Article: Return of the video arcade

[VectorGamer]

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2009071...140328/1025/ENT

[VectorGamer]

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2009071...140328/1025/ENT

 

I sent these guys an email. Who knows if they read it or even take a veteran's advice:

 

 

 

Hi:

 

Strictly judging by the pictures on your site, you need to paint the walls, put in carpet (if it’s even doable) and some dark curtains or blinds to get the true arcade feel. Paint would be your cheapest fix. In order to capture the true arcade feel, light needs to be provided by the machines themselves and limited from any other source (e.g. sunlight, over head light fixtures etc.).

 

At the very least, re-take all the pix of your machines when it is dark outside and kill all the ceiling lights if possible.

[kroogur]

Awesome to see these guys keeping things alive for the arcades but I did have a slight problem with the news article:

 

"During the arcade boom of the late '70s and '80s, there was a place in every big American city where gamers would go to spend many quarters and hours playing games on platforms such as the legendary Atari 2600, Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis."

 

Unless I really missed seeing the heavy sixers tucked in between the Pac-Man and Space Invader Machines and the NES and Genesis's set up next to Rampage and Mortal Kombat when did any consoles show up in arcades?(Except for Neo Geo kinda sorta)

[NE146]

Evil Exidy recently linked this on #arcade in ETG..

 

[darthkur]

Evil Exidy recently linked this on #arcade in ETG..

 

 

Oh, I am so envious. I'd practically live down in that room.

[yuppicide]

Nice arcade, but definitely could use some darker walls and some retro painting on the wall. Maybe some stencils or something of Space Invaders, etc, like that.

 

Seems kind of weird that they said "tri-state" because I'm from NJ and we consider that word to be NJ/NY/PA.

[+Psionic]

Seems kind of weird that they said "tri-state" because I'm from NJ and we consider that word to be NJ/NY/PA.

 

Sorry, but I've never heard of such a thing.

 

I'm sure they are instances where any region where three states touch is referred to in this way, but the most common 'Tri-State' area is the area surrounding NYC...New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut...and that is what advertisements run in the New York market always refer to.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri-State_Area

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri-State_Region

Edited July 17, 2009 by PingvinBlueJeans

[darthkur]

Seems kind of weird that they said "tri-state" because I'm from NJ and we consider that word to be NJ/NY/PA.

 

Sorry, but I've never heard of such a thing.

 

I'm sure they are instances where any region where three states touch is referred to in this way, but the most common 'Tri-State' area is the area surrounding NYC...New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut...and that is what advertisements run in the New York market always refer to.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri-State_Area

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri-State_Region

 

 

 

That's OK, where I'm at it's not a very long drive to either TN, SC, GA or VA. So I guess that makes it a quin-state area.

Edited July 17, 2009 by darthkur

[gdement]

I love how they make arcades sound like some mysterious spectacle from ancient Egypt or something.

 

But it wasn't always like this.

 

During the arcade boom of the late '70s and '80s, there was a place in every big American city where gamers would go to spend many quarters and hours playing games on platforms such as the legendary Atari 2600, Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis.

 

For the very young: those places were called video arcades.

 

In Fairfield, two childhood friends are inviting gamers of all ages to come and see why there's no place quite like a video arcade.

 

"A lot of people stop in here and say 'Are you like a Game Stop or something?'

[VectorGamer]

Seems kind of weird that they said "tri-state" because I'm from NJ and we consider that word to be NJ/NY/PA.

 

Sorry, but I've never heard of such a thing.

 

I'm sure they are instances where any region where three states touch is referred to in this way, but the most common 'Tri-State' area is the area surrounding NYC...New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut...and that is what advertisements run in the New York market always refer to.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri-State_Area

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri-State_Region

 

Yeah but in Philadelphia Tri-State area refers to PA/NJ/DE...

[VectorGamer]

I love how they make arcades sound like some mysterious spectacle from ancient Egypt or something.

 

But it wasn't always like this.

 

During the arcade boom of the late '70s and '80s, there was a place in every big American city where gamers would go to spend many quarters and hours playing games on platforms such as the legendary Atari 2600, Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis.

 

For the very young: those places were called video arcades.

 

In Fairfield, two childhood friends are inviting gamers of all ages to come and see why there's no place quite like a video arcade.

 

"A lot of people stop in here and say 'Are you like a Game Stop or something?'

 

They're getting that way. Certainly not the buzz they once were in the early 80s.

[Rik]

Arcades were the best of times.The dark atmosphere,late at night was the best time to be in the playing mood for me.The modern home systems we have today killed the arcades.The cost also.Last time i was in an aracde,in the middle 80's went up form 25 to 50 cents a game!Today a game would be what?$4.00 a game?Would an arcade be successful today?Im not sure,maybe the older crowd,but thats a small market.The last time i saw an arcade anywhere was like 8-10 years ago now,they've all closed down from lack of business/interest.Like i said above most folks just started staying at home and played their home systems that had better games than the arcade for free,why go to the arcade?Im just posting the obvious,as i see it,but i still wish arcades made a comeback.I'd be going!,but only if they still had the classics,DIG-DUG,GORF,PAC-MAN,JUNGLE KING,ETC,probably arent enough of those in existence anymore anyway

[sandmountainslim]

Awesome to see these guys keeping things alive for the arcades but I did have a slight problem with the news article:

 

"During the arcade boom of the late '70s and '80s, there was a place in every big American city where gamers would go to spend many quarters and hours playing games on platforms such as the legendary Atari 2600, Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis."

 

Unless I really missed seeing the heavy sixers tucked in between the Pac-Man and Space Invader Machines and the NES and Genesis's set up next to Rampage and Mortal Kombat when did any consoles show up in arcades?(Except for Neo Geo kinda sorta)

 

BIZARRE that they would see that!

I was in every arcade in my area during the "boom" and not once did I see a VCS or NES set up for us to play lol!

Wp

[VectorGamer]

Arcades were the best of times.The dark atmosphere,late at night was the best time to be in the playing mood for me.

 

I agree - that was killer. I remember Friday night at 8:00 at the Fun City Arcade at the Park City Mall being packed. Pinball machines back-to-back, arcade cabinets side by side and even flowing out into the mall. The ambiance was done right unlike what these guys have with the white walls and bright lights.

 

I think these guys have a case for the tiled floor as carpet would be too difficult to maintain.

 

The modern home systems we have today killed the arcades.The cost also.Last time i was in an aracde,in the middle 80's went up form 25 to 50 cents a game!Today a game would be what?$4.00 a game?Would an arcade be successful today?Im not sure,maybe the older crowd,but thats a small market.The last time i saw an arcade anywhere was like 8-10 years ago now,they've all closed down from lack of business/interest.Like i said above most folks just started staying at home and played their home systems that had better games than the arcade for free,why go to the arcade?

 

I'm on a weekend getaway in Fenwick Island, DE / Ocean City, MD. Now, someone posted on that Arcade locator Web site that Marty's Playland (on the boardwalk in OC) has a whole bunch of classic games. The only thing there is a Galaga/Ms. Pac-Man Class of 81 cabinet. BFD. All they have are racing games, Guitar Hero Arcade and shotgun games. The arcade right across from it "Sportland Arcade" isn't much better.

 

The best arcade down here is on 136th Street and it's a tiny place called the Arcade Family Fun Center. It has the most classic cabs - four. Yes FOUR! Galaga, Ms. Pac-Man, Track & Field and Dig Dug.

 

All the classic games go for 50 cents a credit. Racing games go from 50 cents up to $2. My boy wanted to play a $2 racing game and I told him to "get outta here."

 

But, none of these arcades have it right. Arcade ambiance should be similar to a casino where you can't tell what time of day it is.

[CARTRIDGE STEALER]

Arcades were the best of times.The dark atmosphere,late at night was the best time to be in the playing mood for me.The modern home systems we have today killed the arcades.The cost also.Last time i was in an aracde,in the middle 80's went up form 25 to 50 cents a game!Today a game would be what?$4.00 a game?Would an arcade be successful today?Im not sure,maybe the older crowd,but thats a small market.The last time i saw an arcade anywhere was like 8-10 years ago now,they've all closed down from lack of business/interest.Like i said above most folks just started staying at home and played their home systems that had better games than the arcade for free,why go to the arcade?Im just posting the obvious,as i see it,but i still wish arcades made a comeback.I'd be going!,but only if they still had the classics,DIG-DUG,GORF,PAC-MAN,JUNGLE KING,ETC,probably arent enough of those in existence anymore anyway

 

 

bro, they had a ms pacman/galago machine at the local deli by me and they want a $1 to play!

[CARTRIDGE STEALER]

theres still an arcade by my house in the basement of a flea market. its very dingy and nasty to go to but they do have about 15 video games, an air hockey table and a few assorted sit down games. you need tokens but the most it cost to play a game was between 75 and a dollar.

 

I remember an arcade in a mall by me that would offer 6 tokens for a dollar. now that was a bargain!

[sinistermoon]

Evil Exidy recently linked this on #arcade in ETG..

 

 

 

I actually live pretty close to that guy. I should track him down and ask him if I can play his games lol. There is a dude I sub to on youtube that has a VERY impressive arcade in his house. It is all Atari games.

 

[tremoloman2006]

I want that TRON cabinet... BAD.

[Rik]

Arcades were the best of times.The dark atmosphere,late at night was the best time to be in the playing mood for me.The modern home systems we have today killed the arcades.The cost also.Last time i was in an aracde,in the middle 80's went up form 25 to 50 cents a game!Today a game would be what?$4.00 a game?Would an arcade be successful today?Im not sure,maybe the older crowd,but thats a small market.The last time i saw an arcade anywhere was like 8-10 years ago now,they've all closed down from lack of business/interest.Like i said above most folks just started staying at home and played their home systems that had better games than the arcade for free,why go to the arcade?Im just posting the obvious,as i see it,but i still wish arcades made a comeback.I'd be going!,but only if they still had the classics,DIG-DUG,GORF,PAC-MAN,JUNGLE KING,ETC,probably arent enough of those in existence anymore anyway

 

 

bro, they had a ms pacman/galago machine at the local deli by me and they want a $1 to play!

Yep,thats all it should cost,let me elaborate.I meant TODAY if arcades were still going,they would charge alot more than $1.00 to play todays modern games,if they ever were going to do that.Like i said todays modern consoles is the main reason arcades went under.Im not talking about the dive hole arcades,i was thinking more of the arcades in the nice malls,or the nice professional ones.But yeah i dont think many would pay more than a dollar or 2 to play an arcade game,with todays nice home game systems,why?nostalgia is the only reason i can see. :)Also yes,if arcades were to survive they'd have to be cheap like a dollar a game just to encourage customers to come in,but i really doubt they'd even break even.I cant see an arcade surviving long without charging at least $3.00 a game,plus i just dont think theres a market for arcades anymore anyway.The only place ive seen what could be barely called an arcade are at the dingy flea markets or FLY BY NIGHT businesses.And those are there just for petty cash,not to make a living.I could be wrong about this,but thats how i see the subject at the moment

Edited July 25, 2009 by Rik