What was the name of your childhood arcade?

[emceelokey]

I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and this is what I would frequent listed by frequency of useage.

1. ) Malibu Grand Prix - Redwood City.

This one was really cool back in the early 90's. It was actually two arcades. One was the castleand it had the Mini golf course, the batting cages, the redemption ticket games, the crappy food area with the big screen that had burnt out colors and the most recent arcade machnes. This is where they would have rows of Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter.

Then there was the other arcade which was a few yards out from the castle and that's where the mini cars were at and the two tracks for it. The arcade in that one is wherethey would keep the older version of games and just the older games in general. Mostly the stand up games as well.

I was there pretyt much every weekend because my dad would pick me up and drop me off there while he spent the day (and all of his money / child support for my mom) at Bay Meadows, the horse racing track. Which is actually my #2 arcade

2.) Bay Meadows Race Track: San Mateo

This was about 10 miles away from Malibu Grand Prix and it had a pretty decent arcade at that time. I remember that was the first place I played Darkstalkers. I remember at first that game didn't get too much play but after about a week it was juas as popular as MK2 at that time. The cool thing about that place was that tere were a lot of regulars there and you would know who's good and if someone beat that guy that was good people would know. eventhough I hated that place, the arcade was great.


3.) Q-Zar: Redwood City

My dad actually lived about 2 blacks away from there at one point but he would never let me go there alone ( I was about 10 at that time) because that place was pretty ghetto. I really went there for the lazer tag though. The arcade was ok, that was the first place I played Virtua FIghter 2 and the D&D arcade game, but again, I went there for the lazer tag.

4.) Classic Bowl: Daly City

Eventhough that was the closet to where I lived I didn't go there as much. The arcade was pretty small and they would only have one machine of whatever popular game but if I ended up there it was usually because I was bowling. What was better than that was that right accross the parking lot there was an italian restruant that had a few machines in it and when Classic got a bit too crowded,lal you had to do was take a few steps accross the parking lot to the restraunt. You just had to provided your own change because they didn't sell too much food there.

[Damaramu]

Let's see...growing up in Austin, I frequented:

Showbiz Pizza - Before it became Chuck E Cheese, it was Showbiz and they had an awesome selection of videogames, which out numbered the ticket games at the time (mid 80's). Some of the games I remembered playing there: Space Ace, Dragon's Lair, Gauntlet, and a whole bunch of the classics from the time.

Aladdin's Castle - Located in Barton Creek Mall. HUGE arcade, great selection. I was in junior high at the time and had to rely on rides from my parents (rare) or other forms of public transportation to get there with my friends. Worth the trip though.

Games Galaxy - This is where I saw Street Fighter (the first one) for the first time. I was amazed at the sheer amount of buttons it had. Other stand outs from this arcade: Rastan and Alien Syndrome. This place shut down soon after my friends and I discovered it as it was located right across the street from my soon to be high school and they had a problem with truancy.

Laser Zone - This arcade was located in Westgate Mall, near my neighborhood. I went there with my friends in the early to mid 90's before they eventually closed down along with the rest of the mall. The mall was eventually torn down to make way for a new shopping center.

Einstein's - Located on "The Drag" and across the street from the UT campus. A great arcade that my buddies and I would frequent. They always got in the newest games, especially fighting games. And less than a block down the street was:

Le Fun's - Now closed, Le Fun's had a better variety of games (some older ones, pinball games, big sitdown cabinets and such). , this arcade was located right next door to a big Church of Scientolgy HQ.

Powerplay - Located in Dobie Mall, still on the Drag. This was a smaller arcade and usually had a good selection of SNK and Capcom games.

Westgate Lanes - My neighborhood's local bowling alley had a great arcade! They were one of the first places to get Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter 2 Champion Edition. They frequently changed out their games, so my friends and I were able to see and play some great stuff! Great bowling, really good snack bar (big cheap cheeseburger and fries combo). Good memories!

Finally, my friends and I stayed up to date on various pizza joints (Conan's and I Love Video Pizza), grocery stores and convenience stores that had games and would make regular trips to them. Yeah, I was an arcade junkie.

[retro junkie]

Born in the mid 50s, I grew up in the 60s and very early 70s. At the beginning there was only a pinball machine here and there, at a gas station or a small mom and pop burger stand. I remember during early high school years one arcade began at the local mall. It changed names over the years until it finally closed. I can't remember any of the names, but somehow Hillbilly arcade comes to mind. The local Dairy Queen had a large room that was a full blown arcade for years until, it closed a few years ago. That was the last arcade in my area.

I now have to drive out of town to an arcade. That one is in a mall with the name of Game Station. A Chuckie Cheese opened up in that town too, last year, but I have not gone to see what they have yet.

[Xian042]

My main arcade hang was "The Dream Machine" in the now defunct Lincoln Mall in RI. *sigh*

Another GREAT one was "D.G.'s Arcade" in Warwick RI. Lots of fights but an AWSOME collection of games. It was a bit of a ride for us but it was worth it.

We had an Alladins Castle in Rhode Island Mall. But thats closed,
We still have a Tilt in Warwick Mall though. Its decent I guess.

[Nightwing]

My main arcade hang was "The Dream Machine" in the now defunct Lincoln Mall in RI. *sigh*

Another GREAT one was "D.G.'s Arcade" in Warwick RI. Lots of fights but an AWSOME collection of games. It was a bit of a ride for us but it was worth it.

We had an Alladins Castle in Rhode Island Mall. But thats closed,
We still have a Tilt in Warwick Mall though. Its decent I guess.

Cool,another Rhode Islander!

I remember those places well.DG's especially! Too bad its long gone now...

Downtown Providence also had a place for a couple of years called "Saturn's Rings". It was a decent place until the punks started hanging out there - and being right next to the state senior citizens' advocate office helped close it down.

My hangout,though was "Beck's Arcade" in the now defunct Wampanoag Mall (though it's now a strip plaza). Decent selection of games - and the guy who owned the place still sells arcade games locally.

[AllSchoolGamer]

As a kid my local arcade was called Red Rocket...which I've just realised is hilarious ...why would you name an arcade after (as triumph the insult comic dog might put it) a dogs pink thing? hehe

[Lerxstnj]

Game Town (Pine Brook, NJ) - An old church, now an Italian restaurant called Milan, across from a cemetary.

Fun & Games (Wayne, NJ) - In the Willowbrook Mall, Just recently closed.

The Purple Room (Rockaway, NJ) - Rockaway Mall, Long closed. There was another arcade in this mall that closed very recently.

(I Forget the Name) (Cedar Knolls, NJ) - This was in the Morris County Mall. Please, someone tell me the name, it is really bugging me!! Small room always smelling of pipe smoked by the manager.

[kedawa]

The arcade I spent the most time at as a kid didn't have a name, AFAIK.
It was near the beach in Port Dover, Ontario.

[modest9797]

In Pennsylvania I went to the Robin Hill Arcade. It is part of a camp site we go to every year. No popular games, jusk skiball.

[Raedon]

Alladin's Castle in the mall but we also had a Showbiz Pizza that had a large selection of games that you couldn't play elsewhere like Bosconian, Qix, Mr. Do!, and Space Ace.

[TheRealist50]

The arcade I always used to go to was called Happy Man Arcade, I still have a token from there too, I found it not too long ago in the basement lol.

[debian4life]

The Space Port in Harrisburg, PA.

[Sabz5150]

The Gameroom, Richmond VA

[Cinder6]

Mine was called The Library. Awesome name. Then they were shut down for selling kiddie porn (well, that was the rumor for the reason; I've always suspected it was drugs).

[modest9797]

Mine was called The Library. Awesome name. Then they were shut down for selling kiddie porn (well, that was the rumor for the reason; I've always suspected it was drugs).

Thats alittle scary.

[guitargary75]

Thats alittle scary.

I concure. That's really scary.

[darkhades]

The only arcade in my small town was called "Durants". It burned down, I think that was back in 1998.

[Tron 2.0]

Timeout,during the 80's and 90's befor the buyout by namco and it became cyberstation.Afther that they left town and i never seen one again.
http://timeouttunnel.com/

Though i will say the 80's was timeout golden years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdNBk_liGvw

[Yamdasrd]

When I lived in Columbia, SC in the late 80s my mom took my brother and me to Aladdin's Castle in one of the malls every weekend.

When we moved to Korea in the late 80s, early 90s I usually went to random arcades all across Anjung-Ri, Osan, and Seoul. There were tons, all of which I never knew the names.

[Kevincal]

Here in California, it was the "Tilt" and "Scandia"...

[tcv]

"Fun Arcade," Metairie, LA

Yeah, not terribly creative...

[-dustburn-]

GOLD MINE - Damn, I thought my gold mine was local until reading this thread. Amazing that it was a chain. A chain that got bought by Nickles and Dimes Inc. - Or...
TILT FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT CENTER - Yep, I also frequented this place, still great games and one of the only choices in GREEN BAY WISCONSIN. In an odd twist of events I later on got to work there and within 6 months promoted to manager. My childhood dream was realized. I also got to work 4 years for Electronics Boutique and 2 of those years I worked for both.
Truly the best working days of my life.
I would also play arcade games at various places...but nothing real defined.

[Greg2600]

Game Town (Pine Brook, NJ) - An old church, now an Italian restaurant called Milan, across from a cemetary.

Here's somewhat of a picture....http://www.dericn.com/montville/hobbytowne/

Here's a site of a guy who collects arcade tokens, and has a fairly large list of East Coast arcade locations (text mostly)
http://www.geocities.com/btokens/trading.html

Begs the question, is there a Wiki out there for Arcade Locations, past and present? Would be cool if you could go on and contribute information somewhere centrally. I know they have them for amusement parks and roller coasters.

[guitargary75]

Here's somewhat of a picture....http://www.dericn.com/montville/hobbytowne/

Here's a site of a guy who collects arcade tokens, and has a fairly large list of East Coast arcade locations (text mostly)
http://www.geocities.com/btokens/trading.html

Begs the question, is there a Wiki out there for Arcade Locations, past and present? Would be cool if you could go on and contribute information somewhere centrally. I know they have them for amusement parks and roller coasters.

Tokens, I almost forgot about tokens.

[ronclon]

Didn't have any arcade in my town until I was 18, before that I played at Kenny's Supermarket. After 18 there was an arcade called Mike's but it closed after about 3 years.