In General Gaming

Good evening everyone, this is EvilNES bringing you another Arcade related thread. (I'm doing alot of these because I've been leaving the house to do my gaming because my parents kick me out of the house at noon. and arcades fricking rule.)

I was walking into Wunderland yesterday, and I had a few revelations, and I was wondering if anyone has any strange thoughts about strange occurrences that make an arcade, well an arcade.

First Revelation: Did you ever notice that all arcades have either or both of a:

1) A Neo-Geo Multi Video Cabinet

2) A DDR machine.

Second Revelation: Now, In most these places, the Neo Geo Machine is usually placed in the most shadiest areas of the arcade. (usually near the back or in between two really bad games.) These NG cabinets have some really neat games, but you will always see at least one of these games on the marquee.

1) Baseball Stars
2) Nam 1975
3) Bust A Move

Third: Two words. "Arcade Smell". There's always that smell, especially if you're in a shopping mall, that brings out that sense that there's an arcade nearby, or that youre inside one. I always wondered what makes up it.

So does anyone else have any thoughts?

I agree with what you're saying, including that arcades rule.

What you said about that certain smell you mentioned, I've always noticed the view of an arcade, you know what I'm saying? Like it's always all of these lights and it's often very crouded.

I remember this time I was in Greece, they had this arcade right beside this restaurant we usually went to. Right after we'd finish the meal, I went right in there and played the "Super Mario Bros. Flipper Game".

One flipper game I've wanting to try for a long time is "Lethal Weapon 3". I read about it in an old Nintendo magazine of mine a long time ago, and it was pretty tempting. The trigger is formed like a gun.

Third: Two words. "Arcade Smell". There's always that smell, especially if you're in a shopping mall, that brings out that sense that there's an arcade nearby, or that youre inside one. I always wondered what makes up it.

geek sweat, what else could it be?

^^That, and greasy old nickels/quarters. Lately the arcade I went to at Pietro's Pizza has a machine that isn't Neo-Geo, but has like, 50 various games in it (it ran the myraid from Capcom to Konami, so I don't know who the hell licenses it).
It sure saves room, but I miss looking at the artwork on the marquees and cabinets.

So how many of those "Galaga + Ms. Pacman" machines did they make? It can be a challenge to find an arcade that doesn't have one.

Speaking of Ms. Pacman...

Why did they bother making that in the first place, I mean, it's the exact same concept as PacMan. The only difference is that she has a bow on her head, and the the colours of the board is a little different, but still the same board you play over and over again.

I know, they made it so that "PacMan Fans" would add that to their collection too, but it's really no reason to make this game, because it is like an exact same copy of the game "PacMan".

It's not the exact same; every three screens or so, the maze was different, and you had to chase the special treat around, which made it slightly more of a challenge than the original PacMan, especially when the screen turns red, the ghosts get really agressive.
As for the Galaga/Galaxian/PacMan series, you can go to any NES ROM site nowadays, and there's tons of different versions (some are hacks), it just seems like those concepts really caught on. Space Invaders is another example, and GORF downright ripped it off in one of the screens.

Speaking of Ms. Pacman...

Why did they bother making that in the first place, I mean, it's the exact same concept as PacMan. The only difference is that she has a bow on her head, and the the colours of the board is a little different, but still the same board you play over and over again.

I know, they made it so that "PacMan Fans" would add that to their collection too, but it's really no reason to make this game, because it is like an exact same copy of the game "PacMan".

Maybe it was a cheap ploy to get women to play PacMan. "Oh, she has a bow, how cute!".

Or the weirdo pervy guys needed a female character to lust after (though that would be a bit on the odd side).

Speaking of Ms. Pacman...

Why did they bother making that in the first place, I mean, it's the exact same concept as PacMan. The only difference is that she has a bow on her head, and the the colours of the board is a little different, but still the same board you play over and over again.

I know, they made it so that "PacMan Fans" would add that to their collection too, but it's really no reason to make this game, because it is like an exact same copy of the game "PacMan".



Now you know.

Ah, well that explains it all.

The arcade smell. Okay listen up. The mass population of arcades is smelly geeks. The nerds are at least clean. But we've got smally geeks here. This odor is partially absorbed by the mass of porous plastic things in the room, leaving only a higher frequency smell, which is modified just right right to blend with electronic output and constantly adjusted paint. This stink underlies most other things and sits near the carpet. Carpet fibers instantly absorb this and emit the amazingly changed stink as a nonoffencive aroma we know as the arcade smell. Don't believe me? Take all of these separate components and combine them in a mayonnaise jar. Then release slowly into a room and let the nostalgia overcome you.