Friday, September 21, 2007

The Good Old Days


It has been a long time since I have walked into any kind of business that had video games in there.

The pizza chain I used to manage restaurants for always had a few in there.

You know, the old-school, 2 meter tall video games like Pac Man or Ms. Pac Man or Donkey Kong or whatever.

To entice people to play, the video game would be all lit up, lights a-flashing, simulating the actual game that you could play.

Know what I mean?

When my daughters were little and if we were in a place with video games, they would ask if they could go over an play the video game.

We would say yes, that's OK.

Off they would scoot, grab the knob, press buttons or whatever that particular game had for controls, and start playing.

All the while, intently watching the screen.

They would have a blast until the food was ready and we would call them back over to eat.

Then...

...they got old enough and smart enough to want quarters to put into the machines.

That was a sad day for me and Lovely Wife.

It's been downhill ever since.

And don't get me started on Christmas.

I miss how cheap and gullible little kids are to keep entertained.

Or were cheap and gullible.

11 comments:

Scribbit said...

Oh how I loved Donkey Kong and Frogger but I stunk so badly I couldn't bring myself to waste the quarters.

none said...

I probably could have bought my own arcade with all the money I dropped in those bandits since 1979

photowannabe said...

Looks like Pac Man fever....never played those big machines just our own little Atari games. I was awful...the kids were great.

katherine. said...

laughing...my kids played for free too..and not for too long.

We had Pong when I was a kid...now the games we have are unbelievable...and I can't play most of them...sigh.

The Rock Chick said...

Yeah, that stage where you can fool the kids doesn't last very long at all....

My daughters have never really been into video games that much, but my son...oh my! I think we have every game system out there and I can't play anything except for the Wii. Even I'm crazy about that Wii system. I almost have a pro score in bowling :)

Jessica

Sindi1968 said...

Oh I hear you. Our son is 3 and I keep telling my husband do not introduce him to buyiing and spending until he ask. IE Christmas gifts, Halloween (trick or treat) etc...
How scarry for me I am 39 and the LAST game I played was Astroids at the skating rink many moons ago. I hope he never ask for a Game boy thingy.. Have a fun day

Mary said...

Heehee, so true! I always stunk at video games. And still do.

Carina said...

Our laundromat still has a couple old machines. My kids still don't know about the quarters, thank goodness.

Olga said...

Is that the 'hobbit' skull they found? Heard all about that on NPR.
Looks as good as any I guess.....

Travis Cody said...

A PacMan skull? That's hilarious!

Beverly said...

I loved those days...Chuck E. Cheese and Showbiz Pizza Parlor. A lot of time was spent there, money too.