32 Nostalgic 1980s Snapshots for The Latchkey Generation That Bring Back Memories

John Summers • Contributor

Aug 11, 2024 8:00 PM EDT

I miss arcades! And I'm talking about those real 80s arcades, where you would just have video game cabinets, waiting for you to drop a quarter in and start playing. And as long as you were good, as long as you were winning - you could just keep playing on the same quarter. Me and my brother used to go every day after school to our local arcade and spend hours there, playing "After burner" "Double Dragon" Operation Wolf" and "Metal Slug". But our jam was "Golden Axe".

We got so good at Golden Axe that we would play all the way to the final boss on the same coin, while a group of kids would form around us, waiting for their turn but at the same time cheering on and shouting (useless) tips. Somehow I would always die at the last boss at least once. I don't know if he was really that hard or if I would just get nervous, But I was never able to complete the entire game on one coin.

01
You could lick-sharpen these lolly pops into a shiv

via u/HelloThisIsPam
02
This was a lot of people's favorite TV show but for me it meant it was time to go to bed

via u/InAllThingsBalance
03
This was the bomb back then!

via u/bigwomby
04
"At one time in the 80's you could buy Born in the USA on four different formats"

via u/HandheldObsession
05
Invisible Ink!

via u/Jmckeown2
06
"As usual, Gen X doesn't exist..."

via u/coveredinbeeps
07
Family pack is just a suggestion

via u/mrBalagan
08
These were good!

via u/mrBalagan
09
"Am I the only one to get Ranger Rick in the mail?"

via u/Other_Sign_6088
10
Free root beer to whoever recognizes this legend

via u/reflibman
11
Look at those gas prices!

via u/Elizabeth_Bruggem
12
I can feel it

via u/Few_Day_3043
13
"How we used to look for jobs 80s style"

via u/Leather_Trades
14
"You're old if you know what this is, and knew how to keep score"

via u/Strange_Instruction6
15
Memory Unlocked

via u/rabindranatagor
16
Best 3 seconds of your childhood

via u/1illiteratefool
17
Dream bicycle

via u/1illiteratefool
18
This was our VR

via u/Tony-Sopranos-Prozac
19
Do they still make Rock Em Sock Em Robots?

via u/Longjumping_Prune852
20
Triple threat

via u/madcowga
21
I can smell it

via u/Holiday-Days
22
"Throw some sticks on the ground and pick them up again"

via u/MurseMan1964
23
"Back when cars were cars"

via u/Roselyn_Kieffer
24
No doubt

via colindetroit
25
His whole act was smashing fruit with a mallet. How did he get so famous?

via u/GlimmeringNighttx
26
Do you remember what this ad was for? Bonus points if you remember the song playing.

via u/MurseMan1964
27
Hardest game ever

via u/Rush-Mentals
28
Is that the T-1000 behind you?

via u/Altruistic-Cut9795
29
Po-ta-toes!

via u/CategoryFine9778
30
My dad had this at his office

via u/DE3NIL3
31
Not many knew this stupid show but I loved it!

via u/kevinpb13
32
Mmmmm... Butter Rum...

via u/StaffYearly4493