Aladdin's Castle arcade chain

[rxd]

We should get together some people and go here one day:

 

http://www.funspotnh.com/

 

Supposedly the biggest arcade on the East Coast I believe? Look at the pictures it looks great and supposedly they take good care of their machines. I'm from New Jersey, so it's a long drive, but I plan on making it there maybe next year.

 

I drove up this past June for their annual championship - Definitely a must if you love classic arcade games.. Just a wonderful, wonderful place..

 

does anyone know the actual address of this place? I'd like to look up how long it would take me to get there but I need the actual address...

[Joe Stella]

Yes - one of my favorite hangouts. Mall of Independence, Independence, Missouri, pre-82.

 

 

 

Who here remembers the chain of arcades known as Aladdin's Castle? I do. I played at one a few times at a mall in Martinsville, Virginia (at least I think it was there in Martinsville). I think the chain has been since acquired by Namco. Whether or not the name is still used I don't know.

 

I remember once in an Aladdin's Castle, I found a Spy Hunter machine and pulled off a trick I heard from someone. I actually broke the accelerator pedal on the game to go faster. This did catch the attention of some of the staff there who were pointing and looking at me. It was during a commotion that broke out elsewhere that distracted them long enough for me to leave the arcade and I haven't been back since.

[RJ]

IIRC there's still an Aladdin's Castle in Maplewood Mall (Maplewood MN). I dont recognize/play most of the games in there- last time I visited, a buddy & I played Galaga. Moast games in there seem to be by NAMCO.

 

But I recall the day back in the late 80s (early 90s?) I discovered it was there. I had no idea it was until I got my license & could drive around freely.

[SPIKE]

i can still hear the noiz of Aladdin's Castle.

 

a real arcade!

 

i still have some tokens!

[Joe Stella]

me too, with a little help from:

 

http://arcade.hofle.com/

 

i can still hear the noiz of Aladdin's Castle.

 

a real arcade!

 

i still have some tokens!

[jgegner]

We have an Aladdin's Castle at Greenwood Mall in Bowling Green, KY, next to the food court. I played a lot of games there in the early and mid-'90s. From what I remember, it was about half kids' games and the rest were coin-op video games and pinball machines. I haven't been there in several years, so I'm not sure as to what their current games are.

 

jgegner

[marcfrick2112]

Wow, glad I looked at this sub-forum for the first time

 

Years ago, there was a nice Aladdin's Castle at some Mall in Milwaukee, WI. The arcade is long gone, not eeven sure if the mall exists anymore... I also have a token or two yet. it was Just a fun place to go... I remember asking buddies to meet me there on some Saturday, them saying 'I can't', and then seeing them at AC anyway... (homework, I didn't have any homework )

 

I don't know of any AC's in my city anymore, but at least I do have a local arcade yet... they're even nice enough to keep a few classics, and pinballs on hand....

[telengard]

Wow, loved the Aladdin's Castle. There was one in Danvers, MA (Liberty Tree Mall). Always nice and dark in there w/ lots of neon. I remember it well because it was the only arcade I had been to that periodically got in some of the more obscure games. For instance, it was the only arcade that had Satan's Hollow or Cloak and Dagger.

 

~telengard

[Prodos8]

Wow haven't seen one of 'em in a long time. Used to frequent the one at Westwood Mall in Houston during the early '80s. That same mall also had another arcade called the Gold Mine which I liked even more. It wasn't a chain arcade and the atmosphere in it was dark and gritty. Alladin's did always get the new games first so I kept going there too.

[DragonmasterDan]

Wow haven't seen one of 'em in a long time. Used to frequent the one at Westwood Mall in Houston during the early '80s. That same mall also had another arcade called the Gold Mine which I liked even more. It wasn't a chain arcade and the atmosphere in it was dark and gritty. Alladin's did always get the new games first so I kept going there too.

 

The one in Yorktown Mall in Lombard Illinois closed quite a few years ago.

 

Does anyone remmeber Bally LeMans or Just for Fun ?

[Prodos8]

Wow haven't seen one of 'em in a long time. Used to frequent the one at Westwood Mall in Houston during the early '80s. That same mall also had another arcade called the Gold Mine which I liked even more. It wasn't a chain arcade and the atmosphere in it was dark and gritty. Alladin's did always get the new games first so I kept going there too.

 

The one in Yorktown Mall in Lombard Illinois closed quite a few years ago.

 

Does anyone remmeber Bally LeMans or Just for Fun ?

Nah, dont remember those. But how 'bout Malibu Fun Center, Castle Golf and Games, or Games People Play? Those where some places to be when I was a teen.

[shadow460]

Now that I think of it, there was a cockpit Missile Command near the middle of AC in Phoenix Village. It was there around 1981 or 1982.

 

Then, too, the best experience I've had on an arcade game had to be Virtua Racing at Seattle Gameworks. Sure, VR was very old at that time (1998), but that eight player cabinet with full motion cars and CCTV cameras was da bomb.

 

Another oddity is this: AC still seems to get a few games I haven't seen anywhere else. The one at Lynnhaven Mall had plenty of Sega titles and several Atari and Midway titles as well. I haven't seen another Episode I Racer by Sega anywhere. I wish they'd make a home port of that version, as it's way better (in my bold opinion) that the LucasArts home game.

 

I can still hear the games screaming their audio at me:

 

"Try to go easy on the car!"

"...ejection systems, we have a go, come on with your turn signal...signals are go! Three, two, one, GO GO GO!"

And in the lead we have Anakin Skywalker!"

"Action!"

"Hey, hey, come on over and have some fun with Crazy Taxi!"

[Flack]

The arcade at Crossroads Mall (I-35 and I-240 in Oklahoma City) has/had an Aladdin's Castle. It's one of the ones that was purchased by Namco so even though the name has changed, the arcade's still open.

[frogstar_robot]

Wow haven't seen one of 'em in a long time. Used to frequent the one at Westwood Mall in Houston during the early '80s. That same mall also had another arcade called the Gold Mine which I liked even more. It wasn't a chain arcade and the atmosphere in it was dark and gritty. Alladin's did always get the new games first so I kept going there too.

 

Actually, the Gold Mine must have been a chain of some sort. The Huntington Mall in Barboursville WV had two Gold Mines. They had a slightly different selection of games so I got my exercise walking between them.

 

They were definitely old-school arcades nice dark rooms with machines along all the walls and arranged in islands in the middle. The two I frequented had generally well maintained machines that were frequently changed out for the latest flavor. No Skee-Ball, no Claw Game, just a room packed with flashing bleeping game goodness. Good times!

 

The last era of arcades for me was brightly lit "family fun center" type place in Lancaster OH. They had four T-Meks lashed together and they had an Atari game that was a somewhat realistic helicopter simulation and another head-to-head networked game where transformer type robots death matched. After that, even the "family fun center" type places completed their degeneration into nothing but racing and fighting games before dying out entirely. Just about the only thing left around Columbus, OH is "Dave and Busters". The one and only time I there 5 years ago, they had a lot of fun titles but my free $10 play card was gone in no time flat. What's left of arcades is an entirely too expensive two dollar a timed play experience.

 

With consoles and PCs delivering tech every bit as good as what's in arcades and gamers today expecting interactive movies, the death of old school skill game arcades was inevitable. I sure do miss the style though.

Edited January 5, 2008 by frogstar_robot

[Zwackery]

Aladdin's Castle was a major chain in the cities around where I lived - many great arcade memories.

 

Here are some tokens; image on the left is the obverse, to the right the reverse of the same coin.

 

[dr. kwack]

Isn't there a huge classics area at the "Sandy Point" Ohio theme park? Sandusky Point? I can't remember the name. Whatever the big theme park is in the northern part of the state, thats the one. Thought there was a good sized collection there as well.

 

C

CEDAR Point! Yes indeed. (Sorry for the delay in reply!) Yep, Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio had/has a huge arcade near the front gates that is loaded with old/new titles. I haven't been there since about '01/'02 and sadly many of the older titles are in rough shape- non working buttons/controllers and many were shut off entirely- but they were there.

 

http://arcadelocations.classicgaming.gamespy.com/PlaceSearch.php3?code=ohsanced ://http://arcadelocations.classicgamin...?code=ohsanced

 

My wife is from PA and we often visit Hershey Park- another great source of classic games. We hit the park about once a year when visiting her family. They have a huge arcade that circulates many classic titles every season.

 

http://arcadelocations.classicgaming.games...3?code=paherhet

[atarian63]

Isn't there a huge classics area at the "Sandy Point" Ohio theme park? Sandusky Point? I can't remember the name. Whatever the big theme park is in the northern part of the state, thats the one. Thought there was a good sized collection there as well.

 

C

CEDAR Point! Yes indeed. (Sorry for the delay in reply!) Yep, Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio had/has a huge arcade near the front gates that is loaded with old/new titles. I haven't been there since about '01/'02 and sadly many of the older titles are in rough shape- non working buttons/controllers and many were shut off entirely- but they were there.

 

http://arcadelocations.classicgaming.gamespy.com/PlaceSearch.php3?code=ohsanced ://http://arcadelocations.classicgamin...?code=ohsanced ://http://arcadelocations.classicgamin...?code=ohsanced

 

My wife is from PA and we often visit Hershey Park- another great source of classic games. We hit the park about once a year when visiting her family. They have a huge arcade that circulates many classic titles every season.

 

http://arcadelocations.classicgaming.games...3?code=paherhet

I was there this summer and it sucked big time! not much there. the best remaining things were a couple rough Hercules Pins.. A far cry from what once was super cool.

[Lord Thag]

There was an arcade in so cal called The Castle I used to go to. Four stories of games. It was awesome. One of my favorite places to go as a kid. The two story arcade in Disneyland was pretty good too. They had Tron before anyone else did (for obvious reasons).

 

If anyone lives in the pacific north west, there is a great little arcade/bar/indie music place called Ground Kontrol in Portland OR. They have a lot of good games (both Trons, Tempest, the kong games, and lots more), plus a lot of pinball. Nothing like a nice Black Butte Porter while you're teaming up with friends over a game of Gauntlet.

[littleman jack]

There was a huge arcade somewhere in South Florida that was in a castle buildiing . It may have been called The Castle, and it probably was in Ft. Lauderdale or North Miami. I used to go to as a kid in the early 1980's. It was amazing because of the number of games. It would always have about eight or nine of the new titles (I remember when Mrs. Pac-Man and Donkey Kong Jr. each came out) plus obscure ones too. And it had great ambience. My uncle would always take all of us little ones (cousins and brothers and friends).

 

Sadly, it closed. I think it was knocked down to expand the roads. South Florida also had Castle Park, another castle with games, but smaller. Castle Park also had mini-golf and go-karts. It didn't quite measure up to the other castle. It closed as well, possibly due to hurricane Andrew. I don't know because I moved away from there in the late 1980's.

 

Oh, and there is a Sega Star Wars Episode I Racer game at Sir Goony's Fun Center in Chattanooga, TN. Pretty great game. I know someone earlier mentioned this one.

[carriebethpoems]

boy, do I remember. They used to have one at the mall in Austin, Tx and I played alot. Got alot of big animals there. Got my first big scooby doo there. I was heartbroken when they left I even saved all my aladdin tickets hoping they will come back. You will not believe this but actually did the search today to see if there was still any to see if I can toss the tickets. I had a stack of them. I just tossed them. Now there really is alot better arcade in Dave and Busters that are all over. It is an arcade/food/tv/boos. Lots of fun!!! Thanks for the info though.

[Crimefighter]

*sigh* I would like to announce that the Aladdin's Castle at White Oaks Mall in Springfield, IL closed down August 6th after being in operation for the entire existance of the mall at 31 years. Bleh.

 

By the way, Springfield is the home of Urban Hermits and really dull people. This contributes more to that.

[Atariman]

That's sad to hear. Always unfortunate when the old "real" arcades shut down.

[Krytol]

Does anyone know if this is an Aladdin's Castle token?

 

It's part of a group of tokens I'm selling on CTCW, and I wanted to identify it correctly.

 

 

EDIT: I just read further up the thread, and yes it is. Hmmm. I wonder where it was in SoCal.

Edited August 27, 2008 by Krytol

[Maalac Steele]

littleman jack

 

There was a huge arcade somewhere in South Florida that was in a castle buildiing . It may have been called The Castle, and it probably was in Ft. Lauderdale or North Miami. I used to go to as a kid in the early 1980's.

 

 

I Used to go there when I lived in Coral Springs! I've been trying to find out what happened to that place.

[+save2600]

We had an Aladdin's Castle in the Hawthorn Shopping Center (Vernon Hills Mall) growing up. Truly kick ass times. It was a large room, in the corner of one of the entrances. To the left of it was a Kay*Bee and to the left of that was a nice sit-down Arby's where we'd get Black Cow's and roast beef sandwiches for the rare treat of eating out. Directly across from Aladdin's Castle was a Musicland music store and to the right of that, a Baskin Robbins. So... just in this one end of our beloved mall (at the time) was a quintet of unparalleled awesomeness for a teen growing up.

 

Tucked away upstairs, behind the mens clothing section, even our Sears store had a mini arcade! Kind of a dingy/dark/scuzzy little place, but fun all the same.

 

Anyway, in my 20's, I found myself actually working at that Sears. The arcade was long gone, but Aladdin's Castle was still there and I'd sneak away and play such awesome games as Sega's Virtua Racing - which was totally hot. Best, most visually and audibly stunning arcade racer bar none at the time. Gottlieb's Rescue 911 pinball was another fav as was the Jurassic Park pin.

 

If my memory serves by the mid 90's though, Aladdin's Castle was *starting* to align itself more with a much younger crowd. I remember valuable floor space being taken up by a couple of picnic type benches that were cordoned off by those dividers like you'd see in a movie theater so they could host parties for the real little kids. Not exactly the type of environment someone in their late teens or twenties wanted to hang around in. Which may have been fine, because again, at that time, games were changing or perhaps I was becoming less and less interested in gaming once again. Seemed like all there was for a while were fighting games too. Gone was the ingenuity and variety of the stuff I had grown up with and fighting games just seemed trashy to me. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Street Fighter II to this day, but all the spinoffs, etc., just got ridiculous after a while.

 

We also had another Aladdin's Castle in another kick ass mall at the time in Waukegan, called Lakehurst Mall. Another incredibly magical place, that of course, is gone today. In many ways Lakehurst was superior to Hawthorn. Instead of a Sears, we had a Montgomery Ward (which I also sold electronics at - lol!)... and we also had an Electronics Boutique so I had an outlet for Amiga stuff too. But back to Aladdin's Castle... it was fun getting away from Ward's to whip some squid's ass (Naval base was nearby, and the booters would often shop in the mall) at the Bally Gameshow pinball machine. lol BTW: you could smoke in these places back in the day. I didn't smoke, but was never really bothered by it much. Was just part of the atmosphere was all.