Arcade Machines

Vintage Arcade Game Machines

2009-07-30T12:34:00.000-07:00

If you have a game room and a few hundred dollars to spare, you might just like the Vintage Arcade Superstore. They have a clearance special right now with prices starting at $495. Among the arcade machines available: arkanoid, asteroids, asteroids deluxe, battlezone, blitz, centipede, daytona usa twin, defender, gauntlet: dark legacy 4, mortal combat, neo geo with 100 games, pole position, popeye, star castle, street fighter 2, tetris, tekken 3, tekken 4, world series, world soccer finals, pin ball ( pinball ?) machines include star wars, terminator 2, space jam, and dragonfist.

Most of the games run closer to 800-1000 dollars it looks like although there are some as cheap as $495. They also have empty mame cabinets (with 19" display capabilities) from $50 (?), some of the games are as much as 4000 super gt.

They ship anywhere and the shipping costs range from 200-450 in the US. They say that you can leave the games coin operated or in free play and they will give you the key along with the arcade machine. They do sell unrestored vintage arcade machines at lower prices, but much of their stock has been restored. These are 100% original authentic parts and should play like you remember. (All restorations are play tested by the owner.)

The Vintage Arcade Superstore has apparently been featured on the History Channel for their show Modern Marvels (80s Technology episode.)

Plan for this site about Arcade Game Machines

2009-04-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd take a moment to chart out my plans for this site. I've devoted this blog entirely to arcade machines, arcade games, and arcade game machines. The first thing that comes to my mind are the classic gaming machines that populated arcades and the game room of so many hotels in the last 20 years. The phenomenon of the arcade seems to be fading a little, but here I plan to do what I can to keep it alive.....

Here I'll be highlighting specific games over time as well as places that you can purchase arcade machines. I may even talk about places that would be good locations for placement of an arcade machine for those budding arcade owners out there to think about the high traffic areas that today still may yield a return on the investment in an arcade machine.

In addition to the traditional arcade machines I may talk about jukeboxes and pinball machines here too since they have many similarities. In addition to ALL of that, I may also touch on the topics of emulation of game machines using off the shelf computer hardware (as this is the way that many of this arcade machines of yesteryear have been preserved for us today.)

You can expect maybe a post a month here. At times there may be a flurry of a few more posts in a day or two, and then at times I may be several months between updates. The truth is that I have several business interests that keep me busy and so.... I will post at this site as the mood hits and time is available. I hope you enjoy arcade machines as much as I do and I'll be writing more soon.

The earliest Arcade Machines that I remember

2009-03-23T08:29:00.000-07:00

I guess it was the very late 70's - maybe 1979 or so and I remember we were on vacation and had found this new thing called a game room or arcade in our hotel. There was this big machine (I think I had to stand on a little box or something to see the screen.) The game was asteroids. It was captivating. It captured probably 75 cents of my money as I started to get the hang of turning and shooting and the like.

That was really probably the first computer game I recall playing. I know along that time there was also Space Invaders and I spent more than a few quarters on that as well. The Sears store at our local mall even had an arcade in the center of the store. I think they had a few pinball machines in addition to maybe 3 or 4 arcade game machines as well. I remember being crushed when they closed down that arcade, but overjoyed to find that a complete storefront down the mall was opening up with arcade games.

These days, the arcade at the mall doesn't seem to be the big draw that it was. I don't know, maybe with all the home gaming systems these days it just doesn't draw in people willing to shell out quarter after quarter. It's a shame in a way, there was somewhat of a community around the arcade at the local mall that it's hard to replae with an internet connected game machine in the home. (Plus it gave me a place to go while my parents were shopping as a kid.)

I'm still fascinated with game machines though, I remember thinking that one day I'd have my own arcade of sorts. (I think I had in mind winning the sweepstakes or something and buying up my favorite machines....) Who knows, someday I may yet do that. I've found places that sell new AND used machines from as little as ~$400.

So, could you still make money off of arcade machines? I think so, they're probably not the cash cow that I suspect they once were, but in the right place I think they would still do well. (Who knows, maybe that's the way I'll be able to own one by buying it and placing it in service somewhere...)

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2009-02-23T08:19:00.000-08:00

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About Me

2009-01-23T08:14:00.000-08:00

I am interested in many different things, but have many fond memories of spending quarter after quarter in arcade machines growing up in the 80s. I remember every vacation, or trip to the mall the arcade was tops on my list of places to find and visit. These days, the arcade isn't quite the staple of the mall that it once was, but there are still new arcade machines being built, and there are used classics out there for sale like some of the original Pac Man or Galaga machines.

I seem to recall thinking that one day I'd have an arcade room with several arcade machines. I still don't, but you never know, maybe someday. Until then I've got some good memories and things like MAME that can help you revisit the bygone days. (Although there are legal issues surrounding the download of the ROM images.)

One of my day jobs includes finding answers to computer problems for my customers among other things. This may well be an outgrowth of those many hours years ago spent in the arcade at the mall.......