One perk of living in Japan, several arcades in every damn town! I'm once again hooked on Initial D, can't come off of the Arc fighters and say goodbye to all perception of time when you get me anywhere near a cluster of shooters, Cave especially.
KidShoryuken I've spent close to $500 playing Initial D 2nd stage over the course of my 3 year stay in Japan. I'm still pissed that the machine would eat my cards every now and then. Thankfully the closest local arcade to me(about 30 minutes away) has 4th stage
+SaturnTubes this is embarrassing. initial d and derby owners club; world edition took thousands of my dollars and hours back when I could find them in the states... another reason I want to move to japan
SaturnTubes I'm playing a lot of Initial D Infinity Arcade Stage at the moment, playing a lot of the most recent Mario Kart Arcade as well. I've yet to lose a card so I consider myself quite lucky.
***** I'm actually currently a student. If you've got GI Bill benefits you should look into the US college campuses in Tokyo, they're good schools and they'll accept your benefits 100%.
Star Wars Trilogy Arcade is my personal favorite. Unlocking the bonus stages to face off against Boba Fett and Darth Vader is hands down one of my most badass moments in gaming. And on a side note, you should do more arcade videos Razor, this is a badass video!
PKDeviluke25 My god, he's right! I'd forgotten all about Time Crisis 2 but I used to play the shit outta that machine! It's one of the few games I've actually beaten in the arcade.
Some great games here, I miss the arcades around my location, was some good times. Metal Slug 4, Gauntlet Legends, Silent Scope, House of the Dead, Sinistar, Galaga, Daytona USA, CarnEvil, I could go on and on about some badass arcade games.
+HeavyMetalGamerShow Dude, carnevil was my dream day as a kid I could sit at that game for hours. And how it was left to fucking die like so many good games, fuck that shit man carnevil is was one of the reasons I loved carnivals the actually creepy ones. So many kids got scared by clowns I loved them then again I used sleep in a room with noting but them in it, clowns are fucking awesome. And are really underused as a enemy in games. Man, now am sad cause will never see a game like carnevil that game went so hard with the evil carnivals. sigh.
Speaking of Mechs, did you hear about the planned mech duel between US-based Megabots, Inc. and Japans Suiobashi Industries? The future has let me down in so many ways, but this might make it all worth it.
That FBI thing, when you boot up the arcade was so powerfull that even outside the US it was possible to read. I've seen it in arcades in Brazil, Argentina and some in UK. "Winners don't use drugs" Nice touch, nice touch.
Two things, one FUCK yeah! Book It pizzas! Two, the best arcade memory I have was seeing a giant Samoan marine lose his shit while playing Mortal Kombat, claim the machine was cheating, knock over the cabinet and stomp on the screen till it cracked. He was hauled out by police the whole time saying, Yeah I'd do it again!
Nothing beats the 6 player arcade X-Men cabinet. That shit was ridiculously fun. I pumped more quarters into that game in the 90's than I have on prostitutes in the last 10 years.
I remember chuck e cheese near me had one of these and there was an odd bug that gave Nightcrawler infinite lives. Man was I lucky as a kid, otherwise that game would have cost me a fortune.
Catching up on some of your older videos has left me with a deep deep desire to go play The all too awesome X-Men arcade game. wonderful blast from the past you continue to be an amazing channel that never ceases to provide me with information entertainment and joy in this league confused and rather horrifying world. Excellence personified keep up the good work.
I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for House of the Dead... Long before zombies became stale, SEGA rocked my socks off with mind-blowing visuals and ever-so-satisfying battle damage Credit must also be given to Mortal Kombat and how Ed Boon used the rumor-spreading environment of the arcade community to nurture what would've been a forgettable fighting game into a full-fledged franchise
Michael Scally I remember being at a shitty holiday with relatives me and my mum hated. We went into the arcade and played House of the Dead for hours. I will never forget that experience, as not only was it the first zombie game I ever played as a kid, but also because it was one of the handful of times my mum ever played a video game. And it fucking rocked to play co op like that, it felt scary to my childlike mind, but mowing things down was so damn satisfying x)
Michael Scally Have you ever been in the massive House of the Dead 4 machines that involved you going inside a small room, sitting down, and having your chair spin around on a rail to play on multiple screens? It kicks ass....but the lines were always a bitch to wait in.
Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom and Shadow over Mystara. Four player RPG/Brawlers that did the Dragon's Crown thing way back in 1993 before it was ever a gleam in someone's eye. Played the first one at an amusement park back in the late nineties, been a devotee of the D&D ever since. For fuck's sake, the troll boss regenerated and kept on fighting unless you set it on fire. How fucking awesome is that?
I was scrolling through to see if someone mentioned this game. My college union had one in a forgotten rec room in the basement. That's where my money for books went. And being asked 5 times if you really want to fight the dragon. Awesome. Also, your boots of speed have damaged.
Younger games have told me that online play is this generations arcade experience. It may be their equivalent, but it is not the same. The arcade was the ultimate test of skills where no one had home field advantage, or a better internet connection, or hacks. When you won over gamers just looking on by slapping a quarter down and battling the champ of whatever game you were playing, if you had the skills. And if you wanted to talk shit, the other player was less than one foot away, no anonymity. Ah the old days....
My parents could stop me from getting a console, but they couldn't stop me from making a mad dash the moment we entered the mall. I spent plenty of my childhood in the noisiest and often times darkest room in any mall worth a shit. It was liberating, rebellious, and oh so much fun. To pick my top 5 is asking the impossible, but I'll go through some gloriously over-sized cabinets that made me the gamer I am today. I still remember my first arcade I ever played: Krull. Starting with the obvious: Fighting: SF II. I remember going to my usual stomping ground and immediately noticing a shit-ton of people crowded around a new game. I couldn't even see what it was until the crowd thinned a bit. It was a game that I would practice over and over to not only beat the game, but beat other players. Honorable mentions goes to the other juggernaut, Mortal Combat (1992) with Street Fighter Alpha (1995) Killer Instinct (1994), Time Killers (oh the irony)(1992), and Primal Rage (1994). HEY! I have to mention Karate Champ (1984). Rail Shooter: Operation Wolf (1987): From the Rambo-esque intro to the difficulty FUCK YOU STAGE 2, the uzi just felt so right in your hands when you dropped your coin. Honorable mentions: Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991), Aerosmith Revolution X (1994), Virtua Cop (1994), and BEAST BUSTERS (1989) Area 51 (1995). (not on rails but Crossbow (1983) was one of my first arcade experiences). Multiplayer: Hard to find better co-op than X-Men. 6 players all mashing buttons taking on bosses, plowing through levels, committed, and dedicated. Once you joined, you knew it was for a while. I remember starting up a game (nightcrawler or gtfo except when his special sometimes didn't hit the boss) and eventually the game would fill with 6 players - it almost never failed. Honorable mentions: TMNT (1989), Simpsons (1991), and Captain America and the Avengers (1991)(I...CAN'T...MOVE...). Roleplaying: Cadash (1989) It was usually never played, but I loved it. 4 classes of fun with traps, mysteries, and exploration -- at a fucking arcade...Honorable mentions: Dungeons and Dragons: Tower of Doom (1993), Golden Axe (1989), Magic Sword - Heroic Fantasy (1990), and old-muthafucking-school Gauntlet (1985). High Flying and High Speed: Raiden (1990): Just something about the different weapons and showing off some skill as you survive more shit flying at you than visiting moody monkeys at the zoo. Honorable mentions: Afterburner (1987), Silkworm (1988), Galaga (1981), Zaxxon (Isometric!? 1982), Xevious (1983), and Defender (1981). All around funzies: Double Dragon (1987), Altered Beast (1988), Bad Dudes (1988), Ghouls and Ghosts (1988), Joe and Mac (1991), Bubble Bobble (1986), Toobin' (1988), Michael Jackson's Moonwalker (1989), Smash TV (1990, Victory Rode: Ikari Warriors II (1986), Metal Slug (1996), Zombie's Revenge (1999). I'll put this one here: X-Men vs. SF (1996). This game was incredibly addicting and for all it's flaws (I'm looking at you Wolverine) it was the first and best in the series. A lot going on the screen, but not so much that you forget to blink you eyes for the oh-so-important moisture. IMO this game marked the downfall in the fighting genre. Yes, 3rd strike (1999) was an important addition that kept players coming back, but in terms of sheer adrenaline pumping, innovative as well as frantic gameplay - the crowds X-Men vs. SF brought to my local arcade(s) was never replicated again.
My favorite arcade game ever... Raiden Fighters Jet. My first encounter with a dying cabinet at a local laundromat was my introduction to the vertical bullet hell shmup, and it remains one of my favorite games of all time. I still fire it up in MAME on a regular basis; it looks like what would happen if the original Raiden and 1943 had a love child, and plays like it was left to be raised by DoDonPachi. CANNOT recommend this game enough.
How I miss the Neo-Geo machines. I could have paid for college with the amount of quarters thrown at Metal Slug, Windjammers, Bubble Bobble and even some at Samurai Showdown. Just about every hit of a genre right there in one package.
Knights of the Round and R-Type. I'm a 35 year old man who still spends the lions share of my disposable income on video games largely due to those two games. Seeing a new game in the arcade that would knock your balls off then realizing it was available/coming soon for your home system, followed by the painful wait for the next xmas/birthday.......good times.
I used to play Space Lords at an arcade inside of a sports bar in downtown St. Louis. But they went out of business over a decade ago. Haven't seen that game since.
Yes, Razorfist long live the arcade! One of my favorite types of video games of all time. It doesn't matter how many arcade games get console re-releases, how many arcade sticks for PC are released or how good the emulation gets for MAME....nothing will EVER top the look, feel, and atmosphere of an arcade. _Razzle Joestar_
I grew up in the arcades, and miss them so much. From dumping endless quarters in shooters to the challenge of two player fighters. Amazing way to meet people and have fun.
A really awesome arcade game from later on in the industry is Target Terror. A 2003 light-gun shooter about fighting the devs in tracksuits and dominatrix corsets in ps1 graphics environments.
The Point Blank series have got to be the best light gun fames in existance, bar none. Fond memories of playing 2 player with my cousin, sister, and random kids who wanted to play with me.
I remember when I was like 10 years old I was on vacation with my family in Lake George NY and there was this BAD ASS arcade on the strip. X-Men and the Simpsons were always my favorite arcade games to play there. Donkey Kong, Pac Man, Galaga, Street Fighter. Good times.
As a small town child of the 80's here are the 5 games that had the largest impact on me Wonderboy in Monsterland - I think it might have been my first quarter The Simpsons - Specifically requested the Red Robins that had this machine every trip into the city Samurai Showdown II - put enough quarters into it to have bought the machine Revolution X - played once at a theatre never to seen it again Virtua Fighter - first 3D game I ever played it blew my mind Honourable mention 1988's Superman: The Video Game
The 80s were indeed the best times. Good Lord being a child in the mid 80s gave us access to the best toys and cartoons ever produced. Not only did we have the Holy Trinity of Transformers, GI Joe, and He-Man, we also had their orbiters such as Thundercats, Mask, and Silverhawks, but even the third tier toy lines were awesome. Sectaurs, Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors (six year old me had a crush on the plant girl from the cartoon, don't judge me), Sky Commanders, Battle Beasts...the list could go on forever. I recall as an "edgy" 90s teenager living on a steady diet of Nirvana, Pantera, Soundgarden, Slayer and plenty more, looking back on the 80s with disgust due to it's optimism, patriotism, and big budget Hollywood blockbusters replete with happy endings. I still love the 90s but boy was I wrong about the 80s. If I had to pick the vibe of one decade to always live in it would be 80s. I've come to appreciate that optimism always trumps cynicism.
Never saw Space Lords in all my years of 80's arcade gaming. But the cabinet that swallowed more of my lawn mowing and odd job quarters than any other was Dragon's Lair! Once I could beat it, I would draw whole crowds to watch me play it. Awesome!
Sinistar, Pac-Man, Berzerk, Centepede, Dig-Dug, Frogger, Donkey Kong and Zaxxon, Tempest and GAUNTLET WITH THREE BUDS! Elf Needs Food Badly! Atari was the shizzle back in the day, I forgot to mention Asteroids, Gravitar, Tempest, Missile Command, and Star Wars! What the hell happened?!?
Just discovered this - if you ever find yourself in Salt Lake, pay us a visit! We no longer have our X-Men 6-player cab :( but we do have Donkey Kong and a Neo Geo MVS (plus we're getting a new remaster release of Samurai Shodown V Perfect when it ships this month) and many other great games! I'd looove to find a Space Lords but as you eloquently put it, it's super pricey (if you can even find one). Great video!
Metal Slug 3 two-player was a classic back in my very youths. Its ancient alien and dieselpunk aesthetics are still some of the sexiest eye candy I've seen from a video game.
I was all about rail shooters when I went to the arcades: Time Crisis 3, and 4, House of the Dead 2, 3, and 4 (never could find the first), Ghost Squad, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and Star Wars. There were others like Donkey Kong also (I was born in the nineties, so a lot of those classics had faded away from the arcades I went to), and I got to play X-men and Simpsons too. Yet there's one game I faintly remember that I can't figure out. It was another rail shooter. It had an Egyptian theme, and the main features of the game was how you got to choose your shot type (trade off power for more shots or vice versa), and also a defense against a certain kind of attack (I think melee, projectile, or air). The rooms you would go through would all be randomly generated too, so going along with what was said in the video, you can't memorize the game (aside from the bosses and the bonus games). No matter what I search I can't seem to find it. But that game stole so many tokens from me because of how good you had to get with reacting to enemies.
Gauntlet, Xenophobe, Rastan, Black Tiger, Spy Hunter, Dig Dug, Joust, Two Tigers, Temple of Doom, were a few of my favorites back in the days of me youth -
I remember the 3rd or 4th time playing X-Men at the old Milford Rec in Milford CT, and reaching Wendigo and being totally freaked out by him. Scary as hell when he would yell his name, and then attack you
When I was younger my family constantly went to our local drive-in. I went straight to the arcade. While everyone else watched the film I was busy playing the fu$& outta a X-men cabinet lol.
My favorite was,Cadillacs and Dinosaurs,an amazing scrolling fighter.Metal Slug,Raiden,Cruis'n USA,Virtual Cop,Hydro Thunder,Robocop...oooh the memories.
Sick list! I miss arcades so much. There was nothing like hearing the sounds of dozens of machines being played or in attract mode, howling across malls, pizza shops or laundromats. Killer Instinct was my all time favorite. When it's time to do the deed, fuck the smooth, sexy music. KI arcade intro on repeat and i'm on a non stop flight to pound town!
I remember how much fun it was to conquer the C list cast of Marvel villains on my way to a showdown with Red Skull in Data East's Captain America and the Avengers. Ah, I miss the arcades.
mother fucking POLICE 911 2. Ever play a game that has you physically dodging bullets coming at you from the screen? That shit is an adrenaline fueled thigh work out. It's like the movie Death Wish fucked a Tae Bo class. Puts you right in the action. Gyms should have these installed in the cardio section.
For me, the best arcade game I have played is a 1998 Namco arcade game called Gunmen Wars. Only less than 300 machines were made of this game and the majority were only in Japan. But my arcade in San Diego (now closed sadly) had it! It is a simple death-match third person shooter where it is red vs. blue and you control these mechs in these small city levels. Controlling your mech was the coolest. The gun you used was mounted on a special stand. To turn your character, you simply turned the gun. But to move, you pushed/pulled in the direction you wanted to go. So say if you wanted to strafe to left, you would pull the gun to the left. And it is not like the gun titled, it actually slid. Check out footage on CZcams to see what I am talking about.
one of the best memories I had with my father growing up was going to Peter piper pizza and playing the Terminator arcade shooter. Cruisin the world and Daytona USA were what got me into racing games. When I got older it was fun being the only guy at Game Works who could skill mother fuckers at Virtua fighter.
I found your channel through AOS. Gotta I like your taste in arcade games and a great approach to video editing. If it was a beat em up, fighting or shooter/platformer game I was playing it. I've got too many favorites to name. Splatterhouse, Final Fight, TMNT, KI, MK, SFII, House of the Dead, Silent Scope, CarnEvil, Shinobi to name a few.. Great list man \,,/
Man, I miss arcades so much. I mean, they're still around, but not as big as they used to be, nor as populated. I miss the thrill of laying down a quarter on the Tekken cabinet and waiting in anticipation for my turn as I watch dudes pummel each other. Few things were better than that rush when you start playing and beat two or three guys who challenge you in a row. True story: I'm playing Capcom vs SNK this one time, by myself. Now modern fighters have had their A.I.s tweaked so that they emulate human tactics more often, to the point where even the computer will spam attacks cheaply. So I'm fighting Sakura, she's using the SNK gauge; I get her in the red which means she has infinite level 1 supers, so then the computer starts spamming shinku-hadokens. She just starts screaming SHINKU HADOKEN SHINKU HADOKEN SHINKU HADOKEN SHINKU HADOKEN four fucking times! And as she's doing it, I'm feeling real self-conscious. Sure enough, a guy at another cabinet turns and gives me this disgusted look and I just wanted to say," It's not me, I swear!"
How coincidental that you should post this just days before my birthday, which was spent at Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield, IL. It's one of the largest arcades in the world with over 470 games to try, all on freeplay. It's glorious. They even have a Space Lords cabinet which I tried (with my wife) at your insistence. I personally wouldn't put it #1 on my list, but I can easily see why anyone else would.
One of my personal favorites is the Pod racer arcade from Star Wars. I know It's a bit later then the 90's but GODDAMN if that wasn't a blast. Nice details of the machine itself, those handles, racing some friends in the closest thing to an actual pod racer !!! Good times, good times :)
For me the Arcade was all about 3 games each and every time i went there. Time Crisis 2, Darkstalkers 3, and Alien Vs Predator Arcade. So.Many.Good.Memories and an uncountable number of spent quarters
Once upon a time, over a decade after its debut, I beat X-Men with a group of friends...with assistance from a friend who worked in the bowling alley arcade that set the machine to work without paying. Hardest arcade I spent countless hours and quarters on (aside from The Simpsons). My only criticism was the anti-climactic ending. Not much payoff for the time invested but it was still quite the damned accomplishment. Castles & Coasters if a helluva place. Love it. Need to return for a round of mini-golf and pinball.
I'm older than you (a lot older), but... 1) Asteroids 2) Robotron 3) Star Wars 4) Tron 5) Tank Battle No colorful explanations. I just dumped a whole lot of quarters into those games (and a bunch of others; Karate Champ, Xevious, 1942, Zaxxon, Moon Patrol, R-Type, Defender, Phoenix, Missile Command, Centipede... to name a few). Robotron is the reason I bought an X-Arcade dual joystick controller for my MAME box. Hell, it's probably why I have a MAME box in the first place. Doesn't beat playing in the arcade, though. I too miss the atmosphere of arcades. Even in my Navy days ('83-'89), most bases I was stationed at or visited had huge arcades. Long live the arcade!
I wish I got to play more arcade games, there's so many good ones. At least I got to plat Dungeons & Dragons on the original cabinet. That's a memory I hold dear.
I've never seen Razorfist THIS happy in a video. You can tell he was having WAAAAY too much fun with this lol
+Bluemagus I've never seen Razorfist happy.
House of the Dead and Time Crisis will always remain as my favorite arcade games.
One perk of living in Japan, several arcades in every damn town! I'm once again hooked on Initial D, can't come off of the Arc fighters and say goodbye to all perception of time when you get me anywhere near a cluster of shooters, Cave especially.
KidShoryuken I've spent close to $500 playing Initial D 2nd stage over the course of my 3 year stay in Japan. I'm still pissed that the machine would eat my cards every now and then.
Thankfully the closest local arcade to me(about 30 minutes away) has 4th stage
+SaturnTubes this is embarrassing. initial d and derby owners club; world edition took thousands of my dollars and hours back when I could find them in the states... another reason I want to move to japan
Yeah, they're both great games. Another good one is the Crazy Taxi machine with an actual Cab built into it
SaturnTubes I'm playing a lot of Initial D Infinity Arcade Stage at the moment, playing a lot of the most recent Mario Kart Arcade as well. I've yet to lose a card so I consider myself quite lucky.
***** I'm actually currently a student. If you've got GI Bill benefits you should look into the US college campuses in Tokyo, they're good schools and they'll accept your benefits 100%.
Star Wars Trilogy Arcade is my personal favorite. Unlocking the bonus stages to face off against Boba Fett and Darth Vader is hands down one of my most badass moments in gaming.
And on a side note, you should do more arcade videos Razor, this is a badass video!
God I miss that arcade game.
It's refreshing seeing you in an environment where you always look happy.
MOTHERFUCKING TIME CRISIS 2!
PKDeviluke25 I prefer the grittier and more visceral Time Crisis, but 2 is definitely good as well.
PKDeviluke25 My god, he's right! I'd forgotten all about Time Crisis 2 but I used to play the shit outta that machine! It's one of the few games I've actually beaten in the arcade.
King of Fighters 97 and Hydro Thunder for me. I sank so much money into those...
Raging Golden Eagle You had Hydro Thunder, I had Crusin' USA.
KoF98 and Galaga are my favorites. We had a malfunctioning Galaga cab in Wal-Mart that let you play for free.
H2Overdrive is fuckin amazing
Some great games here, I miss the arcades around my location, was some good times. Metal Slug 4, Gauntlet Legends, Silent Scope, House of the Dead, Sinistar, Galaga, Daytona USA, CarnEvil, I could go on and on about some badass arcade games.
***** Carnevil was amazing. Too bad I can't find it anywhere nearby.
It was at a local arcade about 4 years ago around here, but that arcade is no more. Which makes me sad.
+HeavyMetalGamerShow Dude, carnevil was my dream day as a kid I could sit at that game for hours. And how it was left to fucking die like so many good games, fuck that shit man carnevil is was one of the reasons I loved carnivals the actually creepy ones. So many kids got scared by clowns I loved them then again I used sleep in a room with noting but them in it, clowns are fucking awesome. And are really underused as a enemy in games.
Man, now am sad cause will never see a game like carnevil that game went so hard with the evil carnivals. sigh.
HOLY FUCK!!! Every time that "JOHN CENA!" always make me jump.
FUCK YOU! THE OWL but at the sametime it's funny on that John Cena prank call video and Twitch raids.
JCaesar THIS SUNDAY NIGHT!!!!
I must confess I've never seen Star Lords in the arcades.
***** I only spotted it once at a pizzeria. And it was only there for like a year.
...but my life was never the same. It was my Road to Damascus.
Speaking of Mechs, did you hear about the planned mech duel between US-based Megabots, Inc. and Japans Suiobashi Industries? The future has let me down in so many ways, but this might make it all worth it.
John Yacoub Quick! Someone cue the goddamn Flying Cars, already!
That FBI thing, when you boot up the arcade was so powerfull that even outside the US it was possible to read. I've seen it in arcades in Brazil, Argentina and some in UK. "Winners don't use drugs" Nice touch, nice touch.
T!
M!
N!
T!
Ooh! Shell shock!
Two things, one FUCK yeah! Book It pizzas! Two, the best arcade memory I have was seeing a giant Samoan marine lose his shit while playing Mortal Kombat, claim the machine was cheating, knock over the cabinet and stomp on the screen till it cracked. He was hauled out by police the whole time saying, Yeah I'd do it again!
Nothing beats the 6 player arcade X-Men cabinet.
That shit was ridiculously fun.
I pumped more quarters into that game in the 90's than I have on prostitutes in the last 10 years.
I remember chuck e cheese near me had one of these and there was an odd bug that gave Nightcrawler infinite lives.
Man was I lucky as a kid, otherwise that game would have cost me a fortune.
I miss playing The Lost World arcade game.
Funny how I recognize that arcade @1:52 lol
Aw, snap! The one by Sega that ran on House of the Dead engine?!
Son of Tiamat (formerly known as tiakpark) Yup
remotefreak147 That game was awesome. Me and my cousin played that one day. We put a truckload a' tokens into it.
remotefreak147 had the chance to play it a month ago in a Main Event. It was as amazing as I remembered.
Catching up on some of your older videos has left me with a deep deep desire to go play The all too awesome X-Men arcade game. wonderful blast from the past you continue to be an amazing channel that never ceases to provide me with information entertainment and joy in this league confused and rather horrifying world. Excellence personified keep up the good work.
I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for House of the Dead... Long before zombies became stale, SEGA rocked my socks off with mind-blowing visuals and ever-so-satisfying battle damage
Credit must also be given to Mortal Kombat and how Ed Boon used the rumor-spreading environment of the arcade community to nurture what would've been a forgettable fighting game into a full-fledged franchise
Michael Scally I remember being at a shitty holiday with relatives me and my mum hated. We went into the arcade and played House of the Dead for hours. I will never forget that experience, as not only was it the first zombie game I ever played as a kid, but also because it was one of the handful of times my mum ever played a video game. And it fucking rocked to play co op like that, it felt scary to my childlike mind, but mowing things down was so damn satisfying x)
Michael Scally Have you ever been in the massive House of the Dead 4 machines that involved you going inside a small room, sitting down, and having your chair spin around on a rail to play on multiple screens? It kicks ass....but the lines were always a bitch to wait in.
I'm positive it was intentionally bad. The b movie film aesthetic all but roves that
+Michael Scally "This is as far as you go!"
Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom and Shadow over Mystara. Four player RPG/Brawlers that did the Dragon's Crown thing way back in 1993 before it was ever a gleam in someone's eye. Played the first one at an amusement park back in the late nineties, been a devotee of the D&D ever since.
For fuck's sake, the troll boss regenerated and kept on fighting unless you set it on fire. How fucking awesome is that?
I was scrolling through to see if someone mentioned this game. My college union had one in a forgotten rec room in the basement. That's where my money for books went.
And being asked 5 times if you really want to fight the dragon. Awesome. Also, your boots of speed have damaged.
Younger games have told me that online play is this generations arcade experience. It may be their equivalent, but it is not the same. The arcade was the ultimate test of skills where no one had home field advantage, or a better internet connection, or hacks. When you won over gamers just looking on by slapping a quarter down and battling the champ of whatever game you were playing, if you had the skills. And if you wanted to talk shit, the other player was less than one foot away, no anonymity. Ah the old days....
My parents could stop me from getting a console, but they couldn't stop me from making a mad dash the moment we entered the mall. I spent plenty of my childhood in the noisiest and often times darkest room in any mall worth a shit. It was liberating, rebellious, and oh so much fun. To pick my top 5 is asking the impossible, but I'll go through some gloriously over-sized cabinets that made me the gamer I am today. I still remember my first arcade I ever played: Krull.
Starting with the obvious: Fighting: SF II. I remember going to my usual stomping ground and immediately noticing a shit-ton of people crowded around a new game. I couldn't even see what it was until the crowd thinned a bit. It was a game that I would practice over and over to not only beat the game, but beat other players. Honorable mentions goes to the other juggernaut, Mortal Combat (1992) with Street Fighter Alpha (1995) Killer Instinct (1994), Time Killers (oh the irony)(1992), and Primal Rage (1994). HEY! I have to mention Karate Champ (1984).
Rail Shooter: Operation Wolf (1987): From the Rambo-esque intro to the difficulty FUCK YOU STAGE 2, the uzi just felt so right in your hands when you dropped your coin. Honorable mentions: Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991), Aerosmith Revolution X (1994), Virtua Cop (1994), and BEAST BUSTERS (1989) Area 51 (1995). (not on rails but Crossbow (1983) was one of my first arcade experiences).
Multiplayer: Hard to find better co-op than X-Men. 6 players all mashing buttons taking on bosses, plowing through levels, committed, and dedicated. Once you joined, you knew it was for a while. I remember starting up a game (nightcrawler or gtfo except when his special sometimes didn't hit the boss) and eventually the game would fill with 6 players - it almost never failed. Honorable mentions: TMNT (1989), Simpsons (1991), and Captain America and the Avengers (1991)(I...CAN'T...MOVE...).
Roleplaying: Cadash (1989) It was usually never played, but I loved it. 4 classes of fun with traps, mysteries, and exploration -- at a fucking arcade...Honorable mentions: Dungeons and Dragons: Tower of Doom (1993), Golden Axe (1989), Magic Sword - Heroic Fantasy (1990), and old-muthafucking-school Gauntlet (1985).
High Flying and High Speed: Raiden (1990): Just something about the different weapons and showing off some skill as you survive more shit flying at you than visiting moody monkeys at the zoo. Honorable mentions: Afterburner (1987), Silkworm (1988), Galaga (1981), Zaxxon (Isometric!? 1982), Xevious (1983), and Defender (1981).
All around funzies: Double Dragon (1987), Altered Beast (1988), Bad Dudes (1988), Ghouls and Ghosts (1988), Joe and Mac (1991), Bubble Bobble (1986), Toobin' (1988), Michael Jackson's Moonwalker (1989), Smash TV (1990, Victory Rode: Ikari Warriors II (1986), Metal Slug (1996), Zombie's Revenge (1999).
I'll put this one here: X-Men vs. SF (1996). This game was incredibly addicting and for all it's flaws (I'm looking at you Wolverine) it was the first and best in the series. A lot going on the screen, but not so much that you forget to blink you eyes for the oh-so-important moisture. IMO this game marked the downfall in the fighting genre. Yes, 3rd strike (1999) was an important addition that kept players coming back, but in terms of sheer adrenaline pumping, innovative as well as frantic gameplay - the crowds X-Men vs. SF brought to my local arcade(s) was never replicated again.
Samurai showdown 2 is pure love, the best of SNK along with KoF 98 and Metal Slug.
What is this arcade called and where is it at? I can barely hear razorfist in the beggining of the video over my childhood.
Castles n Coasters. It's a theme park here in Phoenix with a bitchin' two-story arcade.
Definitely recommend it if you ever pass through.
My favorite arcade game ever... Raiden Fighters Jet. My first encounter with a dying cabinet at a local laundromat was my introduction to the vertical bullet hell shmup, and it remains one of my favorite games of all time. I still fire it up in MAME on a regular basis; it looks like what would happen if the original Raiden and 1943 had a love child, and plays like it was left to be raised by DoDonPachi. CANNOT recommend this game enough.
Samurai Shodown was my first real righting game. No fighter in the traditional sense ever game close to being as technical as SS2!
How I miss the Neo-Geo machines. I could have paid for college with the amount of quarters thrown at Metal Slug, Windjammers, Bubble Bobble and even some at Samurai Showdown. Just about every hit of a genre right there in one package.
Knights of the Round and R-Type. I'm a 35 year old man who still spends the lions share of my disposable income on video games largely due to those two games. Seeing a new game in the arcade that would knock your balls off then realizing it was available/coming soon for your home system, followed by the painful wait for the next xmas/birthday.......good times.
I used to play Space Lords at an arcade inside of a sports bar in downtown St. Louis. But they went out of business over a decade ago. Haven't seen that game since.
Yes, Razorfist long live the arcade! One of my favorite types of video games of all time. It doesn't matter how many arcade games get console re-releases, how many arcade sticks for PC are released or how good the emulation gets for MAME....nothing will EVER top the look, feel, and atmosphere of an arcade.
_Razzle Joestar_
Dear fist... ur videos are always awesome but this one is one of ur absolute best. keep it up sir.
The nightcrawler grab move where he slams you on the ground and jumps on the dudes nuts over and over..perfect.
I grew up in the arcades, and miss them so much. From dumping endless quarters in shooters to the challenge of two player fighters.
Amazing way to meet people and have fun.
A really awesome arcade game from later on in the industry is Target Terror. A 2003 light-gun shooter about fighting the devs in tracksuits and dominatrix corsets in ps1 graphics environments.
The Point Blank series have got to be the best light gun fames in existance, bar none. Fond memories of playing 2 player with my cousin, sister, and random kids who wanted to play with me.
I remember when I was like 10 years old I was on vacation with my family in Lake George NY and there was this BAD ASS arcade on the strip. X-Men and the Simpsons were always my favorite arcade games to play there. Donkey Kong, Pac Man, Galaga, Street Fighter. Good times.
As a small town child of the 80's here are the 5 games that had the largest impact on me
Wonderboy in Monsterland - I think it might have been my first quarter
The Simpsons - Specifically requested the Red Robins that had this machine every trip into the city
Samurai Showdown II - put enough quarters into it to have bought the machine
Revolution X - played once at a theatre never to seen it again
Virtua Fighter - first 3D game I ever played it blew my mind
Honourable mention
1988's Superman: The Video Game
The 80s were indeed the best times. Good Lord being a child in the mid 80s gave us access to the best toys and cartoons ever produced. Not only did we have the Holy Trinity of Transformers, GI Joe, and He-Man, we also had their orbiters such as Thundercats, Mask, and Silverhawks, but even the third tier toy lines were awesome. Sectaurs, Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors (six year old me had a crush on the plant girl from the cartoon, don't judge me), Sky Commanders, Battle Beasts...the list could go on forever.
I recall as an "edgy" 90s teenager living on a steady diet of Nirvana, Pantera, Soundgarden, Slayer and plenty more, looking back on the 80s with disgust due to it's optimism, patriotism, and big budget Hollywood blockbusters replete with happy endings. I still love the 90s but boy was I wrong about the 80s. If I had to pick the vibe of one decade to always live in it would be 80s. I've come to appreciate that optimism always trumps cynicism.
1. Walk into an arcade center.
2. See Terminator Salvation
3. Jizz your pants.
Good days folks, good days.
Fuck yeah
Started going to arcades back in the late 80's. Great memories.
I really didn't see that coming Razorfist. Good job
I really do miss playing these old games, they have a little something that we don't have nowadays called fun.
Never saw Space Lords in all my years of 80's arcade gaming. But the cabinet that swallowed more of my lawn mowing and odd job quarters than any other was Dragon's Lair! Once I could beat it, I would draw whole crowds to watch me play it. Awesome!
Used to waste my entire allowance on Metal Slug and Street Fighter 2. I miss those days.
Sinistar, Pac-Man, Berzerk, Centepede, Dig-Dug, Frogger, Donkey Kong and Zaxxon, Tempest and GAUNTLET WITH THREE BUDS! Elf Needs Food Badly! Atari was the shizzle back in the day, I forgot to mention Asteroids, Gravitar, Tempest, Missile Command, and Star Wars! What the hell happened?!?
Oh man, seeing that first shot of Castles and Coasters brings back memories. I need to check that place out again next time I visit Phoenix.
You can't go to MagFest without hearing the mighty roar of Colossus.
*"Auuurraauuughhhh!"*
Metal Slug will always have a special place in my heart since I first played it in a arcade.
Just discovered this - if you ever find yourself in Salt Lake, pay us a visit! We no longer have our X-Men 6-player cab :( but we do have Donkey Kong and a Neo Geo MVS (plus we're getting a new remaster release of Samurai Shodown V Perfect when it ships this month) and many other great games!
I'd looove to find a Space Lords but as you eloquently put it, it's super pricey (if you can even find one). Great video!
Metal Slug 3 two-player was a classic back in my very youths. Its ancient alien and dieselpunk aesthetics are still some of the sexiest eye candy I've seen from a video game.
I was all about rail shooters when I went to the arcades: Time Crisis 3, and 4, House of the Dead 2, 3, and 4 (never could find the first), Ghost Squad, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and Star Wars.
There were others like Donkey Kong also (I was born in the nineties, so a lot of those classics had faded away from the arcades I went to), and I got to play X-men and Simpsons too.
Yet there's one game I faintly remember that I can't figure out. It was another rail shooter. It had an Egyptian theme, and the main features of the game was how you got to choose your shot type (trade off power for more shots or vice versa), and also a defense against a certain kind of attack (I think melee, projectile, or air). The rooms you would go through would all be randomly generated too, so going along with what was said in the video, you can't memorize the game (aside from the bosses and the bonus games).
No matter what I search I can't seem to find it. But that game stole so many tokens from me because of how good you had to get with reacting to enemies.
Silent Scope. The sole reason I deadeye bitches from a clocktower as a hobby
As someone who is an avid fan of MechWarrior 4, It's surprising to find anyone else who actually appreciates how great those games are
Gauntlet, Xenophobe, Rastan, Black Tiger, Spy Hunter, Dig Dug, Joust, Two Tigers, Temple of Doom, were a few of my favorites back in the days of me youth -
Dammit, Razor, that's a highly respectable list. Lights a fire under my ass to keep working on my arcade retrospectives.
Loved that X-Men game. Used to play it with my buddies at the arcade.
dude I love virtual on. I never see any cabinets anymore. I miss that shit.
Shoutout for showing knights of the round. One of my fave local arcade games in England at the corner cafe
You were on top of your game with this one Mr. Razor Fist. Nice job
Can we take a moment to indulge in the majesty that is the music of the Neo-geo intro...any arcade head out there will understand.
I used to play Daytona USA like mad back in the day, good times. :D
I always will remember House of the Dead and NFL Blitz. Good times.
I haven't been to C&C in years. That was the place to go when I was a kid visiting Phoenix.
I remember the 3rd or 4th time playing X-Men at the old Milford Rec in Milford CT, and reaching Wendigo and being totally freaked out by him. Scary as hell when he would yell his name, and then attack you
Dammit Razoerfist, your John Cena joke killed me.
That U.D.O. song sounds like a fucking power rangers theme. It reminds me specifically of the "In Space" one. That's awesome
When I was younger my family constantly went to our local drive-in. I went straight to the arcade. While everyone else watched the film I was busy playing the fu$& outta a X-men cabinet lol.
Snow Brothers! I remember playing with my brother all day. Fucking Metal Slug, The Simpsons. TMNT, god dammit!
I miss 90ths.
Me too. I loved the arcade as a kid. I look foward to getting some arcade cabnets.
My favorite was,Cadillacs and Dinosaurs,an amazing scrolling fighter.Metal Slug,Raiden,Cruis'n USA,Virtual Cop,Hydro Thunder,Robocop...oooh the memories.
Boy am I glad to see Virtual On on this list!
Sick list! I miss arcades so much. There was nothing like hearing the sounds of dozens of machines being played or in attract mode, howling across malls, pizza shops or laundromats. Killer Instinct was my all time favorite. When it's time to do the deed, fuck the smooth, sexy music. KI arcade intro on repeat and i'm on a non stop flight to pound town!
I remember how much fun it was to conquer the C list cast of Marvel villains on my way to a showdown with Red Skull in Data East's Captain America and the Avengers. Ah, I miss the arcades.
OMFG, X-Men! That game was so fucking awesome...
mother fucking POLICE 911 2. Ever play a game that has you physically dodging bullets coming at you from the screen? That shit is an adrenaline fueled thigh work out. It's like the movie Death Wish fucked a Tae Bo class. Puts you right in the action. Gyms should have these installed in the cardio section.
arcades!!!!! how I miss you so my lost love!!
For me, the best arcade game I have played is a 1998 Namco arcade game called Gunmen Wars. Only less than 300 machines were made of this game and the majority were only in Japan. But my arcade in San Diego (now closed sadly) had it!
It is a simple death-match third person shooter where it is red vs. blue and you control these mechs in these small city levels. Controlling your mech was the coolest. The gun you used was mounted on a special stand. To turn your character, you simply turned the gun. But to move, you pushed/pulled in the direction you wanted to go. So say if you wanted to strafe to left, you would pull the gun to the left. And it is not like the gun titled, it actually slid. Check out footage on CZcams to see what I am talking about.
one of the best memories I had with my father growing up was going to Peter piper pizza and playing the Terminator arcade shooter. Cruisin the world and Daytona USA were what got me into racing games. When I got older it was fun being the only guy at Game Works who could skill mother fuckers at Virtua fighter.
Time Crisis was the one cabinet in my local bowling alley that I kept throwing my 50p's at.
Love me some on rail shooters. Building a MAME cabinet just to try to get that feeling back.
I remember playing a few space shooters and I loved arcade action games like golden axe.Right now, I can't remember the exact games I played.
Since MAME 0.180 Space Lords now officially works good now.
I found your channel through AOS. Gotta I like your taste in arcade games and a great approach to video editing. If it was a beat em up, fighting or shooter/platformer game I was playing it. I've got too many favorites to name.
Splatterhouse, Final Fight, TMNT, KI, MK, SFII, House of the Dead, Silent Scope, CarnEvil, Shinobi to name a few..
Great list man \,,/
Man, I miss arcades so much. I mean, they're still around, but not as big as they used to be, nor as populated. I miss the thrill of laying down a quarter on the Tekken cabinet and waiting in anticipation for my turn as I watch dudes pummel each other. Few things were better than that rush when you start playing and beat two or three guys who challenge you in a row.
True story: I'm playing Capcom vs SNK this one time, by myself. Now modern fighters have had their A.I.s tweaked so that they emulate human tactics more often, to the point where even the computer will spam attacks cheaply. So I'm fighting Sakura, she's using the SNK gauge; I get her in the red which means she has infinite level 1 supers, so then the computer starts spamming shinku-hadokens. She just starts screaming
SHINKU HADOKEN
SHINKU HADOKEN
SHINKU HADOKEN
SHINKU HADOKEN
four fucking times! And as she's doing it, I'm feeling real self-conscious. Sure enough, a guy at another cabinet turns and gives me this disgusted look and I just wanted to say," It's not me, I swear!"
Nice a Jet Jaguar reference. That was one of the original MST3K movies I cut my teeth on.
How coincidental that you should post this just days before my birthday, which was spent at Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield, IL. It's one of the largest arcades in the world with over 470 games to try, all on freeplay. It's glorious. They even have a Space Lords cabinet which I tried (with my wife) at your insistence. I personally wouldn't put it #1 on my list, but I can easily see why anyone else would.
I could have paid for college with how many quarters I sunk into X-Men.
One of my personal favorites is the Pod racer arcade from Star Wars. I know It's a bit later then the 90's but GODDAMN if that wasn't a blast. Nice details of the machine itself, those handles, racing some friends in the closest thing to an actual pod racer !!!
Good times, good times :)
5-T2 judgement day
4-tekken 3
3-sega rally
2-silent scope
1-time crisis 2
so many 50p's, so many memories
Crypt Killer will always have my #1 spot, perfect amount of fun and camp, especially if you find the pump action light gun version
You don't have to apologize for all the Gay Jokes Razor, it's what makes your videos so awesome.
For me the Arcade was all about 3 games each and every time i went there. Time Crisis 2, Darkstalkers 3, and Alien Vs Predator Arcade. So.Many.Good.Memories and an uncountable number of spent quarters
Wow!.... Powerful wrap up.. I need a couple tissues after that
I loved fucking off to the arcade with my brother while our parents shopped. Our favourites were House of the Dead, Sunset Riders and Turtles In Time.
Sees No. 1 "Hmm, never heard of that. Maybe I should try it on Mame."
10 seconds later "Damn it!"
I miss playing the TMNT arcade game.
marvel vs. capcom 2 is easily my all time favorite arcade game. so many great memories with it.
7:15 HOLY SHIT!
"Will Always Love You!"
HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME, GODDAMNIT! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?
Once upon a time, over a decade after its debut, I beat X-Men with a group of friends...with assistance from a friend who worked in the bowling alley arcade that set the machine to work without paying. Hardest arcade I spent countless hours and quarters on (aside from The Simpsons). My only criticism was the anti-climactic ending. Not much payoff for the time invested but it was still quite the damned accomplishment.
Castles & Coasters if a helluva place. Love it. Need to return for a round of mini-golf and pinball.
I'm older than you (a lot older), but...
1) Asteroids
2) Robotron
3) Star Wars
4) Tron
5) Tank Battle
No colorful explanations. I just dumped a whole lot of quarters into those games (and a bunch of others; Karate Champ, Xevious, 1942, Zaxxon, Moon Patrol, R-Type, Defender, Phoenix, Missile Command, Centipede... to name a few). Robotron is the reason I bought an X-Arcade dual joystick controller for my MAME box. Hell, it's probably why I have a MAME box in the first place. Doesn't beat playing in the arcade, though. I too miss the atmosphere of arcades. Even in my Navy days ('83-'89), most bases I was stationed at or visited had huge arcades. Long live the arcade!
Good to know that there's actually another fan of the first Virtual On. Godspeed to you RazorFist.
I wish I got to play more arcade games, there's so many good ones. At least I got to plat Dungeons & Dragons on the original cabinet. That's a memory I hold dear.