Yes. Funny you asked this, as I have a particular, memorable story exactly about what I think you are talking about.
It was winter 1981 and Stargate had just came out and I was addicted to Defender. I had just gotten off the Long Island railroad in Penn Station. Back then, the lower level of Penn Station had "the worlds largest arcade" and had a brand new Stargate game right up front. I only had $.50 left and I needed to take the subway home, as I lived on the upper east side and Penn Station is on 32nd street and 7th ave, a long way away.
I couldn't resist, I put my last 50 cents into the Stargate and played my very first game of Stargate in my life. But now I had no money for the subway and didn't think to "hop" the subway turnstyle, so I decided to walk home.
Back then, Times Square was scummy, had lots of porno theaters, places that sold switch blades and Bruce Lee posters, stuff like that. I was wearing one of those puffy, down jackets that were popular BITD and 3 kids tried to mug me in the middle of Times Square for it. They got nothing.

It was the only mugging attempt I ever had in my life and they failed to get my jacket like they wanted. I still had to walk all the way home and it was nerve racking, as I was 12 years old, alone, walking around midtown Manhattan on a sunday night in 1981, just after a mugging attempt.
A very memorable game of Stargate, my very favorite game of all time.
I also remember playing Omega Race at one of the Times Square arcades.... Times Square was scummy back then but it had lots of character. They just squeegeed all the crud over to 8th ave, it's still there!