Another year, another PAX! As the 12th PAX AUS pulls away from the station, gaming nerds across the country make their way back into the throngs of society. We’ve covered PAX AUS a lot on our platform, but lucky for you, all this year’s event review is written by me, Tia, a PAX virgin!
As a lifelong gamer, PAX AUS has been on my radar for many years, and I finally had the good fortune to attend, so here is my raw, unfiltered and poetically written recap of my first ever PAX AUS convention.
From the jump, my main point of interest was the Expo Hall. With Nintendo on the ground showcasing the Switch 2, and the hotly anticipated (especially by me) Pokémon Legends: Z-A, it was a no-brainer that this would be my first port of call. Even though this was the first thing I did for the weekend, it cemented itself as the top highlight.
It’s rare for me to miss a Pokémon release, and I’ve absolutely loved the innovative changes they’ve made to the gameplay since the release of Pokémon Legends: Arceus. The latest game in the franchise has some really exciting battle changes as shown in the trailer, and not to brag (I’m totally bragging) but I absolutely nailed the demo. A key point of interest for me with this game, aside from the above, is that the Switch 2 version of the game will be playable on the classic Switch consoles so take note, Pokémon fans: you DO NOT need to upgrade your console to play this game.
At the Nintendo station, I also had the great joy of demoing Super Mario Galaxy 2 and the upcoming Kirby Air Riders, as well as partaking in a knockout tournament of Mario Kart World. Unfortunately, I lost out by one place in the third round, but it was such a ride to play against so many people at once. Other essential pit stops while in the Expo Hall were Camp Gibbi Gibbi, the super cute summer camp set up for the new Sims expansion pack complete with PCs and tablets for game demos, archery, and a claw machine, and the back corner of the Xbox station where you could relax in high powered massage chairs while playing their handheld console. Now, I am a PlayStation loyalist but for the 10 minutes that I was in one of those chairs I became the Xbox’s Number One Fan.
I think what surprised me the most about the Expo Hall was just how few major game developers were present. I was honestly taken aback by how many indie game developers were showcasing in the hall, as well as companies that specialise in gaming accessories and technology. One particular station that caught my attention was the accessories developer CRKD and their exclusive Gibson Les Paul guitar controller for Guitar Hero. I practically lived inside this game when I was a teenager, so imagine my surprise seeing it showcased at a convention in 2025! After watching a scarily impressive demo of Dragonforce’s Through the Fire and the Flames on expert mode by the brains behind the controller, I lined up to dust off my hand-eye coordination and humiliate myself in front of a crowd of people.
Beyond the Expo Hall was the Tabletop Hall where turn-based game enthusiasts gathered to paint D&D figurines, collect Magic the Gathering card packs, and settle Catan or whatever it is they do in that game. Admittedly, I am not heavy into tabletop gaming, but I did enjoy seeing the community of people gathered around tables to play together.
My favourite part of the Tabletop Hall, however, was actually way in the back – the Console Free Play. With a small library of games available to play on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X, I sat here as often as I could so that I could rest my feet and play the new Donkey Kong Bananza (this game absolutely rips, by the way and I am considering getting a Switch 2, just so I can play it). I also had the pleasure of watching some tournament gamers in this section play the latest Splatoon and Marvel Rivals (shout out to the player rocking with Squirrel Girl).
Outside of the main exhibition halls, I am sad to report that there wasn’t much of interest to me. While I totally love and respect cosplayers, it’s not something that I’m particularly drawn to, so I mostly admired them as I walked by rather than immersing myself in the competitions taking place over the weekend. I’m also not generally interested in panel events, so while I did put some on my schedule, I didn’t actually attend any. Once I did my first few laps of the Expo and Tabletop Halls, I was pretty much done, but I will give an honourable mention to Jackbox Games for their very enjoyable Saturday morning demo session outside the Plenary. Technical issues aside, their party games were very fun, whether you were a player or an observer.
So, did I enjoy my weekend at PAX AUS? Yeah. Would I do it again? I’m not sure. Maybe if Ubisoft (with a company specific booth) or PlayStation (Sony was there in a streamer capacity, but I’m not a streamer) make an appearance, wink-wink nudge-nudge. Having finally attended PAX AUS, I can see why it’s so beloved by gamers and nerds of all kinds, especially here in Australia. The sense of community is strong and welcoming, and no matter what kind of gamer you are. Regardless, there’s something for you at PAX AUS to sink your teeth into. For now, consider my PAX AUS itch officially scratched.
For more information on PAX AUS and future ticketing, visit:
https://aus.paxsite.com
https://www.instagram.com/paxaus
https://x.com/PAXAus
