Seany's Arcade Odyssey - Official thread!

[Big Seany]

On Saturday I went over to the Isle of Wight and found an absolutely awesome arcade, which was basically like taking a trip ten years back in time or thereabouts, and a place where I could have happily stayed all day (and will do when I go over on my own without the missus).

As per what Strider said earlier in this thread, I am not going to reveal the exact location, as there are cabs and PCBs in this place that would be snapped up by collectors in no time at all (I even made a cheeky offer to the manager - more later). All you southern boys on here - we GOTS to take a trip to this place sometime soon.

Anyway, in the arcade I found the following (in no order as am randomly trying to remember them all and didn't take photos of all of them).

Heavy Unit, Captain Commando, Carrier Airwing, Final Fight, KOF 95, Street Fighter Zero 2 (yes, ZERO 2!), X-Men Children of The Atom, X-Men (Konami), Point Blank, NBA Jam, Metal Slug, Puzzle Bobble, Track & Field, Mr Do, Space Invaders, Mortal Kombat, Virtua Fighter 2, Knights Of The Round, Space Harrier, Super Pang, Raiden, Tekken 2, Operation Wolf, Operation Thunderbolt, WWF Wrestlefest, plus loads more I can't remember!! nearly all (about 90%) of the games were 20p per play, too. What a place! like I said, I could have stayed there all day.

I found out who the manager was, and asked if he wanted to sell me the Captain Commando and Carrier Airwing boards, but he was having none of it - and in a way I am glad he said no, as I would have been denying people the chance to play those games in their natural habitat.

[Big Seany]

More!

[Big Seany]

Pics...

[Big Seany]

Further beautiful old fag burned beauties

[Big Seany]

Just noticed - Destruktikor has owned me earlier on in this thread - he has been to the same arcade waaay before me by the looks of it!!!

[Yakumo]

Now that's a classic selection you found there ! Don't know if I could play using stand up cabinets anymore though. I'm far too spoiled with the sit down ones over here. Still, I can understand the joy you had finding the place. It's always a joy to find classic arcades. We have a game Center like that not far from here but they always seem to rotate the games around every few months. There I was last time wanting to play Final Fight but it was gone and replaced with Captain Commando. Two month later it was back and Captain Commando was gone. That happens with a load of games in this place. I just wish I could live there

[anephric]

You should've been more forceful in your charms, Mr. Seany. In Southend about ten years ago there was a rotting arcade on Pier Hill that had a Star Wars cab AND a Discs of Tron cab (the full neon jobbie one! Megotsoexcited).

Could I get the smelly old git to sell them to me? Could I feck. I would have killed for that Tron cab (in fact I nearly did).

[Street Turk]

Southend

Hey! I am THE expert on Southend arcades.

I am pretty sure a lot of those guys would sell now. There are some REALLY rotting arcades there. I know one which has has a cafe inside it-with no ventilation.
The owners tend to know nothing about the games and neglect the cabs. I'm sure if you waved a few fifties in their face you could strike a deal..I know that sounds a bit tacky but those games can't even be clearing the electricity bills in terms of revenue generated.

There are LOADS of gems aswell-original Track and Field, numerous star Wars, Mortal Kombat 2 cabs. I remember being very drunk and walking down a side street behind an arcade. There I saw an 'arcade graveyard'...loads of cabs left to rot. Some were in great shape aswell.
The state of Sothend depresses me now though...all those memories replaced by Dance Stage 314 or something...

[anephric]

I offered him ?300 for the Tron cab (which is all I could get in cash that day), which he flatly refused - he said they still made him money.

Personally I think he just saw how keen I was (I've not got much of a poker face) and thought "Hey, they're worth something!"

[Street Turk]

Cabs

He could smell your desperation!

Things have changed now though. The owners now make their money from the gambling machines.

I'd recommend you go back.

I'd rather see these games with a collector then in a flea infested arcade where they are neither player or looked after.

[Mad Gear]

Wow some great mamories there Seany. I'd be up for a drive down your way one weekend sometime for some pwnage action.

[anephric]

He could smell your desperation!

Things have changed now though. The owners now make their money from the gambling machines.

I'd recommend you go back.

I'd rather see these games with a collector then in a flea infested arcade where they are neither player or looked after.

I've looked - they're long gone I've not lived in S'end for years now, but most of the older, shabbier arcades that had classic cabs have disappeared/sold them off. I think "Carousel" used to have Splatterhouse, Rolling Thunder, X-Men (the scroller), Rodland, Return of the Jedi, Strider etc etc. All gone now, I think.

[Duddyroar]

Sean - have you ever been to place called Bracklesham Bay (at least I think that's what it called)?

I went on holiday there in the early 90's and there was an AMAZING arcade that had Final Fight, Return of the Jedi, Golden Axe and many other classics. Of course, back in the 90's they weren't classic as such!

I wonder if it's still there...

[Street Turk]

Southend

Carousel did have the classics buy have flogged them off.
BUT
I wandered down towards the Kursaal and found a few dodgy arcades...all the classics in there!
AND the manager was an elderly woman (although her son probably owns the place).
Southend is a goldmine if you know where to look.
Did you ever play in Computer HQ?-the best Streetfighter players outside London IMO.

[anephric]

Where vas zat? I dinnae remember that one.

I had my ass handed to me by an Asian yoof in Nottingham Namco not so long ago on KOF '01 (I think - I is not good under pressure!).