Multi What were your favourite Arcade games?

[Crazy Jamie]

Difficult to find any sort of arcade nowadays, let alone a decent one that isn't just a few racing simulators. But we all have memories of them, so let's share. What were your favourite arcade games?

I was always a fan of the scrolling beat em ups. Simpsons, Turtles and X-Men were my top three, but also spent a fair amount of time on Alien vs Predator, Avengers, Spiderman, Double Dragon, Dungeons and Dragons. It was just a genre that I really enjoyed.

Outside of that, my pretty off the wall choice is Jambo Safari. I'm not sure how many other people are aware of it, but you had to capture African animals in a range of different environments by driving around and then launching a rope and netting at them. I played it enough to get good at it and finished it a fair few times. I also have a soft spot for Crazy Taxi, but my sister was far better at it than I was. I think she got an S class licence on it at one point. She definitely got a fair few As.

Also worth saying that I was a DDR player. Rarely found anyone else to do it with over here, but on trips to the US it was great finding arcades and playing it with groups of random other people. Some good memories there.

 

[shortkut]

was always a fan of the scrolling beat em ups. Simpsons, Turtles and X-Men were my top three

My top 3 as well

But you have to love time crisis 2

 

[Crazy Jamie]

My top 3 as well

But you have to love time crisis 2

I did forget the light gun games, and yes, Time Crisis 2 was the pinnacle for me. There was definitely a point where that whole genre jumped the shark. Possibly with House of the Dead 3 and the shotguns.

 

[Nae'blis]

I loved the light gun games! They felt so cool to play. Unfortunately arcades weren't really a big thing in Sweden, even back in the days. Arcade games were pretty much limited to amusement parks and cruise ships.

 

[shortkut]

I did forget the light gun games, and yes, Time Crisis 2 was the pinnacle for me. There was definitely a point where that whole genre jumped the shark. Possibly with House of the Dead 3 and the shotguns.

For light gun games, forgot Area 51. That was the shit

Also, I was thinking about the Simpsons game and i can still hear the scream bart and Lisa do when doing their combined special

I also just remembered loving the battletoads arcade cabinet, but it was hard to find so I rarely played it

 

[Rachel]

mine honestly is Ms. Pac-man. It's not hard to understand. My orthodontist's office had this.

We actually have a lot of arcade places in the US. Usually they market themselves as retro and a thing to do with your father, aka nostalgia for a certain generation or generations.

 

[Crazy Jamie]

For light gun games, forgot Area 51. That was the shit

Also, I was thinking about the Simpsons game and i can still hear the scream bart and Lisa do when doing their combined special

I also just remembered loving the battletoads arcade cabinet, but it was hard to find so I rarely played it

My kids play a lot of The Simpsons on our arcade machine, and honestly the presentation of that game is just absolutely flawless. Even now, 30 or so years later, it still feels like a perfect representation of the show.

mine honestly is Ms. Pac-man. It's not hard to understand. My orthodontist's office had this.

We actually have a lot of arcade places in the US. Usually they market themselves as retro and a thing to do with your father, aka nostalgia for a certain generation or generations.

Yes, there are a few places popping up like that over here as well now. Usually you pay one amount on the door to access all the machines. It's a good business model, particularly with retro and nostalgia being so popular nowadays generally. There's one relatively small place like that in a city that we drive through when we go to my in laws in Holland, and we've stopped there a couple of times. But there's a much bigger arcade like that about an hour from where I live. My sister and I have been planning to spend an evening there for a little while, and hopefully we'll manage it in the next couple of months.

 

[Smacktard]

My top favorite arcade games are lightgun games, generally, and I don't really have enough time with them to rank them or say which ones are good or bad. They're just fun to play. The Walking Dead one is actually really nice.

The Simpsons game is excellent, too. Oh, and of course all of the Metal Slug games -- especially the first one -- but they are absolute quarter-devourers.

I like some shmups, too. 1942 appeals to me, probably cause of nostalgia. 1943 and 1944 are excellent. For something more simple, Scramble is actually really nice. The Vectrex port of this game is awesome fun.

 

[Crazy Jamie]

The Walking Dead one is actually really nice.

You mean the more recent one with the crossbows? It's in a bowling alley near here. Never actually played it.

I do understand why more modern arcades focus on games with props, like guns, bikes, cars etc. It gives a different experience to what you can get at home. Back in the day arcades allowed you to play games that you couldn't play at home either way because the arcade machines were more powerful, but those days have long since gone. Nowadays it has to be a different experience altogether.

 

[VashTheStampede]

Well my #1 favorite of all time is, probably unsurprisingly if you know me, X-Men. I love that one so much it's one of the two cabinets in my house.

The first cabinet I got was a cocktail table Namco collection, mainly for Ms. Pac-Man, which I also adore. Owning a cocktail Ms. Pac-Man was a big bucket list item I was fortunate to check off and brings me much joy.

Gosh, you all have correct opinions in this thread. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Simpsons are also godly.

Time Crisis 2 IS the best light-gun game, but I have a soft spot for Police Trainer, mainly from a fond memory of beating my police officer father at this game, which gave me bragging rights for years.

Also I am an air hockey god.

I could probably fill out another several paragraphs based on pinball machines...

 

[Smacktard]

You mean the more recent one with the crossbows? It's in a bowling alley near here. Never actually played it.

Yep, that's the one. It's really well-made. There are a few bullshit parts that are clearly made to just suck away quarters, but what can you do, it's an arcade, after all. It's good fun regardless.

 

[Smacktard]

I could probably fill out another several paragraphs based on pinball machines

I'm not big on pinball machines, but I told my wife I watched the entire trailer for the Godzilla 70th anniversary pinball machine, mesmerized. When she laughed at me, I made her watch it too and when she did, she was just as psyched about it as me haha

 

[shortkut]

Well my #1 favorite of all time is, probably unsurprisingly if you know me, X-Men. I love that one so much it's one of the two cabinets in my house.

The first cabinet I got was a cocktail table Namco collection, mainly for Ms. Pac-Man, which I also adore. Owning a cocktail Ms. Pac-Man was a big bucket list item I was fortunate to check off and brings me much joy.

Gosh, you all have correct opinions in this thread. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Simpsons are also godly.

Time Crisis 2 IS the best light-gun game, but I have a soft spot for Police Trainer, mainly from a fond memory of beating my police officer father at this game, which gave me bragging rights for years.

Also I am an air hockey god.

I could probably fill out another several paragraphs based on pinball machines...

Over the years, I have wanted to purchase those cabinets and have seen them on sale many times, but my wife would keep reminding me that we live in a very small New York City apartment and we cannot afford to use the space for one of those

 

[shortkut]

could probably fill out another several paragraphs based on pinball machines...

Would you say… you’re a pinball wizard?

 

[Smacktard]

Over the years, I have wanted to purchase those cabinets and have seen them on sale many times, but my wife would keep reminding me that we live in a very small New York City apartment and we cannot afford to use the space for one of those

Compromise and just get an all-in-one cocktail cabinet

 

[Nae'blis]

Would you say… you’re a pinball wizard?

 

[Rachel]

We are finally in the process of finishing our basement. I think it would be neat to have one machine. It could take up less room than a pool table, say. But, what? My first thought is pinball. We have two sons and it could be an activity when friends are over. I am also seeing other arcade machines that are like 60 games in 1. I am also reading that the pandemic drove up these prices.

 

[Crazy Jamie]

We are finally in the process of finishing our basement. I think it would be neat to have one machine. It could take up less room than a pool table, say. But, what? My first thought is pinball. We have two sons and it could be an activity when friends are over. I am also seeing other arcade machines that are like 60 games in 1. I am also reading that the pandemic drove up these prices.

I went with an Arcade 1UP machine that had been modified to have the buttons changed to something a bit more durable and, crucially, to have the insides modified so it runs on a Raspberry Pi. So it's a relatively small arcade machine, but with 8,000 games on it. It's really great, particularly for the kids.

The only downside is that it is quite small, so you have to sit down as an adult to play it. You can get custom made larger units now, but they tend to be quite expensive. I decided to get an Arcade 1UP machine as a cheaper option to see if we'd use it, and also because I saw a Facebook listing for one that was already modified at a decent price.