Dude. FUCKIN TIME OUT ALL DAY!!!!! I remember like it as yesterday!!! Laurel mall (before laurel started turning into what it is today) I'd go there when mom or grandma would go to the mall, I'd get a 5 spot and go crazy lol.Great thread.
I was born in 79. I got into this hobby about six years ago.
I have many memories walking into Time Out arcade in Laurel Mall in Laurel, Maryland. I also have memories hitting the arcades on the Boardwalk with my grandparents in Ocean City, Maryland during our one week family trip every summer.
I first got into the hobby with the idea of buying just one arcade cab, once I had the money and the house/space. I bought it, then I said, "it'd be really cool to own this one too." Then I said, you know what, it'd be really great to own this one too. Fast forward a few years and now I have six cabinets in my basement and two in my garage that are projects.
Most recently, in the last year, I've gotten more into the restoration side of things. I've found I'd rather make the game as good as I want it to be rather than relying on someone else. It's great, cause I'm learning so much from the folks on here, albeit driving them nuts with my questions, and doing things I've never really done before. My Dad worked two jobs as I grew up so I never had the opportunity to learn how to "use my hands." So getting into the restoration side of things has been so much fun and I'm soaking the knowledge up like a sponge. I'm just trying to keep my OCD in check, sometimes I'm worried about things my fellow collectors would say, "just leave that alone, that's not a big deal."
So for me, the hobby is thriving and is more alive than ever.
I think the games from the 80s and early 90s have a special charm. Today's games are way too "real." And they're all the same…third person overview or first person shooter. Rinse, wash, repeat. Think about all the variety we have from the 80s…Burgertime, a freaking game about making hamburgers. Food Fight, you're tossing food at others…Gauntlet, awesome dungeon crawler. The games were beautiful enough on a CRT but also left a lot to our imagination. Today's games don't offer that.
I hope my son will one day find the same passion. He's almost three and he loves my Outrun and Ghouls and Ghosts.
Nostalgia is a strong thing. But I'll be honest, the 80s was truly the greatest decade. The music was fantastic, no cell phones, no World Wide Web, no social media…we've overcomplicated our lives today. Things are supposed to be easier but they aren't really. And now folks are gonna wear ski googles so they can have their apps in front of them. Sigh.
I'll get off my soapbox, but I have a ton of memories with these games. Games that are charming and beautifully rendered on those old picture tubes. For me the hobby is still strong and I'm still loving it. I only wish I would've gotten into it 10 years earlier.
Born in 83 and lived in laurel my whole life so I understand completely!! And I understand about multiple games in the house now too lol
Lemme know if you ever wanna buy a Revolution X, I have them almost brand new (besides the monitor being 30 years old lol)
Good ol laurel in the 80's/90's

