I Miss the Arcade
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Some of my favorite memories are of going to video game arcades as a child. But, sadly today they have almost disappeared. Sure their are Chuck E. Cheese's all over the place, but they're just not the same. One Arcade called Funland closed down a few years ago and it still has an empty building with a cool looking mini-golf and batting cages just sitting there with a big keep out sign. Another local arcade had an awesome go-kart track. But, this arcade was changed into a daycare center. At least it is nice seeing the kids race around the track on little big wheels and tricyles. But, when I was in my teens I raced go-karts around it and played Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat there. The arcade was a big part of my life and I am sad to see them go. At least a few times a month I would go to the arcade with a group of friends. We would play pinball, skeeball, air hockey, and most importantly video games. Sure I had an Atari, a Nintendo and Later a Playstation at home. But, going to the arcade was just so much fun. It was a place to play the newest games before they were released on the home systems. The graphics were much better and I could compete against other players. It was awesome when I could enter in my initials for a top score of a game. I would have a blast playing a fighting game on one quarter while others kept dumping in quarters to try and beat me. I wasn't even born when the first games came out. But, when I was old enough plenty of the first games where still around and I loved playing them. Some of my favorites were Donkey Kong Jr., Ms. Pac Man, Centipede, Gyrus, Rolling Thunder, Gauntlet, Chase HQ, the Mortal Kombat series, Ikari Warrioirs and numerous others.
Restored Arcade
While growing up in the 80's arcades were popping up in every town. There were a few nearby so I could visit them pretty often. I was pretty lucky in that my aunt and uncle had a vacation home up in Gunstock NH. My mother or one of my aunt's would take me there at least once every winter and summer. Nearby in Laconia is the worlds largest arcade, Funspot. I would spend hours their and never want to leave. They had all of the old classic games like Pong, Pac-Man and Space Invaders. They also had all of the newest games too. I am glad to know that the place has outlasted home video game systems unlike most other arcades. Funspot is actually considered the American Classic Arcade Museum. The place is 2 hours away from my home or else I would be their all of the time. Tons of video game geeks like me are willing to travel across the country to see it. I hope to bring my boys there soon. They would be completely Aww struck.The place has 3 huge floors dedicated to video game machines. A lot of the movie The King of Kong was shot at Funspot.
Expandable Donkey Kong Machine
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Wow! an Expandable Machine sounds perfect.
History of the Arcade
Video game cabinets became popular in the mid 70's. They would consist of a monitor, a colorful cabinet with pictures of the game and a controller. Oh and of course a slot for quarters. In 1971 the first coin operated video game was made. It was called The Gallaxy Game and it was placed at Stanford University in the student union. When the game became more widely built it was renamed Computer Space. In 1972 Atari was formed by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. They created the video game Pong which quickly became a huge hit. They started out in bowling alleys and bars. As the games became more popular they started being found in gas stations, liquor stores, malls, restaurants and evan retail stores. In the early 80's arcade machines became more popular than ever. Video arcades started popping everywhere because the public just couldn't get enough. Parents were worried about kids skipping school just to play them so they didn't open until school got out.The best players would be followed and interviewed and even had groupies. In 1977 the first Check E. Cheese was opened. It was actually opened by the creator of Atari, Nolan Bushnell. His idea was to introduce younger kids to video games in a family friendly environment. Unlike bars and bowling alleys where most video games were at the time. Today Chuck E. Cheese is just as poplular as ever especially for birthday parties.
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A Sad Farewell to the Arcade
Eventually home video game systems caught up with the graphics of arcade games. Although sadly in many cases the fun factor has suffered. Instead of going to the arcade as often my friends and I would hang out at each others houses and play video games. It was a lot cheaper once the initial game was purchased. We still headed out to play the newest Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat games sometimes because they were a lot more fun against others. In the mid 90's a place called Strike One opened near my house. It was awesome. They offered indoor soccer and batting cages. But, the important thing for me was that they also had an awesome deal for older games. You could pay a flat $5 and play all of the games they had all day. I had a blast there. Strangely it was never very crowded. I guess most people were at home playing games.Soon many of the newer video games became 50 cents or even a dollar to play. A few years ago an awesome Pod Racing game came out when the new Star Wars came out. The game looked like a lot of fun. But, at $2.00 I wasn't going to go near it. Sure it moved and had killer graphics. But, it was just to steep of a price for me. I only saw a few people ever playing it. Today you can play Xbox live so you don't even need to leave your house to talk with and compete with other players. All of this sad talk is making me want to plan a trip to Fun Spot this summer. Wired just had a very relevant article. Small-Town Arcade Taxed out of Existence. Seems as though the taxes on places having old video games are outrageous. They have been around since people were standing in long lines to play the games. Today fewer people are playing the games and the cost of owning them in a business setting is more than they make. No wonder an important part of America's culture has been disappearing so quickly.
and Books
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Favorite Arcade Games
- Arcade Games: Skeeball, Bubble Hockey, Air Hockey
More great games found at the arcade.
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Do you miss the arcade? Have your local arcades disappeared?
Interesting stuff. I'm sure I am the minority here, but I was never into arcades at all. I've always much preferred playing at home. The only exception was Dragon Quest - because there wasn't a home version.
Thanks, Yhuang, Pacman is great, I got the little plug-in TV version for my wife a few years ago. We still take it out and play it once in a while. The controls aren't quite the same because the controller moves a little because you need to hold it your hand instead of it being fixed in place. It also has Dig Dug and Centipede or Centipede might be on a different one. Anyway it brings back a lot of great memories. The screaming would get to me too. I feel your brothers pain. But, it is easy to get very worked up into the gamed. Pinky, Blinky, Inky and Clyde can be pretty scary at times.
Thanks Constant, at least you liked one game. That is good enough reason to be here. Home video games were great too but, I really loved the atmosphere of all of the sounds and people watching the game when you were doing well. The arcade made a great place to hang out with friends and to compete with fellow gamers. What about some of the Late 80's games that moved? They had to have been a lot better at the arcade for you too. (Afterburner, OutRun, Space-Harrier).
Call me a wuss, but one of the things I didn't like about arcades was that the games were much harder than the home versions. I wasted too many quarters trying to get used to a particular game. It was easrier to buy the home version and take my time getting to know it.
PS: That game was "Joust" not Dragon Quest. Doh!
Hi. I think that part of the fun you had with arcades was that you were with your friends. But now, if you go there with your sons, things will probably be different.
Jim, great Hub. I am a little miffed because I just wrote down in my sketch book last Tuesday that I was going t o right a similar Hub. At the same time I think you said it better than I could have. The King of Kong...one of the best all around movies ever. Reluctant hero, villain, great supporting characters, and it's all real. Thanks again for this Hub.
Nice memories Jim. I used to go to Rocky Point Park here in RI. They had a great arcade. When I was growing up, pinball was a dime.
Constant, I was wondering what Dragon Quest was. I checked Wikipedia and it was an RPG game with the name Dragon Warrior when it came to the states. Joust makes a lot more sense. Well you at least saved a lot more quarters than I did. But, I don't regret it one bit.
Arcades, and drive in movies!
BeatsMe, it was great with my friends But, I still had lots of fun when I went alone. Well, when my aunts or mother would take me and I was able to take off and meet other gamers. Today I think I will look at the games with my kids and they will have no idea why I like some of the games so much. They will wonder why the graphics stink and some of the games are really hard. The boys do like Centipede though.
sorry gksquire9, I had been writing this Hub in my spare time for about 2 weeks. I'm glad you like it though. Hey do you want your sketch book back? (LOL) The best I ever did in Donkey Kong was like the 5th level. I was pretty good at Donkey Kong Jr. especially once I got it for the Nintendo. I haven't gotten around to seeing The King of Kong yet. But, it is definitely on my to do list. The trailers and previews look great. I'm glad you liked the Hub. If you make a similar one that is different enough we can link to each other.
rockinjoe, is the arcade still there? Rhode Island now has a Dave and Busters. I guess it is like Chuck E. Cheese but, more geared towards adults and kids instead of just kids. It sounds like a lot of fun. But, it is about an hour and a half from me. But, hopefully I can check it out sometime. I remember really liking Gorgar and Grand Lizard at Fun Spot and when Addams Family was new. Pinball is a lot of fun too.
Wow Jim, thanks for taking me back for a minute - I grew up in NY and remember the arcade up the street from our house next a pizza parlor. The owner must have been rich, the place was always packed with kids. I would play for hours and my parents knew where I was because of the (secondhand) cigarette smoke - I recall there was a cigarette burn on every machine and quite a few spots on the carpet. Anyhow, great read!
There are still some Arcades operating in NY. It seems, however, those too are on the verge of closing down. Not many customers for them. It was a fun read. Thx.
Hi surviveprison and anjalichugh, I'm glad to take you back to the arcade. Parents complained about kids getting into trouble when they went to the arcade. I never saw that though. Most kids just had fun playing the arcade games. It seems like they are all going away. I have read that arcades are still huge in Japan. I'm kind of jealous and wonder why, because they have the same great home video game systems too.
Very nice Hub Jim...brought me back quite a few. "Back in the day" Galaga was my game. That was when I worked at the mall and spent my money there too. No cares...pre-marriage and kids.
Thanks Darlene, Galaga is great. We have that on a plug and play Namco TV game. It also has Pac-Man and Dig Dug. My kids actually love playing Dig Dug. I even took it out today because I have been writing this Hub and we have been snowed today here in MA.
Hi Jim, No Rocky Point is gone for good. Dave and Buster's is in the Providence Place Mall. It's about 10 mins from me and I'm ashamed to say I haven't been there yet. The Mall is less than 10 years old and the whole thing is for sale, so I have no idea how long D&B will last.
Sorry about Rocky Point. You better hurry up and check out Dave and Buster's. My wife and I take the kids to the Roger Williams Zoo once in a while. Maybe when the weather is nice we could go their for dinner on our way back home. I think my boys would love it. The older two are 8 and 6. I hear it is a great mall too but, I haven't visited it yet.
I miss them too. All the new technology and game consoles aren't as much fun. Great article.
Netters it seems like a lot of video game developers concentrate on having the best graphics nowadays and completely miss out on fun addictive game play. It is nice that Nintendo is trying to get back to that with their Wii. But, I still really miss the old arcade games.
Hi Jim - thanks for bringing back some good memories. I literally had a blister on my finger from Ms. Pacman. Cheers!
I miss the arcade myself, however I don't miss the bullies that hung around them and always hit you up for more quarters or else....
Hi Cindy, I'm happy to bring back memories of Ms. Pacman. It sounds like you must have been really good at it. That game was great.
Thanks goldentoad, I guess a couple of bad apples tend to ruin the fun for everyone sometimes. I had a few people ask me for quarters, but luckily no threats. What kind of bad places did you hang out in. It wasn't Chuck E. Cheese's was it?
Oh I hung out all over town, you might say I was a well supervised kid. I don't worry about the bullies at Chuck E Cheese, but I do worry about some of the moms coming my way in their tighty clothes and in need of a serious diet, large and in charge, let me count the rolls of fat moms who need to take their chunky kids to the park to run with them, not stuff themselves silly with crappy pizza and fake wings. Oh I hate Chuck E Cheese, but my kids love it, its like their Las Vegas.
They still have games around, Jim, but they call them casinos. I liked the arcades when I was a kid in Yonkers, N.Y., and took the bus to Playland in Rye. The baseball game was the most popular back then. Enjoyed the hub.
Mr.Jim. You have nicely recollected and brought out a hub on arcade
Goldentoad, I prefer Fun Spot any day. I just wish it wasn't 2 hours away. My kids love Chuck E. Cheese's too. It is tolerable since it is the closest thing even remotely resembling an arcade. It is nice that all games are one token and they take the multiple coupons I can print out. But, I'm definitely not a fan of their pizza. Somehow it is my wife's favorite pizza and I can't possibly figure out why.
William, I've never actually made it to a casino, but I assume my odds of winning are even less than that of me beating Donkey Kong. I'm glad you liked my hub.
Thanks Muthasamy, I tried my best to sum up what I could. Their seemed to be a lot to write about arcades considering they have been dying off.
"I miss the arcade days too!"
"The video game has just become virtual reality!"
"Two thumbs up!"
"Great hub!"
CEO E.S.A.H.S. Association
I miss arcade days too, hours of endless fun!
Me too, it was loads of fun back then.
Hey Jim, I keep forgetting to tell you; Since reading this hub I started to notice arcades. Get this; there are 6 in my little city of Springfield, alone. And in Eugene - our sister-city - there are 20 more arcades, or game shops with arcade games in them.
Constant, thanks for the info. That is great news. I can't even imagine how many arcades they must have had in the late 80's. I am really surprised because everything around me in MA is leaving fast. Are they arcades with themes like Chuck E. Cheese's and Dave and Buster's? It is hard to believe they are simple old fashion arcades. I hope you get a chance to check one out and play Joust for me. Do the game shops sell arcade cabinets or are they the typical home video game sellers like GameStop?
I know that some are themed shops (like arcade games, mini-golf, etc), but the one I saw recently had just plain old arcade games and nothing else. I don't know if they sell them. But the home video game stores I typically shop don't have or sell arcade games.
That is great news for gamers in your area. I used to have a mini-golf and arcade nearby but, it is now abandoned. I don't know of any places near me that sell them either. I have a Chuck E. Cheese nearby I take the kids to once in a while but, the games aren't great and there is absolutely no classic games. A few movie theaters near me have a few games but, nothing I'm too interested in playing.
That's a bloomin' shame! Clearly, you need to relocate you and your family to Lane County Oregon. It's a great place. Homest.
Sounds like a great plan. I just gotta come up with a better reason to give my wife than to play video games. If anything she wants to move down south where it is warmer. It would be nice to hang out with you though.
You pick your topics well.
I was never a 'gamer' but my boys love them.
I put on my detective hat and found a nice website classicarcademuseum.org/tournament. The true origin of arcade games seems to be illusive but I found out the first pinball machine was invented in1933, I am sure it evolved from there.
Keep those Hubs comin'.
Will do thanks for visiting and for the link.
Jim, I loved going to arcades. They have a nice one in Cape May, NJ were I vacation sometimes. My kids love them as much as I do. Great Hub!
What a great hub, Jim. And brings back so many memories. There's something so different about being face to face with a pinball game than playstation or any of those other ones can offer. And the lights, and sounds, and energy. It was so awesome. I actually enjoyed the arcade most when I was in my 20s. My girlfriends and I would go to the mall to get a bite to eat in the food court and then spend our quarters at the arcade. My favorite was the Star Trek one. I'd be pissed if anyone was on it and I had to wait. Mortal combat was pretty cool too. And packman was a piece of cake. (Of course it better have been I'd been playing it for so many years -- I practically grew up playing the one at the local Pizza hut and Mini Mart.) Manitou still has an arcade, so when we take our summer trips to Colorado, we always stop in for a day with the kids, playing the games and chewing on some salt water taffy.
I agree on how the newer games just aren't that much fun. The video game system I play with the most regularity (besides my Dremcast) is the Sega Genesis. It had so many cool arcade ports!
Before my family moved out west when I was 15 we had a cool jukebox that was filled with 45s, a pinball machine, a Donky Kong Jr. cabinet, a 2d airplane fighter game, and a game that was a basic version of pool.
We were always so popular with the kids around us.. =)
The biggest arcade in the city! Right in our basement.
k@ri it is great having fun with the kids playing arcade games.
Frieda it is a lot more exciting getting a high score in an arcade game with other people around. There used to be Pizza Huts everywhere too. I always liked there pizza and most of them are gone too, yet I am still teased with their commercials all of the time.
Generique, I miss my Genesis that was a great video game system Landstalker was Awesome, my friends and I would play it for hours and hours. Micro Machines was a blast playing against friends and I can't forget The Lost Vikings. I would be your best friend with arcade in your basement too.
Lost Vikings! Alright! I think I've played Landstalker, too. Actually, for about two-two 1/2 years my parents subscribed us to Sega Channel. It worked by putting a cartidge in the Genesis that was connected to the coax line. When your Sega booted you'd get a menu of different genres of games...they updated them fifty at a time and you could play them as long as you wanted for one low fee a month!
If you have some extra cash a Genesis can be found cheap via eBay: http://catalog.ebay.com/Sega-Genesis_Sega-Genesis_
Thanks Generique, the Genesis had a ton of great games. Before that I had a Nintendo and loved that too. I traded in the Nintendo and got the Genesis. I then added the Sega CD and Sega 32X. The add ons were great. I got a lot of use out of the Sega CD. I then got the 32X add on and the graphics were great. But, Sega never really made too many games. I traded everything in to put towards the Playstation. Then I gave my younger cousins most of my games. The Sega channel sounds awesome. They were really ahead of the time. I wish they had offered it in my area. Maybe someday I will look into getting an older system. My boys would probably love it. But, I really lack the time to play it.
Hey Jim10, thanks for all the great photos and memories! I had forgotten all about Zaxxon. That's the best! Great hub.
Thanks MeeK, I try my best to remind people of the fun they had as kids. I loved the arcade and wished their were still more around. Console games are fun but, just not nearly as exciting.
This was awesome! Thanks so much! I miss Defender and dig dug!
Your welcome Pest, I am glad you liked Arcade games as much as me. Dig Dug is awesome. I have a plug and play game of it and my boys love playing it too. I just wish the thing could keep scores. It resets every time you turn it off.
Arcade Links
- Twin Galaxies: Player Rankings since 1981
- arcade-history: video games, pinballs, slot machines
arcade history: video games, pinballs The timeline has every game with a great description - The King of Kong - Donkey Kong Champs Square Off
The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters is a 2007 documentary revolving around Billy Mitchell and Walter Day and their competitive love for videogames. By fellow Hubber Dylan. - Funspot: The Accidental Mecca - Geek Out New York
Save Money and Space But, still a lot of fun
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yxhuang says:
10 months ago
I miss the traditional arcade, too. Love to play the original Pacman with a flat screen on the table top. I used to play the game and scream when I'm lossing which really embarrassed my bothers. Thanks for sharing.