- Popular gaming experience Power UP is returning to the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester for the first time in three years.
- It will be at the museum for its longest run ever, from 18 June 2022 – December 2023, open every weekend and school holiday.
- Visitors of all ages can play their way through an interactive journey of five decades of gaming, from Pac-Man to Fortnite and the Atari 2600 to the latest in virtual reality.
- It includes a Bafta Young Games Designers section featuring games by winners and nominees from the annual Bafta awards.
- A new section has been added especially for Manchester dedicated to the people and companies behind the city’s gaming industry.
- Tickets can be booked now for the return of Power UP to the Science and Industry Museum this June. The ultimate interactive gaming experience will celebrate the evolution of video games over five decades, games from up and coming Bafta Young Games Designers winners and nominees, as well as feature a brand-new section celebrating Manchester’s contributions to the gaming industry.
Back for the first time in three years, from 18 June until the end of 2023, every weekend and school holiday gamers can get hands-on with over 160 consoles and hundreds of games for an immersive journey through the history of gaming.
From the Atari 2600 and the Dreamcast, to the Playstation 5 and the latest in virtual reality technology, Power UP will give visitors of all levels the chance to live their best gaming life and experience first-hand how far games and gaming technologies have advanced over the years.
Join beloved characters like Sonic the Hedgehog and Mario on a journey through their decades-long development. Take on friends, family and fellow gamers in the iconic multi-player Mario Kart game, getting to grips with it across a huge range of consoles, from SNES to Wii.
Revel in nostalgia with retro arcade classics Pong and Pac-Man, rock out on Guitar Hero, tackle a virtual reality mission with Astro Bot and floss it out on Fortnite.
Discover games made by winners and nominees from the Bafta Young Games Designers Awards, including this year’s winners when they are announced in June. These annual awards are open to children and young people, celebrating creativity, skill and imagination of young games makers.
Be inspired by local people behind the games and companies who have made a splash in the world of gaming in the new section dedicated to Manchester’s gaming industry, from early success stories such as Ocean Software and Software Creations, through to contemporary companies including indie developers like Acid Nerve and major studios like TT Games.
Mark Cutmore, Head of Commercial Experiences at the Science Museum Group, said:
'We are over the moon to welcome Power UP back to the museum. It has always been a big hit with our visitors so we’re excited to be giving so much time to enjoy and keep returning to this experience during its longest run ever at the museum. We’re also really proud to be showcasing our city’s amazing contributions to the industry through the new Manchester Made section.
'Power UP offers a fun space to enjoy past and present gaming technology, experience the latest developments and reminisce about old favourites. The gaming industry is a key component of Manchester’s creative, digital and tech industries and this interactive exhibition will help to inspire game designers and software engineers of the future.'
The Science and Industry Museum is currently going through a multi-million-pound restoration programme, meaning some areas remain closed to the public. However, there’s still plenty to do, see and enjoy.
Tickets to Power UP grant each person unlimited access to the gaming experience on the day booked. Tickets cost £6 per child and concession, £8 per adult, £7 per senior, and there is a £1 discount per ticket for families. Tickets are available to buy now and can be booked in advance through the museum’s website (www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk) or by calling 033 0058 0058.
-ENDS-
NOTES TO EDITORS
For more information, interviews and images please contact Rachel Conway at rachel.conway@scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk or on 0161 696 7785.
MANCHESTER and North west story highlights
- Discover the stories of six people who work in the North West gaming industry and how they got to be where they are, from a 3D Environment artist to a Company Co-Director.
- Learn about the Manchester companies who have made a splash in the world of gaming, from early success stories such as Ocean Software and Software Creations, through to contemporary companies including indie developers like Acid Nerve and major studies like TT Games.
Full games list (subject to change)
Binatone - Pong
Atari 2600 - Pac-Man
BBC Micro - Reversi
Commodore 64 - Various
Vectrex - Starship
ZX Spectrum - Manic Miner
NES - Paperboy
Master System - Golden Axe
C Amiga 500 - Lemmings
Mega Drive - Earthworm Jim
SNES - Star Wing
Sega Mega CD – Star Wars Rebel Assault
Philips CDi - Hotel Mario
3DO - Samurai Showdown
Amiga CD32 - Zool
Atari Jaguar - Tempest 2000
Neo Geo CD - Street Hoop
PS1 - Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
Sega Saturn - Nights into Dreams
N64 - Pokemon Stadium
Dreamcast - Crazy Taxi
PS2 - Star Wars Battlefront
Xbox - Prince of Persia Sands Of Time
Wii - Cooking Mama
PS3 - Littebigplanet
Xbox One - Rocket League
PS2 - Eye Toy Play
Gamecube - Donkey Konga
Dreamcast - Sega Bass Fishing
Wii - Samba Di Amigo
Wii - Wii Sports
Wii - Wii U Draw
Xbox 360 - Guitar Hero
Xbox 360 - Kinect Games
Switch - Taiko Drum Master
Xbox 360 - DJ Hero
Xbox 360 - Rock Band (Drums)
PS2 - Buzz
N64 - Mario Kart 64
N64 - Goldeneye
Mega Drive - Micro Machines 2
SNES - Bomberman
Tabletop Arcade Machines
PS4 + VR - Wipeout
PS4 + VR - Tetris Effect
PS4 + VR - Astrobot
Atari 2600 - Superman
Mega Drive - X-Men
PS3 - Marvel vs Capcom 3
N64 - Ocarina of Time
Gamecube - Wind Waker
Wii - Twilight Princess
PS5 - Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
PS5 - Astro's Playroom
Switch - Overcooked
Switch - Untitled Goose Game
Xbox Series X - Forza Horizon 5
Xbox Series X - Crash Bandicoot 4
Xbox 360 - Halo 3
Master System - Sonic the Hedgehog
Mega Drive - Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Mega Drive - Sonic 3D
Dreamcast - Sonic Adventure 2
Xbox 360 - Sonic Generations
Xbox One - Sonic Mania
NES - Super Mario Bros
SNES - Super Mario World
N64 - Super Mario 64
Gamecube - Mario Sunshine
Wii - Super Mario Galaxy
Switch - Super Mario Odyssey
SNES - Plok!
SNES - Jurassic Park
SNES - Man U Championship Soccer
N64 - Wetrix
PS2 - Lego Star Wars
PS4 - Unbox Newbie's Adventure
PS4/Xbox One - Golf With Friends
PS4/Obox One - Death's Door
PS2 - Lego Star Wars 2
Wii - Lego Batman
Xbox 360 - Harry Potter Yr 5-7
NES - Duck Tales
Mega Drive - Lion King
Sega Pico - Various
SNES - Fifa 96
PS2 - Pro Evolution Soccer 4
Xbox 360 - Fifa 15
SNES - Smash Tennis
N64 - 1080 Snowboarding
Xbox - Tiger Woods PGA 2005
Dreamcast - Virtua Tennis
Dreamcast - Worms Armageddon
Xbox - Halo
Xbox - Crash Tag Team Racing
NES - RC Pro-Am
SNES - Super Mario Kart
3DO - Road Rash
PS1 - Gran Turismo
PS2 - Ridget Racer V
Xbox 360 - Project Gotham Racing
SNES - Street Fighter 2
PS1 - Tekken
Saturn - Virtua Fighter
N64 - WWF Attitude
Dreamcast - Marvel vs Capcom 2
Xbox 360 - Street Fighter IV
Gamecube - Mario Kart Double Dash
Gamecube - Smash Bros Brawl
Gamecube - Bomberman Generation
Wii - Mario Kart
Wii - Smash Bros Brawl
Wii U - Mario Kart 8
Wii U – Splatoon
Wii U - Super Smash Bros
PC - Fortnite
PC - Kerbal Space Program
PC - Minecraft
PC - Tomb Raider
PC - Monkey Island
Manchester section:
SNES – Plok!
SNES – Jurassic Park
SNES – Manchester United Championship Soccer
N64 – Wetrix
PS2 – Lego Star Wars The Video Games
PS4 – Unbox Newbie’s Adventure
PS4/X Box One – Golf With Friends
PS4/ X Box One – Death’s Door
BAFTA Young Games Designers Awards section:
2017 Winner, Emily Mitchell (age 17) – Fractured Minds
2017 Winner, Spruce Campbell (age 12) – CyberPNK
2021 Winner, Andrew Ah-Weng (age 14) – Getting Out Of It
2021 Finalist, David McIntosh (age 16) – SnakeLaw Island
2010 Winner, Dan Pearce, with James Cook and Sam Taylor (ages 16) – HAMSTER
2018 Winner, Catsey Osbourne and Sophia Shepherd (ages 16) with Rin Jones (age 17) – Tea & Tartlets
ABOUT THE SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY MUSEUM
The Science and Industry Museum tells the story of where science met industry and the modern world began. Manchester was one of the first global industrial cities, and its epic rise, decline and resurrection has been echoed in countless other cities around the world. The museum's mission is to inspire all its visitors, including future scientists and inventors, with the story of how ideas can change the world, from the industrial revolution to today and beyond.
The Science and Industry Museum is on the site of Liverpool Road Station, which was the Manchester terminus of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, the world's first purpose-built passenger railway. Among its internationally significant buildings are the world's oldest surviving passenger railway station and the world's first railway goods warehouse. In total, there are two Grade I listed buildings and four Grade II listed buildings on the site.
The Science and Industry Museum is part of the Science Museum Group, a family of museums which also includes the Science Museum in London; the National Railway Museum in York and Shildon; and the Science and Media Museum in Bradford. The Science Museum Group is devoted to the history and contemporary practice of science, medicine, technology, industry and media. With five million visitors each year and an unrivalled collection, it is the most significant group of museums of science and innovation worldwide.
