The new logo for Just One Game starting in 2025.

Just One Game is a trivia game show booth started by Riley McGowan and his dad, Mike McGowan, at the TooManyGames convention in Oaks, PA in June of 2023. The concept, first conceived by Mike, was originally to look like a run-down, cheap booth, to emphasize the joke of the booth name “Just One Game” in comparison to the convention of “Too Many Games”. Thus, there was no banner, no logo, just a box, and a random video game underneath.

The game contestants would be facing should that choose to play was one of video game knowledge and trivia. The game was free to start, and immediately the intrigue among convention-goers grew. Contestants were given three starting hints, that could vary from the console the game was on, the developer, the review scores it got, or specific trivia about the game itself, just to name a few. Once they received their starting three hints, they got one guess. And if they got the game correct, they got to keep it, for free. If they didn’t get it right, they could pay a dollar for another hint, or spin the wheel for a chance at a free extra hint. But spinning the wheel had to be a player’s final move.

Immediately, the game was a hit. People came by to play again every day of the convention, they were telling their friends, and they were hoping that we would be back the next year. And that was the plan! Riley and Mike had started to discuss how the booth would evolve the next year, and Riley had big ideas for the future of the booth too. While the run-down gimmick was indeed very funny, he wanted to make the booth more exciting, more colorful, and more professional.

Then came the sudden shock of Mike’s passing in December of 2023. He was a true personality who left an impact on everyone he met, and the Just One Game booth was no exception. His infectious energy made its mark on TooManyGames, and Riley was determined to carry on that spark.

For TMG 2024, Just One Game came back with Riley fully at the helm, with a brand new look, banners, a special Super Mario ? Block to hide the games under, a special yearly logo design, and a sign tribute to his dad. He even brought along some art to sell. He wasn’t sure if the booth would be able to continue past this point, but wanted to put on “one last show” in Mike’s honor- with over 100 games to give away!

And once again, it was a success- including several people who had returned from 2023, wanted to play again, and shared their memories of playing Just One Game with the great Mike Effen McGowan.

Now, Just One Game 2025- the third year of the booth- has come and gone. With his fiancee and his best friends by his side at the booth, another 100+ games were given away, lots of art was sold, and plenty of memories were made. Riley is so unbelievably proud of this booth, which he now has the confidence to confirm will be returning year after year. He feels the booth is a perfect tribute to his dad, who gave him his love of video games to begin with, which in turn is what set him on his career path.

See you in 2026!

Mike McGowan

9/6/1970 - 12/15/2023