Arcade

History of the Arcade

WHAT IS AN ARCADE?

Arcade is simply defined as a place where people can hang out and have fun. However, over time, the word is mostly recognized today as a place to play video games and have fun. This was mainly because designer cabinets with screens inside them would provide games that people can enjoy. They would become known as Video Game Arcade machines.

THE RISE OF ARCADE GAMES

Pac-Man would become a huge hit for Arcade Games.

Video Game Arcade machines would start to become a force in the 1980's and peak during the 1990's. This began in 1980 with the release of the game Pac-Man. The game would become a big success, causing the developers to create a sequel Ms. Pac-Man. Both Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man would become so huge that people of all ages and genders filled the arcades playing the game. Rather it was children who played after school or the weekends, to adults who played during their lunch breaks, and after work. These games, with some others like Space Invaders, Galaga, Defender, Missile Command, Centipede, and Donkey Kong, kept the arcade scene alive in the early 1980's. By the mid 1980's the popularity of video games in general began to drop. This began to affect the arcade scene. This, however, soon changed when in 1985 Nintendo released their sequel to one of their mildly popular arcade games Mario Bros. The game was called Super Mario Bros. Super Mario Bros became a phenomenon and would arguably put video games on the map. After the game made a killing on Nintendo's own console, a special arcade version named VS: Super Mario Bros appeared in the arcades. This version had levels that were different and more challenging than the console version. From Super Mario Bros onward video game developers released innovative and fun video games in arcades that would create a lasting effect for over a decade in the United States. Developers like Sega, Namco, Midway, Capcom, and Konami became household names because of their great games.

ARCADES IN THEIR PRIME

NBA JAM. Just one of many big Arcade hits in the 1990's.

In the 1990's arcade video games became so big, you had developers making hit games based off of movies, cartoons, comics, and television shows. Sports games using authentic sports licenses were also made and became quite popular. This, however, would result in prices for play going up. In the late 1980's, early 1990's, most arcade games cost a quarter per play. However, this soon changed to fifty cents, seventy-five cents, and some games were even a full dollar for first play. At the time people didn't mind because the arcade was also known as the place to see and enjoy the latest graphics and sound in video gaming. Even though the console market made a solid foundation in the homes of millions of Americans, most of them knew that the graphics in their chosen console, didn't match the superior ones found in the arcade cabinets. Despite ports of popular arcade games hitting consoles, gamers knew they were getting a watered down version of the original.

THE DOWNFALL OF ARCADES IN AMERICA

Street Fighter Alpha. Example of an arcade game perfectly ported to 32-bit consoles.

The success of arcade games began to change for the worse in the mid to late 1990's when CD based console gaming start becoming popular. This was definitely the case when 32-bit consoles and games arrived. Because of improved capability in graphics, and the compact disc ability to carry a lot of data, developers were finally able to make good ports of their games to sell on consoles. Business is business, and the developers saw where they could make a lot more money porting flawless or near flawless copies on their games to popular gaming consoles. Because of this, gamers no longer felt they needed to spend money in the arcades to play the latest eye candy. They could simply go to the store or mall and buy the full game for their console. By the 21st century, console gaming surpassed arcade gaming in every way that mattered. As a result , arcades in America have been on life support in some areas and dead in others.

ARCADES MAY BE DOWN BUT NOT OUT

Your average Japanese Arcade place.

Arcades are still very popular in Japan, however, as the Japanese see arcades are part of their national tradition. Many Japanese children as well as adults all go to huge and loud arcade places, that usually have sit down machines. As a result, many major and minor developers are still able to make games and turn a profit releasing those games in Japan. Many of these arcade games usually get ported over to the United States and release on the consoles. As of today, many video game developers are now making arcade games using modern PC hardware making sure the legacy lives on forever.

Arcade Machine Styles

Arcade cabinets come in many shapes and sizes to best fit the game that they are housing.

Ms. Pacman a Upright Arcade Cabinet Controlled with a joystick

The most common a style of arcade cabinet in North America is the standard upright cabinet. These cabinets tend to be large and heavy due to there inefficient use of space inside the machine and use of heavy materials such a MDF and metal. Upright cabinets are often six feet tall and take up no more than three feet in width. Normally someone would have to stand to operate the cabinet, or sit on a tall bar stool.The control options for upright arcade cabinets vary from game to game, but commonly contain joysticks, buttons, trackballs, and spinners.

25th Anniversary Pacman Re-Release Counter Top Cabinet

Also common in North America is the counter-top cabinets. This are cabinets that sit on top of something, like a bar or table to raise them up to playing hight. Counter-top cabinets are popular becuse they save needed floor space and are less intrusive than a full sized cabinet. Although any game or control scheme could be made to work on a counter-top cabinet, they are most popular with touch screen trivia games in bars or pubs.

Popular Cocktail Cabinet War Lords

Cocktail Cabinets are low to the ground, table like cabinets. Normally a table will have controls on opposite ends of the table, and in some rare cases on all four sides.The monitor will switch orientation to match the appropriate player, with the expiation of four player games where all four people get there own quarter of screen or share a screen. Table style cabinets have the advantage of being a multi-purpose piece of furniture. The monitor is normally cover with plexi glass to prevent damage to the screen from spilt drinks or food.

Candy Cabs are Japanese sitdown cabinets. They are called candy cabs because the exterior finish resembles hard candy. See MVS section in the Neo Geo page for more information.

PlayChoice-10 was an arcade machine released by Nintendo to capitalize on the popularity of arcades in the 1990's, See PlayChoice-10 for more information.

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Name	Platforms	Developer
The Super Dimension Fortress Macross II	ARC	Banpresto Co., Ltd.
Grobda	ARC, PC88, X1, 6001, X360, PSP, PS1, MZ	Namco
Alpine Racer 2	ARC	Namco
Heavy Unit	TG16, ARC	Taito Corporation
Vasara 2	ARC	Visco Corporation
Rad Mobile	ARC, SAT	SEGA-AM2
Vasara	ARC	Visco Corporation
Strike Gunner S.T.G	SNES, ARC
Tekken TAG Tournament 2	X360, PS3, ARC	Namco Bandai Games Inc.
Title Fight	ARC	Sega

Platform Name:	Arcade
Release Date:	July 12, 1972
Online Support:	False
Install Base:	0
Original Price:	$0
Producing Company:
Aliases
Total Games:	1245 games

	Ryu first in Street Fighter	35
	Ken Masters first in Street Fighter	30
	Chun-Li first in Street Fighter II	29
	Terry Bogard first in Fatal Fury	26
	Zangief first in Street Fighter II	25
	M. Bison first in Street Fighter II	25
	Ryo Sakazaki first in Art of Fighting	25
	Akuma first in Super Street Fighter II Turbo	23
	Mai Shiranui first in Fatal Fury 2	23
	Joe Higashi first in Fatal Fury	21

	Japan first in Karateka	87
	Space first in Spacewar!	66
	The United States of America first in The Oregon Trail	40
	New York City first in Spider-Man	28
	China first in	25
	Jungle first in	23
	Russia first in	21
	Castle first in Wizard and the Princess	20
	England first in	18
	Cave first in Colossal Cave Adventure	17

	2D first in Tennis for Two	205
	Game Over first in Computer Space	188
	Boss Fight first in DND	177
	Health first in pedit5	172
	Jump first in Frogs	157
	High Score first in Seawolf	154
	Continue first in	133
	Combo first in Shanghai Kid	131
	Death first in Spacewar!	127
	Hand to Hand Combat first in	122

	Gun first in Outlaw	91
	Sword first in	77
	Laser first in	57
	Spaceship first in Spacewar!	54
	Car first in Death Race	53
	Bomb first in B-17 Bomber	49
	Helicopter first in	46
	Bullet first in Spacewar!	43
	Machine Gun first in	43
	Fingerless Gloves first in	42