Let me start by saying that this is the most amazingly poignant tale I’ve come across in arcade collecting circles. I’ve written before about incredible rare arcade “finds” that have happened over the years, including the yarn about the Sundance cabinet found in a long-abandoned building, and of course the epic Fun Ship raid. But…
Tag: arcade history
The Wonderful World of Arcade Cabinet Conversions
Those of you with good memories may recall I wrote an article a few months back on the subject of brutal arcade machine “conversions” – you can catch up on that article here. The practice of converting an original dedicated arcade cabinet was commonplace back in the mid to late 80s. Those of us who…
’83 TV Mini-Series: Video Game All-Stars
A video post this week. At the height of its popularity, the video arcade industry was everywhere. In the USA, it was simply impossible to ignore. Anyone of a certain age will tell you that arcade culture was very much a way of life for young people in every single state. The years 1979 through to 1983 or…
Funspot: The World’s Largest Classic Arcade Museum
It was the summer of 1952, and Bob Lawton had a plan. Armed with a loan of $750 from his grandmother and some savvy business sense, he along with his brother, built a 35c per play indoor golf center on the second floor of a 6,000 sq ft property in the heart of Weirs Beach, New Hampshire. As…
Bradley Trainer: Atari’s Top Secret Military Project
Atari’s Battlezone arcade game released in 1981 was an immediate classic. This first-person wire frame vector shoot-em-up, puts the player at the controls of a tank wandering the wilderness of a futuristic-looking battlefield, shooting down enemy tanks, UFOs and missiles. Around 15,000 machines were rolled out of Atari’s factory in both upright and cabaret form. Here,…
Arcade Cockpits: Excess All Areas
Working with limited technical hardware, the arcade manufacturers of the 80’s had to think outside of the box. Constantly delivering commercially successful immersive experiences to a demanding and fickle public was no easy task. Graphics, game play, sounds, artwork, controls and hardware all played an important part in making sure that operators took money in…
Nintendo’s Monkey Magic Finally Surfaces
An interesting development in the classic arcade world this week, and one I thought worth interrupting my intended article for the blog today (sorry Wolfie!). Monkey Magic is an arcade title you are unlikely to have heard of; and for good reason. Released in 1979 by Nintendo in very small numbers, it was one of…
Classic Arcade Celebrity All-Star Special!
Celebrity endorsements are everywhere today. We live in a culture where “stars” will align their fame with appropriate brands, intentionally or even unintentionally, and consumers will lap it all up. Throw a few quid at David Beckham to pose next to a fancy blue bottle, and your whiskey sales will skyrocket. If Prince George happens to be sporting your…
The Secret History of the Arcade Trackball
The trackball as a method of user interface control has been around for some time. In terms of public consciousness, I would argue that arcade games pioneered their widespread use by getting them literally in the hands of a mainstream consumer audience. The best way to get someone using a new device, is to put…
Pac-Man: A Lesson in Perfection
Couple of things for you to watch this week, rather than something to read for a change. I wrote some time back about Jon Stoodley’s attempts to achieve a perfect game of Pac-Man. If you want to familiarize yourself with the contents of that article, go here. Jon gave a great talk earlier this year at…
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