Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (June 2, 2017)
JUNE 2, 2017, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A5 KeizerCommunity KEIZERTIMES.COM Retro video games in new exhibit By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes The only video game con- sole David Sherman has ever sold was his original Ninten- do Entertainment System. It ended up being such a traumatic experience that he can still remember the precise day: Halloween 1991. “I sold it to a guy who ran a fl ea market table for $55 with all my games at the time ... so stupid, but I was only 10 years old and did it with- out my Mom knowing,” said Sherman. He planned to used the proceeds to purchase a Sega Genesis without realizing he would have to come up with another $134. Suffi ce it to say, he learned his lesson, and now all of Keizer is benefi tting from it. Sherman’s collection of video game systems, and some of the accompanying games is now on display at the Keizer Heritage Museum through the end of July. You can even play a round of Ms. Pac-Man, cocktail table-style, for a quarter. All the quarters col- lected by the machine are be- ing donated to the museum. The Ms. Pac-Man table is one of the oldest elements on display, but Sherman said the only restoration he plans to do is, possibly, replace the glass top. “Most of us in the arcade preservation hobby do look at these games as artwork and items of historic value,” Sher- man said. “I’ll probably leave everything else with the mi- nor wear and tear visible from nearly 40 years of use.” People generally attach memories to senses, e.g. the scents that remind you of grandma’s kitchen. Sherman We are Everything Except Overpriced attached his memories to vid- eo game experiences. “In a way, they are kind time machines back to spe- cifi c moments of my life that my brain has made strong connections with either the game itself, the music of the game, the artwork on the box,” Sherman said. “Gaming defi nitely defi nes a lot of the milestones in my childhood and early development.” His collection of original Atari 7800 games once be- longed to a cousin who died unexpectedly. The Nintendo 64 on dis- play was purchased during his college years, primarily for the four pro wrestling games available on the system. He said those games are still some of the best of their kind even compared with modern- day hardware. He purchased a Sega Dreamcast and VR headset in 1999 when he was studying to become a game developer. “I used to carry it with me throughout Seattle while working at the Science Cen- ter or at school, and on breaks I’d simply plug in the power and put on my VR headset to get in some Soul Caliber or WWF action,” he said. While none of the items are particularly rare – and some, check out the NES Power- glove when you go, weren’t even particularly good – the exhibit is a stroll back through the fi rst two decades of home gaming systems. Even with all the advances in modern gaming, Sherman said it is still hard to pick a fa- vorite. “I have a lot of great con- nections to the Atari systems, but I have equally strong con- nections and stories about ev- ery console in the collection,” he said. The Keizer Heritage Mu- seum hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays 2 to 4 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald Let’s Hustle to Prevent Heart Disease! TOP: David Sherman’s collection of vintage video games is on display at the Keizer Heritage Museum through July. ABOVE: A cocktail-table style Ms. Pac-Man table is playable for a quarter. puzzle answers Simple Cremation $795 3rd Annual Crossword Puzzle page A9 Inexpensive Burial and Funeral Options Pre-Planning Available On-Site Crematory 8k, 5k, 1k • Aug 12 • State Capitol Start/Finish Benefits Salem Health Foundation’s High Street Hustle for Heart Fund COSTUMES ENCOURAGED! 4365 RIVER RD N, KEIZER REGISTER AT: ActiveSalem.com/high 503.393.7037 Sudoku Puzzle page A2 Se habla español Feel Our Warmth COME IN AND TALK WITH US Where do you get waxed? KEIZER GRAND OPENING! THE SPRINGS at SUNNYVIEW 20% OFF SERVICES INDEPENDENT LIVING 1950 45th Ave NE , Salem • 503- 589 -1200 Now through June 30, 2017 THE WOODS at WILLOWCREEK Keizer - 4833 River Rd N • 503.385.8337 Salem - 695 Commercial St SE, Ste 113 ASSISTED LIVING & MEMORY CARE 4398 Glencoe St NE , Salem • 503-581- 4239 TheSpringsLiving.com Book Online at www.CherryCityWaxworks.com MENTION THE KEIZERTIMES AD at time of service to receive the discount. Services must be scheduled at Keizer location. Exludes Brazilian Maintenance services.
