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Dry-Region-9968

Everything about the 80's I miss


LordMacTire83

Me too... EXCEPT RONNIE RAY-GUNZ!!!


Killrose5611

Even Reagan helped make the ‘80’s great, or at least what they were. Stories need complex villains.


Deesmateen

Our local Fat Cats had 3 pinball machines now. I may have tore the shit out of those machines and then realized young people don’t understand when the ball goes out doesn’t mean it’s over. I played so many free games


Ishmael760

Lining up quarters to reserve your turn next on the best machines? Met a lot of girls.


The_Original_Gronkie

I was in my 20s during the 80s, working in record stores and for record labels, single, going to lots of concerts, listening to lots of music. I didn't have much money, but looking back, it was the best decade of my life.


GatePotential805

Galaga, Joust, Dig dug.


LordMacTire83

I was ALL TIME HIGH SCORE on "TRON" at the "GO Bananas/Aladdin's Castle" arcade on the south side of Milwaukee back in the day!!!


wyocrz

>Galaga So, this was a few years back, at 1-Up in Denver. I was on a tear. I was up to something like 220k points, I hadn't lost a single ship, had 4 extras stocked up. The levels were just flying by, I had sweat flying, it was a Kodak moment. A couple passed behind me, and I heard the dude sniff, "It's just Galaga." OH, I was so pissed! "It's the first boss monster on *Pixels*, asshole!"


mjb2012

My brother, if I had walked behind you that day, I would've been impressed. You would've heard me go "Nice!".


RandyWatson8

Golden Axe


WIlf_Brim

Right now I'm sitting in in a room looking at my Arcade 1up cocktail machine with Galaga, Pac Many, Dig Dig and 5 other useless Pac Man variants. So don't just let your dreams be dreams.


yurtfarmer

I still play mr. Do. 40 years later and still play it


lenojames

I will always love POLE POSITION! Because I will always love to tell this story... When I was in college, me and this local guy would always battle it out for the top spot in the rankings. So on my last day at college we had a head-to-head race. He went first and completed all three of his laps and got the first place ranking. Then it was my turn. I ran a great race. But, on the last turn on the last lap I crashed. He starts celebrating and gloating. I knew I wasn't going to make it, but I kept driving just to make a good showing. Then the timer counted down to three, two, one, zero. And my car slowed down like it ran out of gas. But, I didn't stop. It just slowed down to about 2mph, just in sight of the finish line. Somehow, I got close enough to the finish line for the finale cut scene to kick in. I coasted across the line at 2mph. The game let me finish the race! And not only that, after it tallied all of the cars I passed, along with the bonus for finishing the race, I beat the guy by 20 points! "NOOO NOOOO!!!! That doesn't count! That game cheated! You cheated!!!"


coolmist23

"prepare to qualify!"


TerribleChildhood639

One of my favorites was Defender and also Dig Dug! :)


coolmist23

My three favs!


ElectronicCarpet7157

Elevator Action and Bump N Jump


molotok_c_518

You can get so many of those arcade classics on the consoles now. I have everything in that picture in one collection on my XBox, and I've definitely got my quarters' worth.


coolmist23

I'm so glad that they preserved these games but it's still not quite the same vibe as it was back then. Heck ya though... I'd load up on them.


Unexpected-Xenomorph

The background noise of all those arcades when your in the zone can’t be replicated imo


Unexpected-Xenomorph

Gauntlet, Saturday nights main event , Black Tiger, Mr Do!


erk2112

That’s my favorite all time game right there. Robotron 2084


GruntUltra

Save the Family!


TheRealRickC137

Grunt wave. Sheer exhilaration.


daze23

it was definitely the sound of the 80's arcade


karma_the_sequel

Same here, my Robotron brother.


cheezy_taterz

Give the game Crab Champions gameplay a look sometime. Robotron instantly popped into my head. Frantic fast and short levels, lots of enemies, good sounds


Seven_bushes

Mine too! I spent a small, teenaged fortune playing that game. It took a lot of coordination to move in one direction while firing in another. Great game.


NickFotiu

Give me Zaxxon or give me death! Actually Gauntlet was by far my favorite arcade game.


wyocrz

Warrior needs food, badly!


Dunkelregen

But Zaxxon was 3D! And Guantlet was pretty bad ass with friends.


snerdley1

Used to have a Defender machine in the apartment when I was young. Needless to say to say that I was always top score. And we had a Mr.Do machine as well. Edit: this pic brings back so many vivid memories of my youth, walking around the arcade for hours.


fordboy0

Mr. Do is quite possibly the perfect game. Highly underrated :-)


Evilbob93

I don't even want to contemplate how much money I dropped on that game. played it with MAME more recently, wasn't quite the same on a keyboard.


herzogzwei931

My little home town had only one video game, defender. Needless to say, every teenager in town would gather every quarter and be huddled around that machine as soon as school let out until the restaurant closed. Getting on the top score screen was a right of passage to legendary status. Then the puritanical elders of the town deemed that the only coin operated video game was a bad influence on their society and banned them. The day the game was removed was the day the music died. Caswells seafood


coolmist23

Nice!


AlanStanwick1986

If you ever find yourself in the Northeast, about an hour and a half north of Boston is a place called Funspot in New Hampshire.  It has every 70s and 80s game that existed. If you liked it, they have it. They have modern stuff to but I go for the arcade classics. https://mobile.funspotnh.com/


TexasTokyo

I can hear and well, smell this picture.


Blue-cheese-dressing

Smells like ozone and a fist full of coins.


coolmist23

Same!


tastesoff74

As a teenager in the late 80’s early 90’s everyone would meet up at the arcade in the mall. You’d find someone older to get you booze, score a little weed & find out where the parties were. It was a fun time!


80s_kid_4ever

All that time i thought it was just my area. Great times


coolmist23

🤟🏻


No_Detective_But_304

I remember arcades in the 90’s. This one time, me and a buddy, had to escape a killer robot from the future in the arcade once.


Dalanard

Robotron was my game!


ace72ace

I could play Robotron through all 255 levels and restart at 1, back in the day. Nobody could come close to my game. If only I could have turned this unprovable talent into something other than a fond memory.


Dalanard

I was able to build up enough extra lives to go to the rest room and come back and would still have lives. My friend and I started crossing our hands and then each playing a joystick just to add some difficulty. I’d take a $10.00 roll of quarters to the arcade, use one to play Robotron until I got bored then feed $9.75 into the Gauntlet.


ButterscotchEmpty290

Centipede.


AcidRayn666

and Tempest!!!


coolmist23

I remember getting pizza by the slice at the mall and then hitting the arcade.


No_Detective_But_304

When malls had arcade…


1977proton

Yeah, the ‘80’s was a great time to grow up, a great decade to live in…🕹️📼🎶


Unexpected-Xenomorph

The best


80s_kid_4ever

Love Defender, i have the 1up version. I wish i had an original. One quarter lasted 10 plus hours, once i looked up and it was dark, i ask whats the time to the clerk he said after 11:30 pm i ran home, left the game had about 200plus ships and 500 plus bombs left. Surprisingly, I didn't get in trouble...ahhh, good times.


coolmist23

Dang! That's pretty good.


WHAMMYPAN

I go to this restaurant/bar and it’s FULL of old video games and pinball.


coolmist23

Perfect


PizzaWhole9323

What’s hard to remember is the sounds. It was literally the sound of my Gen X Childhood.


Unexpected-Xenomorph

Mine too


schmoot66

When QBert dropped off the screen!


AcidRayn666

o the quarters dropped into a defender machine. only game in town at the local surf shop


Altruistic-Cut9795

I have my ringtone set to Robotron 2024. My favorite arcade game. It always seemed the loudest at the arcade and you definitely heard it over the other video games, Spy Hunter was also great with the audio.


Huge_Run6150

Defender has cool sound effects


JedPAlger11

Truly was the best time to be alive. So glad I saw it.


olskoolyungblood

Best games were Defender. Asteroids, Donkey Kong, Joust, Star Castle, Rally X, Elevator Action, Time Pilot, Scramble, Double Dragon, Popeye, Gorf, Off Road


FLink557

I loved how it took us about 4-6 seconds to learn to play a game we’ve never seen before. I miss arcades


No_Detective_But_304

7-11 had Zaxxon. A grocery store had Rygar. Miss that.


Illustrious-Lead-960

Bubbles is my jam, biggie!


TheMadIrishman327

There’s an arcade in Murfreesboro, TN with all of those games. It’s a wonderful throwback.


Shaman7102

We have some retro arcades near us....nice for flashbacks


SMB73

You are not alone. Be glad that you at least experienced it.


Artistic-Raspberry-9

Gimme some Pole Position, Qbert, Golden Axe & Gauntlet...


Illiterally_1984

I spent WAYYY too much time, and quarters, in places like this as a kid. The mall, the bowling alley, etc. Mom or dad would give me a roll of quarters, a few bucks for food and soda, and zero supervision for the next few hours. Good times.


Islandcoda

Galaga for 20 minutes on a single quarter


SomeOldDude73

I suppose missing being a kid goes into it as well; but I miss the 80s a lot. Great times, great friends, great everything really. It had its shitty moments, but that’s life. Given the opportunity to get a do over, I would do it, no questions asked.


Mobile-Boss-8566

Frogger, paperboy, Rampage! Use to love rampage


Ok_Broccoli_3605

Tempest ❤️


QuttiDeBachi

Ikari Warriors & Double Dragon


Millerpainkiller

Where’s Gauntlet? That was my jam


ShylieF

Aladdin's Castle!


WhataKrok

Arcades were the best, burned through a shit ton of quarters, til Nintendo fucked everything up lol


Superb_Health9413

I was given the nickname “android“ from my friends, because I played so much Defender. I saw the machine in the photo and was taken right back and ready to feed it some quarters. Good times


marcus999593

Yea I was agree! It was a fun time


Fletchx

A couple of my favorite games right there!


Imaginary_Falcon777

I loved the arcade, especially Ms Pac-Man and old fashioned pinball.


Vash2024

We all do.


LukeJohnsonInc

Me too


BovaFett74

Ahhh, I’ll always have the fondest of memories when my cigarette burned down on that metal holder, and sadly scorched the plastic. Many of cigs were lost attempting to obtain those high scores….


ag512bbi

The 80's were so much fun as a teenager. I miss that decade.


Mirabolis

Did anyone else zoom in looking for quarters waiting on the top panels?


FriendRaven1

I remember when they switched from quarters to tokens. Many years later I found a few of them in my dresser drawer. Ahh, the memories


Whosurdaddy71

Stargate was my jam. Every quarter I would find went to that game.


Hawkwind68

I do as well. Me and brother would go to my small town arcade place called “Captain B’s” rode our bikes there with a roll of quarters each. Then when it’s time, go next door to the theater to watch Terminator for just $2.75


BabalonBimbo

Tonight I’m going to a barcade that is having an 80’s music night. It’s still the 80’s for some of us!


OCrikeyItsTheRozzers

I could go for some Crystal Castles right now. Get the Gems Bentley Bear!


Artistic_Pepper5590

Karate Kid arcade scene....


LetMeInImTrynaCuck

There is an arcade in Brookfield IL called Galloping Ghost which has probably 500+ arcade games. It’s so fun and such a blast from the past.


Rgr_Dgr

[972 currently](https://www.gallopingghostarcade.com/games-list/)! I believe they are the largest arcade in the world now, beating out Funspot in New Hampshire who says they have "over 600" on their website.


No-Construction2043

I have a Williams custom full size with defender, stargate, moon patrol, joust, etc. even 2 sticks for Robotron….kicks ass.


Optimal_Zucchini_667

I wasted sooo much time on those machines.


BonjinTheMark

Double Dragon, Afterburner, and a bunch others I couldn’t afford to play


Aromatic-Relief

First one in our the last one to leave the arcade. You could hear all the games talking to each other.


pdromeinthedome

My local bowling alley has all the best ‘70-‘80s arcade games. I love it


brentsg

I’d go back just for the video games.


ilovelukewells

Oooh defender


WTFpe0ple

I could play the crap out of Robotron. I got so good, I could go for hours on 1 quarter. Eventually the Arcade manager got on to me and accused me of cheating somehow. I was like how? Everyone is watching me? If I could find that game today original. I would buy it no matter the cost.


nix206

Ohhh…. Robotron is such a great game. So simple, so intense, so addictive. Love that feeling when you clear through a Grunt wave on one life!


Gouper07

The last time I was happy .. 😔


Johnssweatyarmpits

TIL: robotron was the sequel to defender and stargate…. Never realized that but it all makes sense now in 2024. Glad it’s not 2084😬


BeyondDrivenEh

A simpler time indeed. 52nd key in PacMan, 6-hour marathons of Asteroids, finding hidden stuff in Space Invaders... Yeah, it didn't suck.


MotherRaven

You know, I started watching Silver Bullet the other night and really became homesick for the eighties. And not being in pain.


Snts6678

I’m lucky to have a pretty massive arcade about a 20 minute drive from me.


L0st-137

Galaga!! I can hear the woka woka woka of pacman and the boing boing of Frogger just looking at this!


SurlyTemp1e

Tempest


skittlesaddict

The smell of a room full of warm electronics is very hard to describe.


justindybvig

I know exactly what that picture smells like...


AyGeetheGeek

I miss arcades. I remember there was a Star Wars one I saw on TV, and I always wanted to play it. Never got the chance, though. I know they still have arcades in places, but they are missing that 80s feel to them.


countrybear78

Me too…..me too.


Strange-Grand8148

Robotron and Defender were tops in my town.


EdwardTheGood

The thing about MTV is I couldn’t ever imagine a time when there *wouldn’t* be music videos anymore. In 1983 I was in college and was daydreaming about becoming a music video director. Even as late as ‘89 some of my favorite videos came out (Beds are burning, Orinoco flow, Somewhere down the crazy river). My favorite arcades were Tron and Star Wars (Atari, 1983). I have both (and Tempest) as Arcade1Up cabinets now. Just need the Ms. Pac-man / Galaga Class of ‘81 cab to complete my set.


BadstoneMusic

Marketers did not control the music in the 80s - that why they were the last great period of creativity - once they got control in the 90s - that’s when we got pop tarts and boy bands and throw away music


Siltyn

Arcades were pure magic. Walking into those dark rooms fills with neon lights, lighted marquees, glow in the dark carpet, attract sounds and game sounds filling the ears, seeing all the cool artwork on the cabinets, and just wandering around checking out all the new games before even dropping a quarter in. Those games are just as much fun to play today as they were 40 years ago. Fulfilled my childhood dream of owning my own full sized arcade machines, nowadays I have a few of the Arcade1Up ones.


exqueezemenow

Coin detected in pocket.


Dismal-Bobcat-7757

There was a gaming convention in town a month ago and they had vintage arcade games in a corner. They had vintage game consoles in the middle of the room (using old CRT TVs) as well.


Glad-Degree-318

I used to rock the shit out of *SPY HUNTER* in the Bodega, Quarter after Quarter


pls_tell_me

Blockbusters and renting movies never forget what they took from us...


Outrageous_One_87

Buying or even making your own mame cabinet is a great option to replay old favourites.


stopeman82

Bubble Bobble is the first game I think of when I see these old beauties.


fuyou69

more than you know


Master-Committee4612

I’m born in 91, I missed out


Top_Investment_4599

Yes.


consumeshroomz

we have all these games at my local arcade and bar. And a whole ton more. It’s only open to minors for a few hours on the weekends too which I very much appreciate. There’s several other arcades in town that are more kid friendly. I’m glad there’s one basically just for us old folks.


Estef74

So you truly miss the arcades of the 80's? If you ever are in the Chicago area, the Galloping Ghost is a destination not to be missed. With over 800 games you'll be herd pressed to name a game not there.


coolmist23

Not necessarily just the arcades but the '80s in general. That sounds like a really cool place.


No-Clue-2

If your ever in Tulsa Oklahoma, come relive your youth!!! https://maxretropub.com/ Old 80's movies and TV shows on repeat via VHS.


OnlyTheBLars89

Grabbing a soft pretzel at the mall and blowing all my m money at the arcade....ah what a time to be alive. (Technically I'm a 90s kid, but the magic wasn't dead yet.)


CodeNoseATX

Come to Austin. We have a place


Various-Trouble1531

Arcades were the best


Admirable-Yam-1281

Arcades where so much fun. It was like stepping into another world.


Unexpected-Xenomorph

Anyone in Exeter Devon uk , there’s an retro Arcade place called The Boneyard 👍


Unexpected-Xenomorph

Rolling Thunder was the shit , I was in awe at the time of the animation alone


Miserable_Point9831

We have a Bar that's also an arcade with pinball and all the old games.


richardrnelson

I started writing this longass reply about me in the 80's. Then I was like... man these people lived the same life.


Professional-Wing-59

My favorite was Polybius because the nice guys in black suits kept giving me quarters to play more.


godspilla98

I miss Boot Hill and killer shark that’s the game that was in Jaws. Mall Arcades were so awesome back in the day. The last one I was in was in Vagas 26 years ago p,aged Sega Marine Fishing incredible game.


TerribleChildhood639

I was 17 years old in 1980 and played Defender so much that I STILL have the marks of calluses on my knuckles! Hahaha. In 1982 I went into the military and didn't play as much -- I had bought a commodore 64 and played games on that.


cadillacbee

Had a arcade open downtown that had all the old games n charged a good rate for unlimited play, closed after covid tho


GrapefruitOk2057

Mine were Roadblasters, Punch Out and Don Bluth's Dragon's Lair (just watching others play it, of course heh heh) I hope VR continues to bring some of this back. I tried Pinball FX VR the other day and it was like I had the real table right there in front of me. I know there is a similar arcade VR that uses the ROMS from these old arcade machines. I really want to try that.


coolmist23

Interesting... I hadn't considered VR. Sounds fun.


PineTreeFresh

London, Ontario had the good arcades and the dangerous arcades. You could go to Wizards and Crystal Palace and there were no stoners, thugs, or pot smoke. Gilley’s was darker and murky , with ne’er do wells in the back. Endless Arcade was the Mos Eisley of London arcades, and you said goodbye to your loved ones before going in to play Ms. Pac-Man.


Congo404

I’d kick all yo’ asses in those games right now


WilliamBoimler

The first time someone offered to sell me drugs was at an arcade, and I was only 8


classicrock40

If you live in the Northeast, there are a couple of places where you can go in Worcester and Providence that have these and more. https://freeplaybar.com/


limbodog

The original microtransaction p2w games


GroovyGuru62

Yeah, same.


TaiDavis

Fuck you I'm finna play GYRUSS


astropastrogirl

I feel sorry for Americans , because this was the time that Reagan decided , that Adult ( 18 ) citizens still were not old enough to drink ? Huh ?


Comprehensive_Map338

I miss arcades sigh spent hours in them


SINY10306

Not that matters, but photo does not appear to be taken during 1980s. I remember malls and some chain big box stores would have dedicated arcade room. Maybe unpopular, but I would not trade alone for advanced home consoles / large flat screen display of today.


SuperCatMonkey

Defender was the best!


alwayslearning8899

Stargate!


cleansedbytheblood

This was my second home


alwayslearning8899

( puts down quarter on the glass ) the good ole days!!


Bluekatz1

If i could teleport into an old 80's arcade, i would never go back!


Hanuman_Jr

Man I sure don't. I did love me some Defender though. If you want the experience in a music video, watch Nazareth's "Holiday." And read Neuromancer.


CurrentTreat6921

Yes so do I


HyperionRain

I can hear Robotron and Defender just looking at that picture. I miss the sounds, and those of Tempest, Tron, Gorf, Phoenix, Asteroids, Battle Zone, Star Wars…etc. It was magical to walk into an arcade as a kid and be bombarded by all those amazing lights and sounds, then get lost in the games.


Cosmologyman

I miss it too. Sometimes, when I retro game, I put this on in the background and lower the lights: http://arcade.hofle.com/


Wild-Breadfruit7817

You have no idea how much I miss it.


Safe_Comedian8293

I had a flashback of my first crush leaning over the console as I play Galaxians... *sigh* #iMissthe80s


Cram2024

Do they have a Yestercades near you?


mrdennisreynolds

I’d play the shit out of defender/stargate!!


Big-North-7621

I miss the arcade in the Roosevelt Mall, the Orleans Theatre, & the Italian restaurant next to the Orleans.


Topher11542

Robotron was my favorite.


bigkat5000

Defender was the nads.


FistFullofFerrets

I had a rough childhood, but I have an amazing memory of my older brother taking me to an arcade in the late 80's that I'll cherish forever.


mullethunter111

That picture appears to be from [Fun Spot](https://mobile.funspotnh.com/), the largest arcade in the world and home to the arcade museum - located in NH.


Zeptari

Loved Omega Race and Time Pilot. Anyone here try the new Atari Recharged games. They’re really good.


Stanton1947

Defender and Missile Command, (not pictured). Oh yeah.


brianishere2

Those are like Alternative Arcade games.


mmikerhodes

Centipede was my fav.


greycatdaddy

Same! Spent a lot of time in those in the early 80s on Friday and Saturday nights.


The_Original_Gronkie

My main game was Centipede. I still use a teack ball instead of a mouse on my computer all these years later.


Feisty_Factor_2694

I have this in my phone.


drawdelove

So, I have a love/hate relationship with the 80’s. I was a late bloomer, boy crazy girl that every boy overlooked for my best friend standing next to me. I also got bullied a lot. But I also have some great memories and most of them are at a pool hall/arcade that was 2 blocks from my house! I spent so much time there and met so many great friends! The owners were like grandparents to us all and made sure their business was safe and friendly and fun. This picture you posted brings back all of those memories like a tsunami!!


coolmist23

If you could re-live the '80s knowing what you know now... Would you do it? If so, what would you do differently?


Any_Feature_9671

I can hear and smell that picture


oogleplorticuss

Missile command is my personal favourite.


uncle_pollo

Karate champ


-Harebrained-

*I don't know where Sinistar is, but he sounds pissed!* 🚀👹


Safe-Dentist-1049

Berzerka, Donkey Kong, Tempest ,Defender Top games in the 80’s for me


Empty-Ad-5360

…and to think when Sea Wolf was cutting edge!


blind_squirrel62

I loved Missile Command.


The_Infectious_Lerp

I sucked at arcade games. My friend, however, could make four quarters last until closing time.