Between an unreleased game about Gaudí and two Japanese legends: RetroBarcelona will once again fill the entire Farga

In a sector that often lives obsessed with the next big launch and the latest generation of graphics power, the RetroBarcelona fair has become a necessary space to stop and look back. The eleventh edition arrives at an exciting time for the Catalan ecosystem, as the three major events in the sector (SAGA, BCN Game Fest, and RetroBarcelona itself) have made their merger public. Despite the new shared direction, the Hospitalet event maintains its dates alone in May to demonstrate that classic video games are not just a matter of nostalgia, but a fundamental pillar of contemporary digital culture.

This year's main attraction is guest stars Yoko Shimomura and Michiru Yamane. The fair brings together two of the most influential composers in the history of the medium, responsible for legendary melodies such as those in Street Fighter II, Kingdom Hearts and Castlevania. They were responsible for turning the technical limitations of the sound chips of the eighties and nineties into authentic symphonies. Both will be present for the two days, signing and conversing with their fans in a meeting and signing area.

'The Legend of Zelda', 'Metroid' and... Antoni Gaudí

But if there is one element that will captivate the local visitor, it is the recovery of the game Gaudí: Barcelona No Kaze. It is a conversational adventure originally published in 1989 for the Sharp X68000 (a very powerful Japanese computer at the time) and which, until now, had never left the Japanese country. Thanks to a restoration and localization project by Shinyuden, the interactive thriller set in a pre-Olympic Barcelona is presented for the first time with a Catalan version and will have a playable demo at the fair itself. Recovering this unreleased title, which interprets the imaginary of the modernist genius from the Japanese perspective of the eighties, is one of the most important preservation achievements of the year.

RetroBarcelona thus commemorates the centenary of the architect's death, while also celebrating the anniversaries of iconic sagas. The new poster, by illustrator Jennifer Giner, pays homage to the 40th anniversary of legends such as The Legend of Zelda and Metroid. The work links the fair with the local scene by placing characters like Link or Samus Aran in a setting as emblematic as Park Güell.

More space to play, less queue time

One of the big changes in this edition is the total occupation of the Farga de l'Hospitalet venue and its 8,000 m². This expansion responds to a clear philosophy of the director, Carles Garcia, who prioritizes visitor comfort: “We don't want people to queue, neither to enter nor to play,” he explained during the presentation. The fair aims to avoid public congestion, even though it is expected to exceed last year's 7,500 attendees.

To achieve this, free play points have been increased to 400. With an arsenal of arcade machines, classic video consoles, vintage computers, and cathode-ray tube televisions, the fair invites you to discover how the machines that were protagonists of entertainment four decades ago worked. Also as a new feature this year, the Artist Alley has been added to the shopping area, focusing on stalls by local artists and illustrators.

Spaces for dissemination and training

Beyond the game, RetroBarcelona has established itself as a space for sector reflection. This year, initiatives such as the OXO Museum or the new MUVIC (Catalonia Video Game Museum) are participating, leading the more educational and academic part. Also noteworthy is the Gaming en Femení exhibition, which champions the role of 25 professional women in a sector where they have often been invisible. All of this emphasizes the values the organization wishes to convey, focusing on gender and with the awareness that the fair is already an intergenerational space.

RetroBarcelona also bets on training and makes room for the sector's talent in Catalonia. This is especially reflected in the return of Game Jump FP, a game jam for vocational training students. Up to 44 students from nine Catalan institutes from all over the territory will have to develop a video game prototype live for 48 hours. The projects will revolve around a surprise theme that will be revealed on Friday, when the students begin development. The best games will be awarded on Sunday afternoon.

A very full agenda

The programming is loaded with conferences with names such as Ray Bacon, Gina Tost, Outconsumer or Florent Gorges. The presence of José Luís Sanz also stands out, who will talk about the return of the mythical magazine Micro Mania. For the most competitive, there will be no shortage of tournaments of classics such as Mario Kart: Double Dash, Tekken 3, Bomberman or Tetris Effect. And everything will be seasoned with concerts and the already mythical musical quiz.

The fair begins this edition with the certainty of a job well done: it has revalidated the Devuego award for best retro event in Spain for the fourth consecutive year and, this year, also for best absolute event in the sector. RetroBarcelona not only surpasses itself once again, but this 2026 will offer a second date for the most enthusiastic followers. Of course, already under the umbrella of the new SAGA Barcelona Game Fest and awaiting new details to be revealed.