Early and Modern History of Video Arcade Games
Arcade games are basically an entertainment machine that can be coin-operated usually installed in the public businesses like bars, restaurants, and especially in amusement arcades. Almost all arcade games are pinball machines, video games, electro-mechanical games, merchandisers, and redemption games. Amusement park midway was the first of the common arcade games like ball toss, shooting galleries, and so on. In 1930s, pinball machines that could be operated using coin were introduced. By 1977, pinball machines started using the solid state electronics that worked for both scoring and operation. Sega, in 1966 introduced electro-mechanical game known as Periscope. This was a light gun shooter and submarine simulator that used plastic and light waves for simulating sinking ships from submarines. Because of this feature, it became a huge success in Europe, North America and Japan and charged quarter per play. In 1967, Crown Soccer Special, an electro-mechanical game in arcade was released that was a 2-player sports that brought about simulation of association football.
Today, arcade games make use of special controllers that are largely inaccessible for home users. Because of this, arcade game has become socially-oriented hangout consisting of games that focus on the performance of the individuals instead of the game content. Some popular genres include Dance Revolution, Drum Mania, Time Crisis, House of the Dead, and many more. Video Arcade games hardware depends upon home game consoles for facilitating porting of video arcade games to home system. Some particular rhythm and dancing games are still the popular arcades. Modern arcade games make extensive use of integrated circuits and solid state electronics. The arcade operated previously used customized hardware having highly specialized sound, graphics chips, and multiple CPUs. The recent game hardware is based on high-end PC components and modified-video game hardware console.
There are more realistic and immersive game controls in Arcade games as compared to console or PC games including control accessories and specialized ambience. It has completely enclosed dynamic cabinet along with dedicated light guns, force feedback controls, reproduction of airplane cockpits or automobile cockpits, highly dedicated controllers like fishing rods, dancing mats, horse-shaped controllers, rear-projection displays, and much more. The modern video games can be set apart from traditional video games because of these accessories. Arcade games consists of simple, intuitive, and short levels control schemes that increase rapidly according to difficulty. Arcade environment offers players to rent the game till they want and can stay alive in their game avatar or till they don’t fall short of tokens. Simplified physics engine is available in Arcade racing games that don’t need much time for learning as compared to racing simulators. It allows cars to run sharply without understeer or brakes. Another simplified game from Arcade is Flight that has easy learning curve preserving component action. Some other games include light gun rail shooters, casual/mobile games, music games, fighting games, and many more.
