Visitors can play their way through half-term at Eden with a wide range of oversized, retro and traditional games to entertain all ages from May 28 to June 5. There will be a giant selection of hands-on games for friends and family to work together, play together, share memories of their favourite gaming experiences and most importantly, have fun. Younger ones can explore the many play areas, hidden nooks and crannies that Eden's gardens have to offer and even play a game or two of hide and seek.
In the Core building gamers can step into the history of video games, from vintage to virtual reality. There will also be Subbuteo table tournaments and classic 8-bit games in a magnetic form on the fridges. Jelle Bakker, also known as Jelle's Marble Runs on YouTube, will be building a marble run over 10 metres long, which will keep on rolling throughout the day. The Cardboard Arcade will be bringing their travelling arcade machines made out of cardboard to the Core. Inside is a computer, a monitor and a game.
Their aims are to put free-to-play multi-player arcade machines in public places all around the UK, to encourage new friendships through gaming and to inspire people of all ages to see computer games as a creative and artistic medium. In the Rainforest Biome Eden's narrators will be teaching visitors about a variety of global games, such as mancala, a strategy game played using a wooden board with hollows in and either seeds, small stones or marbles. Mufti Games are a Bristol based team of actors, musicians, theatre directors, producers and designers who love to make and to play games.
They will be bringing Massive Battleships, a super-sized team version of the classic naval guessing game, to be played across Eden's site. Crew mates can use binoculars, flags and flashcards to signal spectacular hits and unlucky misses hundreds of yards apart. They will also be performing their show, L_ve Hangman, a life-sized, 3D version of the timeless pen and paper favourite, reimagined as a macabre light-entertainment game show from the 70s.
With a catchy original soundtrack, tongue-in-cheek puppetry and dodgy dress sense, L_ve Hangman is wicked interactive fun for all ages. Visitors will find them in the Mediterranean Biome performing three times a day. Kate Francis, Eden Live Programme Producer, said: “Game On will be a great chance for families to play and share their favourite games with one another. We are inviting visitors to come and explore the world of gaming at Eden from arcade classics to playground games.
“Gaming is about having fun, but it's also about being creative, collaborating and solving problems. These are all skills that are very useful in day-to-day life. There are a lot of advantages in all of us playing games. It tests our brains, helps us think differently about our environment and teaches us life lessons for the future, no matter how old you are!”