33 Nostalgic Photos from the Happiest Place on Earth - The Arcade

Listen, I miss arcades. And no, I don't mean the neon-lit "family entertainment centers" of today where you spend $40 to win 20 tickets and trade them for a plastic whistle. I'm talking about the real arcades - the beating heart of video game culture in the 80s and 90s. The smoky, noisy, quarter-gobbling temples where legends were born and friendships forged.

This was the place you rolled into after school with a pocket full of change, ready to take on whatever pixelated glory awaited. Space Invaders, Golden Axe, After Burner's full 360-degree cockpit - if it had flashing lights and a line of kids waiting, I was there. We'd huddle around the Mortal Kombat machine, whispering the secret to pulling off Sub-Zero's fatality like it was forbidden knowledge. We'd practice our aim on Operation Wolf until our wrists hurt, and we'd high-five like champions after surviving another run on the 4-player X-Men arcade machine.

It was loud. It was chaotic. It was glorious. And these photos? They'll take you right back

Author image for John Summers John Summers
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1990s games 90s memes retro gaming nostalgia sonic the hedgehog 80s music sega Nostalgia Overload 80s online gaming gaming memes 90s kids pc gaming 90s memory lane video games nostalgia memes mario nintendo millennial-nostalgia 1980s
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