Caerphilly man’s collection of video games consoles spanning 45 years goes on display

A Caerphilly man’s collection of computer games consoles spanning the industry’s 45 years has gone on display.

Consoles from each of the eight generations so far released in the UK have gone on show at the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea after being provided by Samuel Anstee, from Caerphilly.

The collection forms part of the Generation Games exhibition, which runs until March 2018 and allows visitors to try out games from 1972 right through to current day models.

Mr Anstee has been playing video games since a young age, and his expansive collection includes a rare Magnavox Odyssey – the first recognisable console – from the first two-week manufacturing run in the USA in August 1972. The Odyssey didn’t reach the UK until a year later.

The history of video game consoles is divided into eight ‘generations’ and the exhibition features them all.

It starts from Generation One – the early 1970s when players would often have to mount a plastic screen on their TV to give some simulation of graphics, draw cards from a pack to give them new tasks and even keep score with a pencil and paper – right up to today’s Generation Eight virtual reality games.

Andrew Deathe, who is putting the exhibition together, said: “One thing that you realise hasn’t changed is the storyline for many games.

“Even the very simple ones feature elements where one person is trying to blast another, shooting aliens or trying to beat your opponent at a sport like tennis.

“But now the technology has caught up and is able to give us so much more. I know Samuel sees virtual reality as finally giving him the opportunity to be part of the action – the games are at last able to live up to that promise.”

The exhibition is free, and will move to Pontypool Museum in 2018 after its run in Swansea.