Gamers nostalgic for video games of yesteryear can step back in time at the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.
The museum’s newest exhibit The Games We Play was being installed Wednesday and will be officially launched at a 12-hour Game-A-Thon that starts at 7 p.m. on Friday.
Breanna Suk, collections and exhibit co-ordinator, said the new exhibit highlights the evolution of sports video games and recognizes that video games are an extension of the fan experience.
A video game simulator is part of the exhibit so people can relive the action of their favourite old-school games.
“You’ll be able to play some of the old games from the basic Nintendo entertainment system, Super Nintendo, Sega, N64 — those old games we all remember playing that are hard to get your hands on now,” Suk said on Wednesday.
“It’s a very different exhibit than what we normally put up. We wanted to try to expand outside our traditional exhibits.”
She said it’s expected to attract gamers in their early 20s to mid 30s, an age group the museum doesn’t usually see.
Behind the glass there will be game consoles and games as old as Pong and Telstar from the 1970s. Other components of the exhibit will focus on traditional hand-held Indigenous games, as well as traditional tabletop games, like Munro hockey and Crokinole.
The exhibit will be on display for two years.
Participants at the Game-A-Thon will be able to access video game consoles featuring both retro and modern games, a variety of board games, space for table top games and various forms of card games throughout the night. Admission is $25 and gamers must be at least 18. To register call 403-341-8614.
szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
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