(no subject)
It's the 25th anniversary of Pac-Man. Combine that with my quest for a trackball and you get a big urge to post... ARCADE MEMORIES...
I'm at a loss to remember my first arcade memory, but I DO remember Frontier Lanes in Lewiston NY, the bowling alley built on the side of a hill, and the smoky lounge therein, and Pole Position and Dig Dug among others.
I remember Aladdin's Castle in Summit Park Mall, and playing Mario Bros, Gyruss, Crossbow...
I remember numerous birthday parties at Showbiz Pizza Place - including my own - and pockets full of tokens and being on cloud nine for hours. (I also remember losing my retainer, just like in 'Parenthood'. Art imitates life!)
I remember playing Gauntlet with all four people, for hours.
I remember seeing Chiller in an arcade in rural Alabama and being amazed such a thing existed.
I remember sucking at Dragon's Lair. Ohwait, I still suck at it.
I remember watching other people play it.
I remember as I got older I still loved walking into the arcade, drawn in by the siren song of attract modes...
I remember being awestruck at any new game, even the lousy ones. Even Holosseum.
I remember wasting a lot of in-between-classes time at Georgia Tech watching other people play SF2, NBA Jam, Time Killers. Boy, I loved Time Killers.
I remember being unbeatable at Samurai Shodown 2.
Arcades hardly exist anymore. Fat City, Dave and Busters... it's not the same. Too many huge games, too much 'virtual reality', nothing really offbeat and strange. The Manitou Springs arcade is nice, even with the 'elephant's graveyard' feeling I get from it.
I still dream of the ultimate arcade, every year or so. Like in the movies, just bigger.
Feel free to post your own arcade memories! I'm all curious now.
I'm at a loss to remember my first arcade memory, but I DO remember Frontier Lanes in Lewiston NY, the bowling alley built on the side of a hill, and the smoky lounge therein, and Pole Position and Dig Dug among others.
I remember Aladdin's Castle in Summit Park Mall, and playing Mario Bros, Gyruss, Crossbow...
I remember numerous birthday parties at Showbiz Pizza Place - including my own - and pockets full of tokens and being on cloud nine for hours. (I also remember losing my retainer, just like in 'Parenthood'. Art imitates life!)
I remember playing Gauntlet with all four people, for hours.
I remember seeing Chiller in an arcade in rural Alabama and being amazed such a thing existed.
I remember sucking at Dragon's Lair. Ohwait, I still suck at it.
I remember watching other people play it.
I remember as I got older I still loved walking into the arcade, drawn in by the siren song of attract modes...
I remember being awestruck at any new game, even the lousy ones. Even Holosseum.
I remember wasting a lot of in-between-classes time at Georgia Tech watching other people play SF2, NBA Jam, Time Killers. Boy, I loved Time Killers.
I remember being unbeatable at Samurai Shodown 2.
Arcades hardly exist anymore. Fat City, Dave and Busters... it's not the same. Too many huge games, too much 'virtual reality', nothing really offbeat and strange. The Manitou Springs arcade is nice, even with the 'elephant's graveyard' feeling I get from it.
I still dream of the ultimate arcade, every year or so. Like in the movies, just bigger.
Feel free to post your own arcade memories! I'm all curious now.