I don’t visit many arcades. I never did. They weren’t very prevalent where I grew up. The only venue that was remotely in my neighborhood was a very disreputable place. I have some vague memories of visiting it a couple of times and seeing the Super Hang-On bike and a Knights of the Round like game.
I have fond memories of spending a complete afternoon playing Toki and Pang! in another arcade in my late teens.
Even in my retro game centered last couple of years, my visits to an arcade can be counted on one hand.
Yesterday was such a rare visit. I only was there for an hour, half of which was spend playing air hockey. The other 30 minutes was spend on OutRun 2 and some bike racer. But also on Star Wars Racer. I’ve only played that on my N64 in the last couple of years. But never in the arcade. It was great fun with the specialised steering controls. Also quite difficult. It was even more fun watching my son play.
Pang! We only ever played on arcade machines when at children’s Laser Quest / bowling parties (Time Crisis / that similar one with the two funny men that I’ve forgotten the name of. Point Blank!) Or when going to the cinema (Star Wars Trilogy Arcade!!), or the seaside. Watching people play House of the Dead or Resident Evil and feeling sick (not sure how they got away with providing 18 rated games for children). I had a great time playing Pang with my sister one time. Pang 98 it was, I think. Led us to plenty of time playing Bubble Trouble/Struggle on the PC at home over the next few years of the Flash game golden age.
Memories of playing games together with friends or family are the best! And Pang is a great game to have those memories of. I played a lot of Pang on the Amiga with my best friend. Never tried Pang 98 though. Will have to correct that.
I went to the seaside in England earlier this year and had hoped to play some arcade there, but those are probably long gone. Or I couldn’t find them.
Oh but more to the point, yes I’ve played Star Wars Racer, not sure why I forgot that until I saw the picture. I was literally thinking about it yesterday! The Phantom Menace was on at the cinema forna SW season they’re having. And the pod race always makes me think of trying that game at the cinema and having great trouble. I instinctively wanted to pull back on the handles to accelerate, not push forward.
Yes, it was quite difficult. I could get into the steering, but forget after a long straight, and turn right where I should have gone left. Then remember it for a while. And so on.
I only payed the og star Wars arcade for the first time last year. In the arcade in San Francisco on Fisherman’s Warrf when I was there last year. So much fun!