The Museum of Video Game History is organizing a lecture by renowned British author and editor Mike Diver this Sunday, January 11, 2026. titled The Charms of Imperfect Arcades: Electronic Tabletop Games of the 1980s.
At a time when computers were still out of reach for most, such games brought the arcade atmosphere into homes, including classics like Space Invaders, Zaxxon, Pac-Man, and Tron. Electronic tabletop games marked the period from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s, published by companies like Epoch, Konami, Tomy, and Nintendo. With the advent of handheld consoles in the early 1990s, they slowly faded into obscurity until Mike Diver documented them in his book From Coin-Ops to Table-Tops: The Essential Electronic Games (Numskull Publishing, 2024) and gave them the attention they deserve.
The lecture will be accompanied by photographs and information from the book, featuring games like Astro Wars and Puck Monster, along with interesting facts from the time they were created. Although they could not technically compare to the arcade originals, these games were special in their own way and represent a fascinating part of video game history.
Mike Diver has been following, researching, and writing about the world of video games for over two decades. He has worked in editorial, marketing, and public relations for major media outlets like VICE and the BBC, and over the years has made significant contributions to the understanding and contemplation of video game culture and design. He is the author of the books Indie Games: The Complete Introduction to Indie Gaming and Retro Gaming: A Byte-Sized History of Video Games, where he combines research with a passion for games, focusing on the history of video games, creative processes, and their place in contemporary digital heritage.
The lecture will take place at the Museum's venue, located at Draškovićeva 10, starting at 7 PM. Tickets are valid for a visit to the Museum and can be purchased via the following link.
