I once was in Vegas with my dad. He'd go gamble and leave me in the arcade with a roll of quarters. They had a sit down Star Wars on hydraulics.
Best video game memory of my life
Used to stay at the old Contemporary hotel in Orlando when it was black on the outside. Had a huge arcade at the bottom of the lobby. It also had a a tiny movie theatre in there that showed only Disney movies and cartoons. Played Space Harrier and Out Run in the sit down versions all night!
My favourite was the C=64 version of the game had this little button on the box. It said "to relive the star wars experience, use a little force here"
when you pressed it, you heard the main theme in 8-bit sound glory.
I'll take either version. As an early teen - being able to immerse myself into the world of Star Wars was the ultimate experience. I remember they had this game at the 7-Eleven by my middle school. I spent about 3 hours a day there after school.
It blew my mind when X-Wing the PC game came out when i was in college.
[Arcade1up had a bench seat version](https://youtu.be/-stMjBqI9nY?si=ZEaOEtLygs6-pw1U) available for purchase for $450 like 3 or 4 years ago which I was tempted to buy but I had no room for it.
**Galaga** for the win. I really liked Centipede ( Millipede was even better )but I wasn’t very good so the games were short. But Galaga I could play for a long time.
My dad took me to Disney in 1987 and the hotel we stayed at had it and when you put your quarter in, it would go through to the change return but still give you credit for the game. I played the hell out of that game over those 2-3 days!
Agreed about Defender. That was my game. It still calls to me.
Surprised you don't remember Tempest. It was one of the most original concepts. Each level was like a different shaped space web thing. You crawled along the edge and shot at different creepy things. One of the things built spikes that you needed to avoid when you completed a level as you traveled to the next.
Spy Hunter was the only arcade game that I rolled over in the 1980s. (stand-up version) Played it again in an arcade pub and was humbled and didn't even breach 30,000.
I can’t honestly say I remember playing punch out in the arcade. Shudder to think how many hours I logged on the NES, though. I can still hear the training montage music.
I liked to play it because using the little roller thing was different and fun, but it'd also pinch my hand a couple times each game. It was a love hate relationship.
That was my game. Now and then I still come across one somewhere and drop a few quarters. To this day, I still use a track ball with my computer, instead of a mouse.
I once met someone through a mutual acquaintance, and somehow the subject of Centipede came up. This new friend had gone through some mental episodes when he was younger, and while he was having a manic elisode, he bought something like 180 old Centipede machines from various sources. Then he proceeded to fix most of them, using some to cannibalize parts. Theres a good chance that if you come across an old Centipede machine, especially in the eastern US, it's still operating because of his efforts.
That and Space Invaders. I never went further in playing video games...nor did I play them in arcades. Only at home. Because I liked to spend my quarters on beer instead.
Aww man - I didn't know there was a sit-down one. My fun-and-games arcade growing up only had the standup one - and it was def my favorite game, and my choice on this list. If obi-wan's voice seriously came through from behind you that would have been epic!
Star Wars always and forever. I was horrible at Tempest. Moderate at Donkey Kong. But with Star Wars; while I was playing that game I was immersed. I was Luke Skywalker!
Lacking Robotron and Missile Command, I'll go with Centipede. Maybe Asteroids. But only because I suck at Defender. Wish I could have gotten better at that. I could watch a good Defender player for an hour.
I'll take the front panel off of Donkey Kong, reach in and hit that little lever behind the coin slot that adds credits a couple dozen times. Which may or may not be something my friends and I used to do at the arcade
Back in the day, Asteroids was it for me. I have an original mid 80s cocktail table machine in excellent condition to this day and play a couple times a week
Do I have to get home? Tempest - I sucked at that game.
Do I want to play as long as possible? - Pac-Man could play that until the pattern changed…13th key if I remember correctly?
Edit: typo
I loved pac man until I figured out the pattern. I became boring to me. I would do pac man now as I no longer remember it.
Asteroids was probably my fave, though.
From this collection Centipede was my fav, BUT with only one quarter to spend I'd go for Pac-Man because, by accident, at my Atari 2600, I discovered the 'endless' route so I could play it for as many hours as I would like for that single quarter.
I play it at Walmart now. They have a display model of a multi game thing at several of them near the Xboxes in electronics. Takes me back
I had a friend in college who was amazing at it. He would rack up 600k like it was nothing . I peaked at around 150k
Centipede. I am proud to say I put my initials in the Top 3 high scores in random arcades across NorCal. Quarters looked like cocaine to me at 13.
Fun fact: the middle finger on my right hand has pain, arthritis and swollen joints due to my Centipede obsession. That was the rapid-fire-finger while my left hand controlled the magical roller-ball.
I love them all. But Star Wars.
I mean just because Star Wars...
But Donkey Kong is the first game I remember playing in the early 80s in the Seattle Space needle.
Of those options, I did better at Star Wars. It's also one of the top excitements (Tempest and Centipede get pretty crazy though).
I probably would last longer at Space Invaders, but while I respect the strides it made, it's a really monotonous game.
Star Wars, but only if it’s the sit down version.
Nothing has ever quite hit the same as the old sit down Star Wars arcade game.
But that would two quarters.
I once was in Vegas with my dad. He'd go gamble and leave me in the arcade with a roll of quarters. They had a sit down Star Wars on hydraulics. Best video game memory of my life
Used to stay at the old Contemporary hotel in Orlando when it was black on the outside. Had a huge arcade at the bottom of the lobby. It also had a a tiny movie theatre in there that showed only Disney movies and cartoons. Played Space Harrier and Out Run in the sit down versions all night!
Hydraulics?? Only in Vegas, I'm guessing.
Red 5 standing by…
They're coming into fast!!
Use the force, Luke!
I lost R2!!
Red Fox standing by
Simply Red, standing by.
The Force will be with you…always.
Yahoo! You're all clear kid!
Going in!
Amen! Played the game, and recently got a t-shirt with the game screen on it. I’m such an old nerd!😄
My favourite was the C=64 version of the game had this little button on the box. It said "to relive the star wars experience, use a little force here" when you pressed it, you heard the main theme in 8-bit sound glory.
I'll take either version. As an early teen - being able to immerse myself into the world of Star Wars was the ultimate experience. I remember they had this game at the 7-Eleven by my middle school. I spent about 3 hours a day there after school. It blew my mind when X-Wing the PC game came out when i was in college.
[Arcade1up had a bench seat version](https://youtu.be/-stMjBqI9nY?si=ZEaOEtLygs6-pw1U) available for purchase for $450 like 3 or 4 years ago which I was tempted to buy but I had no room for it.
This game is why I invert the controller's Y axis to aim and look to this day.
Why is Joust not on this list??
Loved Joust
I was just about to say, I'm gonna go find the abandoned Joust machine in the corner. Lol
'Cause it's a shitty arcade that doesn't have everything.
Games at the bowling alley.
Galaga
All day long.
I think I 'liked' Defender and Tempest more ... but I definitely was better at Galaga and could play much longer on 1 quarter
Defender was my favorite game that I absolutely sucked at.
The teenage me would be very jealous that I have I have a home Galaga/Pac Man cocktail cabinet.
Time for cocktails!
I love the cocktail cabinet design. Those were always so cool when you spotted them in a pizza place or whatever in the old days.
I was going to say I'm walking to another arcade that has Galaga!
In the rain up hill
Not on the list! That's Galaxian, way different!
Galaxian = look what we can make with video games in 1979. Galaga = ok. It's 1981. Let's actually make this game (Galaxian) fun to play
Way, way different. I think there were Galaxian things that showed up in Galaga .
**Galaga** for the win. I really liked Centipede ( Millipede was even better )but I wasn’t very good so the games were short. But Galaga I could play for a long time.
Galaga is always the answer.
Always Galaga.
My dad took me to Disney in 1987 and the hotel we stayed at had it and when you put your quarter in, it would go through to the change return but still give you credit for the game. I played the hell out of that game over those 2-3 days!
This and ONLY this!!! How was this NOT a choice!!???
Donkey Kong I could play the longest followed by pac man. Fun I would play galaxian or centipede.
Agreed! Can’t believe had to scroll this far down to find the right answer. Every game is legendary in its own right but 1 quarter? DK all day!
Tempest!
Tempest was hard though; you literally got impaled!
Avoid the spikes!
With this lot, I gotta go with Defender. I don’t remember Tempest. If Spy Hunter or Pole Position were pictured, it’d be one of those.
Agreed about Defender. That was my game. It still calls to me. Surprised you don't remember Tempest. It was one of the most original concepts. Each level was like a different shaped space web thing. You crawled along the edge and shot at different creepy things. One of the things built spikes that you needed to avoid when you completed a level as you traveled to the next.
I completely agree with you on Spy Hunter and Pole Position. I’d also add Punch Out to my list.
Spy Hunter was the only arcade game that I rolled over in the 1980s. (stand-up version) Played it again in an arcade pub and was humbled and didn't even breach 30,000.
I can’t honestly say I remember playing punch out in the arcade. Shudder to think how many hours I logged on the NES, though. I can still hear the training montage music.
Spy Hunter is my GOAT.
The music alone would get you.
Centipede
I liked to play it because using the little roller thing was different and fun, but it'd also pinch my hand a couple times each game. It was a love hate relationship.
Exactly m, I was coming here to post this exact comment. That little roller ball was great, but would pinch me every time I used it.
That was my game. Now and then I still come across one somewhere and drop a few quarters. To this day, I still use a track ball with my computer, instead of a mouse. I once met someone through a mutual acquaintance, and somehow the subject of Centipede came up. This new friend had gone through some mental episodes when he was younger, and while he was having a manic elisode, he bought something like 180 old Centipede machines from various sources. Then he proceeded to fix most of them, using some to cannibalize parts. Theres a good chance that if you come across an old Centipede machine, especially in the eastern US, it's still operating because of his efforts.
Tempest - I was a wiz with that spinner.
Centipede - not my favorite, but I could last a bit longer.
That's what *he* said
Asteroids
That and Space Invaders. I never went further in playing video games...nor did I play them in arcades. Only at home. Because I liked to spend my quarters on beer instead.
Galaxian or Space Invaders, I lasted a longer time with one quarter
I’m down the street playing Joust and Q-bert.
Star Wars, but only if it's the sit down version. I loved Obi-Wan's voice coming from the back speakers. If stand-up I'm going with Tempest.
“Use The Force, Luke!”
Aww man - I didn't know there was a sit-down one. My fun-and-games arcade growing up only had the standup one - and it was def my favorite game, and my choice on this list. If obi-wan's voice seriously came through from behind you that would have been epic!
Centipede.
Centipede! I loved that rollerball action!
Donkey Kong
DK with no hesitation.
*Tempest* -- all day, every day, and twice on Sundays.
No Galaga??? I'm taking my quarters, and I'm going home.
Centipede. Good one to release all your energy into just before walking home from the arcade.
Where’s Dig Dug?
sorry, not available. i'm bogarting that shit.
Star Wars always and forever. I was horrible at Tempest. Moderate at Donkey Kong. But with Star Wars; while I was playing that game I was immersed. I was Luke Skywalker!
Tempest
If only Rampage was an option
Well, because this arcade sux n doesn't have ROBOTRON, i'm gonna shred GALAXIAN.
Donkey Kong all effing day.
Donkey Kong all day long.
Defender.
You sir are a cruel person.......time to start searching for lost tokens in machines.
Space Invaders
I'll probably get charmed by Star Wars, but I'll wish I played Frogger.
Tempest
defender, I could rock that game....
Tempest!
Lacking Robotron and Missile Command, I'll go with Centipede. Maybe Asteroids. But only because I suck at Defender. Wish I could have gotten better at that. I could watch a good Defender player for an hour.
Tempest
Tempest
Centipede
Why why isn't Q-ubert on the list.? I would pick that all day.
Asteroids
Centipede.
Centipede. Loved that game
I'll take the front panel off of Donkey Kong, reach in and hit that little lever behind the coin slot that adds credits a couple dozen times. Which may or may not be something my friends and I used to do at the arcade
Star Wars
For me, it’s gotta be Joust. Those flying ostriches were great.
Tempest all day.
Back in the day, Asteroids was it for me. I have an original mid 80s cocktail table machine in excellent condition to this day and play a couple times a week
Galaga. But find me another quarter and I’m seeking out Dragon’s Lair.
Asteroids.
Remove Galaxian and put in Galaga.
Do I have to get home? Tempest - I sucked at that game. Do I want to play as long as possible? - Pac-Man could play that until the pattern changed…13th key if I remember correctly? Edit: typo
Definitely not Defender, would last about 30 seconds
I was gonna say the same thing, it all depended on the patterns
Asteroids! Spent many quarters back in the day on this game.
Do some quarter tossing in the back alley to multiply it then come back and play them ALL!!!!
Since you didn’t includeJoust, I’ll go with Space Invaders.
Tempest for sure.
I loved pac man until I figured out the pattern. I became boring to me. I would do pac man now as I no longer remember it. Asteroids was probably my fave, though.
Probably Pac-Man. It's the only one I know how to play halfway decently.
Heads, Galaga. Tails, Centipede. Galaga was the better game, but I was better at Centipede. So I flip for it.
Centipede. Track ball, turbo-fire, bright colors, and that insane pace... although if this arcade had Millipede, I'd choose that instead
Stupid Monkey!
Galaxian had the sickest cabinet art <3
From this collection Centipede was my fav, BUT with only one quarter to spend I'd go for Pac-Man because, by accident, at my Atari 2600, I discovered the 'endless' route so I could play it for as many hours as I would like for that single quarter.
Mappy
What I came here for. Such a great game.
I play it at Walmart now. They have a display model of a multi game thing at several of them near the Xboxes in electronics. Takes me back I had a friend in college who was amazing at it. He would rack up 600k like it was nothing . I peaked at around 150k
Tempest was the only one on that list that I didn't suck at. I would probably go somewhere else and play Moon Patrol.
The old Star Wars arcade game is still probably my favorite video game ever and what I'd always look for in every arcade I went to.
Centipede
Defender all the way!
Defender!
The people on the defender planet need me.
Centipede is my jam!! I’ll be on that thing for a while
Zaxxon was a great game that I loved feeding quarters
Defender. I'm set for an hour.
Centipede
Defender,
Defender. No contest.
Centipede.
Centipede. I am proud to say I put my initials in the Top 3 high scores in random arcades across NorCal. Quarters looked like cocaine to me at 13. Fun fact: the middle finger on my right hand has pain, arthritis and swollen joints due to my Centipede obsession. That was the rapid-fire-finger while my left hand controlled the magical roller-ball.
Add Joust :)
Centipede!
Defender, with all my quarters.
Galaga! You get the extra ship and double your firepower!
Zaxxon was my go to.
Galaga
Well since I still play Galaxian, I guess this is my choice.
Tempest and get the high score
Tempest
Tempest
Tempest!!!!!
Tempest!!!!!
Tempest
Star Wars.
No Galaga?
The next arcade that has Galaga.
Tempest!
TEMPEST!
Tempest. One of the very few games my ADD brain grooves to.
I've been in this situation. It was always Tempest for me. It was not a popular game, so it wasn't usually occupied, and I was pretty good at it
When you started losing bridge links . . . . . You knew it was ON.
Galaxian!
Tempest all the way. Always had a top ten score at local arcade.
Frogger, because Q-bert's not an option.
Tempest
If you play Defender I could be your hyperspace…
Body movin
Centipede or tempest
Defender was the best to play, although I was terrible at it. I liked Missile Command a lot too. Spin the ball and fire all missiles!
Defender
I played a lot of Burger Time, because it was one of a handful of games at the curling ring I'd spend time at while my parents were curling.
Where’s MOON PATROL on that list?!
Used all my 10pences on starwars back in the day.
None, because they're probably like...a dollar now ...
Oof…such a tough choice but I’d prob go with Star Wars played that way too much back in the day.
Star Wars, but only because Defender was so hard.
Star Wars
Asteroids Deluxe!
Asteroids
I love them all. But Star Wars. I mean just because Star Wars... But Donkey Kong is the first game I remember playing in the early 80s in the Seattle Space needle.
Missile Command
Of those options, I did better at Star Wars. It's also one of the top excitements (Tempest and Centipede get pretty crazy though). I probably would last longer at Space Invaders, but while I respect the strides it made, it's a really monotonous game.
Galaxian. But I will say…those Centipedes feared me.
Those are some great choices, but I have to go with Centipede. I could last the longest on one quarter with that one.
Probably Galaxian
That star wars game is the shit!
The best of the best, if you unplug the machine it might get you 1 free game
Definitely Star Wars. I could beat the game with 1 quarter.
Defender
Defender
No contest. The words still stir my soul. **“Red 5, standing by.”**
Missile Command
Star Wars
Centipede. I can stay on it longer than the other games. But Yie Ar Kung Fu-- I can stay on that game until I got tired and just quit.
Defender
Battlezone. Green screen simplicity. Vector graphics. Monophonic sound with beeps and boops that was sometimes highly distorted. Loved that game.
Tempest
Tempest. I loved Tempest.
Not Tempest, because that’s what I spent all my other quarters on.
Galaga