by Sonali Dutta
Whether it’s a handheld console, an app on our smartphones or a tabletop game, we all played games from childhood onwards. I spent a morning in this fascinating bilingual museum that details the evolution of computer games across the years, from their very earliest incarnations before even before electricity to assorted, ever-updated consoles.
At the museum, there is great English-language translation alongside the German descriptions. Information is set out clearly in colourful, eye-catching captions accompanying items. Following it in order, you can learn more about the culture and history of videogames. I was interested to see pre-technology iterations such as an original paper Dungeons and Dragons set and a “choose your own” adventure book Sugarcane Island by Edward Packard.
The museum has interactive stations, and over three-hundred gaming items. Think of any console, platform or classic game and there’s a good chance it is depicted somewhere in the Computerspielemuseum. At the “Wall of Hardware” I enjoyed seeing consoles likes a Gameboy, a 1996 Playstation and Nintendo Switch that I played with years ago. There were also items that seemed like precious historic antiques in their rarity, such as 1959 Brown Box, 1972 Pong and 1951 Nimrod.
There was also a special temporary exhibition (included in the ticket price) “The Digital Kitchen: Do (not) Play With Your Food” about depictions of food in video games. It was interesting to see how this theme crossed games as diverse and varied as Pac-Man, Cooking Mama, Food Fight and the survivalist game The Flame In The Flood. You are able to play some of these games as well, which were really fun. Later in the museum, there is an old-fashioned arcade where there is no need for pocket change to try a game. I enjoyed playing Donkey Kong and Asteroids for the first time in years. I did however avoid the over-18s-only PainStation…
The Milestones installation explained the context of videogames and characters including Tomb Raider, Grand Theft Auto- and my favourite Pokemon! There were visual representations of six versions of the beloved character Mario. You can also see recreations of rooms with consoles – take a seat and have a go!
Even if you had just a casual interest in gaming, the Computerspielemuseum is a fun trip learning more about the history and getting the rare chance see valuable, “extinct” items. There’s something nostalgic about a joystick or a handheld console in the smartphone, swiping era. It was striking to see how much technology has changed, been updated and evolved even in a short amount of time.
More information about Berlin’s Computer Games Museum can be found here.
Teaspoon of Sunshine 