When arcades first started, pinball machines dominated. Then
came Pong and its ilk that drove out most pinball from the arcades. Home
consoles started matching and eventually exceeding the power of arcade video
games, causing most arcades to shutter. I grew up in a time when there was a
resurgence of arcades thanks to Street Fighter II and the fighting game
explosion it created. However I didn’t frequent the arcades as much as I’d like
on the basis that I lacked income and a vehicle on account of my very young
age.
Pinball was still not generating the revenue that video game
arcades were doing but it hadn’t died completely. That is why I’m glad that
conventions like Zapcon exist. Here is a new annual event that takes machines,
both pinball and video game, from collectors and vendors and allows people to
experience some of the classics and even some of the obscure titles from the
dimly lit arena of arcades past.
