Starting a new week is great when there are new arcade locations to talk about.
Full Blast Arcade & Amusements – This Friday (June 26th) will mark the grand opening of this arcade in North Ridgeville, OH (a soft opening took place back on June 5th). This is a new classic arcade that follows the familiar 
pattern of offering the games for free behind paywall ($5/hr or $10 all day pass). Among the games offered: Asteroids Deluxe, Berzerk, Discs of TRON, Donkey Kong, Frontline, Gyruss, Journey, Jungle King, Lunar Lander, Missile Command, Mortal Kombat II, Q*Bert, Rampage World Tour, Stunt Cycle, Space Invaders, Sunset Riders, Tapper, Tempest, TRON and more. While they did not achieve the crowdfunding that they wanted last year, they are managing quite the grand opening event – an Arcade Legends Party. Here is the roster of the Legends that will be there to meet, greet and play some games:
Hang out with these and more arcade legends:
Walter Aldro Day Jr. – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Day
Billy Mitchell – Gamer Of The Century – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Mitchell_(video_game_player)
Joel West – Berzerk World Record Holder http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2439098/
Richie Knucklez – Space Invaders World Record Holder – http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5187674/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
David Cruz – Tron World Record Holder
Dave Danzara – http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5191687/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
Eric Tessler – Donkey Kong Master – http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5367695/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
Triforce Johnson – Arcade Super Mario Bros World Record Holder – http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3903256/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
Bobby Wilson – Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo World Record Holder
Estel Goffinet – Kicker World Record Holder
Ryan Sullivan – Empire Strikes Back (mame) Word Record Holder
Stan Michaels – MK1 & Galaga master
Frank Nehls – Cruzin’ USA World Record Holder
John Salter – Armor Attack World Record Holder
Cary Chaney – Owner – The Place, Retro Arcade
Todd Anthony Lalonde – Tournament Organizer – The Mame Event
and many more….
Note if you plan on attending, the full party is June 27th from Noon until Midnight. [Full Blast Arcade Facebook Page]
StarFighters Arcade – (Thanks to Michael Louie for the tip) This one actually, the StarFighters Arcade (and café) has been providing some classic arcade gaming to Mesa, AZ. This was put together by a collaboration of the Phoenix Arcade Collectors Club to provide and promote classic arcade gaming to the area. The strong list of games presently includes: Arkanoid, Asteroids, Asteroids Deluxe, BattleZone, Berzerk, Boot Hill, Burgertime, Centipede, Crossbow, Crystal Castles, Donkey Kong, Galaga, Gauntlet, GORF, Hang On, Hydro Thunder, Mario Bros., Moonwalker, Ms. Pac-Man, PaperBoy, Playchoice -10 (as well as a ‘Red Tent’ Nintendo cocktail), Polybius (looks like some generic space shooter in a specially made Polybius cab…gotta keep the myth alive!), Q*Bert, Red Baron (cockpit), Robotron 2084, Rolling Thunder, Sea Wolf, Sinistar, Space Harrier, Spy Hunter, Stargate, Tapper, Tempest, Tutankham, TRON, Vs. CastleVania, Zaxxon and more. They also have a selection of pinball including: The Creature From The Black Lagoon, two Elvira pins, Pinbot, Revenge From Mars, Space Shuttle, Space Station, Spy Hunter, and a few others. [Starfighters Arcade website / Facebook page]
We wish the best of luck to both businesses, going all classic has appeal but is a different kind of challenge to maintain. I mentioned the closure of a local Nickelcade this weekend and I also found out that a local arcade I mentioned on AH this past January has already closed (Plan Zero Arcade – apparently this started as a partnership that tried to create a co-op of local collectors but the main owner made a lot of bad decisions. That is more likely to happen when you have a lot of ‘cooks in the kitchen’ combined with inexperience. I asked them a few times for a games list and never found out a thing, was unable to make the trip to take a look for myself). Anyways, if you find yourself near either of the locations above, then drop by and give them your support!
