Arcade Scene, U.S.A.; Just How Bad Is It?

[Aswald]

I know this question has been asked- sort of- before, but I live up here in Central New York. Not exactly the best place by which to judge the arcade scene all across America.

Since Digital Press members are from all over the country...how is the scene where you are?

The comment about how arcade to home translations no longer really matter is really intriguing. Back in the days of ColecoVision vs. Atari 5200, it was THE question that mattered! It was also important in the NES days, the 16-Bit era, and even into the mid-1990s, if to a lesser degree.

Is it because the technical differences between home and arcade machines is no longer that significant? A lack of variety and innovation for all of these years? Or a sort of universal sameness?

[WiseSalesman]

It's bad. There just aren't any games that are interesting. The arcades have become the home of just DDR, Lightgun games, and fighters. There are notable exceptions, but usally it's just like, a driving game, or maybe metal slug in the corner. If I didn't play DDR, I wouldn't ever go to arcades. ANd, around here, if an arcade doesn't have a DDR machine they tend to go out of business in a month or two.

[Scoots]

Is it because the technical differences between home and arcade machines is no longer that significant?

I think so. That's why when you do see an arcade machine (at Dave and Busters) they're always those environmental jobs with specialized controllers you can't have at home, like the firehouse or a snowboard controller.

[ubersaurus]

To be honest, the arcade scene is still quite alive and fine in Southeastern michigan. I think what happened is alot of people got burned out on badly run arcades. I've seen arcades that people would come in, and not play anything, because all the machines were busted up in some way. And with the rise of the corporate arcade, thats gotten pretty bad. I have seen smaller arcades survive by upkeeping their machines and essentially specializing in 1 or 2 genres. I know Wizzards in Detroit wouldn't be doing half as well if they didn't specialize in fighting games. They have other stuff, but those get the most play, and make the most money, so they make sure those machines are running fine at least once a week. There's another arcade/mini golf/pool place called Butterfly, that specializes in driving games and old school games like Gaplus, Asteroids, and Raiden Plus.

As long as gamers like to go someplace and hang out and play against other gamers, there will be arcades. Not even net play can take that experience away.

[jhd7]

The arcade scene seems to be dying everywhere. I live just outside State College, home to Penn State and 40,000 students. Yet the last arcade in town is closing tomorrow and auctioning its' inventory.

One of my co-workers owned an arcade in town that closed years ago. She said the drop-off began in 1991. Was it due to Genesis, SNES, and PCs? Probably. Personally, I was turned off when games went from a quarter to 50 cents.

There are video game systems in nearly every household, and arcades just aren't that far ahead of the home market anymore (if at all). Except for the atmosphere and memories, why go to the arcade?

Just my two cents.

Jeff D

[Aswald]

I do remember one of the great things about the arcade: innovation. When you played, say, Mr. Do! or Tempest for the first time, or Q*Bert, or Moon Patrol...it seemed as if every few months would bring something new.

Then, after deciding that you just loved that new game, wondering if a good version would appear on your home console.

Even though "the place to hang out" is probably true, there's no denying that the immense popularity of being "on-line" has hurt the entire social scene, at least to a point.

[maxlords]

It's pretty much dead here in Ontario, as well as back home in Souther Oregon. The price hike combined with arcade games that are available on home systems is just killing arcades. Most of the absolute best arcades I've been to in the last few years are all private arcades. A lot of people I know are just getting them for themselves instead of bothering to go out and play arcade games.

[RetroYoungen]

It's bad. There just aren't any games that are interesting. The arcades have become the home of just DDR, Lightgun games, and fighters. There are notable exceptions, but usally it's just like, a driving game, or maybe metal slug in the corner. If I didn't play DDR, I wouldn't ever go to arcades. ANd, around here, if an arcade doesn't have a DDR machine they tend to go out of business in a month or two.

Amen, brother.

I still enjoy going to arcades just to hang out with friends of mine that go there. We all meet on Friday nights and it's a little bit different every time: sometimes me and my buddy E.J. head off to a table and just sit and discuss politics, sometimes it's only about the DDR machine (a lot of times it's that), and sometimes I get to sit with a small group and just go on and go off about arcades and video gaming as it is. A fun time, yes. But it's rarely ever about the games anymore... just talking about them and the good ol' days... :sigh:

[Kroogah]

Is it because the technical differences between home and arcade machines is no longer that significant?

That's it. That explains why the biggest moneymakers in arcades are sitdown racing games and DDR (hardly a comparison between a $20 home pad and the arcade pads)

[ubersaurus]

As far as I see it, the best machines to charge 50 cents or more on are dancing games, or stuff with specialized hardware. Those just LOOK like they deserve the extra coin. Anything in a standard cabinet, those just look like games you'd only pay a quarter to play. There's exceptions to that. CvS2 and SF3: 3rd Strike both do well at wizzards, and they are 50 cents. But people are more apt to play the ultracade, or Sam Sho V, since those are only a quarter.

[YoshiM]

Even in malls that are hopping in my home state, arcades have withered away. Heck, the Sheboygan Aladdin's Castle used to get the latest games up until around the mid 90's. That's pretty good for this backwards city. Lately the only BRAND NEW games is some 3D Double Dragon clone whose title escapes me (Demolition Fist I think) and Time Crisis 3. The rest of the games are from late 90's are either racers, fighters or gun games. Beyond those titles (and the staple Ms. Pac-Man and Galaga) are a buttload of redemption games. It's still around but it's not as good as it used to be.

The Fond du Lac Forest Mall had an arcade by Kohls that had some killer games in the early to mid 90's. Older, but cooler. It was the only place I saw an Afterburner sit-down cab and Steel Thunder(? the helicopter game that had the complex controls OF a helicopter). That place eventually changed its inventory to 80% fighting games in the mid 90's and then it closed. A Time Out was opened perhaps 2 years ago (or so) and had a good selection of titles but that was recently phased out and all that's left is a bunch of kiddie rides.

The Washington (?) mall in Green Bay (it's more down town) used to have an arcade called Tilt! that had an awesome mix of everything. It actually stuck to its guns by not going heavy on the redemption and not getting rid of some of the older classics. It too folded up. Another mall, Bay Square (I believe) has a dingy arcade that has nothing BUT older classics. The only real redemption machines I saw were skee ball, which is okay by me. The place remodeled and I don't know if this places exists yet. Oh, they will also build you cabs with like 5 selectable games for maybe $1,000 (if memory serves).

Green Bay also had a huge place called Game World. Had air hockey, foosball, arcade games of varying vintages, pizza and an indoor go-cart track. Their building is up for lease now.

Local bowling alleys used to be little meccas of gamedom but even they have scaled back. Typical games you'd find is a racing game, maybe a shooter, a carnival style gun game (or that Police Trainer) and a redemption machine or two (usually cranes).

One game, or actually one series of game is by far popular and that's Golden Tee. I see that machine everywhere EXCEPT in arcades. Usually they are found in bars or restaurants.

[dhorgan]

Here's the situation in Central Florida:

I've been able to find a grand total of TWO arcades in Central Florida. One place called Rocky's Replay, which wouldn't be too bad if they didn't allow smoking, and another place called XS. They're kind of nifty, (one of those places that gives you credit cards to play the games) but they have a nightclub in the building and you have to deal with DJ's. (Playing DDR whilst listening to DJ Generic and his Phat Beats sucks.)

What really stinks is that about a year ago there was a arcade that specialized in old arcade machines not too far from my house. (And when I say old, I mean they had pre Space-Invaders games there) Unfortuantely, 60% of them didn't work at any one time, and whoever was fixing them didn't do a very good job. So they wound up closing.

And whoever said it was right. The majority of the games are DDR-style, racing, fighting, or gun-based.

Sigh.

[Sotenga]

It's horrendous in most places... but...

I thought all hope was lost when Playland closed down. Then I discovered the arcade in my market. Samurai Shodown V, Operation Wolf, and a sit-down Outrun cabinet, among many other games. There is hope... it's a very faint glimmer, but there could be a renaissance of the golden age of arcades.

Oh, and there are three arcades in Hershey Park also. The biggest one has many classic games, like Golden Axe, 1942, Shinobi, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and once again, Outrun. Too bad the cabinet there is stand-up, but the market's a closer drive for me anyway. But seriously, that giant arcade is impressive.

And now, the EGCX is going to be hosted in my home state... I love Pennsylvania.

Forgot one more hot spot for arcades... Wildwood. The boardwalk is full of good arcades, and this one restaurant, Duffers, also shares an arcade and a miniature golf course. They make some excellent food, and I loved their milkshakes, but the main reason I came there was to jam on Buster Bros. Good times... good times.

[Gamereviewgod]

The US has an arcade scene?

[VinnyT]

Whoever said Southeastern Michigan forgot to mention the best arcade i've ever been too, MArvelous Marvins! About 500 machines and some acient( as in, penny-arcade type of machines). He even has his meters up on the wall to show how much power the place is sucking up. Nice pizza too.

The only other place I can think of that is a nice,big arcade, is in Cedar Point in Ohio. They have what must be about 700 machines, half from Euclid Beach. It even has a copy of SEGA's first EVER game, which is some type of submarine game I believe.

[SoulBlazer]

There was a small aracde growing up in my hometown of Amherst NH that I used to go to as a kid. Fun place to spend some time. And I recall my folks taking me to a Chuck E Cheese a few times as well.

When I started going to college at Plymouth State College in Plymouth NH you can imagine my joy at finding there was a Funspot in Weirs Beach not very far away. My friends and I would go there at least twice a month. The selection of classic games can't be beat and they had some nice new games as well. Plus in the summer you could play mini golf outside as well.

Now I live in Rhode Island, and a small arcade at the Rhode Island Mall close to me closed down a few months ago. It was typical of most arcades -- DDR machines, redemption games, fighters. I still go to the Dave and Busters in the Providence Place Mall, though. They have some really unique games (Konami has a firefighting game, for example, and Sega has a airplane 747 simulation) that just could never be done in the home market. I also LOVE playing Sega's Star Wars Triliogy Arcade there. Plus they have a good ammount of ticket and gambling machines, as well as some skiball. You can get drinks at your machine as you play and there's a nice restruant and pool table/bar area in there as well.

I wonder sometimes how Dave and Busters stays open, but it must be because they have so much under one roof and because a lot of their games are unique and just not playable at home.

[boatofcar]

The only arcade left near my hometown in WV is in the mall. It is a Tilt!, and aside from DDR, or whatever clone of it it is, all the games are constantly for sale.

A little OT: besides the Dragon's Lair games, what was the first game that you remember was 50 cents?

[jaydubnb]

The arcade scene here is teh suck. All of my old hotspots are dead (place in Bay Ridge, mall at Kings Plaza), just a shadow of their former greatness (Coney Island/Astroland), or one of those high priced arcades where everything costs $1 and/or you have to buy credits on those annoying swipe cards (Times Square).

The only place that has the old, early 90s feel is the China Town Fair. Lots of fighters, some shooters, some puzzlers, DDR (of course) and always some good competition . I'll have to swing by this week to see if Slug V is there!

[lostsage]

it crappy in new mexico. the only half way decent arcade i've been to here is hinkle family fun center. it has current games (star wars e:1 pinball machine too), nickle arcade full of half broken old school games.

been up to denver, and they had an awesome arcade (or at least the best i've seen so far). dave and busters, but the price is insane. still have no problem dropping 50 bucks on games alone.

[Flack]

Check out this review of Cactus Jack's, an arcade less than five miles from my house.

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/view...ghlight=cactus

There are three malls near my house, each of them with decent arcades as well.