I Hate Arcades.

[Chuplayer]

There. I said it. I can't stand arcades. They suck so horribly. I don't want to believe it, but they really do suck. They suck now more than ever, but they've been sucking for a long time. And it's not just the lack of new games or lack of variety that's been a problem for the past decade. It's the shittiness of the experience.

So many games aren't properly maintained. I can't stand it when I spend good money to play a game, and the damn buttons won't work. I hate it! I can't stand it when the monitor's malfunctioning. I hate it when it's green tinted, or dim, or shaky. I hate it when light guns aren't calibrated. How fucking hard is it to calibrate the guns every once in a while? Huh? HOW FUCKING HARD IS IT TO MAKE THEM SHOOT STRAIGHT? I SHOULD FUCKING SHOOT YOU IN THE HEAD MR. ARCADE OPERATOR!!!

I know of this Hang-On cabinet that's been broken since 1997. Why is it still out on the floor? Why is it still plugged in? Why is it still taking peoples' money? Why the fuck isn't it fixed? And if it can't be fixed, put the thing out to pasture! It's been this way for eight years! EIGHT FUCKING YEARS!!! Everybody knows it's busted. Get something that works, damn it!

These days it's all about DDR and redemption crap. Those two things have effectively put the other foot in its grave. No ifs, ands, or buts. There's little gaming left to be gamed. It's all about "dancing" or spending 100 bucks to get a 50 cent trinket. And those things attract the biggest pricks I've ever seen. Ever play Time Crisis next to a DDR cabinet? When you're not getting deaf from the bass, you're yelling at cocksuckers to stop standing in front of the fucking screen. One of these days I'm going to take both guns, point them at some pasty faced fuck burger, and shout at the top of my lungs, "MOVE THE FUCK AWAY OR DIE, BITCH!!!" Bonus points if it's some guy's girlfriend LOL

You know what I see whenever I go to an arcade? Desolation. This once sacred place has been raped up the ass. People used to play games there. People used to break down social barriers there. In the grand scheme of things, what happened at arcades didn't really matter, but so what? It was the only thing that mattered when you set foot inside one of those places.

I used to be able to put myself at ease when I went to an arcade. Now I feel crappier than ever when I go. When problems became too much that not even my Nintendo could soothe my pain, I could always count on an arcade to put those things out of my mind or a while. It was a way to decompress, and I used to decompress in a huge way. But now it's just compressing. I feel crushed when I go to an arcade.

A funny thought passed through my mind right now. Arcades are like disco. Both of them are past their prime, and both of them have people who try to keep reliving their former glory. Too bad there's nothing like the real thing, and the real thing doesn't exist anymore.

[evil_genius]

Some day I will own an arcade. There will be no games that give out tickets and no prizes. Only good games. And people won't care because the games will be good, and everyone will enjoy time spent. Kids skipping school, and young adults late back to work on their lunch break. It will be great.

[Muscelli]

They do suck.. hard...

The only one that doesn't is the Neo-Geo Palace on the seaside heights boardwalk.. It has like every neo geo mvs game there.. as well as some naomi action, and atomiswave cabinets..

[FooFighter]

Too bad there's nothing like the real thing, and the real thing doesn't exist anymore.

Amen to that.

[Chuplayer]

They do suck.. hard...

The only one that doesn't is the Neo-Geo Palace on the seaside heights boardwalk.. It has like every neo geo mvs game there.. as well as some naomi action, and atomiswave cabinets..

Is this located beyond Casino Arcade?

If so... fuck.

[Muscelli]

They do suck.. hard...

The only one that doesn't is the Neo-Geo Palace on the seaside heights boardwalk.. It has like every neo geo mvs game there.. as well as some naomi action, and atomiswave cabinets..

Is this located beyond Casino Arcade?

If so... fuck.

??

[Wester]

I've had the same problems, I tried to play an Area 51 machine at the NASCAR Cafe' while I was on vacation and the guns were horrible, one was glued together and the other would only reload when you hit the left side of the screen. The real arcade at Universal Studios wasn't much better several burnt screens and waste of space games like a virtual rollercoaster ride that kills your kidneys.

[XYXZYZ]

For me, I sometimes wonder- is it just that my favorite arcade era is gone, or do they really suck? I mean, to all of us who loved the early 80s classics, the SEGA16 days, the SF2 domination period... the temporary comraderies formed by a group of four strangers pounding away on a TMNT cabinet... arcades have nothing for us anymore.

But are there kids today who have just as much fun playing DDR as we did playing Double Dragon? Will they look back on DDR and al these zombie shooting games with as much fondness as we look back at our arcade memories? I ask because I don't know, I mean, I just don't go to arcades anymore. Because they suck.

I wish I could go back to 1992 again... Golden Axe...UN Squadron... Ninja Turtles... Fatal Fury... the smell of Sbaro's Pizza outside... that feeling of wealth when you had put a $5 in the token machine, and you had a bulging pocket of tokens jingling while you walked over for a little skiball to wait for the Street Fighter 2 crowd to die down... :(

[Wester]

I always got my a$$ handed to me on Street Fighter 2, until a friend of mine got a PS.

[XYXZYZ]

Oh yeah, at my local Wal Mart of all places, there is -get this- a Strikers 1945 II game! A Psikyo shooter at Wal Mart? If that weren't enough, the machine is set to free play! What's the catch?

The goddamn joystick fixture has fallen into the cabinet, and heaven forbid the buttons work. :angry:

S'araight, I can't see through all the smudge on the screen anyway.

Seriously, when a good game is damaged, what do you do? Who do you bother to get it fixed? Has anyone ever bothered to call the amusement company number on those stickers on the marqee? And don't you hate it when the control panel has some defect that you know you can fix yourself? A loose spade connector, replace a button, you know.

[pkupstixx]

Ill agree with you on this. I remember going to the arcade in the 70's and 80's and I never had pockets big enough ( or enough money to actually fill them ) to play all the games I wanted to play. The sound when you would walk in was incredible back then. All those machines with the blips and beeps made this sound that was just awesome. But these were also the best versions of the games at the time. Now with the current gen systems the graphics are just as good or surpass anything we could have played at the arcade which is why you see the redemption games so much.

Look at Gran Tourismo 4 for example. If you put that game with its graphics and realism in the arcades say in 1985 you had a gold mine on your hands. Arcades have nothing to compete againt with these home versions. Ecept for token and ticket games, or the super deluxe sit down/ride games that we see now as these cant be played at home.

To be honest since a few years before the PS1 came out the only games I would play at the arcade was pinball as I dont have one at home. And even good pinball machines are hard to come by anymore. These as stated above follow the same fate of say that super hang on. They are not cared for, off center or just tilted in such a way the ball roll at incredible speeds towards the bottom. Not to mention the flippers are usually so weak you cant get the ball up the damn ramps. Is it so hard to take care of these as well.

Ive seen the local arcades in my area ( North East Philly ( RIP Galaxy/Champions) ) either just close up forever or become redemption halls. I remember when hanging in the mall arcade was a good time too but now if the mall has an arcade, again its a redemption place and not a place to get some gaming on as the few games they do have either dont work or are are so costly to play its not worth it.

Thats another argument as well game used to be 25 to 50 cents now if you go to a Dave and Busters you cant tell truly how much you are paying as you put money on a card and swipe away to play not knowing how many credits it takes or the value of said credits. It was easy when you went into your pocket felt to quarters and knew you had 2 games left to play.

Something some day may draw gamers back, maybe virtual reality if they can get it right, untill then ill just stick with what i can play at home.

Granted there are a few exceptions left as some arcades still have that gaming feel with the older games but they are far and few in between, not like the glory days of the arcade where you never wanted to leave the place ever.ever.

[donkeykong1]

I rarely go out to arcades. I guess the owners don't care about the customers. They figure little kids will put their money into these broken machines and just walk away when they can't play. Usually arcades at big places have good working machines. When I go to Las Vegas (and I am low on gambling money)I hit up the arcades at all the casinos and they are usually well maintained. I guess it all depends where you go.

[evildead2099]

I agree with some of the things you said, but my overall opinion of arcades is more favourable than it is negative. In any case, you can take comfort in the knowledge that the arcade scene has been dwindling increasingly since the late 90s.

[VG_Maniac]

HOW FUCKING HARD IS IT TO MAKE THEM SHOOT STRAIGHT? I SHOULD FUCKING SHOOT YOU IN THE HEAD MR. ARCADE OPERATOR!!!

I wouldn't talk like that if I were you...Jack Thompson might be reading this topic, and that's just going to give him further proof that video gamers have a violent nature...

Okay! I'm joking! Sorry, but I just couldn't resist. LOL

Anyway, I never go to arcades these days. I just play the roms of them on MAME. Yeah, I know there's nothing like the real thing...but as it's been said, the real thing doesn't really even exist anymore. Most arcades now have big 3D machines that cost a dollar per play...and when they do have the classics, the games are in horrible playing condition. Sucks. :(

[RCM]

Great rant. It is sad that the arcade experience is pretty much destroyed.

THE ONE, THE ONLY- RCM

[Chuplayer]

They do suck.. hard...

The only one that doesn't is the Neo-Geo Palace on the seaside heights boardwalk.. It has like every neo geo mvs game there.. as well as some naomi action, and atomiswave cabinets..

Is this located beyond Casino Arcade?

If so... fuck.

??

What do you mean by "??" ?

Wait, you said Seaside Heights boardwalk, not Seaside Park boardwalk, don't tell me they aren't one in the same.

If we are talking about the same thing, then I never knew about Neo Geo Palace because I start at Stevie D and end at Casino Arcade, or whatever arcade it is that is near the rooftop mini-golf course. If it's beyond that arcade, then fuck, because I never go past that arcade.

[smokehouse]

I think it’s a combination of things that makes arcades bad. First off, I’m not sure these is an open arcade anywhere near my home, all have closed up. Back before our last Aladdin’s castle closed up it was all ticket pumpers, a few gun games and multiple DDR machines. My wife and I would go and play some skee-ball from time to time but like Chuplayer said, the crowd got to be too much. I’m not old enough to remember the first time of the arcade, but I CLEARLY remember the late 80’s early 90’s. Games like TMNT, Operation Wolf, NARC, Mercs, Cadash, Mortal Kombat, Hard Drivin’, Paperboy, Two Crude Dudes, the Neo Geo cabinets, Simpsons, Punisher, Final Fight, Smash TV….man, I could go on and on. Those were the days. I so clearly remember the sights and sounds of the arcade, when you first walked in you felt like, “Yep, I’m home.” I remember getting game tokens and frantically reaching in your pocket to get more tokens before the 10 second timer ran out after a “Game Over”.

One day I’d like to open a retro arcade for adults only (kids allowed with adult supervision). No drinking, no gimmicks, just old school arcade games and hours to play. No, if I only had the $100,000 I’d need….









Ok, you got me, I was the dorky kid in the corner playing Cadash…

[evil_genius]

Even if there were a really really good arcade with like all of the good games in it, do you think they would get the attention it deserves? Or is it just completely gone with no chance for revival?

Also, like smokehouse said, it would cost alot of money to get all of these old school arcades, and with kids around they are gonna be damages. I really wish something like this existed.

[RetroYoungen]

After reading that, I'm feeling pretty lucky. My current arcade, Scandia (which is in a great location, short distace away from my school campus), is usually kept up pretty well. It has the Super Hang-On that's broken (I'm not a huge fan anyway), it has its' fair share of ticket collection games, but overall it's a pretty solid experience, just how I prefer it; a bit smelly, pretty dark, good titles in a nice layout, older mixed in with the new...

I'm lucky, yes. But I do know what you're saying, most of the real... "feel" of the place is gone. Whether it's the people ("Hey, this game SUCKS!" followed by pounding on the buttons, little kids running unaccompanied, the jerks trying to sell bootleg movies), the atmosphere, or just the games and their condition... most arcades are simply dead. Not much we can do other than start our own places, and then we might run into a few of the same problems.

[DogP]

Well... I've got to agree with most of what's said in this post... although I'm not so much complaining about crappy arcades in the area, but more just that the games aren't that great anymore. Everything feels so much like all the other games of the same genre, like a driving game is a driving game, a shooting game is a shooting game, etc. I don't really have a feel that I need to have a loyal following to a certain series of games.

And I totally agree about needing more co-op 4+ player games! Back when I was playing TMNT, X-Men, Simpsons, etc. at CEC, we'd just have a huge group of people gathered around pumping tokens in the machine until we ran out. We'd be high-fiving each other when we'd kill a boss, and yell at each other for wasting a pizza that was supposed to be mine!

I guess the only arcade in my area is a Namco Arcade in the mall... it's not the worst arcade ever (has no redemption crap), but I never feel compelled to spend more than $1-$2 in there. They have a Time Crisis 3, Cyber Cycles, Initial D, Tekken 5, some airliner flight game, some crappy driving game, I think a couple Daytona machines, an Area 51, and probably a few other games that I can't think of... and they're usually mostly working. I guess I'm lucky compared to what some of you are saying, but it's totally lame compared to what I remember, and some of the other great arcades that I've run across over the years (one in a mall near Reading PA, and one at the Santa Cruz boardwalk in CA).

BTW, is there a list or post on here with arcades members have been to, what games they had, and they thought about them?

DogP

[boatofcar]

I don't think redemption machines are a bad thing in themselves--every arcade I've ever been too, even back in the 80's, had them to some extent.

If I had an arcade, I'd just have an even distribution of things, to try and get a little of everything in.

The only difference would be that instead of winning stupid prizes at redemption place, you'd win more tokens. That way, if you get down to one token, you can always spin the wheel or whatever in attempt to hit the jackpot, and win enough tickets to trade in for tokens. I'm thinking maybe 25 tickets per token or something.

The distribution of things would be as such.

50% Arcade Cabs broken up as such:
25% Classic Games-Pre 1995
25% Racing Games-Daytona, etc.
25% Fighting/Shooting Games
25% Interactive-DDR, the Skateboarding,
Snowbaording games, VR, etc.


25% Redemption Machines- Earthquake, Wheel 'Em In,
etc. Also a big honkin wheel, as described above.


25% "Sports" type games. Air Hockey, Basketball, Skee-Ball, etc.


I really think opening up a games only arcade, while cool in prospect, would not sustain itself monetarily.

[Hiryu]

Great topic, this reminded me of the Pamida down the street from me growing up. They had Shinobi, Ninja Gaiden and FireShark cabinets there almost the whole time they were in business. I remember the screen on the Gaiden game getting progressively streaky and gooey looking as time passed. I also remember how freakin hot it would get in that entry way during the summer. :)
We also had an Aladdin's Castle that had so many cool games back in the day like Strider, Dragon Breed, R-Type II the list could go on, the games would rotate every month or two, but some like Altered Beast and Strider would stick awhile longer. I loved those days and hoping and dreaming of the day I could play "arcade perfect" translations on home consoles. Those hopeful thoughts that would pop into my head when I read or heard a certain game was coming to a home console, only to not be released in the US, or just have "cuts" made :( hehe

Funny, now I just wish I had a Pamida with those threee games in it to play....

[Mangar]

Some day I will own an arcade. There will be no games that give out tickets and no prizes.

heh - That's my "dream" for when i retire actually. The problem with the scenario however, is that you would need run it with the full expectations that you would NEVER turn a profit. Which you simply wouldn't. Unless you could perhaps throw a bar/beer-bar into the equation. Which in todays "Kid Friendly" world is near impossible in my area. (I've actually looked into it) Still a nice dream for when i get the fruits of my 401k and IRA one day.... :)

I'm lucky that i live near Seaside Heights, NJ - Which actually has decent arcades still. The girl my dating has a beach-house in Wildwood, NJ which for those not from here - Is essentially the #1 Boardwalk destination in the state. 3 Piers full of rides, HUGE resort town, etc.. etc.. - The other weekend we walked the entire length of the boardwalk, and it was almost depressing. We went into every single arcade they had, and I kept a mental count of the actual arcade machines present in each one. The #1 spot had and i'm not joking - 4 arcade machines, and 2 pinball ones. The rest was all ticket machines. It was downright sad. (Most of the machines actually tended to be Mrs Pac Man/Galaga hybrids)

It was just weird seeing HUGE arcades filled almost completely with ticket games. I think what made it worse for me, is that i've been to Wildwood before in the 80's and remember some of these places as being real arcade havens. Oh well.. The end of an era. As any arcade owner will tell you - If you wanna turn a profit, ticket/redemption games are the way to go.....

[ubersaurus]

Some day I will own an arcade. There will be no games that give out tickets and no prizes. Only good games. And people won't care because the games will be good, and everyone will enjoy time spent. Kids skipping school, and young adults late back to work on their lunch break. It will be great.

And you'd go under, because those ticket games are what brings in whatever money arcades make.

Well, that and DDR.

[DJBoy416]

We have a Namco Time Out Arcade in our area.Sadly,it`s small and doesn`t have anything that`s spectacular or that you can`t buy the home version of.

Years ago(actually about 10), we had an arcade called Fun`N Games close down after being in buisness since the early 80`s.It was so sad to see,as they had many of my favorite games at the time:TMNT 1 and 2,the Simpsons,DJ Boy(which inspired my screen name,of course :) ),WWF Superstars/Wrestlefest,Street Smart,Final Fight,Captain America and the Avengers,Mr.Do!...I could go on and on.

Another arcade opened months back that specalized in games from the golden age of gaming.But it went out of buisness shortly after(mostly due to small space and a very poor location)

[googlefest1]

well if you in CT you should check out Dadd's xtreme indoor sports

867 boston post Rd
west haven

i have nothing to do with these people (except being a customer)

they just opend and answered my prayers -- they have many arcades - decent mix of old and new - even shooters!

they also have a microsoft game to my surprise crimson skys (you sit in like a gunners chair and it moves all around and shakes

they have indoor go carts - minigolf and lasertag -- also ddr for you ddr freaks -- and these machines are out of the way of the real games

[ClubNinja]

At this point, the only arcades I don't hate are the ones people keep in their basements. Otherwise, total junk.

[imanerd0011]

[quote="Mangar"]

I'm lucky that i live near Seaside Heights, NJ - Which actually has decent arcades still. The girl my dating has a beach-house in Wildwood, NJ which for those not from here - Is essentially the #1 Boardwalk destination in the state. 3 Piers full of rides, HUGE resort town, etc.. etc.. - The other weekend we walked the entire length of the boardwalk, and it was almost depressing. We went into every single arcade they had, and I kept a mental count of the actual arcade machines present in each one. The #1 spot had and i'm not joking - 4 arcade machines, and 2 pinball ones. The rest was all ticket machines. It was downright sad. (Most of the machines actually tended to be Mrs Pac Man/Galaga hybrids)

It was just weird seeing HUGE arcades filled almost completely with ticket games. I think what made it worse for me, is that i've been to Wildwood before in the 80's and remember some of these places as being real arcade havens. Oh well.. The end of an era. quote]

Dang man, that really brings a tear to my eye. :( I used to go to the Jersey Shore every year with my family from around 1988-1994 or so. The last time we went was about 10 years ago, and the Arcades were still rockin' pretty hard then. I remember playing NBA Jam on a 50" screen in Wildwood right when it came out. I waited over 30 minutes in line, but when I finally got a chance to play it was heaven! It was in an Arcade right beside a 2 level carosel (is that still there?).
Oh well, at least I still have all my great memories of how Wildwood and Seaside used to be for me.

[diskoboy]

Woah! There's still an arcade left that's outside of Japan?!

I'm in shock!

The arcade truly died in 1985. Even the ones that survived the big shakeout. So "AMEN" to this whole topic.

Arcade
1972-1985
*R.I.P*

[diskoboy]

Woah! There's still an arcade left that's outside of Japan?!

I'm in shock!

The arcade truly died in 1985. Even the ones that survived the big shakeout. So "AMEN" to this whole topic.

Arcade
1972-1985
*R.I.P*

[evil_genius]

I went to an ice cream shop during a somewhat boring trip to Keuka Lake, however very relaxing. Anyway, there was a Galaga machine in the back no naturally I go and play and it was great. Some little kid came up and started talking to me about how he plays this game on his gameboy. I thought it was cool the little kid was enjoying old school games. I just wish he would have let me concentrate. :angry:

[evil_genius]

I went to an ice cream shop during a somewhat boring trip to Keuka Lake, however very relaxing. Anyway, there was a Galaga machine in the back no naturally I go and play and it was great. Some little kid came up and started talking to me about how he plays this game on his gameboy. I thought it was cool the little kid was enjoying old school games. I just wish he would have let me concentrate. :angry:

[Rev. Link]

All of the arcades in my area (Cincinnati) have either closed or have nothing but racing and hunting games. And of course those prize machines. Most of the ones I see don't even have DDR.

I miss the old days. Everyone crowded around Mortal Kombat II or NBA Jam, or some co-op brawler like X-Men or TMNT. I used to go to this seedy pool hall when I was a teenager to play MKII, Lethal Enforcers, and some great classic stuff like Pac-Man and the like. And of course there was pool and a jukebox full of heavy metal. That place was awesome!

[Rev. Link]

All of the arcades in my area (Cincinnati) have either closed or have nothing but racing and hunting games. And of course those prize machines. Most of the ones I see don't even have DDR.

I miss the old days. Everyone crowded around Mortal Kombat II or NBA Jam, or some co-op brawler like X-Men or TMNT. I used to go to this seedy pool hall when I was a teenager to play MKII, Lethal Enforcers, and some great classic stuff like Pac-Man and the like. And of course there was pool and a jukebox full of heavy metal. That place was awesome!

[NintendoMan]

Some day I will own an arcade. There will be no games that give out tickets and no prizes. Only good games. And people won't care because the games will be good, and everyone will enjoy time spent. Kids skipping school, and young adults late back to work on their lunch break. It will be great.

Damn good thought! But like it was said earlier, times change. One reason I think arcades used to be so big was because it was something new and graphics wise you couldn't compare. Now those same systems are in our homes, just smaller versions of the acrades and you can basically have the same expierence.

Until something new that drastically changes, like some sort of real life type, 3-D simulator comes out, I don't think arcades UNFORTUNATELY have any real hope.

[NintendoMan]

Some day I will own an arcade. There will be no games that give out tickets and no prizes. Only good games. And people won't care because the games will be good, and everyone will enjoy time spent. Kids skipping school, and young adults late back to work on their lunch break. It will be great.

Damn good thought! But like it was said earlier, times change. One reason I think arcades used to be so big was because it was something new and graphics wise you couldn't compare. Now those same systems are in our homes, just smaller versions of the acrades and you can basically have the same expierence.

Until something new that drastically changes, like some sort of real life type, 3-D simulator comes out, I don't think arcades UNFORTUNATELY have any real hope.