Old Irish arcade photos - do they exist?

CathalDublin · 04-09-2018 12:33pm

Optimus Prime wrote: »

Yeh , they had sf2 as well. And the game where you have Hoover’s on your back and fire out people you suck in like snowballs/snowmen

They also had a side scroller where you pick from knights with swords and a fighting game where you are in an arena and can pick a Minotaur as one of the characters.

I’ve played these games myself recently I just can’t remember the names off hand.

Think you are getting tumblepop and snow bros mixed up there

Doge · 04-09-2018 1:19pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Was it Space Ace?

It must have been Space Pirates. For some reason I remember it differently though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSxyrEndT04

o1s1n · 04-09-2018 1:21pm

Speaking of slides, any of you guys remember The Fun Factory (Was in Stillorgan I think)? Slide and ball pit heaven.

I distinctly remember at one point they had a few arcade machines on feeplay, only game that comes to mind is Sf2 - it would randomly reset which was annoying.

I think they also had a few console kiosks up in the viewing area.

Optimus Prime · 04-09-2018 1:38pm

CathalDublin wrote: »

Think you are getting tumblepop and snow bros mixed up there

The game i remember was defo Tumblepop i googled it earlier, and there was a level with snowmen in it too as far as i remember. good game as well.

Inviere · 04-09-2018 3:28pm

Kidchameleon wrote: »

Does anyone remember the arcade machines in the Gala in Ballyfermot? I remember they had Mortal Kombat

Was in there a few times years back yeah. I remember seeing Tekken for the 1st time in there, think they had Pole Position 1 or 2 there too.

Optimus Prime wrote: »

I remember being shown how to do the “handcuffs” thing with guile in there.

Same. Probably by the same guy!

Doge · 04-09-2018 3:43pm

How did people figure that **** out back then!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znHhJfQ2b1g

Inviere · 04-09-2018 3:57pm

It was all word of mouth, and passing knowledge on in person. I remember seeing Guile's "Freeze", and "Handcuffs" in the Gala for the first time

CathalDublin · 04-09-2018 6:06pm

sugarman wrote: »

Always felt like walking into a rough inner city bar, regulars only kind of place. Youd get some odd looks walking in if they didnt know you. Never had any real hassle tho other than a few mouthy young fellas trying to show off in front of their mates. They were never playing any games either ...nobody really was! Was just a hangout spot.

Few decent cabs but they were rougher than the locals before it closed... when did it close by the way? Was prob last there 03/04?

I was offered a couple of the machines when they were selling them off in 2004/5, I was told at the time they were al going up the north, I don’t knownif it was Pokers, jammas, pins or what, to be honest I thought it closed way before that but I think it was mainly pokers/slots in later years. There was always a group of rough street drinkers outside.

CathalDublin · 04-09-2018 6:11pm

There was a couple cabs in the back of the chipper in Malahide on the Main Street we use to go to when we were about 10

Grandeeod · 04-09-2018 8:43pm

Another Dublin arcade I was in a few times in the 80s - Rathmines. It was facing Pat Graces and I think it eventually became a dump called Tram co in a new build.:D

Kidchameleon · 04-09-2018 11:20pm

I first saw guiles hand cuffs in the XL Bowl in Palmerstown. Some guy did it, went off for 5 mins then came back and continued his game!

05-09-2018 10:44am

Grandeeod wrote: »

Another Dublin arcade I was in a few times in the 80s - Rathmines. It was facing Pat Graces and I think it eventually became a dump called Tram co in a new build.:D

I think it was called Leisure something. Centre or Zone or Complex

Ravenholm · 05-09-2018 2:05pm

The few I remeber are The Pierrot Club on the Quays, there was one on O'Connell street in the 80s too, maybe a precursor to Dr Quirkeys. I remember it had the full sit-in Afterburner cabinet which was awesome. :cool:

Ned Kellys Snooker club on O'Connell had loads of arcade machines.

There was another large arcade in the lane just off Talbot Street and Malborough Street.

These are all 1988 - 1992 as far as I remember

Skerries · 05-09-2018 8:03pm

anyone remember Caesars Palace in Phibsboro?

Kidchameleon · 05-09-2018 8:12pm

Where exactly was the perriot club?

Grandeeod · 05-09-2018 8:19pm

Batchelors Walk near O'Connell street. Snooker heaven at first, but Video game heaven eventually.:D

Skerries · 06-09-2018 11:53am

wasn't there one under the bridge at Connolly station as well?

06-09-2018 1:06pm

If you watch the commitments there is a place with a good few pins,
I think its the hideout

Shapey Fiend · 06-09-2018 7:36pm

My town of Ennis had about 3 fair sized arcades and several other scatterings of cabs in takeaways circa Mortal Kombat 1. They all started dying off around 1994 along with the place where you could play SNES, Mega Drive & Mega CD by the hour. We'd a shop dedicated exclusively to rentals as well.

When I was in Dublin I usually hit Dr. Quirkies, some other place that was near Easons on the same street and an arcade at the place now known as Amusement Casino on Westmoreland St. That one in particular was a real gem I remember playing Golden Axe there when it was brand new and they still had stuff like Defender. It wasn't the biggest arcade but everything they had was really good.

I was in Barneys in the mid 00's and they had maybe 3 Astro City cabinets in fairly battered condition. Amusingly one of them had a majong panel which you don't expect to see in Dublin.

06-09-2018 9:31pm

Shapey Fiend wrote: »

I was in Barneys in the mid 00's and they had maybe 3 Astro City cabinets in fairly battered condition. Amusingly one of them had a majong panel which you don't expect to see in Dublin.

I think a member on here bought those,safteyboy

super_furry · 06-09-2018 10:49pm

sugarman wrote: »

Anyone remember this place in Tallaght? Was in the village next to PTSB, was knocked during the boom and apartments were built in its place. Prob closed 2002 or 2003. There was a small 'arcade' to the door on the right. It was closed a few years before the main Snooker hall.. so prob late 90s? Vague memory of it, all older late 70s, early 80s stuff like Pacman, Defender, Galaga etc..

I remember that alright. Was a few dodgy machines just inside, definitely a Street Fighter and a Mortal Kombat but they were usually in rag order. We used to pop in there on the way back to the Square from the bowling alley, which had a decent arcade selection back then.

The snooker club in the Belgard was another decent spot for oddball machines. First place I remember getting Super Streetfighter II, they had that weird Sega hologram fighter as well as a load of Neo Geo stuff.

Shapey Fiend · 06-09-2018 11:48pm

Limerick City wise there was The Buzz (with a big bee over the door) opened around 1994. They'd Daytona, loads of Neo Geo stuff, Wardner.. on sort of three split floors pretty exciting at the time. The Vic snooker club had a lot of cabinets too.

Galway had the Funzone over Supermacs that was pretty huge. They'd about a 100 cabinets you could pay by the hour. Included a load of early 90's pinball, bajillion neo geo games and big simulator versions of Virtua Racing. It was still open till about 10 years ago I think they replaced most of it with snooker in the early 00's though.

The pool/leisure center in Salthill had a huge selection. There were two other fairly substantial arcades down on the seafront where I used play Shinobi and Alien Storm.

There was a bowling alley opened outside the city (closed about 3 years ago) and they'd a Cycraft. Think it was running that Sega Kart game though so not much craic.

Kidchameleon · 07-09-2018 6:45am

Shapey Fiend wrote: »

an arcade at the place now known as Amusement Casino on Westmoreland St. That one in particular was a real gem I remember playing Golden Axe there when it was brand new and they still had stuff like Defender. It wasn't the biggest arcade but everything they had was really good.

Was that the place with the Indian statue outside? We used to refer to that place as "The big chief". They had an arcade version on Doom there.

geotrig · 07-09-2018 8:56am

Shapey Fiend wrote: »

Limerick City wise there was The Buzz (with a big bee over the door) opened around 1994. They'd Daytona, loads of Neo Geo stuff, Wardner.. on sort of three split floors pretty exciting at the time. The Vic snooker club had a lot of cabinets too.

.

There was also the savoy and "sticks" ,with the odd place usually near shops dotted around the place.
Also funworld (before it was supermacs , no idea what it was called back then ,maybe it was still funworld !!!)it had a pretty good selection back then also with some nice big cabs ,sit down afterburner , house of dead, mad dog mccree and a few others ,all my money was spent on afterburner though.
The vic had a lot of stuff over time and cycled games and dedicated cabinets quite a bit eventually that slowed down but early ninties they used to change them regulary.Also added a pay by hr console zone at one point which had neo aes's !!
The Savoy had a pretty good selection for a time as well (had sf2 electrocoin duets) ,with a good lot of cabs , "sticks" was the same although i rarely went in there ,just the odd time to get a go on enduro racer ,
I vaguely remember the buzz but as you said a lot of games over the 3 floors was very bright and had a few crap pool tables also !

I do remember the odd photos being taken back then in the vic and savoy so someone must have some pics !

I remember going to the place over supermacs and thepace in lesisure centre in galway but no idea what they had anymore.

Doge wrote: »

Can you remember the Arcade in the Savoy where you could pre paid cards that could activate the machines, like a leap card for arcade machines if you will?

I often wonder how it compared in size to the Dublin Arcades and if it was the biggest arcade in the country.
it seemed pretty big at the time but I was only 10ish and have vague memories.

.

Im think i was in the savoy and vic (somewhere near the river)in cork ? names ring a bell but not sure now and good selection of games in both. both seemed a good size but similar to others about.

rubadub · 07-09-2018 9:25am

Kidchameleon wrote: »

Was that the place with the Indian statue outside? We used to refer to that place as "The big chief". They had an arcade version on Doom there.

That's the place, forgot all about it. Strider was one of the first cabs in the door. They might have had aliens too.

sign says establised in 1974

https://goo.gl/maps/cLgvzQ6nvw72

Shapey Fiend · 07-09-2018 5:40pm

Forgot the Savoy in Limerick. They'd SF2 and Mortal Kombat on the ground floor and tons of other stuff upstairs in the bowling area King of Monsters and Asterix stick in my mind.

Just remembered another one in Galway off Eir Square had 4 player Sega Hot Rod. My folks were fairly lax so I was always wandering into these places by myself despite being 7 or 8 years old think I'd to get out of there cos some older kids kept trying to make me smoke a cigarillo see if I'd throw up

.

Doge · 07-09-2018 6:22pm

geotrig wrote: »

Im think i was in the savoy and vic (somewhere near the river)in cork ? names ring a bell but not sure now and good selection of games in both. both seemed a good size but similar to others about.

Yeah the Vic or more formally known as The Victorian Sporting Club was the go to Arcade in Cork for a long time.

They kind of kept up with the times and brought out the latest cabs. It also had pool tables on the ground floor and had a dedicated Snooker Hall upstairs.

The only Arcade that seems to have lasted in Cork til now is "The Colosseum"
or Leisure Plex as its known these days. Bit of a poor selection though and machines weren't well maintained, although it does have the New Daytona now.

I'd still love to know just how big the Arcade in The Savoy in Cork was, it seemed huge at the time.

Shapey Fiend · 07-09-2018 7:31pm

Casinos are an incredible business you rarely see one close. I think the machines pay back out 60pc of the money (at best) and 20pc goes on tax so the rest is your margin. Best of all the regulations mean that you're not even required to pay punters their winnings. This guy lost €9k in a day, won €7.5k the following day because the machine was faulty and the casino still didn't pay out. http://www.thejournal.ie/court-gamblers-not-paid-d1-casino-3296996-Mar2017/

Why would you even bother having arcade machines with that good a racket?

I remember being parked outside a casino in Ennis in 2010 or so on a Monday at 7pm. Proper bottom of the recession. I saw 20+ people go in in 15 minutes and nobody come out except to hurredly smoke a cigarette then go back in.

SirLemonhead · 07-09-2018 7:31pm

o1s1n wrote: »

Speaking of slides, any of you guys remember The Fun Factory (Was in Stillorgan I think)? Slide and ball pit heaven.

I distinctly remember at one point they had a few arcade machines on feeplay, only game that comes to mind is Sf2 - it would randomly reset which was annoying.

I think they also had a few console kiosks up in the viewing area.

That was in Dún Laoghaire, if you're thinking of the same one (was there more than one Fun Factory?). I don't remember the arcade machines but they did have a room of Super Nintendo kiosks, up on the floor of the balcony level you walk in on.

geotrig · 07-09-2018 11:27pm

Shapey Fiend wrote: »

Forgot the Savoy in Limerick. They'd SF2 and Mortal Kombat on the ground floor and tons of other stuff upstairs in the bowling area King of Monsters and Asterix stick in my mind.

Just remembered another one in Galway off Eir Square had 4 player Sega Hot Rod. My folks were fairly lax so I was always wandering into these places by myself despite being 7 or 8 years old think I'd to get out of there cos some older kids kept trying to make me smoke a cigarillo see if I'd throw up .

The cabs downstairs in the Savoy was definitely late on in it's time ,early days had no cabs downstairs with everything up stairs, it was probably at it's best then, although it did have pit fighter :problem:
The vic had a 4player hot rod as well and was my go to place to drag out my mula ,loved that game.

geotrig · 07-09-2018 11:28pm

Doge wrote: »

Yeah the Vic or more formally known as The Victorian Sporting Club was the go to Arcade in Cork for a long time.

They kind of kept up with the times and brought out the latest cabs. It also had pool tables on the ground floor and had a dedicated Snooker Hall upstairs.

The only Arcade that seems to have lasted in Cork til now is "The Colosseum"
or Leisure Plex as its known these days. Bit of a poor selection though and machines weren't well maintained, although it does have the New Daytona now.

I'd still love to know just how big the Arcade in The Savoy in Cork was, it seemed huge at the time.

Yeah that's the one, used to sneak down anytime we where down to play cbc and had a bit of free time

o1s1n · 08-09-2018 11:45am

SirLemonhead wrote: »

That was in Dún Laoghaire, if you're thinking of the same one (was there more than one Fun Factory?). I don't remember the arcade machines but they did have a room of Super Nintendo kiosks, up on the floor of the balcony level you walk in on.

Yep that's the same one alright! Didn't realise it was In Dun Laoghaire, can you remember whereabouts?

I only have memories of bring transported there in a car as a 7-8 year old and have no real frame of reference as to where it was

rubadub · 08-09-2018 1:47pm

o1s1n wrote: »

Yep that's the same one alright! Didn't realise it was In Dun Laoghaire, can you remember whereabouts?

The fun factory was where the Top Hat was, a roller disco which was also a gig venue.

it was here
https://goo.gl/maps/SMNfssp7pZK2

CosmicSmash · 08-09-2018 9:57pm

I remember seeing Metallica there, it would have been back in 1988, it was a great gig.

CathalDublin · 10-09-2018 8:19am

BrownFinger wrote: »

If you watch the commitments there is a place with a good few pins,
I think its the hideout

That's upstairs in the Palace nightclub on Camden street

Skerries · 11-09-2018 12:46pm

rubadub wrote: »

The fun factory was where the Top Hat was, a roller disco which was also a gig venue.

I remember going to the Top Hat from the Northside with our Summer Project group in the early 80's and Renee and Renata being played to death
'send your love my darling, send your love!'

Hurrache · 11-09-2018 2:17pm

sugarman wrote: »

Anyone remember this place in Tallaght? Was in the village next to PTSB, was knocked during the boom and apartments were built in its place. Prob closed 2002 or 2003. There was a small 'arcade' to the door on the right. It was closed a few years before the main Snooker hall.. so prob late 90s? Vague memory of it, all older late 70s, early 80s stuff like Pacman, Defender, Galaga etc..

It was to the left when you entered the door wasn't it? Spent a small fortune in there on Hammering Harry, Bubble Bobble and Stryder I think was there. It was a world away from the arcade in the bowling alley.

rubadub wrote: »

That's the place, forgot all about it. Strider was one of the first cabs in the door. They might have had aliens too.

sign says establised in 1974

https://goo.gl/maps/cLgvzQ6nvw72

That was a dodgy enough place. Used to get girls coming over and asking you for money. When you told them no, they'd point to a guy sitting across the way and say they'd get him to beat the **** out of you if you didn't.

Grandeeod · 11-09-2018 7:52pm

CathalDublin wrote: »

That's upstairs in the Palace nightclub on Camden street

Was it not once Ricardos in the old Camden Cinema in those days?

CathalDublin · 11-09-2018 11:36pm

Grandeeod wrote: »

Was it not once Ricardos in the old Camden Cinema in those days?

Not sure, Ricardos was upstairs in the palace nightclub? I only really knew the place in the late ninties when it was the palace nightclub upstairs and downstairs and then again in later years when it turned back to a snooker hall but I'm pretty sure that's where the guy's playing earthshaker is.

Kidchameleon · 12-09-2018 7:48am

Does anyone remember the "Tallaght Sports Bowl". I was only ever in it once, I remember a big line of SF2's. Not sure what else was in there

CiDeRmAn · 12-09-2018 8:32am

I used to frequent Ricardo's back in 89/90 when I was in Kevin St for a year.
While my mates played snooker I was on the arcade cabinets, I remember playing Altered Beast... not good....
The arcade in the students rest area in the college was great though, Gravitar, Jackal and Bubble Bobble installed there, a nice selection of games.

Dr Bob · 13-09-2018 1:51pm

When I was in Kevin St in 93/95 the snackery had Street Fighter II(kerazy HK rainbow bootleg), MK,Lethal Enforcers , A sit down Final Lap II ,Black Tiger and one of those isometric rally car games.
Weird thing is , I'm pretty sure the weird Taito Mini cabs that a few of us have here (the ones that came from the cowshed in cork)were used there , if I remember correctly the guy who owned them leased them to colleges so it makes sense...

Optimus Prime · 13-09-2018 1:53pm

Dr Bob wrote: »

Weird thing is , I'm pretty sure the weird Taito Mini cabs that a few of us have here (the ones that came from the cowshed in cork)were used there , if I remember correctly the guy who owned them leased them to colleges so it makes sense...

Yep the guy i bought all them off said his father in law used to supply them to colleges and places.

Dr Bob · 13-09-2018 1:56pm

Kidchameleon wrote: »

Does anyone remember the "Tallaght Sports Bowl". I was only ever in it once, I remember a big line of SF2's. Not sure what else was in there

lol my mates were too young looking to get into pubs so we basically lived there every weekend for a few years .
I remember SF2 , X men children of the Atom,Vapor Trail , MK II,a SNK with a few carts built in (Nam 75 was one), Wind Jammers,World Heroes, Midnight Resistance , Rad mobile,Final Lap twin,Vendetta,Simpsons,Sunset Riders,Mad Dog Mcree..
loads more I've forgotten
Also some decent pinball , Adams Family , Star Trek 25th anniversary,ST TNG, and my favorite Lethal Weapon III.

Dr Bob · 13-09-2018 1:58pm

Optimus Prime wrote: »

Yep the guy i bought all them off said his father in law used to supply them to colleges and places.

Yup. Never seen them officially listed anywhere else or a photo of them outside Ireland , possibly they were a custom job?
I still have an unrenovated one in my mam's garage that I must either get to or sell on..

Inviere · 13-09-2018 3:33pm

Dr Bob wrote: »

Yup. Never seen them officially listed anywhere else or a photo of them outside Ireland , possibly they were a custom job?
I still have an unrenovated one in my mam's garage that I must either get to or sell on..

As an aside Bob, what's the story with Lets Get Retro...is it finished?

CiDeRmAn · 13-09-2018 4:28pm

I left Kevin St and went off to do my nursing in Sligo, I can't remember much of an arcade there.
Oddly enough, there was a new night club/youff centre and they had the likes of SFII and MK, but the most popular machine was a Mega-Tech system, where kids who played Sonic at home would play it again in the arcade, but this time pay 20p per go!

Kidchameleon · 13-09-2018 5:04pm

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

I left Kevin St and went off to do my nursing in Sligo, I can't remember much of an arcade there.
Oddly enough, there was a new night club/youff centre and they had the likes of SFII and MK, but the most popular machine was a Mega-Tech system, where kids who played Sonic at home would play it again in the arcade, but this time pay 20p per go!

Wow, as a LOVER of Genesis, I would love to own a MegaTech. The only one I ever saw was in either Bray or Skerries

80s Synth Pop · 13-09-2018 7:48pm

Dr Bob wrote: »

lol my mates were too young looking to get into pubs so we basically lived there every weekend for a few years .

hmmm I probably know you Dr Bob. We lived there too in the mid to late 90s

Played all those games on their rows of Xenons and Duets

Hurrache · 14-09-2018 12:23pm

I'm sure many of us crossed paths. I too was in Kevin Street in the early 90s, and spent most Saturday mornings at the arcade in the Sports Bowl, money or no money. Quasar used to have a league there too weekend mornings which was great craic.

Old Irish arcade photos - do they exist?

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