Back in 1983 and between some Atari games, me and my little posse would go downtown Montreal on St-Catherine street and tour some of our favorite arcades. Although a bit scared of the older bums hanging in those game rooms, we were only in grade 6 after all, the feeling of slipping your token into the brand new Star Wars arcade and being at the helm of a X-Wing Tie fighter was unbelievably gratifying and rewarding if you had the chops. For a few moments, I was a jedi… until my X-Wing had no more respond from R2 D2, usually followed by the dreaded “game over”…Or until a a-hole older teen put his quarters on top of the marquee leaving me with no choice of letting him play.
In a different arcade, we would try our hands at M.A.C.H. 3, a laserdisc game – the new thing. You would drop your two tokens – very expensive for us at the time - and the game started and ended as quick as your fist time in bed with a girl…but what a game! Later, it was back at one of the guy’s place for an evening session of Super Pitfall II on the Atari or Spy Hunter on the Colecovision.
Near my house and a few years later, a “depanneur” ProviSoir – was the meeting place of our gang each Saturday afternoon. Spending my weekly allowance was very common as all of it went into games like Commando – which top score was mine – or Paperboy with its unique handlebars for joystick. After sweating profusely and with a little cramp in my hand - and after being kicked out by the owner of the depanneur for disturbing the peace - , we would run to the nearest Italian café and play Juno First – which, once more, my chosen three letters were atop the list of high scorers. Good times, good times indeed.
Near my house and a few years later, a “depanneur” ProviSoir – was the meeting place of our gang each Saturday afternoon. Spending my weekly allowance was very common as all of it went into games like Commando – which top score was mine – or Paperboy with its unique handlebars for joystick. After sweating profusely and with a little cramp in my hand - and after being kicked out by the owner of the depanneur for disturbing the peace - , we would run to the nearest Italian café and play Juno First – which, once more, my chosen three letters were atop the list of high scorers. Good times, good times indeed.
Anyway…While surfing on the “wonderful” world of web, I’ve recently cam across M.A.M.E. or Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator and thought - not being very technologically savvy - that it was brand new and that I stumbled on a well-kept secret, etc. As my younger brother, a true gamer, reminded me after I’ve told him proudly of my finding: “Man, it’s been around since 97 or so”. Nevertheless, with MAME and a flight simulator joystick (not the best for arcade games mind you) I have rediscovered with great nostalgia lost gems from my arcade days. For more info on M.A.M.E. and arcade games:
mamedev.org
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAME
http://www.klov.com/
10 FAVORITES ARCADES of the 80’S (rediscovered with M.A.M.E.)
Star Wars (Atari, 1983)
Commando (Nihon Bussan/AV Japan, 1985)
Paperboy (Atari Games, 1984)
Juno First (Konami, 1983)
Robotron 2084 (Williams Electronics, 1982)
Indiana Jones And the Temple of Doom (Atari , 1985)
Tempest (Atari, 1980)
Empire Strikes Back (Atari Games, 1985)
Shao-Lin’s Road (Konami, 1985)
M.A.C.H. 3 (Mylstar, 1983)
mamedev.org
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAME
http://www.klov.com/
10 FAVORITES ARCADES of the 80’S (rediscovered with M.A.M.E.)
Star Wars (Atari, 1983)
Commando (Nihon Bussan/AV Japan, 1985)
Paperboy (Atari Games, 1984)
Juno First (Konami, 1983)
Robotron 2084 (Williams Electronics, 1982)
Indiana Jones And the Temple of Doom (Atari , 1985)
Tempest (Atari, 1980)
Empire Strikes Back (Atari Games, 1985)
Shao-Lin’s Road (Konami, 1985)
M.A.C.H. 3 (Mylstar, 1983)
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