What better way to spend a dreary January Sunday afternoon than playing retro video games with the family?
Sheffield is now home to the National Videogame Museum, right in the heart of the city and just a few steps from Castle Square tram stop. For anyone arriving by tram, train, car or van, that central location is useful because it makes the museum easy to build into a wider Sheffield day out.
Once you have bought your ticket, it is a play-all-day setup. Your hand is stamped, you are in the gang, and you can come and go as you please. If you book your tickets the day before you plan to visit, you get 50p off. At that time of year, every little helps.
Arriving at the National Videogame Museum
The entrance is lit up with bright lights, and as you reach the front desk you are greeted by welcoming staff. Straight away you are face to face with a life-size Sonic the Hedgehog model, along with the buzzing sounds of video games coming from inside.
It feels more like walking into a playable arcade than a quiet museum. That is worth knowing before you go. If you are expecting a calm gallery-style visit, this is not really that. It is lively, hands-on and very much designed for playing.
Retro Games for Adults and Familiar Games for Children
The adults in our party were instantly drawn to the old retro arcade games around the edge of the room. We quickly spotted favourites such as Space Invaders, Pac-Man and Track and Field.
The pounding those buttons must have taken over the years says a lot. They were still popular when we visited, and we had to wait a while before we could jump on ourselves and get button-tapping properly.
The younger ones were straight off to games they recognised more easily, including Mario and Pokémon. There are different consoles scattered around the room, so they could move between things they already knew and older games from our generation.
That was one of the better parts of the visit. It was good to see the children exploring the floor and giving some of the older games a go, rather than only sticking with the familiar ones.
Games That Brought Back Memories
Duck Hunt on the original Nintendo is set up and ready to bring back memories of what was probably many people’s first shooting game, complete with the light gun.
I also had a proud moment watching the children battle each other on Street Fighter, working out special moves and trying to reach that KO. It is probably the only acceptable way to let your children knock each other out, as Ryu and Ken.
There is also a Guitar Hero section where you can get your jam on, plus an interactive area where people were playing tig with PlayStation Move controllers. And, of course, an arcade would not feel complete without a dance machine.
You can jump on, pick your tune, and show the room whether you can stomp in time with the moving arrows.
The Museum Side of the Visit
The part that lacked a little for me was the museum element.
I was hoping for more exhibits, things to look at, and information about gaming and how far it has come. There were a few glass cabinets scattered around the room with items inside. These were interesting to look at and did bring back nostalgic memories, but they did not seem to be accompanied by factual details or information plaques when we visited.
That said, the museum had only opened two months earlier at the time of our visit. The National Videogame Museum website also stated that more was still to come. Hopefully that side will grow as the museum develops, because the idea is strong and the subject has plenty of room for proper exhibits as well as hands-on play.
Food, Re-entry and the Gift Shop
You cannot ask for too much more from an afternoon out if gaming is your thing.
There is a small coffee shop and cafe on site, but the hand stamp also means you can pop back out into the city centre, grab some food elsewhere, and return later. That is a useful setup, especially if you are visiting with children or making the museum part of a longer day in Sheffield.
You exit through the gift shop, of course. Who does not enjoy a look around a good gift shop, even if it is only to talk about how expensive things are and how you could probably find them cheaper online? Looking and touching is still part of the fun.
Who the National Videogame Museum Suits
The National Videogame Museum works well for families, couples, groups of friends, and anyone who grew up with arcade games or early consoles. It is also a useful indoor option for a cold or wet day in Sheffield.
For road-trippers and car travellers, the central location means it is worth thinking about the wider city-centre approach before you arrive. For van and campervan travellers, the key thing is that this is a city-centre attraction, so it makes sense to plan your parking and route in advance rather than treating it like a pull-up-and-park countryside stop.
The museum itself is not really a quiet wander. It is more of a lively, hands-on visit where you play, wait your turn, move between machines, and spend time with whatever grabs your attention.
Final Thoughts
The National Videogame Museum is a great new asset for Sheffield and one to keep an eye on.
At the time of our visit, it already offered a fun afternoon out, especially for anyone who enjoys gaming or wants to share a bit of retro arcade nostalgia with children. The playable side was strong, while the more traditional museum side felt like it still had room to grow.
The museum also offers hire options and catering for parties, and there was a Pixelheads club starting soon. This was described as a club for young people who love games and want a social place to talk about them, play them and make games themselves.
National Videogame Museum Contact Details
The National Videogame Museum can be contacted on 0114 321 0299 or via www.thenvm.org.
National Videogame Museum is situated at Castle House, Angel Street, Sheffield, S3 8LN.