Popular arcade games everyone likes....except you.

[vwalbridge]

Here are some games that I don't really like, but it seems like everyone else does:

- Space Invaders (moves too slow for me)
- Tapper (love the cabinet, artwork, and concept...but it's just too difficult for me...in fact, I don't think I've ever passed the 2nd stage)
- Paperboy (the overall gameplay seems clumsy to me)
- Zaxxon (The isometric view combined with that flight joystick just ties my brain in a knot)

Honorable mention but stating to shift to the " like it" list:

- Robotron (Don't hurt me! However, I'm starting to come around on this one after playing the real thing for some time a few days ago. I've just always thought there was too much chaos on the screen all at once. It feels overwhelming. Again, really dig the concept but there is so much on the screen all at once.)

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate all these games and how influential they were...I just don't like them much.

So what are some arcade games you don't care for, but everyone else seems to love?

[Malenko]

- Tapper (love the cabinet, artwork, and concept...but it's just too difficult for me...in fact, I don't think I've ever passed the 2nd stage)

try running DOWN THE BAR to grab the glasses instead of waiting for them to reach the end of the bar.

[harveybirdman]

Battle Garrega

[harveybirdman]

- Robotron (Don't hurt me! However, I'm starting to come around on this one after playing the real thing for some time a few days ago. I've just always thought there was too much chaos on the screen all at once. It feels overwhelming. Again, really dig the concept but there is so much on the screen all at once.)

Dude give it more chance, I didn't get what the hubub was about either until I spent a whole weekend playing that and Black Widow.  Now a dual stick project is on my to do list.

[vwalbridge]

- Robotron (Don't hurt me! However, I'm starting to come around on this one after playing the real thing for some time a few days ago. I've just always thought there was too much chaos on the screen all at once. It feels overwhelming. Again, really dig the concept but there is so much on the screen all at once.)

Dude give it more chance, I didn't get what the hubub was about either until I spent a whole weekend playing that and Black Widow.  Now a dual stick project is on my to do list.

Yea, I know now that I just need to get a better feel for it. I'm hoping that a Black Widow is at Zapcon because that looks very cool as well.

[yotsuya]

- Robotron (Don't hurt me! However, I'm starting to come around on this one after playing the real thing for some time a few days ago. I've just always thought there was too much chaos on the screen all at once. It feels overwhelming. Again, really dig the concept but there is so much on the screen all at once.)

Dude give it more chance, I didn't get what the hubub was about either until I spent a whole weekend playing that and Black Widow.  Now a dual stick project is on my to do list.

Yea, I know now that I just need to get a better feel for it. I'm hoping that a Black Widow is at Zapcon because that looks very cool as well.

If not ZapCon, there's one at StarFighters.

And I kick ass at BW.

[yotsuya]

Oh, and to answer this question... any SF or MK fighting game.

[smass]

For me its Street Fighter and generally any of those fighting type games.

[vwalbridge]

Oh, and to answer this question... any SF or MK fighting game.

Whoa...and that's exactly why I asked the question. I'm fascinated with the paradox of something that can be loved by so many, yet not by others.

Now that you mention it, I played the snot out of MKII and SF as a kid, but haven't touch them since then. Interesting how preferences change as one gets older.

[yotsuya]

I played those games on the SNES, so when I think of them, I think of them as console games, not so much arcade games.

But honestly, I cut my teeth during the early years of the arcades, when it was just you against the machine. The PvP aspect of SF added a level of assholery to the arcade experience, and, quite frankly, I had outgrown it by then. While dudes were lining up quarters to fight and talk ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---, I was playing 720 and Off-Road.

[Ginsu Victim]

I've never been the biggest fan of MK, but found MKII to be decent. MK3/UMK3 I have NEVER liked.

[keilmillerjr]

Anything with ---smurfing--- tickets. Also cruisin usa plus all the millions of clones/derivatives.

[keilmillerjr]

I've never been the biggest fan of MK, but found MKII to be decent. MK3/UMK3 I have NEVER liked.

I have to agree. I preferred other fighters, but MK was most popular being multiplatform and "cool".

[monkeybomb]

While dudes were lining up quarters to fight and talk ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---, I was playing 720 and Off-Road.

I don't remember every seeing a 720 together with a SFII.   Regardless, what year did you first start yelling, "Hey Kids! Get off my Lawn!"

[yotsuya]

While dudes were lining up quarters to fight and talk ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---, I was playing 720 and Off-Road.

I don't remember every seeing a 720 together with a SFII.   Regardless, what year did you first start yelling, "Hey Kids! Get off my Lawn!"

Never. I have a fence so kids stay off the grass.

For some reason, a fair share of ---Deutsche Frankfurters--- seemed to gravitate towards games where it wasn't you against the machine, but rather you against someone else. By that age, I was more interested in getting laid, so I didn't spend as much time around games, but when I did, it was 720 time.

I did play a lot of SF with my brother on the SNES, so I fondly look back on that series as a console game, even though it's an arcade port.

[Le Chuck]

Yots taught me to play 720.  Good times!

[lamprey]

Q-bert.

[johnrt]

For me its Street Fighter and generally any of those fighting type games.

+1
I never liked those games.

[Osirus23]

Street Fighter

[jerryjanis]

Definitely agree with zaxxon and space invaders. Also:
Galaga and Galaxians
Moon Patrol
Pole Position
Xevious
Ikari warriors, Commando
Spy Hunter
Choplifter
Gauntlet (huge appeal, but after wasting lots of quarters unrewarding)
Rampage (when will this quarter end?)
Hang-On/Super Hang-On
The Simpsons

[pbj]

First post covered most of my list but I'd like to extend it to all the Atari System 1 & 2 games.  I want to like them, I wanted to like them as a kid, but they're duds.  NOBODY played them in the arcades when they were new.  I'll give marble madness and road blasters a pass.

I'm mystified as to why collectors have such a boner over these.

[yotsuya]

First post covered most of my list but I'd like to extend it to all the Atari System 1 & 2 games.  I want to like them, I wanted to like them as a kid, but they're duds.  NOBODY played them in the arcades when they were new.  I'll give marble madness and road blasters a pass.

I'm mystified as to why collectors have such a boner over these.

Peter Pack-Rat is a fun game. But I'm with you on the rest. Indiana Jones could have been better.

[yotsuya]

I like Spy Hunter. I wish I was better at it, though.

[Haze]

It's a tough one.

While I admire the creativity of a lot of the American produced games, I enjoyed them more as home titles than arcades, especially the Atari stuff.  I grew up with ports of things like Paperboy, which are, compared to the arcade, arguably not as impressive as the arcade games if compared directly, but compared to other games on their respective home platforms were gems.  Something about the arcade versions just feels unpolished, for lack of a better word, clunky.

I think the Incredible Technologies stuff is stupidly overrated, at least in the context of them being arcade games.  Things like Golden Tee Golf don't reward you for being a good player because regardless of your skill level you get a fixed number of holes per coin, and to me things like that are anti-arcade in every way.  The games aren't *terrible* although the idea of only being able to take your shot from fixed angles rather than a free rotation system feels archaic compared to other arcade golf titles, yet persists even in more recent versions.  The hunting games are IMHO abysmal, yet popular.

Hard Drivin' / Race Drivin' is another, it's a game I struggle to really enjoy, although as a kid I did enjoy it, so maybe I shouldn't include it.  As a kid the fantasy world physics were kinda fun, doing loops etc. and ridiculous jumps, there was nothing else quite like it, but looking back it's such a mechanical game, and such a pretentious one too, claiming all that 'real physics' BS' forcing you to use a clutch and key as close to novelty gimmicks etc.   I'm actually surprised that HD Airbourne never saw a release, but maybe at that point Atari did realise they were taking the ridiculous aspect of it a little too far.

[pbj]

^ confirmed weeaboo

[Xiaou2]

- Space Invaders (moves too slow for me)

 I kinda feel the same.   Though, I see that the real challenge in SI is Patience.

 There are a lot of similar games that move slow, such as Donkey Kong...  and again, you are tested with being patient.
The machine earns its keep, almost everytime you lose it... and try to do something risky to make faster progress.

 As such I add "Donkey Kong"  to my list of  "Meh".   I can enjoy it for what its worth... but its not a game I really enjoy playing much.
There always is some nostalgia about playing it though.

- Tapper (love the cabinet, artwork, and concept...but it's just too difficult for me...in fact, I don't think I've ever passed the 2nd stage)

 Tapper is one that can grow on you, as your skills grow in time.   Difficulty should not really be the reason why you like or dislike something.
Challenge is what gives a game meaning and value... and when you defeat something difficult... you feel that much more rewarded.

 Even I find Tapper to be quite difficult in the higher rounds...   And heck, Satans Hollow seems Impossible after a certain point... but I love it regardless.   

 Sinistar is even more unfair,  and is probably the most unbalanced / unfair classic arcade game...   But,  I simply ove the experience of it.  Im hoping one day.. someone will release the alternate easier Roms... or hack the game to find the variables... so that alternate roms of the game can be produced.

 In case anyone didnt know... Sinistar's programmers spend a lot of time getting the difficulty ramp and balance perfected...  However, the management wanted the players to die out much faster... and forced them completely change the difficulty ramp, at the last minute.

 All that said, Tapper isnt one of my top Favs.   But I still enjoy it once in a while.  Much more so that DK.

 (***  PS: Try Tapper with the Simpsons rom Hack,  Its pretty cool!    )

- Paperboy (the overall gameplay seems clumsy to me)

 I agree.  Paperboy is clumsy, but I think the controller may have been the real problem.. as it was heavy, and its pivoting mechanism didnt really feel or work good.   It was hard to steer accurately.. when you were trying to also push up or pull down... to control the speeds.  Had they used a throttle or real pedal control...  I think it could have been so much better.

 All that said...  its fun as hell to toss papers around the houses, mail boxes, at people, ... into windows.. etc.   ^_-

 One day, Id like to try to use a twist throttle controller for speed control,  or a real bike pedal set... and see if it makes a difference in the experience.

- Zaxxon (The isometric view combined with that flight joystick just ties my brain in a knot)

 Eh... I kinda liked Zaxxon and Super Zaxxon.   Though, they can be quite brutal.    The trigger stick felt a bit sloppy,  but I think really... its the fact that your ship moves so slow, that causes most of that feeling.    This game is more about memorization than anything else.

 Tip:  Watch your bullets smack into the walls, to get a feel for the position of your ship... when going through the gates.

 The look of these games is really cool... but they seriously needs a Stereoscopic 3d hack to really make them pop... as well as make them more playable (now that you would see 3d depth... rather than try to estimate it)

- Robotron (Don't hurt me! However, I'm starting to come around on this one after playing the real thing for some time a few days ago. I've just always thought there was too much chaos on the screen all at once. It feels overwhelming. Again, really dig the concept but there is so much on the screen all at once.)

 I utterly used to HATE Robotron.. especially as a little kid... because:

 1)  The graphics looked so simple and not very appealing   
 2)   The difficulty was so far beyond me... that it ate all of my lives in a matter of seconds.

 When Smash TV came out... I loved the way it played... and the humor to it.    I initially thought Smash was the better game,  especially because of the graphical look of it.    But... one day someone argued with me.. saying Robotron was a far superior game.   I was shocked.. and I had to find out, if I had missed something.

 I found a real machine, with the Real wico 8way leaf sticks... and played it.   It took some serious non-stop play before I could figure it out.. and get anywhere with it.   Level 5 to 9  was about all I could get at first.   But as I started to understand the game,  I started to figure out strategies to keep alive longer.   The adrenaline started flowing... and I started to giggle like a little kid in a candy store.

 I think I played about 5 hours non stop that night... and the fever took over me.   I would go back to that place every weekend and spend several hours between me and another friend.. taking turns against the Robo-Armada's.    Eventually,  I got to like stage 32.  I think he had the game set on a much easier level than default however...  and there was like 5 guys at the start, rather than 3.

 I recommend trying it in mame with the real sticks.. and setting it on 5 guys,  with an easier level...   to get your feet wet without getting overwhelmed.

 While there is a lot going on..  you will learn to use soft focus.. to be able to see it all at once.   Start off by picking off the baddies nearest you... then immediately go for the flying enemies, before they spawn more.  Make a path out of the center... and try to move in a farily continuous circular pathway... as moving back and forth often causes enemies to catch up, and you walk into enemy fire.

 The real way to stay alive in this game.. is the Brain stage.  You need to collect as many humans as possible on this stage.  After 5 humans?.. the successive point values change, and they add up really fast.   You can earn several extra men on that stage alone.   Every few levels.. there is another brain stage,  to allow you to replenish your lives.   Make sure not to kill all the enemies, until you get the humans... most especially on the brain stages.


 So.. I think the real issue here is for you to spend some dedicated time and effort getting better at some of these games, rather than a few casual 5 min plays.   It can take at least 2 to 5 hours of solid playing... to really start to master some of the foundational skills needed.

 Also, the fun should be in playing.  While getting better does help in the enjoyment...  some people cant seem to feel good unless they Always are winning... and only when winning is easy for them.    You have to learn to enjoy the journey, the moments... rather than the end results.   And if and when you start crushing it...  you are going to enjoy the rewards of your hard efforts that much more.   

 A game that is too easy... well,  eventually even the gamer type mentioned above... will Bore of them quickly...  and move onto something else.    Yet a good kick butt challenge... will keep bringing you back for more.   This is why Robotron has become a timeless classic.  Not because of the Era... but because of the Intense Adrenalin packed gameplay.


 Adding to my list:

 Centipede:  I like trackball games... but Centipedes gameplay is a bit wonky to me,  and not all that fun, imo.

 Gauntlet:  As a kid, playing multiplayer... It was sort of fun.  But after playing it years later... you realize the game is so very limited and repetitious. Theres not much real skill involved.  Its slow. Shallow. Poor control.  And there is no real goal to it.  Its basically a continue quarter muncher.   The narrow paths dont help it, as that means that when playing in groups... only one person tends to get hit and or be able to shoot stuff.

 Pac-Man (Original):   I find Pacman too slow to my liking.   However, I do enjoy a good Speed-up version of MS Pacman.   Super Pacman is also somewhat fun (before it gets way too cheap),  as well as once in a while playing the Plus version for its interesting qualities.

 Bullet-Hell shumps:   I like a good shooter... but games that place 300 unbearably slow bullets on the screen at once... is not fun at all to me.

 R-Type:  I love the look of this game, and the mechanics of the ship.   But the game is not forgiving at all.  Most of the time, the game does not let you have realtime reactivity.  To pass many of the levels.. you need to follow a specific memorized pattern, and do it perfectly without any mistakes.  Get killed on a higher level without any powerups.... and you are pretty much boned... and forced to give up.

 Kiddie-Racers:  After a certain year... the driving games were stripped of all difficulty and challenge.  They essentially became Kiddie Rides... often without the motion.   Can the car hop a curb and crash?  Can the car crash at all?  Ugg.

 Battlezone:   I love vector games... but I really dont get Battlezone.   Maybe Im missing something?    It seems like the game just places enemies at completely random places... often right in a place where they can hit you before you can even have a change to move... which isnt realistic nor fair.    I understand there are huge limitations on such hardware... but I felt the cheap gameplay of this... coupled with slow tank movement.. ruins it for me.


 Defender / Stargate   I put this here to say that I Used to hate this game... for similar reasons to Robotron.   However, as I aged, it grew on me.   Not as much as Robotron...  but I do really like and play it now.   The difficulty is quite insane on this game,  and the odd control was initially an issue...

 For example...One might ask why you would need or want a reverse button?   But when you think about reversing a real plane / ship...  you would need to slow down and make a u-turn.   It makes more logical sense,  than a ship that could instantly turn left to right without any momentum and delay effect.   

 The 2-way controller it uses, has leaf switches.. and a fairly low travel distance needed to activate the leafs. This makes for very quick and precise changes..  which is critical in such an intense game.

 While it takes a little bit of time and effort to master the control scheme.. it quickly becomes natural, and totally worth it.  After spending some time with a real machine... my opinions drastically changed.. and I now get why it became to popular so quickly, and remains popular to this day.

[yotsuya]

Here's what a learned about Paparboy....


BITD, I would go balls-to-the-walls fast on the controller.... but playing it at StarFighters, I learned to take my time. Just use the controller to steer, but don't push forward or back unless absolutely necessary. There's no need to go fast in the game except to avoid getting run over. Take your time, steer carefully, aim your newspapers, and you can go far.

[Xiaou2]

Something about the arcade versions just feels unpolished, for lack of a better word, clunky.

 Cite a handful of examples.

 Pretty much Any classic games on Any console.. was even a fraction of its original iteration.

 I think what you mean to say... is that the Console versions were EASIER..   and as such, you enjoyed them more, because you are not that good of a player.   Possibly due to coordination issues.. but honestly, its generally fixable, if you have to drive to put in the efforts.

I think the Incredible Technologies stuff is stupidly overrated

 Id agree in many ways... but who is rating them high?   They are put in bars because they are easy casual gamer money makers.    If other better games were available.. people may in fact play them.   And do people play these at home?  How often?   How many people are we talking about?   There is no such data.

to take your shot from fixed angles rather than a free rotation system feels archaic compared to other arcade golf titles, yet persists even in more recent versions.

 

 The problem is multi-faceted:

 1)  Its mostly believed that people whom pop a coin in a bar / casual place..  want a "Simple"  and easy experience.   Trying to manipulate a camera around, can cause more frustration, and take up more time per shot... causing slower multiplayer, slower tournaments, and slower income flow.

 2) 3D engines require a lot more money and development time.  Licensing.  And beefier hardware.   The 3d engines tend to get outdated quickly.. and the graphics start to become laughable after a while, so bad that nobody will play them.   Where as pixel art has its charms... and even decently pre-rendered or purely photographic images.. can have a much greater appeal.   (for one,  real images can look better than 3d rendered images.. and for another... realtime 3d rendering cant hold a candle to pre-rendered,  as pre-rendered 3d tends to use far more light-rays and required far more rendereing time per frame)

 3) Cost.  Added cost would have to be passed on to the Ops, and possibly the players.   Also, adding the changes, might not increase sales... despite the personal desires for certain betterment.   In fact... a very simple game could come along,  and far exceed sales of a more complex and expensive game.   Well actually, there is plenty of proof in that already.

 4) Kits.   The remaining Ops and places of business..  can easily swap out an old board, for a new kit.  The kits are cheap... rather than having to buy a full new cabinet.. with a new "high-resolution" monitor display.   Without looking, it appears they still use standard resolution displays.  Probably for kit compatibility with the remaining cheaply found jamma cabinets.

The hunting games are IMHO abysmal, yet popular.

 Never played them.  All I can say.. is that Gun games in general, are money makers.   It doesnt matter what kind of gun game it is.. it will earn.   Its a fun mechanic,  a game of skill,  and often is multiplayer... meaning twice the earnings.

 There are very few arcade mfg. out there that are producing anything of value... and so its easy for a generica company to produce low quality games and get them placed / sold.   This is why Stern went back into Pinball.  At the time they decided to return, there was no competition at all...  which meant that they could institute their very basic, corner cutting, machines.   Over time however... other companies decided to step into the ring... and Stern was forced to up their quality and complexity levels.

Hard Drivin' / Race Drivin' is another, it's a game I struggle to really enjoy, although as a kid I did enjoy it, so maybe I shouldn't include it.  As a kid the fantasy world physics were kinda fun, doing loops etc. and ridiculous jumps, there was nothing else quite like it, but looking back it's such a mechanical game, and such a pretentious one too, claiming all that 'real physics' BS' forcing you to use a clutch and key as close to novelty gimmicks etc.   I'm actually surprised that HD Airbourne never saw a release, but maybe at that point Atari did realise they were taking the ridiculous aspect of it a little too far.

 I dont even know where to start on this one.

 The physics were modeled by the lead engineer behind the automotive industry.   
 Jumps and loops are possible with vehicles... provided the ramps are correct and you are traveling at the right speeds.

 

it's such a mechanical game

 Huh?!    Umm,  its controls are a huge part of what makes the game so special.  They are modeled to feel and react like real parts.

 Not many people race Sim racing games well..without a force feedback steering wheel.  If you cant feel the roads reactions... tires slip...etc...  you have no sense of speed, position, and have no feedback that would alert you to a still correctable issue.. keeping you from crashing.

 Race Drivins FFB motor weights something like 50lbs.   At full power, it can probably spin a small child mounted to it, in circles, with ease.
Its also direct-drive...using the shaft... rather than having gearing (sitdown version) , making its steering control smooth and effortless.

 The brake is an actual pressure sensor..  not an analog pot.   It can register far more values,  and its control is enhanced because of the difference in the mechanism.   As far as I know, Sim racers only recently started using load-sensors on some of their more expensive pedal sets.   And most sim modders were doing everything they could.. to make their crappy brake pedals feel like a typical brake.. by using thing like rubber tubes as stronger compressible resistance.

 

forcing you to use a clutch and key

 Uhh... Its not a Racing game.   Its a Simulator.    So they didnt auto-start your car on the starting line?  Big deal.   Can something cause a car to stall out?   If it did,  would you then not need a key to restart it?   The key added to the realism of the machines simulation.

 As for the Clutch being NEEDED to start the car...  Nope. 

  You can play the "easy" automatic car..and start the car without the clutch.


 What was great, is that its advanced cars and its strict accurate controls... allowed me to learn and practice, how to operate manual shifting cars...without destroying someones clutch / gears.      The faster cars were an incentive to learn it...  and it was a challenge, that upon success / mastery,  provided real world benefits.  How is that Pretentious, or a Gimmick?    IMO, you have some really distorted perspectives to think like this.

 

I'm actually surprised that HD Airbourne never saw a release, but maybe at that point Atari did realise they were taking the ridiculous aspect of it a little too far.

 Getting an understanding and possibly skills in flight.. is actually somewhat interesting.   However, what is lacking for a flight sim to really work well in an Arcade, is actual feel / feedback.   Not just the wheel.. but the cockpit would have needed to move.   It appears they had fans to simulate some kind of sensation... but IMO, it would not have been enough.

 Namco had a flight sim much later,  and it was a real dud.  Nobody ever played it,  except possibly that One time.. and realized it was just way too boring.

 
 Being that Hard and Race Drivin were such a widespread machine.. especially given the massive size of the cockpits, and higher costing than most games of its day... Id say that they did it right.    Not only that.. but the game continued to get played in the arcade I used to manage.. all the time.  Unlike some other games... like Cruisn Usa..  which died off in popularity very quickly.

[epetti]

Paperboy and Spy Hunter.

[EssexMame]

I think it comes down to what you played/liked when they were new (and therefore morel likely to be "wow") and the good memories that triggers. We are mostly all here for the nostalgia.

Like plenty of others it seems, I've never liked Street Fighter et al. (I tried, I even have a thread here trying to determine the best so I could try and love some!). Like Yotsuya, I was of the generation before them (Before SNES) and though I got Playstations later, my prime years had gone. I have returned on that mid-life crisis/nostalgia trip we all go through (and often remain in). 

So, everyone going mad for SF on the consoles/arcades at the time were the next generation to me and returning to the play these games when their time has gone, with no emotional links, makes them look old and play old. The arcade games I like don't appeal to my children at all. They don't have the same connection of seeing Out Run or Operation Wolf blinking in a dark arcade that I have - they are just outdated games that only oldies could like.

I DO like older fighters/beat 'em ups I played so it isn't the gameplay of fighters as such. I loved Way of the Exploding Fist and Yie Ar Kung Fu for example (Acorn Electron) and IK+ (Amiga) which have exactly the same (if simpler) gameplay to Street Fighter. I did get into Tekken 3 too on the Playstation but to a lesser extent and I never really grasped it, just had some success bashing buttons randomly.

There are older games too that everyone goes mad for that I don't like. In the same way, I didn't play them in their time, either because our arcade didn't have them or they didn't appeal at the time perhaps, and I don't like them now. Bubble Bobble & Rainbow Islands are two that spring to mind.

Who knows, perhaps one day I'll fire these up and play for a few minutes and start "getting" it, but it's not happened yet.

[reptileink]

Pretty much every fighting game except Killer Instinct. I played the meadow muffin out of that game with my buddy. I enjoyed the MK series on console, but not so much on arcade. You would think it would be the other way around. We had the SNES comp sticks for KI and played that for hours during sleepovers at my buddy's house.

There are a LOT of classic games that I don't like, but I don't want to offend anyone. I was born in 76, so I didn't hit the arcades till at least 86-88.

[pbj]

Killer Instinct was the one that turned me off fighting games, although X-men Vs Streetfighter roped me back in for awhile.

There's a few 'firsts' I suppose we all remember.  I can distinctly remember when and where I saw certain games for the first time.  SF2 and MK2 are both on that list.  (oddly enough, so is Pang)

[vwalbridge]

I can distinctly remember when and where I saw certain games for the first time.  SF2 and MK2 are both on that list.

Yup...I'll never forget coming out of the movie theater in my local mall and seeing a line out the door of the arcade around the corner. MK2 just hit the floor and guys were loosing their minds over it.


I'm genuinely surprised by the number of people that don't like the iconic MK and SF games. I really thought everyone loved those games no questions asked.

[burn_654]

Galaxian honestly kind of bores me when Galaga is the more fun game. Everyone asks to play Galaga on the cabinet. Sorry Galaxian!

Mortal Kombat...going to get flack for this one. I had to learn to play this one to have a better time with my friends at a local arcade and when they crowd around my cabinet. I don't truly dislike it, it's fun. But I've always been a better Street Fighter player, which may factor into just why I enjoy it more.

Centipede is okay but I'll concede...it tends to get passed over by me. Maybe I need to put some more serious play into it.

[harveybirdman]

Too much effort to learn the stupid moves, then inevitably I can't execute them because of BS like not the right distance away from the target etc.

And someone is ALWAYS better.


Turning the blood on in MK with the Sega Genesis was a memorable gaming moment in my history, but beyond that Fighters are just but a blip on my gaming Radar, and pale in comparison to the much more cooperative stylings of their Beat em up cousins.

[vwalbridge]

There are a LOT of classic games that I don't like, but I don't want to offend anyone.

You must share.   Don't feel threatened. You are in a safe place here.   

[vwalbridge]

Too much effort to learn the stupid moves, then inevitably I can't execute them because of BS like not the right distance away from the target etc.

And someone is ALWAYS better.


Turning the blood on in MK with the Sega Genesis was a memorable gaming moment in my history, but beyond that Fighters are just but a blip on my gaming Radar, and pale in comparison to the much more cooperative stylings of their Beat em up cousins.

Dude...I swear we grew up on the same street.

[dezmond]

One my fun ones to play

[pbj]

I'll play MK1 occasionally, get raped in the doubles matches, and shut it off.  There wasn't a game where you could actually kill your opponent until that one, and there was a great deal of satisfaction in pulling off fatalities in public.  Hell, even ripping out the CPU's heart is fun.  That game was done as soon as everyone figured out Sub-Zero and the freeze -> uppercut -> jump kick -> slide combo.

Now when I play them I have to shake my head at how damned nerdy those games are.  This is what programmers in the 90s thought was awesome. 

[DeLuSioNal29]

- Robotron (Don't hurt me! However, I'm starting to come around on this one after playing the real thing for some time a few days ago. I've just always thought there was too much chaos on the screen all at once. It feels overwhelming. Again, really dig the concept but there is so much on the screen all at once.)

That's the last straw.  I need a NEW roomie for Zapcon.  LOL.  Just kidding.   

Truth be told, I didn't get it at first either.  I found it too hard and complex and as a kid, I wanted to stretch my quarter as far as possible.  So I avoided it.  In college, I saw Smash TV.  Thought it was cool as hell and the sounds and game were fun.  Once I got used to the two joystick setup I was hooked.  To this day I love that game.

Then I went to a friend's party and played Robotron.  Since I was familiar with Smash TV it was easy to jump in.  Then, it clicked!  All of a sudden I understood the game and what needed to be done to clear levels.  I remember actually sweating when playing since it was so intense.

My advice.  Keep playing it and you will see the light.

Here are some games that I don't really like, but it seems like everyone else does:
- Space Invaders (moves too slow for me)

I agree.  I never did like it much.  However, the 2600 version is another story.  I used to play for hours with my cousin.  The 2 player co-op was fun as heck.

As for Zaxxon, I LOVED the Colecovision version.  It was easier and fun.  The arcade version, hard as hell.

- Tapper (love the cabinet, artwork, and concept...but it's just too difficult for me...in fact, I don't think I've ever passed the 2nd stage)

try running DOWN THE BAR to grab the glasses instead of waiting for them to reach the end of the bar.

Yes.  Once I learned that you can run and grab the glass AND press up or down in the middle of running.  It became WAY easier.  Great game.

If not ZapCon, there's one at StarFighters.

And I kick ass at BW.

Good.  I've been looking to learn a new twin shooter game and I have questions on how everything works in Black Widow.

For me its Street Fighter and generally any of those fighting type games.

For me, I never got into the SFII craze.  I kinda hated it actually and I think I know why.  I worked in a store where the stupid attract mode was on ALL DAY as a kid.  I could not stand that elephant sound on the circus level.  Drove me nuts.

However, I did learn to appreciate the Street Fighter III, IV (and now V) series as an adult.  I can hold my own in those games.

Prior to that, my, "Holy Crap I love this game" came with Mortal Kombat II.  I thought it was brilliant that someone  made a button block instead of holding away.  Pure genius at the time.  Never really got into (or noticed) MK1 though.

Honorable mention:  Killer Instinct.  Very cool game.  (I think KI2 sucks though).

And X2:  I totally agree with you with your Robotron experience.  Pretty much the same for me as described above.

DeL