E3 2013: A Look at the Video Game History Museum

Readers of Arcade Sushi know that I'm a big fan of retro arcades. Like, a BIG fan. I love the days of the arcades and I love the early systems and toys from the '80s. So when I heard that E3 had a history museum dedicated to the best years in gaming, I had to check it out.

Put together by the Video Game History Museum (I refuse to spell video game as one word like they do), this section of the E3 floor had every retro game, system and toy imaginable. They even had about 20 different arcade machines set up on the floor. The machines were graciously provided by Vintage Arcade Superstore in Glendale, CA.

They had Ms. Pac-Man (got the high score on that one, around 155,000), Centipede, Asteroids, Lethal Enforcers II, Mortal Kombat, Rush 'n' Attack, Donkey Kong (got the high score of 115,000), and many, many more. For a convention that was there to boast about the latest and greatest in gaming, this section of the convention floor was packed with kids and adults.

One area had tables set up with every retro console imaginable, from a working Vectrex to a 2600, to a Sega Genesis. They also had nice couch/lounge areas for people to sit in and play Atari classics on older television sets. It was like being teleported back in time.

But the best part of the area were the rows and rows of retro merchandise. They must have had everything you played with growing up. From all of the Activision badges you would get in the mail from Activision, to old school hand held games to toys, consoles, etc. You name it, they probably had it.

Since words can't really do it justice, I guess these 40 or so pictures will have to do. Enjoy the trip down memory lane.