Selam Getahun – Staff Writer

While consoles such as the Play Station, Nintendo, and Xbox serve as the primary medium for video games, one means for gaming that gets often overlooked in the modern era is none other than old-school video game arcade.

First popularized in the late 1970s, the arcade was America’s first introduction to
digital games. It was considered one of the primary places children would go to after school throughout the 80s and regularly crowded throughout this decade. Home gaming consoles triggered a massive decline in the arcade industry, running it almost entirely out of business.

Even though arcades are sometimes viewed as nothing but a mere relic of the past reminding us of what is now primitive technology, there are a small handful of them that still remain to this day. Check out one of these throwbacks to the 80’s, if you’re looking for something fun to do.

Round1 Bowling & Amusement – Main Place Mall, Santa Ana
Nickel! Nickel! 5 Cent Games – Harbor Town & Shopping Center, Garden Grove
Fire Loop Virtual Reality – Diamond Jamboree Shopping Center, Irvine
Fun Zone arcade & Game Room -Newport Beach