PAX Aus 2023 is creeping ever closer, and the announcements are in full swing. More exhibitors have been announced, and there is something for everyone. We have more details on what Nintendo will bring to the expo floor, including a full-on My Nintendo Store! SEGA has also been confirmed alongside their former competitor turned acquaintance, Nintendo. We’ve also learned more about some tabletop exhibitors, such as Dungeons & Dragons and Magic the Gathering. Special tabletop guests have also been announced and will share a new, never-before-seen game! It’s all too much excitement for me to handle!
It wouldn’t be a PAX without a truckload of video games, and we just got even more confirmed. After being announced in the first wave, more details of what Nintendo will bring have been revealed. You can play Super Mario Bros. Wonder ahead of its October 20th release. You’ll also be able to get exclusive Nintendo merch at the My Nintendo Store, which is a first for PAX Aus. Nintendo will bring even more games to the expo floor, but they’re keeping that a secret until the big day.. SEGA was also confirmed and is much less secretive with what they’re bringing. You can go hands-on with Sonic Superstars and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. Ukiyo Studio is also bringing 15 indie games from Southeast Asia to PAX Aus (which you can read more about here). Developer Broadside Games will also dive into how they became a game studio while showcasing the upcoming Bears In Space.
Tabletop fans aren’t forgotten because they also have some exciting announcements. Star Wars: Unlimited will be demo-ed for the first time, giving people a hands-on feel for the new game from a galaxy far, far away. Dungeons & Dragons and Magic the Gathering will return to PAX Aus. You can play these games with friends or have an experienced pro guide you through your first time. Both will also have stores for you to get all the essentials to get you started with either game. Tabletop legends Phil Walker-Harding and Matt Dustan will attend, showing off new games. Walker-Harding will demonstrate his game, Spellbook, while Dunstan will showcase a brand-new game! How exciting.
Card games will be in full force this year at PAX, with a card game for everyone. The Dragon Ball Z and One Piece card games are back with tournaments and casual games for all. If you’ve become a fan of One Piece thanks to the new Netflix series, this is the perfect time to try the card game. Other card games, such as the Final Fantasy TCG, Shadowverse, Weiss Schwarz, and Vanguard, will all be at the show. Famous card game developer Asmodee (of Exploding Kittens and CATAN fame) will bring their new and old games for some co-op fun.
Tom: These new announcements have excited me even more for October 6th. I was hoping that Nintendo would be bringing Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and I’m keen to go hands-on with it (I’m also definitely spending more money than I should at the My Nintendo Store). I’m also super excited to be giving Sonic Superstars a try. Being a massive Sonic fan, I’m looking forward to getting an early look at the game. Hearing that Vanguard is back this year has also got me hyped. I first played the game last year, and I was hooked immediately. I’m keen to play the game and get more cards. I’m a little curious about the Five Nights at Freddy’s presence at the show, but I’m also a wimp when it comes to horror, so we’ll see what happens.
Rohan: As a fellow Sonic fan, I’m excited to see what the Sega booth has in store for both of us. As a card novice (unless you count Uno), I’m excited to get some hands-on time with Star Wars and Dungeons & Dragons. Also, I have to say I’m really excited to see Nintendo and Sega at the same convention, like the Titans of a bygone era; it makes me feel like it’s 1999. As an aside, there’s also news that the indie developer Drop Bear Bytes will be at the convention, and I’m excited to chat with them all about their new game, Broken Roads. I’ve been keeping my eye on this game since 2021 and am so excited now that the launch date is so close.
These new announcements have raised the hype levels for PAX Aus 2023 to the next level. There is something for everyone this year; you’re going to find something that you’ll enjoy. Keep it locked to Couch Soup for everything PAX Aus 2023.
Are you excited about these announcements? Are you hoping for something else? What games do you want to try? Let us know in the comments where I can convince you that Sonic is a great series.