As a kid growing up in the 80’s and 90’s – arcades were a second home for me. I remember saving up my lunch money and doing odd chores around the house so I could split my bounty between comic books and arcade games – both of which were in the pinnacle of their existence at the time.
I remember once spending a whole day with my friend Marc and his brother – having their father drive us around from comic book shop, to arcade, to the store so we could buy video games, and then out to the casino that night – where we spent the entire night in the arcade.
We had video games everywhere around us.
We had video stores so we could rent video games.
And though I love how technology has advanced to the point where I have all of the aforementioned in my pocket; it doesn’t replace the arcade.
Arcades were a cultural haven. A place to escape and get ensconced. And when you balanced that out against home video game systems – it was a whole thing.
Spending weeknights, after homework, studying combos to unleash on Friday night at the arcade – in Mortal Kombat, Marvel vs. Capcom, Killer Instinct, Primal Rage, Street Fighter, Samurai Showdown… Etc… Etc.. Etc..
The arcades were always dark and loud – with flashing lights and robotic sounds. They smelled like bubblegum, featured greasy buttons, and you had to know just the right spot to hit the coin box to get your quarters to drop so you could get in the mix.
And if you couldn’t get to the mall or the movies – where arcades lived – you could find something at a gas station, Pizza Hut, or a laundromat.
Between that and comic books, it’s a wonder I how I made it as far as I have. Haha. I’m kidding – stop – I had my heads in hands involved in other things – but those were the hobbies of choice.
Now, arcades are niche. There’s a few places that still have the classics rigged up under the loud sounds and blinking lights – but they’re only there to fill in the gaps between reward machines that spit tickets at you so you can win something that’ll end up under the seat of your truck, or under the bed – forgotten before they were gotten.
Now, my skill level is almost non-existent. I used to know how to flow across the game board – how to cut time by just tapping the joystick. Combos. Button tricks. All of it. And sure, a little bit of it comes back as I get into it – but that’s just the kid in me and muscle memory joining forces. I’m no longer a formidable entity in the video game realm. I can’t learn new tricks.
I struggle with Roblox while my two daughters excel.
It’s like I replaced those old skills with new skills and didn’t have room for both in the old memory banks.
And I guess that’s alright. I mean, I probably couldn’t run through a set of combos and defeat my opponent before they even got to throw a jab – but I can drive and do my taxes.
Hahahah.
Times have changed. People have changed.
I miss the bubblegum and greasy buttons…
Hey. Who remembers that INSANE Aerosmith shooter – Revolution X?
How old are those guys now? Wow.
A world before High Definition…
A culture lost.
Tribe Of Flannel 