wakeup wrote:Went back to Hong Kong for a vacation last year. There were arcades everywhere and each arcade had plenty of people in it, not to mention the arcades were pretty damn big.
Even in Vancouver, there are some arcades here and there. The most popular being the one in Metrotown (the biggest mall in Vancouver). That place is always packed, loud, no room to move and hard to breathe. The place is equal to the size of 3 typical small clothing stores in malls. Everyone there is like high school kids and it is definitely still thriving, might even be the most profitable store in the mall...
Hmm. That poses an interesting question - what keeps their interest in going to the arcade. Perhaps someone should research this more in depth and release it as a documentary entitled "Death of the American Video Arcade" or something to that effect?
I think its just because Vancouver is heavily populated by Asian immigrants and one of the culture they bring to Vancouver is the arcade. Its just a culture thing I think just like how Canada loves hockey or Asians love soccer.
What's really crazy is that I stayed in Mission during the Olympics and went to a movie theater there (which by the way had the most screaming deal on movie tickets on Tuesday night - free popcorn and drink with price of admission). I remember thinking how god damned big the arcade room was. I mean, this was a serious set of arcade cabinets, air hockey, etc. It would be nice just by itself or in a pizza joint, but I was amazed that it was in a movie theater in Mission. I'm not sure how big Mission actually is but it didn't seem like it was huge town or anything.
Maybe it's just a U.S. thing. My girlfriend even commented about it.
Weekend_Warrior wrote:Hmm. That poses an interesting question - what keeps their interest in going to the arcade. Perhaps someone should research this more in depth and release it as a documentary entitled "Death of the American Video Arcade" or something to that effect?
I think its just because Vancouver is heavily populated by Asian immigrants and one of the culture they bring to Vancouver is the arcade. Its just a culture thing I think just like how Canada loves hockey or Asians love soccer.
What's really crazy is that I stayed in Mission during the Olympics and went to a movie theater there (which by the way had the most screaming deal on movie tickets on Tuesday night - free popcorn and drink with price of admission). I remember thinking how god damned big the arcade room was. I mean, this was a serious set of arcade cabinets, air hockey, etc. It would be nice just by itself or in a pizza joint, but I was amazed that it was in a movie theater in Mission. I'm not sure how big Mission actually is but it didn't seem like it was huge town or anything.
Maybe it's just a U.S. thing. My girlfriend even commented about it.
Haha. Mission is not big at all. There's a movie chain in Canada (Famous Players) that has similar theater layouts. All of them has that arcade part of the layout (I never think of the arcade as big actually haha, doesn't it like only have 10-15 machines?) I don't think many people drop by at those arcades though. It acts more like a complement than anything.
I'm just thinking, wasn't there like a HUGE arcade right next to, or near the SpaceNeedle in Seattle? like near the Experience Music Project? Or did that close down?
Last edited by wakeup on Sun Apr 04, 2010 1:56 am, edited 2 times in total.
I really wanted to open an arcade of my own. Maybe one day. If I ever get to it will be something like http://www.groundkontrol.com/ . I would say modeled after but what I mean is I would steal their whole approach to it.
LBJeff wrote:
I'm just thinking, wasn't there like a HUGE arcade right next to, or near the SpaceNeedle in Seattle? like near the Experience Music Project? Or did that close down?
Yeah, that's Gameworks. But like I said earlier, it's in pretty poor shape, many of the games have been broken for the better part of a decade (no bullshit). I haven't run in to many new games the past few years save SFIV and some horse racing thing. It's sad because I love arcades and would spend more time and money at one if there was a good one around here.
Octopod wrote:I really wanted to open an arcade of my own. Maybe one day. If I ever get to it will be something like http://www.groundkontrol.com/ . I would say modeled after but what I mean is I would steal their whole approach to it.
Classic arcades DO work. The business model exists. I've posted this a few times before, but this place is about a block my apartment. Part of the appeal is the atmosphere - check out the photos and videos.
It's $5 all you can play, 25 cents for pinball. Most of the games up to about 84/85, so no SFII or Daytona, but nearly every classic is there. About 50-60 games total. They don't sell beer, so it's all ages. I've been amazed to seen teenagers, young kids, college students, men and women there ... it has a very broad appeal. The OP mentioned friends. Me and a lifelong friend who I grew up gaming with have recently made it a point to go here once a week. So much fun.
LBJeff wrote:
I'm just thinking, wasn't there like a HUGE arcade right next to, or near the SpaceNeedle in Seattle? like near the Experience Music Project? Or did that close down?
Yeah, that's Gameworks. But like I said earlier, it's in pretty poor shape, many of the games have been broken for the better part of a decade (no bullshit). I haven't run in to many new games the past few years save SFIV and some horse racing thing. It's sad because I love arcades and would spend more time and money at one if there was a good one around here.
Well, guess I have to build my own I suppose!
I remember playing x-men 6 players there on like a school field trip to the Music Project years ago. Me and my friend pop in some coins. Then quickly, another person joined in and another. Then we were playing with 3 others. So cool It was like at noon too, I guess they didn't have work.
Its just a culture thing I think just like how Canada loves hockey or Asians love soccer.
It was like at noon too, I guess they didn't have work.