Arcade Wars of the 80s

[dgame]

I have been researching the arcade scene from when I was growing up and I did  not realize (at the time) how big a fight the arcades got.

From a 1982 Miami Herald Article:

"I have even been in these game rooms myself. I did not play the games, for the same reason I did not gamble when I was in Puerto Rico." -- Ronnie Lamm, Brookhaven, N.Y., mother and leader of a successful drive to limit the spread of video-game arcades in her town.

Buried in that seeming non sequitur is a moral message and, perhaps, memories of a close call for Mrs. Lamm in the vice pits of the Caribbean. For in video games, she told The New York Times not long ago, she sees forces "corrupting our youth. They are not wholesome. They mesmerize our children, they addict them..."

In the language of an unabashed square, Lamm views with alarm. And she is not alone. From New Hampshire to Florida (Pembroke Pines and Coral Gables, locally), concerned citizens have taken action to limit access to or ban outright the video menace.

Link to Full Article "YEH, BUT YOU CAN'T DANCE TO PAC-MAN"

[RayB]

Yup, this type of over-the-top ignorant rhetoric went on in pretty much all cities and towns and really help spur on the death of arcades.

Coin into slot = gambling

Standing, staring, expressionless because you're focused on the game = zombie-like addiction trance

etc... Mix in the dark lighting, possible drug pushers in poorly policed areas, etc and you had a recipe for "OH NOES! Won't somebody think of the children!!" bi-laws like age limits, permit limits, distance from schools limits, etc, etc.

[isucamper]

That sounds like MY mom!

Man, that brings back memories.  She was convinced that arcades where the hangouts of drug dealers and child molesters... so during the heyday of the arcade, it was a rare occastion that I actually got to go into one.

Which... of course, probably contributed to an obsession which still persists today now that I'm 30 years old.  An obsession so intense that now I'm building a fricking arcade machine to put in my basement.

Also, I would argue that the Sony Playstation had more to do with the death of the arcade than these misinformed (but well intentioned) mothers. 

[Ginsu Victim]

Also, I would argue that the Sony Playstation had more to do with the death of the arcade than these misinformed (but well intentioned) mothers. 

It goes back further than the PSX. The NES really kicked home gaming into high gear in a way the Atari VCS couldn't. Then came Genesis and SNES and the home market grew even larger. Thanks to Capcom, there was an arcade resurrection briefly, but nowhere near what it once was. Once Final Fantasy VII came out, the PSX cemented its place in history and now we're living with the result.

[CheeseSndwch]

Back in the day Malt Shops were considered the “devils den.” Same BS different generation. Actually now that I think about it there are plenty of people out there who retro fit their homes to mimic malt shops/fifties diners. Interesting correlation between society perception and future collectibles.

[RayB]

Well I said helped "spur on" the death. It was a very slow process but it really started around 84. Crash + ridiculous city bilaws marked the beginning of the end.  You have to understand that in 1980-1983 arcade operators were just rolling in money. Atari, Midway and Williams were producing machines in quantities like 10,000, 20,000, even up to 100,000 units. By 1984, games were produced in numbers like 5000 or less. To us the players, yeah the arcades were still there, but behind the scenes, everybody in the business side was hurting.

[TOK]

My dad hated that I loved arcades... I don't think he ever fully understood what I was doing, because he always referred to the whole arcade scene generically as pinball machines (which I rarely played).

The funny thing now is that he's somewhat enthusiastic about the fact that I own and build them, even though he's still not into playing them. The other funny thing is that while growing up, my family always had motorcycles, guns, boats and racecars. All of those things were OK, but spending 25 cents on Xevious was throwing money away.  

[Mr. Dude]

I guess I was pretty lucky growing up.  My dad loved going to the arcades with me.  It gave us something fun to do together.  Plus he says now it was great cause he would rather of spent $10-$20 going to the arcade for an afternoon than taking me to Disneyland or something... LOL.

[Level42]

Since there were hardly "real" arcades here, there was no problem. The "arcades" I visited were on camping-grounds and holiday parcs. Safe and clean and lots of games

That woman was right with one thing: THOSE GAMES ARE ADDICTIVE AS HELL

[Ginsu Victim]

Yeah, I was lucky as well. My parents would take me to arcades some, but usually I tagged along with my brother, who was in his teens. Thing is, since I was decent at the games, he didn't mind me coming along. (Later on, we lived for playing Rastan together. I keep trying to get a machine, just so I can temp him to come visit. Mame isn't quite the same. Gotta have those creepy bats on the CPO.)

[isucamper]

It goes back further than the PSX.

Yeah,  you're probably right.  I just remember having the Atari 2600, then the NES, then the Genesis/Super NES, and all that time the home consoles were behind the curve compared to arcade games but catching up slowly.  The PSX was really the system that finally surpassed what was being done in the arcades, offering cinematic experiences that an arcade game couldn't.  It took the industry in such a dramatic direction... it made me forget about the arcade.   

Several years later, after popping my head back outside, I'd go back looking for my old arcade haunts only to find them closed down... such a sad time.  To this day, there's no place I can go withing a 500 mile radius to get the kind of game experience you get in a classic arcade.  Hence, why I'm on this message board so much. 

[fjl]

I forget where I read this but it was said that one of the main reasons Arcades died was technology itself and the basis of gameplay. Early arcades sported simple graphics and simple gameplay. Fast actioned gameplay worth spending a quarter for ten minutes of play. Good examples of these type of games are some of the classics such as Pac-Man, Asteroids, Space Invaders etc.

The games where quick, fun and easy to understand and play. Then technology rose and games where now capable of supporting higher graphics and with this, it was more capable for machines to support epic story games like the Final Fantasy games that required hours, upon hours of gameplay. This wasn't possible at an Arcade. This was only feasible with home consoles. And this turn is one of the main reasons people stopped attending arcades. At least here in USA. Japan is still popular with arcades. Some arcades games still put good use to the quick action gameplay of older days. But not many.

I like those dave and busters restaurant/bars cause they still somewhat function as arcades but more oriented for adults.

[Singapura]

Since there were hardly "real" arcades here, there was no problem. The "arcades" I visited were on camping-grounds and holiday parcs. Safe and clean and lots of game

Oh yeah, I almost forgot the "Sporthuis Centrum" arcades. In highschool I sometimes skipped class and took the train to Amsterdam. They had a very nice arcade at the Rembrandt Plein. Scheveningen has some nice arcades too...

[FrizzleFried]

My parents were pretty open about arcades.  Dad didn't like `em much personally,  but he was a huge console fan of the time. (Dad actually had a Sears version of the 2600 originally...with wood highlights.  He then got a Colecovision,  and then a 5200,  then a 7800.    I thing there was a Sega console in there somewhere too.

Dad was a 5200 Centipede nut.

[Kajoq]

I use to be able to coerce my dad into taking me to the Arcade relatively often.  He was in college when Pong and Asteroids were first hitting and being an enginerd he enjoyed playing video games.

When I was a kid he would rarely play games on cabinets and would tend to play a few games of Pinball while I was rocking faces on Tekken or Street Fighter or whatever else I was playing.  The times we would Stumble upon a good Defender machine he was on that hardcore though... and he would usually dump a couple credits into the ubiquitous Galaga machine at every arcade.

[RayB]

Fast actioned gameplay worth spending a quarter for ten minutes of play. Good examples of these type of games are some of the classics such as Pac-Man, Asteroids, Space Invaders etc.

TWO minutes of play. The magic balance they all aimed for, for .25c was 2 minutes of play.

[Ummon]

The other funny thing is that while growing up, my family always had motorcycles, guns, boats and racecars. All of those things were OK, but spending 25 cents on Xevious was throwing money away.  

Sounds like the 'man syndrome'.

I forget where I read this but it was said that one of the main reasons Arcades died was technology itself and the basis of gameplay.

No, the original bust was because of too many developers for both arcade but especially console that so saturated the market, particularly with junk games. That other stuff was ten or so years later.

My parents were pretty open about arcades.  Dad didn't like `em much personally,  but he was a huge console fan of the time. (Dad actually had a Sears version of the 2600 originally...with wood highlights.  He then got a Colecovision,  and then a 5200,  then a 7800.    I thing there was a Sega console in there somewhere too.

Dad was a 5200 Centipede nut.

If he bought a house instead of renting, he may've liked consoles for the same kind of reason.

[Namco]

The thing I mourn the most is the disappearance of arcade games and pins from supermarkets, convenience stores, and restaurants. I was at the train station the other day and thinking to myself how it seems to be missing a couple vids in the corner. I actually looked around for the spot where they would have been and closed my eyes and imagined an Asteroids, Galaga, or even a Street Fighter 2 in the spot.

I played mostly in 7-11s and bowling alleys. Visits to arcades were done usually at Time-Out or a comparable chain in the mall while my mother was shopping in JC Penny or Newberry. The few dedicated arcades operating out of retail centers or standalone places of business were rare for me. I only visited them when visiting family in other cities, and it was only twice, maybe 3 times around '82 or '83.

Then there's the meccas, legendary places. Castle arcade in Hawthorne, Ca was a miniature golf course with a giant castle in the middle. The castle was packed full of every arcade game you could imagine. Redondo Beach Pier had (has) a huge arcade at the end of it. I remember fondly seeing multiple Pac-Mans or Star Wars side by side there. Aaaah , the memories.

[TOK]

The other funny thing is that while growing up, my family always had motorcycles, guns, boats and racecars. All of those things were OK, but spending 25 cents on Xevious was throwing money away.  

Sounds like the 'man syndrome'.

You said it dude. Having a commando dad and 2 older brothers made it tough. From my perspective, Sparta looked like Bunny Town. 

[councilface]

Its interesting that arcades are still prevelant in Japan. Must be a cultural thing.

[dgame]

Without posting every news article here I unscientifically summarize the fall of the Arcade scene in South Florida to this:

1.   Over saturation: too many arcades (seemed like every store had some games)
2.   Negative press & Laws: Arcades were blamed for all kinds of problems (gangs, drugs, violence, etc.) City ordinances banned or limited arcades.
3.   Home Video Games & Computers: Because of 1 & 2 parents opted for 3.

“Better they do it here at home than have them hanging out in the streets getting into trouble . . .”

[Namco]

I can sum it up pretty well. When we were fascinated as kids with arcade games, I can imagine we all dreamed about bringing the experience (games) home. Home consoles allowed this. Every game that came out on a home console that was a port of a console or approximated it to a close degree, we snapped up instantly. We didn't stick up for the coin-op industry because nobody really wants to play awesome games occasionally at a quarter a shot, yet we miss the spectacle of the attract screens, marquees and bright paint.

Don't cry for the poor neglected arcade machines, cry for us. For gentlemen, it was we who killed the arcade industry.

 (sorry for the dramatic ending ) lol!

[Ginsu Victim]

I can sum it up pretty well. When we were fascinated as kids with arcade games, I can imagine we all dreamed about bringing the experience (games) home. Home consoles allowed this. Every game that came out on a home console that was a port of a console or approximated it to a close degree, we snapped up instantly. We didn't stick up for the coin-op industry because nobody really wants to play awesome games occasionally at a quarter a shot, yet we miss the spectacle of the attract screens, marquees and bright paint.

Don't cry for the poor neglected arcade machines, cry for us. For gentlemen, it was we who killed the arcade industry.

 (sorry for the dramatic ending ) lol!

There were no 2600 games that could replace the arcade experience. By the time the NES came out, the arcades were already dead. NES resurrected the video game industry, but not the arcades.

Even back then, I could tell the difference in Pac-man on 2600 and in the arcade. No comparison.

[Namco]

There were no 2600 games that could replace the arcade experience. By the time the NES came out, the arcades were already dead. NES resurrected the video game industry, but not the arcades.

Even back then, I could tell the difference in Pac-man on 2600 and in the arcade. No comparison.

Yeah, you're right. The industry that I enjoyed and thought was alive and well in the mid-eighties, was a drastically reduced form of what it once was in the early eighties. But I have to say that once I had my NES, I completely stopped playing Vs. Baseball, Mario Bros, and Donkey Kong.    (.... hmmm but getting a SNES that didn't make me stop playing SF2 and MK.)

[Ummon]

The other funny thing is that while growing up, my family always had motorcycles, guns, boats and racecars. All of those things were OK, but spending 25 cents on Xevious was throwing money away.  

Sounds like the 'man syndrome'.

You said it dude. Having a commando dad and 2 older brothers made it tough. From my perspective, Sparta looked like Bunny Town. 

Ha, that's funny.

“Better they do it here at home than have them hanging out in the streets getting into trouble . . .”

I had a friend whose mom felt that way. Hence the first time he tripped on acid was with her.