How Often Do You (or Would You) Go To the Classic Arcade?

[Dauber]

I go for several reasons:

 

- For fun, of course

 

- I DO feel competitive, so I of course go for scores too...I don't think I want to deal with the Twin Galaxies crowd, though, so I pretty much stick with aurcade.com; both major arcades in my area (Underground and GGA) use that for adjudication.

 

- The social aspect. I've made lots of friends with the regulars that go where I go, and really I think this is the #1 reason I go.

[VectorGamer]

 

Here's the real question - you going for strictly fun or are you going there to compete for the high scores and world records?

 

If you're not playing for high scores and world records then you should go the hell home

[+sramirez2008]

Spent a few hours with the family at our local (The Game Preserve) arcade. Below are pics of the games that I got to play today.

 

BTW, there is nothing better than playing Asteroids in a dark room with 80's music playing in the background.

 

 

 

 

[Keatah]

BTW, there is nothing better than playing Asteroids in a dark room with 80's music playing in the background.

 

..or at home on state-of-the-art emulation equipment in a warm cozy setting with winter storms raging all around you at 8 pm, knowing you don't have to drive the dangerous roads to get back.

[+FujiSkunk]

Nah, being out of the house was, and is, part of the arcade fun.

[Trooper Galactus]

I try to get out to Galloping Ghost about twice a year. Mostly play Track and Field and Ikaruga and mix in anything else that catches my eye. I will say their pinball games are a bit disappointing.

[Dan Iacovelli]

 

If you're not playing for high scores and world records then you should go the hell home

personal high scores, but I don't do world records to much strain

[+sramirez2008]

I made it out to YESTERcades in Redbank, NJ today.

Pros:

- They charge $8.75/hr

- Nice mix of classic arcade cabinets

- All of the games seemed to be well maintained

- Classic consoles (including a 2600 Vader) available for play

 

Cons:

- Star Castle is listed on their website, but was not available (maybe it moved to their other location?)

- Some cabinets but up against each other and you end up rubbing elbows with the person next to you (i.e. Galaxian cabinet)

 

All in all, was not a bad experience. Pretty crowded today, but there was a Super Smash Bros tournament going on, so this may not be the norm.

 

[Inky]

I try to go to an arcade every few months. Galloping Ghost is about 50 miles, Underground Retrocade is about 70, and Star Worlds, which I have yet to go to is about 80. I prefer Galloping Ghost, as it is the biggest arcade in the world, according to Guinness, but I also love Retrocade's location in a historic downtown area, and how un crowded it is. I'm hoping to go to Ghost again before the middle of January.

[VectorGamer]

BTW, there is nothing better than playing Asteroids in a dark room with 80's music playing in the background.

 

I don't need music in the background while playing in an arcade. The games themselves are music to my ears.

[+sramirez2008]

Returned to my local arcade today. First time this year.

[+FujiSkunk]

I still need to get to the Preserve at some point. Way too busy with other stuff all the time. Maybe tomorrow after work.

[VectorGamer]

I posted a walk through video of Timeline Arcade in another thread in this forum a few days ago. That was my first visit since last year. It's an hour drive for me which is why I don't get out there more often.

 

A second Timeline Arcade location will be opening next month in York, PA which may be closer. I talked to the owner earlier this week and he said he's going to have a lot of older games at the new location which will be more up my alley.

 

I'm not going to go for the opening but I expect to be there late April or early May and I'll do a walk through. I have no idea how many games he's going to have at this location.

[Keatah]

I made it out to YESTERcades in Redbank, NJ today.

 

Cons:

- Some cabinets but up against each other and you end up rubbing elbows with the person next to you (i.e. Galaxian cabinet)

This is big turn-off for me. Stop packing us in like sardines if you want us to patronize your venue. I don't recall real 80's arcades being that way. And you can't see the sidepanel art when they're jammed together.

 

I can understand a couple of machines being packed side-by-side. But all of them like Galloping Ghost? No, I'll go elsewhere like Level 257.

 

Not only is it annoying, you get to smell other person's 3-day stink and your girlfriend can't easily stand beside you.

[VectorGamer]

This is big turn-off for me. Stop packing us in like sardines if you want us to patronize your venue. I don't recall real 80's arcades being that way. And you can't see the sidepanel art when they're jammed together.

 

I can understand a couple of machines being packed side-by-side. But all of them like Galloping Ghost? No, I'll go elsewhere like Level 257.

 

Not only is it annoying, you get to smell other person's 3-day stink and your girlfriend can't easily stand beside you.

 

My local mall arcade packed in the cabinets side-by-side BITD. Being able to see the sideart isn't that important IMHO. I find that there's generally enough room even if the cabinets are side-by-side.

 

The problem at Timeline arcade is that the rows are too close together. Whenever I play Gorf people playing Area 51 directly behind me are always bumping into me. That's a pain in the ass.

 

3 day stink is the least of your problems when you're putting your hands all over slimy joysticks.

[Unbeliever]

Damn. I do remember the machines back in the day were spaced out quite nicely. And despite not being able to see the sides of the machines, I personally find this a pleasing aspect of going to the arcade. The artwork was an aesthetic that went hand in hand with the game play, IMO. Funny how little we thought back then about other people "touching" the machines we played frequently.