Arcade memories and the games you wasted fortunes on.

[CroutonsofDeath{RD}]

I think it's safe to say that almost all gamers have at one point stepped up to an arcade game cabinet and plunked in a couple quarters. As arcades are dying out here in the states, they are hard to find, often tucked away in obscure restaurants/pizza parlors or motels; if you're lucky there is still an arcade somewhere nearby that is in operation (We have one nearby that's still going ) but that's rare in this age. So yeah, share some of your fond memories from the arcades as well as the games that you wasted half a fortune on

For me... it's the Metal Slug franchise. Doesn't matter which one, back in the day I wasted my allowances and even bummed for coins to play more. About 2 years ago, at the aforementioned one of the few remaining arcades in my city, the manager approached me and said that over the bajillion years I was going there just to play Metal Slug I practically paid what would amount to the cost of a full arcade machine and he gave meh a NeoGeo MVS with the first 5 metal slug boards hooked up; the 6th slot had Metal Slug X. Apparently Metal Slug 6 was made for a different machine type so it wasn't compatible. Took awhile to configure but damn that was one of the happiest days of my life, now I could play them without tarnishing our bank account any further xP


I also used to play a lot of Tekken 3. My parents were always having tourneys and trying to settle who was better, but I sat out and slowly built up my skills then beat them at it. Well, at least one of them... It was always fun playing with my parents, I know most parents are stereotyped as not liking/being any good at video games but they proved a real challenge.

 

[pillar]

For me, its always been Galaga. Ive played it so much that now it only takes 1 coin (or play) to reach top score. Ive also played Joust, but my fav has always been Galaga. Ive also played Metal Slug series, but its always more fun multiplayer wise on the game. I remember when I used to live in San Antonio, there was this mall across the highway from us, so I would always walk along the railroad tracks (trains never came thru during the day), unless the overpass, & into the video game store. Great memories indeed...

 

[Lance]

An arcade in a movie theater around here used to have the OLD Star Wars arcade game. I was pretty young when I last saw it, but I still remember it; it was pretty cool especially considering when it came out.

 

[Spitfire'd]

Oh sheesh...growing up in my old town of Sunfield, MI there used to be Jack's arcade, and it was a child's dream come true!

I spent a lot of time and quarters there. But off the top of my head the favorites that got the most quarters would include...

Gauntlet
Operation Wolf
Guerrilla War
Magic Sword
TMNT II

There was one more arcade game that was by far my favorite one, but I don't know the name of it. In fact all I remember about it is you are this little guy and the joystick would rotate which direction you faced as you made your way through these corridors blasting robots with an over sized ray-gun. The coolest part was that the game was set up so that you could play co-op with a friend, I think this was one of the first games to do that. Between levels you could get upgrades and other miscellaneous stuff.

By the way, if this sounds familiar to anyone and if you know the name of this game, let me know. No joke I will love you forever and I will be in your debt. I've spent the better part of fifteen years trying to remember and find this game.

 

[Quaffer]

Space War.

It didn't last long because it needed two people to play. Such happy memories.

 

[xplag]

Definitely enjoyed TMNT2 and X-Men (can't remember which X-Men it was though), both were great 3D-esque side scrollers.

Although the game I've wasted the most money on has to be Area 51. My friend and I would go to the movie theatre 30 minutes early just to play that game lol.

 

[Orange_Kun!!!]

King of Fighters '94
Double Dragon (the Neo Geo Fighter)
Tekken 2
Mortal Kombat I & II
GI. Joe
Even some Super Off Road

Good times, too many quarters to count...

 

[CroutonsofDeath{RD}]

For me, its always been Galaga. t Ive also played Metal Slug series, but its always more fun multiplayer wise on the game.

Galaga, that's an oldie but a goody. I have like 8,000 versions of it though so I rarely go to the arcade for it. Yeah, metal slug is great for multiplayer. Chie & I play it a lot, though I'm ALWAYS Tarma... except in Metal Slug 4 where you can't play as Tarma

An arcade in a movie theater around here used to have the OLD Star Wars arcade game. I was pretty young when I last saw it, but I still remember it; it was pretty cool especially considering when it came out.

I wasn't around back then, but I wish I was because I would've loved to have seen my geek face back when those graphics were considered mind blowing. Its still fun, actually... On the subject of Star Wars, Star Wars Arcade is a pretty damn cool game. Full of so many great moments, and back in 1999 the graphics made my eyes fall out of their sockets, especially when fighting Vader with the lightsabre.

Gauntlet

I never actually played the original gauntlet, but I do know it had a gimmick of gobbling coins for time and health. However, I DID play Gauntlet Legends both in the arcade and on my N64. It was me mums favourite game actually, in fact I bought the N64 version for her birthday after she wasted two months pay so that she & I could beat it in the arcade, and she quickly yanked the cart out of the box, jammed it into the Nintendo tossed the second controller and said "The rest of my Birthday can wait." Very fun and underrated game, although I will admit the arcade version is loads better.

X-Men (can't remember which X-Men it was though), both were great 3D-esque side scrollers.

If it's just called X-Men, I think it was the one that allowed up to 6 players. Did it have a buttload of joysticks? If so then it was the first X-men arcade.

Although the game I've wasted the most money on has to be Area 51. My friend and I would go to the movie theatre 30 minutes early just to play that game lol.

Ahh, rail shooters! I actually don't like Home rail shooters unless they are on the Wii (Clicking is lame compared to holding a plastic gun. It just... ruins it.) or if its "Typing of the Dead" (That game rules! The second one is also pretty good, imported it from Japan. Thank god my wife, who is Japanese, kept her Japanese keyboard or else I wouldn't have been able to play it.)but in the arcade they kick ass. Area 51 Site 4 was one of my favourites. The first one was good, but Site 4 was loads better IMO. Every time we went to the grocery store I'd beg my mum for quarters to go play it. I also liked Silent Scope, Time Crisis 2 (Especially with my mum along side me, but then again Rail shooters are always best multiplayer) and my favourite rail shooter was House of the Dead 2. I know some people felt this was a rip-off money wise, but House of the Dead 2 & 3 return on the Wii was one of my favourite purchases, especially since my local arcade has no more House of the Dead machines. I also have Overkill of course.

 

[Captain Canuck]

Golden Axe and Marvel vs. Capcom were a couple of my favourites.