Tag: Barcade

So now that I have taken the time to go over the basics of arcades, where are they now? Where have they gone? Well, I can say for sure some have endured the test of time while others have adopted the barcade scene and locking people out who are under 21. I plan on going over the best of both, considering before I was 21 and angry that I couldn’t get into a local barcade that had just opened in a nice part of town.

So here’s the thing, my blog is focusing on video arcade games, not other games such as pinball machines. So unfortunately I will not be talking about the Las Vegas Pinball Arcade in much detail, beyond this mention.

With that out of the way, I’ll keep it short and simple, here’s some arcades you should visit at some point. Keep in mind as well these are all based on research, I have not been to many of these myself unfortunately.

I’d be embarrassing myself if I didn’t start with the biggest and best of the arcades (otherwise people will probably think it isn’t in this list, and will just scroll through till they find it, only finding the information they want/need. Then leave. )

The first to be mentioned is The Galloping Ghost Arcade in Illinois. This one has opened in the last decade surprisingly, and according to their site they were able to save an initial 150 games from destruction when they first opened, and now have more than 500 games available. I could only think of all the lost treasures in that place to potentially blog about…This arcade has you pay a one time fee and you get to play all day, which only makes me want to visit this place even more.

Next up is New York’s Barcade(yes, it shares the same name as the term used to describe bar arcades, what a coincidence)! Every time I see this one I get a speakeasy, underground feel to it, you know? I’d go to this place as a regular if I could over Galloping, while it may not have as many games, the vibe looks a lot more enjoyable. Unfortunately, it’s locked out to those under 21 as it does serve alcohol.

Next up is one for the West Coast people, however this one is also locked out to 21. This one is in Las Angeles known as Button Mash Arcade. The scene here looks to be more so bar than arcade with its cleaner aesthetic, but I’d still go regardless.

Next is the oldest Arcade in America, for all ages thankfully. Known as Spring Lake Arcade in Rhode Island, it has been around since the 1930’s, sporting a wide variety of arcade games that you can play for as little as a penny. I’m not sure how much fun that would be, but being able to go to place that holds such a unique piece of history in the form of arcade games? Sign me up. This was once a beach dating back to the 1800s interestingly enough.

Another West Coast arcade, in San Fransisco CA. This is simply called Coin Op, another barcade, and that’s such a humble name for an arcade that is able to blow me away with not just its pictures but also its website. I’m not even being paid to say this, but the site itself with the little bits of attention to detail was enough to make me fall in love. They have a big page on their site to show off all their games, just so you can make sure there’s something you like before going. Not only that, but THE BAR IS MADE OF OLD TELEVISIONS. The little things, I swear. Seems like with anything else with East and West coast, it seems that I’m now becoming conflicted as to what has better arcades now.

Last and certainly not least, 16-bit, another barcade. This is probably just an Ohio exclusive, but they don’t slack, especially with whichever location you go to. Whether it’s Columbus, Cleveland, or Cincinnati you get a different experience at each one. I am actually set to visit the Cincinnati one this upcoming May, where it is right in the middle of the bar scene and at least twice as big as Cleveland location. Don’t immediately dismiss Cleveland though. If you’re tired of the drinks or the arcade games, go out to the outside patio where you can participate in Super Smash bros for the Nintendo 64 or Mario Cart for the Gamecube. There’s something for everyone. If you’re in Ohio and appreciate good drinks and good arcade games, this is the perfect spot.

So, where are the Arcades now? All over the place obviously, with my post barely scraping the surface. They’re alive and well, with alcohol! What could be better!?

As always I hope you enjoyed, subscribed to be part of the Arcade Academia, where your journey as well will begin with just a simple button press.

Come back next week, now that I’ve explained the 70’s and 80’s for Arcades, and now where they are now, I’m going to compare some of those popular Arcade games that we love and their home console counterparts. I cannot wait!