UM CVGA

Heads-up: The CVGA will be closed Thursday and Friday this week (July 17 & 18). We resume regular summer hours on Monday.

Betty says Reggie won’t be the Super Nintendo champ for long, now that she has a new asciiPad controller.

Here’s something you don’t see every day - an ad for asciiPad featuring the Archie gang and in the tried and true Hostess style (1993).

Last night I got access to a digitized film reel from 1969 that shows off a computer artillery game called Potshot. And to explain why that’s a big deal, I need to talk about Dartmouth and the BASIC computer language.

A dark grey Interact Home Computer; with x chiclet keyboard and built-in cassette deck. and two detachable joystick controllers

One of the rarest items in our collection: an Interact Home Computer, from Ann Arbor-based Interact Electronics ca. 1978

The CVGA will close early (at 4pm) on July 3rd, and is closed on July 4.

A bunch of Atari 2600 game cartridges in a large plastic bin

A bunch of Atari 2600 game cartridges in a large plastic bin

A bunch of Intellivision and ColecoVision game cartridges in a large plastic bin

Extra game cartridges (duplicates in our collection)

The image shows a workspace area with multiple cubicles arranged in an L-shape, each equipped with monitors and various gaming consoles. The cubicles have beige walls and are furnished with gray office chairs with red seats. On the desks, there are several monitors; gaming consoles include an Xbox 360 console on the left; an Xbox One, an Evercade, and a PS4 at the center; and an Xbox One and a PlayStation 3 along with some tangled cables on the right. The floor is covered with gray-patterned carpet, and the background reveals additional shelving with boxes and office equipment, indicating an office or gaming setup environment.

And here's a look at some of the gaming stations in the CVGA archive room.

The image shows a shelf filled with vintage video game consoles. On the left, there are several gray Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) consoles stacked together. In the middle, there are two white Sega Dreamcast consoles stacked on top of each other, with a white Nintendo Wii standing next to them and another on top of them. To the right, there are three black Nintendo 64 consoles, with cables resting on and around them. The background shows a large room with shelves and boxes, indicating a storage or collection area.

Here's a look at one of the shelves in the CVGA storage area, with several extra game consoles ready to be called into service!

Episode 134: Preservation Work Inside the University of Michigan Library Computer and Video Game Archive

I’m so excited that the @gamehistoryorg.bsky.social talked to @umcvga.bsky.social, University of Michigan’s game archives! I’ve been able to visit a couple times and it’s a wonderful place

pca.st/episode/e2b1...

We are giving a brief (remote) presentation about the CVGA at @narrascope.org this afternoon at 1:30 EDT.

ColecoVision cartridges for: Frenzy; War Room; WarGames; Pitstop; Time Pilot; Kevtris; River Raid; Centipede

A few recent ColecoVision game arrivals in the CVGA.

Comics in Conversation: Artist, Writer, Reader

Tomorrow (Fri June 13) in #AnnArbor: “Comics in Conversation: Artist, Writer, Reader” panel with @tonyweaverjr.bsky.social @goraina.bsky.social & @scottmccloud.bsky.social (moderator @elephanteater.bsky.social) 1pm Hatcher Library Gallery @umichlibrary.bsky.social www.lib.umich.edu/visit-and-st...

Ms. Pac-Man Centipede Miner 2049er Blueprint Wizards of Wor

Atari 5200 games added to the CVGA collection this week #atari #retrogames

played some Rhyme Rider Kerorican for the Wonderswan Color over at the @umcvga.bsky.social, and also got to check out the box! Very cool stuff :]

(Stage 4 is still hard as heck even on original hardware)

CVGA hours for the Spring/Summer:

M, T, W, F: Noon - 4pm
Thurs: Noon - 6pm
Sat & Sun: Closed

(Through August 12; closed holidays.)

The CVGA is currently closed for the intersession. We will reopen on Tuesday May 6 with our Spring hours:

M, T, W, F: Noon - 4pm
Thurs: Noon - 6pm
Sat & Sun: Closed

Close-up of an HP monitor showing a vintage-style video game with a photograph of a white rat labeled “Blob.” On-screen dialogue reads: “You’re such a pretty girl, Blob.” The background appears to be an office or lab setting.

A glass display case with vintage Pokémon plush toys (including Pikachu and Dratini), Super Mario Bros. 3 cards, Among Us stickers, Pac-Man-themed tags, and other gaming memorabilia. A person is reflected working at a table behind the case.

A printed flyer for the University of Michigan's Computer & Video Game Archive (CVGA), resting on a desk. The flyer includes a photo of the archive, a QR code, and contact info. In the background are figurines of Hello Kitty characters and a pink Poké Ball speaker.

A well-organized library of board games on black bookshelves in a brightly lit room. Game titles include Carcassonne, Power Grid, Galaxy Trucker, Pandemic, and more. The floor is carpeted, and the space resembles a community or library game room.

📚 Happy National Library Week!
Visited @umcvga.bsky.social last month - library AND gamer paradise! 🎮
Played Phantasmagoria on a vintage PC 🤯
Have you checked out games at your local library? What's your experience been? How could this increase access for students?
#LevelUpEDU #Library

8-Bit Music Exhibit

8-Bit Music Exhibit @umichlibrary.bsky.social www.lib.umich.edu/visit-and-st...

We've (finally!) added a new iPad to the CVGA for mobile gaming (replacing our old iPad that was very, very old!)

...For like two minutes, until we pressed the reset switch and that post broke clean off. 😭

The inside of an Atari VCS consoles.

Attempted surgery today on a pair of Atari VCS consoles.

We had one with a bad controller port, and another with a bad power switch. So we took the switch board from the one with the bad controller port and put it in the other. Sealed it back up and it worked...

Swords of the Serpentine Monsters of the Armageddon Apocalisse: John's Guide to the Armageddon Call of Cthulhu: Malleus Monstrorum Lancer Rod, Reel, & Fist You: A Solo Role-Playing Game About Hope and Love Historica Arcanum: The City of Crescent

Recent additions to the CVGA's TTRPG book collection:

Sears Tele-Games console (original)

Sears Video Arcade II (left) and Coleco Gemini (right)

Tested some of our ersatz Atari 2600 consoles today. One of the original Sears units works like new; the others work but have at least one touchy switch.

We are closed this week for break week. Regular Winter hours resume March 10.

A promotional poster for Dungeons and Dragons at YDL-Whittaker library. Dark purple cave-like background with white and red text. Features a silhouette of a green dragon in flight. Shows event details: Ages 12-18, Saturdays at 10:30AM, February 1 & 15.

Heed the call to adventure, brave souls! The ancient tomes speak of teenage heroes gathering at the Whittaker branch, where seasoned Dungeon Masters lead one-shot adventurers through perilous dungeons and mythical realms. 🐉

An Atari 7800+ console with two wireless controllers.

A Super Pocket handheld in blue, along with a grey with blue trim case.

Arrived today in the CVGA: An Atari 7800+ (plays 2600 & 7800 games on a modern display over HDMI) and an Evercade-compatible Super Pocket handheld.

Why won't any of these games load on the Apple II?!?!

(a few minutes later...)

Oh, because they are Commodore 64 games 🤦‍♂️

Box for the Logitech G930

Logitech G920 racing wheel with pedals mounted on a woodgrain table; an Xbox X Home Screen is on a television in the background

We now have a Logitech G920 steering wheel + pedals for all your Xbox One/S/X & Windows 11 racing game needs!

Current Umich students/faculty/staff can reserve a station at umich.libcal.com/reserve/umcvga

Guests (i.e. everyone else, including alumni) can request a reservation at forms.gle/6J7RH5rUtUEJ... (at least one business day in advance)