There’s something for everyone in Shetland. While there’s famously plenty if you’re interested in wildlife, music, film and sports, there’s also a wealth of activities for just about any interest you can name. And now, thanks to The Bop Shop, competitive video games can be added to the list.
The Bop Shop, local creative hub and Shetland’s only record store, has launched its regular Games Night to cater for isles gamers. Bop Shop proprietors Jamie Hatch, Lyall Halcrow and Thomas Jones hope that these regular tournaments fill a niche in the local entertainment scene; and judging from the first night’s success, they’ve got the right idea.
The inaugural game was a stone-cold classic; Street Fighter II on the SNES, its gorgeous 16-bit graphics projected onto a large screen for all to see. With a dozen players, and a cadre of spectators eager for some virtual carnage, the scene was set for an interesting night.
The tournament was divided into two groups of six, with the top players moving into quarter, then semi-finals – before the ultimate contest. Up for grabs was a small, specially-made trophy and the glory of being the first holder of the coveted Bop Shop Games Night title belt.
For the first stage, each player had to fight all the others in their group to determine the quarter-finalists. Things got off to a spirited start; the iconic music and sound effects drowned out by cheers and cries from the spectators, and a spirited and hilarious running commentary by accomplished local comedian Thomas.
