Step Back in Time: Kingston University’s Retro Gaming Extravaganza

Celebrate Gaming History at Kingston University’s Retro and Gaming Showcase

For those who have been gaming for years, there is a special joy in revisiting the games and devices of the past. Kingston University is set to host a new retro and gaming showcase from August 5th to 11th, with a permanent display at the Sopwith Building (SB3033) on the Penrhyn Road campus in London.

Attendees will have the opportunity to play classic titles like Sonic the Hedgehog, Pac-man, and Tomb Raider. It’s a reminder of how far gaming has come, with even the original Tomb Raider now considered retro. This showcase is a celebration of gaming’s rich history, offering something for visitors of all ages to enjoy.

You can also try out old platforms such as the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, and the lesser-known Fairchild Channel F. Remember the days of waiting for the tape deck to load while making a cup of tea?

From the Atari consoles of the late 1970s to the Nintendo and Sega rivalry of the NES and Mega Drive eras, and the dominance of PlayStation and Xbox in the 2000s, visitors can relive over four decades of gaming history.

This free exhibition, open to the public, will be held at the University’s Town House building. It will feature over 60 playable machines from each decade starting from the 1970s, including iconic consoles like the Fairchild Channel F, Sega Megadrive, and Nintendo 64. The event is organized by the Archive of Retro Computing at Kingston University (ARC@KU), dedicated to preserving and showcasing early microcomputers and game consoles.

Following the success of last year’s event, the Archive of Retro Computing exhibition is back with a permanent showcase. The exhibit is spearheaded by Kingston University Computer Science BSc (Hons) course leader Paul Neve.

Neve emphasizes the impact of these early computers and consoles, which brought computing and gaming into homes for the first time. They paved the way for a generation of programmers and game developers, shaping the digital world we know today.