The player

A vintage games exhibition will take you back - way back, writes CIARA O'BRIEN

WHAT'S THE first videogame you remember playing? For me, there was Space Invadersand Asteroids. Since then there have been a number of favourites: Pacman, Street Fighter, Sonicand The Sims, before you even get into the likes of Haloand Call of Duty.

I've retained a soft spot for the retro games. I still have Pacmanand Space Invaderson my iPad. So when the chance to go to an exhibition dedicated to the history of computer games came up, my inner geek took notice.

Game On is an exhibition alright, but it's definitely more hands-on than your average history lesson. From the moment you walk in, there's an array of old games and arcade machines you can get your hands on, from Puckman (Pacman's original name, fact fans) to Donkey Kong.

The exhibition traces the history of videogames and their cultural impact, and shows off some of the consoles, including Atari, Sinclair and Spectrum machines. You can even see Nintendo's first games console, the FamiCom, which I had never heard of.

Handheld games are represented, such as various versions of the Gameboy, along with more modern Nintendo consoles such as the DS and some lesser known devices (Barcode Battler, anyone?).

It was a bit of a trip down memory lane. Next to Secret of Monkey Island,which I sacrificed much of my Leaving Cert study time to, was The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a text-based game we rediscovered in college.

One of the more intriguing parts of Game On is a section devoted to Japanese games, including, inexplicably, a train simulator called Go By Train 3, complete with its own special controller.

Speaking of special controllers, Steel Battalionwon the prize for the most complex set-up. The customised controller for the Xbox game has two control sticks, about 40 buttons and some pedals, making it without a doubt the most complicated controller I have ever laid hands on. And button mashing doesn't work either.

Game On is definitely worth a visit, if only for the trip down memory lane. A tip: try to go at an off-peak time in order to get a free run at some of the more popular games. At peak times, the place can be packed, and the more well-known games are a popular draw.

• Game On is at the Ambassador, Dublin Mon-Sat 11am-11pm, Sun 11am-9pm, until January 30th. See gameon-dublin.ie