The sad truth about arcades




Posted by The_Essence_Vortex

As everyone knows, arcades pretty much started the video game industry. But, sadly, these wonderous creatures of nature are dissapearing off of the earth. Is anyone else saddend with this? I personally love to pump my quarters or tokens into the old games and some of the newer ones like Artic Thunder (I know it's old, but it's still fun). *sigh*... Good times.




Posted by Jesse Smith

Why waist quarters when you can buy the games, and play them a billion times with out falling to the Arcade scam of waisting ur money every time u play them!!!!




Posted by Proto Man

I am saddened by this... the one place that used to be an arcade near where I live is now a "Family Fun Center" and they took out the fun games like Donkey Kong, and T2: Judgement Day. My little bro and I would sit there with the rattling machine guns, plugging in tokens. It seems that that is what the trend is with these arcade places, to become family fun centers, which annoy's the heck out of me! When I get older, I want to start an arcade of my own, with old and new arcade games. Fortunately, there is another place near me that is all arcade games that I am going to check out soon.

Anyhow the only other place that seems to have arcade games is your local Laundramat.




Posted by The_Essence_Vortex


Quoting Jesse Smith: Why waist quarters when you can buy the games, and play them a billion times with out falling to the Arcade scam of waisting ur money every time u play them!!!!


Wasting money? I don't think so. You seem to be forgetting one thing: without arcades, you wouldn't have your fancy pants game systems. Without arcades, I don't think video games would be what it is today. You just don't get it, do you? Go to your nearest arcade and pop some quarters in there, then tell me it's a waste of money. Come on. I dare you. Or, as the younguns (which is funny coming from me) say, I double dog dare you.



Posted by The_Essence_Vortex


Quoting Protoman: I am saddened by this... the one place that used to be an arcade near where I live is now a "Family Fun Center" and they took out the fun games like Donkey Kong, and T2: Judgement Day. My little bro and I would sit there with the rattling machine guns, plugging in tokens. It seems that that is what the trend is with these arcade places, to become family fun centers, which annoy's the heck out of me! When I get older, I want to start an arcade of my own, with old and new arcade games. Fortunately, there is another place near me that is all arcade games that I am going to check out soon.

Anyhow the only other place that seems to have arcade games is your local Laundramat.


VERY GOOD. You're very correct on this. It's an outrage what they're doing. What I think they should do is take all arcade games and open up a world arcade center. It would have almost every arcade game ever made. It would be nirvana. Gaming nirvana. I sound like a nerd right now, don't I?...



Posted by Proto Man


Quoting The_Essence_Vortex: VERY GOOD. You're very correct on this. It's an outrage what they're doing. What I think they should do is take all arcade games and open up a world arcade center. It would have almost every arcade game ever made. It would be nirvana. Gaming nirvana. I sound like a nerd right now, don't I?...



Lol, maybe a little but that's ok. That sounds awesome! I like the idea. I think the reason they don't do stuff like that is because people are afraid it would turn into like it was back in the 80's, smoke filled, dark, a hangout for druggies ETC... but it wouldn't if the place was managed right! Kids need a hangout, and need more hangouts like arcades, not like the 80's but more controled.

BTW, please don't double post, it is frowned upon here. Thanks :)



Posted by The_Essence_Vortex


Quoting Protoman: Lol, maybe a little but that's ok. That sounds awesome! I like the idea. I think the reason they don't do stuff like that is because people are afraid it would turn into like it was back in the 80's, smoke filled, dark, a hangout for druggies ETC... but it wouldn't if the place was managed right! Kids need a hangout, and need more hangouts like arcades, not like the 80's but more controled.

BTW, please don't double post, it is frowned upon here. Thanks :)


Thanks. I know it would probably be a druggie hangout. I don't know who would manage it though. It's just nowadays, all the kids wanna smoke pot. That's all they wanna do. And this is funny coming from me, cause I'm only 16. But... Yeah.

I'll remember the double post rule.



Posted by Proto Man


Quoting The_Essence_Vortex: Thanks. I know it would probably be a druggie hangout. I don't know who would manage it though. It's just nowadays, all the kids wanna smoke pot. That's all they wanna do. And this is funny coming from me, cause I'm only 16. But... Yeah.

I'll remember the double post rule.


Well it was like I was saying, it would need to be managed right! If I ever decide to open my own arcade, (which I am thinking about doing in the future) I would have reliable people managing it, I would have a pizza/soda shop in it, non of that token stuff, all machines would use regular quarters.



Posted by Proto Man

Well it's like I said, the place would have to be managed right. If I were to start my own arcade (as I said before, I am thinking of doing that) I would have reliable people managing it, I would have a pizza shop, I wouldn't have any of that token junk, just regular quarters.




Posted by bazariah

a retro arcade is something i've dreamed of doing for a while, i just need the funds to get my idea started.... the one thing i'd be worried about is the classic machines getting destroyed/tagged




Posted by The_Essence_Vortex


Quoting bazariah: a retro arcade is something i've dreamed of doing for a while, i just need the funds to get my idea started.... the one thing i'd be worried about is the classic machines getting destroyed/tagged


We got some smart people in here! The funds would be high, but it would be a good thing to do. The classic machines would probably get destroyed/tagged pretty quickly, as the teens of today only want to play something were you can steal stuff and shoot people. See how far the teens of today have fallen?



Posted by bazariah

if i were able do do such a thing i would have a beefy amount of security, such as make it member only, cameras, and a burly friend of mine at the entrance/exist doors




Posted by Proto Man


Quoting bazariah: if i were able do do such a thing i would have a beefy amount of security, such as make it member only, cameras, and a burly friend of mine at the entrance/exist doors


Well, I wouldn't go that far... but what do you mean about the old classics being destroyed and tagged quickly?



Posted by bazariah

you know how a lot of the youth of today are, they feel the need to destroy things they see as they think it'll be a laugh... well thats how 90%of the youth population is like over here, they want to steal everything and act like twats




Posted by Proto Man


Quoting bazariah: you know how a lot of the youth of today are, they feel the need to destroy things they see as they think it'll be a laugh... well thats how 90%of the youth population is like over here, they want to steal everything and act like twats


Well I guess that is out in the UK, not everyone out here is like that. There may be a few, but all those kids are in Juvi.



Posted by Master Chief 12


Quoting The_Essence_Vortex: Wasting money? I don't think so. You seem to be forgetting one thing: without arcades, you wouldn't have your fancy pants game systems. Without arcades, I don't think video games would be what it is today. You just don't get it, do you? Go to your nearest arcade and pop some quarters in there, then tell me it's a waste of money. Come on. I dare you. Or, as the younguns (which is funny coming from me) say, I double dog dare you.


Actually, if memory serves me, the video game console(Atari) came before the Arcade.



Posted by The_Essence_Vortex


Quoting Master Chief 12: Actually, if memory serves me, the video game console(Atari) came before the Arcade.


Not really. I could be wrong, however. I'm pretty sure that arcade games came out before atari... No wait! I think it was Pong that came out first. I'll check my sources.



Posted by eriksson22

Yeah arcades are a blast....playing against random people you've never met, going there with buddies. i had good times at arcades. But their main appeal was the games were more impressive than ones you could play at home...it is sad, but that's the way the industry works. They don't have a superior product to offer anymore, so they'll slowly die off.




Posted by bazariah


Quoting The_Essence_Vortex: Not really. I could be wrong, however. I'm pretty sure that arcade games came out before atari... No wait! I think it was Pong that came out first. I'll check my sources.


actually the first arcade game was computer space created by nolan (the owner of the atari corparation) in 1969 under the companies first name (szygy i hope thats the correct spelling) it wasnt a very good seller/coin muncher, it was based on a university project called space war....

pong is reffered to as the first commercial arcade game since it was the one which has more references and took more money, even though it appeared roughly 4 years after computer space



Posted by The_Essence_Vortex


Quoting bazariah: actually the first arcade game was computer space created by nolan (the owner of the atari corparation) in 1969 under the companies first name (szygy i hope thats the correct spelling) it wasnt a very good seller/coin muncher, it was based on a university project called space war....

pong is reffered to as the first commercial arcade game since it was the one which has more references and took more money, even though it appeared roughly 4 years after computer space


I remember now. I saw that in one of my Game Informer magazines. Wasn't there only, like, 400 ever made or something? Plus, I understand that it was complicated.



Posted by /-\nubi$

Good job Bazariah, I was about to say the same thing, but I see another well informed gamer has beaten me to the cake of explaining it. But yes thats what Ive been throwing around in my head, a retro arcade or just a real one (like DDR, some people may not like that idea, but id also have the rest of the retro and classic games in there as well) but that would take way too much money for the age I am now. But if I could just get a nice location for an arcade, I would sell almost everything I have just to make an arcade...




Posted by Death-By-Minnow

About opening an arcade... Don't you wonder why there really aren't any arcades around anymore? I'd guess it's because arcade games eventualy get old, there's just no helping it. Almost by definition an arcade game is designed to throw you into frantic action with little more purpose than to get you killed repeatedly (that's not saying they aren't fun, but still...) The only exception I can think of is Bust-A-Move... but I have that for super nes anyway. I think people usualy play it a bit, then get tired of the repetitive dying. We (as VGCers) are probably an exception, and even at that lots of our arcade games on site aren't used as much as they could be. And they're free!

That's not to say I wouldn't appreciate one nearby, but there's an awfully low chance if one of you built one that I'd get any use out of it anyway... there's not a whole lot of us and we're spread extremely thin, you know?

Hey... maybe we should start our own country, for people who can't get enough of the arcade classics eh?




Posted by NightmareBassX

About a year ago an arcade I used to go to like every day in the summer to play DDR and Street fighter and other stuff like time crisis was on the verge of being shut down, It saddened me because I loved it and On Ddr it was actually something my mom couldnt talk bad about because geez that was alot of excercise. Pac-man too! It got shut down about 7 months ago, got turned into a .... bank. Like we dont have enough already, Man I miss it, and I dont like WoW really that much (Wow is an arcade I live near). This may sound stupid but that arcade was probably the funnest I have ever ever had in the mall.

Man I miss it =*(. And the DDR for the systems just... Arnt the same...




Posted by Darkbackward

Unfortunately for these doom sayers the end is not near, but bright. For games like police 911 and house of the dead BEG to be played at the arcade. With upcoming games like virtua fighter arena and just about every tight ddr game created, the industry is still strong.

Consoels and PC are better, but if you want to be immersed, the arcades are the only fulfillment. I couldn't imagine having any fun with police 911 without a cabinet.




Posted by Map42892

there's more of em' coming up around my town...




Posted by The_Essence_Vortex


Quoting Map42892: there's more of em' coming up around my town...


More arcades around your town? *insert Napoleon Dynamite voice* Lucky.



Posted by Big Boss

Arcades are not as popular as before, but they're still alive thanks to the change they've gone through. Now it's all about games that you simply can't play at home... or at least that was the idea. DDR was a prime example, but the game can now be played with its own pad at home.

F-Zero AX is an excellent example of a game that can't be enjoyed as much without a cabinet, though. Sure, GX for the GCN is a solid title, but after playing the arcade version with the rocky cabinet you wouldn't want to go back to the home version. Sadly, as a main factor spelling doom for arcade games, you need to dish out a whole dollar for just ONE race, whether or not you place.

Then there's also the fact that arcade games are no longer the epitome of technology, and with online play for home consoles, paying for fighting games in an arcade is just stupid. That's the biggest reason why I don't pay to play anymore, because I loved arcades for the fighting games, and now I can play those at home with people from all over the world.




Posted by Fate

I've had too many bad memories from arcades, me being the fat female in a pool of boys when they thought I knew about games enough to be confident around males. With this "confidence" they found, it was funny to kick the living **** out of me in any game I played, even though I just wanted to hang out. Apparently, it was funny to kick around the fat girl.

Losing 100 lbs and toning my arcade skills, I later returned to beat everyone at Tekken and whatever else was there.




Posted by Spinal

I loved arcades when i was groving up, it was so much fun playing back then. Thease days a game last for 5min and then it's boring, i still rather play space invaders, pac man and the other really good games over a new xbox crap or whatever game.

And for the guy who said that it's better with console games... do you actully think it's more fun to play a pinball game on xbox (or whatever console you'r thinking of) then the real thing? I hope not.




Posted by FLiPBoY


Quoting The_Essence_Vortex: Thanks. I know it would probably be a druggie hangout. I don't know who would manage it though. It's just nowadays, all the kids wanna smoke pot. That's all they wanna do. And this is funny coming from me, cause I'm only 16. But... Yeah.

I'll remember the double post rule.




Anyways, I found that on a forum but I don't remember where. I don't think you should die though... Arcades are fun. I remember everytime I went on family vacations. For example, Las Vegas. Anyways.. Everytime we went to Excalibur or any casino/hotel, I would go to arcade. But if arcades disappear in there, I would be miserable



Posted by Mixhael

I havn't been to a decent arcade in so long. The last being one at an amusement park, and it wasn't that great. The best part about arcardes was being in a social dynamic. Sure, you can pass Frogger at home, but it's way cooler to have people you don't know watch you do it. Arcades were the best times for me at Camelot Golf Land here in SoCal. G0d only knows if that place still exists, but me and 5 other friends spent quarters upon quarters trying to pass The Simpsons and X-Men as a team in the biggest arcade I've ever seen.

It's too bad Arcades are disappearing. They just recently closed a small one at a local mall when I was fiending for some Jurassic Park fun. At least they're in all these movie theaters now.

It's too bad so many have gone the 50/75 cent/$1 route. High slot prices keep kids away even more so than the PS2 and XBOX




Posted by Early Demise

I use to love playing at the local arcades, but it seems that they are a fading thing now a days. Plus they have served their purpose, but really no longer have one because the home systems like xbox, PS2, and gamecube are so good, but when arcades were poplular they weren't nearly as good! I did love the arcades though. good times!




Posted by The_Essence_Vortex

I recently went to an arcade for the first time in years. It was great. They had old games there, like Joust (!), Gauntlet, Super Mario Bros. (!!!!!!!!), even the old TMNT game! Nostalgia at it's best...




Posted by Fuzzhead

*oscar* arcades are great i dont think they should even think about going out of business! i never seen a home version of time crisis 2, im a master at that game, sometimes i get comments by people who walk by tellling me how good i was at it :D but anyway the point is mr Death that arcades will not go extint...infact very soon there should be more games coming for the arcades very very soon...and how dare they replace arcades with a bank? im betting theres already a bank down the street right? well anyway do not fear arcades will never die.....only thje people that play them :O




Posted by bazariah

it's not a case of arcade owners thinking about going out of buisness, it's just a logical step for most of them, due to rising costs in machines, overheads and staff, what is happening is that the mainstream public arent using the places anymore, which means staff get laid off and bills cant be paid




Posted by Bebop

They are disappearing. What used to be social gatherings for geeks and gamers to gather and play some Street Fighter or perhaps lay some funk down in Pac-Man has now turned into a breeding ground for chavs as they strut their sweaty 'stuff' on Dance-Dance-Phucking-Dance-Dance games.




Posted by lameboyadvance

The last of the arcades around my area shut up about 6 months ago.
...So I bought my own cabinet.

...It's the next best thing to actually being there. :)



Arcades as we know them are dying. Make way for the new crap.