recent consoles are easy to get hold of
and the big commercial successes like
the NES and Mega Drive are largely still
readily available. It’s more challenging
to find some of the equipment that
didn’t sell so well, that is much older,
or didn’t have a full release in the
UK or European market. We’ve also
tried to get hold of some of the more
unusual peripherals and games that
many people might not have had the
chance to use before, like the Donkey
Kong Bongos or Sega Bass Fishing
Rod controller.I
n 2016, The Science Museum,
based in London, launched Power
Up, an interactive gaming event
that showcased four decades
of videogames history from Pong
and Space Invaders to the last VR
experiences. It’s been such a success
that it is returning for the Easter break
and will run from 5 April to 22 April.
Head of commercial experiences Mark
Cutmore tells us what you can expect
to see there.How did Power Up begin?
With Power Up, we wanted to give our
visitors an opportunity to get hands-
on with over four decades worth of
videogame technology. It launched at
the Science And Industry Museum in
Manchester and proved so popular that
we brought it to the Science Museum.
Since then it has become an annual
event at both museums. Now 30,
people a year come to Power Up to try
out hundreds of games and consoles
from every chapter of gaming.How difficult is it to source the
retro machines?
Some machines are easier to find than
others. It’s no surprise that the more » Power-Up features all sor ts of computers and consoles, from brand new PS4s to the BBC Micro.CONTENTS
6 MAIN NEWS
Mark Cutmore on The Science Museum’s
exciting videogame-themed event8 NEWS WALL
All the latest from the world of retro,
including new updates for Baldur’s Gate10 THE VAULT
Lots of retro goodness, including some
new books and an enhanced GBA12 ROB HUBBARD
COVER DISC SPECIAL
We interview the SID master, and Chris
Abbott talks us through this month’s CD16 MR BIFFO
Our resident columnist is getting all
misty-eyed about the Eighties again17 A MOMENT WITH
RYAN MELOY
The development producer of Last
Commanders discusses his hit TV show18 BACK TO THE
NOUGHTIES
Nick tumbles into a month where game
releases are thin on the groundMark Cutmore explains how the museum’s annual Power Up event is evolving
SCIENCE MUSEUM LEVELS UP
» Mark Cutmore is the head of commercial
experiences at The Science Museum.»»MarkCutmoreisthehead ofcommercialilPhotos: The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, LondonGIVE US TWO MINUTES AND WE'LL GIVE YOU THE RETRO WORLD
6 | RETRO GAMER