Schedule | Rocket City Retro Fest

RCRF 2025 Schedule

From tournaments and live panels to nonstop free play, Rocket City Retro Fest is packed all weekend long. We’re recreating the legendary Super Star Fox Weekend tournament, hosting a Q&A with gaming legends David Wise and Steve Malpass, and bringing you free-play arcades, free-play retro consoles, and a massive vendor hall with over 65 premium vendors and artists. Scroll below to find the details you want, plus times and locations for every event.

Panel Schedule - Salon 7

RNG Gamer

/ Saturday - 11:00 - 11:45am

Join us for a live Q&A panel with YouTuber Jamie, aka RNG Gamer—a deep dive into retro collecting, game hunting stories, YouTube life, and the wins (and heartbreaks) that come with chasing rare games. Bring your questions and be ready to participate, because this panel isn’t just talk—there will be prizes, including cash giveaways, for audience members. Come for the stories, stay for the chance to walk away a winner.

Guess the Box Art with BigOleWords & RetroCartCollector

/Saturday - 12:00 - 12:45pm

Get ready to test your retro knowledge with Guess That Box Art! Hosted by BigOleWords and RetroCartCollector, this fast-paced, crowd-interactive game challenges players to identify classic video games using only pieces of their iconic box art. Shout it out, show off your nostalgia brain, and compete for bragging rights and prizes along the way. If you know your retro, this one’s for you.

Restoring Kazooie with Travis Wood

/Saturday - 1:00 - 1:45pm

Go behind the scenes of a truly one-of-a-kind restoration in this special panel with professional prop maker Travis Wood. Hear the full journey of the lost Kazooie puppet from its disappearance, to being found, painstakingly restored, and brought back to life. Travis will walk through the challenges, techniques, and detective work involved in preserving a rare piece of gaming history, culminating in its only public appearance at Rocket City Retro Fest. A must-see for Banjo-Kazooie fans, prop builders, and retro history lovers alike.

Guess that Pokemon w/ RetroRick

/Saturday - 2:00 - 2:45pm

Think you really know your Pokémon? Let’s find out. Guess That Pokémon! with RetroRick is loud, fast, and all about showing off that Pokédex knowledge. You’ll be guessing Pokémon from partial images and silhouettes, shouting answers with the crowd, and battling for bragging rights (and prizes). If Pokémon lives rent-free in your brain, this one’s for you.

Q&A w/ David Wise & Steve Malpass

/Saturday - 3:00 - 4:00pm

Don’t miss this rare Q&A with gaming legends Steve Malpass and David Wise, two creators whose work helped define a golden era of games. Hear behind-the-scenes stories from Rare’s most iconic titles, insights into their creative process, and fan-favorite moments that shaped a generation. The panel will be moderated by MortsGarage, keeping things lively and fan-focused and if you’re lucky, you might even hear David Wise play a few tunes live on some of his instruments. A truly special moment for retro fans and music lovers alike.

Star Fox Super Weekend Tournament

/ Free Place Section - Saturday

Step into gaming history with the Star Fox Super Weekend Tournament! Pilots will take on the original 1993 competition challenge, battling for high scores on authentic hardware just like the legendary in-store events of the ’90s. Test your skills, climb the leaderboard, and prove you’ve got what it takes to be the top ace in the Lylat System. Using reproduction cartridges made with the original files provided by our friends at Vintex64 you will hav 4 min to achieve the highest score possible!

Tournament Schedule

Saturday - 10am to 1pm - Qualification Run!
- 4-min timed run for highest score.
- Every participant receives a special Star Fox Super Weekend/Rocket City Retro Fest Score card.
Saturday - 1:30pm to 2:30pm - Elimination Round
- Top 20 Pilots from Qualification compete
Saturday - 3pm to 4pm - Elite Pilot Round
- Top 10 Pilots from Elimination Round compete
Saturday Finals - 4pm – Championship Run!
- Top 2 Ace Pilots face off for all the glory!

The top 10 Pilots will receive an origianl Star Fox Super Weekend pin from the 1993 competition. Prizes for 1st to 3rd to be announced.

Vendor Floor Map