The Life And Death Of The Game Arcade

Marty's Playland                     Ocean City, Maryland

OTR was introduced to game arcades in Ocean City, Maryland, in his late childhood. He enjoyed carnival arcades previously, but the enjoyment paled in comparison to the immersive experiences in those permanent playlands along the boardwalk. The noise, the lights, the aroma of the sea mingled with floor wax and ozone. And then there were all those winning tickets to redeem for more play tokens, a tacky souvenir or simply keep for the next trip to the beach. Almost thirty years would elapse before he would take his own children into the world of the arcade. Of course, it was a far different place with the advent of the electronic video game.

Today, Instapundit's Glenn Reynolds posts a link to a Time.com article about the impact another two decades has made on the arcade industry: The Tragic, World-Changing Loss of the Great American Arcade.
The first paragraph has a link to a "must see" Verge article by Laura June. It may be a bit long for today's attention spans, but the information and illustrations - creative layout, as well - make it worthwhile.

OTR would like to think the game arcade, at least the amusement arcade of his childhood, will have a place in the American experience to come.