My Arcade... Is Gone

[Ascending Wordsmith]

It wasn't too far back then, my arcade showcased such gems as The Simpsons, Samurai Showdown II, Dig Dug, Street Fighter II: Champion Edition, NBA Jam, Total Carnage, Ivan Stewart's Super Off Road Challenge, and other arcade goodies. Sadly enough, these machines are all gone. It was only a matter of time before my arcade would eventually become swallowed up by the newest trends in video gaming. What used to be a place of gaming bliss for me is now nothing more than a collection of Dance Dance Revolution platforms, racing game cabinets that seat four people and span over 12 feet in length, and a ridiculous glass counter stuffed with prizes that require nine straight days of earning tickets from machines that appear to reward you with tokens, but don't. In an attempt to appease retrogamers like myself, the managers of this place have decided to keep Ms. Pac Man, but they've placed her far away in the corner of the room, away from their new, flashy, polygon-laden attractions and deceptive machines that look to promise tokens, but spit out small, rectangular pieces of orange paper so people can trade them in for a plush unicorn or a pair of Chinese finger traps. Stay strong, Ms. Pac Man. You're the only reason worth going in there.

Has anybody else's arcade gone the way of dancing and plush toys?

[dave2236]

Yup, all our arcades in our area have gone from classic games to games that cost you a buck everytime to play and give you 1 ticket. So it will cost you $30 to win a stupid unicorn.


But thats why I bought my Arkanoid machine and my pool table. Once I move out my plan is to buy 1 arcade machine a year and eventually have a collection.

[Mr-E_MaN]

All of the arcades that used to be open when I was a kid are all closed now. There is only one arcade in town now, and it is in the mall and has all new machines (no dancing ones though)

[bargora]

Yes. Welcome to the 21st century. :(

[dave2236]

BOOOO!!!! go away 21st century.

Well fellas, I guess we'll have to start our own arcades in our basements. Start buying up your favorite machines before they are gone. I'm glad there are enough Ms. Pac Mans to go around.

[Gamemaster_ca_2003]

It wasn't too far back then, my arcade showcased such gems as The Simpsons, Samurai Showdown II, Dig Dug, Street Fighter II: Champion Edition, NBA Jam, Total Carnage, Ivan Stewart's Super Off Road Challenge, and other arcade goodies. Sadly enough, these machines are all gone. It was only a matter of time before my arcade would eventually become swallowed up by the newest trends in video gaming. What used to be a place of gaming bliss for me is now nothing more than a collection of Dance Dance Revolution platforms, racing game cabinets that seat four people and span over 12 feet in length, and a ridiculous glass counter stuffed with prizes that require nine straight days of earning tickets from machines that appear to reward you with tokens, but don't. In an attempt to appease retrogamers like myself, the managers of this place have decided to keep Ms. Pac Man, but they've placed her far away in the corner of the room, away from their new, flashy, polygon-laden attractions and deceptive machines that look to promise tokens, but spit out small, rectangular pieces of orange paper so people can trade them in for a plush unicorn or a pair of Chinese finger traps. Stay strong, Ms. Pac Man. You're the only reason worth going in there.

Has anybody else's arcade gone the way of dancing and plush toys?

I fell your pain. Loosing your arcade to DDR is tough. but why not have it both ways keep some of the DDR's but put in the clasics as well. Oh yea glad Ms. Pac-Man is still in there.

[Ed Oscuro]

On the other hand, we've gained another arcade -- online. Not only can we actually find a copy of Samurai Shodown II or even Samurai Spirits II, if you feel like it, but the whole online gaming scene is nearly too big for its own good. There's certainly more challenge to be had in the big (small) world out there now that the population you can interact with is increased.

Just thought I'd try (though it's pretty tired) to say that there's something good out of all this.