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I’m psyched! Today, the National Center for the History of Electronic Games is announcing that we’ve acquired the Videotopia Collection. The 114 arcade games in this group include pioneers like Computer Space and Pong, crowd-pleasers like Space Invaders and Galaga, icons like Donkey Kong and Pac-Man, rarities like Tank and Time Traveler, racing simulation games like Sega’s Super GT, and landmark titles like Breakout and Tron. This unique group of arcade games represents the heyday of arcades in all its […]

Continue Reading about NCHEG Has Acquired the Videotopia Collection! Published on:
September 8, 2009

My recent family vacation to the Adirondacks was a great respite from work, school, and the seemingly endless yard work that has consumed the better part of my summer. The weather was great—just right for a scenic boat ride on the lakes—and other than a marauding bear outside the inn in which we were staying (yes, a real bear), the trip was filled with quality family time, relaxing evenings, and great gaming.
Great gaming? This is not a concept normally associated […]

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September 3, 2009

It was a sunny August day when the Strong curators rolled into the little town of Arcola, Illinois. Dominated by its towering grain elevator and surrounded by endless fields of corn and soy beans, Arcola is the birthplace of Johnny Gruelle, the artist and author best known for creating Raggedy Ann & Raggedy Andy. Our destination? The Raggedy Ann & Andy Museum, of course.
Founded a decade ago by Johnny Gruelle’s granddaughter Joni and her husband, Tom Wannamaker, the Raggedy Ann […]

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August 31, 2009

First patented in 1891, the Ouija Board has been popular ever since—a remarkably long run. Moving a heart-shaped “planchette” across a board printed with an alphabet, the numbers 0-9, and YES and NO options allowed players to spell out and compile apparently un-sourced “messages.” The effect was mysterious then and remains a bit spooky today.
It’s no coincidence that Ouija became popular in the late 1800s when spiritualism was sweeping from Europe to the United States. The original sellers promised an […]

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August 25, 2009

Game enthusiast Joseph Qualls recently donated more than 750 back issues of video game magazines to NCHEG. The magazines, mostly from the 1990s, wonderfully document the industry’s transition into the 32-bit era and beyond. Select almost any time from that decade and you will learn about the state of video games from this collection. Take January, 1995, for example. Want to know what was hot that month? Electronic Gaming Monthly thought it was Killer Instinct; GamePro featured Earthworm Jim; and […]

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August 21, 2009

The first time I played a video game without holding or stomping on a controller was at a 2002 traveling museum exhibit.  There was no joystick, no steering wheel, no pads to stomp on–simply  cameras that sensed my body movements.  The interactive graphics were fairly primitive, but they allowed me to transform into a soccer goalie using my arms and legs to defend my goal from an onslaught of soccer balls.  In another instance, I was able  to snowboard around […]

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August 19, 2009

Can it be 20 years already for Game Boy?
 In 1989, Indiana Jones embarked on his “Last Crusade,” Joe Montana and Jerry Rice led the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl victory, and Milli Vanilli lip-synced their way to the top of the charts.  That year wasn’t simply about landmarks such as those or Arsenio Hall’s rise to fame and Pete Rose’s fall from grace, however. It also marked the beginning of the Game Boy era.
This summer marks the 20th […]

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August 12, 2009

Maybe you think that I mean “research about roller coasters,” but you’d be wrong. Sometimes, when you work as a curator at the National Museum of Play, you need to put down the scholarly books about play and head out to do a little hands-on research. There’s nothing like ratcheting up the first steep incline of a roller coaster and then screaming down the drop on the other side to prove what’s fun about amusement parks.
When I want a quick […]

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August 11, 2009

Tommy Tallarico, Executive Producer of Video Games Live, made a special visit to Strong National Museum of Play recently to spend time with the CHEGheads and museum President and CEO, Rollie Adams. After touring the museum and the NCHEG collection Tallarico remarked, “This museum is the most amazing thing I’ve seen in my entire life!”
In the area for a performance of Video Games Live, Tallarico talked with the CHEGheads about issues ranging from the role of music and composers in […]

Continue Reading about NCHEG Advisor Tallarico Praises Museum During Visit Published on:
August 6, 2009