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Gamer’s Rhapsody Year 1
Download 2014 Program Gamer’s Rhapsody 2014 happened at the DoubleTree in Downtown St. Paul. Over 100 attendees celebrated across two days with performances and appearances by Dale North, Rich Vreeland, Jake Kaufman, Emily Reese, Tim Turi, OC REMIX, and more.
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Midwest Gamejam
Appearance: GR CON 3, VGM CON 4 Midwest Gamejam will be coming to Gamer’s Rhapsody. Developers, composers, and Artists will have 24 hours to create a game. The game jam will take place inside Gamer’s Rhapsody and will require admission to the event. Jammers will have access to the 24 hour Jam Café serving light snacks and Red Bull. To learn more about the event, visit http://midwestgamejam.com.
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Do A Barrel Roll
Appearance: GR CON 1, GR CON 2, The Bit Run 1, GR CON 3, VGM CON 4 Do a Barrel Roll! solely performs music from videogames, but not any and all videogames. DABR chooses music that THEY truly love, and though they take requests from fans and friends, the Barrel Rollers choose music that they can make their own and take to the next level. Doing a fair amount of composing for their original arrangements, Read more…
Creators
GRID: Unmatch
Unmatch – Andrew Adams Appearance: GR CON 2 Status: Released on Google Play and iOS App Store Unmatch is a puzzle game about not matching. Separate similarly colored hexagons to complete puzzles, and reveal the potential patterns that chaos can provide. Open your mind to the power of diversity and a new understanding that similarity is not the only way to organize. Stop matching, UNMATCH!
Creators
GRID: Umbrella Mondays
Umbrella Mondays – Turnip Town Umbrella Mondays is a 3D game about a little girl named Fella who finds an umbrella and solves puzzles with it. Throughout the game, you meet other mystical things like fire spirits that follow Fella and launch rings that shoot her into the air and let her float around the map. These components allow the player to solve puzzles and find journal pages that reveal parts of Fella’s memory. Website Facebook Twitter
Creators
Small Hours
Small Hours – Behind You Appearance: VGM CON 4 Status: In Development A little girl searches for her cat in an otherworldly town inhabited by a strange monster. Sneak your way through dark alleyways in this stealth horror game from Behind You. Facebook Twitter Website
Creators
GRID: Tactics V
Tactics V – From Nothing Game Studios Appearance: VGM CON 4 Status: In Development Tactics V is a retro-style tactical turn-based video game in homage to games like 1997’s Final Fantasy Tactics from Square-Enix. Its set in an in-house fantasy setting with lore and magic, etc. It also uses techniques to convert to a 2D isometric look from 3d assets. Website
Creators
GRID: Automaza
Automaza – Nimble Gorilla Appearance: VGM CON 4 Status: In Development Direct Automaza through a series of mazes in VR. Youtube Twitter Website
Creators
GRID: Treasure Stack
Treasure Stack – Pixelakes Appearance: VGM CON 4 Status: In Development Treasure Stack is a fast paced falling block puzzle game where organization and lightning reflexes combine to create intense 2-4 local-multiplayer versus matches. The core mechanics are simple to learn, but hard to master allowing accessibility to new players while rewarding those who play often! Twitter Website
Creators
GRID: Astral Gunners
Astral Gunners – Sati Bros. Appearance: GR CON 2, VGM CON 4 Status: In Development Astral Gunners is a fast paced Shoot-em-up that sends you to the far reaches of the galaxy to fight evil. Facebook Twitter WordPress
Creators
GRID: AVARIAvs
AVARIAvs – Juncture Media Appearance: VGM CON 4 Status: In Development -Ultrafast Competitive Turn-Based Battles- In AVARIAvs, players choose a party of 3 heroes to battle against an opponent’s party. During battle, opposing players choose their actions simultaneously and then witness the mayhem of their decisions. Combat rages on until one winner reigns victorious by decimating their opponent’s HP to zero. Facebook Twitter Website
Creators
GRID: Color Jumper
Color Jumper – Tallbeard Studios Appearance: VGM CON 4 Status: In development Color Jumper is a fast-paced precision platformer with a focus on color-matching puzzle elements. Levels are short, challenging, and satisfying to overcome. Quick thinking and fast reflexes are required to navigate each level in a parkour-like race to the exit. Facebook Twitter Website
Creators
GRID: The Moon Fields
The Moon Fields – LUNARSIGNALS Appearance: VGM CON 4 The Moon Fields is an upcoming high speed sword & sorcery brawler for two to eight players. Customize your unique character with dozens of melee weapons, magic spells, weird gadgets, and more to compete in fast paced matches where you smash or get smashed. Facebook Twitter Website
Creators
Jake Kaufman
Appearance: GR CON 1 Jake Kaufman is a composer and sound designer in Los Angeles with a truly heartfelt connection to game music. His versatility, charismatic style, and devoted following makes him an essential part of any development team – large or small, epic or fluffy – who want to stand out from the crowd. Credits include: Shovel Knight, Shantae, Q*Bert, and more.
Creators
Dale North
Appearance: GR CON 1 Singer, songwriter, composer, and video game blogger Dale North views himself as a musician first and foremost. After establishing himself in the game music remixing scene, he went on to become the Editor-in-Chief at DESTRUCTOID where he shared his love for corgis with millions of readers around the world. While continuing to work on his solo album projects, he’s also begun work on a number of video game scores. check out Read more…
Creators
Rich Vreeland (Disasterpeace)
Appearance: GR CON 1, VGM CON 4 Rich Vreeland ties the name Disasterpeace to the things he releases into the sonic ether. Disasterpeace has 50 albums to its credit, in addition to having designed, scored and programmed sound and music related things in a number of mediums including games, film, television and theatre. Rich lives in Los Angeles. Some of his work includes FEZ, Bit. Trip. Runner 2, Mini Metro, and more. Rich was a Read more…
Creators
Arc Impulse
Arc Impulse Appearance: VGM CON 4 Hailing from Chicago, Arc Impulse brings video game music to life by infusing it with their special dose of energetic synth-rock. Equipped with a keytar, violin, keyboard, electric guitar, bass, and drums, they inject raw energy into music from games such as Goldeneye 007, Chrono Trigger, and The Legend of Zelda. Arc Impulse brings out waves of excitement and nostalgia in anyone who’s ever picked up a controller. Facebook
Creators
Jason Graves
Appearance: VGM CON 4 Jason Graves is an Academy Award-winning (BAFTA) composer who has brought his passion for music to projects such as FAR CRY PRIMAL (UBISOFT), UNTIL DAWN (SONY), TOMB RAIDER (SQUARE ENIX) and DEAD SPACE (EA). He is particularly enthusiastic about illustrating a project’s story and character arcs through the power of music. His sophisticated composition style has made his work synonymous with unique musical textures and cinematic orchestral writing. As a classically-trained composer and world percussionist, Read more…
Creators
Super Guitar Bros
Super Guitar Bros. Appearance: VGM CON 4 The Super Guitar Bros are not actually brothers – they’re bros! Steve and Sam met back in 2007 at a local coffee shop where Sam was performing with a mutual friend of theirs. After seeing Sam’s classical skills, Steve knew they had to start making music together. During their first jam session, everything clicked. They’ve been playing together ever since. Facebook Twitter
Creators
Parachute Pandas
Parachute Pandas Appearance: VGM CON 4 Parachute Pandas is a local group from Minneapolis, MN. They perform a vast repertoire of music including Disney songs, TV show theme songs, video game songs, and wacky interpretations of Top 40 and pop tunes. Parachute Pandas always encourages audience participation with coloring books, cookie decoration, and live Christmas Karaoke! Performance Night: Friday March 2nd Members: Lawrence – Drums Ryan Janssen – Bass/Vocals Mike – Guitar/Vocals Greg Byers – Read more…
Creators
Nostalgia
Nostalgia (Gamification Set) Time: Friday @ 10:30pm Video games, music, DJing: repeat. Inspired by the music he heard on the Super Nintendo as a child, Nostalgia writes modern bass music that makes you long for consoles past. He’s written many classic video game anthem remixes but even in his originals you can hear the retro inspiration pushing new ideas forward. Nostalgia is a beast on 4 decks. His mixing style is fast, precise, and heavy-hitting Read more…
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GRID: Metro Nexus
Appearances: GR CON 3 Status: In Development “Metro Nexus” is the transit-themed, can’t-stop-your-car arcade platformer where each level has been designed and animated in a completely different art style by multiple artists! In the game’s multiplayer mode, up to 4 players compete (or team up!) to claim the most territory. Of course, you *could* work together to power the rails with collective speed and efficiency, but it’s much more fun to steal territory, hurl ion Read more…
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GRID: To the Pit With You
Appearance: GR CON 3 “What would you do to become immortal? Sacrifice someone’s pet, your neighbor, your lover…? Appease the gods and you shall have your reward in this narrative-driven text-based game.”
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GRID: Claim
Appearance: GR CON 3 Claim is an online multiplayer action game that is both simple and chaotic. Fight against or with your friends and other adversaries in order to lay claim to new lands in the name of your country. Wield your country’s flag into battle as you jab and push away your enemies, then attempt to plant your flag in strategic locations while others do the same. Fast paced and easily learned, anyone can Read more…
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GRID: Chimera Genesis
Appearance: GR CON 1, GR CON 2, GR CON 3 Status: In development “Reuniting the family, one limb at a time.” Chimera Genesis is a local multiplayer, cooperative 2D adventure game where you play as animals who can learn to change their limbs to gain different powers. The players confront other chimera from their lives and fight as a metaphor for resolving personal conflicts, and each time you defeat them you claim one of their Read more…
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GRID: Fingeance
Appearance: GR CON 2, GR CON 3, The Bit Run 1, VGM CON 4 Status: In development FINGEANCE takes the best parts of dungeon raiding – teamwork, loot, and gigantic bosses – and brings them to the shoot-em-up genre. It expands on traditional co-op shooters by allowing players to take on distinct strategic roles. One player might build her submarine to protect teammates, while another emphasizes pure destruction. We made Fingeance because we loved the Read more…
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GRID: Anti-Piracy
Appearance: GR CON 2, GR CON 3, The Bit Run 1, VGM CON 4 Status: In Development anti|piracy is an intense action dodge ‘em up with a minimalist design. Evade countless amounts of enemies as you try and outlast your friends for the highscore. Change up the how the game plays with various modifiers ranging from the speed and size of your player to manipulating the arena itself. Test your reflexes in Trials, smaller scenarios Read more…
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GRID: Atmocopter
Appearances: GR CON 1, GR CON 2, GR CON 3, VGM CON, 4 Status: Releasing in 2018 Atmocopter is a retro sidescroller featuring a little helicopter robot who, upon waking up in a less-than-friendly factory, just wants to make it out alive! Navigate Atmocopter through hazardous electraps, bumpers, spider-bots, and more as you press switches and solve puzzles! Switch to Quickmocopter for an added speed boost, or switch to Fatmocopter to take out your enemies Read more…
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2016 Schedule
Announcing our 2016 schedule. Here’s our final program and schedule: gamers-rhapsody-2016-program
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Official Event: String Clinic
SUNDAY 11/20 12-2PM Park 1 Many of the people involved in organizing and running Gamers Rhapsody are teachers in either private or public settings. We all realized that our students get really excited when they get their hands on music from video games they love to play. With this philosophy in mind, we’re excited to hold our very first youth string clinic at the convention this year! We will be inviting students in 6th-9th grade Read more…
Creators
Jeron Moore
Appearance: GR CON 3 Jeron Moore is an American producer currently based in Portland, Oregon, and splits his time between both the video game, film, and concert touring industries. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Jeron spent his college years in Los Angeles during film school studying at both the University of Southern California and California State University, where he graduated in 2005 with a degree in film and television directing and producing. Since that time, he’s Read more…
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What is Gamer’s Rhapsody?
Gamer’s Rhapsody is a video game convention celebrating video game music, art, and development. You can come to #GRCON3 to play games made by indie developers and major publishers, listen to 7 performances of video game music, create a game in our game jam, watch a speed running marathon supporting Carbonfund.org, draw or play music in our jam cafe with free Red Bull, shop, or watch one of our special guests talk about video games. Read more…
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Jam Cafe
The Gamer’s Rhapsody Jam Cafe is returning! Bring your instrument to jam with other musicians at the event. Relax with a can of Red Bull or play rhythm games like Guitar Hero, Rhythm Heaven, Just Dance, and more. A piano and guitar will be provided in the Jam Cafe. If you play a different instrument, be sure to bring it with. New for 2016: The Jam Cafe will be open 24 hours! That means while Read more…
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Video Game Talent Show
Do you have a video game related talent you want to share at Gamer’s Rhapsody? Do you want to win $75 and a lifetime ticket to Gamer’s Rhapsody? Then this is the event for you! Join us on Saturday for the annual talent show. Last year, our winner performed the ocarina in a Ninja suit and did a back flip on stage. Contestants will be judged on: Performance quality Costume Audience engagement Stage presence Overall Read more…
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Ravepulse
Appearance: GR CON 2, GR CON 3 Ravepulse is a 25-year-old Pusheen obsessed, Progressive & Electro House DJ and Producer from Minneapolis, MN. He is a music business major at the University of St. Thomas. Driven by an addictive passion for music, Ravepulse brings melodic, hard hitting vibes to the crowd. His many stops include conventions such as AniMinneapolis, Anime Midwest, Con-Alt-Delete, Metacon, Oni-Con, and more. In 2012, Ravepulse was featured in Capcom’s Street Fighter Read more…
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Twin Cities Trio
Appearance: GR CON 2, GR CON 3 United by a passion for chamber music, the Twin Cities Trio has performed recitals and provided music for special events throughout Minnesota for eight years. Oboist Carolyn Haupert completed her oboe studies at the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota. After studying at Michigan State University, clarinetist Mary Beth Huttlin completed her doctorate in clarinet performance at the U of M and performs with the Metropolitan and Kenwood Symphonies. Bassoonist Maia Hamann Read more…
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Special Guest: Eric Buchholz
Appearance: GR CON 3 Eric Buchholz is a video game music arranger/orchestrator born and raised in northern Minnesota. He currently resides in Seattle where he composes and arranges music and serves as assistant to composer Chad Seiter and orchestrator Susie Benchasil Seiter. Eric splits his time between recording music for films and music for games, most recently completing the music for ReCore, one of Microsoft’s biggest first-party video game releases of 2016. He was involved Read more…
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GRID: Reviva
Appearance: GR CON 3 Status: In Development Reviva is a narrative-based interactive adventure. The player takes flight as Bailey, a spunky older sister who prides herself in looking after her mischievous younger brother, Chase. One day, Chase accidentally causes the end of the world as we know it, and then disappears – leaving Bailey left behind. By restoring the landscape with her magic wand and taking pictures of the newly revived world, Bailey remembers her Read more…
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GRID: Zenza
Appearance: GR CON 3 Status: Released on STEAM Zenza is a calming puzzle game on a journey through the seasons. Put colors or shapes together to achieve balance. Progress through 80 increasingly challenging levels to perfect your zen. Leaves, blossoms or snow may fall. There’s always a chance to start anew. Featuring a dynamic 2D lighting system as well original soundtrack. Draw your moves with the calligraphy pen to create a swirling masterpieces. Time Read more…
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GRID: Verdant Skies
Appearances: GR CON 3, VGM CON 4 Status: Released on STEAM Verdant Skies is a life simulation game born from a love for games like Harvest Moon and a desire create something unique with modern gameplay and deep storytelling. Lose yourself in the lovingly hand-painted alien world of Viridis Primus. Ensure the success of the colony as you make friends and pursue romance with a diverse cast of characters. Demonstrate your mastery of the farming Read more…
Creators
Emily Reese
Appearance: GR CON 1, GR CON 2, GR CON 3, VGM CON 4 Emily Reese is a video game music specialist/expert/extraordinaire and Cat Enthusiast. As former host of Top Score™ for MPR, she interviewed dozens of video game music composers and groups to help expose video game music to the classical and greater world. Currently, she is busy with her new company called: Joon Media, Inc. A company, born in Minneapolis and dedicated to producing podcasts and videos for the world Read more…
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John Byram
Appearance: GR CON 3 John is one of the best mediocre Tetris players in the world. A devotee of the “not trying too hard” approach, he has a penchant for getting moderately good scores, and then forgetting them. He did once get a 852,000 starting on level 19. He only remembers that because Ben Mullen referenced it not so long ago. His real area of mastery is SNES Dr Mario. He’s the only person to score Read more…
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Ben Mullen
Appearance: GR CON 3 Ben Mullen is a master Tetris player who was the 7th person confirmed to have maxed out the score in NES Tetris (999,999). He also holds The SNES Tetris score record with a score of 732,465 as well as several other notable tetris feats. He is one on the Principle stars in the Tetris documentary Ecstasy of Order: the Tetris Masters, a documentary highlighting the search for the world greatest tetris Read more…
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GRID: Henshin Engine
Appearance: GR CON 3 Status: In Development Henshin Engine:The GAME is part of a mixed-media project based on the web comic by Sarumaru. Henshin Engine for the PC-Engine/TurboGrafx-16 and PC CD-Rom/Steam has a set release date of March 2017. Henshin Engine is a 2D action platformer running on REAL classic gaming hardware for a true Retro-Experience! Since the game was programmed from the ground up for real classic video game systems, the classic experience will play and Read more…
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GR 3 Tournaments
Super Smash Bros for Wii U Payout Percentages: # < 16 1st: 65% 2nd: 35% 17 < # < 32 1st: 60% 2nd: 30% 3rd: 10% 33 < # < 48 (and higher) 1st: 55% 2nd: 27% 3rd: 13% 4th: 5% RULES 2 stocks No items 6 minute time limit Double elimination bracket, each match is best of 3 games until Winner’s Finals, Loser’s Finals, and Grand Finals, all of which are best of 5 Read more…
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Remix Contest
Gamer’s Rhapsody and OverClocked ReMix present the “Super Rhapsody Bros 3” ReMix contest! To celebrate Gamer’s Rhapsody’s third year of bringing fans and professionals of gaming together, we are hosting a game music ReMix contest featuring another famous “3”, Super Mario Bros. 3! Chose from one of these 3 themes, and put your own spin on it! Any style or arrangement is fair game, from EDM bangers to solo piano or a cappella. You are Read more…
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GRID: Pinbrawl
Appearance: GR CON 3 Status: Early Access Pinbrawl is a head-to-head, couch multiplayer pinball death match, in which players control wacky physics-based creatures and tilt the table to manipulate the playing field and eliminate their opponents. At this point, I am not totally sure what the game’s journey through development is going to look like, but here is a rundown of everything so far: 2-4 Players, controllers needed Local multiplayer only – currently there is no Read more…
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Super Marcato Bros
Appearance: GR CON 1 (panel), GR CON 3, VGM CON 4 The Super Marcato Bros. are made up of Karl, Will & Marty Brueggemann. They are a video game music trio from the twin cities. They will be joined by special guests to flesh out a full live band, which will bring to life a wide variety of killer video game music!
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Bards of the Goddesses
Appearance: GR CON 2, GR CON 3 Catch a live performance of music from games such as The Legend of Zelda, Halo, Professor Layton, and more by trio Bards of the Goddesses. The performance will feature Gamer’s Rhapsody video music convention planning members Thomas Spargo, Kenny Schuster, and Vaughn Rowles on guitar, piano, violin, accordion, and viola. The bards have more instruments than performers, so you’ll notice them constantly switching instruments in between pieces and Read more…
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OverClocked Remix
Appearance: GR CON 1 (panel/table), GR CON 3, VGM CON 4 It may be the beginning of winter, but for Overclocked University, it is still spring break! Come prepared to dance for Gamer’s Rhapsody’s beach party to end all beach parties (at least in November)! Featuring sunny and synthy dance music mixed with a rocking good vibes atmosphere, the OCU crew has cooked up a ton of great music for you. You’ll hear old classics Read more…
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Sunshapes
Appearance: GR CON 2 A St Paul based group that blends new and vintage pop sounds with classically influenced instrumental interludes. A St Paul based indie music quartet, The Sunshapes blend pop and folk with classically influenced instrumental interludes. Led by singer/songwriter Bryan Schumann, the sunshapes blur the lines between band and chamber ensemble. The Sunshapes will be performing video game music at Gamer’s Rhapsody.
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Nerd Enhanced Sound
Appearance: GR CON 1, GR CON 3, VGM CON 4 As wee lads, Mike Vasich and Nick Gaudette spent many hours studying the every move of digital 8-bit figurines that would jump, slide, run, and knock out bricks across the screen. The intriguing world of 8-bit music is recreated in this fantastic reincarnation of the old themes and melodies during the 80’s and 90’s. With the help of Zack Kline from the Orange Mighty Trio, Read more…