MCM Comic Con is still worth it for gamers even without EGX – Reader’s Feature

A reader reports back from his time at MCM Comic Con in London and gets to play a lot of video and tabletop games, despite a lack of big name attendees.

Last week I attended yet another MCM Comic Con at the ExCeL Centre in London, along with my son, who this year decided to dress up as Super Mario. As you all know by now, MCM Comic Con is a three-day celebration of all things popular culture. However, this year’s show was not linked with EGX, as was the case at last October’s exhibition, so there was less emphasis on video games – but there was still a lot on offer.

Our first stop was the Mattel stand, where they were promoting Barbie, Masters of the Universe, and Hot Wheels. There was a sit-down setup of Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged on the PlayStation 5. This was one of the highlights of the day, as we ended up returning a few times in an attempt to win the race. I’ll probably pick it up this up, as we enjoyed it so much.

Up next was the chance to play Magic: The Gathering – Final Fantasy. This was one of the first opportunities to play the game before its release on 13th June. While I’d never properly played Magic before, I had dabbled in Final Fantasy’s own trading card game but stopped some time ago. We played using the starter deck kits featuring Cloud and Sephiroth and battled it out, with me emerging victorious. The cards looked amazing and feature characters, weapons, spells, and locations from all 16 mainline Final Fantasy titles. The only downer was that there were no promo cards being handed out.

The next port of call was Artist Alley, where hundreds of independent artists showcased their wares. I was after one in particular: Stanley ‘Artgerm’ Lau. I first came across his work while playing Marvel Snap. I had a quick chat with him and got him to sign some artwork prints of Tifa and Rogue.

Sticking with Final Fantasy, I noticed actor Ben Starr on the show floor – the voice of Clive Rosfield, the protagonist of Final Fantasy 16. I didn’t get a chance to speak with him, as he looked in a rush, probably due to the fact that he was part of the show with his Natural Six Dungeons & Dragons Actual Play panel.

After lunch, we headed off to the Family Gaming Zone, where around 20 consoles were set up with a variety of family-friendly titles. Games that we sampled included Conduct TOGETHER! on the Nintendo Switch, a puzzle-type game where you manoeuvre trains and switch tracks to avoid collisions. Then, on to JellyCar Worlds, a driving and platforming game where you hav to work your way through various obstacles. It reminded me of both the Trials series and World Of Goo, with its physics-based gameplay.

We proceeded to play Tower Of Babel – No Mercy, which was a shape-dropping game where the aim is to stack as high as possible. We played the co-op mode, where we each took turns placing rectangular-shaped blocks. On paper, that doesn’t sound like the greatest game, but the dormant competitive side of me came out and I was desperate to beat a nine-year-old child.

The last game of the day was Astro Duel 2. The two of us joined four other convention players in a mix of retro pixel platforming and spaceship battles. It’s a combination of Smash Bros. and Asteroids, with players fighting fast on the ground or in the sky. Very hectic but a lot of fun – and great to play a six-person game with all players sitting alongside each other (although one kid did rage quit a few times!).

Last call before heading home was the Bandai Namco zone. They had a strong showing, with multiple games available to try. It was great to see a major game publisher represented at the event. They were showcasing several Dragon Ball Z titles and Shadow Labyrinth, while Elden Ring: Nightreign was also on display – though sadly, not in a playable format. Finally, a quick spin on their gacha machines rounded off a wonderful day.

Overall, another successful show and the next show’s dates have already been released. MCM returns to ExCeL London this October, along with EGX, for another three-day celebration from 24–26 October.

By reader Tom Pozzetti (eyetunes – PSN ID)

The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

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