A huge gaming event is set to return to Manchester next month, with more than 160 consoles and hundreds of games to play.
The Power Up event will be back at the Science and Industry Museum for the first time in three years, taking ticket-holders on a journey through five decades of gaming.
Everything from retro arcade games to state-of-the-art virtual reality will be available to play at the hit event – and every ticket includes unlimited play all day.
Power Up will be taking place every weekend and school holiday from 18 June all the way through to December 2023.
Power Up will return to Manchester this summer. Credit: Science Museum Group
Consoles at the museum will include SNES, Wii, Mega Drive, Atari 2600, Playstation 5, N64, Xbox and more.
ADVERTISEMENT
Visitors will be able to take a trip down memory lane by playing retro classics like Pong and Pac-Man, rock out on Guitar Hero, and play the wildly popular Fortnite.
Power Up will allow people to follow the development of characters like Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog through the decades.
ADVERTISEMENT
Credit: Benjamin Ealovega and Science Museum Group
A new section for this year will celebrate Manchester’s gaming industry, from early success stories like Ocean Software and Software Creations to contemporary indie developers like Acid Nerve.
Young talent will be showcased too, with games made by winners and nominees from the Bafta Young Games Designers Awards, which are open to children and young people.
Mark Cutmore, head of commercial experiences at the Science Museum Group, said: “We are over the moon to welcome POWER UP back to the museum.
“It has always been a big hit with our visitors so we’re excited to be giving so much time to enjoy and keep returning to this experience during its longest run ever at the museum.
“We’re also really proud to be showcasing our city’s amazing contributions to the industry through the new Manchester Made section.
Credit: Science Museum Group
“POWER UP offers a fun space to enjoy past and present gaming technology, experience the latest developments and reminisce about old favourites. The gaming industry is a key component of Manchester’s creative, digital and tech industries and this interactive exhibition will help to inspire game designers and software engineers of the future.”
Tickets to Power Up include a full day of unlimited gaming, and are priced at £8 for adults, £7 for seniors, and £6 for children and concessions. There’s a £1 discount per ticket for families.
A major Manchester attraction is now offering 50% off kids tickets all autumn
Emily Sergeant
A major Manchester attraction is now offering 50% off kids tickets all autumn.
Autumn in Greater Manchester may be a thing of beauty, but if one thing’s for certain, the weather to get out there and appreciate the season it isn’t always the most reliable. That’s why many parents, guardians, and carers are often on the lookout for indoor activities to take the kids to when the heavens open – even better if the don’t break the bank too much.
Luckily, families looking for an affordable day out over the next couple of weeks can make the most of a new offer from a popular attraction, with 50% off child one-day tickets when purchased alongside a full-price adult ticket.
The offer gives families the chance to enjoy an underwater adventure for less at either SEA LIFE Manchester inside Trafford Palazzo, or a tad further afield SEA LIFE Blackpool.
At SEA LIFE Manchester, families can explore more than 30 display tanks and discover over 5,000 sea creatures – from sharks and rays in the immersive Ocean Tunnel, to colourful jellyfish and inquisitive sea turtles at Turtle Beach.
Meanwhile, over at SEA LIFE Blackpool, there’s a newly transformed ocean tank – which reopened early this summer following a £1.4 million refurbishment.
The 500,000-litre Jurassic-themed habitat is home to more than 50 creatures, including blacktip reef sharks, nurse sharks, stingrays, and green sea turtles.
Fancy it then? The half-price offer is currently live and runs up until 15 October 2026, with up to three discounted child tickets per booking.
The offer can only be redeemed when you book tickets online here.
Featured Image – Supplied
What's On
Charli XCX announces massive Manchester arena gig as part of long-awaited UK and European tour
Emily Sergeant
Charli XCX has finally given UK fans the news they’ve been waiting for.
After the genre-bending popstar announced back in June a series of US gigs this autumn to support and celebrate the release of her eighth studio albumMusic, Fashion, Film – which was met with critical acclaim following its release in late July – fans in her home country were wondering when she would announce UK dates to accompany these.
The 34-year-old been had hinting at a UK and European leg of the Music, Fashion, Film Tour on social media over the past couple of months, but nothing was set in stone as of yet.
Then last night, Charli took to Twitter to announce that she ‘finally’ had some information coming today (11 September), and then followed it up with a teaser video – sending fans into a frenzy.
And now, it has been announced this morning that Charli XCX will be taking to the Co-op Live stage early next year.
Support on the UK and European leg of the Music, Fashion, Film Tour will come from US popstar Audrey Hobert.
Hobert has been having somewhat of a star-making year herself in 2026 following the release of her own critically acclaimed debut album, Who’s The Clown?, last year – with her streams racking up daily and drawing in massive crowds on the festival circuit this summer.
Charli XCX – Music, Fashion, Film Tour UK & EU Dates 2027
13 February – 3Arena, Dublin
15 February – OVO Hydro, Glasgow
17 February – Co-op Live, Manchester
19 February – The O2, London
22 February – Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam
24 February – Accor Arena, Paris
Upon release back in July, Music, Fashion, Film the album received acclaim from music critics, who praised its lyrical honesty and experimental production, as Charli took a sonic journey away from the undeniable mega hit that was her 2024 album BRAT, and into ‘Rock Music’ territory.
Music, Fashion, Film topped the charts in the UK and Australia, as well as in Belgium, Hungary, and New Zealand, while reaching the top 10 in countless other countries – including the US.
Charli XCX will be bringing the Music, Fashion, Film Tour to Manchester‘s Co-op Live on Wednesday 17 February 2027, and tickets will go on sale next week.
Daisy Jackson -
25th May 2022 
