We hope we can inspire people
to become the next generation of
games designers
Mark Cutmorethe Nineties when there were huge
technological leaps in terms of graphics,
storage media and, as we approached
2000, the beginning of online gaming
with the Dreamcast. The Nineties holds
a special place for me with the Mega
Drive being my first console, sparking a
lifetime love of Sonic, Streets Of Rage
and Golden Axe.Will there be any guest speakers at
the event?
We’ve got such ambitious plans for
launching this event with our own
hardware and several improvements
on past Power UP events that we’ve
decided to focus just on the core
event this time. In the past we have
had really exciting talks, including a
panel discussion featuring the Kingsley
brothers, Phil Harrison and Jon Hare
discussing the evolution of gaming, and
we’ll be looking to bring these types of
events back for next year.What’s the secret to keeping a
younger generation interested in
older machines?
Opportunity is a big part of it and
Power Up allows people to experience
the entire history of the videogames
industry in one space. One of thebest parts of Power Up is seeing the
nostalgia as parents and grandparents
point out their first Atari 2600 to their
kids and play it together, or watching
a lapsed gamer rediscover their love
of Crazy Taxi on the Dreamcast.
Through Power Up we hope we can
inspire people to become the next
generation of games designers, coders
and artists and continue that legacy of
games development.Why do you think retro-themed
events like these are so popular
with the public?
There seems to be ever growing
appreciation for retro gaming, and
with so many emulators available
online to play the older games, I
think it’s important to give people the
opportunity to experience the original
technology while it’s still available.
Gaming is a tactile and interactive
medium, so nothing beats getting
hands-on with a console and controller.
Events like Power Up give people a
unique opportunity to try out consoles
they didn’t even know existed or only
dreamed of owning. We’ll have around
40 unique consoles to play on: way
more than all but the most hardcore
enthusiast has access to.a fun and varied mix of content that
really showcases the history of the
videogames industry.Do you run any multiplayer
competitions at Power Up?
Multiplayer gaming is a huge part
of Power up and in an age of online
gaming we want to celebrate the
social nature of local multiplayer. One
of the centrepieces of the event is
our local multiplayer setup, which
links 16 Xbox 360s for a huge Halo 3
deathmatch. This year we’re keen to
introduce more competitive elements
to the events and our dedicated staff
will be attempting to create some high
scores for visitors to beat so they can
be crowned as champion gamers.Which of the featured decades is
the most popular?
Everyone has their favourite, but I
think things got really interesting inWhat improvements will you be
adding to the exhibit this year?
This is the first year that The Science
Museum Group has bought all of its
own hardware. It’s a big commitment
so we have spent a long time making
sure we have the best mix of consoles,
games and peripherals for our visitors.
We will also be introducing handheld
consoles for the first time and a broader
range of games and peripherals for
people to try out.
What are the biggest challenges
you face with an event such as
Power Up?
One of the toughest things is deciding
what to include! We’ll be packing
around 160 consoles into the event,
but we still have to make some tough
decisions about what goes in and what
there isn’t space for. With over 40 years
of consoles and games to choose from
we want to make sure we’re presenting
» Power Up allows you to appreciate four decades of gaming, culminating with the current frontier – vir tual realit y.
» Games like Minecraft stand alongside retro classics,
meaning there’s something for everyone to enjoy.VISIT RETROGAMER.NET/FORUM TO HAVE YOUR SAY RETRORADAR: SCIENCE MUSEUM LEVELS UP