Arcades in Vancouver

[spikehead]

Are there any Arcades in Vancouver worth visiting? A quick google searc turned up with Movie Land and some others.

[KevinDDR]

If you include the Richmond area, there's a few neat places although none have any significant amount of shmups anymore. E-Spot in Richmond has about 30 candy cabs (including two Strikers 1999 cabs) and GuitarFreaks/Drummania/IIDX/DDR as well as 8 Maximum Tune 3DX cabs. Oh yeah, multiple versions of Bishi Bashi too. CHQ in the Metropolis@Metrotown shopping mall has tons of newer arcade stuff; candy cabs, 12 MaxTune cabs, various Bemani including Reflec Beat, and other fun stuff. The Aberdeen Centre near E-Spot has an arcade in their food court with some music games, Strikers 1999, a few fighting games, and 4 MaxTune 3DX+ cabs. Parker Place (near E-Spot and Aberdeen Centre) has a little mall arcade with 4 MaxTune 3DX+ cabs, 2 Battle Gear 4 Tuneds, Jubeat, and more photo booths than you'd ever want. I think that pretty much covers the remaining arcades up there.

[spikehead]

Thanks for the detailed description. I will try to check out espot in case I´m near Richmond. Luckily the Hostel I´m staying seems to be two streets form Movie Land.

[KevinDDR]

I've heard about that Movie Land place, but I have no idea what's there. I've even driven by it on the way to pinball tournaments up in Vancouver before. Please do report back on what's there!

[starslight]

Theres also an arcade / porn theater on Granville that has Raiden 2, Raiden Fighters, Strikers 1945, a Neo Geo multi with Blazing Star and Pulstar and a bunch of other good stuff.

[Oniros]

I've heard about that Movie Land place, but I have no idea what's there. I've even driven by it on the way to pinball tournaments up in Vancouver before. Please do report back on what's there!

Theres also an arcade / porn theater on Granville that has Raiden 2, Raiden Fighters, Strikers 1945, a Neo Geo multi with Blazing Star and Pulstar and a bunch of other good stuff.

You guys are both talking about the Movie Land Arcade. It mostly it has a good selection of classics including the above mentioned plus MvC, SFIII 3rd Strike, Daytona USA, Time Crisis and others. I wish they got rid of those century-old porn booths, it's the only thing that limits the audience to 18+.

[casualcoder]

You guys are both talking about the Movie Land Arcade. It mostly it has a good selection of classics including the above mentioned plus MvC, SFIII 3rd Strike, Daytona USA, Time Crisis and others. I wish they got rid of those century-old porn booths, it's the only thing that limits the audience to 18+.

It's an enduring and wonderful mystery how this Vancouver gem is still operating to this day. Being in the heart of downtown Granville, amongst the rapidly encroaching trend centres for the rich and touristy, the lease for that space must be worth north of 25k per month. I feel a little guilty that I don't take the trek out just to visit movieland. I'm sure my memory of it is just as vivid as seeing it in person today as the place never seems to change since I first went there in the mid 90's. Even back then as a minor nobody ever stopped me at the door. There was usually a somewhat grim looking older Asian man doling out change for cash bills. No questions asked. I remember my buddy and I would snicker and recoil a bit at the thought of what went on in the back where the "peep" shows were playing. It seems the outdated, relic smut playing is almost a vaunted museum which is sometimes visited by ironic hipsters, historians and interesting creeps alike. I read about this in an article written about it a couple of years ago (highly recommended read). I still sometimes wonder how this reclusive guy they call Jack manages to run the place, but most people agree that it should stay right where it is as it is... Grunge, games and vintage weirdness all.

If you include the Richmond area, there's a few neat places although none have any significant amount of shmups anymore.

I find it so strange with all of the arcades in Richmond, and an Asian population of 70% you cannot find almost any shmups. I was at e-spot with my nephew over the holidays and the arcade section was practically dead. Even the SF4 cabs were unattended. I remarked at how much it must cost them in electricity bills alone to have it worth their while but nonetheless it was good to see everything was there as it was the year before. Anyhow, in contrast to the arcade section, the PC LAN area was jammed full with tournament attendees, and your assortment of miscreants, and Jaba the huts clutching a soda in one hand and a mouse in the other. I asked the guy who manned the area why their aren't any Cave games in the arcade section. He just looked really confused, so I said "shooting games" and he just starts laughing apologetically mumbling something about the broken lightgun games. It would be great to see some real shmups but something tells me there won't be much of a petition for it. If it ever happens I would be happy to visit and drop some credits to run some scores.