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Author Topic: Share Your Arcade Memories With Us  (Read 2230 times)

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Arcadiac

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Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« on: April 25, 2004, 12:51:52 am »
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

SNAAAKE

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #1 on: April 25, 2004, 01:38:30 am »
I had 37 wins on xmen vs sf once..thats some memory.Beat someone who btw was one of the best alpha players around 16 times in a row(sometimes I am on fire).

Uh..almost beat cadillacs and dinosaurs with 1 credit(I was on last stage with 1 credit).


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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2004, 03:29:33 am »
My favorite memory was having to walk away from Asteroids all the time because I was on lunch from school, and had to get back.
There was just something about blasting away for 45 minutes on a quarter, and then saying "Oh Well, guess I better go 'cause this ain't gonna end for in time".

My other great memory was watching the looks on people's faces when I got to the fourth building on Crazy Climber.

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2004, 07:38:29 am »
my fav memory was the bj i got in the bathroom at my local arcade by this girl i was so longing for...hell, life is good when you're 14 man!

 ;D

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2004, 11:24:41 am »
My favorite memory was getting to go to my best friends birthday in the 5th grade at Aladdin's Castle. We were given $20 in tokens and we spent the whole day playing Alien Syndrome and Heavy Barrell (the first arcade game I beat!!)

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2004, 12:25:44 pm »
my fav memory was the bj i got in the bathroom at my local arcade by this girl i was so longing for...hell, life is good when you're 14 man!

 ;D


So that's where the women went!  :o
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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2004, 01:08:12 pm »
I remember an overnight lock-in at the student center in college. All night bowling-pool and arcade games. There was an arcade contest and I rolled over Robotron (both screen and score).

After 3 hours, I voluntarily quit playing the game because of fatigue.  However, I lost the contest because the game-room manager didn't believe the machine could be rolled over and wouldn't give me credit for my full score!
saint ganked my avatar.

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #7 on: April 26, 2004, 01:44:22 am »
my fav memory was the bj i got in the bathroom at my local arcade by this girl i was so longing for...hell, life is good when you're 14 man!

 ;D



Holy batman and I thought I was cool when I was 15 :(
Anyhow, I went to strip club when I was 15..REAL naked women around me for the first time..no one ever asked for any ID.
Its not an arcade memory but still a memory allright ! :D
« Last Edit: April 26, 2004, 01:46:06 am by SNAAAKE »

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #8 on: April 26, 2004, 03:49:21 am »
Most recent would be beating UMK3 on a single quarter in a very short time while everyone was amazed that such a thing was possible, at least around where I live.


Another would be when I was around 6 years old at a laundro-mat with my mom and sister, when my sister and I noticed that, for some reason, the tabs off of our soda cans were counting as credits in the games there.
I miss Retroblast :(

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #9 on: April 26, 2004, 02:10:34 pm »
My fondest arcade memory was in the late eighties/ early nineties.  I was in an Arcade in a mall called "Tilt" in Chico, CA (about 90 miles north of Sacramento)  and I decided to played a game of pinball (I cannot remember which machine, maybe PinBot or Big Guns). In to the arcade walks about five of the biggest, meanest looking black men you have ever seen wearing black hats and jackets that simply have an "x" on them (I later found out this was likely for Malcom X) and they all crowd around the pinball machine directly next to me (they were literally touching my machine) and from the middle of the group, rapper Ice-T walks up to the pinball machine next to me and begins to play a game.

At this point, being a pinball FREAK, it did not phase me one bit.  I just played my game and Ice-T played his game.  We were side by side playing pinball.  Well, Ice-T did not do so well.  Me, on the other hand was winning free games right and left with a satisfying pop to punctuate my pinball prowess.  Ice-T, angry, muttered a few choice swear words and stormed off.  I just kept playing.   The best part of this story is I was a fat, white, pale, red-haired kid in Junior High and I schooled and angered Ice-T and his bodyguard minions.

I later found out Ice-T was in Chico to give an anti-drug speech at the college (Chico State).

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #10 on: April 26, 2004, 03:16:36 pm »
The best part of this story is I was a fat, white, pale, red-haired kid in Junior High and I schooled and angered Ice-T and his bodyguard minions.

If you didn't make that up that's the best story I've heard for a long time  :D

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #11 on: April 26, 2004, 03:20:40 pm »
well this is not an arcade memory it's a pinball memory. When i was a kid, I was playing some pinball game and my thumb was hooked to a loose spring in the plunger.  :'(. I got a tetanus shot.. Ouch...

:-\

kinda yucky memory.

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #12 on: April 26, 2004, 03:24:51 pm »
I seem to remember getting beat by my mum (yeah ok laugh) at a football (soccer) trackball game.  I haven't figured out what the game was but it was pretty cool at the time...

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #13 on: April 26, 2004, 04:08:36 pm »
Quote

If you didn't make that up that's the best story I've heard for a long time  :D

I didn't make this up.  In fact, when I went back to school, I told all of my friends and no one believed me based on the premise of "Why would Ice T be in Chico, CA", but the most popular girl in my class had been to the drug lecture and backed me up.  Of course my mom was in the mall too, but she doesn't have much "street cred" in jr. high. I swear to you though, this story is true.

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #14 on: April 26, 2004, 04:25:31 pm »
My fondest memory of Arcade play, was going to chicago during the eight grade, to Navy pier and PLaying Battletech in the combat sims.

Six guys went with me into the fray of Battletech.  After three games he had wiped the floor with all the non-believers of the power of torso turning.  

We went over to the X-men game, 6 player and we started out together.  Slowly people started to leave including myself, until just Tommy remained.  He solely played through the middle of the game.  As time went on we slowly gathered back to the machine and by the time we fought Magneto all Six of us had come back together, it was like a super hero team coming together in the 11th inning to close the game.

One of those memories you never forget.  It was awesome.

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #15 on: April 26, 2004, 05:09:16 pm »
Another fond arcade memory was going into an arcade as a teenager to play Mortal Kombat.  Some little kid was on the machine cleaning house with Sub-Zero against all comers in a very freeze, slide, repeat pattern that was not only frustrating to lose to but annoying to watch.  Additionally, the kid was taunting the other players by saying things like "Eat that sucker" and "Oh Yeah!".  I came in, the kid thinking I was another sucker, and trounced him with Scorpion much to his chagrin.  He was in complete shock. I thought he was going to cry (I've seen that happen plenty).  Of course, I was not really THAT good at Mortal Kombat and another guy immediately beat me down using Ryu, but for one moment, I was a hero to many.

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #16 on: April 26, 2004, 05:40:49 pm »
Another fond arcade memory was going into an arcade as a teenager to play Mortal Kombat.  Some little kid was on the machine cleaning house with Sub-Zero against all comers in a very freeze, slide, repeat pattern that was not only frustrating to lose to but annoying to watch.  Additionally, the kid was taunting the other players by saying things like "Eat that sucker" and "Oh Yeah!".  I came in, the kid thinking I was another sucker, and trounced him with Scorpion much to his chagrin.  He was in complete shock. I thought he was going to cry (I've seen that happen plenty).  Of course, I was not really THAT good at Mortal Kombat and another guy immediately beat me down using Ryu, but for one moment, I was a hero to many.

NoBonus

WHAT!!! RYU appears in MK?!??!?!?!?  is there some kinda of trick!! or something, hehehe  :P

I Think your talking about Rayden.  ;)




« Last Edit: April 26, 2004, 05:41:28 pm by brained »

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #17 on: April 26, 2004, 05:43:59 pm »
Ryu... Ha, I meant that Bruce Lee like fellow whom I cannot think of his name to save my life!!! AAAAA!!!!!


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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #18 on: April 26, 2004, 06:13:00 pm »
This does bring up an issue though.  I realize the inputs are a bit different and the companies likely hate each other, but why not make a Street Fighter 2 vs. Mortal Kombat game?  They made a Freddy vs Jason movie. So why not? You know, for old times sake.

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #19 on: April 26, 2004, 06:16:23 pm »
Ryu... Ha, I meant that Bruce Lee like fellow whom I cannot think of his name to save my life!!! AAAAA!!!!!



His name is Liu Kang or something like that.

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #20 on: April 26, 2004, 09:12:40 pm »
Best moment for me is probably finishing Dragons lair for the first time with about a dozen people crowding round the machine in awe, lol. Or possibly the first time I clocked my all time favourite pin ball game "Black Night". Oh and discovering MAME and building my own cab of course.

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #21 on: April 26, 2004, 09:59:54 pm »
When I was younger I used to ride my bicycle for 2 miles just to play the closest arcade game to my house. It was The Legend of Kage and it was in a Big Lots store in a shopping plaza. I'd conjure up a fistfull of quarters and cycle as fast as I could through all the neighborhoods and ultimately out of the designated perimeter (I'll never forget the zone; Rudisill to Pettit, Calhoun to Fairfield) set by my parents. I DIDN'T CARE, THOUGH! I WAS LIVING ON THE WILD SIDE WHERE NINJA ROAM FREE!
I loved that game. I don't know why, but I loved it. Having played it recently, I'd have to say it's a really crappy game, but it sparks nostalgia and maybe one day I'll get the dedicated cab.

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #22 on: April 27, 2004, 08:13:38 am »
My favorite arcade memories are of just spending some time with my dad... he would take me to the arcade ever since the age of 4 or 5 I think.

Another cool time I remember beating Ninja turtles with two of my friends for the first time when I was in about 6th grade.  I miss those days when everyone would crowd around a machine to see you putting the beat down on your favorite game.  


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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #23 on: April 27, 2004, 08:38:36 am »
My wife gave birth to my first child in a sitdown turbo cab!  We were in a taxi... it didn't seem like she was going to make it... I thought it would be cool and all... so when we passed an arcade, we jumped out at the local arcade.

PLUS I was able to play a few games while we wait....

She was happy because I gave her all the 25c Pops with super extra ice and those peanut butter cookies (the 2 pack).  

The only problem was the annoying kid who was smoking and yelling profanities when he was the game cheated him (I was watching... I think he was blocking too)... but come on... there is a new kid in the room!  

Oh yeah!  I also flipped galaga with fast shoot while my wife was in the last parts of labor pain!  I HADN'T DONE THAT IN YEARS!  I had someone take a picture of me infront of the game!

Daphne was born at 3pm at 12oz and 13" long.  
« Last Edit: April 27, 2004, 08:41:04 am by Lilwolf »

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #24 on: April 27, 2004, 09:54:22 am »
My Best arcade memories ....

Getting payed to finish "Chelnov".

The game was brand new and after some time i had gone far beyond where the owner himself had ever get but i was stuck at the flying skeleton boss and i was about to give up...so he gave me credits to go till the end...

It was amazing because after some time many people where around me looking at the game... And when i beat up the final boss everybody cheered me up...

Man i was proud of myself :)

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #25 on: April 27, 2004, 10:03:54 am »
My wife gave birth to my first child in a sitdown turbo cab!  We were in a taxi... it didn't seem like she was going to make it... I thought it would be cool and all... so when we passed an arcade, we jumped out at the local arcade.

You're kidding, right? Is this a joke?

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #26 on: April 27, 2004, 11:24:34 am »
I have 2 arcade memories....

in NYC 34th St penn station arcade...

my friend and I were playing cyberball.... (and we're good at it...) strange because before that and after that... we don't play any sports game at all....

we beat basically everyone... and we're kicking the computer's --I'm attempting to get by the auto-censor and should be beaten after I re-read the rules--....

then this big black guy challenged us.... he is VERY good... (turns out that he works there... duh....)
we played against each other... he uses his quarters to buy extra stuffs... (yes, you can do that on cyberball...)
and we keep on going to sudden death overtime....
people are gathering watching us play... it was very intense... I forgot how many periods of overtime we went thru... we actually ran out of quarters... and the surrounding guys are actually handing us quarters to insert so that we can finish the game....... (well... we did get change and give them back the quarters after the game...)

kinda sad.... because too tell you the truth... I forgot whether we won or lost..... but it was a really fun, intense, challenging game....

too bad in mame, you can't play against each other in cyberball......

--------------

the other memory I have is on guantlet....
I put in a quarter after school on my way home in a pizza place... and played for like 4-5 hrs straight....
have plenty of health and potions... until some guy from the pizza place "accidently" unplugged the machine....
I swear I could have played forever........

well.... good memories.....


Another Brilliant mind ruined by education....  :p

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #27 on: April 27, 2004, 11:37:17 am »

One of my fondest arcade memories was beating Twin Eagle: Revenge Joe's Brother in the arcade with a friend. I think it was the first actual arcade game I beat.

I remember having to run for change and getting back just in the nick of time :)  

The jet fighter battle song will be forever imprinted in my memory "pow-ow-wwwer! I'm gonna take you dooooown"  It seemed so cool at the time....

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #28 on: April 27, 2004, 04:50:28 pm »
First memory of an arcade machine was when I was living in the former Czechoslovakia and a fair came to town. With it came Space Invaders and Pitfall II. Didn't play it much but damn it was something fresh.

Then as fate would have it, upon our arrival in Sydney (after a nice migration), the first arcade I saw at our hostel was again, Pitfall II.

Right there and then I knew I would own that cab one day. Unfortunately that dream took another 18 years to come true.
Now in a tasty new flavour.

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Re:Share Your Arcade Memories With Us
« Reply #29 on: November 02, 2004, 01:20:31 pm »
Good Times!! Anyone else? ARCADIAC!