I've found tons of forms on Reddit and other social media places discussing how great going to the arcade was back in the day. This to me is quite possibly the definition of nostalgia and rose color glasses, ppl tend to forget playing game in the arcade really, really sucked. So I am going to make a list telling why the arcade in the late 80s and 90s sucked.
1. Getting change from the Cheeto stained, wife beater wearing shirt weirdo in the back was always so awkward.
2. Most arcade games where designed to suck your quarters or loonies (Iam Canadian) out of you hands. I remember throwing down like 40 bucks in change to beat T2 arcade only to never get past the third level.
3. All the best games had huge line ups, and good luck trying to convince a teenager who is three times your size that its your turn next to play Mortal Kombat 2
3. Beating a teenager when you're a small kid at street fighter 2 only using fireballs and uppercuts would most likely get your ass beat-up from that kid you just defeated four times in a row... All because you replied to his threats of physical violence with "its not my fault you suck" then landing you in the Hospital.
4. Never being able to hear the actual game your trying to play from all the other background noise of 40 other arcade games blaring at top volume.
5. Trying to convince your parents to stay for another 10 mins cuz you just threw in 10 bucks worth of quarters on one game, only for them you say "you have five mins then we are leaving"
6. Rushing to get your quarters in the machine to continue before the count down ended, was a game in its self.. oh, be sure you don't drop your change trying to find the change slot in-between the panic because that just means you lost another continue and mostly likely some punk kid will walk by and pickup that lost quarter and walk away like he was taking a stroll in a wishing fountain.
7. Making some serious progress by yourself on a 2 player co-op game (Metal Slugs) only to have an 8 year old kid roll up and beg his overweight middle age Dad for some change, while his father asks you if its okay his son joins the game... Under your breath you say ("No I don't want you stupid kid messing up my game cuz I know he sucks") then saying "Sure" politely to the Dad. Only then being forced to walk away after three deaths caused by the kid contently grabbing the Zantetsu Sword (best weapon in the game) and then die a moment later.
9. Having the great idea to bring a lunch to the arcade because the pizza shop across the street is ripping kids off charging 5 bucks for slice of pizza (adjusted for inflation would equal out to 8 bucks a slice) only to be struggling playing street fighter 2 eating a P, B and J sandwich in one hand while trying to execute a Hadouken in the other.
10. Walking past all the pushers and drug dealer at your local arcade because teenager with deposable income was a hot spot for drug deals going down... Where do you think the whole "Winners don't use drugs" come from.
And There you have it a full list of things as to why playing video games in the arcade actually sucked.
Nothing was better nostalgic feeling for me then to have my mother yell down the basement that your Kraft Dinner was done while playing final fantasy 3 (6) at home.
There was a reason arcades went the way of the dodo, because kids who actually played games at the arcade during those times knew it sucked and couldn't wait till those said arcade games to came to consoles.
Feel free to add to the list.
I'm hoping this is a joke post because if not you probably lived in the most horrible place imaginable in Canada, that said I truly believe the OP is either roasting arcades in jest or is a bot account...
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Topic: playing in the arcades during the 80's - 90s actually sucked
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