The Golden Age.....I missed most of it.

[OregonPacman]

See, this is why I don't understand why you think you missed the 'golden age' ...'82 was IT! You were there, man! You were there!!!!

Barely. Arcade trips were few and far between. There was only one place that was an arcade that was only an arcade. There are a lot of classics that I never saw until many years later: Centipede, Millipede, Space Invaders, Galaxian, Tapper, Timber, Xevious, Mappy, Jr. Pac, and a bunch of others. Asteriods was the only vector I saw back then. There were virtually no BW games around. Pinball was a concept unknown to me at the time.

 

[gorfchampion]

I'm 40 so I was there for the Golden Age. The first video game I remember playing was Space Invaders in late '78 or early '79. My Dad gave me 75 cents, I only played one game because it scared the crap out of me. I had a lot of fun just staring into the game! Never saw anything like it.

I never saw anything get uncrated, though. We had a lot of fun at a nearby roller rink, playing the newest games(Space Duel, SInistar, Asteroids Deluxe were lined up, among others I haven't been able to remember), and checking out the older teenage girls in between pretending we knew how to skate well enough to impress them(winter of '82-'83).

It really was a magical time. One that cannot be duplicated. I miss those days....

 

[nomore25s]

I remember a local (to Louisville) place, I think its name was "Putters Park", which as you might figure out had a small putt-putt course attached.

I remember having a few dollars from my parents for a couple of hours. I quickly went through my precious quarters (tokens?) only to have 1 left with quite a bit of time left before being picked up. I picked a pinball machine I liked. I thought I could stretch out a game and therefore not have to stand around watching everyone. My game ended quicker than I had hoped only to hear that magical knocker sound signaling a MATCH! My next game was better, I had a SPECIAL light lit on a side only to have the ball drain right down the middle. But, I matched AGAIN.

Ah, memories.

 

[MilitiaMan]

There was the atmosphere of the arcade - the sounds, the lights, the cabinets themselves (and yes, the black lights). The sounds of quarters/tokens dropping, etc.

You forgot "Jack and Diane" playing on the jukebox ...



Steve
MM

 

[PrairieDillo]

I'm 40 so I was there for the Golden Age. The first video game I remember playing was Space Invaders in late '78 or early '79. My Dad gave me 75 cents, I only played one game because it scared the crap out of me. I had a lot of fun just staring into the game! Never saw anything like it.

I never saw anything get uncrated, though. We had a lot of fun at a nearby roller rink, playing the newest games(Space Duel, SInistar, Asteroids Deluxe were lined up, among others I haven't been able to remember), and checking out the older teenage girls in between pretending we knew how to skate well enough to impress them(winter of '82-'83).

It really was a magical time. One that cannot be duplicated. I miss those days....

I'm 40 also. My first video game ever played was Space Invaders in Disneyland (Anaheim), 1979.

 

[nomore25s]

You forgot "Jack and Diane" playing on the jukebox ...



Steve
MM

I was going to say "some Madonna song", but I didn't want to start a virtual riot....

"Jack and Diane" works.

 

[LTG]

Did anyone here see games like that being uncrated from their factory packing or be the first to play a game that just arrived at an arcade?

I was fortunate. Owning an arcade in that era, I got to uncrate them and marvel at each and every new game.
LTG

 

[simpsons99]

I remember seeing Rows of Seeming Brand New Games Everything you could think of from 1980-1983. Showbiz Pizza.. CEC Had more your Atrari -Bally's Midway games.

I remember playing a Brand New PopEye back then and it was allways being Played by someone.

 

[ixtlann]

That sounds reminiscent of the times when the arcade attendant was basically a security guard. I knew a guy who was working for that one back then.

That kind of looks like it. I vaguely remember the one at Springfield Mall Time Out (the one upstairs by JCPenneys and Sports and Hobby Warehouse!) being red.

I still remember Spaceway Raceway downstairs by Monkey Wards having a bumper car track at the back of the store, before it became Time Out 2..... Ah the memories!!!