Beyond PacMan and Galaga - Arcades

In this day and age many of us have fond childhood memories of going to the arcade and spending tons of quarters playing videogames.  Arcades are still around but video arcades in particular have been losing favor as more and more customers prefer playing videogames at home on increasingly sophisticated home consoles and computers.  However, the history of arcades does not begin with videogames and probably will not end with them either.  Arcades have a history that goes much further back than even the first, most rudimentary videogames. 

Penny Arcades

Penny arcades are basically any place where there is coin-operated machinery that allows you to play games.  The name comes from the fact that games cost a penny in the early days of the phenomenon.  Technically modern video arcades can be considered penny arcades and some video arcades combine videogames with more traditional coin-operated fair from the early days of the penny arcade.  In the 19^th century games called bagatelles were becoming increasingly popular, and by the 1930s they had evolved into the modern game of pinball, a staple of the penny arcade.  In addition to games like pinball, penny arcades grew to encompass “peep shows” that allowed the viewer to see pictures (no, not that kind of peep show); fortune-telling machines; various games of chance; and eventually games that continue to be popular today, such as skee ball.  Basically, if you’ve ever put a quarter into a machine to test your skill or luck, you’ve played a machine that can be found at a penny arcade. 

Video Arcades

Video arcades began to appear in the 1970s with the introduction of the first videogame cabinets.  These were basically computers devoted to playing a single videogame housed in a protective casing which included controls and a monitor screen.  Although they were not the first, games such as Space Invaders, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong led to video arcades becoming hugely popular.  They remained popular for a long time because they were initially capable of a more immersive videogame experience when compared to home consoles.  In a driving game like Pole Position, for instance, you could use a steering wheel to operate the game instead of a joystick or directional pad.  For a long time individual videogame cabinets were also able to produce graphics superior to personal computers or home videogame consoles.  Nevertheless, video arcades gradually became less popular as home consoles and computers became more sophisticated and capable of competitive online play.  While video arcades still exist, they now tend to be a part of a greater penny arcade offering other coin-operated games and even simple coin-operated rides for children.  The appeal of these other offerings will most likely assure the future of penny arcades even if video arcades disappear completely.