Historical exhibitions are usually a bit of a snoozefest — when they’re about anything other than video games, that is. Bringing a dose of nostalgia to the Ontario Science Centre starting March 9 is Game On 2.0, a six-month celebration of video game history and culture. Here are five reasons why this could be the best exhibition to come to Toronto all year.

1. You can experience the holodeck. One of the exhibition’s standout features is the Canadian premiere of the Virtusphere. It’s like the holodeck, only crappier. But hey, it’s only 2013.

2. Pong. What simple creatures we once were, when the greatest video game of all time was nothing more than a ball bouncing between two sticks. At the Game On exhibition, you’ll be able to play more than 150 games from across video game history, including gems like Pong.

3. You’ll actually bond with your child. Remember when your parents shook their heads at the latest Nintendo game? These days, parents are just as enamoured with the latest Halo as their munchkins are. Forget the group hugs and jump into a family multiplayer game, where you can toss grenades at one another and assure your mutual destruction. Mutual love of destruction, that is.

4. You will find a new ring tone. While playing all of those games, you’re going to hear a lot of music. Awesome music. From the Legend of Zelda theme to the Super Mario Bros. underground pipe song to the joyous Puzzle Bobble theme, your phone is about to get pimped out.

5. You could be the best in Toronto. As George Costanza will tell you, there is no finer achievement than being king or queen of the high score. This is your chance to rule the scoreboards of your favourite games, though we don’t actually know if they unplug the games at night.

Game On 2.0, March 9 – Sept. 2, Ontario Science Centre