1980s video game arcades

[Frankie's Market]

Remember when Space Invaders and Pac Man were all the rage and when the neighborhood arcades were the favorite afterschool hangouts? Of course, virtually all of the arcades from that golden era of video games are now long gone, with the prime exception of Fun Factory. (Is Tilt still around?)

There were other large arcades that ate up too many of our quarters. There was Mitsukoshi, Castle Park, Game World at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, Crown's Space Center in Kaka'ako. Not too mention all of the smaller businesses that sprouted up next to schools. Growing up in Kalihi, there was Coco's Amusement on the corner of Kuakini and Liliha, which is now a craft supply store. Yogi's Amusement on King and Mokauea, which is now a Zippy's. Fun Warehouse was on King and Kalihi, but is now a KFC. And who could forget Mimi's on Houghtailing St. (right across from the Board of Water Supply Museum).

Does anyone else have memories of their favorite neighborhood game parlors?

[Random]

Re: 1980s video game arcades

Does anyone else have memories of their favorite neighborhood game parlors?

Back in the 80's?

There was one arcade in the town of Kaunakaka'i. Before it was an arcade, it was a pool hall. I remembered having spent my afternoons and sometimes evenings which is about walking distance from my home. While others go for the popular Space Invader and Pac-Man, I was more into Krazy Klimber (you have to work two joysticks to move the climber up, down, or sideways to prevent angry building tenants dropping potted plants and hope you fall). It only have one foosball and there is usually a line to play it during peak hours.

Sadly, the arcade business didn't last long. But it was a good childhood memory.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: 1980s video game arcades

The arcade room in Hemingway hall at UHM. Not that great, but it was right next door to KTUH where I was hanging out a lot at the time.

Before that, I'd play the pinball machines (studying elastic collisions - physics homework, you understand) at the game room in campus center.

After I grad, there was (maybe still is?) an arcade down in Puck's alley that was near where I worked.

[joshuatree]

Re: 1980s video game arcades

Remember when Space Invaders and Pac Man were all the rage and when the neighborhood arcades were the favorite afterschool hangouts? Of course, virtually all of the arcades from that golden era of video games are now long gone, with the prime exception of Fun Factory. (Is Tilt still around?)

There is a Tilt in Puente Hills CA still open for business. Are they related? Dunno...but it sure brought back memories when seeing it.

[808shooter]

Re: 1980s video game arcades

Mitsukoshi was one of my favorite places to go. I'd catch the bus into Waikiki to check that place out. Game World was another favorite place (other than the fact that we got mugged there a few times...:-(

There was a game at the Round Table Pizza near Ala Moana called Naughty Boy. A Japanese arcade game where you were a little boy who threw rocks at stuff to break them. I think you'd throw rocks at police and teachers too. I wasn't real good but it's my all time favorite game.

I forget the name of the pool hall there at the top of Pucks Alley but that's another ex favorite hang out. Hmmm got mugged on the way there a few times too.

[Kalihiboy]

Re: 1980s video game arcades

I was transcribing some old newscasts from 25 years ago awhile back and several arcades were shut down for illegal activity such as slot machines or gambling practices happening on-site. I know one of the places was in Kaimuki, cannot think of the name now, but I think it's located where Big City Diner is now.

Tilt was at Windward Mall wasn't it until a few years ago??

Aj

[Frankie's Market]

Re: 1980s video game arcades

I was transcribing some old newscasts from 25 years ago awhile back and several arcades were shut down for illegal activity such as slot machines or gambling practices happening on-site. I know one of the places was in Kaimuki, cannot think of the name now, but I think it's located where Big City Diner is now.

Tilt was at Windward Mall wasn't it until a few years ago??

Aj

Back in the day, there were quite a number of arcades using illegal machines. I'm not familiar with the one in Kaimuki. But at Kapalama Shopping Center, there was Classic Amusement, where the video poker games were rather blatently displayed. That place got raided by HPD and shut down sometime in the mid-1980s.

Another popular one was Crown's Billiards, over at Kapahulu. They were more discreet, putting bingo pinball games in a back room behind the cashier's counter. But even they eventually suffered the same fate as Classic's.

Tilt was the 2nd most successful arcade business in Hawaii, behind only Fun Factory. At its peak, it had numerous locations, such as Pearlridge, Windward Mall, Ala Moana, and Mapunapuna.

[tvguy]

Re: 1980s video game arcades

I forget the name of the pool hall there at the top of Pucks Alley but that's another ex favorite hang out. Hmmm got mugged on the way there a few times too.

Corner Pocket

After I grad, there was (maybe still is?) an arcade down in Puck's alley that was near where I worked.

Captain Video was right next to what was then Mama Mia Pizza. There was also another Captain Video in Manoa Marketplace

Tilt was the 2nd most successful arcade business in Hawaii, behind only Fun Factory. At its peak, it had numerous locations, such as Pearlridge, Windward Mall, Ala Moana, and Mapunapuna.

Line I often heard at the Ala Moana Tilt location: "I like borrow quarter". Like they were gonna pay me back! Learned to hide money in my shoes so to avoid and I'm quoting again, a "search-take", which meant a much larger kid would force a smaller kid to show them that their pockets were empty (The search) and there was nothing of any value for "taking". Sometimes they would even pat people down.

Some of these "borrowers" were even shrewd enough to stand right by the change machine, so after a kid changed their bills to quarters, they could not deny that they had any quarters to lend to the "borrowers".

And NEVER be stupid enough to carry the latest Grandmaster Flash cassette tape that you just bought from Tower Records out in the open, cause a larger kid will claim it for themselves and immediately play it in their boombox....I think I'm going to hide in a corner a cry now........

[infinitypro]

Re: 1980s video game arcades

Some arcades were "fronts" for "Game Rooms." I remember one on McCully and Beretania which I believe is now a Territorial Savings? Next to Shell and across from KFC. In addition to the regular arcade games there were also "nickel" machines...never understood it, but then again I was there for the QUARTER games!

Anyways, NOE and I were just talking about this last night, I loved MOON CRESTA which is now GALAGA. I liked JOUST too, but not so much ASTEROIDS. The PAC MAN series is a classic, I think I still can remember my "patterns" for the different levels.

Anyone remember the "hole" in the quarter, string attached, drop it in just enough to "trigger" a new game and then yank it back out?

[oldiebuff]

Re: 1980s video game arcades

I was transcribing some old newscasts from 25 years ago awhile back and several arcades were shut down for illegal activity such as slot machines or gambling practices happening on-site. I know one of the places was in Kaimuki, cannot think of the name now, but I think it's located where Big City Diner is now.

Tilt was at Windward Mall wasn't it until a few years ago??

Aj

Are you referring to Kaimuki Cue? Where last time I checked, it was turned into a Chinese dim sum restaurant that is owned by the same guy who used to own Sea Fortune in Chinatown?

[oldiebuff]

Re: 1980s video game arcades

Carnival Carnival was another big hit of the 80's into middle 90's they had a spot at Pucks Alley and the other I believe was in Pearl Kai Shopping Center.

[Pomai]

Re: 1980s video game arcades

For us Kaneohe kids, it was Shakey's Pizza Parlor, then Farrell's (where Time's Coffee Shop now stands), then Tilt in Windward Mall. My favorite game at Tilt back then was Sega's "Hang On" roadracing sim-game.

We'd also hit the arcade at Mistukoshi in Waikiki every once in a while.

The ultimate had to of been Castle Park's Castle Arcade, with TWO full levels of stuff, plus that cold A/C after a day (or night) out on the rides. Hit the batting cage, then the go-karts, then the arcade. Ah, those were the days.

Remember the Space Invaders song by Uncle Vic? <--click on that link to hear it!
"He's hooked he's hooked, his brain is cooked". lol

[infinitypro]

Re: 1980s video game arcades

For us Kaneohe kids, it was Shakey's Pizza Parlor, then Farrell's (where Time's Coffee Shop now stands), then Tilt in Windward Mall. My favorite game at Tilt back then was Sega's "Hang On" roadracing sim-game.

We'd also hit the arcade at Mistukoshi in Waikiki every once in a while.

The ultimate had to of been Castle Park's Castle Arcade, with TWO full levels of stuff, plus that cold A/C after a day (or night) out on the rides. Hit the batting cage, then the go-karts, then the arcade. Ah, those were the days.

Remember the Space Invaders song by Uncle Vic? <--click on that link to hear it!
"He's hooked he's hooked, his brain is cooked". lol

Shakey's...oh yeah those were the days!

I also remember "IMPERIAL" on Citron(?) behind Washington Middle School, and "CIRCUS CIRCUS" on Sheridan near WalMart Keaaumoku.

We were just talking about being into the handheld type of games too, basketball, football, Space Invaders.

[DannyWilliams]

Re: 1980s video game arcades

Growing up in Waimalu in the 80's I lived right next to Waimalu Shopping Plaza and there were many places there that had video games starting from......


Safeway which had theirs in the corner where the magazines were (which became an extension of the meat dept) while I was still there.
I remember playing "Popeye", one of the "Donkey Kong" games which involved ropes and another game that started with an "X" ( I think) that your man looked like a boomerang and you shot objects coming towards you and each level you completed you would hyperspace to the next frame.

the next shop that had video games also was (name wise I forget) but PHONE MART was there at one time. Anyone rememba? That place was a hangout with da Waimalu Kidz at one time....

When Magoos was at Waimalu they had video games too also and Diners and a specialty pet store rounding up the business there with video games.

Next to Waimalu Shopping Plaza, Newton Square? there was one space over there facing the canal side had video games there also. I remember playing once called ? your man is a missle tank and you circle around finding targets to shoot at to accumulate points. I sucked on that game cuz I circle around and see a another tank coming towards me and firing.

[infinitypro]

Re: 1980s video game arcades

Growing up in Waimalu in the 80's I lived right next to Waimalu Shopping Plaza and there were many places there that had video games starting from......






...and Diners and a specialty pet store rounding up the business there with video games.

They only removed their video games earlier this year, when the last one finally stopped working.