Still playing Space Invaders or Street Fighter in your dreams? Veteran button-bashers can unite in a celebration of video games through the ages at GEEK 2012. Josh Wickenden reports.

Chased by jelly-like figures around their twisted maze, Pac-Man was a revolution in its day and stands as a figurehead for old-school video gaming.

Despite the advent of the Playstation and X-Box, it still carries its charm with games like Space Invaders and Phoenix and is making a comeback in Kent.

And while age might be creeping up on us all, those in their 40s and older can certainly still show wide-eyed youngsters a thing or two on the hulking arcade machines – at GEEK 2012.

Short for Game Expo East Kent, the five-day event pulls together video games from the last 30 years, saving classic machines from a life gathering dust in a storage cupboard.

As well as the early days of arcade classics, the convention at Margate’s Winter Gardens remembers the console wars between Sega and Nintendo in the 1990s, when Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario battled for the affections of the nation’s children.

It then comes right up to date with the life-like graphics and revolutionary gameplay of titles like Final Fantasy, Uncharted and Call of Duty.

More than 150 systems, including the classic Atari, Nintendo Entertainment Systems and more recent PS3 and Xbox 360, will be powered up and ready to play with games like Pong, Goldeneye and FIFA 2012.

There will also be pinball tables for the ultimate battle of man versus machine. There are no graphical enhancements – it is just a small metal ball helping players on the way to victory.

Daily competitions will see gamers go head to head in The Pit, competing on multiplayer games such as Mario Kart, Street Fighter 2 Turbo and FIFA football games from through the ages.

If your eyes start to go square but the geek cravings have not been satisfied, there are daily fringe events such as Game Jam.

This is a competition to design your own game and have it judged by professional games producers. There is also Part Man – Part Machine, a night at the Carlton Cinema in Westgate-On-Sea, celebrating some of the most successful games inspired by films.

Guest speaker Gary Bracey, from Ocean Software, will lead the discussion, having worked on the games inspired by the movies Batman and Robocop. GEEK 2012 wristband holders can watch the films and play the games with free popcorn.

The Nintendisco is a must for the chic geek looking to bust their moves at a night of music and gaming.

There will be a competitive element, rewarding the night’s winners with retro prizes. Compete in a Winner Stays On challenge and battle to claim the top spot on the night’s High Score Leaderboard for most consecutive wins.

GEEK 2012 takes place at Margate’s Winter Gardens from Wednesday, February 15, to Sunday, February 19. Tickets £12, concessions £8. Part Man - Part Machine is on Friday, February 17. Tickets £12. The Nintendisco is on Saturday, February 18. Tickets £5. Box office 01843 296111. Visitwww.gameexpoeastkent.co.uk