Arcade Games Still Popular Today

 

The arcade was once a popular after school hangout for kids of all ages all across the country. The popularity faded in the decade of the 1990s as video game consoles found their way into millions of homes. Any standalone arcades still in existence in the 2000s disappeared when smartphones gave gamers the ability to play classics anywhere in the world. Despite all of this, arcade games are still popular today.

If the standalone arcade has disappeared, how are arcade games still popular? Well, many of them can be found in bowling alleys, another piece of nostalgia that is still around today. Many bowling alleys have renovated their properties to freshen things up and some have renovated to go back to a retro look. These bowling alleys have then dedicated space for arcade games.

You might also find arcade games for sale in bars all throughout the country. Many bar patrons love to spend time at the bar competing with their friends in front of an arcade game or two. It’s an attraction that helps bar owners get more people into their property and can help lead to an increase in sales.

The standalone arcade is not gone completely. They still exist. They just aren’t on every block like they once were in some cities. You might find standalone arcades in tourist towns, like along the Jersey Shore, where the owners can make enough money in the summer months to open each summer for a new generation of kids.

The next time you walk into a restaurant, take a look around the lobby. Some restaurants have the claw game while others have Pac-Man or Tetris. Arcade games for sale are not obsolete. You just need to know where to look for them if you want to play some games the next time you need something to do.

Throw the Ultimate Halloween Party This Year

No doubt, Halloween is a holiday steeped in magic, mystery, and tons of fun. From spooky decorations to unique costumes, and trick-or-treating, it’s understandable why so many anticipate the 31^st of October every year. But Halloween is a holiday that isn’t just for kids, either. Adults can – and certainly do – embrace this festive and fun holiday as well. This year, what better way to celebrate Halloween than by throwing a wicked Halloween party at home? Here are creative ideas that will certainly set the tone for your party.

Drop-dead Decorations

Set the tone right by placing scary and entertaining decorations around your home. Add a spooky touch to your front yard with fake tombstones with skulls and bones, coffins covered in cobwebs, skeletons hanging from the roof, and black lanterns placed along your walkway. For the inside, place stretchable spider web against doors and walls, hang bats from the ceiling, place life size stand up witches, vampires, zombies, and/or mummies throughout your home. Wrap garland and orange or green twinkle lights around stair railings and windows.

Halloween Dance Music

For music, there are tons of great songs you can find on Spotify. You can balance spooky Halloween music with upbeat and rocking songs. If you have a dance floor, even better since guests can really let loose. Songs that are a must-play include “Thriller” by Michael Jackson, “Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker Jr, and “Monster Mash” by Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett & the Crypt-Kickers.

 Party Games and Entertainment

In addition to dancing, other activities for entertainment and to encourage guests to interact include a foosball table, ping pong table, billiard table, or custom arcade machine. Make sure they’re set up and any extension cords are secure to prevent a trip-and-fall.

Creepy and Delicious Food & Drinks

To cut down on time and money in preparing food, stick with easy and tasty finger foods and customize them to make them spooky. Some easy foods include mini sandwiches, pigs in a blanket, chicken fingers, pizza bites, veggies and dip, and deviled eggs.

Designate an area for setting up a small party bar that offers a variety of adult beverages where guests can help themselves. A must-have is a signature drink that’s Halloween themed. It’s hard to please everyone’s taste buds, so pick something that’s lively and give it a unique name, such as Witch’s Brew or Vampire Blood. Also, it never hurts to let guests know they are welcome to bring their own drinks. Use glow-in-the-dark cups to make it more fun.

Costume Attire a Must

Of course, costumes are a must. Make it fun by giving out a prize for the best dressed. Give each guest a number and have everyone vote on their favorite costume.

Take the Party Outdoors

Fire pits are a summer and fall tradition. Let guests make their way to your backyard where they can stay warm by the fire and make s’mores.

How to Make Your Workplace Entertaining and Productive

Are you looking for ways to make your workplace more fun? You value your employees and their time and devotion to their job. Rewarding them by providing a workplace that is fun and productive can motivate employees and help them enjoy what they do.

Celebrate Victories, Even the Small Ones

Give recognition to those who go out of their way to do something that will benefit the company. Acknowledging even the smallest of victories small victories can help employees feel their role matters and instantly boost their confidence and motivation.

Acknowledge Milestones and Special Occasion

A simple but powerful way to show your employees that you care is by congratulating them on milestones such as a work anniversary or a special occasion such as their birthday. If your employee recently tied the knot or welcomed a baby, sending a quick email congratulating them instantly makes them feel that you care and value them.

Company Parties

Show employees appreciation by throwing a company party. You can book reservations at a nearby restaurant or small venue. A company party is a chance to show employee appreciation. Your whole team can have fun and company parties inspire employees to interact with one another. Employees have a chance to let loose a little and get to know each other, which boosts their confidence and trust in each other.

An Office Break Room

Regular breaks throughout the work day are crucial to the productivity, health, and overall happiness of your employees. Actively encouraging employees to take small breaks during the work day gives employees a chance to unwind and recharge their mental batteries. Encourage breaks by providing a relaxing and fun area where employees can go to step out of the work zone. Add sofas and comfortable chairs, a small dining room table, television and/or radio, as well as games and activities like a custom arcade game machine and a pool table.

 

The Best Selling Arcade Machines of All Time

It’s hard to believe that we are nearly three decades past the golden age of arcade machines. While the current generation may laugh at the technology of the golden age of gaming, they’ll never experience the pure thrill of entering an arcade and testing your skills against your peers. If you’re in a battle of gaming stories with your children or their friends, consider the most popular games of all-time. Let’s put our quarters down on our favorite machines and take a look at the best-selling games in the history of arcade machines.

Pac-Man – It’s no surprise that when you bring up arcade machines to a non-gamer, they most likely respond with something along the lines of, “you mean like Pac-Man?” The truth is that Pac-Man is synonymous with arcade games. The game was an instant sensation from the start of 1980. It led to Ms Pac-Man just three years later. There have been movies based on the game as well as countless prized memorabilia.  The game sold more than 400,000 units worldwide.

Space Invaders – The only game that rivals Pac-Man in terms of influence and sheer sales numbers is Space Invaders. Space Invaders debuted in 1978 and was revolutionary in its time. While the game had a simple concept, there was nothing like it at the time it debuted. It led to several sequels and it helped start the golden age of Arcade games. More than 360,000 hard units were sold worldwide. After Pac-Man, only Space Invaders has endured as a worldwide phenomenon.

Donkey Kong – The third and final game in our list of the best-selling arcade machines of all time is Donkey Kong. 132,000 units were sold worldwide. You can see the huge drop off from Space Invaders and Pac-Man, but the third game on our list helped launch arguably the most important video game character of all-time: Mario. Donkey Kong helped inspire a new generation of gaming and eventually led to Nintendo being the powerhouse brand that it is today.

When it comes to arcade machines, the three machines above set the stage for the games children play today. No matter what type of gaming system you now love, these three games made them possible.

Having a Custom Arcade Machine is Like Owning a Time Machine

In the 80’s and early 90’s, American youth fell in love with arcades. Arcade culture brought about a sense of community. Everyone gathered to watch their friends try to master Donkey Kong, Centipede, Street Fighter and other classic games. Now, in the days of headsets and Internet gaming, the face-to-face interaction that happened at the arcade is all but a thing of the past. Fortunately, custom arcade machines are available that provide an instant trip to the past. These machines can elevate any man cave or game room. They’re conversation pieces that instantly transport all guests to their youth.

If you’re considering adding a custom arcade machine to your man cave or game room, there are a number of other items that can be added on a budget that will truly transport anyone who enters. The first is a custom paint job. There are countless options on Pinterest for different games inspired backlashes. For instance, all it takes is a little white paint to replicate the dots from Pac-Man. There are also plenty of stickers that are inspired by classic games like Pac-Man, Donkey Kong and Super Mario Brothers.

Classic arcade marquees are relatively easy to find online. It’s easy to match the games you can play on your custom arcade machine to the decals on you will place on your wall. These rectangular marquees can be positioned in a number of different ways that truly highlight the fun of the games. Your guests are sure to be “wowed” by jumping back into time with these wonderful signs.

Every great game room is full of snacks. There are two different snacks that are synonymous with arcade culture. The first is candy. Fortunately, a lot of the most popular candies of the arcade era remain the popular candies of today. You can purchase a candy machine that requires quarters, especially if you need to limit your calories, or you can find one that simply allows your guests to help themselves.  The second snack is popcorn. Owning a popcorn machine is obviously great for the arcade atmosphere, but it also quickly enhances any family movie night!

If you long for the days of leaving a quarter on an arcade machine, treat yourself to a custom arcade machine and surround your system with other memories of the golden age of gaming. Your guests are sure to be just as excited as you will be.