Many American gamers in their 20s lament the death of the arcade. We hold fond memories of jogging around dimly lit rooms in the corners of malls or at the boardwalk, pockets stuffed with sweaty quarters and brains hopped up on sugary sodas. Dashing from the change machine like a dog running outside for a long overdue walk, we would blissfully enter the electronic fray of blinking lights and beeping sounds. Hopping from cabinet to cabinet, we'd scope out our favorites and hope that an unoccupied joystick or wheel was available. And like moths to a light, we would be attracted to the main stage of the moment -- usually a 2D fighter. Crowded with alphas, we would watch in awe as they slaughtered one another for the opportunity to become victorious and bask in the glory of the spectators. Other times, we would work together on a multiplayer beat 'em up to defeat an anonymous AI. The further we advanced in-game, the greater the sense of camaraderie grew amongst us. Sadly, it didn't last forever, and the home consoles eventually rendered the arcades obsolete ... at least in the United States.
In Japan, as you likely know, the arcade is alive and well. But it takes a visit to one of these game centers to fully understand the beauty that is the Japanese arcade. First of all, the arcades are not full of the perceived stereotypical gamer: overweight male teenagers with no social skills and lots of acne. Although young males were well represented, there were members of both sexes spanning many different age groups dispersed fairly equally throughout the arcades I happened to visit. More diverse than the patrons were the types of games. There was Pachinko and electronic horse racing for the gambling types. Table-top card games were available, utilizing instantaneous scanning surfaces to determine which cards the player laid down. There were numerous aisles of racing, rhythm, and crane games. Green screen photo booths were especially popular with young ladies, as they would take photos then use a touch screen to ornament their printed stickers with additional graphics and effects. And for you old-timers, there's also a healthy selection of vintage classics. Between Galaga and Metal Slug I was elated to find a working cabinet containing the mythical Vs. Super Mario Bros., altered levels and all. Vending machines were stocked with various drinks, desserts, and even the occasional cheeseburger. Chugging a delicious lemon-flavored Fanta Zero, I slid into the seat of a Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 unit, lined my 100 Yen coins along the dashboard, and everything felt right in the world. Arcades, you are missed.
