Arcade Games - The Good Ole Days

  I remember playing my first arcade game in a bar in Montreal. It was 1981 I was underage, drunk, in a digital delirium, and the arcade game was the original Pacman. This was about the coolest thing I had ever seen. I'd always had a thing for games, even before the first arcades and arcade games sprung up. Even before computer games for the home PC. I used to subscribe to games magazines that never, ever mentioned the word computer. This was something totally new and sumptuously fascinating. Countless hours of my well wasted youth were spent in arcades, long after plenty of beer swilling at the local pub. Arcade games, and computer games have come a long way since then, but there's nothing like your first time.

Frag This You Bourgeoisie Backgammond Barnacle

Shortly after my lascivious encounter with arcades and the hypnotizing arcade game jewels hidden within, my family purchased it's first home PC. A radio shack trs-80. More commonly called a trash-80. It was here that I learned the cunningly devious game of backgammon. Not sure I would have ever learned that game without being introduced to it by a computer. It's not the kind of game that would have appealed to a veteran of the arcade game wars. Something that belonged more to the smoky backrooms of a retirement home. Computers, arcades, and arcade games were already broadening my vistas.

Avast Commodore, Ya Scurvy Megabyte

Next on my list of technological wonders ya scallywags, is the Commodore 64. Now here was an arcade game killer if I every gazed upon one. Arcades are few and far between now, and the Commodore, is one of the reasons why. Why spend hours in an arcade, having a machina suck and swallow every last quarter in my pocket? When I can sit in the less the luxurious decadence of my basement playing the likes of jumpman, and setting arcade game style high scores for my baby brother to frantically try to match. Not like in the arcades where he could be humbled in front of the masses, but this arcade game jewel would serve my purposes none the less.

Arcadia Arise Oh Mighty Griffon

Old is new, black is blue, and from the depth, arises the legends of old and times forgotten. Huh? What I'm frothing forth about here, is that arcade games are back with a vengeance. All us old fogies, who remember time spent in arcades watching the neighborhood masters pummel evil incarnate up till level 9999 rejoice! You can once again relive the glories of the golden age of arcade games. Just Google around a little, and you'll find free versions of all the great arcade game from the past. Not to mention a few new legends being born in the ancient art of arcade games. And hey save your quarters. These games are free as the air you breathe. Of course you better not let those quarters get too far, your gonna need them to keep that old jalopy of a Commodore in running order

In the 80s arcade machines were literally everywhere. Starting from Japan, and penetrating the world with their amazing games. This was before the times of home consoles, handheld consoles and smartphones. Everyone had to go to an arcade to go play their favourite games, and many of these games have left an everlasting effect on the gamers. In recent times it has become harder to find how or even places to play these arcade games. This guide will outline the top 3 ways for you to go back in time to your youth and just battle your friend in Street Fighter II CE or try to finish that final level in 1942. With over 1000s of arcade games out there, you will never really be spoilt for choice.

1. Visit Your Local Arcades

Finding your local arcade can be hard, with a lot of the pure hardcore arcade gaming areas having shut down due to the popularity of in-home gaming. You can find one of them by doing a simple Google Maps search for either "arcade" or "amusement arcade". Make sure to call them up and find out that they are still open. Some of the arcades might not be listed on Google Maps, and thats where things get trickier. Doing a Google Search for them probably won't come up with the best locations near you.

2. Check Out Your Local Pubs Or Bars

It is becoming increasingly popular for pubs or bars to introduce classic arcade machines into their establishments again. You may remember the tabletop machines in the past being available, well they are coming back! The best way to find one is to ask people at pubs or bars if they know a pub or bar with one, maybe even ask your local pub/bar to get one for their establishment. Google Maps would most likely not be of much use in this situation since having a retro gaming machine isn't the first thing business owners would put up on their Google Local listings. Google Search will probably be of more use, so try searching for something similar to "arcade pubs" or "arcade bars".

3. Play Online On Your Computer/Tablet/Smartphone

Technology and the web have advanced so much that you will find tons and tons of websites which have arcade games or similar games available. Unfortunately not many websites have the originals because of licensing issues. For example you'd find it unlikely to find the latest Final Fantasy freely available to play online, and this is a similar situation. However on the bright side, the licence holders of the arcade industry are re-releasing those arcade games on PC, Android and iOS platforms, so you might be able to get your fix there.

Bonus Way: Purchase Your Own Arcade Machine

Arcade machines for the home are becoming increasingly popular. There are dedicated arcade manufacturers making classic style machines with one game, or even multi-game ones. Some new arcade machines have PS3 and X-Box 360 compatibility built in, enabling the gamer to connect their next generation consoles to their arcade machine and play the latest games on an arcade format. Most home arcade cabinets come with a variety of options and are built-to-order.

Arcade games are interesting and refreshing catch; this is especially true if you are highly mobile, and with the electronic game frontier experiencing an upsurge, flash games maybe the next big thing. Developers are always at war, adding nifty features that promise unlimited fun.

Conventional arcade games are coin operated, activated by dropping coins in the game console slot. Arcade and flash game centers abound in plenty, travel around the country or globally and you are sure to find them clustered around shopping centers and recreational parks.

The internet has opened a whole new frontier to the world of arcade games, enabling accessibility to millions around the country and convenience of use; that means you no longer have to leave the comfort of your home to enjoy the game. All you need is an internet ready PC and you are accessible to thousands of arcade game variety. Though there is a plethora of modification and feature add-ons to the sweet old game, majority are still similar to the arcade games available in your home gaming system so you won't be lost.

There are also plenty of new arcade games that are not available in your gaming system at home. Some of the novel features you are sure to encounter in the new arcade games is the addition of mouse and keyboard as control tools, this could be strange in the beginning but with time, you'll definitely become accustomed to them. Some of the game categories, you'll find in the new arcade games are as follows:

o Side scrolling games.

o Memory games.

o NES games.

o Racing games.

o Casino games.

o Flying games.

o Classic Games.

o Action games.

o Shooting games e.t.c.

Some of these games come free while others require a subscription plan https://asumetech.com/An example of arcade game that requires subscription plan in order to download and play is the action game - Cocoon Island. The Advantage of download-based arcade games is that you don't actually need to be online to enjoy the fun. They are also convenient than purchasing a game disk.

There are plenty of websites that offer these games absolutely free like Yahoo games. Such sites let you play with others worldwide at no cost; such sites incorporate a ranking system which fairly ranks you with other players of your skill level.

To those that are skeptical about downloading software, flash-based arcade game is the way forward. This type of arcade game enables you to play straight from your browser, so you don't need to worry about computer viruses anymore.

The convenience of flash arcade games mean that you can play anywhere at any time, the only disadvantage is that such games require broadband connection, and can be very slow to those that use dial-up.

So, irrespective of your occupation or location, with online arcade games you are never alone, whether you choose flash browser-based arcade games or the download version you are assured of a complete fun package with plenty of company. Try arcade games today and feel the difference.