Afternoon at the Arcade - Dec 28, 2023
Listing the games I played at the small but really cool Super Marion Arcade in Marion, IA.
Including brief impressions of each.
Including brief impressions of each.
13 Games
Game: 7/10
Cab Condition: 8/10 - Really beautiful cab with a big, bright screen and a cool wheel that has the item launch buttons built-in.
I love all of the weird SEGA pulls here - I've grown to really love the non-Sonic SEGA catalog over the years. The Dreamcast should've won that console generation.
Cab Condition: 8/10 - Really beautiful cab with a big, bright screen and a cool wheel that has the item launch buttons built-in.
I love all of the weird SEGA pulls here - I've grown to really love the non-Sonic SEGA catalog over the years. The Dreamcast should've won that console generation.
Two Player linked cab, right cab was out of order.
Game: 10/10
Cab Condition: 8/10 - Would be higher if both cabs were running. Screen was bright and clear, seat and cab were in good condition.
Outrun 2 is one of my all-time favorite games, so seeing a (partially) working sit-down cab in the wild was exciting. Played a round of heart attack mode and had a great time.
Game: 10/10
Cab Condition: 8/10 - Would be higher if both cabs were running. Screen was bright and clear, seat and cab were in good condition.
Outrun 2 is one of my all-time favorite games, so seeing a (partially) working sit-down cab in the wild was exciting. Played a round of heart attack mode and had a great time.
Game: 6/10
Cab Condition: 7/10
tbh this game didn't hold up - I had great memories of this from way back but the trackball wasn't as responsive as I remembered. I know trackballs are kind of hard to maintain but the one on this cab felt like it was too close to the screen, I kept hitting my hand on the bottom of the bezel when swiping forwards.
Cab Condition: 7/10
tbh this game didn't hold up - I had great memories of this from way back but the trackball wasn't as responsive as I remembered. I know trackballs are kind of hard to maintain but the one on this cab felt like it was too close to the screen, I kept hitting my hand on the bottom of the bezel when swiping forwards.
Game: 7/10
Cab Condition: 8/10 - A two-player linked cab set. This machine was a little worn but the guns themselves were great. I love the force-feedback on the guns and the foot-pedal to reload/weapon swap makes things feel fresh.
I've never been super impressed by the Time Crisis series - they're fun and I love the light-guns but it's always felt like a quarter muncher to me. With that said I had a really good time with this one.
Cab Condition: 8/10 - A two-player linked cab set. This machine was a little worn but the guns themselves were great. I love the force-feedback on the guns and the foot-pedal to reload/weapon swap makes things feel fresh.
I've never been super impressed by the Time Crisis series - they're fun and I love the light-guns but it's always felt like a quarter muncher to me. With that said I had a really good time with this one.
Game: 7/10
Cab Condition: 8/10 - screen really sharp to the point where it may be an LCD replacement. Nonetheless, it looked great.
CvS2 is a classic. Played an Akuma/Zangief/Iori combo and lost but had a great time.
Cab Condition: 8/10 - screen really sharp to the point where it may be an LCD replacement. Nonetheless, it looked great.
CvS2 is a classic. Played an Akuma/Zangief/Iori combo and lost but had a great time.
Technically a Silent Scope EX cab.
Game: 8/10
Cab Condition: 9/10 - just how cool is the scope on a silent scope cab? Love this thing.
The game itself was quite fun in story mode. I played through quite a ways on just 1-2 credits.
Game: 8/10
Cab Condition: 9/10 - just how cool is the scope on a silent scope cab? Love this thing.
The game itself was quite fun in story mode. I played through quite a ways on just 1-2 credits.
Game: 8/10
Cab Condition: 5/10 - This was played on an Arcade Legends Multicade (I believe it was the Arcade Legends II Ultracade with additional game bundles? I found it peculiar but cool that it had so many SNK/Neo Geo games). The Arcade Legends cabinent is a bit smalland the button configuration feels a bit non-ergonomic/cramped.
The pixel art of Last Blade 2 rules
Cab Condition: 5/10 - This was played on an Arcade Legends Multicade (I believe it was the Arcade Legends II Ultracade with additional game bundles? I found it peculiar but cool that it had so many SNK/Neo Geo games). The Arcade Legends cabinent is a bit smalland the button configuration feels a bit non-ergonomic/cramped.
The pixel art of Last Blade 2 rules
Game: 7/10
Cab Condition: 5/10 - This was played on an Arcade Legends Multicade (I believe it was the Arcade Legends II Ultracade with additional game bundles? I found it peculiar but cool that it had so many SNK/Neo Geo games). The Arcade Legends cabinent is a bit smalland the button configuration feels a bit non-ergonomic/cramped.
This Windjammers/Breakout/Pong gameplay mix is really fun and accessible. Good for people that get finger cramps from mashing too much in fighting games.
Cab Condition: 5/10 - This was played on an Arcade Legends Multicade (I believe it was the Arcade Legends II Ultracade with additional game bundles? I found it peculiar but cool that it had so many SNK/Neo Geo games). The Arcade Legends cabinent is a bit smalland the button configuration feels a bit non-ergonomic/cramped.
This Windjammers/Breakout/Pong gameplay mix is really fun and accessible. Good for people that get finger cramps from mashing too much in fighting games.
Game: 9/10
Cab Condition: 8/10
Played against my brother - the mini-games in PB2 are incredibly fun and varied. I particularly like the single-bullet challenges.
Cab Condition: 8/10
Played against my brother - the mini-games in PB2 are incredibly fun and varied. I particularly like the single-bullet challenges.
Game: 7/10
Cab Condition: 5/10 - This was played on an Arcade Legends Multicade (I believe it was the Arcade Legends II Ultracade with additional game bundles? I found it peculiar but cool that it had so many SNK/Neo Geo games). The Arcade Legends cabinent is a bit smalland the button configuration feels a bit non-ergonomic/cramped.
Waku Waku 7 is super fun and it was hype playing it against my brother.
Cab Condition: 5/10 - This was played on an Arcade Legends Multicade (I believe it was the Arcade Legends II Ultracade with additional game bundles? I found it peculiar but cool that it had so many SNK/Neo Geo games). The Arcade Legends cabinent is a bit smalland the button configuration feels a bit non-ergonomic/cramped.
Waku Waku 7 is super fun and it was hype playing it against my brother.
Game: 8/10
Cab Condition: 5/10 - This was played on an Arcade Legends Multicade (I believe it was the Arcade Legends II Ultracade with additional game bundles? I found it peculiar but cool that it had so many SNK/Neo Geo games). The Arcade Legends cabinent is a bit smalland the button configuration feels a bit non-ergonomic/cramped.
Love this game, even if the cab made it hard to play.
Cab Condition: 5/10 - This was played on an Arcade Legends Multicade (I believe it was the Arcade Legends II Ultracade with additional game bundles? I found it peculiar but cool that it had so many SNK/Neo Geo games). The Arcade Legends cabinent is a bit smalland the button configuration feels a bit non-ergonomic/cramped.
Love this game, even if the cab made it hard to play.
Game: 7/10
Cab Condition: 5/10 - This was played on an Arcade Legends Multicade (I believe it was the Arcade Legends II Ultracade with additional game bundles? I found it peculiar but cool that it had so many SNK/Neo Geo games). The Arcade Legends cabinent is a bit smalland the button configuration feels a bit non-ergonomic/cramped.
How has there not been a string of Twinklestar-likes? This shmup vs blend is really cool and unique.
Cab Condition: 5/10 - This was played on an Arcade Legends Multicade (I believe it was the Arcade Legends II Ultracade with additional game bundles? I found it peculiar but cool that it had so many SNK/Neo Geo games). The Arcade Legends cabinent is a bit smalland the button configuration feels a bit non-ergonomic/cramped.
How has there not been a string of Twinklestar-likes? This shmup vs blend is really cool and unique.
Game: 5/10
Cab Condition: 5/10 - This was played on an Arcade Legends Multicade (I believe it was the Arcade Legends II Ultracade with additional game bundles? I found it peculiar but cool that it had so many SNK/Neo Geo games). The Arcade Legends cabinent is a bit smalland the button configuration feels a bit non-ergonomic/cramped. Crystal Castles played with the trackball for movement which was cool but the trackball on the machine felt light and inprecise.
Crystal Castles as a game is a bit strange and mysterious - I can't say I really dug the gameplay loop - the isometric Pac-Man esque stuff works better in theory than in practice - but I do like the strangeness of it all.
Cab Condition: 5/10 - This was played on an Arcade Legends Multicade (I believe it was the Arcade Legends II Ultracade with additional game bundles? I found it peculiar but cool that it had so many SNK/Neo Geo games). The Arcade Legends cabinent is a bit smalland the button configuration feels a bit non-ergonomic/cramped. Crystal Castles played with the trackball for movement which was cool but the trackball on the machine felt light and inprecise.
Crystal Castles as a game is a bit strange and mysterious - I can't say I really dug the gameplay loop - the isometric Pac-Man esque stuff works better in theory than in practice - but I do like the strangeness of it all.