Sunday.
The museum doors opened at 10AM and I reached the entrance (and air conditioning) at 10:07.
Once I got my badge, I affixed to a lanyard I saved from a year or two before and began walking around the first floor.
PHOTOS WITH GUESTS AND CANDID PHOTOS OF THEIR TABLES
Audacity Games with David Crane, Dan Kitchen, Garry Kitchen, and John Van Ryzin On the other hand, I overcame last year’s shyness and had a enjoyable interaction with the quartet of game design legends. “We don’t bite,” David Crane reassured me after I introduced myself and gladly bought all four games – new for the Atari VCS/2600 – that each of them developed. David designed Rescue from Poseidon’s Gate, Dan Kitchen’s game was Casey’s Gold, there was Alien Abduction! by John Van Ryzin (the spiritual successor to H.E.R.O.), with Garry Kitchen and David Crane co-designing Circus Convoy. Any or all of the games can be bought online here.
David Crane and Garry Kitchen talk to attendees at the Audacity Games table
You could even try them out on separate Atari 7800+ consoles:
As mentioned earlier, Ryan Burger publishes Old School Gamer, a magazine Tristan Ibarra is now involved in, on top of his author and designer credits. We’ll learn more about them in photos of their Sunday panel.
For now, here are Tristan, Walter, and Ryan:
My Life in Gaming with Coury Carlson and Marc “Try4ce” Duddleson Coury and Try were a late addition to the 2026 LI Retro guest list, and I’m glad they were booked. They were actually the first people I saw outside the museum Saturday morning before I got in line.
Try and Coury meeting an attendee and his son (out of view) who was cosplaying as Minecraft Steve
PANELS I limited myself to two panels each on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s were later and in the Main Theatre; Sunday’s were earlier in Panel Room 2, relocated to the first floor.
…have worked in the video game industry since the late 1970s. While they are known for their iconic game catalog on the Atari 2600 ([H.E.R.O.,] Pitfall!, Donkey Kong, Ghostbusters, Keystone Kapers, Crackpots…), they also bring a boatload of experience on NES, SNES, Gameboy, C64, Xbox, PlayStation, iPhone/iPad, PC/Mac and online gaming. Everybody knows Pitfall! and Donkey Kong, but did you know they also worked on Bart vs. the Space Mutants (NES), A Boy and His Blob (NES), AddictingGames.com (online), Transformers (C64), Shockwave.com (online), Candystand.com (online), and the infamous Desert Bus game from Penn & Teller?
Garry KitchenDan KitchenJohn Van RyzinDavid CraneQ&A…
The last photo perfectly encapsulates the mood of the panel. Garry, Dan, John, and David were full of interesting, engaging, and humorous anecdotes about their time in the gaming industry, working at Activision, and the many games they design and developed. (I especially enjoyed how Garry debunked a myth about Coleco’s Atari 2600 port of Donkey Kong.) They are a winning team.
Now, if only I could find John’s H.E.R.O. at a good price. Otherwise, I’ll play it in an Activision compilation.
Saturday Panel 2, 1:30-2:30 PM Main Theatre Pat Contri and Ian Ferguson CU Podcast Live!
My initial photos were taken on the right side of the first row as I deferred to an LI Retro staff photographer. Then, I went back to the center.
Among the topics for this episode The CUPodcast (Super Show #34) were:
Ian Ferguson and Pat ContriPat ContriIan FergusonThe Q&A portion of the podcast panel included a question from G Gracin (G to the Next Level).
I did not ask a question this year, and told Pat afterward what I would have asked. Part of my annual Christmas special viewing tradition includes watching Pat the NES Punk Christmas episodes, such as It’s a Wonderful Life, Punk. (RIP Billy Chaser.) Will there be a Christmas episode this year? We’ll find out in four months.
I won’t go into detail about G’s panel since they recorded it for a future YouTube video, but I will share it in photo form.
If you’ve watched G’s streams, you’ll recognize the emotes designed by their spouse and fellow streamer Rannchann.
The 2026 Long Island Retro Gaming Expo was where I made my Dreamcast dream a reality. First, I found two controllers and a VMU from one vendor. Then, I found the console by itself (no power adapter or cables) from a second vendor. And from a third, I bought three games, including launch titles NFL 2K (released on launch day) and NBA 2K (two months after launch). You’ll see all of that (and the Sonic fanny pack) in the pickups segment.
As of publication, G’s most recent YouTube video is this one:
…a discussion on preserving and celebrating the history of video games and the community that built it. Walter Day will share stories from his years at Twin Galaxies, the journey behind his books, film appearances, and trading card series, explaining how the cards were created not just to honor champions, but to recognize the passion and achievements of gamers from every corner of the hobby. Ryan Burger will explore growing up during the rise of competitive gaming, the books, television shows, and media that chronicled gaming culture before it became a global phenomenon, and how Old School Gamer Magazine now works with many of those pioneering voices to introduce their stories to a new generation. Tristan Ibarra will discuss his path from Air Force veteran to gamer, collector, author, graphic designer, and magazine layout artist, sharing his passion for documenting the hobby and organizing its scattered history into accessible resources for fans and researchers alike. Together, the panel will reflect on the people, stories, and communities that shaped gaming culture, while celebrating the generations of enthusiasts whose dedication has helped preserve its legacy for the future.
How does that compare to my description written before thinking of citing the expo description?
For one hour, Panel Room 2 was transported to the state of Iowa. Ryan Burger and Tristan Ibarra were our hosts and they set up Walter Day to share stories galore. Ryan promoted Old School Gamer magazine and an upcoming book. Tristan detailed his The Video Game Collector’s Field Guide and his upcoming …Video Game Dictionary for the Total Noob. To that end, there were ten trivia questions with ten terms in Tristan’s dictionary. (I photographed the answers, but for obvious reasons, I’m keeping them to myself.) After Walter asked trivia questions, it was our turn to ask.
Mike Ferrara, a.k.a. HighScorsese, topped the Twin Galaxies rankings five times!One Walter quip made Tristan laugh.This question acknowledged learning of Twin Galaxies through Electronic Gaming Monthly, also founded in the Midwest (Lombard, Illinois).Journey with Patrick expressed hope to appear on one of Walter’s trading cards by attending many U.S. and Canada conventions, per a list he’s kept.
This is where I would have gone to a second post. Instead, in this same post, we begin a photographic tour of as much as I could see on each floor of the Cradle of Aviation Museum. I couldn’t get everything, and some photos were too blurry to include. The photos that remain are here.
Remembering what Norm Caruso said, I tried the Pods myself.
More from the Cradle of Aviation Museum’s Pan Am exhibit:
PART THREE
DEPARTING THE MUSEUM The commercial aircraft were the last thing I photographed after coming downstairs from the Arcade Age Exhibit. That’s when I went back to searching vendors for a few more purchases, including that model 2 Sega CD. The last game I bought was Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse. Then, I went in the museum gift shop for three more plane replicas to go with the Pan Am plane I bought last year. And that was it. I took Lyft home to Wantagh with $44 to spare! It’s the first time I’ve ever left under budget!
Requisite exit photos:
PICKUPS What did Mike get? Well, let’s start with guest merchandise and business cards:
Thank you again, Sean Chiplock.
This is the fanny pack I won from G’s charity stream. Thank you very much, G.
Pixelated Pat [Contri] pin
Old School Gamer Magazine Issue 43, Mike Ferrara and Justin’s cards
Walter Day trading cards and his autobiography
The two bags full of games and signed cards from Audacity Games
This is just what I bought duringLong Island Retro Gaming Expo. I also bought many other things online to supplement some of my purchases. I won’t list them all, but they include VGA and power adapters for the Dreamcast and an Atari 7800+ to play those Audacity Games games. Furthermore, a VMUPro that I preordered months ago arrived Monday as I was wrapping up the first draft. (That process took six hours!)
CONCLUSION I’ve thanked many people throughout this post, but I owe a huge thanks to Ryan Shapiro, Joe Vincent, George Portugal (whom I didn’t get to see), and the rest of the Long Island Retro Gaming Expo staff for your support and accommodation. I am deeply grateful.
I’ll conclude this recap with the front and back of my badge and event program, the latter of which includes a photo of the late Terry Taylor.
I have attended seven of LI Retro’s nine years. I started small in 2017, only spending two hours there on Sunday afternoon. I was there the entire weekend in 2018 and ’19, and have used my weekend pass on two of the three days since 2022. By 2023, I had to spread my recaps out into three parts because I took so many pictures, mostly of the exhibits (as seen in 2024). That’s what I’m doing again this year.
Tickets went on sale in February and guests were announced in July. Some of those guests will be chronicled below.
You’ll be happy to know there weren’t any mishaps this year. None of my equipment was wrecked and no cups of coffee were spilled.
ARRIVING AT THE MUSEUM My mom pulled into the Cradle of Aviation Museum parking lot at 9:38 AM on Saturday.
I exited the car with badge QR code printout in hand. I had the lanyard for my badge wrapped around my neck, along with my Canon EOS R7 with RF-S 18-150mm lens and Speedlite 430EX II attached. (I only used the latter on for flash photos, and never during panels.)
This photo was taken Sunday morning, but pretend it was Saturday.LI Retro photographer Gene interviewed Glen of Glen’s Retro Show while he and fellow attendees waited for the doors to open at 10AM.Glen then turned the tables and interviewed Gene.10AM came, the doors opened, and attendees were let inside. Those already with badges entered on the right. I was on the left line.
Inside, I was ushered to the box office where my QR code was scanned and I was handed my weekend badge. I attached to my lanyard and made my way to the first of four panels I had in mind. We’ll see photos from those later in this post.
The LI Retro staff is great and I’m honored to know them. Sunday morning, I met up with staff member Ryan Shapiro and he took this selfie of us:
Thank you, as always, Ryan.
PHOTOS WITH GUESTS AND CANDID PHOTOS OF THEIR TABLES
I got a photo with John after his The Evolution of Retro Collecting panel.
Check out his LI Retro vlog:
Pat Contri and Ian Ferguson Pat and Ian have been a fixture at Long Island Retro Gaming Expo since 2019, and I never miss their panel, recorded live for their Completely Unnecessary Podcast (a.k.a. CU Podcast). Like John Lester, Pat Contri’s YouTube journey began in 2008 with his Pat the NES Punk series, a fictionalized take on his life as a video game fan and collector. Pat’s YouTube channel also includes Flea Market Madness (sometimes featuring Frank, a fellow New Jersey transplant in San Diego), The Video Game Years retrospective, the aforementioned CU Podcast in video form, and the Not So Common Podcast with Alex Faciane.
Alongside the many Charlie Brown/Peanuts Christmas TV specials, it’s an annual tradition of mine to watch Pat the NES Punk Christmas episodes every December. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but the first two are the most sentimental. Incidentally, I can’t look at R.O.B., the original face of the NES, without hearing the Punch-Out!! opponent “voice.”
A big component of this year’s LI Retro was print media’s role in video game preservation. Pat’s Ultimate Nintendo series does its part. I have been a loyal reader since the Guide to the NES Library, which I bought from Pat (along with Pat the NES Punk DVD sets) in 2019. I helped fund Guide to the SNES Library later that year and last year, the latest book (as seen behind Ian, me, and Pat): Guide to the N64 Library. Pat, Ian, and an all-star lineup of reviewers break down every release for Nintendo’s first three home consoles. I used the Ultimate Nintendo app after each day of LI Retro to add any NES pickups to my collection. (Buy Ultimate Nintendo books here.)
Thank you to Kristen for taking this photo:
I returned the favor by having Kristen pose with Pat and Ian:
Adam Koralik Sunday afternoon, “Mike Camera” and Adam Koralik met a third time. (That’s my server name on his Discord.) Adam’s trusty Sega Pluto prototype was part of the Retro Gaming Museum exhibit and he was more than happy to discuss it with attendees and have them try out its few playable games.
And of course, I had to get a selfie:
More exhibit photos can be found in part two of this year’s recap.
Matthew Sussman While I did not meet actor Matthew Sussman, the original English language voice of Meowth in the Pokémon anime, he was a big draw, as seen in this Saturday photo.
I learned from an attendee in line outside the museum Sunday morning that Matthew is a fellow photographer, also in the Canon ecosystem. His camera of choice is the EOS R6 Mark II.
Ryan Burger Ryan is the publisher of Old School Gamer Magazine, a literal mom-and-pop operation, at least at conventions. On staff at LI Retro were his wife Becky (who took the photo below), and their daughters Paige (the manager) and Rachel.
Ryan graciously gifted me with Old School Gamer Magazine Issue 46, which I held in our Sunday morning photo. You’ll see it again among the pickups in part three. Ryan was part of the third Saturday panel I attended: The Role Print Media Plays in Video Game Preservation. One of Ryan’s fellow panelists was…
Leonard Herman I remain grateful to The Immortal John Hancock for introducing me to Leonard Herman at their joint 2018 panel. It inspired me to buy Phoenix IV and many other books. I have become good friends with Lenny and his table manager Patrick Wong, and a fixture at any panel Lenny is part of. (If I got the title wrong, either of you can let me know and I’ll edit post haste.)
Lenny is putting the finishing touches on Phoenix 5, to be released in two volumes in 2026 via Jeremy Parish’s Press Run, a division of Limited Run Games. (Jeremy and two rotating Retronauts co-hosts rounded out Saturday’s print media panel.)
Leonard Herman speaking with Joe Santulli of Digital Press (NOTE: Pat and Ian’s table was on the second floor Saturday, but moved downstairs Sunday.)Phoenix 5 galleys
Lenny with Patrick Wong on Saturday:
Patrick took our photo on Sunday:
One of the books I bought two years ago was ABC to the VCS, and I think Lenny would be proud that I bought five Atari VCS/2600 games this year. I was inspired to do so because I sought out any games programmed by the quartet of…
Dan and Garry Kitchen, David Crane, John Van Ryzin Regrettably, I was too shy to approach Dan, Garry, David, or John, but I bought Ghostbusters (designed by David, programmed for 2600 by Dan), Donkey Kong (programmed for 2600 by Garry), and Pitfall! (by David). I couldn’t find H.E.R.O., designed by John. And because of my shyness, I didn’t buy any of their new games made for the 2600.
Dan and Garry Kitchen, and David Crane are seated from left to right. John Van Ryzin is standing in the right corner of the photo.
I forget if Dan Kitchen or Ryan Burger was playing Casey’s Gold in this candid photo Sunday morning.
That takes care of the guest photos. Photos with fellow attendees are coming up after a look at the quartet of panels I saw.
PANELS
Saturday Panel 1, 10:30-11:30 AM Panel Room 2 (now upstairs in The Sperry Classroom) John Lester (Gamester81) The Evolution of Retro Collecting: From Hobby to Industry
Saturday Panel 2, 12-1PM Main Theatre Pat Contri and Ian Ferguson CU Podcast Live!
I got the first question right: Which game was released for the NES licensed, unlicensed, and licensed again? I raised my hand and answered “Pac-Man.” I was right, and earned a sticker. As a supporter of The Gaming Historian (and yes, I read a quote in a video), I chose a GH Patreon supporter sticker to go with the one I have from my days as a supporter.
“King K. Rool” asked if Pat and Ian knew of a suggestive glitch in Donkey Kong Country.
As usual, I had a question: playing off the Gaming Historian sticker, I asked if Pat or Ian had been in touch with Norman Caruso since he announced last April that he was giving up pursuing the YouTube channel full time. Great news: Norm is still creating. He co-hosts An Old Timey Podcast with his wife Kristin.
Pat was surprised that we went the entire Q&A session without invoking the ill-fated vaporware known as the Intellivision Amico.
As of publication on August 21, the full episode is up, with the Phil1Up Collects video discussion heard starting at 1:15:30. NES trivia and the Q&A are not included. I will update with video clips when posted.
9/29 UPDATE: Sorry for the delay. There is one video and here it is:
Moderator Luis Aguasvivas introduced himself, then had the panelists introduce themselves.Ryan BurgerLeonard HermanJeremy ParishBrian ClarkKevin BunchLenny talked about Phoenix 5 and collaborating with Jeremy ParishJeremy weighed in, as wellRyan on Old School Gamer MagazineLaughing at a quip from LennyRyan noted that if Back to the Future came out today, Marty McFly and Doc Brown would be in 1995. That also got a laugh. Paraphrasing Marty in the first film, I jokingly said “Guess you guys aren’t ready for Gracie Abrams yet.”During Q&A, Ryan gave each questioner a copy of Old School Gamer Magazine Issue 46.After the panel, we see attendees talking to Brian Clark, Jeremy Parish……and Ryan Burger.
One other tidbit from this panel is Jeremy Parish lamenting that his early 2000s articles for now-defunct websites cannot be accessed because they weren’t archived.
I devoted most of my Sunday to photographing the exhibits and freeplay areas, buying any games I didn’t buy on Saturday, mingling further with guests, and actually playing freeplay games for the first time in years. (Oh, and I bought fried ravioli from a food truck; another first for me.)
So, the one panel I saw that day had to be Lenny’s.
Sunday Panel, 3-4PM Panel Room 2 Leonard Herman The History of the History of Videogames
What was that game shown in an episode of The Streets of San_Francisco?Answer: Clean SweepAfter initially buying a Magnavox Odyssey 2, Leonard bought an Atari VCS.Lenny’s first articleABC to the VCS was going to be released in 1983, but the infamous crash put that on hold.ABC to theNES was only considered, not written.The evolution of Phoenix…How did Rolenta Press get its name?Magazines that reviewed PhoenixFor the second edition, Leonard used a video capture device called GrabIt to make in-game freeze frames.For the third edition, photos were taken with a Sony Mavica MVC-FD5 digital camera. I used a Mavica in one of my high school classes.I bought these books at Lenny’s table in 2023.The road to Phoenix IV…Many famous names signed the preview edition.Phoenix 5!In two volumes!One of the galleysQ&A timeStuart Feldhamer asked a question.Afterward, Stuart retrieved his early editions of Phoenix loaned for LI Retro.And bringing things full circle, Luis Aguavivas shook Lenny’s hand and complimented him on his works. John Lester was also at the panel.
9/29 UPDATE: Leonard posted video of his panel. (Of course, you see me front and center snapping away.)
PHOTOS WITH/OF FELLOW ATTENDEES
My friend Timothy (a.k.a. Sho):
Timothy and C.J. (I forget which vendor she was with):
Last year, due to ongoing renovation of the Abrams Communications Center on the campus of LIU Post, WCWP‘s Homecoming Weekend programming block was cancelled. This year, it was back, running from September 20 at noon through September 22 at midnight. Coinciding with the LIU Sharks football team‘s Homecoming game against the University of Rhode Island Rams, this was the first Homecoming Weekend block overseen by returning station manager Dan Cox since 2021 and first coordinated by alumni Jeff and Pat Kroll since 2019.
Those who attended the WCWP Hall of Fame Ceremony on June 1 were given a tour of the Abrams renovation afterward. More alumni would have a chance to see the changes this time.
As the unofficial station historian, a title bestowed upon me by Bill Mozer, I would document this weekend from start to finish, through videos, photos, and airchecks. The airchecks were mostly recorded off the FM internet stream at my Wantagh home via desktop PCs in my bedroom and the guest room. Exceptions are the first four hours of programming Friday and Bernie Bernard’s show after the football game Saturday. For those, I recorded at WCWP using Adobe Audition on my laptop, which was connected to USB phono preamp connected via a Y-adapter to a Sangean radio’s aux out port. The home recordings were done through Audacity and edited in Adobe Audition.
I always seem to develop anxiety ahead of an impending workload, and that was again the case on Thursday, September 19. I had temporarily limited my Twitch streaming schedule to one stream a week to focus on covering Homecoming Weekend and all the post-production to follow. I also, muted all the Discord chat servers I was in and turned off notifications on the many channels I followed and/or subscribed to. I needed to be calm going into the weekend and focus on the task at hand.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
With all my batteries charged and equipment packed, my mother Lisa drove me up to LIU Post just after 11AM. Once I arrived and entered WCWP, I unpacked and began setting up in studio 3 for the first show of Homecoming Weekend. Project Independence and You! was wrapping up its regularly-scheduled show in studio 2.
Homecoming Weekend led off at noon with Art Beltrone’s interview show.
Art was the first student voice heard on WCWP after its carrier-current station sign-on at noon on October 18, 1961.
Jeff Kroll was the engineer and co-host.
Art’s first alumni guests were Bill Rozea…
…and Bill’s wife April, members of C.W. Post first graduating class in 1959.
Art Beltrone presented April Rozea with a bouquet of roses. (Art’s wife Lee is seated in the background.)
Between interviews, Jeff played “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley, to the delight of the Bill and April Rozea.
Bill Rozea speaking with Art’s next guest, Vinnie Salamone:
Art’s interview with Vinnie Salamone:
Bernie Bernard was next:
She also received a bouquet of flowers.
Jeff led the interview with Bernie.
The next four photos are courtesy of Ted David while he dropped by studio 3:
Jeff’s wife Pat Kroll produced and coordinated Art’s show.
Art Beltrone’s other guests included Stewart Ain, via Zoom (a fifth photo by Ted David)…
Hank was the first voice on WCWP-FM when it signed on at 4PM on March 16, 1965.
…and Steve Radoff, via Zoom:
After Hank, John, and Steve were interviewed, I gathered my equipment and headed for studio 2 to set up for my live edition of Instrumental Invasion at 2PM.
Here is Art’s full show, minus most of “Can’t Help Falling in Love”:
Aside from the guests listed above, Art spoke to Jon Benson (via Zoom) and Greg Tarone.
Portions of the above aircheck were synced to video I shot on a pair of Panasonic HC-X1500 camcorders, with occasional photo cutaways.
Hank Neimark and John LiBretto returned to the airwaves at 4PM to host Strictly Jazz. Jon Korkes served as the third host, appearing via Zoom, and Jeff Kroll was once again engineer.
Jon Korkes’s Zoom window (the text below him is burned in to the monitor)
Here are Jeff, John, and Hank after the show:
Now for the scoped aircheck of Strictly Jazz:
As you’ll see in the composite aircheck video, Hank and John interviewed me at one point:
I changed “Composite aircheck” to “Portions” due to title character limits
After becoming obsessed with “My Attorney Bernie” by Dave Frishberg during the drafting of this post, I realized I left the end of the song from the scoped aircheck in the video before jumping to my interview.
As Strictly Jazz proceeded in studio 2, I took two other photos in the lobby:
WCWP station manager Dan Cox (center) with LIU senior philanthropic advisor Charles Rasberry (left) and Neil Marks (right)
Neil Marks, John Zoni, Andrew Scarpaci, and Travis Demers prepping for the Homecoming game broadcast
John Zoni had the next show at 7PM Friday:
Jay Mirabile followed at 9PM with a special edition of The DFK Show. Unfortunately, I didn’t take a photo of him while I was on campus and he didn’t take one during his show. So, here’s a photo from 2013:
The scoped aircheck is from this year.
There are more alumni hosts below who were not individually photographed (Chris MacIntosh is in a two-shot) by me or anyone else this weekend, and I will include a photo if I have one to go along with their scopes.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
As the clock struck midnight, my prerecorded three-hour edition of Instrumental Invasion commenced. Click here for that show’s recap, but I’ll say here it was the first time I’d hosted a three-hour show since filling in for Martin Phillips on Thursday Night Jazz in October 2009.
At 3AM, there was Magick Mike Hendryx, seen here live in 2016 following my live Instrumental Invasion:
John Commins was the last of the prerecorded shows early Saturday, airing at 5AM. This was John in 2017:
Jeff Jensen had Saturday’s first live show at 7AM back in studio 2. He’s seen here in 2019:
We now jump ahead to later in the morning atop the Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium prior to the LIU Sharks-Rhode Island Rams game.
This set of photos were taken by Pat Kroll:
Jeff and Pat Kroll
Jeff Kroll and Neil Marks
Travis Demers handled play-by-play in the 2nd and 3rd quarters while Jeff Kroll took the 1st and 4th quarters. Neil Marks analyzed.
The Homecoming game kicked off at noon, and I arrived on campus about half an hour later, setting down my equipment at the Abrams Communications Center.
When I arrived, it was halftime, and Vinnie Salamone got his second interview of Homecoming Weekend.
Listen to the interview here:
As halftime wound down, Jeff Kroll, Neil Marks, and Travis Demers recapped the first half, told stories, and remarked on the state of WCWP.
Thank you, Travis, for the shoutout to me and Jay Mirabile.
My photos atop the press box alternated between my EOS R7 and iPhone 13 Pro.
The LIU marching band’s halftime performance
The opposite end of the stadium
Until ten nights earlier at Freeport’s 9/11 memorial ceremony, I was unaware that Bronko Pearsall was one of the 343 FDNY firefighters lost that September morning in 2001. Pearsall was among the names read by Amanda Muldowney, sister-in-law of Richie Muldowney.
Practice kicks…
The LIU marching band gets back in position in the stands.
The LIU Sharks returned to the field…
…followed by the Rams of URI.
Jeff Kroll always managed to spot me taking a candid shot, leading to a posed photo.
Travis Demers, Neil Marks, and Jeff Kroll prepare for the second half, as heard in the earlier clip.
The second half kickoff
Travis Demers calling the action with Jeff Kroll analyzing and Pat Kroll producing
Neil Marks watched on during the third quarter, and would rejoin Jeff and Travis in the fourth.
Travis’s view of the field
A final photo at the stadium before returning to WCWP
The Sharks led the Rams 21-14, but went on to lose 28-21. The key moment came late in the fourth quarter. One play after the Sharks recovered a Rams fumble at the 1-yard line, the Sharks fumbled the ball back to Rhode Island at the 5. The Rams tied, and went ahead on their next possession. At least it was an exciting game for Jeff, Neil, and Travis to call.
“Highlights” were run during the postgame show, emanating from studio 3 and atop the stadium press box.
John Zoni handled the out-of-town scoreboard…
…and Andrew Scarpaci narrated the highlights:
Programming returned to studio 2 at 3PM with Bernie Bernard. Here are photos taken while setting up:
To the left of Bernie is Jett Lightning. Bobby Guthenberg (a.k.a. Bobby G.) and Larry Brodsky are to the right of her.
Bobby G. helped Bernie set up (Photo by Hugh Hammill)
Photo by Hugh Hammill
The photos were taken after Bernie’s show began.
Hugh Hammill is pictured talking to WCWP station manager Dan Cox with Bernie Bernard prepping the next CD to play. Jeff Kroll is standing on the right and Bernie’s sister Melissa is seating facing away in the foreground.
Ward Henry and Bernie Bernard (Photo by Hugh Hammill)
Bernie’s view of Wavecart (Photo by Hugh Hammill)
Larry Brodsky and Jeff Kroll (after Jeff spotted me taking a candid)
Travis Demers, Frank Iemitti (capital I; with his back to the camera), John Zoni, John Mullen, Dave Fleischer
I neglected to shoot video, but WCWP station manager Dan Cox addressed the gathered alumni outside at the barbecue.
Dan was joined by Kerry Kruckel, LIU vice president for university advancement.
This photo includes Joan Yonke (center), LIU director of development and annual fund, and Art and Lee Beltrone to the right of Joan.
Grandfather Rock Chris MacIntosh and Dan Cox listen to Ms. Kruckel’s complimentary remarks.
Dan was equally complimentary.
Back inside studio 2…
Bernie Bernard at the board
Chris MacIntosh joined Jett, Ward, Bernie, Melissa, and Hugh.
Me with my Panasonic HC-X1500 camcorders. One had a handle unit attachment, and a great shotgun mic and tripod. The other had an okay tripod and no external mic or handle unit.
Unfortunately, I forgot to hit record on those camcorders before Bernie interviewed me. Thankfully, Melissa Bernard took the next three photos that I used in the video you’ll see in a little while.
“I was born in the ’80s!”
Tony and Winnie Traguardo also dropped by.
Before Mike Riccio and Bobby G.’s radio show, Bernie tried to stump Mike on who sang covers of two songs.
Mike went 1 for 2.
John Zoni told me a story about he came to be involved in coverage of the C.W. Post Pioneers/LIU Sharks Homecoming game, as well as encountering Bill Mozer immediately before and after the university fired Bill as station manager in 1990.
As John and I continued to talk, I could hear Bernie wrapping up her show. So, I rushed back into studio 2 to record camcorder videos.
Here is a scope of the entire show:
And a composite aircheck video:
Outside the studio, a photo of Dan Cox (right) with Winnie and Tony Traguardo:
A candid shot of Bobby G. and Jeff Kroll:
Bobby took a photo of me and Jeff:
I should note I bought that blue and gold LIU polo on my way out of the stadium. I chose to wear a green and gold LIU Post shirt that predated the “One LIU” athletics merger and move to NCAA Division I, but it felt wrong wearing that shirt. I changed into the new one when I got back to WCWP.
Pat Kroll took this photo of me and John Zoni:
She also found a CD in my name in one of the station mail slots, per this photo taken over a week later:
The artist said there was one instrumental track for me to play on Instrumental Invasion, unaware that my weekly run ended last November.
Anyway, it was on to Mike Riccio and Bobby G. at 6:02 PM. The theme this year was songs from 1961 to 1989 albums that have been streamed the most on Spotify. Bobby, Jett Lightning, and Bernie Bernard had to guess what the most-streamed song was before Mike began each set.
Mike Riccio
Bobby G.
Jett Lightning
A posed photo of Jett Lightning
Bernie Bernard returned to studio 2 by the 1970s portion of the show.
Before I packed up my equipment and left for home, I got a photo of Mike Riccio and Bobby G.:
Here is a scope of most of their show. I edited out a talk break I intruded on and would like to forget.
And a composite aircheck video of all but that one talk break during their first 82 minutes:
Vince Randazzo came on at 9:03 PM with Alternative Jukebox. Yet again, I dip into the archives for a photo of him, taken at the 2022 WCWP Hall of Fame Ceremony:
Thank you, Ted, for complimenting me and Travis Demers.
Ted, in turn, was followed by Lew Scharfberg at 4PM (photos by Pat Kroll):
Lew’s show was one of many on Homecoming Weekend engineered by Jeff Kroll.
Alana (seen below in 2022) hosted a special edition of The Rockin’ Sunday Show at 6:01 PM:
Grandfather Rock Chris MacIntosh was here with Rock ‘N’ Soul Gospel at 7:59 PM:
And Billy the Kid closed out Homecoming Weekend at 10:02 PM with Masters of Metal.
Post-production, no pun intended, began on the morning of September 23 and concluded on the morning of October 4 with publication of this post and the Instrumental Invasion posts.
Thank you very much for reading all the way to the end. In spite of any anxiety and stress, documenting events like this is a labor of love. I’m already looking forward to next Homecoming Weekend, but before then, WCWP celebrates its 60th anniversary as an FM station this March. I’ll surely have a recap of that.
Cheers to WCWP, the Abrams Communications Center, LIU Post, my fellow alumni, and the faculty I’ve gotten to know. I’ll see you soon.
CONCLUSION I mingled for a bit after in the guest table area after Leonard Herman‘s panel, then returned to the vendor marketplace for more games to buy. I texted my mom to come pick me up, said my goodbyes, and exited the Cradle of Aviation Museum:
My last photo of the weekend before getting in Mom’s car, bound for home
When I got home I took photos of my weekend badge…:
I still need to use that QR code.
…and pickups, starting with merchandise:
Thank you again to Ryan Shapiro and the LI Retro staff for gifting me with a backpack, pin, sticker, program, and t-shirt. I greatly appreciate the gesture after the mishaps I endured over the weekend.
I built up a $400 budget for merchandise, games, and maybe even consoles or accessories. I also brought two games I was unable to sell on eBay in the hopes of selling them to a vendor in the marketplace. I only got $10 for Knowledge is Power (PlayStation 4) and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition (PS5), but I was just glad to get rid of them. After struggling with games like the PS4 port of Celeste and (in my debut stream) the Xbox One port of Dark Souls: Remastered, it seemed pointless to keep games in my collection that I was terrible at or had no desire to play. (The Spider-Man games fell into the latter category.) So, my budget became $410.
I spent $105 on merchandise, with all but the My Life in Gaming t-shirt purchased Saturday. (I brought the M2: Complete Works Blu-ray for Coury and Try to sign after buying from them last February.)
That left $305 for games. I went to an ATM for an extra $40 (plus a $4 surcharge). Combined with a $5 bill from my wallet, I went $45 over budget. I’ve done worse in prior years, so I consider that a victory.
I successfully haggled with each vendor, saving me at least $50.
I finally bought individual carts for Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt, on the combo cart that came with my Zapper Set in February 1990, and I bought the triple combo cart for the Power Pad Set.
The games in alphabetical order, with purchase day in italicized parentheses:
Lunar Pool(Saturday) – I originally bought this on eBay in December 2021 as part of a seller lot, but made a small tear in the label while rearranging cartridges sometime after that
This wasn’t the end of buying, though. I passed up on To the Earth and Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego? for NES (the latter game had a cracked a shell). When I bought the triple combo NES cart and World Class Track Meet from one vendor, she offered the Power Pad. Just as I was about to buy, a young man behind me lamented that he wanted it. So, I graciously declined and let him buy it. And I couldn’t find a copy of Ridge Racer 6. I rectified all of that on eBay in the days after LI Retro.
Wednesday, August 14, I bought To the Earth and Where in Time…?, I snagged a Power Pad on Thursday, August 15, and bought Ridge Racer 6 on Saturday, August 17. As of publication, I only have the Power Pad and To the Earth, which I photographed Monday, August 19 (updated at 4:05 PM August 21 with Ridge Racer 6 and on August 24 with Where in Time…?):
INTRODUCTION 2024 was my sixth year at Long Island Retro Gaming Expo, held in the Cradle of Aviation Museum, on the right end of Museum Row in East Garden City. This was also the first year that Flagstar bank had naming rights. That’s evident in the first photo below, taken as my mom pulled off Charles Lindbergh Boulevard at 9:45 AM on Saturday, August 10.
LI Retro, the expo’s shorthand, launched Friday, August 9, at 4PM, but since the expansion to three days (or 2 1/2) in 2022, I’ve forgone the Friday leg.
Tickets went on sale all the way back at the end of December and I was quick to secure my weekend badge, even though it would be months before attendees even knew who the guests would be.
If you remember my disappointment last year when spotting Clint Basinger (LGR) walking through the vendor marketplace after the expo while editing photos, I was pleased to see he was a guest this year!
Two other notable guests were Warren Davis, the creator of Q*Bert “and other classic video arcade games” (as his book title notes), and legendary Nintendo marketer Gail Tilden. I was not able to attend Warren’s Saturday evening panel, though I met him at his table in the morning as you’ll see in that portion of this post. Gail had a free-form panel on Saturday evening and an interview panel on Sunday, the latter of which I attended.
Ahead of Saturday morning, I packed a printout of my badge retrieval code, my Canon EOS R7 with RF-S 18-150mm lens and Speedlite 430EX II, TASCAM DR-05X, and stenographer pad with pen. (I never used those last two.) I was anxious that my compulsive nature would lead to as many photos as last year. The bad news is I was right. The good news is the total over three cameras (you’ll read the why of that quantity later in the post) was 697 photos. This time, however, 617 were chosen to spread out over three blog posts, not counting scans or photos taken after Sunday.
ARRIVING AT THE MUSEUM Several paragraphs ago, I said I arrived at the Flagstar Cradle of Aviation Museum at 9:45 AM Saturday. After my mom dropped me off in the parking lot to the left of the roundabout, I took an establishing shot of the museum, unaware that my folded badge code printout was visible in the bottom left. So, I took another shot Sunday morning:
The photos in this gallery are from Saturday.
Badge retrieval areaA staff member instructs attendees waiting in line.He got a kick out of this Link cosplayer’s sign.Seconds before 10AMEntering the museumA hearty welcome after my bag check(NOTE: Lucas Thomas, Nintendo Force magazine founder, is seen entering on the right in the penultimate photo. Little did I know I’d see him again Sunday afternoon.)
On the way to the guest table area, I ran into Timothy (a.k.a. Sho), a fellow My Life in Gaming fan. We met in person in 2019 and I had to get a selfie this time:
GUEST TABLE PHOTOS
Entering the guest area, with additional vendors on the opposite side, whom you’ll see in the second post; Panel Room 2 is out of view to the right
Photos in this section were taken Saturday and Sunday. You can tell which day by what we’re wearing.
Warren Davis Warren and I didn’t talk much – so, no magic tricks – but I introduced myself and gladly bought a copy of Creating Q*bert for him to sign. I told him on Sunday that I bought a copy of Q*bert’s NES port in his honor. He thanked me for that. (More on pickups in the third post.)
Clint with his Panasonic SuperDisk PalmCam PV-SD4090, the subject of a future LGR video. Maybe you’ll see the selfie we took with it. (8/23 UPDATE: Yes. Video added below.)Prior to that selfie, I took one with my EOS R7. Dissatisfied with my appearance, I made tweaks in Photoshop.
8/23 UPDATE: Today, that future video became a present video.
The LI Retro portion begins around the 10:20 mark and the selfie compilation includes me, Coury Carlson, Adam Koralik (more on him in the John Hancock segment), and Frank Cifaldi.A screenshot of our selfie
Thinking Clint would be at the expo on Sunday, as well, I brought my PlayStation 3 copy of Duke Nukem Forever to sign. Alas, he had left after Saturday.
A recent LGR video made me think of my psychologist of 27 years, known to patients like me as Brad. In the mid ’90s, Brad had an Acer Aspire. If I remember correctly, it was the same color as Clint’s. (Brad retired in 2018 and I’ve had another therapist since 2019.)
9/6 UPDATE: Clint went into greater detail about LI Retro in the vlog below.
John included a pin and sticker, which I put inside the Block ‘Em Sock ‘Em case.Adam Koralik returned this year as a paid attendee. I go by Mike Camera on his Discord and introduced myself as such on Sunday. He recognized me immediately. I had to get a photo with him and his good friend John.
Check out John’s LI Retro vlog. He saw exhibits that I missed, and thus won’t be seen in my second post.
So, of course, I was thrilled to see them again this year, and ask a question for the third year in a row at their panel/podcast recording.
G Gracin bumping fists with Pat and Ian on SundayG brought their Sonic the Hedgehog Interactive Camera for selfies in digital file and thermal print form.G handing the thermal print to PatThey got a selfie with Ian, too.Pat and IanFind out why my smile is subdued in the “Mishaps” portion of this post.Before they departed on Sunday, I snapped a photo of Pat, Daniel Greenberg, Ian, Frank Cifaldi, and Daniel’s wife Alex.
9/2 UPDATE: The latest Flea Market Madness video is embedded below photos of the CU Podcast panel.
G Gracin and Greg Sewart didn’t have a table, but did have a Saturday panel. (Check the “Panels” section of this post for photos.) I posed with them in this photo on Sunday.
I also got the Sonic selfie treatment, in digital form…
…and in thermal print form. I scanned that (left) and used Photoshop’s photo restoration filter to limit the vertical banding (right).
G posted a few YouTube Shorts at LI Retro:
[The first short was removed in 2025.]
There really is so much to see at Long Island Retro Gaming Expo. John Hancock and G saw things that I missed.
I really liked Greg Sewart’s Ridge Racer series retrospective:
Since you saw Daniel and Alex Greenberg (Winterion Game Studios) in Pat and Ian’s photo gallery, here is a photo Alex took of Daniel and me after Pat’s CU Podcast Live panel.
Let’s skip ahead one table to the My Life in Gaming duo of Coury Carlson and Mark “Try4ce” Duddleson:
This was last photo of the weekend taken on my EOS R7. Again, the explanation is in the “Mishaps” segment.I brought my copy of the M2: Complete Works Blu-ray for Coury and Try to sign. Try signed the cover first……then Coury.A photo with the signed coverSunday, since shirts were selling well at the MLiG table (myself included), Try decided to splurge on a rare PlayStation game: Koudelka, the first in the Shadow Hearts series.
9/2 UPDATE: Coury and Try ended August with a new My Life in Gaming video: the second in their Multi-Games Compilations series. It’s worth watching for Try’s LI Retro t-shirt alone.
We round out this segment with the Father of Videogame History, Leonard Herman, joined by Patrick Wong and Mark Baer (middle child of videogame pioneer Ralph Baer).
A replica of Ralph Baer’s Brown Box prototypeMark played tennis on the replica with an attendee.And after Lenny’s Sunday panel, Patrick took our photo.
I spelled video game as one word because that’s how Ralph Baer spelled it and how Lenny spells it.
Leaving the guest tables behind, it’s panel time!
PANELS
Saturday Panel 1, 11AM-12PM Panel Room 2 Mark Baer and Leonard Herman Ralph Baer: His Creative Life in Electronic, Videogames and More
This strayed close to the 2023 presentation, which was the last panel I attended. So, I changed my photographic approach. Before the photos, here are the videos shown during the panel:
Despite the German title, the video is in English.
The panel concluded with the What’s My Line? segment that Mark referenced.Host Larry Blyden and Bob Fritchie were “Playing ‘Tennis'” on the Magnavox OdysseyMark and Lenny shook hands after a panel well done
Before the other panels, a diversion.
Mishaps
It was in between the Ralph Baer panel and the CU Podcast panel that I accidentally knocked my camera off a food court table, breaking my Canon EOS R7’s RF-S 18-150mm lens. The ring attachment stayed on, but the rest of the lens broke off.
It was irrecoverable. The only solution was to buy a replacement lens once I got home, and with a 5-year lens accident warranty. I’m covered if history repeats itself, God forbid.
The lens and UV filter arrived Wednesday morning and a test photo was successful.
Unfortunately, Sunday had another problem. Patrick Wong from Leonard Herman’s table prepped to take a photo of me with Pat Contri and Ian Ferguson. Ian sprained his ankle and was only at LI Retro that day. After I took the photo of Pat and Ian together, I foolishly chose to take a photo with them to the right of Pat’s table. Ian’s cup of coffee was perched on the right end of that table. As I turned to get into position for the photo, Ian warned “watch the backpack!” The warning was in vein. My bulky backpack knocked the cup over and it spilled on the upper right end of the table. The photo op was aborted, paper towels were summoned, and adjacent merchandise was checked for damage. As all that happened, I felt tremendous guilt and shame. I thought I’d become persona non grata to both of them, and God forbid, would be sued. Thankfully, none of that was true. No merch was damaged, the spill was quickly disposed of, and Pat used hand sanitizer to further clean the affected area. Then, we retreated to a safe spot away from the table for our photo op. Pat and Ian were all smiles in the photo while I was too drained to fully smile. They both assured me everything was fine and not to worry. That’s when I headed to the main theatre for the Gail Force panel.
After that panel, LI Retro staff member Ryan Shapiro gifted me with an expo backpack that contained a pin, sticker, 2024 program, and Asteroids-themed t-shirt. I’ll save the contents photo for the third post, but I’ll show the backpack here, too.
Aside from the podcasts, you’re also on Twitch every Wednesday, watching retro commercials. How did you- What made you decide to go that route instead of streaming games?
Pat responded that it spun off from his NES Charity Marathon (origin of the “Buh-lack Box!” catchphrase), and that he felt relaxed and nostalgic watching things from the past. The TV commercials or promos allow him to recall moments from his past. That led to a discussion about the significance of preserving these moments in the same way video game media is preserved. I chimed in with radio airchecks as an example, but I might not have been heard.
Pat welcomes the assembled crowd.Frank Cifaldi arrives to fill in for Ian FergusonThe Kotaku article linked above the galleryIn this photo, the topic is how Game Informer‘s archives were all thrown away.Q&A timeA shoutout to Daniel and Alex Greenberg. Daniel wrote game reviews in Pat’s Ultimate Nintendo guides.Panel/podcast completeA round of applause
As of publication, the podcast is not up in audio or segmented video form. There is, however, Flea Market Madness Volume 49, recorded on Father’s Day (June 16). It features the other Frank, as seen in the thumbnail.
3:51 PM UPDATE: There is audio of the Game Informer discussion, but not the Q&A, starting at the 1:17:25 mark of the latest podcast.
10/28 UPDATE: Video of Pat and Frank’s discussion went up six days after this post was published (August 27).
G’s introductionGreg’s introductionA question from the audienceWhat followed was a chronological journey through Sega’s console history. First, the SG-1000.The Master SystemThe game changer: The Sega Genesis, released 35 years ago last week (August 14).Game Gear and Nomad (portable Genesis)Sega CDThe 32XG bought a custom-made Neptune at LI Retro. It’s based on the never-released Genesis/32X hybrid prototype.Sega SaturnThe DreamcastAfter the Dreamcast, the panel (and Sega’s console history) was complete.Another round of applauseG and Greg spoke to fans afterward
After browsing and buying from the vendor marketplace, I went home.
I returned a little closer to 10AM on Sunday morning. I still had to wait in line for a bag check; I didn’t mind that.
In lieu of a panel I had in mind at 11AM, I re-photographed areas that were blurry on Saturday, took photos of vendors I missed on Saturday, then toured the exhibits on all three floors. Look for those in the second post.
Then, the topic switched to her tenure with Nintendo Power magazine. Lucas asked the audience to give a “whoo!” when their first issue was displayed on the projection screen above them.
Watch the video to see if I misremembered anything. Then, see the photos that I kept bending over to take.
Listen for me at the 7:03 mark.Jeremy ParishGail TildenLucas ThomasDiscussing the first issue of Nintendo PowerLJ, whom I met at a panel in 2019, asked Gail who did the claymation for the first issue’s cover.He also gave a “woo-hoo!” for the DuckTales cover, a nod to the cartoon series theme song (played at a faster tempo on the title screen).The Super Mario Bros. 3 strategy guide was technically my first issue, bought by one of my parents at Te’amo convenience store on West Merrick Road in Freeport.This was the sixth issue I had after first subscribing to Nintendo Power at Volume 70.Gail’s Nintendo Power journey ended with Volume 100.And it’s where the panel ended.Afterward, many people had questions and recollections for Gail……and items for her to sign.I just wanted a photo, which LI Retro staff member Joe Vincent took for me.
Then, it was quickly off to Panel Room 2 for my last panel of the weekend.
Sunday, 2PM-3PM Panel Room 2 Leonard Herman The History of the History of Videogames
This was the place to be: a celebration of a man who blazed the trail for videogame history. 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the original Phoenix: The Fall and Rise of Videogames.
“I just want to say this is the reason why I started seriously collecting. … I remember going up to a classic gaming expo, and this gentleman here gave me the 2000 edition, correct? Third edition [of Phoenix]. And this is what started me on my serious collecting journey. And I’m honored that I consider him a friend, a close friend, a good guy. And I want to say, like, this book changed my collecting trajectory. And you know, this gentleman is really a big contributor to getting some serious facts of videogame history in a serious book. And I’m just honored. So, I want to just thank you for all you’ve done. He needs to be remembered. And I will continue that, like how you promoted and honored Ralph Baer. That’s me to you. So, I just want to say thanks. And this is your time. Thank you so much.”
Well said, John.
The stage is yours, Leonard.
How Leonard’s Rolenta Press got its nameA letter from Ralph Baer!No Starch Press was the villain in this story.How Lenny took photos for Phoenix IVUnflattering background?Just mask it away.The paperback edition of Phoenix IV (and a bookmark)Lenny holds up the hardcover color editionWill there be a Phoenix 5 in 2025?If so, here’s the outline so far. With the help of Jeremy Parish, it will published by Press Run, the publishing arm of Limited Run Games.A shoutout to Frank Cifaldi’s Video Game History Foundation.Frank recalled he was working for GamesTM magazine when he contacted Lenny for a copy of Phoenix III.My favorite shots of Lenny were when he smiled or laughed. You could tell he enjoyed sharing his story.The many video game history books that followed PhoenixLenny promoted his Game Scholar website.
Upon closing, Lenny opened the floor to Q&A:
Ahra was among those to ask a question.Frank Cifaldi had a few questions.So did John Hancock.
The funniest question and answer came via Mark Baer:
LENNY: Yes, sir. MARK: Do you have a favorite historical figure in videogame history, by any chance? LENNY: Yeah. Nolan Bushnell. [audience laughs] If anyone doesn’t know, that’s Ralph Baer’s son. That’s his son, Mark. He’s a troublemaker. MARK: You could answer honestly.
After a few more questions, the panel ended with a round of applause.
I had to get a photo of Leonard Herman, Frank Cifaldi, and John Hancock:
Ian Ferguson dropped by after the panel to say hello:
That is the end of post one. Head to post two for a tour of the marketplace and exhibits. Post three features a conclusion, pickups photos, and a postscript with post-expo pickups.
After my last Long Island Retro Gaming Expo panel of the weekend, I made my way to the vendor marketplace and searched for games I didn’t have that were $20 or less. I bargained with each vendor, only spending close to $200. That’s the least I’ve spent since my first year (2017). The bulk of my purchases were for the Nintendo Entertainment System, my first video game console.
The opposite view from the establishing shot in post 1
Cumulus clouds against the clear blue, sunny sky
The American flag (I captioned the other two, so why not this?)
My bag of combined pickups, led by the infamous Deadly Towers; I finally got it
Monday, August 14 and beyond
My attempt to make up for Saturday night’s severe storm-shortened sleep was unsuccessful. I woke up early Monday morning after five or six hours of sleep. Then, I went outside to look at the stars.
Back inside, as the sun rose, I unpacked the pickups from my paper bag and photographed them.
Now, I have an NES Yoshi to go with the Game Boy version I’ve had since childhood. The Power Pad games and Star Voyager were the subjects of early Pat the NES Punk episodes (including one with Alison).
“Power Pad Fun!”, Part 1:
Part 2:
Deadly Towers got the Angry Video Game Nerd treatment (via fans’ script submissions):
Wrongly assuming the 3DS and Wii U Super Smash Bros. games were the same, I only bought for Wii U when I started collecting for the two consoles in 2017 (there’s that year again). Prior to LI Retro, I saw a Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Video Games video that set me straight (Japanese with English subtitles):
Good thing I found a copy from a vendor, eliminating the need to buy from Amazon.
And lastly, my first Sega CD game – Joe Montana’s NFL Football:
To quote the infamous TV ad (parodied here), I “still don’t have a Sega CD,” but after buying my first game Sunday afternoon, I bought 12 more games on eBay between Monday morning and Wednesday night. This included eight from four-game lots, and two Sonic CD variants. The complete list (in order of appearance):
The weekend of August 12 and 13 marked my fifth year at Long Island Retro Gaming Expo, held in the Cradle of Aviation Museum, situated along Museum Row in East Garden City. This is LI Retro’s second year as a three-day event, running from 4PM Friday through 5PM Sunday. Again, I opted to skip Friday and just go Saturday and Sunday. I had to last year since I used my ticket for the postponed 2020 expo, but I saved money this year by purchasing a three-day ticket. I would have gone Friday if I lived within walking distance or had a car of my own.
When LI Retro’s schedule was published a few weeks before the event, I planned my days around panels, three per day. I also hoped to catch musical performances, but time would not allow that. I did not allow myself to buy games from vendors until after the last panel on Sunday.
I brought my Canon EOS R7 (and compatible speedlite, which didn’t cooperate) along with a TASCAM DR-05 audio recorder. While panels would be posted online, I wanted personal recordings to hold me over in the meantime. As of this writing, I have yet to listen, let alone edit out the beginnings and ends.
I hoped not to go overboard with photography, which means I did. A whopping 831 photos (466 Saturday, 366 Sunday) were taken with the R7 at LI Retro, plus four on my iPhone 13 Pro. I spent a week and a half editing them all, spreading out 563 of them in three blog posts. (I couldn’t possibly cram them all in one.)
This first post contains the introduction you’re reading now, photos with guests, photos from the six panels I saw, and relevant links and media embeds.
We start with an establishing exterior shot taken Sunday morning:
Waiting in line before doors opened on Saturday morningEntering…
Guest table photos
It was fun catching up with guests and staff that I’ve seen before, and meeting new guests for the first time.
I congratulated Pat for 15 years on YouTube, and he and Ian on a decade of the CU Podcast. We talked about cameras, the upcoming N64 entry in Pat’s Ultimate Nintendo book series, and my merch purchases. (I also apologized for how my podcast panel question trailed off at the end. [SPOILER])
Sunday morning, Pat was interviewed by Margaret Sykes of WRHU, radio station for nearby Hofstra University:
She then spoke to Leonard and Mark:
Adam’s table had prototype consoles and a signed copy of Shenmue II:
Frank Cifaldi spoke to Lenny and Mark before his panel, my first of the weekend:
On to panel photos and relevant links, including video and/or audio.
Saturday Panel 1, 11AM-12PM: Frank Cifaldi Adventures in Saving Video Game History
I winced at all this misinformation.Q&A
After the panel, I ended up part of a conversation with Frank and fellow archivist Jason Scott. (I had no idea I was in the presence of greatness until a Google search Sunday morning.)
A selfie with Jason (sans top hat) and Frank:
I resorted to AI enhancing to compensate for lens blur.
Saturday Panel 2, 2PM-3PM Pat Contri and Ian Ferguson CU Podcast Special 2
Topic 1: Nintendo is expected to release the Switch 2 next year.Audience member: “If it’s not backward compatible, I will riot.”Topic 2: a scummy eBay seller.Topic 3: Ten years of the CU PodcastDemonstrating Steph Curry’s uninspired percussion……and Klay Thompson’s inspired percussionQ&A…Waiting to ask my questionAsking my question: Do friends and family that appeared in videos get recognized (Alison, in particular)? (Plus, I saw a Black Tiger arcade cabinet on the second floor, alluding to Pat’s Flea Market Madness encounter.)Back at my seatThis was a question or two after mineThe last questioner asked if Pat and Ian had seen Grandma’s Boy because “it’s fire,” slang for “great.”Looking it up on IMDB6.9/10A final thank you
While waiting to ask a question, I noticed my friend Daniel Greenberg of Winterion Game Studios in the audience with his wife Alex. I whispered hello and we spoke more after the panel. It turns out Daniel and Alex had visited LIU Post earlier in the day. As you’ll see in the photo Alex took, I was wearing a Post polo on Saturday:
Saturday Panel 3, 3:30-4:30 PM: G Gracin Growing Up Genesis with G to the Next Level (streamed live on Twitch)
In addition to streaming on Twitch, G recorded the panel for a future YouTube video.G’s Sonic collectionTwitch montage…To mark the occasion, G displayed three items with a New York area theme (two, at least). First, El Viento, partially set in 1920s NYC.Next, the New York Pokémon Center Game Boy Advance.Third (not directly NY-themed), issue 0 of the Sonic the Hedgehog Archie Comics series.G turned their webcam toward the audience so we could say hello.“Hello, Twitch chat!”Q&A began with the same audience member who joked to Pat and Ian that he would riot if the Switch 2 isn’t backward compatible.A clip of G rating the dubious Genesis game Slaughter Sport (a.k.a. Tongue of the Fatman).One question from Twitch chatA parting shot of the TV screen
G and me:
I tried to go to sleep early Saturday night, but I was wired from the long and exciting day I had. I figure I got four hours of sleep before being jolted awake by a severe thunderstorm just before 3AM. The peak came at 3:13 with two close (and loud) lightning strikes. Thankfully, conditions mellowed after that, though sleep was impossible. I got some editing done and prepped for a return to Cradle of Aviation at 10AM. Somehow, Lenny, Mark, Patrick, Pat, and my parents all slept through the storm.
Sunday morning was when Margaret Sykes conducted her interviews, and where I spoke to her about WRHU general manager John Mullen’s recent induction to the WCWP Hall of Fame.
Sunday Panel 1, 11AM-12PM: Adam Koralik, Evil Rob Thanos, Sunshine (from Adam’s Discord) Talking Console Prototypes: Sega Pluto (and hard drives), Atari Jaguar “Hot Rod” Dental Unit, Sony PlayStation Debugging Station, Nintendo GameCube NR Reader
Relevant videos:
Finally, panel photos:
The first and last of the above videos looped throughout the panel. Adam joked that they were 70mm IMAX editions, like for Oppenheimer.Adam with the Nintendo PlayStation prototypeRIP Terry Diebold (right)Adam and Rob introduced themselves.Sunshine wondered why he was there.Sunshine showed off the Sony PlayStation Debugging Station and GameCube NR Reader.An audience member guessed what prototype Adam was holding.Answer: the Atari Jaguar “Hot Rod” Dental Unit.Adam at the National Videogame MuseumWho’s that with him outside the museum? (It’s Rob, of course.)Lastly, the Sega Pluto……and its hard drives.Q&A…Squishchin’s questionAfterward, a fan named Rob (left) gifted Adam with Shenmue promotional material he acquired while working at an electronics store. (source)
While working on this post, I joined Adam’s aforementioned Discord. I was welcomed with open arms and given the nickname Mike Camera. I like it!
It’s where I found Squishchin’s LI Retro vlog:
10/11 UPDATE: Watch Adam’s travelogue on his second channel, Flying & Eating with Adam Koralik:
Look for me at the 22:43 mark.
Sunday Panel 2, 12:30 PM-1:30 PM: Frank Cifaldi and Rachel Simone Weil Unraveling Nintendo’s Most Elusive Lost Hardware: The Nintendo Knitting Machine
I mistook this Royal for a different Royal and was corrected by Frank. (I apologized for that.)A GIF of Rachel at the controlsRachel’s creationMy Columbo impression (a la Pat Contri’s friend Frank [last name withheld]) from the day before continued to haunt me.Rachel’s original AI advertisingMore AI adsQ&A…
Sunday Panel 3, 2PM-3PM: Leonard Herman and Mark W. Baer The Life, Time and Influence of Ralph H. Baer, The Father of Videogames
As noted in last year’s recap, Lenny grew to be like a surrogate son to Ralph. You can see the brotherly love between Lenny and Mark in many of the photos below.
Mark showing the patent and licensing agreement……and Ralph’s book Videogames in the Beginning (published by Lenny)Mark reenacted the What’s My Line? panelists’ amazement during their questioningQ&A…Answering my question: What did Ralph think of videogames (one word) becoming publicly known as video games (two words)?
This concludes post one. Click here for post two or here for post three.
The January 11 edition of Instrumental Invasion on WCWP was recorded one hour per day between November 24* and 25. This show brought me back to a comfortable seven-week buffer.
The playlist was created on November 21, annotated on the 22nd, and the talk break script was drafted on the 23rd when not working on last week’s show.
With only two new albums left that hadn’t met my requisite six tracks to play, I added a second 1996-2006 segment and moved the remaining 2017-present segment to the middle of hour 2. That allowed me to make up for not ending hour 1 with the live 2002 version of “Kukuc” (“koo-kooch”) by John Favicchia, the second week in a row with a version of “Kukuc,” both from Tangible. The second segment of hour 1 and first of hour 2 only had two talk breaks thanks to “Spain” by Return to Forever and “Kukuc.”
This week’s version of “Kukuc” was performed at Backstreet Blues in Rockville Centre, the venue where I was introduced to Fav and his Dharma All-Stars on July 13, 2005. Here are the photos I took that night:
The September 14 Instrumental Invasion on WCWP was recorded from July 22 to 24. The fourth segment was recorded on the 22nd because I rightly anticipated it would be the longest. That was followed on the 23rd by all but the last segment, which was recorded on the 24th along with pickups. I started recorded next week’s show later that day.
The playlist was created simultaneously with next week’s show on July 17 with annotations on the 18th and 19th. The talk break script was drafted on the 20th and 21st.
I played “Angela” in order to correct my January 19 mistake, a mistake I also made in my pre-recorded 2019 Homecoming Weekend show. Listening to Jimmy Burrows‘s memoir on Audible, Directed by James Burrows, set me straight about the “Blind Date” episode of Taxi, featuring the titular character Angela Matusa (Suzanne Kent). (Oh, Suzanne was an original member The Groundlings! No wonder she did Pee-wee’s Playhouse!) Angela wasn’t literally blind; just gruff and cynical, the opposite of her answering service persona. I don’t know where the false memory originated, but I regret the twice-told error.
After recording last week’s aircheck on my new PC, I noticed that audio levels were bumped up when certain songs faded out or on vocal pauses in liners and talk breaks. Those bump-ups were replaced with audio from an alternate aircheck on the Dell PC in the guest room. I chalked it up to an audio enhancement setting and thought to have that enhancement off this week. Sadly, the problem was still there this week. I wasted nearly three hours figuring out how to stop that from happening. I now assume it’s related to the motherboard’s “Audio Boost 5” feature.
Finally, at around 2:45 this morning, I came across this webpage. The solution was option 2:
Don’t have a Stereo Mix option? No problem. Audacity has a useful feature that can record the audio coming out of your computer – even without Stereo Mix. In fact, Audacity’s feature may be even better than Stereo Mix, assuming you’re willing to use Audacity to record the audio. This method takes advantage of a feature that Microsoft added in Windows Vista named the Windows Audio Session API (WASAPI) [link added by me]. The feature also functions in Windows 7, 8, and 10, and helps make up for the lack of a Stereo Mix option on modern Windows PCs.
In Audacity, choose the “Windows WASAPI” audio host, and then choose an appropriate loopback device, such as “Speakers (loopback)” or “Headphones (loopback).”
Click the Record button to start recording the audio in Audacity, and then click Stop when you’re done. Because you’re using Audacity, you can easily trim and edit the sound file when you’re done.
It’s ironic that the solution came via free software while a program I paid for years ago – Easy MP3 Recorder 2.0 – and one I pay for monthly – Adobe Audition – are no longer useful on the new build for recording system audio.
The angst caused by the problem is the reason this post wasn’t published until afternoon. I still needed to add these paragraphs and then scope the aircheck.
The Long Island Retro Gaming Expo‘s long-awaited return came on Friday, August 12, after a three-year COVID-caused absence. Yes, the expo was expanded to three days starting this year, running from Friday afternoon to Sunday evening. The venue was the same as always: the Cradle of Aviation Museum, situated along Museum Row in East Garden City on the former site of Mitchel Air Force Base.
The purported 2020 edition of LI Retro was announced in February of that year. I immediately bought a weekend pass (still just two days). Little did anyone know that the faraway disease then referred to as the Coronavirus would reach the United States a few weeks later. As COVID-19 spread and a pandemic grew, venues shut down and events were either canceled or postponed. LI Retro’s postponement came that May. 2020 tickets would be honored in ’21. UPLINK, a virtual expo, was scheduled in its place on August 8 and 9. Of course, I attended and wrote a recap.
Even as vaccines were rolled out going into 2021, the organizers felt it was too soon to resume. Thus, they postponed again to ’22; and again, tickets for the postponed years would be honored. Another edition of UPLINK was held virtually in February. I attended, but was overwhelmed by the amount of transcribing and note-taking I’d have to do for the panels I planned on watching. So, I abandoned the recap in favor of continued radio show production.
Last December, LI Retro held its first annual one-day Festival of Games. I was in and out within two hours after a photographic walking tour (similar to the one you’ll see later in this post), arcade game sampling, and buying games from vendors. There was a recap for that.
As August drew closer, a third day of LI Retro was introduced. I considered attending, but opted to stick to the weekend.
With a week to go, I feared I’d compulsively take too many photos, a habit that’s gotten out of hand (i.e. Memorial Day boat ride, June 18 Mets game). I only took 353 photos at another Mets game on August 10, but sure enough, I went overboard at LI Retro. To that end, this is the first post with photo galleries.
The bulk of my photos were shot with my DSLR, but I took supplemental photos with my iPhone.
I arrived at the Cradle of Aviation Museum at 10:06 AM on Saturday:
Within 15 minutes, I was inside. I walked to the box office and handed my ticket to the attendant in exchange for a badge. “Finally,” I told her, “after 2 1/2 years, I get to use this [ticket].” She handed me my badge and my adventure began.
Part 2: Panels
My first panel – after meeting and greeting, and photographing the vendor rooms, was by Brett Weiss. “I Survived the Video Game Crash of 1983” began at 11AM in Panel Room 2. I joined it in progress, grabbing a front row seat, but oddly holding back on photos.
Brett talked about his experiences with arcade games and home video game consoles from the second generation into the third, and how the rise of home computers played a role in the 1983 crash.
During the Q&A session at the end, I relayed (but didn’t ask, so I apologized) my video game experience growing up. I was a home (and school) computer guy, fluent with Apple II, and my sister and I received an NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) in February 1990, as the third home video game console generation gave way to the fourth.
After snacking on a protein bar, I entered the Main Theatre for Pat Contri and Ian Ferguson’s 12:30 PM panel. I spoke to Pat and Ian during my meet and greet session two hours earlier, reminding them that I met them in 2019 and immersed myself in content from Pat’s YouTube channel after buying (at their merchandise table) the four DVD sets of Pat the NES Punk and the book Ultimate Nintendo: Guide to the NES Library. I subsequently bought the SNES guide. I wrote reviews of each – NES, SNES. (And you can buy the DVDs and books here.) This year, I bought two stickers and a CU Podcast (Completely Unnecessary Podcast) t-shirt. It was the last large size they had. I said I’d probably get along swimmingly with Frank, Pat’s older friend from New Jersey who settled in San Diego before Pat and Ian made their respective moves there.
Pat and Ian’s panel was a live portion of their next episode of the CU Podcast. Before it started, and while I settled into my front row seat, the volunteer assigned to the theater asked them to “say something into the microphone” as a mic check. Ian jokingly parroted the request: “say something into the microphone.” I amusingly replied, “I knew you were gonna say that.”
Continuing from prior episodes, Pat and Ian criticzed Tommy Tallarico and his vaporware console that would have been (or could still be?) the Intellivision Amico. On display above them was the console’s leaked “fact book.” There will be audio and video, but first, the photos:
Welcoming the crowd…Close-ups of Pat…Close-ups of Ian…The fact book…Commentary photos…Ian had a highly suggestive interpretation of Tommy’s guitar pose.eSports?! Healthcare?!Once the fact book deep dive was complete, the floor opened to Q&A.I actually asked questions this time, not just giving a statement like with Brett.The last questioner was “Tommy.”Pat and Ian react to “Tommy’s” roast
I liked Ian’s quaint pronunciation of wanton, “wonton” instead of “wantin’.”
Video of the Q&A portion:
My questions start at 18:26, “Tommy” starts at 25:13.
Theater guests had to exit on the third floor, so I bode my time by taking photos of the few console freeplay tables there. Then, I snapped pics for most of the second floor exhibits prior to the Axinn Air and Space Museum Hall entrance. I saved that for after the 2PM panel back in the theater.
In that 2PM panel, John Blue Riggs performed a live ROM hack of Super Mario Bros. for the NES, the first game I played in February 1990 via the Duck Hunt combo cart. With the right software, John imported tiles from whatever NES game ROMs the audience requested, and he altered the SMB code to altered the colors and text. Let the editing begin!
The first testThe second testJohn cautioned that this edit may not work.All set to play…Sure enough, the text glitched here.Recording segment for his expo vlogQ&A (I didn’t ask one this time)Responding to one question…Hearing another questionResponse…
I spoke to John during the meet and greet, letting him know that like his son, I am on the autism spectrum, specifically with what used to be called Asperger Syndrome. While at his table, I bought a Sega Genesis ROM hack that put Scott Pilgrim from his titular video game in Streets of Rage 2. We posed for a photo, but when I got home, I was dismayed to find that my DSLR’s lens didn’t focus on us when his tablemate Dave took our photo. They graciously allowed a do-over with my iPhone Sunday morning.
Here is John’s aforementioned vlog of his LI Retro experience:
I’m in the vlog at 13:30, going through my DSLR camera roll before John’s panel. At 19:56, he and Dave ate at Friendly’s in nearby East Meadow. I ate there with my girlfriend Kelly during her visit in April.
After the panel, I photographed what I believed to be nearly every other nook and cranny of the freeplay and tournament areas. John saw much more than I did.
The last item on my Saturday agenda was to buy games from vendors. (See the end of part 4.)
The combination of excitement from earlier in the day and a loud block party somewhere south of my house kept me from relaxing and easing into sleep. I probably slept two to four hours, at best.
I arrived at day three of the Long Island Retro Gaming Expo at around 10:30 AM. I met Justin, Marshall, and Kieran from Cinemassacre/Screenwave Media (and bought Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie), got the second chance photo with Riggs, and hung out at Leonard Herman‘s table. I’ve known Lenny (to his friends and family) since meeting him at the 2018 LI Retro and then reviewing his video game history book, Phoenix IV. In 2019, I met his associate Jeff, and this year, I was honored to meet Patrick Wong and Mark W. Baer, the middle child of Dena and Ralph H. Baer, the inventor of videogames (one word). They’re all nice and friendly, and it was my pleasure buying Ralph’s book Videogames in the Beginning, and Kate Hannigan‘s biographical children’s book, Blips on a Screen. I will definitely read that to Leo F. Giblyn School students next March, another annual tradition of mine.
Lenny and Mark’s panel was at 11:30 AM in Panel Room 2. Again, I sat in the front row. Lenny grew to be like a surrogate son to Ralph, and the brotherly love between he and Mark was on display throughout the panel, especially in the first two pics.
Lenny’s mouth wasn’t open at this instance, but he was introducing himself.Then, Mark introduced himself.Ralph’s 1969 Brown Box demonstration with Bill Harrison was shown. You can watch it here.The presentation has begun…Mark read Ralph’s dedication to his wife Dena (Mark’s mother).Ralph’s commemorative coinI know it’s cut off, but Lenny is holding up Blips on a Screen along with Marcie Wessels‘ The Boy Who Thought Outside the Box.Q&A (including me)…The endApplause!
I linked to it in the gallery, but here again is Ralph and Bill Harrison’s 1969 Brown Box demo:
You caught me.Here’s where the previously seen contestants signed up.I’m caught again.And again.I need lessons in stealth from Solid Snake.
Vendor Room annex (“More Vendors”), also home to meet and greets (and the food court):
Here’s a bonus meet and greet photo with Leonard Herman and Mark Baer that includes father Ralph’s Brown Box, as seen in their panel. Someday, I will master the box and win a game. Like in 2019, I was soundly defeated by Jeff.
When I was finished taking photos on Saturday, I began making the rounds in the vendor room to pickup video games. I vowed not to spend more than $25 on a game, and with one exception, I honored my vow. I successfully haggled when necessary, paying $15 for $17 worth of games, $20 for $23 worth, and $30 for $33 worth. Otherwise, one vendor discounted $7 from my $132 total and another had a two for $10 deal if you bought two $6 games. The only game I bought priced above $25 was the Xbox port of The Simpsons: Hit & Run, which was $35. It was my last purchase before leaving on Saturday. My last two purchases on Sunday were Legacy of the Wizard and Rolling Thunder, both for NES.
I was satisfied with my pickups, which brings us to…
Part 5: Pickups
Saturday pickups:
Merchandise:
Blips on a Screen by Kate Hannigan (writer) and Zachariah Ohora (illustrator)
I’d wanted The Simpsons: Hit & Run ever since it was lauded in the Game Sackvideo on Simpsons games. (Click here to start at the relevant portion.) Epic Mickey was on my mind after seeing it on Friday in a 2017 Cygnus Destroyer video on his Top 10 Disney Games(link removed with channel in 2023). I didn’t think to check the condition of the discs before buying, and was disappointed to see their scuffed appearance on Saturday night. You’ll see below that Epic Mickey 2 was one of my Sunday pickups from a vendor that also had the original game. All discs at his booth were in pristine condition. I lamented my mistake from the day before, chalking it up to a lesson learned. This Nintendo link taught me a positive lesson on Sunday night: how to clean discs. Monday night, I took dampened part of a washcloth and wiped Epic Mickey from left to right, line by line, then did the same with a dry part of the washcloth. The game played flawlessly in my Wii U. Tuesday morning, I did the same to Hit & Run and had the same positive result in my Xbox 360. Hit & Run was more fun and intuitive to play than Epic Mickey.
Non-merchandise in the photo: signed copy of The Angry Video Game Nerd I & II Deluxe (Nintendo Switch) signed by Justin (brought from home after seeing their booth on Saturday), Ralph Baer commemorative coins (one shown from the front, one from the back), my Game Boy Cameraprint from the Selfie Station, my weekend badge with Jovia lanyard
I watched the AVGN movie in 2019 on Amazon Prime Video, but it was later delisted. Now, I own a Blu-ray copy. They can’t take that away from me.
It may be a while before I get a Super Scope, but the Saturday after LI Retro, I bought a Wii Balance Board, Wii Fit U, and a Wii Fit U Fit Meter. Now, I can play all the Wii Fit games and track my steps.
All good things must come to an end, and my time at the 2022 Long Island Retro Gaming Expo ended at 2:05 PM on Sunday, August 14. I took two parting shots with my iPhone before riding home:
Thank you for making it to the end of my recap. I know there was a lot to process, and it was a labor of love to draft the post. Patience was required often as WordPress struggled to display the text I typed, presumably because of all the photos and captions.
Thank you to all the guests I met and reacquainted with, to the vendors I bought from, and my fellow attendees, like budding game designer Brandon.
Special thanks to the LI Retro organizers and volunteers, especially Ryan Shapiro. You were all friendly and highly accommodating. I greatly appreciate that.
MikeChimeri.com 
