The 20 Coolest Arcades in the World

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
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There for a brief time many years ago, you could walk down the street in just about any city in the world and find killer gaming arcades full of mostly teens shoving quarters into the slots for hours on end. Those days are pretty much gone, but some majestically remain. Mashable put together their list for the top 20 arcades all over the world. :cool:
 
A few of those aren't really Arcades..Sorry but a museum and a bar with a few arcades doesn't exactly count.
 
Most of the theaters in my area have arcades but I can't figure out why they're there. Do people show up at a movie an hour early or something? Well, to be fair, I did go to theaters just for certain arcade games when I was young.
 
That one in China looks like they're all the same type of cabinet for all the games, perhaps a generic cabinet with an emulator or something?? :)

That said, one thing the home consoles couldn't replace is pinball machines.
 
I still like to play Microsoft's Pinball game that came with Windows 95 Plus! Pack.

It's still available from MajorGeeks to download and play. I love the sound effects. :cool:
 
Gotta give props to hometown #9: Ground Kontrol.

Its a good arcade, and a decent bar to boot.

RIP: Hangar 18, Space Station
 
MajorDomo said:
I still like to play Microsoft's Pinball game that came with Windows 95 Plus! Pack.

It's still available from MajorGeeks to download and play. I love the sound effects. :cool:
Click to expand...
If you're into pinball emulators some amazing efforts are out there. Visual Pinball and Future Pinball are both stunning, e.g. this is a playable (and fully scalable) board not a photograph.
 
Without even looking I am going to guess most of them are in Japan.
 
sfsuphysics said:
That one in China looks like they're all the same type of cabinet for all the games, perhaps a generic cabinet with an emulator or something?? :)
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Wouldn't doubt it with it being China and all...

However, it is very common in Japan for a lot of their games to have similar looking cabinets. Their cabinets are/were quite the opposite from the huge, bulky Western ones.
 
I've been to 1UP in Denver, which was fantastic, (4 player PVP in PacMan, of all games)
and I'm just about to move to Portland, thanks for the recommendation The Cheese, I'll be sure to check it out! If you're there, I'll be the awkward guy with the geek shirt on.
 
iamwhoiamtoday said:
I've been to 1UP in Denver, which was fantastic, (4 player PVP in PacMan, of all games)
and I'm just about to move to Portland, thanks for the recommendation The Cheese, I'll be sure to check it out! If you're there, I'll be the awkward guy with the geek shirt on.
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Second thursday, and last wednesday freeplay nights. They have killer queen there and I'm going to try to be there for the next second Thursday.
 
I've actually considered a few times going to japan for a week to chill out in those places. I've heard of some places that will have 40+ street fighter cabinets linked to each other. I have to drive 300 miles to find the nearest street fighter cabinet and they only carry two linked cabinets and its up to 2 bucks per play. Some even carry USB ports so you can bring your own arcade stick.
 
These places are awesome.
The last arcade in my area shut down back in 2007, which is par for the coarse with the last-gen consoles and their virtual arcades.

Too bad, wish there were more places like this.
 
iamwhoiamtoday said:
If you're there, I'll be the awkward guy with the geek shirt on.
Click to expand...

You will need to be more specific than that, as you have probably just described half to three-quarters of the people at Ground Kontrol at any given time.

And me, for that matter.
 
I was able to go to Dubai a couple years ago and stopped by the Sega Republic in the Mall of Dubai, the picture they chose for the article really doesn't do it justice. Here's a couple from when I was there:

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This was the entrance to a motion theater, Star Tours kind of ride. I didn't actually go inside, but I think it was an Indiana Jones kind of adventure.

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This was a crazy snowboarding halfpipe simulator.

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The cars on this roller coaster rotated while going down the track.

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They had this driving game with actual cars on hydraulics.

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And this Sega tunnel racing game that rotated you all the way upside down.
 
I am somewhat proud of recognizing all but one of those Russian arcades.

Trade with Japan was OK so here in Bulgaria we had all the cool Japanese machines and Russian ones. Half of them were mechanical and some were literally smoke and mirrors.

All this nostalgia inspires me to open such an arcades bar myself. I really miss arcades.
 
sfsuphysics said:
That one in China looks like they're all the same type of cabinet for all the games, perhaps a generic cabinet with an emulator or something?? :)

That said, one thing the home consoles couldn't replace is pinball machines.
Click to expand...

those are Asian cabinets, there are several styles but basically they just have interchangeable control panels and support any standard JAMMA game

people still like arcades, we have one down here in Miami called Arcade Odyssey... but I have some pinball machines at home too :)

2014-05-05 00.12.54.jpg
 
I'm disappointed. Not a single arcade in Australia. Seriously, almost every arcade I saw in Sydney looked like every best arcade I had been to in the states, likely due to the fact that Australia is to Asia what Florida is to America. I'm fairly certain I saw a pizza parlor arcade on that list...
 
FLECOM said:
those are Asian cabinets, there are several styles but basically they just have interchangeable control panels and support any standard JAMMA game

people still like arcades, we have one down here in Miami called Arcade Odyssey... but I have some pinball machines at home too :)

2014-05-05 00.12.54.jpg
Click to expand...

Wow, didn't expect someone to post this joint. I go there on Fridays for the Smash tournaments. Great selection of pinball but the place could definitely use some organizing.
 
You guys are so lucky, there isn't an arcade within 1000 miles of here! :(
 
If I had the money I dropped into Tempest, Joust, Wizard of War and Dig Dug I probably could by Tim McGraws island.
 
The_Cheese said:
Gotta give props to hometown #9: Ground Kontrol.

Its a good arcade, and a decent bar to boot.
Click to expand...

I'm headed over there in a couple weeks. I've been wanting to go downtown to go and check it out.

Also, out in Beaverton there is a retro game shop that has a ton of stuff I want. :)

I miss good arcades. I'd love to win the lottery and buy a big ass shop and create my own arcade. :)
 
Arcades died for me when it starting costing a dollar or more.
What happened to a quarter?

Anyways, I built my own bartop arcade cabinet so I can save my change
 
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