Free Cereal, Rad Pinball, and… Hentai Gameshows: How We Won it all at 2D Con

Nudge Magazine (website feed)·article·analyzed·Aug 27, 2025

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.020

TL;DR

Author wins 2D Con pinball tournament; reflects on community-driven gaming convention culture.

Summary

A firsthand account of 2D Con, a 15-year-old Minneapolis gaming convention that blends pinball, arcade, board games, and cosplay culture. The author won the pinball tournament using a progressive points scoring format, and reflects on the event's appeal as an organic, community-driven gathering rather than a corporate convention, highlighting the gaming diversity, competitive tournaments, indie games, and elaborate room parties.

Key Claims

2D Con started 15 years ago as a LAN party
high confidence · Author opening statement about event history
2D Con had approximately 20 pinball machines and at least that many arcade cabinets
high confidence · Author's description of arcade facility at the event
Author won the 2D Con pinball tournament this year using a progressive points scoring system (7,5,3,1 per round with total threshold)
high confidence · Author's firsthand account of winning tournament
Last year's 2D Con pinball tournament had approximately 30 participants and the author placed third
high confidence · Author's retrospective on previous year's tournament
Game of Thrones Limited Edition pinball is 'underrated' and was instrumental in getting the author into pinball
high confidence · Author's personal reflection while playing GOT LE at the tournament
2D Con moved back to the Doubletree in Bloomington after attempting to relocate because fan preference drove the decision
high confidence · Author's account of convention venue history

Notable Quotes

“It's not really about the pinball at 2D con... it's about the people. People at 2D con go all out, cosplay, room parties – it's the whole thing.”
Author — Captures the core appeal of 2D Con beyond gaming mechanics—emphasizing community and culture
“There's a quirkiness here that's missing from a lot of more corporate-type cons. I always think about how lucky we are to have cons like 2Dcon in Minneapolis and MGC in Milwaukee – places that haven't been hoovered up by giant companies just trying to make money.”
Author — Contrasts organic grassroots conventions with corporate-driven events; positions 2D Con and MGC as culturally valuable
“I frickin' won man! I did it! There were some hella good players in my last 4ish games so I'm taking this as a legitimate win.”
Author — Author's immediate reaction to winning the tournament; frames competitive legitimacy
“That money is going directly into a pinball machine.”
Author — Reveals author's spending priorities and passion for pinball collecting
“Watching these people compete is what I imagine it's like when someone watches me play pinball. They're impressed, amazed, and vaguely disturbed.”
Author — Playful self-deprecation about being a pinball player observed by non-pinball audiences

Entities

2D ConeventMattpersonLuongpersonKanedapersonNorapersonBad PennyorganizationMGCeventLITTorganizationGame of Thrones (Limited Edition)game

Signals

?
event_signal: 2D Con pinball tournament shifted from Amazing Race format (prior year) to progressive points scoring system (7,5,3,1 per round with cumulative threshold)
high · Author directly observed both formats; won this year's progressive format tournament
?
community_signal: 2D Con successfully resisted corporate consolidation and community advocated for venue (Doubletree in Bloomington) when relocation was attempted
high · Author states: 'the Con tried to move to another hotel – but quickly moved back when the FANS said that the Doubletree in Bloomington was more lit. Guess what, dear reader? THEY WERE FUCKIN' RIGHT.'
?
venue_signal: 2D Con arcade features approximately 20 pinball machines, at least 20 arcade cabinets, and a dedicated room of Japanese rhythm games
high · Author's description of arcade facility: 'extensive arcade with like 20 pinball machines, at least that many arcade cabs, and a whole room of Japanese rhythm games'
?
competitive_signal: 2D Con pinball tournament draws serious competitors; author faced 'hella good players' in final rounds, suggesting strong player base participation
high · Author notes: 'There were some hella good players in my last 4ish games so I'm taking this as a legitimate win'
~
sentiment_shift: Game of Thrones Limited Edition pinball is being reassessed as underrated in the community despite being formative for some players
medium · Author states while playing: 'That game is underrated at this point. Sorta the one that got me into pinball.'

Topics

Pinball tournaments and competitive playprimaryGaming conventions and community eventsprimaryPinball collecting and player cultureprimaryArcade and retro gaming venuesprimaryCosplay and gaming convention culturesecondaryIndie and homebrew game developmentsecondaryVideo game tournaments and competitive playsecondaryOrganic vs. corporate event designsecondary

Sentiment

positive(0.85)— Author is enthusiastic about 2D Con's community-driven character, their tournament victory, and the diverse gaming/cosplay offerings. Negative notes are limited to disappointment with the Hentai Gameshow's execution, but these are framed as minor compared to the positive room party experiences. The tone is celebratory and affectionate toward the event and community.

Transcript

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Free Cereal, Rad Pinball, and… Hentai Gameshows: How We Won it all at 2D Con 2D Con started 15 years ago as a LAN party. Since then, it’s grown to encompass every form a game can take – be it board game, game show, or, of course, pinball machine. Duh dude, why the frick would we be here otherwise? Stop wasting everybody’s time. This year’s 2D con had a pinball tournament. Last year, we famously got third after going out like absolute losers on a Stars in their amazing race format. This year, Matt ditched the Amazing Race in favor of progressive points or something? Basically, you scored standard 7,5,3,1 in each round, but then a total number had to be reached or you were out? It was dope. I’m not just saying that because (spoiler alert) I won it ALL this year. But the thing is that it’s not really about the pinball at 2D con. Like the pinball is super fun, and there was an extensive arcade with like 20 pinball machines, at least that many arcade cabs, and a whole room of Japanese rhythm games – but it’s about the people. People at 2D con go all out, cosplay, room parties – it’s the whole thing. This year was no exception. I actually stayed late to see what it was like when it got weird this year. Let’s say things did not disappoint. Cosplay was ridic In Nudge 5, we have two two-page spreads dedicated to the awesome costumes and people watching that happens at 2D con. There’s a quirkiness here that’s missing from a lot of more corporate-type cons. I always think about how lucky we are to have cons like 2Dcon in Minneapolis and MGC in Milwaukee – places that haven’t been hoovered up by giant companies just trying to make money. There’s still community here. These are organic events that have grown in scale and scope because people asked for it! A few years ago, the Con tried to move to another hotel – but quickly moved back when the FANS said that the Doubletree in Bloomington was more lit. Guess what, dear reader? THEY WERE FUCKIN’ RIGHT. A huge part of this community loves anime and cosplay. This year’s costumes were awesome, even if I realize how old I’m getting by not understanding any of the Fortnite shit that people wear. Like baguettes and mime crap? Weird ass guns and hammers? IDK, just give me Black Knight Sword of Rage and put me in a home. The best part is that John Youssi how diehards of all fandoms find each other. Friends, couples, even corgi facebook groups all are pretty heavily represented here. We actually overheard this insanely costumed couple talk about how they found each other later in life as divorced warhammer fans. That’s so fuckin’ awesome. Hollywood make that movie, you cowards. Don’t worry, capitalism is still represented in a fun way The thing about cons – there’s always gonna be something to buy. But it doesn’t have to be obnoxious. 2D con doesn’t have a TON of booths, but the ones they have are frickin’ awesome. The used game and VHS booth was obvy a favorite as was the Pokemon plush wall – but there was a ton of stuff. I really wanted a Berserk rug for my house, but couldn’t justify that as a Nudge purchase. I’d say maybe next year, but we all know that money is going directly into a pinball machine. Tons of high-level video game tournaments Throughout all of Saturday there were a ton of super competitive tournaments happening. I watched someone just absolutely beat the hell out of Tetris with this insane wrist flick technique. I was mesmerized. Followed that up with some video game musical chairs, which was emcee’d by a Red Bull DJ and had contestants make their way through a series of challenges on different video games. One level was some first-person shooter, the next Cuphead, the next Mega Man 2, etc. Watching these people compete is what I imagine it’s like when someone watches me play pinball. They’re impressed, amazed, and vaguely disturbed. This is one of the few places in the world that you’ll be able to find someone absolutely acing an entire Dreamcast game in one room Metric crapload of indie video and board games Early in the day, a couple of hours before the tournament, I had a chance to just sorta walk around and talk to people. It was awesome to hear about these people’s passion projects. Games that they saw in their minds that had to exist in real life. It reminded me a lot of the insanely thriving homebrew pinball scene. These people were the same. One of my favorite moments was with this guy, who explained that the creator of the game he was representing had walked away to DM a game (mad props), but that he’d do his best to walk me through it. Essentially it was a modification for DnD type games where large monsters had different areas to attack – like Snes RPGs of the 90s. They represted it with this cool miniature. Everyone knows I love a miniature. Here’s the miniature. Winning the 2D Con Pinball tournament Part of 2D con is the giant arcade – when I went in initially, nobody knew if there was a tournament or not this year. I was sorta bummed because as mentioned previously, last year I took 3rd at the 2D Con pinball tourney. I just had a feeling that Matt, the dude who ran it last year, probably would do another one. After all, I think we had like 30 people at that one. This year, instead of Bad Penny, MGC and LITT brought a bunch of their games there so me and my buddy Luong waited around for Matt to show up by playing a bunch of GOT LE. That game is underrated at this point. Sorta the one that got me into pinball. Anyway, this article is long – but eventually Matt did show up. We did the progressive strikes or what the fuck ever it was called… and I frickin’ won man! I did it! There were some hella good players in my last 4ish games so I’m taking this as a legitimate win. Get you a pinball personality with a winning streak, am I right? Sorry, Kaneda – you’ll never know what this feels like. From there, I had to hustle my ass to the taco spot so I could be back in time for the Hentai Gameshow and room parties. Hentai Gameshow? Underwhelming. Room Parties? Off. The. Chain. This is the line for the hentai gameshow. Let that sink in. There was like a running line to get in even after it started, like we were in an exclusive dance bar or strip club. It was crazy. That said, the actual show itself… underwhelming. The hosts seemed cool and smart, but their PA was brutal, they couldn’t control the audience, who talked over almost everything they said, and the “gameshow”? Well, it was mostly just bachelorette style party games like pin the junk on the hunk and tossing rings on a dildo, etc. Kinda tame and lame imo, but I guess I dunno what I was expecting. If they want some creative direction for next year, me and the homie Nora have some ideas. But as bad as that was, the room parties were… unreal. John Youssi, as with most cons, there aren’t beverage or food licenses that people can use to set up actual shops, so they sort of get around it by running these party rooms that work on Tips. Each party room has a different aesthetic and vibe. We started at the Ramen House (fully operational), then made our way down to an 80s pancake party, a cereal party, a movie house that only showed Nic Cage movies, a bar where they threw sparkles into every drink, and… the Sonic Room. Which featured Sonic the Hedgehog, a live DJ and disco, and… a thousand corn dogs? For real. They were everywhere. I ate one and felt okay, even though it was extremely room temperature. Like my 12 year old beagle, Cooper, that dog had been sitting for a sec. The night only got weirder from there. Ask me about it in person. For all y’all wondering? 2D con happens every dang year. Come out and see what all the fuss is about. Maybe you’ll even dethrone me at the Saturday tourney. No Days Off.