Your old Arcade Stomping Ground Memories

[mrdelltoid]

I remember back in the early 90's when I was just a young lad, I would get so excited about going to the arcade. Back when Arcades of course, were everywhere.

The arcade at my local mall was my stomping ground. You couldn't even get to it from inside the mall, even though it was located in the building. It was located in the lower level of the mall near the back, with the only entrance being outside. I think they were trying to keep the riffraff away

The place wasn't very extravagant but to my little eyes it was heaven. Most of the games even then were dated, but I still loved to drop my quarters into Pacman, Galaga, etc. When it closed that was one of the saddest days of my life.

Surprisingly there was an Arcade in one of the neighbouring cities that managed to last all the way up until I graduated from College. Shortly after they downsized it to a 1/3 of what it used to be and it sadly became a shell of its former self. A year or so later it closed down.

Share some of your Arcade Memories!

[dirtd]

There used to be an arcade nearby when I was growing up called Brian's (now it's more of a pool hall). I went there often, but most notably on Sunday morning's when my parents sent my brother and I to Sunday school. It used to be our 1 hour hideout.

Games I remember vividly:
- Shinobi (still a favorite to this day)
- Kid Niki (another favorite)
- Silk Worm

Also remembered a bakery that had 2 machines, Gauntlet and Ice Climber. A friend and I used to stop by there on our way home from school. He was obsessed with Ice Climber, lol.

Ah, but nothing beats the memory of the first time I went to an arcade in Japan. Always left one with with my eyes hurting, ears desensitized, and clothes smelling like smoke.

[Def Dave 7]

My earliest arcade memories are as a little kid in the early 80's. There was a cool little hamburger joint called "Sip 'n Flip". Upstairs was the restaurant and downstairs was the arcade. I remember playing Pac-Man down there. But mostly I just stood there and watched as the big kids played Defender, Galaga, Centipede, and other greats from that era.

Not long after that, we moved to a much smaller town and I didn't get to another actual arcade for several years. Throughout most of the 80's, I got my arcade fix at the front of Wal-Mart (before they were supercenters), Pizza Hut, Godfather's Pizza, and the local skating rink.
I loved Shinobi, Outrun, After Burner, Bad Dudes, Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr., Super Pac Man, TMNT The Arcade Game, Street Fighter II, etc.


Then around 1990 or '91 I finally got back to an arcade when I stayed with my cousin for a week (and did so repeatedly for the next couple years). Alladin's Castle. Oh glory days.
Robocop, Captain America and the Avengers, WWF Superstars, WWF Wrestlefest were just a few of the games I fondly recall playing there.

[BuckFly]

Great Games...Seriously, it was called Great Games Arcade in the late 70s and early 80s on Transit Road in Williamsville, NY across from Easter Hills Mall. I thought it was good sized, about 5 to 6 thousand square feet.

My brother would have a ton of tokens on his dresser but it was to far for me to ride my bike so I usually had to wait for a kids party or the good graces of my parents and siblings.

Hell, guys, GG didn't even focus on having any food until a little later, then the orange soda, hot dogs, pizza and wings just came pouring out of there.

...and the the crash of the mid 80s happened.

GG would hang on as long as it could but by the late 80s it was done. First a Dexter shoe story (strange being in there during the 90s) then a Mitsubishi (sp) dealership and as of last year...torn down.

There are still putt-putt golf place with arcades and arcades in malls, but GG was the shining example of the 70s-80s standalone arcade before the crash.

...I am haunted by waters.

[Setharion]

Placed called Winkies, they used to have this little arcade room here and i remember it like yesterday...ahh..brings a tear to the ol eye!

Buck, that last bit in your post...priceless!

[BuckFly]

Thanks, Seth, I knew you'd get it. It also sets the right sentiment.

For those who don't get it, just make to the end of A River Runs Through it.

[mogo22]

My fondest memories come from a few different places in the 80's. One place was in this run down mall. When I was really young my parents wouldn't let me go there on my own. They finally let me go and I would go there all the time. They had a lot of good machines, and they even rented Atari 2600 games. On a side note I still remember being so unbelievably disappointed when I brought home Pacman for the 2600 for the first time. I remember being like WTF?

Once I was older and able to venture further I went to the roller Rink a lot. It was called Wheelies. I was a small arcade with games like Frogger, Space INvaders, Asteroids and Millipede.I'd be playing those until Beat It came on and then we'd go get some skatin on lol.

The best Arcade in our small town was at the Main mall. This was the place where the best of the best would hang out. There were legends there. There was one guy who could play the Star Wars arcade shooter literally all day on 1 fucking quarter. This other guy was so fast on Track n Field. I still to this day have never see anyone bash two buttons repeatedly that fast. There were always a few that had Pac Man down.

I made a small name for myself there too. I became the guy who could beat Mr Sandman. When ever I played I would have this huge crowd of like 5 or 6 people watching me. I also had crowds gather around when I played Karate and Yier of Kung Fu.

I spent countless quarters trying to beat Pitfall 2 The Sega made arcade game and Badlands, it was a western laserdisc style game made by Konami. It had one button but it was so fun.

I miss those days