Seattle is an epic pinball location. It’s tough to find a bar without at least one machine stashed in the back corner. Raygun Lounge put out the call out to all of our dedicated pinball patrons by offering our first ever tournament. The third Friday in March, thirteen people gathered to show down and maybe win fabulous prizes. Sponsored by Not Your Father’s Root Beer from Smalltown Brewery, the swag on the table included glassware, apparel and various bottle openers.

First, second and third place winners also received store credit and all-important bragging rights. The results of this tournament did not count toward but that didn’t stop our flipper flickers from having fun and meeting new people. Over half the competitors confessed they’d never played in a pinball tournament before. The $2 entry fee and laid back atmosphere gave them the perfect opportunity to try something new. The grand prize winner, Damian Smolko, was one of those first-timers!

The next Raygun Lounge pinball tournament will be Friday, April 28 so mark your calendars. Also check out our website for other fun monthly events such as DonnaTella Against Humanity, Gaymer Night and the Indie Game Industry Mixer!

Another Emerald City Comicon has come and gone but this one was extra-special for an important reason – it was my first! I’m foreign to Seattle just like the horse of a different color isn’t native to Oz. Living here for just over a year, I’m mostly familiar with the wacky Seattle sights and ECCC weekend is no exception. Short of going to the convention center itself, behind the counter at Raygun Lounge might be one of the best places to experience the con. I was granted a front row seat for the nerdtastic conversation and costumery that punctuates any good Comicon.

Curious newcomers and returning friends descended on the Lounge Thursday evening for a multimedia trivia contest hosted by Raygun regular Andrew & his friends. Special guests from Comics Chat with Gat, the Nerdhole, and A Podcast For All Intents and Purposes took turns hosting rounds and stumping teams with obscure knowledge. Eight teams participated during the event and prizes were raffled off between rounds. After the dust settled our first place team was Alternative FAQs, second place went to Ronald Raygun Lounge and third place was claimed by Indiegogo presents Wendigo: Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go: A Tale of Vertigo.

Friday night was a more low key gathering featuring a Queer Comics Mixer hosted by Northwest Press. Sharing the space with our monthly Hearthstone tournament, everyone enjoyed another exciting raffle of prizes and plenty of good times. The easy-going vibe from Friday night was a nice lull before the main event on Saturday – NW Nerd‘s annual costume contest! The Lounge was transformed into a cosplay runway where all the best ECCC costumes strutted their stuff for the masses. Prizes were awarded for a variety of categories pitting fantasy and sci-fi characters against each other for the top spot. Check out the highlights on the .

After a super hectic weekend of comics and community building I have to say ECCC is a blast – and I haven’t even been to the Con yet! I am already looking forward to our next big weekend celebrating Sakuracon April 14th-16th. Stay tuned to our events page for info about parties dedicated to anime and 20 successful years of this unique convention.

Last Wednesday, February 22nd, was the official launch day for the . The most recent release from Daily Magic Games, this much anticipated card game reached it’s funding goal in less than 2 days. Fortunately, there’s still time to get in on the action and pledge your dollars for exclusive backer rewards and a copy of the game when it’s released in October 2017. A fun, easy game for 2 to 5 players, this competitive resource management card game will have your stomach rumbling as you race to build the best food truck in your neck of the woods.

Playtest Northwest hosted an event at Raygun Lounge on Friday for Food Truck Champion enthusiasts. Lucky gamers got a chance to preview the art on a demo copy of the retail game and everyone had fun learning the finer strategy of creating a great street food business. Players get to choose what part of their operation to invest in by choosing cards from the communal market.

  

As with real food trucks, the amount of space you have must be balanced against what you are trying to sell. There’s also a chance to hire personnel and expand your space but don’t forget to serve the customers! The player with the most popular food truck at the end of the game wins.

Game designer and event host Nicole Jekich says, “We wanted to create a game involving food because it’s a topic everyone can relate to. It’s been a lot of fun designing the game and seeing it come to life.” She and her co-host Luke Turpeinen will be back at Raygun Lounge tomorrow night on Sunday, Februrary 26th for another round of playtesting Food Truck Champion. You can also catch them next weekend at Emerald City Comic Con where they will pimp Food Truck Champion to the masses descending on downtown Seattle.

Raygun Lounge is celebrating ECCC with the following events:
* Thursday, March 2: Geek Out! Trivia Night: ECCC Edition
* Friday, March 3: ECCC Gay Comics Mixer
* Saturday, March 4: Northwest Nerd Cosplay Contest

Come by on your way to the Con for some espresso and swing by after for the parties. Game on!

Raygun Lounge has spent nearly five years at 501 Pine happily serving gamers of all ilk in the afternoons and evening. While searching for ways to improve, we stumbled onto the simplest solution – be open MORE! So we’re now set up with a super high-tech espresso machine prepped and ready to load you with caffeine starting at 10am Tuesday through Sunday. Stop in for a morning mocha or swing by for pinball and a latte after lunch. And of course we still have boozy libations for the gamers getting off work – including Irish Cream for your coffee!

Weekends are already a great time to visit the Lounge for casual games. Every Saturday we have Magic: the Gathering drafts at noon & 5pm and Sunday is always a lively time on Capitol Hill. Our new hours provide a chance for folks to form weekday groups that enjoy quick games over lunch or a cappuccino before second shift. The goal is to give the people what they want – starting with more menu options. Give us a try the next time you’re craving something caffeinated and be part of the current Raygun revolution. We greatly appreciate you and all your feedback.

These days Cards Against Humanity is ubiquitous at most game nights. A self-described game for horrible people, the only thing missing from your typical experience is a fabulous hostess judging your attempts at humor in front of a room full of people. Fortunately, once a month graces Capitol Hill with her impeccable sense of style and passion for party games. Competing teams submit answers to the given fill-in-the-blank phrases and attempt to make a drag queen laugh out loud. You get to hang out with Empress Olympia 45 and potentially win great prizes at the same time!

This past Friday a couple dozen people battled humanity together in the name of frivolity, fun and friendship. Four teams total – Buck Futters, Fun Bags, More Than Meets The Thighs & Hallah Back Girl – kept the game interesting with high scores in every challenge. Party-goers are treated to rounds of classic CAH as well a random trivia round! Fridays are a busy time in the Lounge but DonnaTella’s vivacious personality keeps her fans captivated amidst the chaos. Potential prizes include discounts on your tab and awesome swag. Make plans to test your wit against other enterprising Cards Against Humanity teams and see if you can persevere. The next event Against Humanity is scheduled for March 17th and can only be found at Raygun Lounge. Our favorite Queen would love to see you there.

If you just love gaming in general there are plenty of chances left to catch an event at Raygun this month. Thursday, February 23rd, is our next bi-monthly Gaym Night – a great place to meet new people in the local community. Try something completely different when you join the launch party for Food Truck Champion on Friday, February 24th and a playtest for on Sunday, February 26th. The next Lounge trivia night will be held in celebration of Comicon on Thursday, March 2nd. Show up early to get a good seat!