MAGWest is a music and gaming festival featuring a 24-hour gaming hall, at least three stages of planned concerts, a charity stream, video game community guests/VIPs, and community-run panels. The festival runs from Friday, Sept 13 to Sunday, Sept 15. Buy your badge today!
So many of you are attending MAGWest, our parking lots are getting pretty full! The DoubleTree is doing all they can for us, including opening up their employee lot, but just in case, please consider carpooling, public transit, a neighboring public lot, teleportation, etc.
***The schedule is subject to change!*** Make sure you check back to get the most accurate info!
Safety Issues, contact 1-800-FEST-SEC or security@magwest.org. Don’t forget to review our Code of Conduct.
Our 24 hour gaming hall features free-play arcades, consoles, BYO Computer LAN, indie games, and tabletop sections! Come on in and enjoy!
Gaming Hall Rules 1. No food or drink 2. Play nice and take turns 3. Tell staff if a game is broken or needs more credits 4. Report harassment and vandalism ASAP 5. Lost items will be turn in to MAGWest Event Safety
Friday September 13, 2019 12:00pm - 12:00pm PDT
Gaming Hall
Our featured indie developers are now at their tables for you to ask, learn, and experience their games! Some games may be running outside these hours, but this is your chance to get more info from the developers themselves!
Friday September 13, 2019 2:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Event Services
Learn about all the really awesome guests and events we have lined up for you for MAGWest 2019 as well as meeting some of the people who are working behind the scenes to make this all possible. For those unsure if what to do, this should be your first stop!
Friday September 13, 2019 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
Panels 1
Dan Miller - AR / VR Evangelist Dan was first introduced to Unity in college and worked on indie game projects until landing his first job developing mobile games published by DeNA. After spending several years in game development, he became interested in virtual reality and began developing small VR projects. Soon after, he worked as a VR Programmer for Colopl Ni on multiple titles - including Cyberpong - which has been featured in VR arcades around the world. He is excited to continue working with new and emergent technology and looks forward to helping others create unique, compelling experiences in the virtual and augmented reality space.
Intro to Unity Workshop: Viking Quest Attendees will be introduced to the Unity game engine while learning, hands on, about the workflows and features used by top game studios. During this training, attendees will learn how to build a brand new 3D game from start to finish while touching upon many of the diverse systems and tools that Unity offers.
Workshop Topics:
General workflows
Unity scripting
The graphics pipeline
Global illumination (GI)
Physically based rendering (PBR)
Physics Audio Animation (Mecanim)
PLEASE DOWNLOAD THE REQUIRED WORKSHOP FILES BEFORE ATTENDING THE WORKSHOP: Required version of Unity: Any version of Unity 2019.1 Required workshop files: bit.ly/hack19bc * Bring a mouse - you'll really wish you had one!
Friday September 13, 2019 3:00pm - 8:00pm PDT
MAGES
Have you ever wanted to learn how to jam with other musicians while playing some of your favorite VGM? Then come to the Jam clinic where you'll learn: -How to listen and watch one another -To understand the core parts of what makes the "jam" -To give space to improvise creatively without pressure -How to have fun and still make the jam your own. All skill levels are welcome!
An introduction to creating music for people who love music and are interested in expressing themselves musically. This panel will show you how to get started with basic music production and arrangement.
Kicking off the Jamspace official performances we have an action packed music block bringing a mix of VGM and chiptune.
6-7pm - 88bit 7-7:40pm - Stemage 7:40-8:20pm - Ronin Op F 8:20-9pm - Nick Drexler
88bit The alter ego of Cleveland-based pianist, Rob Kovacs, where he performs note-for-note piano arrangements of classic video game soundtracks from the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Kovacs' performances are unique in that they recreate early electronic music that was never intended to be performed by humans, stretching the limits of traditional piano playing. Kovacs has been performing as 88bit since 2018 and has played at events such as the Super MAGFest, PAX South, the Mensa National Gathering, NeoSonic Fest, Classic Game Fest, Confluence and others.
Stemage A composer and guitar guy based in Santa Cruz, CA. A lot of people know him as, "that Metroid Metal dude," but he also works on music for Steven Universe and the occasional Bubsy game. He has performed at MAGFest with Metroid Metal, Viking Guitar Live, LONELYROLLINGSTARS, Retro-Active Live, and Sam Mulligan & the Donut Slayers to name a few.
Ronin Op F A multi-instrumentalist composer delving into various styles like chiptune, glitch hop, and funky breakbeat. His love of all things video game music (and other music!) has led to collaborations and shows with artists like Extent of the Jam, LEX the Lexicon Artist, B / I / R / T / H / D / A / Y, aivi and surasshu, Kirby's Dream Band, and several others. He returns to MAGWest, once again, but to play his own material.
Nick Drexler 4 Gameboys, some FX pedals, and a Nick Drexler. We are a party.
ARRR ye ready to learn about the diverse uses of sea shanties in fiction? Come join us as we go OVERBOARD with catchy songs and SET SAIL into the world of shanties as world building devices in video games. No prior knowledge of shanties needed, and lyrics will be provided!
Friday September 13, 2019 6:30pm - 7:30pm PDT
Panels 2
Join Youtuber and video game music analyst 8-bit Music Theory as he lays out the basics of musical analysis, gives some tips on how to get started analyzing music on your own, and talks through a handful of tunes from some of history’s most iconic games.
Our featured indie developers may not be at their tables! Some games may be running outside these hours, but this is your chance to get more info from the developers themselves!
Friday September 13, 2019 8:00pm - 8:00pm PDT
Gaming Hall
The MAG Merch Booth is located inside the Marketplace! It's closed for the day, but come back tomorrow to get your hands on this year's exclusive merch while supplies last!
Friday September 13, 2019 8:00pm - 8:00pm PDT
Marketplace
A unique artist to say the least, Brooklyn native now Bethlehem, PA resident NyteXing is blazing a trail in his own niche. Incorporating his passion for video games and anime he has developed a brand of music that goes over very well with a thus far untapped market. Uniting tech wiz's with the culture of Hip Hop he has etched his name into the conversation of the Quaker State's top acts. Performing for the past 5 years, Nytexing has shared the stage with notable MC's and peers the likes of MegaRan, Mickey Factz, Shiki Tohno, Richie Branson to name a few. His favorite artist of note is the super talented Royce Da 5'9" and that influence certainly reveals itself in Nytexing's penchant for pushing the envelope lyrically and composing outside of the box.
Tiny Waves and Materia Collective explain the process and answer your questions regarding video game music, remixing, licensing and distributing your work.
Friday September 13, 2019 8:00pm - 9:00pm PDT
Panels 2
The 8-Bit Jazz Heroes are one part jazz trio, one part video game nirvana - kinda like if Miles Davis spent more time playing Super Nintendo.
Featuring Adam Bellotto on the guitar, Robby Delosier on the upright bass and Michael Kaufman on the drums, the 8-Bit Jazz Heroes take classic video game themes and transform them into something completely new. Drawing from jazz, funk, blues and hip-hop, the 8-Bit Jazz Heroes have an incredible sound that weaves multiple genres and game consoles all through the jazz idiom. Formed in 2016, they quickly made a name for themselves - they play in venues all over Southern California and in 2017 were named "Best Jazz Band in Orange County" by the OC Weekly. The 8-Bit Jazz Heroes are signed to video game music label Overclocked Records and their first album, "Press Start" was released in November of 2017 to rave reviews.
Want to know how VGM cover bands learn the exact notes from classic NES Soundtracks? Rob Kovacs of 88bit shows you step by step how to find the sound files, isolate the tracks, transcribe the notes and then arrange them for piano or any other instrumentation. Join in as Kovacs will transcribe and arrange a new tune in real time and learn how you can do this for your own group or just for fun! And to close the presentation Kovacs will give a brief performance of a previously arranged VGM track!
Friday September 13, 2019 9:30pm - 10:30pm PDT
Panels 2
Learn to produce original songs and remixes for free using your favorite video game samples. This panel will introduce the SNESology music community and it's new project: an open-source web-based music composer and digital audio workstation (DAW) called Audio Source Composer. Attendees may bring their own Laptop or tablet for an interactive music composition workshop where they will have an opportunity to see the software in action, ask questions and watch demonstrations.
Friday September 13, 2019 10:00pm - 11:00pm PDT
Panels 1
Mega Ran and the Super Soul Bros join together in this special MAGWest concert to bring top notch rap lyrics and funk/jazz instrumentals into an unforgettable mixture of nerdcore and VGM.
Mega Ran "Mega Ran is Your New Favorite." - Noisey "When it comes to marrying video games and hip-hop...no one does it quite like Mega Ran." - HipHopDX "One of the most prolific and innovative rappers of the 21st Century" - Phoenix New Times "Ran writes songs that are easy to embrace, thanks to his unrelenting charm" - Bandcamp
Today, Mega Ran is no longer a teacher by title, but maintains a rigorous touring and recording schedule, traveling the world to entertain and educate through the gift of rhyme. With four Billboard charting albums, 3 million YouTube views and a legion of smart art fans he calls "Team Mega" beside him, the future looks brighter than ever.
The Super Soul Bros are a collective of San Jose musicians, whose fusion of funk and jazz meets the nostalgic melodies of classic video games. Formed in 2012 by keyboardist Robbie Benson, the Super Soul Bros have gained notoriety for their dynamic musicianship, high energy shows, and infectious grooves--comparable to jamming a '70s James Brown record into a Nintendo Entertainment System. Whether they're taking requests on the fly, or the crowd's busting into a full-on soul train, it's always a party with the Super Soul Bros.
Dust off your extendable ears and sharpen your quills for a magical, musical trivia experience! Harry Potter pub quizzes and trivia events are wildly popular in the Bay Area, and McGonagall's Army is going to bring that energy and excitement to a new panel at MAGWest. We'll help you form teams of up to six people for a few rounds of musical and traditional Q&A-style trivia based on the original seven Harry Potter books and the original eight Harry Potter movies. Featuring snippets of the movie soundtracks and some of our favorite Wizard Rock, we'll take you on a musical mystery tour you won't forget. Winners take home fabulous Potter-themed prizes. (No, that doesn't include the Triwizard Cup, but that didn't work out so well for Harry and Cedric anyway.) Come and join us to test your musical and magical knowledge!
Friday September 13, 2019 10:30pm - Saturday September 14, 2019 12:30am PDT
Panels 2
This panel will discuss everything you've ever wanted to know about the history of music and pro wrestling - the good, the bad, and the (strikethrough)music has been altered due to music rights(/strikethrough) ugly. Who came up with the idea of entrance music? How did a women's tag team become a popular singing act in Japan? Why did Cyndi Lauper get involved with wrestling? Which wrestlers have recorded albums? Why are some entrance themes replaced on archival or international footage? What wrestlers get name-dropped the most in lyrics? All that and more will be discussed, along with video clips, charts and maybe a singalong or two.
Friday September 13, 2019 11:30pm - Saturday September 14, 2019 12:30am PDT
Panels 1
Ending the Friday night main stage music block are three chiptune acts: Nikola Whallon, Petriform, and chibi-tech!
-Nikola Whallon is a multi-instrumentalist with a passion for old technology. Pairing wild live instrumentals with multi-genre chiptune coming from his Nintendo Gameboys and zany stage antics, Nikola provides a unique twist on the live chiptune experience.
-From San Jose, CA, Petriform has brought energetic NES-style chiptunes and synth music to the California chipmusic scene for years. Drawing unapologetically from a grab-bag bursting at the seams with genre influences including bubblegum pop, 80s-90s VGM, third wave ska, prog metal, happy hardcore, and turn-of-the-millennium pop punk, no two Petriform releases are the same -- and neither are the live shows, for that matter!
-chibi-tech is an American music composer and sound designer living in Japan & working in gamedev. A prominent specialist within the Japanese game industry especially for her chiptune craft, she's contributed various works for companies such as Capcom, Cave, Marvelous, Sega, SNK, 5pb., amongst others. But with great power comes great responsibility... with the potential of that power to be greatly abused. On stage, she loves to cause havoc with her chiptune arsenal of NES consoles... each packed with megatons of audible heat to ignite the dancefloor.
Friday September 13, 2019 11:30pm - Saturday September 14, 2019 2:00am PDT
Main Stage Concerts
Have you ever wondered why your favorite subbed anime's music sounds different than its dubbed version? Or just generally about the type of duties you take to work on the music for animes and cartoons? Ed Goldfarb (Pokemon XY, S/M) and Michaela Nachtingall take the time to share their experiences working for anime and cartoon shows. Moderated by Emmanuel Lagumbay
Saturday September 14, 2019 9:00am - 10:00am PDT
Panels 2
Now more than ever people need a creative outlet in their lives. Piano is not just a past time, but a way to take care of oneself in a world that encourages laziness and complacency. Smart Game Piano fights back with music, specifically video game music. People are more likely to stick with piano if they are learning the music they already know and love. So why not learn video game (and anime) music on the piano. And because of that, they can lead mentally healthier and mentally well lives. I am to change the lives of video gaming piano players of the world one Smartist, as I call them, at a time.
Saturday September 14, 2019 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
Panels 2
Our featured indie developers are now at their tables for you to ask, learn, and experience their games! Some games may be running outside these hours, but this is your chance to get more info from the developers themselves!
Saturday September 14, 2019 11:00am - 11:00am PDT
Gaming Hall
Have you ever wanted to learn how to jam with other musicians while playing some of your favorite VGM? Then come to the Jam clinic where you'll learn: -How to listen and watch one another -To understand the core parts of what makes the "jam" -To give space to improvise creatively without pressure -How to have fun and still make the jam your own. All skill levels are welcome!
We at ocremix.org love VGM and to prove it we host thousands of video game remixes and dozens of albums all 100% free! So whether you're a VGM fan, aspiring (or veteran) remixer, or just like winning free swag, come join the west coast OCR staff members for a sneak peak of upcoming albums, competitions for awesome prizes, and even more fun than last year*. *Last year was 100% fun
Saturday September 14, 2019 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Panels 2
Join us at noon, propose a 25 minute talk / discussion. Vote on presentations. Enjoy a casual experience driven by our community.
Unconference is community driven discussion. Propose a session, (yes, you propose a session) the event will run from noon to 6pm and host community led sessions every 30 minutes.
Come at noon to propose and vote on sessions! New sessions every half hour until 6pm. The people who show up are the right people.
Saturday September 14, 2019 12:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
MAGES
This panel, first of all, is dedicated to the podcast about politics, social issues, movie news, reviews, and Keanu Reeves. Without the grace of #AllPodcastsMatter this discussion wouldn't have gone so strong for over a year. The point of this discussion is to present the awareness of some micro aggressions, macro aggressions, transgressions, and other issues experienced at conventions and inside fandoms. We will be covering issues regarding mental health, race, and gender. This panel isn't meant to just air grievances, but also to provide solutions. Bring your questions. Let's start a conversation.
Note: This panel is in dedication to Keane Roberson- a father, podcast dad, and overall mindful human being to the world. Rest in power.
Saturday September 14, 2019 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
Panels 1
A psychoacoustic and musicological deep dive into how we perceive environments through music and why Seth Everman's "music genre: video game 2" is painfully accurate.
Saturday September 14, 2019 1:30pm - 2:30pm PDT
Panels 2
You've been transported to the world of 5.1 Play Maid Cafe. You are the master of the MaidWest mansion and your maids are patiently awaiting your arrival home. Come learn about Japanese maid cafes and the 5.1 Play Cafe livestream. Challenge the maids in party games for a chance to go home with a prize!
Saturday September 14, 2019 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Panels 1
We all want to preserve video game history, but what does that even mean? Where do we even start? HOW CAN WE PLAY P.T.??? Come hang out with someone who's been working on this problem for 20 years! Learn what's being done, what's NOT being done, and how you can help!
Saturday September 14, 2019 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
Panels 2
Professional gamer and speedrunner Ryukahr plays through some of his favorite Mario Maker levels and ROM hacks while hanging out and talking about how he turned his childhood passion into a career.
Join us for some insane Mario runs, a deep Q&A, and maybe even a few surprises! You won't want to miss this sure-to-be exciting panel, and GET THAT GARBAGE OUTTA HERE!
4 Players 150cc Normal Items Random Courses Top 2 Advances No LapTrolling No Teaming Bring your Own Switch (Better Kart Set Up) Bring your own Controllers (We have Controllers, but if you want to use your preferred Controller you can!)
Saturday September 14, 2019 4:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
Gaming Hall
The crew of #AllPodcastsMatter is hosting a rap cypher. Watch and listen as rappers and beatboxers face off in friendly freestyle competition. #AllPodcastsMatter. A podcast about social issues, politics, capes and Keanu.
Even in the year 2019, with prices soaring, you can still collect video games on a budget. Chris Kohler, host of Kotaku's video series "Complete In Box," and a panel of expert collectors will tell you how to find games "in the wild," how to haggle effectively, and even how to use eBay without breaking the bank-or getting scammed by a fake.
Saturday September 14, 2019 4:30pm - 5:30pm PDT
Panels 2
Join Youtuber and video game music analyst 8-bit Music Theory as he offers multiple ways to reharmonize a melody, starting off with simple tips and working up to advanced techniques and strategies. If you've already soaked up part one on Friday, now's your chance to dive even deeper into VGM theory!
Performing awesome works from Mega Man, Street Fighter, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Super Mario Bros, Castlevania, DuckTales, and many others... It will be a production you certainly have not seen. Sergio and the Holograms is a tech-progressive live performance, involving life-sized hologram projections; a visual like no other. Originally starting as a "one-man-band" on YouTube doing video game arrangements on a plethora of instruments, Sergio took his production another step further by taking it on the road; having himself as his backing band!
The award-winning game documentary which screened at California Extreme, GDC, and San Diego Comic Con premieres at MagWest, followed by director/composer Q&A. In 2009, a year before the iPad and long after innovation seemed to have died in the American arcade, a game called Technika introduced an unsuspecting public to the large touchscreen. Its players forged international teams, became lifelong friends and even married couples, until after just 4 years, the game would be shut down without explanation. Touching Sound tells the story of Technika's rise, its fall, and the unbreakable bonds of its community.
75 minutes followed by Q&A with Director Nicholas Dobkin, Interviewee & Technika Cabinet Owner Mark Johnson, and Composers Matthew Pablo, Galen Borson, and Allen Francisco.
Saturday September 14, 2019 6:00pm - 7:30pm PDT
Panels 2
TASBot is like a player piano for classic video game consoles, sending a predefined sequence of button presses using only controller ports. TASBot plays games faster than any human possibly could and often glitches them beyond all recognition. He relies on humans to create those predefined sequences in the form of Tool-Assisted Speedrun movie files. This talk covers how the very first TAS runs were created and the history of how we got here. Come for the live demos, stay for the breakage and Q&A!
The MAG Merch Booth is located inside the Marketplace! It's closed for the day, but come back tomorrow to get your hands on this year's exclusive merch while supplies last!
Saturday September 14, 2019 7:00pm - 7:00pm PDT
Marketplace
This music block brings you the eclectic stylings of two VGM artists tttlllrrr and Triss.
tttlllrrr Taylor Shechet is a musician, sound designer, and game developer based in LA. His game scoring work includes Gloomwood, Upon the Winds of Distant Suns, and Tonight You Die. Outside of games, Taylor also makes music collaboratively as part of drum & bass duo Polychron, horror pop trio GRYPT, and solo as synthwave artist Outer Night. He's currently working as audio & creative lead for AR game BIO-SQUAD K as part of Niantic's "Beyond Reality" developer contest.
Triss Triss joins the party! Triss writes songs that speak to her experience as a queer trans nerd, all set to a spicy blend of pop, punk, metal, latin, and chiptune. She and her band mate, VaNESsa the NES are sure to rock your socks off!
Infinite Combo is a collective of San Diego-based musicians, whose fusion of jazz & funk meets the familiar melodies of classic video games. Formed in 2015 by trombonist Chet Brown, Infinite Combo is coming at you hard-hitting grooves and moving melodies from your favorite video games.
Our featured indie developers may not be at their tables! Some games may be running outside these hours, but this is your chance to get more info from the developers themselves!
Saturday September 14, 2019 8:00pm - 8:00pm PDT
Gaming Hall
SkyBlew's music is very positive and inspirational but it still gets the fans attention with infectious beats and lyrics. This kid sounds like NOTHING out right now! Speaking from his life experiences such as: foster care, homelessness and etc, he uses his message in hopes to make a difference. He chose to rise above the dire circumstances and share his story. SkyBlew also, uniquely incorporates anime, cartoon and video game references/themes into his repertoire to create hip hop like you've never heard before! He doesn't want to put himself in a box, so he strays away from putting certain labels on his style. He simply titles it - Painting The Sky,Blew!!! His albums have charted in Japan and South Korea! SkyBlew has even created music for FUNimation! Following the narrative "I Don't Rap, I Paint The Sky,Blew!!!" He's the coolest nerd, you ever heard!
Super Double NintenDare is a Nintendo-themed throwback to the classic kids' gameshow of a similar name. Put your knowledge and skill of classic and current Nintendo games to the test by answering tricky trivia questions or taking on our special "Digital Challenges" and finishing the dreaded Mario Maker Obstacle Course! Each player will receive fabulous prizes whether you win or lose, and we'll take you back in time with classic 90s commercials in between rounds.
Saturday September 14, 2019 8:00pm - 9:30pm PDT
Panels 1
MAGWest joins forces with BAR Con, San Jose (and now LA's) preeminent event where gaming and Japanese culture come together, now during a convention! Featuring the music of 5 different bands:
-Alice Knows Karate is the brainchild of San Francisco native Keiko Takamura. After performing as vocalist in her previous group Crashfaster, the songwriter went on to create a new sound. Drawing her lyrical inspiration from indie video games, fairy tales, and her own life experiences, working with producers to build the music around vocal tracks she wrote and recorded herself, the Fablewave EP delves into an ambient, dream-like synth pop soundscape.
-Dokoe is A 3-piece mathrock/postrock band from San Jose, CA, bringing the fusion of American mathrock and Japanese postrock. Dokoe blends both genres and cultures together to create dynamic melodies that have a hint of sentimental nostalgia to upbeat compositions.
-Odyssey Eurobeat (a.k.a "Ken Blast" from the Initial D game and anime soundtracks and the Super Eurobeat series, alongside many other aliases) has been making eurobeat for the better part of a decade. After falling in love with the goofy but energetic and beloved style through rhythm games, Travis began attempting to recreate those sounds with his own work, starting with a borrowed Korg sound module and abandonware MIDI sequencing software. From there he's elevated the beloved sound to new audiences and spotlights, from appearing in arcade game and anime soundtracks such as Initial D to mentions in Rolling Stone and collaborations with/remixes from such acts as Andromulus and The Living Tombstone. Odyssey blends established eurobeat traditions with modern innovation to create an incredibly energetic and fun new experience with each song- even more so in live shows, delivering vocals with traditional DJ performances and elements of controllerism. There is no set quite like an Odyssey Eurobeat set! And appearing for one night only, two local synthwave giants are combining forces on the Planes of Destiny to put on a show of epic proportions.
San Jose's Vector Hold and Oakland's B/I/R/T/H/D/A/Y, together as one band, with a blistering show running the gamut of synthwave, VGM, hard-hitting shred, plus some extra special surprises...
-Vector Hold is no stranger to the synthwave scene. With six albums released since 2012 and countless singles. VH provided music to HBO's Vice Principals and countless mobile game apps. Supporting national touring acts such as Carpenter Brut, Dance With The Dead, Gost, and Chromeo there doesn't seem to be any slowing down for this pioneer of the synthwave movement. Hailing from the San Francisco Bay area Pete Rice has been a prominent long time musician who's been in several music projects spanning three decades. Alongside with silent music partner Dave Stoltenberg on guitar he adds that special sauce that's needed to perfect the desired authentic 80's sound.
-B/I/R/T/H/D/A/Y. is a Progressive Synthwave trio from Oakland, CA, seamlessly meshing the sounds of the past, present, and future into an original take on nostalgia-fueled music. Since their inception, B/I/R/T/H/D/A/Y has played numerous shows and events, ranging from local dives and clubs, to Bar Con San Jose, MAGWest 2018, and San Francisco's heralded Turbo Drive synthwave event.
If you enjoy the show, check out BAR Con on Facebook for regular events in San Jose and Los Angeles the first Friday of every month.
Legacy rock band The Minibosses are primed for their MAGWest debut! One of the earliest and most bad-ass VGM bands, The Minibosses have lit up stages around the globe, and they're here to melt faces at MAGWest.
A Panel on how Older Video Games have stayed relevant and continue to be played in interesting ways. Various topics on the subject of Retro Gaming will be covered. Moderated by "That Guy With A Game Boy Camera" and San Diego Comic Fest Chairman, Matt Dunford.
Saturday September 14, 2019 10:30pm - 11:30pm PDT
Panels 2
Tiny Waves (Florida) brings the next level of convention dance events to MAGWest! Cosplay welcome and encouraged, with live dance music all night! Featuring a stacked lineup of local & national DJs showcasing the best in VGM & EDM! (Ben Briggs / Bolide / Chuck None / Cosmicosmo / Hiero / RoboRob)
Saturday September 14, 2019 11:00pm - Sunday September 15, 2019 2:00am PDT
Main Stage Concerts
True Giants Vidya Wrestling presents the most mysterious videogame tournament! Climb into the ring, square off against rivals, and challenge esports' most dangeresque games! Will YOU be the Overweight Champion of the World?
Saturday September 14, 2019 11:30pm - Sunday September 15, 2019 1:30am PDT
Panels 1
Generation five of pokemon introduced a lot of new concepts to the series like ripping off their previous aesthetic designs, min-maxing stats to optimize the removal of actual pokemon from competitive play, and whatever Garbador is. When it comes down to it the abominations that were introduced in Pokemon Black and White are nowhere near as majestic as classic pokemon like Muk, Mr. Mime, and Electrode.
Sunday September 15, 2019 12:00am - 1:00am PDT
Panels 2
Waluigi's debut game was Mario Tennis, but outside of being the primary antagonist in Mario DDR he has been criminally underused by Nintendo. We're going to fix that. After rigging a game of Mario Tennis against Miyamoto we have won the rights to the character and are ready to breathe life into countless new potential Waluigi game formats: from "Waluigi's Mansion" to "Waluigi's Medical Bills" we'll be sure to throw enough games at the wall to ensure one will stick.
Sunday September 15, 2019 1:30am - 2:30am PDT
Panels 2
THE LAST SONIC FAN THEORY PANEL!!! With the Sonic movie coming soon, it's time to answer the ultimate question - canon or non-canon? This question and much much more will be answered at the FINAL Sonic Theory panel! NO MARIO FANS ARE ALLOWED AT THIS PANEL. Go Clippers.
Sunday September 15, 2019 2:00am - 3:00am PDT
Panels 1
Main stage is over and you want to keep the last night of MAGWest going for just a few more hours? Then come to the chiptune anarchy dance party and live it up a bit before the sun rises and the weekend ends.
Sonic the Hedgehog is a staple holding together the childhood of any proper 90s kid, but just like Soap shoes he's tragically out of fashion. We'll be going over the history of Sonic The Hedgehog games, Sega Consoles, and, reluctantly, the fandom around them both as we figure out what happened to a once promising video game mascot.
Sunday September 15, 2019 9:30am - 10:30am PDT
Panels 1
Due to the presence of major developers, publishers along with being the home to some of the best schools for game development - the Bay Area has a rich indie game community. However, they too often try to promote their work at major conventions while ignoring the local ones. This is a look at why indie studios should take advantage of local fan conventions as a means to promote their game instead of gambling at the hopes of getting noticed at a major convention.
Sunday September 15, 2019 9:30am - 10:30am PDT
Panels 2
Our featured indie developers are now at their tables for you to ask, learn, and experience their games! Some games may be running outside these hours, but this is your chance to get more info from the developers themselves!
Sunday September 15, 2019 11:00am - 11:00am PDT
Gaming Hall
Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis...When I was dead broke man I couldn't picture this. Games and Hip-Hop have gone from humble beginnings to become the largest forms of media in the world! Join Mega Ran as he breaks it down.
Sunday September 15, 2019 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Panels 1
From the people that brought you Double NintenDare comes another gameshow based on an 80s classic, Leap of Faith! In this game, you'll have to "press your luck" in order to win digital cash for your favorite consoles by answering trivia, and taking a spin on the big board. But be careful, Buckley McVideogames is out to take your winnings in order fill his supply of Gamer Fuel, so be careful not to land on any of the Buckley Boxes! The winner of every round will get to stay in the game and keep what they've won so far, but everyone who competes will get something for playing!
Sunday September 15, 2019 11:00am - 12:30pm PDT
Panels 2
Paper prototype with the Game Development Club. Drop in and make a game, no programming, no skills required. Game developers will be on hand to help new people get started. Prototyping is the way to find the fun if you have an idea, or to develop an idea if you don’t have one. Drop in and make/play some new game anytime during the session.
Sunday September 15, 2019 12:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
MAGES
Pixelated Audio is a video game music podcast focused on preservation and discussion. From deep dives in the technical, to artist interviews, to games both popular and obscure we've covered a lot of ground. Our live MAGWest panels always bring some surprises so stay tuned to see what's in store.
Sunday September 15, 2019 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
Panels 1
What makes old school OSTs of video games like Final Fantasies, Chrono Trigger, or modern classics like Twilight Princess or Celeste have such memorable, and impactful music? Join this group as we listen through some of the greatest music ever written for video games, and talk about why we should return to techniques that seem to have been all but forgotten in the modern VGM landscape.
Sunday September 15, 2019 1:00pm - 2:30pm PDT
Panels 2
Join us for our second year of VGM Jeopardy League at Magwest 2019! Guess the game of your favorite video game songs. Compete against 3 other teams. Travel to Pewter City, Cerulean City, and Vermilion City and have your chance at earning the Boulder, Cascade, and Thunder Badge in this new expansion to VGM Jeopardy!
Sunday September 15, 2019 2:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Panels 1
Our featured indie developers are packing up! Thank you for experiencing their games this year; come back next year for a new selection of games and developers!
Sunday September 15, 2019 3:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Gaming Hall
I show off the various pieces of elite swag that I have made for MAGWest over the last 3 years, do a bit of a post-mortem on this year's swag, and perhaps show people how to actually use it.
Sunday September 15, 2019 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Panels 2
We've done it folks, another MAGWest in the books. Now its time for all of us to get together and find out what we did great and what we can improve on. Constructive criticism is welcomed!
Sunday September 15, 2019 4:30pm - 5:30pm PDT
Panels 1
