October 1st 2023.
The early 1990s were truly the golden age of arcades. Many of the greatest and most iconic games of all time were released during this decade, including classics like Ridge Racer, Virtua Racing, Daytona USA, Sega Rally, Street Fighter 2, Mortal Kombat, Virtua Fighter, Virtua Cop, and Time Crisis. It seemed like every seaside town had their own arcade emporium, full of these classic arcade cabinets.
The experience of going to an arcade was so much more than just the games. Arcades were often situated near seaside resorts, so it was common for people to get a sweet treat or a snack while playing the games. There were even arcades with bowling alleys and bingo halls attached, making it a great place for entire families to go.
Unfortunately, this golden era couldn't last forever. With the launch of the original PlayStation, home consoles were able to keep up with the quality of arcade cabinets. To add to that, Sega's Saturn console was able to produce ports of Virtua Fighter 2 and Sega Rally that many felt weren't too far off from the arcade experience.
The genre of beat'em ups was particularly affected by this change. With the oversaturation of the market, Capcom seemed to be releasing near identical updates of Street Fighter 2 every month. Not to mention, 3D beat'em ups such as Virtua Fighter and Tekken just weren't as popular as their 2D predecessors. All of this meant that many arcade emporiums had to downsize or close down.
Although they will never be as popular as they once were, arcade emporiums have had something of a comeback in recent years. For instance, places like Barcade in New York and Emporium Arcade Bar in Chicago offer a selection of hot food and beverages while also providing a chance to play some of those classic arcade games.
It's great to see that a new generation of gamers is being introduced to the noble hobby of arcade gaming. Those of us who grew up in the early 1990s have the opportunity to take their children and show them the games that they themselves grew up playing.
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