We’re a family of gamers! From Super Mario to Guitar Hero, computer games and console, we’ve tried nearly everything. That’s why when we were last at the Franklin Institute and we saw a giant Sonic poster advertising the next exhibit, everyone lost their minds with excitement. We finally got a chance to head over to the Game Masters: The Exhibition this weekend and it was so cool!
For the adults, this exhibit will really take you back to the days of playing arcade games from sun up ’til sun down with all your friends. As soon as you walk in the door, you’re taken back to the old days. The music playing on the radio is 80s and 90s popular hits and you’re completely surrounded by GAMES! There are arcade-style games, computer games, a wide selection of consoles, and even the big dance games that were once the most popular game around!
The entire exhibit is centered around game changing creators, both big and small. Blizzard Entertainment and Sega are two examples of companies that set the standard, while also giving props to some of the individuals like Will Wright. There are boards on the walls detailing their work and what makes them unique or important to gaming history. You can read about the creators and then you play these old games. I went straight for the old arcade games and the kids ran on without me!
The girls were excited to try out the computer games. I loved getting the opportunity to show them how different computer games were when they were just starting out. I’ll admit, I’d never seen the original SimCity and looking at it now, it looks as confusing as a sheet of code. It really takes you back but also makes you appreciate the games we have today. The Sims still ranks up there as one of my favorite games, and seeing it projected on to the wall was amazing! It was great seeing people create avatars that looked just like them!
You can roam through the exhibit and see the way graphics improve as time went on. They also have stations set up where you can listen to interviews from the creators. It’s nice hearing about some of the trials and tribulations they faced and really helps you connect with them. It was really interesting seeing and listening to the pioneers of new genres, and then experiencing their actual art.
My son, who loves Sonic, was thrilled to have several different Sonic games at his fingertips. One of my daughters sang up a storm in the karaoke booth, and it seemed EVERYONE enjoyed watching people bust a move in the dance exhibit. Seeing my kids enjoy such a wide variety has us looking into picking several of them up.
I really didn’t know how diverse the gaming industry actually is until it was front of me. For example, I’ve already covered the music based games (singing, dancing, and playing instruments), the console selection, world creation games, and people games like the Sims, but there is still so much more. For instance there are games out there where every decision you make can change how the story ends. There are games out there where you take the role of a god and try to earn the civilization’s faith and trust. There are driving games. There are even games out there where you can pretend to be a ninja and slice fruit with your sword! Whatever your fancy, there’s a game for you, and the Game Masters: The Exhibition did an excellent job of capturing it all.
I thought that it was a good time for everybody to bond. I would say that this exhibit is perfect for ages 4 and up, with an incredibly huge variety of games to share with your kids. My only wish is that there was an exhibit like this available year-round! The window is closing for you to get out and see it. Game Masters: The Exhibition closes its doors on September 3rd, 2018! So move as fast as your own ‘Sonic’ legs can carry you and get there while you can!
Use promo code GMMOMMY to save $5.00 off adult, daytime admission to Game Masters: The Exhibition. To redeem the code, visit fi.edu or call 215-448-1200.
CONNECT:
*The Quirky Mom Next Door received tickets in exchange for our honest coverage of this visit. All opinions and experiences are our own only.