Feel good arcade story

[Chaotica]

So I have been going to a nearby shopping complex (you Americans call it a "mall" I think) for the past few weekends to do some errands. The place is called Highpoint, but everyone calls it "Knifepoint" for all the muggings that occur there.

 

I go into the Playtime there (Playtime is an arcade place) and lo and behold, the place is crammed full of people! I thought arcades were dead, but this place certainly wasn't. It's been busy every weekend I have visited!

 

I noticed so many things that made me smile. Things like the people at the place - it was completely mixed. Young people, old people, families, males, and also females (yes, that's right, females!) all playing the games.

 

Another thing I liked was that all the games were being played! It wasn't just the infantile prize/ticket machines or the corny guitar hero/drum hero/DDR Max games that were being pounded. It was everything! It was wonderful to see that the old games, from Galaga to Street Fighter Alpha, were being played alot.

 

I plonked some dollars into Street Fighter 3: Third Strike, and competed with some guy, and I had a great time. I challenged more and more people, and fast made some new friends. Even though a few of these guys handed me my arse (yes, it's arse, not ass) on a plate, they were all friendly and jolly about it, and were not snobby or condescending. One even pointed out some weaknesses in my gameplay, and tried to help me out. Wow! The social factor that arcades once fostered still lived in this place!

 

Other random things I noticed:

 

Time Crisis 2-4 are still very popular.

Daytona is still very popular (WTF??)

Another game that was getting lots of plays was Too Spicy, where you and another player can duel each other in a shootout. It's fun.

Arcade joints used to be very seedy around here, with lots of drug activity and local gangs and riff raff hanging out at the places. But this place was very warm, friendly, and non-threatening.

 

Nice story, aye?

[Reaper man]

indeed, but here in America, more and more small arcade joints are getting shut down in favor of surf clothing shops and clubs named after Paris Hilton (I shit you not. Cove and Club Paris, respectively.)

Edited October 13, 2007 by Reaper man

[Lucandrake]

Sounds like GameWorks or Boomers to me. Except, both GW and Boomers are expensive as hell. You can't go to either of them without at least $50 in your pocket.

[Ghosty]

Man, I wish we had some over here. The last arcade I went to was all dingy and only had a handful of unfriendly, "ohhh I'm the crap" geek gamers.

[skid]

Daytona is still very popular (WTF??)

Nah, mate. Daytona is the best. Daytona 2 ain't that great tho.

[Krosigrim]

That IS good to hear. Like Reaper Man said, Our Arcades are dying too. I'm in central Florida. Its practically a Metropolis, If i go in any direction, there is more and more city. For real, there is something to do for everyone. So there are PLENTY of people around. So, when I was younger, there was a place called Fun Machine. It did ok, but they changed location years later, about 5 miles down the road. Then they up and vanished. There was also another place called Fun Spot. It is no longer there. Although I see commercials for it on TV, it is no longer local to me. But that place has Go Cart tracks and 3/4 Of ticket games. Reminds me of a carnival.... Altamonte Mall had two arcades. One big one little... both gone. They all died. So many times we would go, to whichever one, and they would be dead. If you wanted completion, you had to bring someone. It was sad.

 

BUT... one place survived. A gem. Its called Rockies Replay. I just went and looked for a website right now, but they don't have one. Thats kinda stupid. But in my search, I just now found out they are gonna be forced out, due to dominion laws, because they are widening SR 436, the road it is on. which is crazy, its already 4 lanes both ways. We have major traffic over here! Wow... I'm sad now. I found that place when I was in 8th grade. It was new and there was no one there. They had like 3 Tekken 2 machines and a slew of other games. It flourished since then. They have always had the best of games. They have a couple of Tekken 5, Soul Calibur, SF III, Marvel VS Capcom 2, a few others I cant recall, A bunch of newer racing games that are connected, Some Jetski racing game, Sniper Games, Pinball, Some arcade classic game- it has like 50 games on it. Mega Collection I think it's called. Some Fighter jet game from Sega I believe. DDR and some other rhythm games, I could go on and on, So just believe me, they got games on games. They are always cycling the games though for ones people would play. They used to have 2 F-Zero's linked, too bad they're gone. Hell, that was where I played Kabuki Clash. They would sacrifice games for more popular ones, but that is ok. The place survived for 14+ years. They have Beer and hot dogs, hot dogs that are .50 cents!!!! And ash trays bolted to each machine. AN ARCADE WHERE I CAN GET A DRINK, EAT A FEW HOT DOGS, AND SMOKE!!!!! Just as you said about Playtime, There are people of all ages. Older ones playinf pinball and even Tekken. Younger ones palying DDR and such. But let me tell you, PLENTY of girls & women. When I mention girls, I mean the kind you can date. With the smoking and such, you don't see too many youngsters. Ski hockey, Shooting games, fighting games, driving games, the place has it all.

 

So, I hope they find a location where they can get a bigger place. The location was great, I hope they survive though. If they die too..... Id be sad. That and I have like 7$ in token still. Oh man. They better make it.

[Alpha]

That IS good to hear. Like Reaper Man said, Our Arcades are dying too. I'm in central Florida. Its practically a Metropolis, If i go in any direction, there is more and more city. For real, there is something to do for everyone. So there are PLENTY of people around. So, when I was younger, there was a place called Fun Machine. It did ok, but they changed location years later, about 5 miles down the road. Then they up and vanished. There was also another place called Fun Spot. It is no longer there. Although I see commercials for it on TV, it is no longer local to me. But that place has Go Cart tracks and 3/4 Of ticket games. Reminds me of a carnival.... Altamonte Mall had two arcades. One big one little... both gone. They all died. So many times we would go, to whichever one, and they would be dead. If you wanted completion, you had to bring someone. It was sad.

 

BUT... one place survived. A gem. Its called Rockies Replay. I just went and looked for a website right now, but they don't have one. Thats kinda stupid. But in my search, I just now found out they are gonna be forced out, due to dominion laws, because they are widening SR 436, the road it is on. which is crazy, its already 4 lanes both ways. We have major traffic over here! Wow... I'm sad now. I found that place when I was in 8th grade. It was new and there was no one there. They had like 3 Tekken 2 machines and a slew of other games. It flourished since then. They have always had the best of games. They have a couple of Tekken 5, Soul Calibur, SF III, Marvel VS Capcom 2, a few others I cant recall, A bunch of newer racing games that are connected, Some Jetski racing game, Sniper Games, Pinball, Some arcade classic game- it has like 50 games on it. Mega Collection I think it's called. Some Fighter jet game from Sega I believe. DDR and some other rhythm games, I could go on and on, So just believe me, they got games on games. They are always cycling the games though for ones people would play. They used to have 2 F-Zero's linked, too bad they're gone. Hell, that was where I played Kabuki Clash. They would sacrifice games for more popular ones, but that is ok. The place survived for 14+ years. They have Beer and hot dogs, hot dogs that are .50 cents!!!! And ash trays bolted to each machine. AN ARCADE WHERE I CAN GET A DRINK, EAT A FEW HOT DOGS, AND SMOKE!!!!! Just as you said about Playtime, There are people of all ages. Older ones playinf pinball and even Tekken. Younger ones palying DDR and such. But let me tell you, PLENTY of girls & women. When I mention girls, I mean the kind you can date. With the smoking and such, you don't see too many youngsters. Ski hockey, Shooting games, fighting games, driving games, the place has it all.

 

So, I hope they find a location where they can get a bigger place. The location was great, I hope they survive though. If they die too..... Id be sad. That and I have like 7$ in token still. Oh man. They better make it.

Wow, what a story! The problem with arcades around me is that some do exist. However, the arcades have hardly any fighting games. They're either FPS or racing games. It's a real shame. <_>

[Robert]

Maybe I should visit the arcades that are somewhat near me.

 

There used to be one at Macarthur Square, and according to the web, there's one a bit closer, at Leumeah. I'll have to check them out...

[Chaotica]

Sounds like GameWorks or Boomers to me. Except, both GW and Boomers are expensive as hell. You can't go to either of them without at least $50 in your pocket.

 

I found the games at this place to be very cheap. Alot of machines cost $1AU for two credits, which is very good value.

[Reaper man]

That IS good to hear. Like Reaper Man said, Our Arcades are dying too. I'm in central Florida.

 

Orlando?

 

hehe, I'm in Jacksonville ;p

[OverlordMondo]

Back where I used to live when I was younger, there was an arcade called Aladdin's Castle or something. It was always pretty busy, I had a lot of fun there. Of course, at that age I could have fun pretty much anywhere. Closed down now, the entire mall is a dump. Stores open and close months later. Of course, the town likes to randomly burst into flame due to underground pockets of gas, so who can blame them, eh?]

 

Haven't seen many arcades recently. Last one I went to was up in Duluth. There were almost no people there, but they did have a few good games. If I read the sign on the door right, they've closed down by now, too, though. *sigh*