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Shout Out the Arcade you grew up in.


Lee9977

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I have no idea the names of the arcades I went to growing up in and around Toronto. The mall at Warden & Finch had some good games in the kmart at one end and the towers store at the other end. Both stores and the games are long gone. Another good mall for arcade games was on victoria park some games near the food court area and in the bowling lanes downstairs and had a small but decent arcade.

 

I did spend a couple of my high school years in whitby, Whitby mall had a good arcade and so did Oshawa Center now long gone. My last arcade haunts in the late 80's were down yonge street all of which are sadly long gone due to yuppification. Currently only arcade machines within 50 miles is a coin laundry with a couple of early 90's machines. Only thing that could call itself an arcade is the movie theatre in scarborough town center which during the 80's had a dedicated arcade. The spot where the arcade is now the long hallway to the theatre.

 

Only thing I could really call my arcade now is the basement of my house which now has several "retro" computers and some game consoles though no real arcade machines there would be a murder in the house if I tried.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I have two from memory, plus one (that was already mentioned here) I have visited in the last couple of years:

 

More Fun-West Lebanon, NH

Putt's Alley-Hanover, NH

Fun Spot-Weirs Beach, NH

 

There was another one in Lebanon, NH...but I can't for the life of me remember what it was. At one point there was TWO arcades in West Lebanon, NH!! Fun Spot lasted the longest, though. It moved around a couple of times, finally ending up on the "far side" of the Plazas in a spot where no one went to. Alas, it's demise was shortly thereafter.

 

-Steve

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I got around as a kid, but my favorite arcade had to be the one at the Contemporary Hotel at Walt Disney World in Orlando. I grew up in Florida and this placed dwarfed any and all arcades you could image. They had all the great classic games, an animatronic shooting gallery and even a movie theater. I loved this place. My grandfather would take us to Disney on Sunday's and we would eat lunch at the the Polynesian Hotel buffet (another great wonder of the world at the time) and then spend the rest of the day at the arcade in the Contemporary before heading to the roof of the hotel to see the nightly fire works at Disney. I tried to track down some photos and video of the arcade online, but couldn't find anything. I did find this video of a commercial for Disney from 1984. Doesn't have anything about the arcade, but it is worth a look none the less.

 

 

As far as contemporary arcades, Funspot in Weirs Beach, NH takes the prize as far as I am concerned. They are listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest arcade in the world and will be hosting the American Classic Pinball and Video Game Tournament at the end of the month. Check them out at http://www.funspotnh.com/

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  • 5 weeks later...
PLEASE anybody who remembers these in the Beaverton, Oregon area give me a shout.

 

Innerspace - The best, and a hotty by the name of Candy operated it.

Electric Palace - Great while it lasted, in the Beaverton mall.

Chuck E. Cheese - Hi Molly. Uncle owned the Beaverton franchise and she always hooked me up with tokens.

Malibu Gran Prix - Still going strong. but games most of their games suck now.

Wunderland - Still going strong, but caters mostly to little kid gambling (tickets).

I remember Electric Palace in Beaverton Mall,and Innerspace on Cornell rd with the milf Candy.Also Electra 1 across from Sunset High School in the Sunset mall.

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Time-Out, in Plaza Las Americas San Juan, Puerto Rico (upstairs, foodcourt) still active and (downstairs) now defunct.

 

At some point both where open and fully working, mainly the fighting games would be upstairs and the racers and afterburner would be on the downstairs one.

Edited by A2600
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TooKeys in Parma, OH by Pleasant Valley and Broadview roads in the early 80's, used to be a pizza hut before that.

 

Parmatown Mall in Parma, the theater had great games.

 

Cloverleaf bowling alley in Independence, OH.

 

Space Invaders Brookpark, OH by Pearl and Brookpark rds behind the old Mining Co. next to the Wax-A-Museum head shop. Probably around the longest, always dark and dirty, at times not safe.

 

Of course there were the amusement parks Cedar Point, Gueaga Lake, and others you maybe would get to once a year. I remember a few good ones in the late 70's and early 80's in PA from roadtrips.

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PLEASE anybody who remembers these in the Beaverton, Oregon area give me a shout.

 

Innerspace - The best, and a hotty by the name of Candy operated it.

Electric Palace - Great while it lasted, in the Beaverton mall.

Chuck E. Cheese - Hi Molly. Uncle owned the Beaverton franchise and she always hooked me up with tokens.

Malibu Gran Prix - Still going strong. but games most of their games suck now.

Wunderland - Still going strong, but caters mostly to little kid gambling (tickets).

I remember Electric Palace in Beaverton Mall,and Innerspace on Cornell rd with the milf Candy.Also Electra 1 across from Sunset High School in the Sunset mall.

My sister ran the sticker booth in Beaverton Mall. I'd visit her and then go gamin' at Electric Palace. I can't believe they took out the coin fountains at the mall.

I think there was another mini-arcade in the Mall way back when. It was right outside of Pay Less, I believe.

I miss the old mall but I sure do love to visit GameTrader. I get my Playstation and Sega CD games from there.

And real close to the Mall, and in the same parking lot, I think, was a great roller-skating rink with a great arcade. I spent much of my preteens at that rink.

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well there were these place I have went to in diffrent states:

 

Daves pinball paradise - Nashville, TN 100 Oaks Mall - Dead (yeah it had about 40 arcade Machines) 1984

 

Aladdins Castle - Lawrence, KS 23ard street - Dead -about 20 to maybe 35 machines not including Ski ball and Pinball 1986

 

Planet Pinball - Lawrence, KS 23ard and Louisiana had about 15 Machines - dead 1991

 

Lemans family fun center - Overland Park, KS, Suite 530 Oak Park Mall - dead 1996 (replaced with Fun Factory 2000 - 2005)

 

Chucke E Cheese - Olathe, KS, 708 W Sante Fe St, still alive and running only the machines are not .25 they are about $1.50 to $5.00 for some :(, although they do have a midget cab of Galaga and Mrs. Pacman (but they have been beat down pretty badly, wanted to buy one and restore it but they would not sell it too me.)

 

Fort Campbell, Military post - un-named building full of Arcade Machines like berzerk, Frenzy, Mr. Do, Defender, Centipede Ect - 1982 (probably dead buy now but maybe not who knows.)

 

well those are all the ones I remember playing in all the time.

 

Carl

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Shirt-1.jpg

 

Ye olde Odyssey Game Center. My best friend's parents owned the place, and I practically lived there for a couple of years. One night, some fuck broke in, and burned the place down. The owners son and I were going to crash there that night and get up early for some pre-opening gaming. Broke my heart when that place went up. I found this mint-condition t-shirt the other day. I have about 5-6 more of them, but they've been worn out. ;)

 

There were other places, but none we like "home", like that place was. The pizza shop across the parking lot(Loppo's) went under a few years later(I mention it, because that was my secondary hangout), and I always had a blast in there with their games.

 

We had a local Time-Out as well, at Golden Ring Mall..... but it wasn't as cool because half of the machines were down for repair. Plus the staff there were assholes.

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There were many places in the Milwaukee area in the early 80's. Some favorites were:

 

Go Bananas. Two locations, one on 27th St and the bigger one on 76th St near the theater. This was my favorite and was partial inspiration for my Arcade '84 video. They had a great selection of games including doubles or triples of the popular games. They also had pinballs, redemption games, and a ring of monitors hanging overhead that were tuned into MTV. They scaled back the interior within a few weeks of opening. Apparently they spent a little too much on interior decorating and weren't seeing a big enough return from the games. This is where I discovered Donkey Kong, Q*Bert, Circus Charlie, Gyruss, In The Hunt with 3 monitors, another 3-monitor racing game, Blaster, Major Havoc, Donkey Kong Jr, and many more. I remember first seeing Tron in the theater next door then walking over to the arcade and seeing both Tron games. That was very cool! The 76th St location later turned into an Aladdin's Castle and survived for many years. Each year it would get more and more scaled back with fewer games and fewer staff working it. It survived until a couple years ago when they finally closed the doors.

 

Flipper's in the Point Loomis mall. A smaller, cheaper arcade with a decent selection including some bootleg games. Bootleg Ms. Pac-Man with the blue first screen, Bubbles, a row of Tempest machines, Make Trax, Space Firebird were a few of the memorable games here. It was closest to school during 7th & 8th grades so we'd spend some time here. Before they changed locations it was right next to a Hair Care Harmony salon in the mall and it always smelled heavily of perm solution.

 

Aladdin's Castle in Southridge Mall. A small location in the mall crammed with games. Always a decent selection of Namco/Midway games here including Mappy and Wizard of Wor. The tight quarters combined with the selection of games and kids packed in always created a strange smell. Imagine that smell of hot electrical equipment coupled with the smell of a locker room.

 

Holiday Lanes on Howard Ave. Within walking distance of home and I could always count on them having a few games for me to spend my allowance on. Tutankham, Dig Dug, Asteroids to name a few.

 

Olympic Lanes on 27th St had a few games in their game room. I remember mostly late 80's side-scrollers and fighting games here.

 

Pizza Hut always seemed to be good for at least one tabletop Pac-Man or Donkey Kong. To this day you can sometimes find one.

Edited by DaveD
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I used to frequent "The Subway" in Sun Vet Mall, Sayville NY. This was my small close to home arcade.

 

I also used to go to Time Out in the Smith Haven Mall or SpacePlex in Smithtown, NY.

I remember that one. My arcade was the FYE Arcade in the South Shore Mall in Bayshore. Tons of variety and the last Initial D stage 3 machine on Long Island. Sadly it closed 2 years ago.

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  • 2 weeks later...

While not so much an arcade as it is a video game store, Slackers in Jefferson City, Missouri, has a some arcade cabinets worth playing, such as Pac-Man, X-Men, and Galaxian.

Edited by 4Ks
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  • 4 weeks later...
Here's a few I can remember from my pre-teen years in Houston:

 

Gold Mine - Westwood Mall, Houston, Texas. (This was probably my favorite arcade, it was around until the late 90's infact)

Aladdins Castle - Various Malls, Houston, Texas.

Castle Golf and Games - Houston, Texas.

Malibu Fun Center - Houston, Texas.

Games People Play - Houston, Texas.

 

Also, some hole in wall arcades in Houston at various strip malls.

 

Spent a lot of time also at the Gold Mine!

 

When I got older spent more time at Games People Play and Quiptars (sp?) at Memorial City Mall.

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I remember Many arcades when i was a kid ALmost every store IN Minnesota had 1 or 2 video games at least grocery stores or convinence stores did at least . I remember Tom Thumb in New hope had some sea wolf type game witch was in color.

then i remember some pizza parlor across hwy 169 in PLymouth had a Mr do and a nother game I cant even remember the other game I do remember argueing w the operator about the pizza shop being in Plymouth and he thought it was new hope so he said he had the free replay mode shut off cause NEW HOPE had some lame under 18 gambling law where you couldnt play games w credits on them so we couldnt play Pinball machines in new hope and i said whell whats the address of this pizza place and they said plymouth so the operator changed the dip switches on mr do so we could get the diamond replay... I also remember one of my favourite games was ROBOTRON 2048 witch was at a

PDQ yes it ment pretty damn quick!! then also they had a rally x at a snyders at 4 seasons mall and they had a illegal 1941 in a strip mall corner store witch stated this game is not for use in any country than japan although noone cared the owner said ARE you going to bitch about the disclaimer or play i SAID i want change 4 a dollar.. then I remember RIDGEDALE had Picidilly circus witch is now a defunct henkin research totally empty and out of businness as is the gold mine witch was in KNOLLWOOD mall in st louis park witch is gone too..

I remember every mall had at least one arcade

Ialso remember then they had a circus pizza on zane ave in b center i think it might still be there also new hope had a chucke cheese witch is gone The airport had a good arcade but since 911 you cant just goto the airport just to play video games!! the MEGA MALL HAS gillians and the sports bar witch are now both gone the sports bar had a pretty good arcade w at least 15 pinball machines and a lot of video games.. I also remember in robbinsdale mall they had a arcade I remember when they changed out DKONG plexiglass marquees witch now said © 1981 and you could not stand under the ladder I also learned you could chomp credits w a straw on any nintendo coin box that didnt have a mod.. there was a ice cream shop or was it a ole piper in pizza witch had a sit down lady bug I at 1st hated it but figured out i could walk home from school every day and play it in jr high untill i discovered the robotron in PDQ Also my brother when he got his licence would bring me to WALL drug to play DKONG and some other game i cant remember but we would stay there for more than 4 hours playing video games whell I spent most of the time just watching my brother cause he would TAKE my $ to play dkong I would get change right after he did so i could get 1's and hide them in other pockets so my brother woludnt take them He was really good at dkong I would always end up giving him quarters . Also i remember the uptown art fair i always would help my mom set up her displays then ask for food $ and say I wold be back in 1 hour but since i took my bike w i would just go up to byrant lake bowl and play pinball they would bitch you have to be 21 to be in the bar and i would just say im only in the arcade i said this is a bowling alley right then it has to have a arcade!! I got away w it I dont think they have video games any more but I do know some bars have ms pacman and galaga even a mrdo in fact most bars these days have at least 1 mspac/galaga combo or stand alone dedicated video game and most have the spend youre whole paycheck in one credit GOLDEN T 4 witch can suck a $20 bill in one game.. I also remember the Arcade at the state fair witch has got smaller and smaller now..

I also remember playing pinball machines at ski lodges too..

ALSO I must not forget S&S billards in Hopkins Mn witch is still open and has more than 10 pinball machines 1 golden t 4 and 3 atari sit down driving games and 4 pool tables.. sorry for bad punctuation.

 

 

PS oh i just rembered more places witch had games 1 7-11 in hopkins had a pinball machine it was COMET.

Then Chalet pizza still has

a tetris game a Pinball machine and a sit down pole pos II too.

I went in there about 3 months ago to see if the video games and pinball machines still worked and they had only one that functioned so i told them i could help fix them I fixed the tetris right away all i had to do was erease the high score table and bend both coin switches then onto the pinball machine I found out someone had it on free play witch they didnt want and the right flipper was broken I had the owner order a flipper coil kit and am planning to repair the flipper this week some time!! they also have a SIT DOWN POLE POSTISTION II witch has a line going across the screen THey say mabie they will some day replace the screen... as for the pinball machine if the new flipper coils work I finnaly figured out the free play thing on the credit wheel someone twisted two wires together and bent out the slam switch witch has to be closed all the time and now it takes quarters up to 8 credits!! so when i replace the flippers if the KICKERS dont blow a fuse it should work just fine.

I also remember in ohio at a chineese resturant they had a hangly man pacman game it was cool.

I also remember a mall in crystal had a pretty big arcade once witch lasted only like 6 months to mutch violence and fights broke out this was in the 80's I also remember marks something arcade by the school witch had like 4 pinball machines GRAND lizard and Black knight..

I also remember multiple places having 8 ball deluxe AND I remember in hopkins Main streets had 2 or more pinball machines and Archies had at least 2 at all times now its called DECOYS and i think they have 1 GALAGA/MSPACMAN combo machine and a buck hunter...

ALSO brooklyn center WALL mart used to have a arcade w a air hockey table and some other games but its long Gone now..

I know bowling alleys have video games and pinball machines always!! and those are youre best bet to find a video game or pinball machine now!

Edited by awace
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Nothing...it's a reply to the topic ;)

 

That's the problem with having more than one button marked "reply" when the others are really "quote" buttons.

 

 

Topic:

Small towns didn't have major chain arcades. Aside from bars, restaurants, bowling alleys or skating rinks that I DO remember the names of (because most of those are still around), arcades graduated from dark overcrowded hallways to dark overcrowded studio rooms in my day, and were usually named after the person paying the bills. The biggest one probably "Dave's", which I remember because it was a full log cabin-style building that used to be a bar.

 

The most interesting one was Dino's Other World...so named because it was a turn-of-the-century mansion converted into a restaurant/arcade, with the various rooms decked out to a unique "theme" (Frankenstein's laboratory, etc). Great pizza and pasta there. Unfortunately, the place burned to the ground TWO DAYS after the guy's insurance expired. Whatta loss.

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Not an arcade either but did I previously mention Pong and Space Fury in the back of Two Guys department store in Lancaster, PA? Complete with wood paneling on the wall behind the cabinets to make you folks drool!

 

Pong was actually sitting in the middle of the store in a wide aisle before they moved it to the back.

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Mr. Arcade's Family Amusement was the name of the local arcade in the 80's to mid 90's in my city, it was closed down around 96 or 97 as the owner was busted for trafficing dope out of the arcade. In the next city over there is another arcade\mini-putt that is still up and running but the name escapes me.

 

 

Terrible update to my first post quoted above, Last week the arcade in the next town over burned down :( Now there is no arcade in my local area anymore. RIP to the arcade experience.

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University City Pinball at 40th & Spruce in Philadelphia on Penn campus. it is till there and still has tons of games and pins.

 

there was a place a few blocks away on campus called Galaxy where I first saw Dragon's Lair and it cost a whole Dollar Bill to play lol

 

I saw someone early on in this thread mention the King of Prussia Mall and the arcade there that is now gone, there was also a big place in center city Phila. called "Zounds" that was formerly a stereo store that sold out and an arcade moved in and kept the old sign

 

but, University Pinball was where I was every day after school in the late 70s / early 80s. They had everything and many, many rare arcade games that few other places saw

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A number of Rico's Red Lion Pizza & Ice Cream Parlors (now Round Tables) in my area of Portland/Beaverton/Tigard had great arcades, but free carousel rides as well!

Shakey's Pizza joints had good mini-arcades. I played a lot of Missile Command and Crash there, but I was never good at either.

There was an arcade in Lincoln City I used to visit on the way to whatever hotel we'd stay at.. played some Mr. Do's Wild Ride (which wasn't very good) and later on some Fatal Fury 3.

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