Author Topic: Castles & Coasters - Phoenix, AZ - Great Arcade! (Read 4567 times)

somunny · « **on:** March 17, 2007, 08:45:12 pm »

Spent the day at Castles & Coasters in Phoenix today for a company spring picnic. I've driven by this place dozens of times and though it was just another redemption machine hell hole. I was floored when we walked in and found video game/pinball nirvana.

They had 26(!) pins with names that read like a best of the best from the last fifteen years.

Theatre Of Magic
Indiana Jones
Creature From The Black Lagoon
Medieval Madness
Cirqus Voltaire
The Getaway
LOTR
POTC
Monster Bash
The Shadow
Revenge From Mars
Attack From Mars
Simpsons Pinball Party
Arabian Nights...

The pins I played seemed waaay faster than I remembered them. The balls were also making some wonky moves. Magnets maybe?

Then there were the classic coin-ops (didn't get a count). Asteroids, Joust, Robotron, Ms. Pac, Moon Patrol, Tron, a beautiful Dragon's Lair II... There were also a bunch of showcase cabs with current fighters running on them SFIII 3rd, Tekken 5, et al.

This would be a great place to have a Phoenix BYOAC get together. Check out the pics (sorry for the so-so quality. I'm still getting used to my new camera.

shorthair · « **Reply #1 on:** March 17, 2007, 10:10:22 pm »

They definitely have some good stuff, though could replace some of the controls on the old games. Maybe they have since I told 'em so. Best time is middle of the day during the week.

Paladin · « **Reply #2 on:** March 17, 2007, 10:22:41 pm »

My wife and I will be in AZ in a couple weeks, and while searching the web for things to do I found the C&C website. We're planning on making a stop there, so thanks for the timely review!

somunny · « **Reply #3 on:** March 19, 2007, 09:30:30 am »

Quote from: shorthair on March 17, 2007, 10:10:22 pm

Best time is middle of the day during the week.

I've got some time off coming up so I think I'll spend a few hours there.

shorthair · « **Reply #4 on:** March 19, 2007, 08:40:23 pm »

Well, like you said, a good place for a Phoenix BYOAC meet. I have a whole bunch of credits sitting around. Of note, though: they don't run the coasters during the day....but if I wanted that, I'd just make a trip to Magic Mountain.

Wade · « **Reply #5 on:** March 19, 2007, 10:20:57 pm »

What an awesome place!! If there were a gameroom anything like that near me, I don't think I'd have my own games.

Wade

somunny · « **Reply #6 on:** March 21, 2007, 11:28:56 am »

I went ahead and posted in the meet-up forum to get an idea on the number of AZ members and try to plan a get together at C&C.

More Cowbell · « **Reply #7 on:** March 21, 2007, 11:58:23 am »

Is that by Metro Center? Growing up there we always went to Golf & Stuff which that looks a lot like. I'm wondering if they changed their name.

somunny · « **Reply #8 on:** March 21, 2007, 12:03:57 pm »

Quote from: More Cowbell on March 21, 2007, 11:58:23 am

Is that by Metro Center? Growing up there we always went to Golf & Stuff which that looks a lot like. I'm wondering if they changed their name.

It is, indeed. You're from AZ? I wish you were still here. I'd have taken that Xybots off your hands!

More Cowbell · « **Reply #9 on:** March 21, 2007, 02:50:00 pm »

Quote from: somunny on March 21, 2007, 12:03:57 pm

Quote from: More Cowbell on March 21, 2007, 11:58:23 am
Is that by Metro Center? Growing up there we always went to Golf & Stuff which that looks a lot like. I'm wondering if they changed their name.

It is, indeed. You're from AZ? I wish you were still here. I'd have taken that Xybots off your hands!

Haha That Xybots ended up going for $200.

Yeah, we moved from Gilbert to Chicago 7 years ago. I lived at Golf & Stuff when I was a kid. That place was the greatest! Glad to see they still have a lot of old school going on.

shorthair · « **Reply #10 on:** March 21, 2007, 04:18:09 pm »

Wasn't it originally Golf n Things?

tetsu96 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 21, 2007, 07:23:42 pm »

Is that the place off I-10? I've never been there but have driven past from time to time... long way from the East Valley to be sure...

shorthair · « **Reply #12 on:** March 21, 2007, 09:38:16 pm »

C&C is off I-10 next to metro. Golf and Stuff is around Country Club and the 60.

somunny · « **Reply #13 on:** March 21, 2007, 09:41:17 pm »

Quote from: shorthair on March 21, 2007, 09:38:16 pm

C&C is off I-10 next to metro. Golf and Stuff is around Country Club and the 60.

I think you mean I-17. It's I-17 & Dunlap. The Metro Center is right there.

shorthair · « **Reply #14 on:** March 22, 2007, 02:57:24 am »

Oh!...right you are. And it is a trip from Mesa - like 30 miles...add ten or 20 more for east valley, Gilbert, etc - but what is 50 miles when living in Phoenix?

Goz · « **Reply #15 on:** March 22, 2007, 07:29:41 pm »

I spent a day at Castles and Coasters a couple of weekends ago and in my honest opinion it is the best arcade I have seen since moving to the Phoenix area.

I'm in the Maricopa area so its a bit of a drive but the arcade is worth it. I wouldnt waste my time with the rides but I bet the mini golf courses would be fun after some beers

AMDman13 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 23, 2007, 12:23:42 am »

Sweet! If there is a meet up you can count me in! I've been playing arcades there since I was 15! It was orginally Golf-N-Stuff. There were a few in Tucson back in the day as well. I believe the arcade in the 1st Karate Kid was also a Golf-N-Stuff.

Somunny, I guess I forgot to mentioned it to you when we met.

shorthair · « **Reply #17 on:** March 23, 2007, 01:14:53 am »

Dude, how could you forget that? No, I said Golf n Things, which is what it used to be in Tucson. Now's it's Golf n Stuff. I think they're based in cali, as there's three of 'em: there/Mesa/Tucson.

More Cowbell · « **Reply #18 on:** March 23, 2007, 11:04:15 am »

Does it still have the shooting gallery off to the right when you walk in? I just remember that feeling of walking out of the blazing sun into the huge dark chamber with all of those fantastic classics (before they were considered classics). Ah youth.

somunny · « **Reply #19 on:** March 23, 2007, 11:44:56 am »

Quote from: More Cowbell on March 23, 2007, 11:04:15 am

Does it still have the shooting gallery off to the right when you walk in? I just remember that feeling of walking out of the blazing sun into the huge dark chamber with all of those fantastic classics (before they were considered classics). Ah youth.

Yes!

shorthair · « **Reply #20 on:** March 23, 2007, 03:42:09 pm »

Which place?

(Golf n Stuff in Mesa, by the way, only has a couple games, and half (of their, like, five or six) pins don't always work/aren't running. C&C blows them away...they even give a discount for credits purchased in bulk.)

Oh, I forgot that Gameworks (there's one at Arizona Mills) has some big-ass wood sit-down type classic game cabs which use 27" monitors. Only thing is, most of the controls on the games are pre-tty worn, as well as most of the games having sound issues (either missing sounds, or in the case of Robotron the wrong sounds for the wrong things). I told them about this, too...twice...maybe it's fixed by now....

shorthair · « **Reply #21 on:** March 24, 2007, 06:50:58 pm »

In case some of you miss the post in the meet thread:

Hey, folks, I'm going to advance this idea and ask ya all if this saturday - say, during the day, before the crowd really hits...though, night is cool if that works better for everyone else - would be good?


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