[The new “Power Up” exhibit at London’s Science Museum]
[A man playing “Halo”]
[Women playing game]
[Mark Cutmore playing “Crazy Taxi”]
Mark Cutmore (interview): “So, we’re in Power Up, which is our hands-on gaming experience. It’s a permanent gallery in the Science Museum, and it’s a real celebration of the history of video games. So, in this space we’ve got over 160 consoles spanning five decades of video gaming, and it’s all playable, and people get to come along and see first-hand how games have evolved over time.”
[The “Power Up” exhibit]
[“Mario Kart” gameplay on the Wii]
[A man playing Wii Sports]
[A woman playing “Sonic the Hedgehog”]
[“Street Fighter II” on the SNES]
[The chronological history of video games exhibit]
[“Manic Miner” on the ZX Spectrum from 1983]
[Spectrum home computer]
[“Pong” game]
Mark Cutmore (interview): “So, it’s quite different from an arcade. In an arcade, you’ve just got usually a random collection of different arcade machines. This is actually a curated space. We thought about the history of video games and we want to tell stories and inspire people. So, I’m sat next to this timeline, which actually is a chronologically ordered history of video games starting in the 1970s and going right to present day.”
[A woman playing a rhythm game]
[PCs]
Mark Cutmore (interview): “Gaming is so significant to our lives these days. It’s an enormous industry that has surpassed film and music. It’s a STEM industry. Careers in gaming are incredibly diverse, and there’s amazing opportunities for young people to find an amazing career that can lead them on to an amazing life.”
[The “Power Up” exhibit]
[Tabish Khan, an art critic]
Tabish Khan (interview): “Video games are a massive part of today’s culture, embraced by millions of people. And here’s a chance to see the evolution of video games over the decades. So, whether you’re a gamer today or you’re someone who grew up in the sort of early nineties or before and want to see a bit of nostalgia and play, take into your hands the consoles you used to play with and have a go at Streetfighter or Sonic.”
[“R.C Pro-Am” on the NES from 1988]
[“Super Mario Kart” for the SNES from 1992]
[“Super Mario Bros” for the NES from 1985]
Tabish Khan (interview): “I think video games started off as being this thing of thinking of sweaty teenage boys in their bedroom playing video games, and now it’s grown so that everyone plays them. And in fact, as an industry, it’s as large as things as film, and therefore, it’s a massive cultural influence and I think will only get bigger as time goes by and it may supersede other things like film and TV.”
[Nintendo 64]
[PlayStation console]
[Amiga CD32]
Tabish Khan (interview): “The Science Museum does pride itself on having interactive displays. So, this is just another one they can add to it. And the fact that you can game with other people around you feels much like a throwback because nowadays, people play online against each other. So, to actually see the person’s reaction next to you is quite unique these days. I remember growing up playing 4-player games at friends’ houses, but that happens less and less these days. So, here’s a chance for others to experience that.”
[A woman laughing, playing “Halo”]
[A VR game]
[A “GAME OVER” sign]
This script was provided by The Associated Press.