The Painted Token
When a Coin is More than Just a Coin Most of the time a coin is worth just face value. In rare instances, its rarity holds extended value as a collector piece. Sometimes a coin holds value for personal reasons—maybe one passed down from a family member or attained on…
Building America’s Arcades: David Bishop on Atari, NAMCO, and Preserving Video Game History
Building America’s Arcades: David Bishop on Atari, NAMCO, and Preserving Video Game History From a part-time Barrel of Fun arcade attendant to Chief Operating Officer of NAMCO USA—and eventually the company’s self-described “Chief Evangelist” for PAC-MAN—David Bishop may be one of the most influential figures in arcade history it’s likely…
Wright’s Barnyard: An Illiana Icon
From its humble beginnings as an actual barnyard with a miniature golf course in it, to a chain of 3 large-scale entertainment complexes with arcades, go-karts, batting cages and talking robots, Wright’s Barnyard left a lasting legacy in the Northeast Illinois/Northwest Indiana area. Let’s take a quick stroll through time…
Bally’s Tom Foolery: The First Arcade Bar
Many might believe NYC’s Barcade to be the first true arcade bar. Sure, Barcade lit the fuse for the retro arcade renaissance in the early 2000s, but the real story of adult-oriented arcades starts two decades earlier, right in the middle of the original joystick-fueled gold rush. Back in 1982, Bally’s…
Welcome to Atlas Arcadia!
You find yourself in a dark wood-paneled room, the glow of neon pulsating from rows of CRT screens all around you…