Classic Arcade Appeal
Posted on: February 9, 2011
The Appeal of Arcade Machines
Younger gamers may wonder why arcade machines still sell after all these years. After all, they reason, why buy bigger, bulkier equipment when you can enjoy all the plug-and-play convenience of consoles? To them, investing in something they consider passé is mind-boggling and perhaps even foolish.
Part of the problem lies in the classic generation gap. It would definitely help if the younger generation could understand how arcade fans think and feel about their hobby. That being the case, there are at least three reasons why retro gamers would still purchase the machines despite the advantages that consoles may offer them.
First, the nostalgia factor is especially difficult to resist. The younger gamers who have grown up (and who are still growing up) on consoles may have a harder time appreciating the experience of walking into a crowded arcade, taking in all the digitized beeps and whistles, plunking quarter after quarter into a game of their choice, basking in the glory of their public victory or suffering the agony of their public defeat.
Yes, there are definitely such things as multiplayer options and light and sound shows for today's console games. The ambience of an arcade, however, is very different from that of a home gaming session; the former is something that must be personally experienced in order to be fully appreciated.
Second, there is something indescribably entertaining about the uncomplicated nature of the games that arcade machines offer. While there's nothing wrong about executing high-level strategy in an RTS or experimenting with all the nuances of an RPG, some players prefer simpler, more intuitive forms of entertainment that are still challenging in their own right.
Besides, younger gamers may not be aware that arcade games are actually the predecessors of the more modern games they've grown to love. A quick look at the software line-up of any console will reveal quite a few "arcade ports" of classics from yesteryear.
Third, there are coin-ops that exist without console counterparts. Not every arcade game out there has been ported to a home system (There is at least one interesting exception wherein a console game was ported over to an arcade version.). Some notable examples include ticket redemption games, skee ball games, claw machines, whack-a-mole types.
Incidentally, there are games that continue to be popular at arcades despite having their home versions. Part of the reason for their success involves the way they've been setup. The BEMANI series of games (Dance Dance Revolution, DrumMania, etc.) are superb examples of these. Besides being excellent crowd-drawers, the latest versions of these titles can only be found in video arcades.
When all is said and done, the appeal of arcade machines isn't logical—it's psychological. Human beings are odd creatures, after all: they use logic when considering options, yet they make purchases based on emotions. The coin-op games of another era are perfectly capable of eliciting warm, fuzzy emotions, especially in older gamers, and they'll probably continue to do so for a long time to come.
Younger gamers may wonder why arcade machines still sell after all these years. After all, they reason, why buy bigger, bulkier equipment when you can enjoy all the plug-and-play convenience of consoles? To them, investing in something they consider passé is mind-boggling and perhaps even foolish.
Part of the problem lies in the classic generation gap. It would definitely help if the younger generation could understand how arcade fans think and feel about their hobby. That being the case, there are at least three reasons why retro gamers would still purchase the machines despite the advantages that consoles may offer them.
First, the nostalgia factor is especially difficult to resist. The younger gamers who have grown up (and who are still growing up) on consoles may have a harder time appreciating the experience of walking into a crowded arcade, taking in all the digitized beeps and whistles, plunking quarter after quarter into a game of their choice, basking in the glory of their public victory or suffering the agony of their public defeat.
Yes, there are definitely such things as multiplayer options and light and sound shows for today's console games. The ambience of an arcade, however, is very different from that of a home gaming session; the former is something that must be personally experienced in order to be fully appreciated.
Second, there is something indescribably entertaining about the uncomplicated nature of the games that arcade machines offer. While there's nothing wrong about executing high-level strategy in an RTS or experimenting with all the nuances of an RPG, some players prefer simpler, more intuitive forms of entertainment that are still challenging in their own right.
Besides, younger gamers may not be aware that arcade games are actually the predecessors of the more modern games they've grown to love. A quick look at the software line-up of any console will reveal quite a few "arcade ports" of classics from yesteryear.
Third, there are coin-ops that exist without console counterparts. Not every arcade game out there has been ported to a home system (There is at least one interesting exception wherein a console game was ported over to an arcade version.). Some notable examples include ticket redemption games, skee ball games, claw machines, whack-a-mole types.
Incidentally, there are games that continue to be popular at arcades despite having their home versions. Part of the reason for their success involves the way they've been setup. The BEMANI series of games (Dance Dance Revolution, DrumMania, etc.) are superb examples of these. Besides being excellent crowd-drawers, the latest versions of these titles can only be found in video arcades.
When all is said and done, the appeal of arcade machines isn't logical—it's psychological. Human beings are odd creatures, after all: they use logic when considering options, yet they make purchases based on emotions. The coin-op games of another era are perfectly capable of eliciting warm, fuzzy emotions, especially in older gamers, and they'll probably continue to do so for a long time to come.