New fighter-oriented arcade opened in SF [Archive]

Milk Thistle

07-17-2011, 06:39 AM

That arcade looks outstanding. Very clean cabinets. Liking the row of Cyberleads. And all those Ikea benches... I wish that place the best of luck. Looks very Japanese being in such a tight space! Reminds me of the top floor arcade at Super Potato minus the chain smokers. They should try and squeeze a Capcom mini-cute in there running Championship Edition for good measure.

This would be perfect for me living in Berkeley, except for one problem. JAPANESE style JOYSTICKS! I don't mind Japanese buttons and for the home controller, those joysticks are fine, but in heated competition, I can't do them. Ugh! Well, at least I know what I'll be doing on my Sundays from now on though:)

You just need to study up my friend.

Once you go Japanese style it's hard to go back.

I still have my Mas Systems Super Pro sticks from back in the day, and they never get used in the face of my Madcatz TE and HRAPs. Darn things are too bulky to bother selling (who wants to pay shipping?), so they just sit in a closet.

peter_gunz

07-17-2011, 01:19 PM

I used to be the same way, but once you learn to use a Sanwa/Seimitsu square-gated stick, it's hard to go back to the Happ/IL style.
I still prefer bat handles, though.

I have Japanese style joysticks for my home consoles. I have experience.

Maybe I should expound on my statement, I have played on some HORRIBLE U.S. sticks and some GREAT Japanese sticks, but I can't stand the cabinets for a few reasons. For one, this isn't Japan, I've been to Japan (lived there for 2 years) and I think it's cooler to play like that when there (kind of like home field advantage for a stadium). I think that playing stand up style is kind of a cool concept for fighting games anyway given the excitement the games can have. Plus, I think it adds an endurance element to vs. battles. It's draining to play intensely close games all day, so to last long while standing up adds to it albeit in a negative way.

My other issue is for some reason, when I sit down and play, I have a hard time w/the joystick. I motion crouch block and the character walks backward for example. Maybe I just need to get used to it, but so far I have limited exposure to them and it wasn't good.

Now for the bat stick thing. Until recently, I never looked into the differences between the joysticks. I've always just played on whatever was available at the arcade. Some sticks I loved, some I hated. For games like Street Fighter, I've found that most sticks will do. However, for SNK games, a round stick was generally more accurate in pulling off special moves. If those sticks were Japanese style, then I love them. However, I still don't like the look and feel. Now it is possible that all the good joysticks I used that were batsticks were Japanese, just w/a bat top (never knew that Japan made them til recently). If that is the case, then I think it would be more accurate to say:

This would be perfect for me except for SIT DOWN CABINETS and ROUND TOP JOYSTICKS!

Milk Thistle

07-17-2011, 01:31 PM

I have Japanese style joysticks for my home consoles. I have experience.

Maybe I should expound on my statement, I have played on some HORRIBLE U.S. sticks and some GREAT Japanese sticks, but I can't stand the cabinets for a few reasons. For one, this isn't Japan, I've been to Japan (lived there for 2 years) and I think it's cooler to play like that when there (kind of like home field advantage for a stadium). I think that playing stand up style is kind of a cool concept for fighting games anyway given the excitement the games can have. Plus, I think it adds an endurance element to vs. battles. It's draining to play intensely close games all day, so to last long while standing up adds to it albeit in a negative way.

My other issue is for some reason, when I sit down and play, I have a hard time w/the joystick. I motion crouch block and the character walks backward for example. Maybe I just need to get used to it, but so far I have limited exposure to them and it wasn't good.

Now for the bat stick thing. Until recently, I never looked into the differences between the joysticks. I've always just played on whatever was available at the arcade. Some sticks I loved, some I hated. For games like Street Fighter, I've found that most sticks will do. However, for SNK games, a round stick was generally more accurate in pulling off special moves. If those sticks were Japanese style, then I love them. However, I still don't like the look and feel. Now it is possible that all the good joysticks I used that were batsticks were Japanese, just w/a bat top (never knew that Japan made them til recently). If that is the case, then I think it would be more accurate to say:

This would be perfect for me except for SIT DOWN CABINETS and ROUND TOP JOYSTICKS!

I get all that man. And I have felt the same way at points. But tell me this, do you stand up when you're playing fighting games on a home console? Do you go to tournaments? I'm assuming you sit down to play at home, and if you do tournaments they sit down too. Also, American style cabs are completely on the way out. Most arcades that exist these days cater to the Vewlix/Sitdown crowd. Standing up to play is sort of dead. I agree on the endurance part of playing on American cabs, I miss long sessions of Alpha/Three at the arcade when your legs start killing you.

The ball/bat top difference is all in your head IMO, because it was for me back when I hated ball tops and swore by bats.

I think you'd do better than you think, just keep at it.

Also bat tops on a Japanese stick/cab is just terrible, I don't know why people do it.

BTW where's lord tariq? :)

peter_gunz

07-17-2011, 02:46 PM

I get all that man. And I have felt the same way at points. But tell me this, do you stand up when you're playing fighting games on a home console? Do you go to tournaments? I'm assuming you sit down to play at home, and if you do tournaments they sit down too. Also, American style cabs are completely on the way out. Most arcades that exist these days cater to the Vewlix/Sitdown crowd. Standing up to play is sort of dead. I agree on the endurance part of playing on American cabs, I miss long sessions of Alpha/Three at the arcade when your legs start killing you.

The ball/bat top difference is all in your head IMO, because it was for me back when I hated ball tops and swore by bats.

I think you'd do better than you think, just keep at it.

Also bat tops on a Japanese stick/cab is just terrible, I don't know why people do it.

BTW where's lord tariq? :)

No, I don't play standing up at home, but that is the appeal of an arcade. I don't know how old you are, but I'm 27. I missed the original heyday of arcades (early 80s), but caught the SF2 boom. One of the greatest times of my life. Standing up to me is part of the arcade experience. It can also be intimidating (well it was for me as I was 7, lol) It's just what you do. If I wanted to sit down, I'd be at home. Would it kill people to stand up? At least they would burn more calories, lol. I haven't been into arcade games since 1998 or so and this is one of the reasons why. In 2009 I worked by an arcade in Koreatown in LA and would play SF3 3rd Strike on a sitdown cabinet. Completely sucked half the life out of the experience.

The last tournament I competed in was in 1996/7 (not sure) and it was awesome (speaking of which, if the guy I played against then would play now, I'm sure he would win EVO, I've never seen anyone use Adon like him, ever). It was also pure stand up. When I turned 16, I got into bodybuilding and stopped playing video games except for on my spare time. When I got injured in 2007, I picked up the games again.

I watched EVO last year and all of the fun that I remember about tournaments was pretty much gone. It looked like playing at a friend's house. Now, I realize for the sake of cost it is better to do things like that, but it doesn't appeal to me. Then again, a lot of the things about tournament play modern day turn me off (no taunting being one of them, WTF???).

I own balls, they suck. They suck because of the way I grip the joystick. There is nothing a person could change about the balls because of the way I grip the joystick. I refuse to change as I have been gripping this way since I was at least 5. When I play gripping the ball, I feel like I'm operating a robot, having to be very precise. When I grip a bat, it feels much LESS like that, which is a big difference for me.

I'm sure I could do better, I did so in Japan. But that was Japan, I expected it and again made it feel like I was the away team.

Lord Tariq is out there, still being UPTOWN BABY!

Milk Thistle

07-17-2011, 03:06 PM

No, I don't play standing up at home, but that is the appeal of an arcade. I don't know how old you are, but I'm 27. I missed the original heyday of arcades (early 80s), but caught the SF2 boom. One of the greatest times of my life. Standing up to me is part of the arcade experience. It can also be intimidating (well it was for me as I was 7, lol) It's just what you do. If I wanted to sit down, I'd be at home. Would it kill people to stand up? At least they would burn more calories, lol. I haven't been into arcade games since 1998 or so and this is one of the reasons why. In 2009 I worked by an arcade in Koreatown in LA and would play SF3 3rd Strike on a sitdown cabinet. Completely sucked half the life out of the experience.

The last tournament I competed in was in 1996/7 (not sure) and it was awesome (speaking of which, if the guy I played against then would play now, I'm sure he would win EVO, I've never seen anyone use Adon like him, ever). It was also pure stand up. When I turned 16, I got into bodybuilding and stopped playing video games except for on my spare time. When I got injured in 2007, I picked up the games again.

I watched EVO last year and all of the fun that I remember about tournaments was pretty much gone. It looked like playing at a friend's house. Now, I realize for the sake of cost it is better to do things like that, but it doesn't appeal to me. Then again, a lot of the things about tournament play modern day turn me off (no taunting being one of them, WTF???).

I own balls, they suck. They suck because of the way I grip the joystick. There is nothing a person could change about the balls because of the way I grip the joystick. I refuse to change as I have been gripping this way since I was at least 5. When I play gripping the ball, I feel like I'm operating a robot, having to be very precise. When I grip a bat, it feels much LESS like that, which is a big difference for me.

I'm sure I could do better, I did so in Japan. But that was Japan, I expected it and again made it feel like I was the away team.

Lord Tariq is out there, still being UPTOWN BABY!

Yeah I hear you about the Japan thing. I spent a lot of time over there and it got me adjusted to the Japanese sticks (mostly sanwa).

When I got home to the US I started preferring Seimitsu stuff. Then the next time I went back to Japan most of the cabs have sanwa, which totally throws my rhythm off since it feels like loose crap compared to seimistu.

It's like you have the setup you prefer at home, and then whatever you encounter in the wild, just sucks when the majority of the machines don't have the hardware you're used too.

And that's just sticks. As far as buttons go, I hate the sanwas, you breath on them and they trigger. Doesn't help that pretty much every machine in Japan uses the damn things.

At this point whenever I play on Happ hardware, it just feels strange. But back in the day I preferred the Happ competitions and the convex buttons, I still have those sticks, but they're giant tanks compared to my Madcatz TEs.

BTW you aren't far off from my arcade days. I'd say 92-98 was the mecca for me where I lived. Multiple arcades who all had the newest fighters, and there was always someone to play. I remember selling Mortal Kombat II code sheets/move lists at Tilt in the mall for 50 cents each. I'd sell a gang of them too, I'd always go up there with a new stack of them. Amazing the stuff you could pull when you had the internet in those early days.

peter_gunz

07-17-2011, 03:27 PM

Yeah I hear you about the Japan thing. I spent a lot of time over there and it got me adjusted to the Japanese sticks (mostly sanwa).

When I got home to the US I started preferring Seimitsu stuff. Then the next time I went back to Japan most of the cabs have sanwa, which totally throws my rhythm off since it feels like loose crap compared to seimistu.

It's like you have the setup you prefer at home, and then whatever you encounter in the wild, just sucks when the majority of the machines don't have the hardware you're used too.

And that's just sticks. As far as buttons go, I hate the sanwas, you breath on them and they trigger. Doesn't help that pretty much every machine in Japan uses the damn things.

At this point whenever I play on Happ hardware, it just feels strange. But back in the day I preferred the Happ competitions and the convex buttons, I still have those sticks, but they're giant tanks compared to my Madcatz TEs.

BTW you aren't far off from my arcade days. I'd say 92-98 was the mecca for me where I lived. Multiple arcades who all had the newest fighters, and there was always someone to play. I remember selling Mortal Kombat II code sheets/move lists at Tilt in the mall for 50 cents each. I'd sell a gang of them too, I'd always go up there with a new stack of them. Amazing the stuff you could pull when you had the internet in those early days.

Yeah, it was good times.

Anyway, I'm glad that there is a place for me to go now. I'll check it out. If I like it, I'll keep going, if I don't I wont. But it would be nice to get out to SF on my 2 free sundays per month, lol. I remember practicing MK 2 at home and then stomping ass at the arcade. Am I the only one that took advantage of Shang Tsung's jump kick priority? My brother discovered that and he isn't even into technical things like that. He just plays to play as do I. It was only recently that I've discovered the technical terms for those things. BTW, is it me or do the people who seem to know that terminology best are the worst fighters? My friend knows all of that crap about tiers and everything and I floor him every time. He's never been in tournament play, but still, he studies frames on the net, etc. I just learn the moves and practice on the cpu. The cpu has the most wins over me, so I figure the best way to play is see what they do right and add the human element to knock out the things they do wrong (not blocking on certain moves for one). Not that I purposely try to do it, just that when I took a closer look into how I play, noticed that's how I do things. I'm sure even Daigo loses to the CPU more than he lets on, after all, CPUs don't get intimidated by championship victories;)

Milk Thistle

07-17-2011, 07:51 PM

Yeah, it was good times.

Anyway, I'm glad that there is a place for me to go now. I'll check it out. If I like it, I'll keep going, if I don't I wont. But it would be nice to get out to SF on my 2 free sundays per month, lol. I remember practicing MK 2 at home and then stomping ass at the arcade. Am I the only one that took advantage of Shang Tsung's jump kick priority? My brother discovered that and he isn't even into technical things like that. He just plays to play as do I. It was only recently that I've discovered the technical terms for those things. BTW, is it me or do the people who seem to know that terminology best are the worst fighters? My friend knows all of that crap about tiers and everything and I floor him every time. He's never been in tournament play, but still, he studies frames on the net, etc. I just learn the moves and practice on the cpu. The cpu has the most wins over me, so I figure the best way to play is see what they do right and add the human element to knock out the things they do wrong (not blocking on certain moves for one). Not that I purposely try to do it, just that when I took a closer look into how I play, noticed that's how I do things. I'm sure even Daigo loses to the CPU more than he lets on, after all, CPUs don't get intimidated by championship victories;)

Yeah I totally don't get the walking encyclopedias. I just play and learn. I couldn't tell you how to do a combo in person, I'd just show you in the game. Memorizing faQs or move names won't make you a better player. Hell, I can't say that I remember anything when I'm not in front of the game...

As for MK2, Shang Tsung was indeed the bomb, but I used to rock Liu Kang all day.

Famidrive-16

07-18-2011, 04:20 AM

(no taunting being one of them, WTF???).

not that it isnt allowed but you'll probably get killed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsgRnBazeSY

peter_gunz

07-18-2011, 04:37 AM

not that it isnt allowed but you'll probably get killed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsgRnBazeSY

I wasn't referring to in game taunting, that's just dumb (although Daigo does it, but obviously he can do that). I was referring to trash talking which is always explicitly not allowed during the matches per the rules. I wouldn't trash talk in a sitdown setting and hardly ever do it standing up, I just don't like the idea of being told not to. That it could be used to DQ me, lol.

ubersaurus

07-18-2011, 02:04 PM

Yeah, it was good times.

Anyway, I'm glad that there is a place for me to go now. I'll check it out. If I like it, I'll keep going, if I don't I wont. But it would be nice to get out to SF on my 2 free sundays per month, lol. I remember practicing MK 2 at home and then stomping ass at the arcade. Am I the only one that took advantage of Shang Tsung's jump kick priority? My brother discovered that and he isn't even into technical things like that. He just plays to play as do I. It was only recently that I've discovered the technical terms for those things. BTW, is it me or do the people who seem to know that terminology best are the worst fighters? My friend knows all of that crap about tiers and everything and I floor him every time. He's never been in tournament play, but still, he studies frames on the net, etc. I just learn the moves and practice on the cpu. The cpu has the most wins over me, so I figure the best way to play is see what they do right and add the human element to knock out the things they do wrong (not blocking on certain moves for one). Not that I purposely try to do it, just that when I took a closer look into how I play, noticed that's how I do things. I'm sure even Daigo loses to the CPU more than he lets on, after all, CPUs don't get intimidated by championship victories;)

"book learning" if you will, is no match for actual experience in a fighting game. I don't know all the frame data but give me some time to acclimatize to the game with some people who are decent and I can figure it out and be reasonably good myself. Maybe not champ material, but solid at the least.

Famidrive-16

07-18-2011, 02:16 PM

Double Dragon 2 and Super Turbo have been added recently.

IPlayWinner is also streaming live ranbats every other Sunday for KOF 13, MvC3 and AE. Next one is on the 24th.

peter_gunz

07-18-2011, 02:27 PM

How much are the machines? I don't wanna spend 50 cents on a machine I paid 25 cents to play when it was brand new, lol.

Milk Thistle

07-18-2011, 07:33 PM

How much are the machines? I don't wanna spend 50 cents on a machine I paid 25 cents to play when it was brand new, lol.

I don't see how they can even pay rent unless they charge 50 per play.

But I agree, classics should be 25cents, new stuff 50.

But hey, that's best scenario. I couldn't fault them for charging a dollar a play, they gotta make money and where else can you find a place like that. I would go there even if it was a dollar a play, I would just play less.

I still happily pump 100Y coins into Japanese machines and love every minute (like $1.20!). I know I found an awesome 50Y arcade in Ogikubo (had SF4, VF5R, Gundam vs. Gundam etc.) when I was last in Japan and I thought it was the best deal on earth.

I also have to say that Chinese Vewlix clone style cab they have is so ugly next to all those classy candies. I would get rid of that thing.

Famidrive-16

07-19-2011, 05:19 AM

But I agree, classics should be 25cents, new stuff 50.

This is pretty much what they're charging. All the older games are 25, KOF and MvC3 50. AE was 75 but I think it got cut down to 50 as well.

Milk Thistle

07-19-2011, 02:26 PM

This is pretty much what they're charging. All the older games are 25, KOF and MvC3 50. AE was 75 but I think it got cut down to 50 as well.

Sounds like they have everything together, wish I could go.

You might wanna tell them to vert one of those cabs and put a shooter in there every once in awhile. Lots of people would come there to play something good like Raiden II or a Cave game.

Famidrive-16

07-19-2011, 08:07 PM

You might wanna tell them to vert one of those cabs and put a shooter in there every once in awhile. Lots of people would come there to play something good like Raiden II or a Cave game.

They do have Ikaruga. I've heard some talk about them getting another shooter, might not be for a while though.

Milk Thistle

07-19-2011, 09:58 PM

They do have Ikaruga. I've heard some talk about them getting another shooter, might not be for a while though.

Great game. Might not make much money cause it's hard as sin and not most people's cup of tea.

Jorpho

07-20-2011, 09:14 AM

I would be surprised if a business with such a narrow focus could stay around for very long.

peter_gunz

07-20-2011, 11:20 AM

I don't see how they can even pay rent unless they charge 50 per play.

But I agree, classics should be 25cents, new stuff 50.

But hey, that's best scenario. I couldn't fault them for charging a dollar a play, they gotta make money and where else can you find a place like that. I would go there even if it was a dollar a play, I would just play less.

I still happily pump 100Y coins into Japanese machines and love every minute (like $1.20!). I know I found an awesome 50Y arcade in Ogikubo (had SF4, VF5R, Gundam vs. Gundam etc.) when I was last in Japan and I thought it was the best deal on earth.

I also have to say that Chinese Vewlix clone style cab they have is so ugly next to all those classy candies. I would get rid of that thing.

Yeah, 100Y is now worth $1.20, but for years it was worth so much less. So it really was a bargain at one point. Thank the weakness of the US economy for the increase in price, lol. It's funny that arcades in Japan are the only things that haven't been hit by deflation in a negative way.

Milk Thistle

07-20-2011, 02:55 PM

Yeah, 100Y is now worth $1.20, but for years it was worth so much less. So it really was a bargain at one point. Thank the weakness of the US economy for the increase in price, lol. It's funny that arcades in Japan are the only things that haven't been hit by deflation in a negative way.

American arcades have become ripoff havens these days. The only ones I have left near me are the Dave and Buster type places. Last time I was in there everything was a 1.00 to 2.00 per play. Even Tekken 6 was a dollar. They make you pay in those dumb points, but you can work the prices out pretty easy. Most games were around 1.35 to play.

What was wrong with coins? :)

Famidrive-16

07-20-2011, 04:08 PM

I remember playing a Pirates of the Caribean pinball machine that cost 75. And the table sucked too.

GameNinja

07-20-2011, 05:32 PM

I really love this idea. I wish it would be viable by me and I live in a college town. I guess SF has more serious gamers than a large university does.

Milk Thistle

07-20-2011, 06:39 PM

I really love this idea. I wish it would be viable by me and I live in a college town. I guess SF has more serious gamers than a large university does.

University "gamers" are usually sitting in front of a flatscreen during their sessions of Madden and Modern Warfare.

The only way they'd go to a place like this is if they sold beer to underagers. Wouldn't want some of those savages pounding my cabs, though.

peter_gunz

07-21-2011, 01:56 PM

University "gamers" are usually sitting in front of a flatscreen during their sessions of Madden and Modern Warfare.

The only way they'd go to a place like this is if they sold beer to underagers. Wouldn't want some of those savages pounding my cabs, though.

Ain't that the truth? I go to UC Berkeley and the "gamers" here, yeah they're pretty much what you described. Some have classic games on the Wii and I win every time playing things like NES Ice Hockey:)

What's worse is that they refuse to try and play a rematch after only one game, WTF??? Kids these days, what happened to competition til your thumbs can't take it?

There was an arcade on campus before I got here, but it got replaced by a cafe, as if we didn't have enough of THOSE on campus.

peter_gunz

07-21-2011, 01:59 PM

American arcades have become ripoff havens these days. The only ones I have left near me are the Dave and Buster type places. Last time I was in there everything was a 1.00 to 2.00 per play. Even Tekken 6 was a dollar. They make you pay in those dumb points, but you can work the prices out pretty easy. Most games were around 1.35 to play.

What was wrong with coins? :)

I blame Gameworks for this. My uncle told me about it when it first hit the scene in Vegas. Cool concept, but when I checked it out, it was one of the worst arcades ever. They had horrible games and almost ALL were overpriced at the time they were out (at any other place they would be 25 cents, but at Gameworks they would be 75!). This was at a time when the only machines that were that expensive were DDR or other specialty machines. 75 cents to play KOF 96 in 1997/8, WTF????

Milk Thistle

07-21-2011, 02:54 PM

Ain't that the truth? I go to UC Berkeley and the "gamers" here, yeah they're pretty much what you described. Some have classic games on the Wii and I win every time playing things like NES Ice Hockey:)

What's worse is that they refuse to try and play a rematch after only one game, WTF??? Kids these days, what happened to competition til your thumbs can't take it?

There was an arcade on campus before I got here, but it got replaced by a cafe, as if we didn't have enough of THOSE on campus.

We actually have an awesome game room at my college with all the current consoles on flatscreens. But it's always filled with people playing Madden and Halo stuff. You walk up and 6 guys are sitting there watching their friends play, you have no idea who's in line for the next game and most of those dudes are freshmen kids who aren't the best at social interaction. I tried to get into games a few times and it was awkward to say the least. I always wanted to bring my arcade stick up there and a copy of a good fighter to lay down the law in, but since I live 10 minutes away and have a better set-up it's dumb for me to even be there.

So of course I never go there now. But a couple months ago we actually got a Tekken Tag arcade cabinet set on free play (no clue how that happened), but everytime I go in there no one's playing it so it's kind of boring.

Milk Thistle

07-21-2011, 02:59 PM

I blame Gameworks for this. My uncle told me about it when it first hit the scene in Vegas. Cool concept, but when I checked it out, it was one of the worst arcades ever. They had horrible games and almost ALL were overpriced at the time they were out (at any other place they would be 25 cents, but at Gameworks they would be 75!). This was at a time when the only machines that were that expensive were DDR or other specialty machines. 75 cents to play KOF 96 in 1997/8, WTF????

Man, Gameworks has gone downhill too. I don't even think Sega owns them anymore.

The last time I had an excuse to go there was when After Burner Climax came out, I found out a location in my state had one of the rare "moving" cabinets, so I went down to play it. It was 4 dollars per game, but totally worth it for the experience. The rest of the cabs they had were Sega cabs from the late 90s and early 2000s. No fighting games at all. I think the only other cab I played that was cool was the Ferarri F355 cab with the multiple screens.

The place was overall looking kind of ragged, too.

peter_gunz

07-21-2011, 05:54 PM

We actually have an awesome game room at my college with all the current consoles on flatscreens. But it's always filled with people playing Madden and Halo stuff. You walk up and 6 guys are sitting there watching their friends play, you have no idea who's in line for the next game and most of those dudes are freshmen kids who aren't the best at social interaction. I tried to get into games a few times and it was awkward to say the least. I always wanted to bring my arcade stick up there and a copy of a good fighter to lay down the law in, but since I live 10 minutes away and have a better set-up it's dumb for me to even be there.

So of course I never go there now. But a couple months ago we actually got a Tekken Tag arcade cabinet set on free play (no clue how that happened), but everytime I go in there no one's playing it so it's kind of boring.

Yeah, I was playing one of the Soul Caliber games in Utah by myself and got bored.

Sucks. Fight fans need to gather into one state to live in and have an ultimate showdown every few months. I'd move there work be damned!

peter_gunz

07-21-2011, 05:56 PM

Man, Gameworks has gone downhill too. I don't even think Sega owns them anymore.

The last time I had an excuse to go there was when After Burner Climax came out, I found out a location in my state had one of the rare "moving" cabinets, so I went down to play it. It was 4 dollars per game, but totally worth it for the experience. The rest of the cabs they had were Sega cabs from the late 90s and early 2000s. No fighting games at all. I think the only other cab I played that was cool was the Ferarri F355 cab with the multiple screens.

The place was overall looking kind of ragged, too.

The last one I went to was in Long Beach, CA and it was pretty cool. They had that After Burner game and it was a moving cabinet. One of the best experiences I ever had. Fun as can be. No fighting games though. I just went and did the baseball game.

Milk Thistle

07-21-2011, 07:27 PM

The last one I went to was in Long Beach, CA and it was pretty cool. They had that After Burner game and it was a moving cabinet. One of the best experiences I ever had. Fun as can be. No fighting games though. I just went and did the baseball game.

Yeah, that hydraulic cabinet was sweet. It was like 25 grand brand new. I don't even know if any places in the US had it besides Gameworks, no one could probably afford it.

Famidrive-16

07-25-2011, 01:23 AM

One of the four-cab Gundam games has been added, and it's pretty massive.

Mr Driller is also there, it was free play today but I dunno if it'll stay like that.

GameNinja

07-25-2011, 11:33 AM

University "gamers" are usually sitting in front of a flatscreen during their sessions of Madden and Modern Warfare.

The only way they'd go to a place like this is if they sold beer to underagers. Wouldn't want some of those savages pounding my cabs, though.

Interesting that you go to school in FL too. I go to UF and we have a fairly big competitive gaming scene. We have a Starcraft team that competes in the collegiate circuit and I actually know a guy who apparently did really well.

Anyways we had a big tournament last fall that had MvC2, SFIV, Halo, MW2, Madden, LoL, SC2 and HoN events with prizes. There were easily 200-300 people there. It was a lot of fun but they haven't done another big one since. :(

courtesi1

08-01-2011, 10:10 PM

You should see the arcade we have in Illinois:

http://gallopingghostarcade.com/

They charge $15 to get in and all the machines are set on free play. The moment I heard this I thought that a lot of people would be hogging machines until I heard they have 250 machines!

$15 is a lot of coin but once you experience 200+ machines all set on free play you'll never go back.

Jorpho

08-02-2011, 12:36 AM

Gee. But surely they kick people out after a certain amount of time?

courtesi1

08-02-2011, 01:13 PM

Gee. But surely they kick people out after a certain amount of time?

Never heard of it. They are open every day until 2AM.

My brother in law and his friend were there from 2pm-11pm one time. I don't think they serve food but have a lot of drinks on hand.

Famidrive-16

10-13-2011, 04:48 AM

Southtown was featured on a recent episode of the Japanese show Gamecenter CX.

Johnny_Rock

10-13-2011, 09:29 AM

I saw a few streaming events of King of Fighters XIII tournaments at Southtown. Looks like a pretty sweet place, I'll have to check it out if I'm ever in the area.

moggles

10-13-2011, 01:45 PM

I don't see how they can even pay rent unless they charge 50 per play.

But I agree, classics should be 25cents, new stuff 50.

But hey, that's best scenario. I couldn't fault them for charging a dollar a play, they gotta make money and where else can you find a place like that. I would go there even if it was a dollar a play, I would just play less.

I still happily pump 100Y coins into Japanese machines and love every minute (like $1.20!). I know I found an awesome 50Y arcade in Ogikubo (had SF4, VF5R, Gundam vs. Gundam etc.) when I was last in Japan and I thought it was the best deal on earth.

I also have to say that Chinese Vewlix clone style cab they have is so ugly next to all those classy candies. I would get rid of that thing.

Sega game centers are always the best. The sticks and buttons are regularly checked, cleaned, and replaced. Y50 SF4 or VF5 do not exist in Japan. The price is fixed at Y100, the official cabinets do not accept any other coins. You can sometimes get Y100 for two credits, but you can never drop a coin other than a Y100 into any of the latest Taito or Sega machines.