Arcade Games - The Good Ole Days

I remember playing my first arcade game in a bar in Montreal. It was 1981 I was underage, drunk, in a digital delirium, and the arcade game was the original Pacman. This was about the coolest thing I had ever seen. I’d always had a thing for games, even before the first arcades and arcade games sprung up. Even before computer games for the home PC. I used to subscribe to games magazines that never, ever mentioned the word computer. This was something totally new and sumptuously fascinating. Countless hours of my well wasted youth were spent in arcades, long after plenty of beer swilling at the local pub. Arcade games, and computer games have come a long way since then, but there’s nothing like your first time.

Frag This You Bourgeoisie Backgammond Barnacle

Shortly after my lascivious encounter with arcades and the hypnotizing arcade game jewels hidden within, my family purchased it’s first home PC. A radio shack trs-80. More commonly called a trash-80. It was here that I learned the cunningly devious game of backgammon. Not sure I would have ever learned that game without being introduced to it by a computer. It’s not the kind of game that would have appealed to a veteran of the arcade game wars. Something that belonged more to the smoky backrooms of a retirement home. Computers, arcades, and arcade games were already broadening my vistas.

Avast Commodore, Ya Scurvy Megabyte

Next on my list of technological wonders ya scallywags, is the Commodore 64. Now here was an arcade game killer if I every gazed upon one. Arcades are few and far between now, and the Commodore, is one of the reasons why. Why spend hours in an arcade, having a machina suck and swallow every last quarter in my pocket? When I can sit in the less the luxurious decadence of my basement playing the likes of jumpman, and setting arcade game style high scores for my baby brother to frantically try to match. Not like in the arcades where he could be humbled in front of the masses, but this arcade game jewel would serve my purposes none the less.

Arcadia Arise Oh Mighty Griffon

Old is new, black is blue, and from the depth, arises the legends of old and times forgotten. Huh? What I’m frothing forth about here, is that arcade games are back with a vengeance. All us old fogies, who remember time spent in arcades watching the neighborhood masters pummel evil incarnate up till level 9999 rejoice! You can once again relive the glories of the golden age of arcade games. Just google around a little, and you’ll find free versions of all the great arcade game from the past. Not to mention a few new legends being born in the ancient art of arcade games. And hey save your quarters. These games are free as the air you breathe. Of course you better not let those quarters get too far, your gonna need them to keep that old jalopy of a Commodore in running order.

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Games That Provoke Thought

Some games are designed as a way to do away with some extra free time, while others are created to make you think. The niche for brainy games is growing constantly, and here are some fresh additions for this year.

MoonTycoon (PartyTop)

In MoonTycoon you have to rocket to the moon and beyond to build and manage your personal 3D lunar colony. The game lets you control all aspects of colony life - from building colonies and creating industries, to trading with Earth and alien races - everything is in your hands. In MoonTycoon, your role as the colony’s leader is multifaceted. For example, you must build structures, maintain balance among use of water, energy, and power; keep your citizens happy; and ensure sufficient cash flow. No easy task. But if you master MoonTycoon, you’ll take mankind to the final frontier by colonizing the Moon, solving the Earth’s energy crisis, and boldly going beyond the stars to befriend or conquer aliens, while unlocking the mysteries of the universe.

AntWar (Anarchy Ent.)

AntWar is not your serious tycoon game. It takes on a humorous look at how fast ants always seem to multiple and feel like they are taking over. There is no tutorial, but AntWar is easily learned, which makes it a great choice for younger trategy/tycoon fans. This of course doesn’t mean that adults won’t enjoy it! I sure did. An addictive game that will have you striving for just 10,000 more ants to get to the next level. Before you know it, it’ll be midnight and your ants will only just be starting to take over the world. In AntWar you’re the leader of a tiny colony of ants, with a very simple victory condition: Grow your colony from humble origins to a grand total of one billion ants. AntWar won’t be easy, as your colony will be beset by rival ants, other insects, and a variety of enemies who will either kill your ants, destroy parts of your colony, or destroy your food stocks.

Enigmo (MumboJumbo)

Enigmo is a 3D puzzle game where you move various streams of flowing liquid so that the droplets get to their destination. Liquids (water, oil, and lava) fall from “droppers” and will bounce around the walls of a mechanism. You move and rotate into position various types of bumpers, sliders, accelerators, and sponges in order to divert the flow of the falling droplets. The faster you complete each level, the more bonus you will receive.

Be forewarned: Enigmo gets hard, and it gets hard fast. Admittedly, my masochism streak is fairly low, as is my pain tolerance, but I was desperately gasping for help after about level 9 or 10 - out of 50. If you’re not one who enjoys a strong mental workout, you might want to let Enigmo go.

Download Links

MoonTycoon http://www.deprice.com/moontycoon.htm

AntWar http://www.deprice.com/antwar.htm

Enigmo http://www.deprice.com/enigmo.htm

John Deprice is a big fan of brainy games. His collection is available to public for free download at http://www.deprice.com/games.htm

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