You hear it first, the bouncy midi melody of a retro Nintendo theme pouring out of the old church hall at St Killian's Parish.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The synthesised sound, and the buttons pushes and joystick twists that make it, transport Retro Gaming Bendigo creator Danny McSweeney to a different time.
"I forget my age," Mr McSweeney said.
"I transcend straight back to where I was at the time when I was playing ... it is a bit like how music can take you back to a place in time ... a memory."
Mr McSweeney started Retro Gaming Bendigo to forge a community for others who feel the same about old school video games and consoles.
His own passion started after his late grandmother left him just enough money to buy a computer.
"Life can be tough ... and [the computer] became an escape from reality," he said.
Now he leads a small group of video game buffs who show off their collections at St Killian's Hall once a month. The group celebrated its first birthday on Thursday, May 2.
'I feel so at home here, it's not funny'
Group member Michael Youla said his love for retro games started in the arcade at the Bendigo Bowling Alley in the 1980s.
"Dad would go and have a bet up at the TAB and would go and I would go get some coins off him and go down play the arcade ... I probably did that every weekend," Mr Youla said.
Mr Youla said he felt lucky to grow up in that era.
"It wasn't just the games in the '80s ... it was the music, the lifestyle," he said.
"And arcade games were an absolute part of that ... it was probably the best time in my life."
While the storylines might be less complex and the graphics grainier, there was a beauty in that too, Mr Youla said.
"I like simplicity ... it can make up for some of life's complexities," he said.
"These Retro Gaming Bendigo nights ... I feel so at home here, it's not funny."
Group brings some members out of their shell
That home for likeminded retro gamers was at the forefront of Mr McSweeney's mind when he created the group.
"I think we need those escapes today and we need that sense of community to regroup and get together in person," he said.
"And really, conversation is what this is all about."
Mr McSweeney said he also knew the group had also become an important meeting ground for some people who find other social settings overwhelming.
"They open up and talk to you and share with you their love for gaming," he said.
"And when I see the smile on their face ... it makes me want to keep [the group] going for as long as I able."
For more information or to join Retro Gaming Bendigo click here.
