Home Gaming Bring back the magic of arcades through Virtual Reality

Bring back the magic of arcades through Virtual Reality

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Arcade

I grew up, spending my pocketsful of 20c coins in arcades. It’s where my love for videogames was born, before consoles and computers took over, and the wonderful, social arcade experience died a miserable death. I’m still quite fond of that sort of gaming; the games of old – which I now experience through the magic of emulators (legally grey as that may be) and virtual consoles on Nintendo’s platforms. I really wish I could explore a great arcade again, hopping from machine to machine, surrounded by the sorts of 80s and 90s paraphernalia that made them so enticing when I was a kid. And now I can, thanks to Virtual Reality – and so can you.

There’s a new bit of free software available that’s both a showcase for Virtual Reality and Unreal Engine 4 – and it’s the most compelling bit of VR software I’ve seen to date. New Virtual Arcade from Digital Cyber Cherries (via VG247) not only allows you to run around a virtual arcade and play games – but it’s a genuine emulator front-end as well. Load it up with roms for arcade and classic console systems, strap on a VR headset and you can party like it’s 1991. It’s a front end for MAME, and includes Gameboy, NES, SNES and Genesis emulation – and gives you the cool bulbous screens and scanlines you experienced playing these games in the past.

It also allows you to walk about a virtual arcade, its walls adorned with classic 80’s and 90’s film posters, and take in a spot of bowling or darts – and muck about with cassette tapes.  It’s pretty damned magical.

Last Updated: March 18, 2015

51 Comments

  1. Blood Emperor Trevor

    March 18, 2015 at 13:38

    It’s just not the same. The unique odours, sticky controllers, the ever-present ciggie smoke from the 16-year olds – occassionally blown into your face or the ciggie butt touched to your hair to the back of your leg to distract you.

    Reply

    • Brady miaau

      March 18, 2015 at 13:40

      wow, clearly we went to different arcades. I remember none of that.

      Reply

      • Pariah

        March 18, 2015 at 13:46

        “Arcades.” He probably means that dodgy pub around the back of some dilapidated building.

        Reply

      • Blood Emperor Trevor

        March 18, 2015 at 13:52

        Good times!

        Reply

    • Captain JJ the damned

      March 18, 2015 at 13:45

      You’re just nors because you don’t like VR ;P

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        March 18, 2015 at 13:45

        Or people

        Reply

        • Captain JJ the damned

          March 18, 2015 at 13:45

          Very true.

          Reply

        • Ranting Raptor

          March 18, 2015 at 13:48

          so doesn’t like VR… Can’t experience the arcade….

          Doesn’t like people… again… can’t go experience an arcade? Eish

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            March 18, 2015 at 13:50

            #ForeverSP

          • Ranting Raptor

            March 18, 2015 at 13:50

            hehehehehe

        • Brady miaau

          March 18, 2015 at 13:57

          Think about your two dislikes carefully and slowly…..

          So, a solution?

          Yes, smack people over the head with an Oculus

          Reply

          • Captain JJ the damned

            March 18, 2015 at 14:00

            Poor Oculus

    • Captain JJ the damned

      March 18, 2015 at 13:53

      Are you talking about the one that used to be in Tygervalley per chance?

      Reply

      • Blood Emperor Trevor

        March 18, 2015 at 13:55

        I never went there very often, used to go to Wonderland @ N1 City. The ciggie stuff is from the local dodgy Porra cafes. 😉

        Reply

        • Captain JJ the damned

          March 18, 2015 at 13:56

          Ah. I think I may have been there once only.

          Reply

        • Brady miaau

          March 18, 2015 at 13:56

          Well, at least you are not politically incorrect then!

          Reply

          • Captain JJ the damned

            March 18, 2015 at 14:00

            lol

    • RinceThis

      March 18, 2015 at 14:21

      Yeah, that’s the special place you were dropped off while your mom went to work! *RUNS

      Reply

  2. Jaded_Reprobate

    March 18, 2015 at 13:38

    Like Gals Panic (Qix) ?

    Reply

    • justlikemo

      March 18, 2015 at 14:41

      yeh you pervs
      “Snap Out” – it think thats what the asian girl said

      Reply

    • Brady miaau

      March 18, 2015 at 14:42

      Is he supposed to look slightly unhappy?

      Reply

      • Jaded_Reprobate

        March 19, 2015 at 07:19

        it’s been so long, but isn’t that the standard look for women?

        Reply

        • Brady miaau

          March 19, 2015 at 13:46

          You owe me a new keyboard. Dammit. That tea was good too.

          Reply

  3. Brady miaau

    March 18, 2015 at 13:40

    I will know it works if I look down to remove the damned chewing gum I just stepped in from my shoe while using it

    Reply

  4. Ranting Raptor

    March 18, 2015 at 13:42

    *puts hand up*

    I’d rather go to a real life arcade and bowling alley thanks.

    *proceeds to Menlyn Shopping Center arcade*

    Reply

    • Loftus

      March 18, 2015 at 14:08

      Ranting Raptor are you the other creepy guy Menlyn shopping center arcade ?

      Reply

      • Ranting Raptor

        March 18, 2015 at 14:52

        dun dun duuuuuuuuuuuuuun

        Reply

        • Loftus

          March 18, 2015 at 16:19

          Me and Ranting Raptor chillin at menlyn #selfie

          Reply

          • Ranting Raptor

            March 18, 2015 at 16:49

            hehehehehehehe

    • Jonah Cash

      March 18, 2015 at 14:21

      I really miss Menlyn’s bowling!! I studied at Tuks, and I went at least 3-4 times a week to go and bowl!! Those were the days!!

      Reply

      • Ranting Raptor

        March 18, 2015 at 14:52

        It’s still there you know. And bigger than before.

        Reply

        • Jonah Cash

          March 18, 2015 at 16:26

          Bigger how? If you walk in through the arcade did they expand to the right into the arcade area? That place has awesome cocktails by the way!!

          Reply

          • Ranting Raptor

            March 18, 2015 at 16:49

            Well I remember it closing down there next to where the Dross and Barnyard were. I was disappointed. Thought it was gone.

            Turns out it has now moved to where the events arena was. The food courts have developed in to a much fancier area and where the events arena was there are now escelators down in to the “pit” where the arcade, bar area and bowling alleay is now.

            Even have resting areas with tables and stuff to chill at now. Very nice

          • Jonah Cash

            March 18, 2015 at 17:48

            Wow!! When I am ever again in PTA I will go and have a look!! That place was my heaven!!

  5. Hammersteyn

    March 18, 2015 at 13:43

    This has my interest piqued! Now imagine you can go in a cinema and watch some of those movies. Back then there were no [redacted] cell phones and most people had cinema etiquette…

    Reply

    • Brady miaau

      March 18, 2015 at 14:43

      Nokia. Not Redacted. Nokia.

      Reply

    • Skyblue

      March 18, 2015 at 19:22

      Interesting point. VR might just make cinema obsolete, right down to digital popcorn ;-p

      Reply

  6. Ryanza

    March 18, 2015 at 13:45

    • Hammersteyn

      March 18, 2015 at 13:50

      I could finish the fist level but never the whole game.

      Reply

      • Ryanza

        March 18, 2015 at 13:53

        This game I liked playing.

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          March 18, 2015 at 13:54

          Classic!

          Reply

      • Geoffrey Tim

        March 18, 2015 at 14:55

        My mates older brother finished the whole game with one credit, regularly. I watched him do it numerous times. A god among men.

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          March 18, 2015 at 15:05

          I could do Art of Fighting, Cadillacs and dinosaurs, Tekken 2 and 3, World heroes 1 and 2, Street fighter 2 and 3 and Sunset Riders with one credit some of the times. But some people are especially talented.

          Reply

      • Skyblue

        March 18, 2015 at 19:20

        Hah, I could finish it like a boss with a single 20c. Those were games.

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          March 18, 2015 at 20:00

          Yes they were 😀

          Reply

    • Skyblue

      March 18, 2015 at 19:20

      I can still do that to this day.

      Reply

  7. Dutch Matrix

    March 18, 2015 at 13:54

    But will it have Pocket Gal?

    http://s.uvlist.net/l/y2006/09/26838.jpg

    Reply

  8. Dutch Matrix

    March 18, 2015 at 14:02

    We had this seriously dodgy arcade in the Vaal Triangle called Halley’s Comet Arcade. It was a horrible place, but it did have Operation Wolf.
    And it was, curiously, a Sunday School teacher that showed me how to play some Pinball game I cannot recall the name of now and how to get the girls naked. In the game, that is…

    Reply

  9. Brady miaau

    March 18, 2015 at 14:29

    Yeah, wait, I went to the King Tut exhibit, as should most of you, at the Silver Star casino. I saw, on my way there, a big arcade with games and stuff. Looked expensive. And fun. Compared to the meal for 4, it would have been cheap. I say would have been. Sigh.

    And at menlyn. Arcades are not dead, they just evolved into something pricier with less games.

    Reply

  10. justlikemo

    March 18, 2015 at 14:41

    the smell man! and those sick carpets, those where the days

    Reply

  11. Tong Chang

    March 25, 2015 at 08:21

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