Game On exhibit back on at Chicago museum
by Christopher Grant 
{ Feb 5th 2006 at 8:00PM }
Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry is extending the "Game On: the History, Culture, and Future of Video Games" exhibit from February 3rd until April 30th. Containing over 100 games, including classic arcade titles and vintage game consoles, to current Xbox hits, the newly dubbed Game On 2.0 adds even more games to the show (but why play Star Wars Battlefront II in a museum when there's a class Donkey Kong cabinet?). To entice you further, they're also raffling off a PSP every day through February 28.
Chicago has their gaming culture down: when Game On closes—for the second time—it's only another month before the debut of PLAY!, the much-anticipated gaming concert. What's the trick Chicago?
[Via Siliconera]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Nathan @ Feb 6th 2006 2:56PM
The trick is, being the best city in the country. ;) Midway is here, EA is here, Day 1, Bungie grew up here, it's the only place in the world that still makes pinball machines... This is gamer Mecca. Pray to the Sears Tower 5 times a day!
Jago @ Feb 7th 2006 12:48AM
Hate to break it to you but California (and the West Coast) is gamer Mecca.
There are tons of gaming studios in LA County, Orange County, San Diego County, the Valley, Northern California, Washington, etc.
Plus why do you think that E3 is staying in LA until 2012? The one time it was moved to Atlanta it had horrible attendence and cost too much for companies to move all their booth equipment all the way to the east coast.
Dan Choi @ Feb 9th 2006 3:52PM
I visited the MSI exhibit last year as well. While it certainly wasn't as thorough as I would have liked (especially considering the fact that a few systems were off and awaiting repairs), I did get a kick out of seeing a number of consoles and computer gaming systems of yesteryear again in person. If you do get a chance to go, I'd recommend earmarking a few hours for this exhibit alone; I was a bit rushed by the people I went with, and I couldn't spend too much time with the older titles.
Joseph Villalobos @ Feb 5th 2006 9:07PM
This exibit was very cool! I went to it lastyear and it had every videogame system you can imagine!
Davis @ Feb 5th 2006 9:09PM
I went there over the summer, trust me when i tell you this....IT SUCKS!!!! Many of the playable games dont work and they have lots of information wrong.....ex. "Playstation Personal?!?!" They had the Nintendo gamer glove though....that's about it.
Will Shepherdson @ Feb 5th 2006 9:12PM
Yeah. I saw it last summer and it was awsome. From the old to the new...
SID SPACE @ Feb 5th 2006 9:15PM
Damnit, I was just there over Christmas break, but the exhibit wasn't open yet.
Jago @ Feb 5th 2006 10:00PM
"They had the Nintendo gamer glove though"
Oh you mean the MATTEL Power Glove which by the way was NOT created by Nintendo?
Wow...some of this info is just plain wrong:
"NINTENDO 64
Hey You Pikachu
Mario 64
Nintendo GameCube
Animal Crossing
Mario Superstar Baseball
Metroid Prime
Pokemon XD
Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
Sonic Mega Collection
Super Monkeyball 2
Super Smash Bros Melee
Tony Hawks Pro Skater 3
Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"
Sorry but its not THAT hard to find a copy of Zelda: OoT for the N64 rather then having the complilation disc for the Cube instead.
Man if they are only going to have a few select games for each system, at least have the good games for each platform.
TWS @ Feb 5th 2006 10:38PM
I also saw the exhibit last Spring Break and was pleasantly suprised; hell, they've even got the old Star Wars arcade cabinet. T'was good, quite good. Not sure if you just got shafted #2, but all the games they had there were working fine. Fairly good overall, especially the presentation.
ill trooper @ Feb 5th 2006 10:52PM
I saw it at the Design Museum in London several years ago, and while it's a little flimsy, it's still worth checking out, as long as you aren't travelling more than a few hours to see it. It's really a case of the design and vibe of the thing overpowering the actual meat of the concept. The book for the exhibit is cool...
Davis @ Feb 5th 2006 11:06PM
well, im sorry i have a life and didnt know the gamer glove was made by MATTEL.
Me @ Feb 6th 2006 12:06AM
"I said that b/c so many people seem to think that Nintendo developed the Power Glove."
No, but it was for NINTENDO, hence "Nintendo's power glove". Nintendo hardcore endorsed it, that was the big difference with that. Ever seen "The Wizard" with Fred Savage? It was a movie funded by Nintendo for purely promotional reasons back in the early 90s. Read about it in "Game Over" by David Sheff. Eitherway, they totally sell the powerglove in that move, and back in those days Nintendo approved of all the things that were released (aside from the Tengen cartridges, but that's another story and a whole lot of mafia like business).
GameFam Dad @ Feb 6th 2006 12:31AM
I saw this exhibit last year. When I first walked in, I was excited, because the first things I saw were a PDP-1 mainframe (of Steve Russell/Spacewar! fame), PONG, Computer Space, and an initially-impressive row of classic arcade cabinets.
However, as I walked through the too-short exhibit, I thought that they could have done a much better job. For example, Space Invaders, Asteroids, Donkey Kong, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga (and a few others) are terrific, but where the hell were Defender and Pac-Man?
In general, the exhibit was pretty good, but it didn't deliver what it promised when I first walked in. I thought I'd enjoy spending the whole day there, but I was ready to bail after a couple hours (okay, maybe 3...or 4).
Some highlights:
The aforementioned PDP-1, PONG!, Computer Space & the arcade games
Ralph Baer's "Brown Box"
The playable Steel Battalion rig
Don Bluth's Dragon's Lair art
Secret of Monkey Island
Jago @ Feb 6th 2006 12:54AM
Sorry but unless actual commercials and ads said "Nintendo's power glove," the Power Glove was not MADE by Nintendo.
Just b/c something came out for Nintendo's system doesn't mean they funded it and built it. Yea they "approved" games and accessories for their systems (and yes I know the history about the Tengen issue), but saying that the Power Glove was Nintendo's is wrong. If that is the case, then every single Nintendo game that came out was developed and funded by Nintendo.
Me @ Feb 6th 2006 1:32AM
Where ever did I say that Nintendo aided in creation of the power glove?
I'm just saying, they endorsed the HELL out of that thing. It only works with THEIR system. It even says "Nintendo Power Glove" on it. So saying "Nintendo Power Glove" isn't really wrong, so I don't see why you corrected the man in saying they had nothing to do with it.
Jago @ Feb 6th 2006 3:51AM
Actually you are wrong...the words "Nintendo" are NO WHERE on the glove. I have the thing sitting right next to me on it and the only thing written on it (besides the button labels) is "Power Glove."
On the box for it, the only place "Nintendo" is marked on it is where the "Seal of Approval" is.
Sockatume @ Feb 6th 2006 4:21AM
Internet in arguing-to-the-death-over-trivial-nonsense shock!
Caught this in Edinburgh back at its debut in 2002. Do they still have 10-player Saturn Bomberman in the show? If so, it's a must-visit.
KilgoreTrout XL @ Feb 6th 2006 10:11AM
(1) That exhibit should be taken on the road.
(2) To the Boston Museum of Science.
(3) Immediately.
What a great idea. I remember a huge arcade in Seattle (circa 2000, don't knwo if it's still there) that had a great retro gaming room with missle command, donkey kong, Mrs. Pac man. It was fantastic. I almost never played the new games.