Arcade

ARCADE

Arcade games and Pinball Machines have always been a favorite of mine since I was a kid, teen and now, I remember popping numerous quarters in those machines whenever I use to go down to 42nd St TimesSquare at a place called PLAYLAND. they had about a hundred Arcade games in that place and it only cost a quarter to play them, not like now that new Arcade places in that area want $2 dollars and more to play a game. There were at lease 2 to 3 playlands in TimeSquare and they pretty much had all the games from back in the 80's and 90's and the fake I.D booths, from PAC-MAN, NEO-GEO, StreetFighter 2, and Pinball Machines, they had it all. I would hang out in these places for hours with my friends, taking girlfriends there after a dinner and a movie or go by myself when I was bored and since they were opened 24/7, I would sometimes go there at 1 in the morning with the fella's. also some people may remember how hot the Arcades/Pinball Machines were back in the day that they had them in the Subway stations of TimesSquare and 14St Union Square in the 70's and 80's, that was so cool and they bring back alot of great memories. theres also The Port Authority Building where they have Leisure Time Bowling, in there besides the cool bowling allies they also have Arcade/Pinball games and a bar for adults, PLAYLAND was taken down in the late 90's due to the renovation of the new TimesSquare program and increased rent for all The business in that area, competition and of coarse the home console game systems. Some other modern looking arcades popped out of the woodworks in the mid 90's and 2000 like XS, LazerPark, BarCode and Broadway City, but most of them were closed down due to overpriced games, shootouts, Stabbings and a rape that happened in XS, The only one that lasted the test of time is Leisure Time Bowling and LazerPark. But none has lasted as long as PlayLand, 3 Decades.Theres also a old school PlayLand looking arcade down in ChinaTown called Chinatown Fair on Mott Street.
I also use to play my favorite Arcades at Pizzerias, yeah nothing like a slice, soda and some games, or I would find some Arcades at my neighborhood mom and pop candy store, grocery store or at a mall.

New York City. Formed by the intersection of Broadway, Seventh Ave., and 42nd St., this famous square was named for the building there that formerly belonged to the New York Times. The building, located in the center of the square, is still famous for its band of lights that transmits up-to-the-minute news. Times Square and the adjacent area form one of the most concentrated entertainment districts in the nation, featuring legitimate theaters, motion picture houses, shops, newsstands, bars, and restaurants. During the 1970s and 80s, the area became notorious for pornographic theaters and general tawdriness, but it was cleaned up and revived in the 1990s. Broadway at Times Square, jammed with traffic and illuminated by a profusion of enormous electrical signs, is known as the “Great White Way.” On New Year's Eve, close to a million people congregate there to celebrate the coming of the New Year.

This is where Playland was located, Ahhh.... The good ol days.

This is a shot of Playland from back in the 70's, taken from the movie TAXI DRIVER

TimesSquare in the 70's

TimesSquare now

(Take a Virtual Tour of TimesSquare, Click on to the picture to enter the TimesSquare site)

These are different shots of Arcades, Pinball Machines and Neon lights in The 14St Union Square Subway Station from The movie THE WARRIORS

I wish I had taken some pictures of the days I played Arcades or even video cause those where great times, so I had to use these photos from the DVDs and what the heck, there great Movies. Right now the only places you can play some Arcade games is in some Pizza places, The few Arcade spots I mentioned above and some laundry places. If you want to go the distance theres a few other places you can play some Arcades/Pinball Machines, Coney Island, Chuck E. Cheese, if you can handle the huge crowds and rude people that won't giveup their seats so you and your family or friends can eat their pizza in peace, and the huge price tag (Warning! don't go there on weekends!) also heres a funny site to checkout, How To Survive Chuck E. Cheese, and Nathans Famous hotdogs in Yonkers, New York which has a hugh gameroom at still good prices. and while your there checkout these new awesome Arcades and Pinball Machines, from Gun Games, Fighting Games, Racing Games, Sports Games, Prize/Ticket Redemption Machines, Skeeball, Air Hockey and the Classics.

Here are some cool Pinball Machines to checkout and play.

Heres a few pics of some of the Arcades in ChinaTown Fair, some with my son and brother in law playing them, as you can see from the photos theres plenty of games to make everyone happy and the price is right, most of the games are a quarter to play, well you have to exchange them for tokens to play ( no big deal ) and theres alot of places in the area to eat, shop and have fun, a great place to spend the day with family and friends.

If you were a fan of The original Playland Arcades, This place will remind you of it.

Heres a video I took a while back from the visit at

Chinatown Fair

Press play below to view the video of Chinatown Fair.

Heres are some Pics from Leisure Time Bowling/Cocktails located in 625 8th Avenue, 2nd floor at The Port Authority in TimesSquare.

Many Arcades in this place, Bowling lanes that on every Friday nights they throw a party with a live DJ and Disco lights and a bar to get lifted while you play and have fun in this cool Hangout spot.

Heres some pics with my son and other people having a blast at Leisure Time Bowling/Cocktails.

From some of the pics above you will see some of the people getting one heck of a workout from the Dance, Dance Revolution Extreme Arcade, its a challange but believe me it's fun and you'll be in shape in no time, Remember to bring a towel cause that Machine will make you sweat.

This is a great place to spend the day with plenty of things to do at this location from Shopping, going to the Movies, Taking Pictures, Making new Friends you name it, anything can happen in TimesSquare.

So what are you waiting for?

get yourself to TimesSquare and have lots of fun today.

Heres a video I took a while back from the visit at

Leisure Time Bowling/Cocktails.

Press play below to view the video of Leisure Time Bowling/Cocktails..

New York's Finest

5/11/05

I got some new photo's of an awesome arcade place I mentioned above

NATHANS in Yonkers located at 2290 between Central Park Ave and Crisfield St.

This place has a great Arcade Room for everyone, small children ( you have to see the mini arcades), Teens and Adults.

This place is loaded with multiple Arcades, Pinball Machines and Prize Machines, new and classics.

The prices are great with most of the games still playable for a quarter or 50 cents and some for a dollar but none going more than that.

and if your hungry they have a large dining area that serve their famous Nathan Franks, burgers, Cheese Fries, Mozzarella Sticks, they even have a Pizza Hut and TCBY Ice Cream Stand all in one place, this place kicks Chuck E, Cheese's butt around the block and back and theres plenty of tables to sit down and eat your food and relax.

Theres plenty of parking in the lot and

The area is packed with malls and other restaurants to spend the day and have a great time.

Nathans is awesome, This is the best place ever!

Do yourself a favor and head down to Nathan's and I guarantee you will have a blast.

Heres some photos of Nathan's

After me and my son had a great time at Nathan's we headed back home but not until we stopped by a old pizzaria that I used to go to back in the day when I lived in the Bronx at Woodlawn Ave to play some Arcades and have a slice and a soda.

This place is opened 24/7 and the pizza still taste great and they still have a old school 6 Slot NEO-GEO Arcade that me and my son played for about an hour against each other and Ms Pac-Man, The good old day where brought back in this place and at Nathan's which I used to go to in my teens and they still haven't changed and I'm glad for that, now my son has some great memories for his own to remember,

Awesome!

TARGET TERROR

Shooters have always been a favorite of mine and with great titles like Area 51, Maximum Force, Terminater 2-Judgement Day, The House of the Dead and Time Crisis series another one has come to be a great game to please everyone,

Target Terror

From Raw Thrills and it rocks!

Loaded with action and lots of great missions, this game is The best shooter to come out ever!

One of my Favorite games of all time have been The Raiden Series and now a new installment has been released in the Arcades and is sure to please fans worldwide,

Raiden III

Checkout some of the Screenshots of this awesome game