Did you ever really READ the instructions on an arcade game before playing it?

vintagegamer

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BITD, I never read first. I just dove in. Mainly bc I figured I could see what to do, plus, many arcades were dark and instructions were not always able to be found or read.

It wasn't until I'd die in like 30 secs that I'd start looking for more info. :)
 
Yes I read them because I didn't have any quarters as a kid
Interesting take on that! I was only near games if I'd been given money to play them. I do remember being told tnough, often, that they were a "waste of money", lol
 
All the games I played as a kid were in generic cabinets with no artwork or instructions whatsoever. So I got to "know" the games from watching the attract mode in each one and seeing others play them… fast forward 40 years and I still do the same.

p
 
All the games I played as a kid were in generic cabinets with no artwork or instructions whatsoever. So I got to "know" the games from watching the attract mode in each one and seeing others play them… fast forward 40 years and I still do the same.

p
This is intriguing. Any particular reason why they were all in generic cabs? Convenience store? Casa Nostra? Expand, please :)
 
All the fighting games had long thin rectangle instruction cards with font so small you couldn't read. Then all the moves was like programming an altair computer. Bunch of tiny pictures of buttons and joysticks you had to do in right combination and order.

Me I just mashed the buttons as fast as I could.
 
It's one of the things I love about classic arcade games (and most pinballs too). For the most part you can just start a game and figure out enough to "have fun" even if you aren't score optimizing or anything. Most of them were pretty intuitive for basic operation. Some obviously not as much but most of the popular ones have one attract mode screen that communicates enough info for you to get started.

Every time I try modern console gaming, each game has an hour-long tutorial that is mandatory before even playing where you are spoon-fed every input and outcome "Did you know you can press L2 to access Inventory? Press L2 now to try it!" Ugh. By the time I finish the tutorial, I'm out of free time to play!

Edit: Yes, I just realized Gauntlet does that to you by default… luckily it can be turned down or turned off!

As a corollary, I've noticed that many of the teens (eg, my kids' friends) that come over to play are less apt to jump into some of the more obscure games and I personally suspect it is, in part, because they actually have to "figure out" how to play and aren't really prepared for it.
 
Generally the baptism in fire approach for me.
If anything, watch somebody else a bit or hope the attract screen had some clues.

Only game I ever felt ripped off by using those methods was Dragon's Lair.
Literally a "what the hell just happened?" thing with that one.
 
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