It’s almost that time of year again when gamers of all stripes descend upon the DFW area in Texas for the best four days of gaming goodness you can ask for – that’s right, Gamer Nation Con is rapidly approaching. This year’s theme is the 1980s, and so we’re expected to see a lot of beloved properties from that time brought to life at various tables throughout the convention from Transformers to Tron to The Princess Bride; this convention is sure to be chock full of nostalgia for gamers of a certain age.
When I was figuring out what I wanted to bring down with me, I hit on an early idea of a certain cartoon that initially aired in the 1980s and more recently saw something of a renaissance thanks to the series release on physical media in the mid 2000s and even more recently (and strangely) a Brazilian car commercial from 2019.
I’m of course talking about the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon which featured a group of children from Earth who were transported into the world of Dungeons and Dragons by a carnival ride and given powers and abilities by the enigmatic “Dungeon Master” to help them fight against the evil Venger and Tiamat. I decided to give it a slightly different spin for one of the games that I’ll be bringing down with me, but I wanted to give you a little hint as to what you can possibly expect at my tables.
This is, of course, Eric the Cavalier’s magical shield that he was given by Dungeon Master upon entering the fantasy realm, a powerful item that he could use to protect his friends from the various dangers they would face during their trials as they tried to get back home.
What else does this adventure contain? Well, maybe if you’re good you’ll get a sneak peek at something else with the next article. But until then, I don’t want to spoil too much of the game or the surprises that I have in store.
If you have nothing else going on April 13th through the 16th and want to get in on the fun of what is hands down the best gaming convention that I have ever been to, there are (at the time of writing this) still several badges available that you can purchase here. Further details on hotel blocks and other arrangements can also be found on the site.
Ben Erickson
