Hi y'all. After seeing a recent post regarding arcade photos, I felt a little pang of nostalgia.
I'd like to invite the other members to share their arcade experiences.
Being one of the older farts (an assumption, I'm 45) growing up in the 60's and 70's, I was very fortunate in being able to watch the whole arcade phenomenon from the beginning.
I have a memory of being around 5 yrs. old, given a handful of nickels and turned loose on the pinball machine in the restaurant that my late mother owned.
Not a video game exactly but I believe that this fueled my life-long passion for gaming.
From there to the bowling alley, where you could play pool by the hour.
Then the beginnings of arcade gaming, Pong, Tank etc. all fascinating to me.
The skating rink with pinballs and videogames.
Later, in the mid/late 70s, magical arcades like the aptly named "Mean Pinball" and a 2 story arcade dance club called "Pinball Wizards"
Many, many chemically fueled excursions (and damn straight, I inhaled!) to such places with their strobe lights, black lights, day-glo posters and excruciatingly (but damn enjoyably) loud music. All filled beyond capacity with teens/young adults mostly just having a good time cruising and hanging out.
Then the later chain arcades, Aladdin's Castle in the Mall and then Malibu Grand Prix where you could play videogames, pool and race those cool little go-carts. Unfortunately none of these places exist here in Louisville, Ky. anymore. I can't think of one really decent actual arcade left.
So help me out here. Tell us how/where you got started playing arcade games. If you have any pics, post them too, I'm sure I am not the only one who wore those elephant bell-bottom jeans with all of the patches on them! Let's have some fun! Peace! ARCADIAC