The Almighty Arcade,is it still relevant today?

[mEGAvI]

The arcade is being threatened with extinction with the availabilty of consoles and games such that onced packed areas are quite empty. :(

Or is everyone home practising to enbarass the local heroes in the presence of their adoring fans? :o

Nothing feels worst than being embaraseed by a nobody in a game you are considered to be lord in. Dont believe me?Ask for Brandon aka RastamanX when ever you are in Java(the coolest spot for online gaming) and he will tell you how it feels. :D

Games to watch out for if you find yourself in an arcade with some free time:

Marvel vs Capcom 1 and 2
MvsC 1 is my game of choice amd i am looking for any sort of competition.Dont take it that i am the best its just that i am really REALly good.hehehe :twisted:
Still learning MvsC 2 though.

StreeT Fighter Anything
Yes i said any street fighter is worth watching when someone skilled is playing. 8)

Soul Caliber 2
What more needs to be said :?:

SNK vs Capcom
Yummmm Capcom. :oops:

Mortal Combat
Yes yes i said Mortal Combat.But after playing Deception i am a believer. :shock :shock:

Ever seen big men cry?It is not a pretty site.Or children boasting they spent their travelling money to finish a game?Or even witness a man after spending all his money trying to beat me in MvsC 1 go to the nearest ABM machine to try again?

Life is good, especially if you choose gaming over politics.

[Paradoxxx]

I remember in the old day, on the walk from school to the town I would stop in an arcade and buy 2 coins (50c a piece) and sweat some games, back then I didn't care much about gaming, juts wanted to hit the knobs a bit :) prob get a lil move or 2 in :) the days of Mario 1 and duck hunt b4 PS1

Nowadays everyone has a console @ home with the latest games, arcades are primarily used as a means where 2 ppl can play publicly. The feel of a joystick really differs with that of a gamepad which deters many ppl from playing on the arcades. 'Iz the joystick' I prefer the gamepad.

Then there is maintainance, java used to have a nice tekken tag machine, but the keys used to stick so often that ppl got tired of it and Java had to send it back.

A good move for the arcade industry is that they should move to consoles OR provide a slot for someone to plug in their Controller, make the place a lil more safe for the young ones. I believe there is one such arcade in Consort Mall in Town run by a dude named Keegan.

Unless arcades adapt their sales will diminish, anyhows, there are many arcade machines that run on consoles,

[Geese]

Well in my opinion the arcade scene has pretty much come to a standstill , its pretty hard to find good games in a arcade today in Trinidad outside of Street Fighter 2. Arcade owners aren't open to investing in newer games. Have you ever seen a Guilty Gear X2 or a Capcom vs SNK 2 or even a King Of Fighters 2003 machine ? Probably not, there are probably 2 good arcades around, the one in Trincity Mall and the one in Gulf City.

The main reason outside of games that I think the scene has died down is lack of maintenance of the cabinets themselves. I remember going to Playmax Arcade in Chaguanas in late 99 to early 2001 almost everyday for hours at a time. As soon as they got lazy with the maintenance of their machines I bailed and from the looks of it so did many other people. People play a dollar to play a game and then they can't enjoy the experience because of non working sticks or non working buttons etc. Not exactly good for business.

As for the controller issue , it's a good idea. Actually Namco announced that the Tekken 5 arcade cabinet will come with a slot that allows PS2 controllers to be jacked in. Consoles have contributed to the decline also , but I think that the more hardcore players would be more comfortable on a stick in a arcade with nameless competition than at home with friends who you know you can wash.

How I envy those damn American and their arcade tournies :x

I can't stop laughing at the Rastaman part lol , although I aint so great in MVC either , I am addicted to MVC2 but again I ain't so great.

Good Games that no one gives a hoot about

Street Fighter 3 3rd Strike - If u can find a cab in Trinidad then give this a shot. I've been ranting about this game for years and people have told me that it's crap. Lo and behold 2004 Capcom releases it on the PS2 and those same people can't stop playing it.

Guilty Gear XX - Great game, if you don't got a console , it's on pc as well

King Of Fighters Series - I seriously have no idea why people dislike this series. Yes the early games are broken as hell but they do have solid team based gameplay and with a possibility of a match going 5 rounds, you can't go wrong.

Still lol @ rastaman

[Paradoxxx]

Well, Maximum is fixing up an arcade downstairs Campus House (building with Java in it) I hope things go well there.

[mEGAvI]

When will people ever learn that i dont make idle boasts? :twisted:

I agree with Geese's point that the condtions of arcades today are quite poor in Trinidad but still i am an adrenaline junky.

The adrenline begins pumping when a person puts in their coin and selects players that require some skill to play.I have often left the arcade with my fingers twitching from the intense button mashing i subject myself to for hours at a time.

Gamers you know the feeling..i know i am not the only one :? Right?

I have to report thought that the arcade in Gulf is no longer that reputable.After spending $3 on 2 coins and playing your game of choice on machines that have had better days you get violent.Not even the frigging AC was working last weekend.

Those in search of bettere quality for your hard 'earned or otherwise' cash should check out Lapique Arcade located on Library Corner SanDo.This is my arcade of choice because of the competition , the price of coins and of course the working AC.

I have included a link i belive ppl should check out espicially fighters
N.B. I am an "Akuma" Scared yet :twisted:
Pay close attention to Ques 21.Thats me.

http://www.fightersgeneration.com/main.htm
(Thanks Rasta for the link)
Geese you have to share some strats cuz Cable giving me a lil trouble.

Much Respect
mEGAvI

[Paradoxxx]

ill be there for this showdown, Max has already moved in its machines and should be operational very soon.

[Geese]

Well I don't play Cable , never liked him because he is weak as a close range character. Ppl that rush will probably get the better of him quickly. Best advice I could probably give is to master his aerial hyper viper beam using the old tiger knee motion ( d, df ,f,uf + pp) if u got meter u can do this till it runs out, it'll combo. Abuse the (hp x 4) xx hyper viper beam.

My character of choice is Magneto. Still looking for the rest of the team though although psylocke seems like his best assist when it comes to setting up high damage combos.

[opium]

maybe the ole arcades have gone but have u seen the new ones recently?

go movie town and places where the arcade still lives

notting beats a driving sim
dance machines
sport sims (i used to ski in movie towne)
ever tried the tank shooting game?

maybe in trinidad we dont get to see much new arcade set ups

in china hong kong and japan and us, the arcade is really the place to go
(played test drive 4 on arcade in china it was sweet)
the places were packed with ppl
it was fun
another nice game to look for is silent scope series
oh yes i finally get to hold a sniper rifle and shot with it


nowadays arcade does not mean a good ole fighting game
it has moved to sims where it cah be most enjoyed

[mEGAvI]

After a weekend of....well...throwing up, i painted on some clothes and headed to my local arcade to get my weekly dosage of adrenaline. In my semi concious state,I noticed that there are "charecters" in my arcade.By characeters i refer to people who stand out from the normal, faceless masses. It was so funny

The Thug
This "player" dresses in the latest gear often sporting something G-Unit. Can be found mostly on a weekend killing time before hitting the Mall makes sense.Curses loudly when things arent going his way.Generally these people are cool to lime with esp. if you want some laughs.One in particular that really cracks me up is a certian individual strings together curses in the most unusual way when he misses his signature move with Hulk.


The WorkingMan
This group has various forms:

1)The "Uniformed WorkingMan", such as the young KFC workers or TruValue fellas.These people also looking for a lil time to kill before their shift start or a small lime after work.Because of their income , they spend quite a few $$$.One such person does not quit challenging me over and over until i rack up a respectable 10wins in MvsC1.That may sound like alot but heck its only $1 a coin and its GOOD CLEAN FUN.

2)"NonUniformed WorkingMan" you know they have to be working somewhere considering the amount of money the spend.These are harder to find(cuz the work fulltime) but the are often found in large groups on a Friday.As these people are older they tend to play the Classics such as Street Fighter.

3)"Mature WorkingMan".A member of this group looks like he ran away from the STRESS of the wife and children for a lil peace and quiet.


School Children
I once fell in this group many many years ago......
School children come in arcades for many different reasons, to play game to watch people play game, to watch people watch people play game, to break class, to break school,even meet yuh girl, to burn time, to beat a man and the list goes on..
I once played a youth who played so much like me it was frightning.It was so freaking scary.When i asked him how he learn those moves he said from me.Apparently he used to watch me play game that he became ME....scary.I watch him play now and i pick up a few tricks.
School children represent the future gamers.


The PoliceMan
Where ever there are children in uniform, there would always be a Policeman ready to run them from the arcade.I instantly dropped everything, picked up my bag and get out as soon as someone cry "Police!!!".A coin is only $1.That cheap compared to the price i would have to pay if a policeman just wasnt having his day.

Possible outcomes?
THE TALK-why u here in uniform, what is yuh name and school, your mother know u here?
THE POLICE STATION-imaging the embrassment of your mom or worst your DAD picking you up in a police station.
BACK TO SCHOOL-Now the whole school know you because you is the fella police bring to school.
A LIL ROUGHUP-school children or anybody in general, dont be disrespectful to a policeman.Enough said.


The Addicts
Thats me YAY!!! Well we make up the regular faces in the arcade the people who make alot of old noise and even get coins on credit(i wish).
We live for the fight. There is no fun in beating a person badly and no one sees.You can tell if an ADDICT is on a machine by the large crowd that gathers.We are feared but there are always those feared more than others.
THE GOSU(in an Arcade sense)
- i say "the" because i know only one person like him. Ever seen alot of skilled players beaten by a person playing with only one hand or barely able to stand up because he was tite* ? It was from this GOsu i was taught humility.Something gamers should note....Never boast too loud in public you dont know who may be listening. I found humility but apparently my "dread locked" friend has not. But dont worry i am a patient teacher. :twisted:



Geese thanks for the info. Magneto? Never watched him much i think i will gim he a try. Much Respect.

I agree with some of the point Opium made. I went to movie towne with some pals and although they lacked Marvel, i was easily distracted by the games with guns....guns :twisted: .We killed most of our time killing things and Chanting "GGGG GUnit" to the annoyance of everyone else. Never play a dancing game though dont tink i ready to to that in public.
I do enjoy other genres of games but there is just something about a fighting game.


Much Respect
mEGAvI