MAGFest 09: Overheard at MAGFest

12:30 PM on 01.05.2009   |   Dale North

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We've told you about gaming festival MAGFest before, but it's really hard to convey the true experience. The event, held this past weekend in Alexandria, Virginia, is really one of those you have to be there to get it events.

If we had to try to explain it, we'd liken it to a small, down home version of the Penny Arcade Expo. It's a gaming event that's more personal, friendly, and easy-going, though. Attendees will tell you that you'll truly get the feeling that everyone there knows everyone else, and that you'll feel comfortable hanging out with just about anyone there.

Throughout the weekend, while doing just that, we took down our favorite overheard quotes and tidbits for you, as well as a few choice pictures. We feel like they'll give a proper sampling of what goes down at MAGFest every year. Kind of.

[Note: dirty words follow, and are Not Safe For Work.]

"He had to earn extra lives to shit!"

-- MAGFest attendee Jon Schnake, attempting to explain to Destructoid how a Nibbler World Record Championship contestant had to earn a large number of extra lives to be able to leave to use the bathroom and still remain in the contest. Word is that the contestant amassed several lives to be able to do so, making it back with several lives to spare.

"...since you now have dragons of both light and dark, I believe that you owe me oral sex."

-- overheard in MAGFest's tabletop gaming area, where Magic the Gathering card game matches were ongoing.

"Blind salamander in a cave? Fuck it, Beethoven!"

-- game music composer Tommy Tallarico in one of his panels, attempting to explain his work on Sega Genesis titles, like Earthworm Jim.

"Push it in, push it down, turn it on. Push it in, push it down, turn it on."

-- the chorus to an 8-bit love song to women, performed by Planet Skill's A. Rival in Friday night's concert.

"Your facial hair is horrible."

-- a response from one drunken MAGFest attendee to another in an argument in an elevator.

"... she was singing Sarah McLachlan while taking a shit. 'Arms of an Angel.'"

-- one female attendee's attempt to divert the attention of several male attendees from another female to herself.

" Oh my God, there's a fucking symphony coming out of my SNES!"

-- composer Tommy Tallarico explaining his reaction to the musical score of the Super Nintender Entertainment System game ActRaiser.

"I don't know what I like; I've only been active for sixteen hours."

-- Mega Man himself, in the extended Mega Man movie trailer shown at MAGFest. 

"You know that Book of Nine Swords? I call that shit weaboo fightin' magic."

-- I was too drunk to remember what this was from, but this ended up on my pocket recorder somehow.

"Dale, if you fuck my girlfriend, I'd be like... 'Dale North fucked my girlfriend.'"

-- an unnamed [protected] best person ever, after showing me private video of his girlfriend kissing other women at the Smash Bros. after-concert suite party. 

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About the images:

The ones of the vans' sides were taken on the way to MAGFest. The lineup of characters is totally different from your typical wizards and unicorns, isn't it? Try to name them all.

The other images are of a custom arcade cabinet that MAGFest attendees were allowed to contribute to. Check out the shots in the gallery -- there are some funny contributions in the mix.