The first popular “arcade games” included early games such as shooting galleries, ball-toss games, and the earliest coin-operated machines, such as those that claimed to tell a person’s fortune or that played mechanical music.
In the 1930s the first coin-operated pinball machines emerged. These early amusement machines differed from their later electronic cousins in that they were made of wood. They lacked plungers or lit-up bonus surfaces on the playing field, and used mechanical instead of electronic scoring-readouts. By around 1977 most pinball machines in production switched to using solid-state electronics both for operation and for scoring.
These days though, coin-operated games are far more intelligent as the industry sees a resurgence in arcade amusements popularity.
The question is…. are arcades still a viable business?
The answer: Yes, but they need to adapt to modern times. It’s no longer enough to rely purely on nostalgia.
For many successful arcades, it’s finding a perfect balancing act between old technology and modern business models.
What are your thoughts? Are amusement arcades a dying trend? Or do you frequently visit your local seaside venue?
Tweet us at @AsahiSeiko
