Last night I was in the mood for pinball and went over to Ground Kontrol, a classic arcade and bar. A barcade, perhaps. Anyway, this place is great. They have a bunch of old games, Rampage, Centipede, Sunset Riders, and loads of pinball machines. They blare metal music – GWAR was on the playlist. And best part; there’s a full bar inside. Actually, the best part is that it’s still only a quarter to play these games. (Once or twice a month the cabinets are free and you pay a cover at the door). If your thumbs are nimble you can have a long evening for only a few bucks.
I was never a big gamer, I lack the necessary hand eye coordination. Fortunately, older games like Street Fighter II reward button mashing exuberance and I was able to win a few fights before succumbing to my need to drink my beer. Having a cocktail and playing video games is a pretty good way to spend an evening. If you run out of quarters watching people is just as enjoyable, apparently. There was a large crowd gathered around the X-Men cabinet as several guys put their superpowers to good use, impressing chicks.