I went to a temporary arcade museum a few years ago and knew I’d enjoy it as I’ve always loved the golden oldies. But what struck me was how good the vector games, Asteroids and Tempest, looked. Razor sharp lines (no pixels) and very bright graphics. You can emulate most games of this era, but for Asteroids and Tempest, you’ve got to play the real thing at least once.
Robotron surprised me in a different way. It was its sound that blew me away. It thumped though the speakers and rattled my bones.
I played sooooo much Centipede at Funspot, the trackball on their machine had great action. And as I think they reset the top scores daily, and because I was one of the first players of the day, I nabbed a full screen of initials, despite my mediocre skills. It was a joyful experience and I hope to return someday.
Being that I live in NH, I have been there many times. It is a mecca for anyone that loves arcade (or pinball) machines. I really wish that someone rich that could just donate a few million to allow them to breathe a little. They do an excellent job keeping things running with the resources they have. I hope it continues for a very long time.
This was the first “big” arcade I went to, and as awesome as it was, I encountered the same problems I do at all the larger arcades I’ve been to. The games are kinda beat up, and some stuff is either not working or malfunctioning. However, a lot of the stuff I was looking forward to playing was functional, so it was still awesome, especially a few of the vector games that are often troublesome were working fine. I’ve really just got Galloping Ghost left, as I’ve hit Funspot and the two major ones in the west.
A Visit to the Funspot Arcade
I went to a temporary arcade museum a few years ago and knew I’d enjoy it as I’ve always loved the golden oldies. But what struck me was how good the vector games, Asteroids and Tempest, looked. Razor sharp lines (no pixels) and very bright graphics. You can emulate most games of this era, but for Asteroids and Tempest, you’ve got to play the real thing at least once.
Robotron surprised me in a different way. It was its sound that blew me away. It thumped though the speakers and rattled my bones.
I played sooooo much Centipede at Funspot, the trackball on their machine had great action. And as I think they reset the top scores daily, and because I was one of the first players of the day, I nabbed a full screen of initials, despite my mediocre skills. It was a joyful experience and I hope to return someday.
Being that I live in NH, I have been there many times. It is a mecca for anyone that loves arcade (or pinball) machines. I really wish that someone rich that could just donate a few million to allow them to breathe a little. They do an excellent job keeping things running with the resources they have. I hope it continues for a very long time.
This was the first “big” arcade I went to, and as awesome as it was, I encountered the same problems I do at all the larger arcades I’ve been to. The games are kinda beat up, and some stuff is either not working or malfunctioning. However, a lot of the stuff I was looking forward to playing was functional, so it was still awesome, especially a few of the vector games that are often troublesome were working fine. I’ve really just got Galloping Ghost left, as I’ve hit Funspot and the two major ones in the west.
I had no idea this was so close to me! I'll have to check it out!
I love the city of Laconia and it's Main Street if you're interested: https://heathracela.substack.com/p/whats-working-in-laconia