The History of Full Sized Arcade Games in the U.S.

Anyone who grew up in the age of full sized arcade games knows that there is a certain nostalgia to these machines and arcade spaces. The American arcade can be traced back to nineteenth-century dime museums, amusement parlors, and exposition midways, which were novelties of the era. The industrial age brought inventions to entertain such as mutoscopes, kinetoscopes, and phonographs. When the novelty of these devices wore off, amusement parlors started to transform into penny arcades. These were places where normal civilians could exchange a few coins for a small film viewing. Coin-operated peep show machines, fortune teller machines, and candy machines were a great way to keep people busy while making money for the vendors.

When the 1930s came around, two smart entrepreneurs introduced the pinball machine to arcades. These surged in popularity, especially as they were given more complicated designs and themes. Arcade games continued to diversify with target shooting games, horse racing games, shuffleboard, electromechanical baseball, and bowling. The pinball machine continued to be a staple of arcades until the late ‘60s when electromechanical racing games took over.

Finally, in the middle of the ‘70s, arcades started to see the introduction of video games. This advanced technology started to push out electromechanical racing games and pinball machines in favor of a different kind of stimulation. Video game graphics were captivating, bright, and loud. Pong, a game from 1972, replaced the feeling of pinball machines and Gran Trak 10, from 1974, satisfied that racing craving. In the early ‘80s, video games had safely become a cultural phenomenon, transforming the arcade into a “video arcade.” Play Meter magazine reports that by 1981 there were at least 24,000 arcade spaces in the United States with thousands of more machines situated in gas stations, restaurants, and waiting rooms. There was an ever-growing demand for arcade games for sale.

As technology improved, so too did gaming platforms, which allowed players to take the arcade home with them in small gaming consoles which could be easily attached to television monitors or played in the palm of one’s hand. We owe much of our gaming culture today to the arcade machines that were built and perfected over the years. New games are made each year because of the inspiration that was sparked by arcade games like Street Fighter, Pac-Man, and Galaga. While the gaming industry has far surpassed the expectations of the arcade, many people retain a certain nostalgia for simpler times. Coin-op restaurants and bars have popped up in many cities across the United States so that people can relive those full sized arcade games once again. Plus, many people are investing in cabinet replicas of these machines that host thousands of their favorite retro games in one place. People will always have nostalgia for the past, which is why arcade machines will always have a place in our world. These older games can be introduced to younger generations in order to show a sense of history and create new memories with a shared enjoyment.