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deckardcanineIn youth, I loved to hang around a video arcade.
My teenage years were when I saw the fad begin to fade.
Apart from Dave & Buster’s, now it’s tough to find a place
With more than three arcade games, as they really fell from grace.
At times, I get nostalgic, but just slightly, not depressed.
The reasons for the games’ decline can easily be guessed.
Until the later ‘90s, gaming consoles for the home
Could not compete in sight and sound; arcade games stood alone.
But consoles then advanced so much, arcades would have to choose:
Stay retro or increase the prices? Either way, they’d lose.
Why cough up all those quarters for some minutes’ worth of play,
Especially when buttons broke and mostly stayed that way?
I understand that some arcades would see a lot of fights,
By children and adults; you could see bouncers at some sites.
The consoles weren’t the only competition, I might add:
Computer games advanced as well and helped to kill the fad.
I do know many modern games with graphics rather cheap,
But those can play on smartphones, so the price is never steep.
So why would someone miss arcades? Well, some kids surely tried
To get the highest score and show it off; they had their pride,
While other kids would like to watch and cheer the players on.
It’s not the same with consoles; the experience is gone.
But I was neither type; I didn’t watch or go for fame.
I simply have fond memories of playing certain games.
My teenage years were when I saw the fad begin to fade.
Apart from Dave & Buster’s, now it’s tough to find a place
With more than three arcade games, as they really fell from grace.
At times, I get nostalgic, but just slightly, not depressed.
The reasons for the games’ decline can easily be guessed.
Until the later ‘90s, gaming consoles for the home
Could not compete in sight and sound; arcade games stood alone.
But consoles then advanced so much, arcades would have to choose:
Stay retro or increase the prices? Either way, they’d lose.
Why cough up all those quarters for some minutes’ worth of play,
Especially when buttons broke and mostly stayed that way?
I understand that some arcades would see a lot of fights,
By children and adults; you could see bouncers at some sites.
The consoles weren’t the only competition, I might add:
Computer games advanced as well and helped to kill the fad.
I do know many modern games with graphics rather cheap,
But those can play on smartphones, so the price is never steep.
So why would someone miss arcades? Well, some kids surely tried
To get the highest score and show it off; they had their pride,
While other kids would like to watch and cheer the players on.
It’s not the same with consoles; the experience is gone.
But I was neither type; I didn’t watch or go for fame.
I simply have fond memories of playing certain games.
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Thanks for putting forth the effort, I appreciate and enjoy your work. Cheers!
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