Growing Up In Arcades: 1979-1989

[Redline9]

Really nice photo collection! Brings back memories. I wish I had some photos like that from my youth.

The Holiday Inn Holidome photos blew my mind: an arcade next to a swimming pool and a hot tub in a hotel -- Wow! I didn't know stuff like that existed.

[the King]

News report from 1982 on videogames, includes footage from inside a factory assembling arcade machines. Pretty cool.

[Hobie-wan]

News report from 1982 on videogames, includes footage from inside a factory assembling arcade machines. Pretty cool.

Where is my Toasters and Chainsaws?

[Gamerforlife]

Then finally you step up to a four man beat em up, and spend a few minutes bonding with 3 complete strangers. You'll never see them again, but until you're all out of quarters those guys are your best friends.

This, a thousand times this man. Does Chucky Cheeses count? lol, because I always teamed up with people playing TMNT arcade, X-Men, or the Simpsons beat em' up. I was always a bit better than the average player on beat em' ups back then so it was awesome coming in and kicking ass, haha. There was always that one other player that rocked too and it was like, there's my friend for that night.

But yeah, then there was always that one guy somewhere dominating a game that'd bring in crowds just to watch.

I grew up playing a lot of games like Pac-man, etc, at cleaners with my parents.

There's still big arcade places around here (okay like one outside of one of the malls), called Power Play, it's pretty awesome... but yeah, the experience is just not the same. It's one of those places where you need a card instead of coins, and the games probably rack up to like $1.50 a game or something instead of just dropping a quarter like back in the day.

I have some fun memories. I remember a guy in an arcade at this mall in Scranton. He was a master of every 2D fighter in the place. The guy had skills like a japanese gaming ninja Me and my friend dubbed him, "Jeans Jacket Guy" for his blue jeans jacket he always wore. We'd walk in and be like, "Oh shit, it's Jeans Jacket Guy" Then I'd take him on in Marvel vs Capcom and amuse him for a bit before he'd go into Crossover Mode and bust out some insane, scary combo on my ass. I don't think I EVER saw anyone beat that guy. He loved using Morrigan. Best Morrigan player I ever saw. In his hands, she was quite the bitch

I also remember this group of black guys in that same arcade one day. They were so much fun because of their loud, enthusiastic commentary. I'd finish off some guy with a Super Move and behind me I hear, "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

Good times. Arcades were magic I tell you. MAGIC.