From Pacman to Mortal Combat and Space Invaders, a Dunedin exhibition is bringing old computer games back to life.

The exhibition has been put together from one man's extraordinary collection.

The retro computer games have come together thanks to an obsession sparked during Clinton Rowe's childhood.

"It was the 80s, sort of the mid and early 80s, so I would have been about eight or nine," Mr Rowe told ONE News.

Since then, the former computer technician has amassed arguably the most significant collection of video game paraphernalia in the country.

"It's my fascination with going back in time and reducing things to the underlying ideas," he said.

The games are on display and ready to play in the free exhibition.

There are 6000 games and over 600 consoles and computers in Mr Rowe's collection which he hopes to permanently exhibit in the future.

The 40 or so games on show are just a drop in the pond compared to his entire collection which fills out two houses.

"And there is probably a bit of that hoarding mentality in there as well, but it's collecting for a purpose," he said.

The exhibition is a project by the Urban Dream Brokerage, a concept instigated in Wellington to bring life to otherwise empty city shops.

"I think Dunedin is thriving and Dunedin is busy. I don't think we have a problem with it feeling dead in any way. But it's about bringing interesting things into the city to make it more exciting," said Tamsin Cooper of Urban Dream Brokerage.

New games don't get Mr Rowe too excited - too much whizz bang in-your-face sound and graphics.

And as for the latest gaming fad, Pokemon Go, don't go there.

"Its probably a bit too modern and even a bit anti-social I think," he said.