The Exciting Revival of Arcade Games: How Did It Happen?
Arcades go back as far as the 1930s, which is when pinball machines first gained popularity throughout Europe, Asia, and the rest of the world. It was during the '70s, though, when the ‘arcade evolution’ we know today began. The first ever coin-operated video arcade game, Computer Space, was released in 1971, capturing the imagination of millions of arcade players. The following year of 1972 saw the release of Pong, which then kickstarted a tidal wave of classic arcade games to follow. Gun Fight, Lunar Lander, Pac-Man, Ms Pac-Man, Donkey-Kong, Street Fighter II. It seemed like every second a new classic arcade game would get released, which is why people loved them so much. And what’s most impressive about this is that classics like Pac-Man are still played to this day, despite being released over 40 years ago.
It’s no secret that arcade games took a major dip in popularity during the mid ’90s and 2000s. The reason for this was because home computers and video game consoles had started hitting the market, such as the PlayStation 1 (1994) and the original Xbox (2001). On both PC and console, people could play highly immersive multiplayer games with 3D graphics, which made arcade games look pale in comparison. This naturally led to a slight decline in arcade games as well as land-based arcade establishments, with what was once a huge global community quickly becoming a niche audience.
During the late 2010s and first half of the 2020s, though, arcade games have started to experience a revival, with much of this revival taking place in the US, Japan, and Korea. The revival isn’t exclusive to older generations as well, with younger gaming fans also adopting arcade games for the first time, too. There are many different factors driving this revival, so here’s an overview of some of them.
Nostalgia culture is booming (and that’s an understatement). It’s believed that the world is currently experiencing the peak of nostalgia culture, with people longing for the “good old days”, especially when it comes to gaming and movies. This has led to a huge spike in interest for arcade games, which everyone associates with the carefree culture of the ‘70s and ‘80s. In modern times, diving into old classics like Street Fighter II and Robotron 2084 is a great way to recapture the magic of the past while also taking a break from today’s type of games, which are often too realistic and (at times) expensive to buy.
Over recent years, sweepstakes casinos, also known as ‘social casinos’, have helped drive a mini revival of arcade games. These are special types of casinos focused on offering free-to-play casino games, with many of them being retro and from the arcade era.
As reported by SweepstakeCasinoBonuses, many sweepstakes casinos now offer fish table arcade games, which first became popular in China’s arcades during the early 2000s. With fish tables, players get to take control of different weapons and shoot at fish swimming across the screen, which is ‘classic’ arcade-style gameplay. This is why they’re one of the most popular categories in online casinos, with many casino players taking a huge liking to this classic arcade game.
Android and iOS are the two biggest platforms for online gaming, having surpassed PC and console a long time ago. Unsurprisingly, the classic arcade games we know and love from years gone by have now been released on mobile. Best of all, most of them are free-to-play, too. All you have to do is grab your mobile device, open the app store, and search for the arcade game you want to play. Or, alternatively, if the game isn’t available as an app, you’ll almost certainly be able to play it through your chosen mobile browser.
When it comes to mobile arcade games, you might want to start with classics like Pac-Man and Sonic CD. Or, if you want something fresher, you could try newer arcade games, such as Super Fruit Ninja, which is available in the Apple Arcade. The good news is that no matter which arcade games you choose to play, you won’t have to spend much money to do it.
With the rise of nostalgia culture, increased popularity of sweepstakes casinos, and the dominance of arcade games on mobile, it seems like arcade games are here to stay. However, rather than live on through traditional arcade establishments, arcade games will now (mostly) be played on mobile and PC. This is great news, as it means both new and older generations will be able to experience the magic of arcade games, which is definitely something to celebrate.
| Accessed | 108 times. |