Allen Staal

When you are in a tournament, it is important to stay comfortable and wear loose fitting clothes. That is what I thought until I met Allen Staal. When he plays in the Kong Off, he is one sharp dressed man.

You have to marvel at Allen's dedication to classic arcade gaming when you realize he travels from Australia to compete. It just goes to show that there is something more to arcades than simply playing games. It is the camaraderie, the sense of belonging, the nostalgia for a simpler time when we all had more hair.

I have been Allen's friend on facebook for years, but the Kong Off 3 was my chance to meet him in person and get this shot of him playing Donkey Kong.

To put an Australian twist on the cover, I looked up words that an Australian would recognize: Ocker Mate

From the Urban Dictionary: "Ocker" is slang for a stereotypical Australian. Someone with a strong accent who enjoys beer, bbqs, Australian football, V8 cars, thongs etc.

I believe in this case "thongs" is an Australian word for flip-flops. At least I HOPE that is what it means!