In praise of NY's Chinatown Fair Arcade - http://www.mmcafe.com/ Forums


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Maou
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"In praise of NYC's Chinatown Fair Arcade" , posted Sat 7 Aug 13:49:post reply

I never thought I'd see the Chinatown Fair, the last true arcade I know of on the United States' East Coast, featured in the New York Times.

While people sure as hell don't go there for Ms. Pacman like the goofy sub-headline might suggest, and I don't think that the competitive scene is totally dominated by the internet (I hear of 10,000 plus registrations at EVO 2010), I think it's a pretty fun article that definitely might be interesting to show to people who haven't noticed American arcades since the 80's or so.

Bonus topic: talk about your favorite Game Centers. There's a multi-floor cluster I like in Shibuya, the Chinatown Fair is excellent as mentioned (though really narrow and smelly), and I think I first played SF Zero 3 in Tilt in Washington, DC when it existed and liked how it had two open walls, which made it less dreary than most American arcades.





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[this message was edited by Maou on Sat 7 Aug 14:32]

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Professor
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"Re(1):In praise of NYC's Chinatown Fair Arcad" , posted Sat 7 Aug 15:02post reply

quote:
I never thought I'd see the Chinatown Fair, the last true arcade I know of on the United States' East Coast, featured in the New York Times.

While people sure as hell don't go there for Ms. Pacman like the goofy sub-headline might suggest, and I don't think that the competitive scene is totally dominated by the internet (I hear of 10,000 plus registrations at EVO 2010), I think it's a pretty fun article that definitely might be interesting to show to people who haven't noticed American arcades since the 80's or so.

Bonus topic: talk about your favorite Game Centers. There's a multi-floor cluster I like in Shibuya, the Chinatown Fair is excellent as mentioned (though really narrow and smelly), and I think I first played SF Zero 3 in Tilt in Washington, DC when it existed and liked how it had two open walls, which made it less dreary than most American arcades.



That's a nice read, thanks. The photos makes the place look so big. Too bad they took out the Tic-Tac-Toe chicken, it was awfully inhumane but also kind of symbolic of that place. (They had a living chicken inside a huge tic-tac-toe machine.)

Arcade in Shibuya... the small but tall one?





Maou
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"Re(2):In praise of NYC's Chinatown Fair Arcad" , posted Sat 7 Aug 15:14:post reply

quote:
Arcade in Shibuya... the small but tall one?
Just so! Super-narrow store front, starts on around 3F or so I believe. There might be a 雀荘 in the same building or next door...I just walked by twice in the past week or so and cannot remember, what is wrong with me?

Speaking of narrow, I like Chinatown Fair a lot, but it's hard to capture just how narrow it feels compared with that photo. The crummy Zero 3 machine in front may not have a working roundhouse, but at least it gives you free credits, or at least says 50 cents when it means 25. Japan is in good repair, but how is maintenance in other countries' arcades besides the US, I wonder?

Sentimental though it may sound, I also really really like the kids kissing in the background because it reminds me of an alternate-reality scenario where there's a happy neighborhood community in the arcade (and where girls actually showed up, for that matter) rather than the vaguely dangerous vibe I get in most American centers.





人間はいつも私を驚かせてくれる。不思議なものだな、人間という存在は...

[this message was edited by Maou on Sat 7 Aug 15:19]

Professor
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"Re(3):In praise of NYC's Chinatown Fair Arcad" , posted Sat 7 Aug 17:28:post reply

quote:
Arcade in Shibuya... the small but tall one? Just so! Super-narrow store front, starts on around 3F or so I believe. There might be a 雀荘 in the same building or next door...I just walked by twice in the past week or so and cannot remember, what is wrong with me?


If it's the place with retro games on the top floor, it's a good place for XIII, half the price of normal stores w/lcd cabinets. Shibuya has many arcades but that place is one of the better ones.





[this message was edited by Professor on Sat 7 Aug 17:32]

Maou
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"Re(4):In praise of NYC's Chinatown Fair Arcad" , posted Sat 7 Aug 17:31:post reply

quote:
If it's the place with retro games on the top floor, it's a good place for XIII, half the price of normal stores w/lcd cabinets.

Duly noted! I will send my agents over there forthwith as I am in the States again right now.

...a shame that I can't imagine there is much of a KOFXIII arcade scene even here on the West Coast---I really am excited to learn to play after the KOFXIII Superthread here.





人間はいつも私を驚かせてくれる。不思議なものだな、人間という存在は...

[this message was edited by Maou on Sat 7 Aug 17:41]

Toxico
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"Re(5):In praise of NYC's Chinatown Fair Arcad" , posted Sat 7 Aug 18:21post reply

quote:

...is there much of a KOFXIII arcade scene in the States, I wonder?



I suppose that it's hard to tell, considering that some people has been playing it for a week or something. You might find this to be informative.







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"Re(6):In praise of NYC's Chinatown Fair Arcad" , posted Sun 8 Aug 00:10post reply

I feel honor-bound to mention Ground Kontrol in Portland, OR. Okay, so they will never have KOFXIII until it has been out for years, but they will have a Cave shooter or two, and the volume on all machines will always be turned up just loud enough that it can be heard a block away. Think 'arcade 1988', not 'arcade today'. My complaints? Not nearly enough neon present, and they got rid of Daimakaimura a few months ago...





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"Re(6):In praise of NYC's Chinatown Fair Arcad" , posted Sun 8 Aug 00:22post reply

quote:

...is there much of a KOFXIII arcade scene in the States, I wonder?


I suppose that it's hard to tell, considering that some people has been playing it for a week or something. You might find this to be informative.



That is so interesting to me (pertaining to the Kuwait cabinet location)! I love how there are so many different groups of people who enjoy playing KOF. I've had the chance to play with others in Nicaragua and here in Florida when my local arcade was around but I'd love to play with people from that side of the world. Isn't the owner of Cyberfanatix from Pakistan or something?





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