PLAY EXPO 2013
INCORPORATING THE
NORTHEN LIGHTS PINBALL


Date: 12th & 13th October, 2013
Location: EventCity, Manchester, M17 8AS, UK.

Play Expo is the UK's largest computer and video games exhibition and it is held each October at the EventCity complex in Trafford, Manchester. In previous year - and under different names - it was held in the seaside resort of Blackpool, but seems to have found a more permanent home here in Manchester.

The main focus of the show is on modern console gaming for the Playstation and X-Box generation, but there are masses of retro computers and consoles such as Amigas, Ataris. Alongside all these are areas for arcade video games and, of course, pinballs.

With such a wide range of attractions, it's no surprise the show has become amazingly popular, and lengthy queues build up long before the doors open.

The queue to get in to the show
The queue to get in to the show

Unlike the previous two year where all visitors entered the show through the front doors, a side entrance was used this time.

The exhibition hall is huge. Formerly a distribution centre for a high street retailer, the building retains that warehouse feel. It large enough to be divided into sections allowing two or more exhibitions to run concurrently.

If you've ever wondered where all those 14-inch cathode-ray tube TVs ended up when everyone replaced them with LCD panels, the answer is here, in the retro computing section.

8-bit gaming - fond memories for some, new experiences for others
8-bit gaming - fond memories for some, new experiences for others

The pinball and arcade games sections moved to a new area at the very back of the hall for 2013. They both had a larger space a long run across the back wall for organisers desks and vendors.

The pinball contribution to the show comes courtesy of the Northern Lights Pinball (NLP) crew. Their aim is to make pinball accessible and enjoyable for everyone - not just existing pinball fans. Many of the visitors to the show will either never have played a real, physical pinball before, or did so many years ago and have since forgotten about it.

Behind all the console gamers were the Northen Lights Pinball
Behind all the console gamers were the Northern Lights Pinball

So the intention is to either introduce or re-introduce show visitors to pinball, and let them experience the variety of games available. All the machines are set on free play, and any competitions are the of the friendly variety, without any WPPR points on offer.

The latest games from Stern Pinball - Star Trek and Metallica - and Jersey Jack Pinball - The Wizard of Oz - were here, thanks to Pinball Heaven.

The very latest titles were here
The very latest titles were here

Rows and rows of machines were set up for everyone to play, with NLP crew on hand to answer questions and fix any problems.

One of the many rows of pinballs
One of the many rows of pinballs

More of the newer Stern machines
More of the newer Stern machines

A row of Williams/Bally games
A row of Williams/Bally games

And another one
And another one

Some slighly older machines
Some slightly older machines

While one or two were much older
While one or two were much older

There were several competitions taking place across the show's two days. The World Fair Challenge tasked players with lighting all the numbered cabins on the backglass.

There was even a competition on one EM game
There was even a competition on one EM game

Two high score competitions were run on separate machines - Party Zone for the juniors, and X-Men for the adults.

Separate high score competitions for juniors and adults
Separate high score competitions for juniors and adults

Yet more pinballs to play
Yet more pinballs to play

Several pinball vendors also attended the show. Although the pinball section is primarily aimed at non-pinball people, there are still plenty of pinball collectors in attendance. So Play Expo is a good opportunity to stock up on spares.

The first of the parts vendors was Pinball Mania
The first of the parts vendors was Pinball Mania

Pinball Palace and Pinball Parlour shared a stand
Pinball Palace and Pinball Parlour shared a stand

1 Stop Pinball were here too
1 Stop Pinball were here too

Dr Pinball was showing his Sega large DMD replacement LCD system
Dr. Pinball was showing his Sega large DMD replacement LCD system

The Southc Coast Slam team were here to promote their show being held next Easter
The South Coast Slam team were here to promote their show being held next Easter

The Indiana Jones theme of the Slam was represented in these two games which will be raffle prizes
The Indiana Jones theme of the Slam was represented in these two games
which will be restored and given away as raffle prizes

North East Retro Gaming were also here to publicise their show
North East Retro Gaming were also here to publicise their show

There was a tombola with all money raised going to the NLP charity
There was a tombola with all money raised going to the NLP charity
the Teenage Cancer Trust

Alongside all the gaming was another subculture - one which involves dressing up as your favourite games character. This is called Cosplay and it originated in Japan as an extension of gaming fandom.

It is common at Play Expo to see visitors dressed as characters from games or movies, and this year the phenomenon was extended to pinball.

Following the Cosplay idea, visitors dressed up as pinball characters
Following the Cosplay idea, visitors dressed up as pinball characters

Wednesday, on Saturday
Wednesday, on Saturday

You never know who you'll find playing pinball
You never know who you'll find playing pinball

Prizes were awarded for the best costume for kids...
Prizes were awarded for the best costume for kids...

...and adults
...and adults

More awards were up for grabs in the competitions. Alongside the high score events was the long-running Pinball Mania NBA Challenge where up to 32 players could take represent NBA teams and play linked NBA Fastbreak machines in a timed head-to-head mode.

The NBA Challenge was played on two linked NBA Fastbreak machines
The Pinball Mania NBA Challenge was played on two linked
NBA Fastbreak machines

Teams/players were arranged in groups of four, and each team competed against the others to determine the winner of the group. Whoever topped their group went into the semi-finals and then, perhaps, into the final.

Players represented NBA teams in a knockout league
Players represented NBA teams in a knockout league

The final between Kevin Downes and Mark Potter
The final between Kevin Downes and Mark Potter

Mark emerges victorious
Mark emerges victorious

Winner of the NBA Challenge, Mark Potter
Winner of the NBA Challenge, Mark Potter
collects his prize from Mark Robinson

Second place, Kevin Downes
Second place, Kevin Downes

Third place, Will Dutton
Third place, Will Dutton

The NBA Challenge took place on Saturday. On Sunday, a new competition from took over the space along the back wall. The Pinball News PinGolf Tournament cost £2 ($3.20/€2.40) to enter and gave players a challenge to achieve on each of three machines (holes).

On Sunday there was the Pinball News PinGolf Tournament
On Sunday there was the Pinball News PinGolf Tournament

The machines used were World Cup Soccer, NBA Fastbreak and Indiana Jones (Stern). The machines were set to 5-ball play, and players had to complete the hole's designated challenge with the fewest balls possible. Each ball used corresponded to a 'shot' for that hole, so that completing the task on the first ball equated to a 'hole-in-one'.

Three machines, three objectives using the fewest number of balls
Three machines, three objectives using the lowest number of balls

The PinGolf Tournament ran from 11am until 3pm, after which the players with the lowest scores were awarded trophies.

The winner of the PinGolf Tournament, Wayne Johns receives his trophy from Pinball News Editor, Martin Ayub
The winner of the PinGolf Tournament, Wayne Johns
receives his trophy from Pinball News Editor, Martin Ayub

Second plac e, Will Dutton
Second place, Will Dutton

Third place, Andy Foster
Third place, Andy Foster

As the show neared the end, a prize draw was made for all those who brought their machines along.

Phil Palmer drew the winning tickets in a raffle for those who brought machines
Phil Palmer drew the winning tickets in a raffle for those who brought machines

Chris Brimacombe won a signed WOZ translite
Chris Brimacombe won a signed WOZ translite

Dutchman Ad Jonker won a T-shirt for coming the furthest with his two machines
Dutchman Ad Jonker won a NLP crew T-shirt for coming the furthest
with his two machines

If only they had turned around they could have played the real thing
If only they had turned around they could have played the real thing
rather than video pinball

In the adjacent area, the guys from Jamma+ had set up an impressive display of arcade video games which were also on free play and highly popular.

For the real video game junkies, Jamma+ had a large collection of vids
For the real video game junkies, Jamma+ had a large collection of vids

To see more of the video games, the consoles, the stands and, of course, all the pinballs, take a look at our Sixteen Minute Tour video below in full HD.

When the show was over, the machines returned to their owners, and the proceeds counted, the NLP crew had raised more than £3,700 ($5,920/€4,600) for their chosen charity, the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Mark Robinson presents the cheque to the Teenage Cancer Trust
Mark Robinson presents the cheque to the Teenage Cancer Trust

Play Expo and the NLP crew will be back at EventCity on 11th & 12th October 2014 for the next event which will see the return of the Pinball Mania NBA Challenge and the Pinball News PinGolf Tournament which we will be running on the Sunday.

We'll be there from the set-up day on Friday, so look out for our extensive reporting across the weekend.


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