A trip down memory arcade

On the bottom floor of a cinema I go to is an arcade.

I spent a lot of time in arcades during my late teenage years, and still visit them every once in a while. I’m pretty sure I spent enough money in arcades during my youth that I could have purchased my own arcade machines, but that is a story for another time.

One of the games I loved was Dance Dance Revolution. In my head I danced as well as these guys, but only in my head. I pity the person who had to watch me dance like an uncoordinated chicken. A few other regular games that I loved are Tekken Tag Tournament and Time Crisis.

When the opportunity to kill some time before our movie presented itself, I was definitely keen to try the arcade games again.

To get back into it, my partner and I played some Time Crisis 3. It is a typical shoot-’em-up game but you get a giant shield and step on the pedal on the ground to pop your head up to shoot the guys without getting your own head shot off.

Then we decided to play what seemed to be a Japanese game, called Let’s Go Island. The premise is that there’s a crazy sharp-toothed shark trying to eat the boat you’re in. You, for some unknown reason, have a machine gun strapped to the boat to conveniently shoot at said shark. The great thing about this game is the seat you sit on actually shakes and tilts when you turn sharply, or get attacked by the shark or any other sea enemies.

Then we played one of the classics at any arcade: air hockey. Of course I lost, seven to four – but it’s all about having fun, right? Right? I will get my partner back!

To finish our visit, my partner tried to win a Smurf toy. I refuse to play these machines because I have never won anything, nor have I seen anyone win anything. My other half assures me that he has won something out of a machine “many times”. He even linked me to Wikipedia as evidence of how they’re guaranteed to deliver a winner, but I am dubious.

The thing about arcades is that you usually go into them with a certain amount of money, so you have to chose wisely what you play. It is always fun and it’s very immersive – and it’s definitely not just for kids.

I see arcades slowly closing down around town, yet I have such fond memories of hanging out there with my friends and family. I may have spent my teenage wages on arcade games but I think it was totally worth it – at the very least for the memories, or, as an adult, to beat some teens at Tekken Tag Tournament who think they can kick me off the machine. Bless.

Have a favourite arcade game you love? Tweet me your favourites.