ArcadeLifeStyle in Los Angeles & Las Vegas ?

[DarthNuno]

Yeps, I'll be in less than two weeks in USA for holidays : Los Angeles & Las Vegas  (no, it's not for a roadtrip  )

Maybe some of you knows good place over there ? good Arcades with old games ? good shops or any good locations not to miss ?

 

[Sonic 1992]

Back in 2000, There was a place called Sega Game Works.. (in Las Vegas)  But I've heard no more about it...

LA & Las Vegas... I hope you have lots 'o cash ready!!  Fun places, but expensive to do stuff   

[amadama]

Bruno is coming with the almighty Euro! He will be able to buy most of Las Vegas with his money!

[Sonic 1992]

Here's some more info/suggestions:

If you go to Las Vegas.. You're only a few hours from AREA 51 !!!!    If you decide to go and check it out, you must be very careful, that is, if you don't know much on Area 51 lore,  you could get shot, let alone die in the desert.. here's a few pix of what you could see:




























Other Things You Can Do In Nevada!!          



Check out the Hoover Dam!!








If Game Works is still there, here's what it looks like: 



A few things in California:











Whatcha think?   and Have Fun!!

[ElPancho]

 

http://www.pinballmuseum.org/

http://www.pokerpages.com/articles/archives/swanson07.htm

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/12381

 

[DarthNuno]

Thanks for the pictures Barry 

I've already been in LA (one time) and VEGAS (two times) few years ago... but I wasn't so 'ArcadeLifeStyle' crazy than nowadays (  ), and I didn't pay attention too much the arcades ( ...at the time    )

In LA, I remember Chinese theater, stars avenue, Universal Studios (and the famous place from Back to The Future), Beverly Hill... usual tourist stuff, but now... I want the big stuff : Arcade Vintage, old pinballs, beers & Rickey's sauce, talking with Billy Mitchell       

I remember the Hoover ham too ... Superman stuff ... Really impressive... I've the 'Death Valley' trip... but you've done the best : AREA 51 and aliens stuff  It looks very great... but it's in Arizona isn't it ?

Thanks Elpancho... PinballMuseum seems to be the place not to miss in Vegas... I'll take a TON of pictures of course 

 

[Sonic 1992]

Thanks for the pictures Barry 



I remember the Hoover ham too ... Superman stuff ... Really impressive... I've the 'Death Valley' trip... but you've done the best : AREA 51 and aliens stuff  It looks very great... but it's in Arizona isn't it ?



 

Nope.. it's just a few hours drive north of Las Vegas!!   

[DarthNuno]

...and after the trip   



Don't get me wrong... There must be a lot of Arcades over there I didn't see of couse ! But let me show you the ones that most of tourists (like me) can easily find because these Arcade rooms are located in high tourist spots.

My wish would be to find out as much 'classics' as possible... Possible in 2008 ? Let's see... (part 1)

OK, the first encounter was somewhere in Hollywood Boulevard ...



...almost on the street, in front of a small shop 



Nothing to say about the pinball, but the midway cab .. hmm... Ms PacMan sides, Galaga Bezel, running which front end ? No idea.



More interesting, this Arcade located at Santa Monica, on the pier :



Yesss... some classics games 





...still good to see them, up & running ... even if they have been modified with modern pieces... but the most important thing is : THESE GAMES ARE PLAYABLE 

Old and new pinballs :



Ouch... who wants to restore this Pac Man from this point ? I would like to, believe me   



I'm very happy to touch...and play a classic game in a public arcade room in 2008   



Various things :





This modern game 'Blazing Angels' is really cool... It has the basis of an After Burner ...very fun to play 



In a corner... three Midway cabs in line  Why it is so easy to found them in USA, and very hard in Europe 

Have a look at my hand... I really want to bring them back in Belgium with me   



A lot of work to do on it, but nothing impossible   





Ok, let's move to an other place : Universal Studios Hollywood



The park is great (the brand new Simpsons ride is incredible), but nothing special regarding the Arcade room  Only a very small one located close to the Jurassic Park Ride :







...no classics here 

(to continue)

[Sonic 1992]

Hope you had a great trip!!   

I saw an Air Hockey Table....  Not a total loss for that game room!!!   

I want that Area 51 poster!!  (it's in the background)   

[DarthNuno]

I want that Area 51 poster!!  (it's in the background)   

I dunno if it's your kind of music, but ... impossible to miss this one because you're so fan about 'Area 51' stuff -> MEGADETH 'Hangar 18' 

The lyrics :

Welcome to our fortress tall
Take some time to show you around
Impossible to break these walls
For you see the steel is much too strong
Computer banks to rule the world
Instruments to sight the stars

Possibly Ive seen to much
Hangar 18 I know too much

Foreign life forms inventory
Suspended state of cryogenics
Selective amnesias the story
Believed foretold but whod suspect
The military intelligence
Two words combined that cant make sense

Possibly Ive seen to much
Hangar 18 I know too much

The Video on youtube right here

 

[DarthNuno]

Still in Los Angeles...

At the entrance of the Universal Studio, there is the 'Citywalk' (shops & restaurants) 



There is a small Game room, called Jillian's :



No classic games  but at least, four Daytona USA2 



Other games :







OK, an other funny place to visit in Los Angeles is the Disneyland (both Parks) 



Ladies & Gentlemen, this is Starcade... 



I think this Arcade has nothing to do with the TV show ?!

Anyway, let's take a ride :



Modern games :







An other passive simulator ? I didn't check it 



Hey... a classic ? yes & no ... but anyway... still great to play Galaga/Ms PacMan in 2008   



This is the first time I see a mini upright cab like this   



OK, there is an Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland, and in the shop, at the exit of the ride, you can see a custom Indiana Jones Pinball 



No artwork but wood all around... it looks nice   



Let's leave Disneyland and let's go to Los Angeles Downtown, for an area called "Japanese Village", close to the LA Chinatown :



Nice shop with goodies 





And of course, a JAPAN ARCADE   



A lot of music games of course :







This one is on my 'must have' list  DrumMania   



A 'Typing Of The Death'  :



A nice place...



...full of japanese cabs of course 





I really love these Astro cabs  ("must have" list too  )



I don't know this racing cab ?



The well know Tekken 5 :



I don't know this Namco game ? ...too bad, the name is written in Japanse 



(to continue)

[Sonic 1992]

Hey, Thanks for the link on the Hangar 18 video.. You're right, not my type of tunes, but was still cool to see!! 

More great pictures!!   I'm sorry you didn't see more classic games, but I think it's like a miracle to see any, when you do!!   

When we were in Las Vegas back in '99, We stayed at the Luxor.. They had a large game room, but you know what was the only game that caught my attention, as well as a handfull of quarters??... A Cocktail ASTEROIDS!!!!!  I just wanted to walk out with it!!!!!!!!


We have a Jillians here in the Houston Area, but I don't like them due to the fact that they allow SMOKING in there!  (because they serve alchol & has a bar setting along with all the games)

I liked that VR Racer looking game, Never seen/played it.. but it sure looks like a TRON LightCycle to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would like to raid that store with all the goodies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Saw some stuff I'd like to have!!   

[arcadefever]

  Wowwwwwwwww the japan arcade is terrific !!!!

Universal look nice, but not like the one in Orlando 

[DarthNuno]

I'm sorry you didn't see more classic games, but I think it's like a miracle to see any, when you do!!   

Stay Tuned for some coming picture ( @ Vegas) 

When we were in Las Vegas back in '99, We stayed at the Luxor.. They had a large game room, but you know what was the only game that caught my attention, as well as a handfull of quarters??... A Cocktail ASTEROIDS!!!!!

Stay Tuned too Barry 

Wowwwwwwwww the japan arcade is terrific !!!!

Yes very nice... but not a lot of players inside 

OK, here the last batch of pictures  I took in Los Angeles.

The last game room we went was in Westwood village 



3 pinballs :



A Sega strike fighter *Triple screen*   



A lot of racing games... including the most famous one since 1994 : "Dayytttooonnaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" 



No real classic games here but...a Galaga/Ms PacMan reunion cab'   



Gun games 'in line' 



Next pictures will be the ones in Vegas 

[DarthNuno]

...leaving L.A. 



Now, let's go for some places in Las Vega$ 

In the Caesar Palace, there is a big toys shop where you can buy a mame cab 'Dreamauthentics' (upright & bartop)  :



... I tried it but the setup is not very good  By example, check out the display of Pac Man   



Common desktop computer inside...



I'm not a 'gambling machine' guy, but I love the theme of this one  :



Inside the New York New York Casino, there's a big Luna Park 



Very nice to see kids playing Rally-X on the Namco Classic Collection (vol 2) cab   



This room is very big :







Daytona USA twins playing Daytona GTX   



Hey, a real Ms Pac Man... still alive  ok no more artwork on it, but... still playable in 2008   



I hear something : "... Lead on brave adventurer... your quest awaits!" 

Holy Jesus... Yeah ... a Dragon's Lair cab ... the UltradeCade 20th anniversary cab 



Great... ok, it's not the original 1983 cabinet, but still great to play Dragon's Lair in Arcade 

Here's the geek picture, I'm sorry 



Of course, I've to play on it... 



It was real cool. During my game, few guys came behind me, and they were really happy to see Dragon's Lair after so many years  I asked them : 'Hey, do you remember this game?'
They said : 'Of course, everybody knows Dragon's Lair!' 

Hey, another great slot machine 



This one is for me : Star Wars Dark Side 



I only played on this one during my Vegas Trip 



... and I win on this one... I win 10$  after 20 minutes of fun ... I really love it   



OK, let's move to the Excalibur Casino :



There is an Arcade room here... nice 



Like most of Arcades in US, the Ms Pac Man ~Galaga reunion cab 



Daytona USA 2 :



...and a big area with non-working games  It's maybe the opportunity to buy some of them  Ouch... I'm too far from Vegas now 



Still inside the Excalibur casino, a Dragon's Lair shop 



LOL... no word about our favorite game  Only book/toys about Dragons  Maybe they should sell the game at least 


...to continue