Spent most of my youth, literally, at the "Third World" arcade on University Ave. in Lowell, MA just up the road from ULowell (now UMass Lowell). I still dream about this place sometimes, remember the layout of the games, etc. *sigh* It's now a computer repair place. Went in when I was a collector a few years back and asked to poke around the basement, HOPING the big wooden sign they used to have in the window was still down there. Alas, nothing but dirt.
"Astro's," "Johnny's Pizza," and "Jim and Irene's" were three fast food joints on the same strip. Defender and Jack the Giantkiller I remember from Astro's; Joust, Satan's Hollow and Cliff Hanger (!) from Johnny's and Asteroids, Battlezone mini and Missile Command from Jim and Irene's. Astro's is now a police substation, Johnny's is some other pizza joint and Jim and Irene's is some Mexican place. None have games.
Would also trek down to "World of Games" in downtown Lowell, which was a multi-level place. It's now a health club. Back when I collected, I went there and managed to get 5 games from their 5th floor storage space from back in the day (Star Trek cockpit, Mario Bros. Centipede, MACH 3 cockpit and Tron - all for $500 total. Pretty cool to have some of the ACTUAL games I played way back when!
"New England Grand Prix" in Tewksbury, MA would also be on my list, as they managed to get the newer coin-ops before anyone else. Only place I ever saw "Cloak and Dagger" and "Quantum" in the wild. Last I saw it, it was closed down - abandoned entirely.
And, while I never got up there back in the day, (no need given the great selection locally, really), the legendary "Funspot" up in Weare, NH I've visited many times. BTW, if you ever go up there, hit up "Hart's Turkey Farm" just up the road for dinner. Perfect, home made fare!
Those were the days, my friend, and we never even knew it! :_)