Comments on: End of An Era http://www.deadrobot.com/2008/07/10/end-of-an-era-2/ The space between gay and straight, stupid and smart. Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:30:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Dead Robot » Dead Robot http://www.deadrobot.com/2008/07/10/end-of-an-era-2/comment-page-1/#comment-23942 Dead Robot » Dead Robot Sun, 04 Jan 2009 13:36:29 +0000 http://www.deadrobot.com/?p=2152#comment-23942 [...] with $20 in his pocket, a ticket to a movie and popcorn, chased down with big gulps of sugar water. That arcade is closed so I can’t show him that - he’s voiced his desire to plug into our PS3/Wii/Xbox combo [...] [...] with $20 in his pocket, a ticket to a movie and popcorn, chased down with big gulps of sugar water. That arcade is closed so I can’t show him that – he’s voiced his desire to plug into our PS3/Wii/Xbox combo [...]

]]> By: Dead Robot » Dead Robot http://www.deadrobot.com/2008/07/10/end-of-an-era-2/comment-page-1/#comment-22790 Dead Robot » Dead Robot Wed, 23 Jul 2008 02:49:33 +0000 http://www.deadrobot.com/?p=2152#comment-22790 [...] while going off to BestBuy to buy it bestly, we stopped in at Funland to check to see if they were really closing on Friday night, my actual birt.... Nope. They were closing this evening. Thankfully we took the time to check. We chatted with the [...] [...] while going off to BestBuy to buy it bestly, we stopped in at Funland to check to see if they were really closing on Friday night, my actual birt…. Nope. They were closing this evening. Thankfully we took the time to check. We chatted with the [...]

]]> By: Lew http://www.deadrobot.com/2008/07/10/end-of-an-era-2/comment-page-1/#comment-22573 Lew Sat, 12 Jul 2008 18:00:04 +0000 http://www.deadrobot.com/?p=2152#comment-22573 One of my best throwaway jobs was managing an Aladdin's Castle for a year. Bally's used to have them scattered in malls all over the US. Friday night at 9p when the mall lights went dark, the Master Key came out and I toggled everything to freeplay! It was during the golden age, too. Gauntlet, Defender, Track & Field, Tron, Tempest, D Kong... We even had a few pinballs left that were decent -- not that crazy 8 flipper and quad ball crap -- two or three flippers and a ball. That was a good time. One of my best throwaway jobs was managing an Aladdin’s Castle for a year. Bally’s used to have them scattered in malls all over the US.

Friday night at 9p when the mall lights went dark, the Master Key came out and I toggled everything to freeplay! It was during the golden age, too. Gauntlet, Defender, Track & Field, Tron, Tempest, D Kong… We even had a few pinballs left that were decent — not that crazy 8 flipper and quad ball crap — two or three flippers and a ball.

That was a good time.

]]> By: Butchie http://www.deadrobot.com/2008/07/10/end-of-an-era-2/comment-page-1/#comment-22571 Butchie Sat, 12 Jul 2008 08:34:08 +0000 http://www.deadrobot.com/?p=2152#comment-22571 Tempest arcade games are apparently more expensive than others because the knob mechanism was flawed and consistantly broke. That's what I heard when I was looking to buy one. Tempest arcade games are apparently more expensive than others because the knob mechanism was flawed and consistantly broke. That’s what I heard when I was looking to buy one.

]]> By: Jim M http://www.deadrobot.com/2008/07/10/end-of-an-era-2/comment-page-1/#comment-22547 Jim M Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:02:56 +0000 http://www.deadrobot.com/?p=2152#comment-22547 It's currently disassembled because I just moved, and it probably won't be re-assembled until I build my Jimcave in the basement, but it's just a matter of plugging everything in. My son is being raised on the classics. When I was a kid I used to say "some day, when I'm grown up and rich, I'm going to have all these games in my house." Well, I'm not rich and only partly grown up, but I did manage to realize that dream. It’s currently disassembled because I just moved, and it probably won’t be re-assembled until I build my Jimcave in the basement, but it’s just a matter of plugging everything in. My son is being raised on the classics.

When I was a kid I used to say “some day, when I’m grown up and rich, I’m going to have all these games in my house.” Well, I’m not rich and only partly grown up, but I did manage to realize that dream.

]]> By: Dead Robot http://www.deadrobot.com/2008/07/10/end-of-an-era-2/comment-page-1/#comment-22546 Dead Robot Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:45:07 +0000 http://www.deadrobot.com/?p=2152#comment-22546 Sean, if you find it, I wanna see it! And I wanted to see King of Kong too but forgot about it. Jim, you never cease to amaze me. That is one mighty schweet project. Is it still running? cb: I loved tempest too! I would get sore wrists (very telling). My dad gave me the newspaper article and we had a laugh about what was really going on back then. He totally rocks. Sean, if you find it, I wanna see it! And I wanted to see King of Kong too but forgot about it.

Jim, you never cease to amaze me. That is one mighty schweet project. Is it still running?

cb: I loved tempest too! I would get sore wrists (very telling). My dad gave me the newspaper article and we had a laugh about what was really going on back then. He totally rocks.

]]> By: cb http://www.deadrobot.com/2008/07/10/end-of-an-era-2/comment-page-1/#comment-22545 cb Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:35:58 +0000 http://www.deadrobot.com/?p=2152#comment-22545 As SOON as I saw that pic I was like... "Oooo Dragons Lair!!!!" I sucked at it. My game was Tempest--- man did it get my adrenaline pumping!!! I used to play at "the Dark Star" arcade in my hometown in Iowa. OH- and I can't believe you had a gay dad who would plan hookups with his kid in tow!!! AWESOME! As SOON as I saw that pic I was like… “Oooo Dragons Lair!!!!”

I sucked at it.

My game was Tempest— man did it get my adrenaline pumping!!! I used to play at “the Dark Star” arcade in my hometown in Iowa.

OH- and I can’t believe you had a gay dad who would plan hookups with his kid in tow!!! AWESOME!

]]> By: Sean http://www.deadrobot.com/2008/07/10/end-of-an-era-2/comment-page-1/#comment-22544 Sean Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:50:58 +0000 http://www.deadrobot.com/?p=2152#comment-22544 OMG, yes! King of Kong was on the Documentary Channel this weekend (or was it one of the movie networks...?) and it was awesome. Hilarious, sad and weird all at the same time. OMG, yes! King of Kong was on the Documentary Channel this weekend (or was it one of the movie networks…?) and it was awesome. Hilarious, sad and weird all at the same time.

]]> By: Jim M http://www.deadrobot.com/2008/07/10/end-of-an-era-2/comment-page-1/#comment-22543 Jim M Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:46:39 +0000 http://www.deadrobot.com/?p=2152#comment-22543 If you haven’t been in many years, prepare to be disappointed. My local arcade was called Fun & Games. Back in the 80s (the “golden era” that we were fortunate enough to experience) the place was huge and they had everything, including a 50 foot wall with nothing but Pac-Man & its various sequels. It was the shit and, of course, that’s where I first saw and played Dragon’s Lair. It still exists, though it’s not the same. I’ve taken my son there and I won’t take him again. It’s now a well-lit Chuck-e-Cheese type “family amusement center” where most of the games give you tickets that you then exchange for cheep, lead-filled Chinese-made toys. The few video games they do have are $2.00 a pop driving games or the same tired fighting games. My son isn’t interested in them, he just wants to gamble for toys. At least they have Skee-ball, or “Fun Ball”, which is the same thing without the brand name. I suppose it’s awesome for a six year old, and I’m just being a curmudgeonly dad, but it’s just not the Fun & Games I remember. It’s like finding out your childhood hero is now a holocaust denier. There’s a place in New Hampshire called Fun Spot (featured prominently in the documentary “The King of Kong”, which, if you haven’t seen it, you NEED TO) that apparently is still filled with the classics. One of these days I’d like to take a road trip up there. The solution, of course, is to build your own MAME cabinet. I have Dragon’s Lair (thanks to the magic of emulation and a bootlegged video that took me forever to find and download on the bittorrents) and many others in <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmerullo/sets/72157604435253781/" rel="nofollow"> The Midlife Crisis Machine.</a> If you haven’t been in many years, prepare to be disappointed. My local arcade was called Fun & Games. Back in the 80s (the “golden era” that we were fortunate enough to experience) the place was huge and they had everything, including a 50 foot wall with nothing but Pac-Man & its various sequels. It was the shit and, of course, that’s where I first saw and played Dragon’s Lair.

It still exists, though it’s not the same. I’ve taken my son there and I won’t take him again. It’s now a well-lit Chuck-e-Cheese type “family amusement center” where most of the games give you tickets that you then exchange for cheep, lead-filled Chinese-made toys. The few video games they do have are $2.00 a pop driving games or the same tired fighting games. My son isn’t interested in them, he just wants to gamble for toys. At least they have Skee-ball, or “Fun Ball”, which is the same thing without the brand name. I suppose it’s awesome for a six year old, and I’m just being a curmudgeonly dad, but it’s just not the Fun & Games I remember. It’s like finding out your childhood hero is now a holocaust denier.

There’s a place in New Hampshire called Fun Spot (featured prominently in the documentary “The King of Kong”, which, if you haven’t seen it, you NEED TO) that apparently is still filled with the classics. One of these days I’d like to take a road trip up there.

The solution, of course, is to build your own MAME cabinet. I have Dragon’s Lair (thanks to the magic of emulation and a bootlegged video that took me forever to find and download on the bittorrents) and many others in
The Midlife Crisis Machine.

]]> By: Sean http://www.deadrobot.com/2008/07/10/end-of-an-era-2/comment-page-1/#comment-22542 Sean Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:03:47 +0000 http://www.deadrobot.com/?p=2152#comment-22542 Man...Dragon's Lair. They have that for sale in the US on Blu-Ray (along with Space-Ace, the pseudo-sequel from Don Bluth studios). I got J to look for it last time he was there, but he couldn't find it. We're heading to Buffalo when he returns and I'm gonna have to remind myself to look for it. Should be whizz-bang fun! Man…Dragon’s Lair. They have that for sale in the US on Blu-Ray (along with Space-Ace, the pseudo-sequel from Don Bluth studios). I got J to look for it last time he was there, but he couldn’t find it. We’re heading to Buffalo when he returns and I’m gonna have to remind myself to look for it. Should be whizz-bang fun!

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