Life and Death of the American Arcade

[nullPointer]

Surfing the internet this morning I stumbled across the following article. It's a retrospective on the history of the arcade in the United States. None of the information presented here is particularly groundbreaking for those acquainted with the history of our hobby, but it's an entertaining read, and it goes into a greater degree of detail than most general interest articles of this type. Definitely worth a read if you're interested!

For Amusement Only: The Life and Death of the American Arcade

[KRC]

Thanks for the share

A good read, even for a Non-American like myself.

That's something I never had in my life, Arcade's, I saw the occasional PacMan and Donkey Kong but that was usually on a UK holiday near the coast, no arcade's were available anywhere near where I used to live so really I do not fully understand the nostalgia of the Arcade scene. But judging from all the US Documentaries and Movies I've seen which feature Arcade machines, I think that's where any really old skool gamer would have come from. Sometime's I really do wish that I would have had the opportunity to experience some of the Arcade Scene.

[Draco1962]

Thanks for the share, null! Can you imagine having to buy a new console or PC for each new game that came out, along with custom controls, etc.? The business model neglected one key element - the human attention span. How many times can you play Space Invaders or Pac Man if you are an average person before you lose interest and are off to the next bright shiny, blinky lighted, bass thumping game?

[lingpanda]

That Wharehouse full of games isn't too far from me. I may have to take a trip to check it out. My son with his Xbox and DS will never know the true beauty of walking into a narrow arcade and placing a qaurter down to play.

[ClassicGMR]

You all have to stop giving me stuff to read!

Boy I miss Aladdin's Castle. Small, shadowy, dank hole in the mall that ate so much paper route money back then.

For those in the U.S. (and headed to the northeast) you should definitely check out Funspot Arcade in Laconia, NH. I go at least 2-3 times a year.

[RageOn]

I'd like to think arcades could make a come back.... Maybe, if arcades machines were leading the technology race and offered something you could never experience at home on a console/pc, they would still be here. It's probably down to expense. It's a pitty we no longer have such places, they will be missed by many.

[celly]

Video games have always been a part of my life. From early on in pizza parlores or actual arcades all the way to current consoles and handhelds. My fondest video game memories revolve around standing in front of an arcade cabinet watching my friends play or battling them in a vs match. I must have pumped enough quarters into Galaga and Hang-On to buy my own dedicates cab of each.

Recently i've found the Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade documentary. Some of the big name players and high score holders from the day interview and talk about the arcade past. And of course, Twin Galaxies. Definatly a good watch if you can find a copy.

http://m.imdb.com/title/tt0479879/

[RageOn]

I found the full Chasing Ghosts film on YouTube, nine parts to it. Thanks for that Celly, it was interesting.... here's the link

[rtkiii]

I enjoyed the documentary I remember the arcades...I am 36 now but I loved...loved the arcades when I was younger...probably up into my late teens. The fun wore off near the end of the teen years because you could start playing great games at home. But if I had $5-$20 when IO was 10-14 years old I would go down and play...it was a great time and it is sad to see all there are around now are ticket arcades or redemption games.

[DazzleHP]

Yeah great share null - and a great nostalgic subject. Also being british i obviously never experienced the whole ameri-cade scene, nonetheless i grew up with (british) arcades and they are a huge part of my childhood memories. The local cummunity center would cycle a new machine every 3 months of which my cousin and i would spend EVERY single weekend playing, atleast a few hours if not whole days sometimes!

Also every few months my dad would take my brother, friends and i to Southsea - a mini beach resort of sorts which had 3 HUUUGE Arcade halls! I remember it now - the deafening noise, the BO from sweaty teens trying to beat the hell out of each other on SFII, the Dads with their cigs in-mouth, racing on multiplayer Virtua Racing. Very fond memories indeed

We went back 4 years ago for a nostalgia trip only to find to our horror that all 3 Arcades were now full tyo the brim with penny-slots and machine Poker i felt a cloud over my stomache that day - and even a little now as i type...

Long live the (memory) of the great Arcade!!

[Draco1962]

I always wanted a change belt.. I don't know why, but they seemed cool. Like the Doctor's penchant for bow ties.