Classic Photos Of Peak Arcade Life From The 1980s

While there certainly are some arcades left in the world, the boom of ‘arcade life’ was, without a doubt, the 1980s. Kids and young adults would gather at these establishments and enjoy the wonderful pastime of video games, one quarter at a time.

There was a social aspect that was lost with time, particularly with the advent of the home console. Now, games are certainly social, but they don’t connect you as much with local communities. Going to the arcade was meeting like-minded individuals in your area, and these are the pictures that reminds us of the best of those days.

A Watchful Eye

Kids loved the arcade life more than anyone else, but it was important to have someone watching over you at that age. Here we have a kid going through a complex game with their guardians watching.

Innocent Violence

Age ratings weren’t a thing until Mortal Kombat came around, so before then, kids could access all sorts of violent games and have a blast. They weren’t full of explicit gore, but here we have a few kids enjoying Final Fight, a game not suited to them by today’s standards.

Nobody Around

It was hard to master a game at the arcade, not just for the money investment, but for the crowds that would gather wanting their turn on the machine. For this lucky guy, getting good at Karate Champ is no issue with nobody around.

Table Play

Today’s leisure parlors have tables for duo play, but they are mostly analog games that are more similar to pool than anything else. Back when everything needed to be an arcade cabinet, some arcades were set as tables. The light from the ceiling would often make visibility difficult, hence why they were discontinued.

Time Shared

Not all experiences can be shared, and the control scheme of arcade machines often made them a solo experience. But with racing games, sharing the wheel is almost natural, something this parent and child used as a bonding experience.

Arcade Stance

The main demographic for arcades were children and teenagers, the latter more than the former. As such, the cabinets were made with their heights in mind, something adults had to suffer through with the famed ‘arcade stance.’

Arcade Hunch

Some adults could spread their legs and get into the proper arcade height, but for particularly tall people, this wasn’t possible unless you wanted to do the splits. Bending over the machine was far more practical, and yet more taxing on your back as a whole.

Steven Spielberg

Arcades were popular all over the world, and with everybody as well. While Steven Spielberg wasn’t going to a town’s local arcade, he did have his own personal collection at his house, something anyone that can afford it would do.

Quarter Boys

Keeping people playing was part of the business, but having them go all the way to the counter for more quarters could make them think twice. That’s why there were people whose job was giving change to anyone that needed it on the spot.

Black & White

Taking pictures in black and white is an aesthetic nowadays, and with all the color pictures around of the arcade days, you’d think this was a style choice as well. But back in the 80s, people still had black and white cameras, since the ‘upgrade’ to color wasn’t as instant as many would have you believe.

Posing For The Camera

Arcade cabinets were everywhere, attracting potential customers. At this video rental store, these teens pose for a picture, eager to continue their games after the click is heard.

Teaching The Craft

Here, a grown teen shows a small child how the game is played. Here’s hoping the kid was paying attention, because his turn to play wasn’t going to come any time soon.

Contagion

Many adults enjoyed some leisure time at the arcade, but pictures showing many of them at the same time are rare. Exactly where these cabinets are installed might shed some light as to why no children are around, but at least everyone is having fun.

Action Pose

Getting too much into the action of a video game can make us do silly things, like moving a joystick thinking that moves the character faster. Well, the same happened back then, but we would move our entire bodies to ‘avoid’ upcoming bullets.

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