PAX East has grown into the largest consumer gaming convention in the world. Every year, I head to Boston to explore the Expo Hall, cosplay, and connect with the community. While this year’s show floor felt like a mix of “quiet energy” and low-key reveals, the sheer variety of experiences made it one of my best years ever.

Navigating PAX East Day 1: The Strategic Advantage

The first day of PAX East (Thursday) is unique for several reasons. With an early start for media and content creators, it’s generally the least crowded day. This is the perfect window to explore freely, visit massive booths with typically long wait times, and get your bearings before the weekend rush.

The Nintendo Booth: Pokémon and Super Mario Bros. Wonder

I kicked off the day at the massive, multi-area Nintendo booth. The showcase featured Pokémon Pokopia, Pokémon Champions, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park. While the booth was jammed from start to finish, the offerings were a bit of a mixed bag for me personally—Pokopia and Champions didn’t quite hit the mark, and I’ve already spent significant time with Wonder.

However, wandering further into the hall led me to three standout titles that deserve every gamer’s attention.

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Hands-On: Magic: The Gathering | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Turtle Team-Up

This was a surprisingly fun standalone (but expandable) co-op experience. Unlike traditional Magic: The Gathering, this variant is a 2-4 player “Team-Up” game where you battle against Shredder rather than each other.

• Gameplay Mechanics: You pick a Turtle, use their specific deck, and face a “horde mode” board. The Shredder side plays automatically, deploying attackers or event cards each round.
• The Verdict: It’s a perfect intro to MTG for younger players or TMNT fans. The art is fantastic, and the strategic depth required to defend against powerful enemies while attacking Shredder makes it very engaging.

Strategy Deep-Dive: Tiny Metal 2 (AREA35, Inc.)

From developer AREA35, Inc., Tiny Metal 2 was a delightful surprise. It’s a deep strategy game wrapped in a “chibi” art style, offering both single-player and co-op modes.

• The Story: You follow tank commander Nathan Gries as an alliance tries to stop a global threat emerging from the “Graveyard of Ships.”
• Why It Works: Despite the small-scale maps, the strategy is surprisingly deep. You have to capture factories, manage unit advantages, and navigate funny, detailed cutscenes. Keep an eye on this one when it launches later this year.

Genre-Bender: Canvas City (Jet Set Radio meets XCOM)

Canvas City was perhaps the most interesting title of the day. Imagine the aesthetic and movement/tagging of Jet Set Radio paired with the tactical, turn-based combat of XCOM-light.

• The Setting: In a sterilized city where art and music are outlawed, skating crews battle for territory and creative expression.
• Tactical Tagging: Instead of guns, you use tricks, skills and graffiti to beat rival crews. It’s a vibrant, colorful world that shows massive promise.
• Platforms: Coming to PC (Steam) and Nintendo Switch, with a demo arriving later this year.