Generalizing the eras of arcades

ZackScott

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I'm trying to figure out and generalize the eras of arcades. Here's what I have so far. Any ideas?

1970s: All about pinball
1980s: All about simple, Atari-like games
1990s: All about fighting
2000s: All about interactivity and luck
2010s: All about making the home experience bigger

I might not be right here, but this is my best generalization so far. I think arcades today are weird because there's like...a giant connect 4, a giant pac-man, giant shooting games, giant guitar hero, giant ipod games, etc.
 
If you are talking about the machines produced, then yes. If you are talking about the overall arcade experience, then no.
 
They don't divide well by decade at all, mainly because the 80s and 90s really both change character entirely in the middle of the decade.

You have the following eras really.

Stone Age 1971 and older. All about pinball and EM shooters.

Bronze Age 1972-1978 EM games vanish, and pinball begins to shrink as video titles start gaining prominence.

Golden Age 1979-1984 The simple classic titles that the hobby collectors still concentrate on today.

Conversion Age 1985-1990 This era was dominated by the side scrolling action game.

Fighter Age 1991-1996 PVP fighting titles dominated the market.

Zombie Age 1997 to present. The arcade, while dead, still slowly shambles along. It is dominated by very large machines, usually of a simulator (gun, sports or vehicle). Another defining trait of the zombie era is the fact that the arcades no longer offered games more technically advanced than what could be had at home. In fact, the arcade experience often seems inferior on a pure technical level to home games, as the machines of this era have had incredibly long service lives and it isn't all that unusual for an arcade to have equipment that averages 10 years old.
 
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They don't divide well by decade at all, mainly because the 80s and 90s really both change character entirely in the middle of the decade.

You have the following eras really.

Stone Age 1971 and older. All about pinball and EM shooters.

Bronze Age 1972-1978 EM games vanish, and pinball begins to shrink as video titles start gaining prominence.

Golden Age 1979-1984 The simple classic titles that the hobby collectors still concentrate on today.

Conversion Age 1985-1990 This era was dominated by the side scrolling action game.

Fighter Age 1991-1996 PVP fighting titles dominated the market.

Zombie Age 1997 to present. The arcade, while dead, still slowly shambles along. It is dominated by very large machines, usually of a simulator (gun, sports or vehicle). Another defining trait of the zombie era is the fact that the arcades no longer offered games more technically advanced than what could be had at home. In fact, the arcade experience often seems inferior on a pure technical level to home games, as the machines of this era have had incredibly long service lives and it isn't all that unusual for an arcade to have equipment that averages 10 years old.

I like this a lot. Also, the Zombie age seems really focused on redemption. Sure, there were lots of ticket games before, but Dave and Busters has TONS of redemption games. I feel like we can almost make a new era called "Casino Age" or something, because arcades feel like a casino these days.
 
What games were the hallmark or start of these eras? Would Golden Age be ushered in by Space Invaders?
 
They don't divide well by decade at all, mainly because the 80s and 90s really both change character entirely in the middle of the decade.

You have the following eras really.

Stone Age 1971 and older. All about pinball and EM shooters.

Bronze Age 1972-1978 EM games vanish, and pinball begins to shrink as video titles start gaining prominence.

Golden Age 1979-1984 The simple classic titles that the hobby collectors still concentrate on today.

Conversion Age 1985-1990 This era was dominated by the side scrolling action game.

Fighter Age 1991-1996 PVP fighting titles dominated the market.

Zombie Age 1997 to present. The arcade, while dead, still slowly shambles along. It is dominated by very large machines, usually of a simulator (gun, sports or vehicle). Another defining trait of the zombie era is the fact that the arcades no longer offered games more technically advanced than what could be had at home. In fact, the arcade experience often seems inferior on a pure technical level to home games, as the machines of this era have had incredibly long service lives and it isn't all that unusual for an arcade to have equipment that averages 10 years old.


If we are talking about the arcade experience of the end user we have entered into a new age, I'll call it the Phoenix Age.

In this new era old games, many from the golden era, are anchors for new arcades that also house other things for 30 and 40 year olds. It is a pseudo-resurrection of the golden era with the best of all follow on eras mixed in as well. I have seen bar/arcades, retail shops/arcades, and even stand alone arcades that are flourishing in this new era. My guess is it will be the shortest lived of all arcade eras.
 
What games were the hallmark or start of these eras? Would Golden Age be ushered in by Space Invaders?

Here are some examples, probably not perfect. The 1984 and 1985 area are wibbly enough that they are almost a separate era.

Bronze Age would be Pong at the start and Space Invaders at the end.
Golden Age would be Pac-Man at the beginning and perhaps Marble Madness at the end.
Conversion Age would be Ghost's n Goblins at the beginning and Final Fight at the end.
Fighter age would be Street Fighter 2 at the beginning and Mortal Kombat III at the end.
Zombie Age would be House of the Dead at the beginning and whatever games you can actually still buy at the end.
 
I would say Galaxian could also be the start of the Golden age, as Pac-Man was released in 1980. I see your choice though because Pac-Man is more prominent.
 
I'd almost see Space Invaders as ushering in the Golden era instead of ending the previous one. I guess it's subjective because the arcade scene didn't really change until about a year or two after its release.
 
Asteroids or Space invaders was the start of the Golden Age IMHO.

I don't think the arcade is dead, it is just a different kind of place nowadays, and they are less of them. I don't have a big problem with redemption, that is what kids prefer and that is what entertains them now. They don't want to play a game that offers them nothing but gameplay. I can remember when my local arcade started offering redemption and it was during the late 80s, so it's nothing new. Dave and Busters has added some new machines in the last year but they have way too many old machines. I think Round One is probably the best example of a modern arcade, if you have one near you check it out. You won't think arcades are dead.
 
Asteroids or Space invaders was the start of the Golden Age IMHO.

I don't think the arcade is dead, it is just a different kind of place nowadays, and they are less of them. I don't have a big problem with redemption, that is what kids prefer and that is what entertains them now. They don't want to play a game that offers them nothing but gameplay. I can remember when my local arcade started offering redemption and it was during the late 80s, so it's nothing new. Dave and Busters has added some new machines in the last year but they have way too many old machines. I think Round One is probably the best example of a modern arcade, if you have one near you check it out. You won't think arcades are dead.

I agree that it's not dead. I didn't mean to sound like an old man. I think they are just in a place where their idea is trying to be salvaged. Even malls don't get foot traffic like they used to, so I understand it's hard to have a place just dedicated to games, especially when gamers can get a similar experience at home. So where arcades do exist, they have to provide some sort of experience that players can only get there. Not sure what that holds in the future though. Maybe they'll make some VR breakthrough?

Also, I totally forgot about the Dance Dance craze in the early 2000s.
 
I'm trying to figure out and generalize the eras of arcades. Here's what I have so far. Any ideas?

1970s: All about pinball
1980s: All about simple, Atari-like games
1990s: All about fighting
2000s: All about interactivity and luck
2010s: All about making the home experience bigger

I might not be right here, but this is my best generalization so far. I think arcades today are weird because there's like...a giant connect 4, a giant pac-man, giant shooting games, giant guitar hero, giant ipod games, etc.

You can't generalize the eras of arcade games, and then make general complaints about modern arcade games. Come on man. There were great games then, there's great games now, there were crappy games then, there's crappy games now. No need to try to group it all into little boxes.
 
I like this a lot. Also, the Zombie age seems really focused on redemption. Sure, there were lots of ticket games before, but Dave and Busters has TONS of redemption games. I feel like we can almost make a new era called "Casino Age" or something, because arcades feel like a casino these days.

... but that would ignore that redemption games were around in the 80's... the 90's... the 2000's... so what's the point? Why act like the arcade experience right now is about winning tickets, when that's always been a part of the arcade experience.

I just don't understand why you want to draw a box then shove 10 years into it. Then draw another.
 
... but that would ignore that redemption games were around in the 80's... the 90's... the 2000's... so what's the point? Why act like the arcade experience right now is about winning tickets, when that's always been a part of the arcade experience.

I just don't understand why you want to draw a box then shove 10 years into it. Then draw another.

Well, I didn't mean to come off as grumpy about it. I realize things change. Generalization just helps me understand, and it's fun. As for redemption, I just think the ratio of redemption to non-redemption seems higher. Maybe I'm wrong, but I did say myself redemption always existed.
 
You can't generalize the eras of arcade games, and then make general complaints about modern arcade games. Come on man. There were great games then, there's great games now, there were crappy games then, there's crappy games now. No need to try to group it all into little boxes.

I don't mean to come across as a complainer. I still have a blast with friends at arcades. I think my criticisms are valid though. I'd be curious which modern arcade games are considered great. I used to be so excited for the sub-par home releases of the arcades I loved. These days, I can't remember the last time I even wanted a home port of an arcade game. I still love going to arcades for the atmosphere and socialization, but my overall enjoyment doesn't seem tied to any specific games anymore.

Of course, maybe I just got older and jaded.
 
Something interesting about the eras... Pinball is being considered "over" in the 70's, but the most coveted games were made between the mid 90's and 2000. Twilight Zone, Medieval Madness, Aadams Family, Monster Bash, Mars Attacks, Tales Of The Arabian Nights and a few others were all from about a 7 year period.

They made many thousands of some of these titles too, so its not just a matter of rarity.
 
I'd almost see Space Invaders as ushering in the Golden era instead of ending the previous one. I guess it's subjective because the arcade scene didn't really change until about a year or two after its release.

The "eras" thing is kind of arbitrary, but going along with it, Space Invaders is kind of on the cusp. In one sense it's Bronze age because it's B&W but it's also Golden age because it triggered an unprecedented popular craze in video games.

I'd call the modern era the Age of the Claw. Claw games seem to be the most popular machines deployed by ops these days.
 
I'm trying to figure out and generalize the eras of arcades. Here's what I have so far. Any ideas?

1970s: All about pinball
1980s: All about simple, Atari-like games
1990s: All about fighting
2000s: All about interactivity and luck
2010s: All about making the home experience bigger

I might not be right here, but this is my best generalization so far. I think arcades today are weird because there's like...a giant connect 4, a giant pac-man, giant shooting games, giant guitar hero, giant ipod games, etc.


This is all probably Arcades in the US I guess ?
 
ZackScott said:
I might not be right here, but this is my best generalization so far. I think arcades today are weird because there's like...a giant connect 4, a giant pac-man, giant shooting games, giant guitar hero, giant ipod games, etc.

Haha nothing like going to the arcade and seeing one of these. :p Not that it isn't just as fun as on your phone or iThing. ;) Mad respect that their game could go from mobile to arcade though in the first place. :)

fruit-ninja-fx-touchscreen-video-arcade-redemption-game-adrenaline-amusements.jpg
 
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