Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

STORY TIME!

When I lived in Tokyo, my little section of the city (called Hiro-o) had one main street on it with all the stores and whatnot. On this street was a little hole-in-the-wall bar that didn't ID, and right across the street was a 2-story arcade. These are pretty common in Tokyo, big arcades. Anyways, my after-school ritual was go to the bar for a pint, and then since I was a regular, they'd let me take the glass outside and walk across the street to the arcade. People are a lot more trusting there.

Now, arcades in Japan work a little different then America. Here in the states, there are primarily kids...least in my experience. In Japan, it is some teenagers, but an equal amount of middle-aged men and women, all pounding away on their respective games of choice. You go to these places enough, you start to learn that individuals gravitate to their favorite games and stay there for HOURS, ashtrays slowly filling, empty glasses of beer/whiskey piling up. It is an experience, these arcades.

Anyways, my game of choice for the longest time was an old Gauntlet game that sat in a corner covering dust while everyone else played Tekken or Street Fighter. I LOVED that game; it was my version of stress relief. Beer in hand, cigarette in the other, praying for keys and not monster spawn points. There was no competition for the game, no lines I had to wait in. It was ALWAYS available.

Then, one day I get to this arcade and the Gauntlet game is gone. I ask in broken Japanese what happened to it, and they said they had to make room for some sort of DJ-simulation game, where you spin little discs and pretend to be a DJ.

I was so sad. I drowned my sorrows and tried to get into some competitive Tekken, but just got my ass kicked over and over, further sinking me into a Gauntlet-deprived depression. I tried to get a ROM of it to work on my computer at home, but couldn't figure it out.

I searched all other arcades around my home (there were a lot), but did not find any other Gauntlet. That one machine must have been the last in the city. I even went to the Sega Game Center in Shinjuku; a 5-story building FULL of games, ranging from old classics like Pac-man to racing-sims in a full-size Nascar vehicle. NOPE.

I gave up, and haven't played it since.

Sometimes, at night, when I'm nostalgic and drunk, I get visions of Gauntlet playing through my head, and I hark back to the days of buying beer and playing it for hours, never actually winning, but never actually caring if I did. It wasn't about completing the game; it was about the experience, sitting in a smokey room with dozens of other gaming fans, ignoring each other and completely distracted from our lives in our own little n-bit world. It was glorious.

Posted

My version of the Arcade growing up was once a month going to the Mall with my brother and friends and stay there all day playing games until out parents hunted us down or wouldnt give us more money for tokens...Tokens, ah yes, a pocketful of tokens was every boys dream before home computers and tablets. I got a Atari 2600 and a Commodore 64 computer (yes, I am old) later and it helped my gaming habit at home, but I always love what Brown talked about, the interaction with other gamers while playing these games.

Posted

I remember Gauntlet: Dark Legacy so clearly, one of my favourite arcade games ever when I was little, and I was so pleased when I found a version for PS2 or Xbox several years ago. The boss fights were great, the environments and stages were excellent, and it was a great game with friends.

  • 2 months later...
Posted

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd Pre-Ordered :D

Countless hours playing this. I don't remember anything about a story or how to play. (I was like 9 or 10 i think...maybe older...I don't remember when xD) We didn't have an arcade locally. We did have a pizza place that had a couple arcade games. One game was Gauntlet! (insert angelic music here) I remember going there after school or church and dumping my saved up allowance into it....and whatever kind of money I got my little hands on....WHATEVER KIND... o_O!

Ahhh, Good times.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Recent Posts

    • MARINE CORPS ENLISTMENT OFFICE Camp Pendleton, CA   RECRUITMENT LETTER     Hello James Buford, Thank you for taking interest in joining the 1st Marine Raider Battalion.   During your trial period the following will occur: Once accepted as a Recruit, you will remain as a Recruit for 2 weeks from the day of your acceptance until the next BCT Class is offered. During your time as a recruit, it is highly encouraged to play within the Public Server and join Discord with our other members. Upon acceptance, you will be contacted by one of our DIs when the next available BCT is scheduled via the appropriate Discord channel.   We have a BCT class every two weeks. Please keep an eye out for when the next one is made available once you've completed your time requirements!   Upon stating that you understand all the information here, an admin will change your forum name and login to be :   Buford 1st MRB   Take the time now to change your Steam and in-game name to:   Rec. J. Buford [1st MRB] (Example: Rec. J. Doe [1st MRB])   Please make sure to verify your forum account by checking your email. Also, please respond below with a reply showing that you have read and understand these rules. You cannot be fully accepted until you do so. We have a limit on the time to reply, if you do not do so within 48 hours, your application will be denied. Once you reply, you will be approved for your trial period unless otherwise posted.  
    • jelly3384's application for Enlistment Form Questions Name you wish to use and Age: (Our unit uses realistic names, this does not have to be your real name) Pigeon, 16 Platform Type Epic Games Store Steam ID (Use 17 Digit SteamID 64 / PC Game Pass Account Username): Pigeon_theft   Do you have a microphone? Yes   Which game title are you applying for? Hell Let Loose   If you've selected Hell Let Loose, do you understand that this game is currently not cross platform capable and only PC players currently may apply? ( Steam or PC Game Pass) Yes   Why do you wish to join the 1st Marine Raiders? I've played BFV and milsimed in it, and it was a lot more fun when I milsimed. and I enjoy playing HLL, so I think it is going to be more fun when I join.   Did any of our current members play a part in you enlisting? If so, who? If none, how did you learn about us: I found you guys from a website called disboard when looking for HLL milsim groups to join.   This unit offers more than just a place to play games with each other, do you have any online skills you think would be useful? no   Do you have any Leadership experience that you think will be helpful? I'm not sure if it will be helpfull,but I used to be in BFV milsim groups and in my last one I got to [E-7] out of [E-1] to [O-8], so I was a NCO and I helped the officers with whatever they needed doing, weather it was assisting with training, settling disputes or helping them decide what was appropriate disciplinary action. And when we were in combat I was usually assigned to lead my own squad.   Have you ever been in a realism unit before, and if so, which unit was it? yes. I was in quite a few BFV milsim groups, although I was only in one at any given time. unfortunately, I have left the discord servers and I do not remember the names of them. if you would like, I could probably give a reference to someone who was an officer in most of the groups I was in.   By posting this Enlistment form, I acknowledge the instructions completely, declare that I am 16 years old or older, and agree that I have and will follow server and unit rules maturely and respectfully or face immediate rejection. Yes   Application stats UserId: 943213736024498227 Username: jelly3384 User: @Rec. J. Buford Duration: 1131 seconds Joined guild at: a day ago
    • 2nd Platoon Weekly Attendance   Week of 09MAR2025   P = Present | E = Excused | A = Absent   Platoon Staff WO. A. Pitteway - Excused MSgt. J. Candy - Present TSgt. A Yoder - Present   1st Squad Squad leader:  TSgt. R. Fielding- Excused Cpl. B. Grande - Present Cpl. M. Noel - Excused Pfc. R. Smith - Present Pfc. C. Keebler - Present Pfc. D. Moffat - Present     2nd Squad Squad leader:  Sgt. S. Holquist - Present Cpl. T. Scary - Present Pfc. C. Marsh - Present Pfc. M. Oake - Excused Pfc. W. Swift - - Present Pvt. R. Zera - Present   Helpers:  Ret. A. Cannon
    • 2nd Platoon Weekly Attendance   Week of 02MAR2025   P = Present | E = Excused | A = Absent   Platoon Staff WO. A. Pitteway - Excused MSgt. J. Candy - Present TSgt. A Yoder - Present   1st Squad Squad leader:  TSgt. R. Fielding- Excused Cpl. B. Grande - Present Cpl. M. Noel - Present Pfc. R. Smith - Present Pfc. C. Keebler - Present Pfc. D. Moffat - Excused     2nd Squad Squad leader:  Sgt. S. Holquist - Present Cpl. T. Scary - Present Pfc. C. Marsh - Present Pfc. M. Oake - Excused Pfc. W. Swift - - Present Pvt. R. Zera - Absent II   Helpers:  Pfc. J. Arsenault   *Cannon, Clement, Whistle moved to reserves
    • Welcome to the 1st Marine Raider Battalion! Now that you have been accepted don't forget to: 1. Check in at the Recruit Depot 2. Read the Marine Raider Handbook (you are expected to know everything in it) 3. Change your steam friends Avatar 4. Download, install and log into Discord NOTE: Please be aware that you will not have access to the above links until an officer has given you full access to the forum. Access to the forum should be given to you within the next day.
×
×
  • Create New...