Would go to Nostalgia Land?

WatchTower

WatchTower

WatchTower

Soldato
Joined
9 Jan 2005
Posts
4,427
Location
Stoke-On-Trent
Ok the name is something I just come up with on short notice for a business idea. You don't see video games in amusements anymore they're just full of fruit machines. This is why I've stop going to arcades which at one time were my favorite places to hang out as a kid.

The idea in my head is to have a traditional arcade like you can probably remember them being like n the 80's and 90's. I was thinking of havign sections dedicated to the 70's then 80's and then 90's. So people that came in could relive their generation if they so wished. I can see Pacman, Defender, Tron, Galaxian, StarWars in a late 70's to early 80's section. Hang On, AfterBurner, Out run and Operation Wolf etc from the late 80's to early 90's section Then in the 90's section would be games like Virtual Cop 1 and 2, The House Of The Dead, Ridge Racer, Sega Rally etc.

I'm not sure it would be a good idea to have people to pay to enter to keep the wrong people out but when you've paid to enter the machines would all be set to Freeplay. I'd probably need a diner in there to make up extra revenue.

This maybe something I've always dreamed of but would it be a viable business. So that's why I post here in the gamer section to see if people would visit such a place if it existed. A chance to visit the days that brought you has a gamer your most happiness.
 
Last edited:
Do you have much familiarity with arcade machines? They bang on about them on the Giant Bombcast from time to time and it sounds like quite a hassle to get decent bits of kit in decent working order and to keep them that way...
 
Vonhelmet said:
Do you have much familiarity with arcade machines? They bang on about them on the Giant Bombcast from time to time and it sounds like quite a hassle to get decent bits of kit in decent working order and to keep them that way...
Click to expand...

Obviously I'd have to look at refurbished machines with after support if things do go pair shaped. lol.
 
Apparently the main issue is the availability of CRT screens. All old arcade machines use them, they decay over time, and basically no one is making them any more.
 
It sounds like an absolutely amazing place but I don't know if you'd generate enough to make it a viable business. Sounds like an absolute dream though and if I was a multi-millionaire with money to throw away I'd do something like this just for fun and for the happiness it would bring to others. :)
 
Nope, I wouldnt go there and I very much doubt it could be run as a viable profit-making business. Unfortunately arcades are on the decline in this country, far more likely to make money building cabinets for home use, than running an arcade...

The access to technology we have at home today, just about makes arcade redundant IMHO; that just wasnt the case a few decades ago...

ps3ud0 :cool:
 
I would love to visit a place like that, can't remember last time I went to an arcade and saw a game that actually used joysticks. They're either dance machines or games that use crappy props.

Sadly how long the nosalgia factor would last would be questionable, as fun as it would be to play Double Dragon again, it would soon get old and an arcade without an influx of new machines will become stale.

We did a refurb on a Space Invader cabinet not so long ago (We've actually got a Space Invader 2 machine in at the moment) and it was pretty fun, and sad, when a bunch of 10 year olds came in an asked "What's space invader?" :(
 
You know you see in business cards or a form that ask what you thought of there services and staff etc? I think a similar thing could be done where people that visit can tell you what games they enjoyed as a child which you don't currently have in the arcade. Highly wanted games could be then sort after and added keeping people that visit happy and hopefully give rarity to keep things intresting.
 
WatchTower said:
Ok the name is something I just come up with on short notice for a business idea. You don't see video games in amusements anymore they're just full of fruit machines. This is why I've stop going to arcades which at one time were my favorite places to hang out as a kid.

The idea in my head is to have a traditional arcade like you can probably remember them being like n the 80's and 90's. I was thinking of havign sections dedicated to the 70's then 80's and then 90's. So people that came in could relive their generation if they so wished. I can see Pacman, Defender, Tron, Galaxian, StarWars in a late 70's to early 80's section. Hang On, AfterBurner, Out run and Operation Wolf etc from the late 80's to early 90's section Then in the 90's section would be games like Virtual Cop 1 and 2, The House Of The Dead, Ridge Racer, Sega Rally etc.

I'm not sure it would be a good idea to have people to pay to enter to keep the wrong people out but when you've paid to enter the machines would all be set to Freeplay. I'd probably need a diner in there to make up extra revenue.

This maybe something I've always dreamed of but would it be a viable business. So that's why I post here in the gamer section to see if people would visit such a place if it existed. A chance to visit the days that brought you has a gamer your most happiness.
Click to expand...

In my opinion, this wouldn't work.

Why?

We live in an Xbox/Playstation era, arcade' and their appeal are outdated in this day and age.
 
http://www.londontrocadero.com/

Has plenty of 360/ps3/pc lan stuff with a good amount of new arcades, it's just lacking in the older ones but it does have some!

You would need to replicate something like that which will easily cost a few hundred thousands into the millions :p I don't think the Arcade cabs have enough pulling power to run a business all year round, great for weekend events and such but I doubt many people would turn up daily to play the same 30 games.
 
There are places like this in America and they do very well.

I would be more than happy to go in and spend £15-20 playing on original machines, I have recreated my own perfect arcade on Mame with the following games, but if they were real, its what I would have. For the record, you guys probably have played in some of the same arcades that I did, so ive stuck on myself where I remember these from, I was fortunate to be able to travel a bit as a kid, I can still physically picture the layouts of most of the arcades and where the games sat, I can remember the smells and the condition of the machines too, they are all very evocative memories.

Marble Madness (Southend)
Ring King (Largs)
Bomb Jack (Rothesay)
Bubble Bobble (Rothesay)
Kick n' Run (4 player with pedals) (Rothesay)
Pole Position Sit Down (Rothesay)
Pole Position II (Clearwater Sheraton, Florida)
Star Wars Sit Down (Millport, front)
Moon Cresta (Millport, shows)
Mad Dog McCree (Largs)
Return of the Jedi (Millport front)
I Robot (Millport Front)
Commando (St Hellier, Fort)
Track n Field (St Hellier, front)
Hyper Sports (Rothesay front)
Joust (Falmouth)
Paperboy (Rothesay)
Kung Fu Master (unknown)
Yie Ar Kung Fu (Southend)
WWF Wrestlefest and Superstars (Paisley)
Street Fighter 2 (Paisley)
Karate Champ (St Hellier, Fort)
Outrun (Paisley)

Im actually giving up now new ones keep coming into my head, getting enough guys like me interested in playing original cabs (not remakes) would make it a very viable proposition.

If you watch the Game Chasers take Pax (part 2 i think) they go into a huge retro arcade that looked amazing, check it out on youtube.
 
I would go to somewhere like that but I don't think it would work as a business. Arcades used to be great but part of the appeal was playing games that your home console/computer could never manage. Many Amiga/Snes/Megadrive games were arcade conversions and the main appeal of them was how close to the arcade they were. I think once the PS1 came out, the main appeal disappeared. I think they still have them in Japan, I've seen a Mario Kart arcade machine over here.

If you were going to do it, I would suggest the old arcades being just a section of it. You would get more interest in having PS3s and Xbox 360s setup to either the biggest TV you can afford or a projector.
 
Last edited:
If Segaworld couldn't make a go of it then I doubt things have changed that much and although the idea is nice it wouldn't make money. You say you'd have to have a diner in there for the extra revenue but you be better off having a diner with a retro arcade theme and some machines..
 
Dont think it would work as a business to be honest. Nice idea though.

Last time I was in an arcade I was playing MK, Wrestlemania Wrestlefest and Virtual Racing I think.

Cineworld in Falkirk have an arcade section, but it isnt very busy. Has dominated by three types of game...dancing, shooting and driving.

You could always fill a room with Xbox's and load up Game Room:)
 
To be honest, with the easy availability of emulators etc, giant screen TVs/projectors at home, and powerful PCs, most people would rather get a few mates over, a couple of crates of beer and order in takeaway and do it all at home - Can't see it making much money as a business =/
 
I'd give up 360 and PS3 in the click of a finger. I personally can't see how playing an arcade game through mame and playing the same game on the original cabinet with the lights and sounds of all the other arcade games around me even compares.
 
I don't think it's such a good idea.

Firstly it your target audience, which effectively is male and over the age of at least 25, right now. Kids these days, which were the main audience of such arcades in the past will find retro games boring and have no interest in them whatsoever. The only reason this appeals to adults is because of the nostalgic value of having played them in the past.

A place like this today is going to provide very little revenue, while being difficult to maintain, which is no doubt why so few of them exist now.
 
You could always take a trip to Funspot in America (New Hampshire I think) to see how it's done. Growing up where I have I used to love going to the arcades on the seafront in Southend but sadly as has been said 95% of them are now just slots, dancing and a few of the big driving machines amongst others. You can play an original Track and Field cab in Happidrome still plus they have a few other old cabs there, sadly most of these older ones are poorly maintained.

Anyone remember when most Chippys had an arcade machine in them?
 
I would go, I would also be IN if I was a multi-millionaire dragon! :D

I agree it would be hard to make a return on it but if I ever win the euromillions ill drop you a message
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom