Who Remembers Game Center in San Mateo?

[segasonicfan]

It's long gone, but there was a blip in time around 2011 when a crazy (awesome) man started a Japanese arcade in downtown San Mateo:

https://web.archive.org/web/20120820163 ... ?page_id=2

I found the old webpage, and thought I would share. Connected to the local shmupmeet scene, so I hope this isn't off-topic.
Anyone have pictures of it? 'twas a glorious time...with a Virtua Cop 3 cab and Hyperdual!

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Yes, I was down at the "Game Center" arcade in San Mateo back in May of 2012 for a shmupmeet hosted there -- someone had brought in a Cave DDP-SDOJ pcb and placed it in an Egret II candy cab. I recall the "GC" owner saying that he had two Egret II candy cabs & and of them had a subwoofer installed inside for a proper 2.1 speaker setup! I got to try out the SDOJ pcb as it was the newest Cave pcb release at that point in time. Dave K. had brought in his Xbox 360 and had it hooked up to one of the Chinese made generic Vewlix candy cabs -- it was running one of the Cave stgs (Akai Katana I think it was). In the background, the "GC" owner had a few vending machines to buy a drink, some snacks & whatnot -- cool nevertheless.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[spmbx]

Through google you can find a few old pictures.
https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/gamecenter-san-mateo
https://vghangover.com/2011/07/15/gamec ... raws-near/
https://arcadeheroes.com/2011/07/01/new ... amecenter/

[dunpeal2064]

Yes, I was down at the "Game Center" arcade in San Mateo back in May of 2012 for a shmupmeet hosted there -- someone had brought in a Cave DDP-SDOJ pcb and placed it in an Egret II candy cab. I recall the "GC" owner saying that he had two Egret II candy cabs & and of them had a subwoofer installed inside for a proper 2.1 speaker setup! I got to try out the SDOJ pcb as it was the newest Cave pcb release at that point in time. Dave K. had brought in his Xbox 360 and had it hooked up to one of the Chinese made generic Vewlix candy cabs -- it was running one of the Cave stgs (Akai Katana I think it was). In the background, the "GC" owner had a few vending machines to buy a drink, some snacks & whatnot -- cool nevertheless.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

I recall going to that 2012 shmupmeet as well, the Game Center was really cool! I played several STGs for the first time at that meet, including SDOJ and I believe Muchi Muchi Pork may have been hooked up for a bit. Was a great time!

[segasonicfan]

Through google you can find a few old pictures.
https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/gamecenter-san-mateo
https://vghangover.com/2011/07/15/gamec ... raws-near/
https://arcadeheroes.com/2011/07/01/new ... amecenter/

Thank you so much for these helpful links! Sorry I thought I replied to this.
What a cool trip down memory lane. It's impossibly strange to see and remember how much less interest there was in STGs back then!
We were such a small and dedicated community

Yes, I was down at the "Game Center" arcade in San Mateo back in May of 2012 for a shmupmeet hosted there -- someone had brought in a Cave DDP-SDOJ pcb and placed it in an Egret II candy cab. I recall the "GC" owner saying that he had two Egret II candy cabs & and of them had a subwoofer installed inside for a proper 2.1 speaker setup! I got to try out the SDOJ pcb as it was the newest Cave pcb release at that point in time. Dave K. had brought in his Xbox 360 and had it hooked up to one of the Chinese made generic Vewlix candy cabs -- it was running one of the Cave stgs (Akai Katana I think it was). In the background, the "GC" owner had a few vending machines to buy a drink, some snacks & whatnot -- cool nevertheless.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

I recall going to that 2012 shmupmeet as well, the Game Center was really cool! I played several STGs for the first time at that meet, including SDOJ and I believe Muchi Muchi Pork may have been hooked up for a bit. Was a great time!

Ah that's so cool! That must've been one of the special meets from here, where Dave K brought his gems. Muchi Muchi Pork is a fave - if nothing else than for it's gorgeous graphics and absolutely bonkers theme.
I'm glad it introduced you to some of the best gaming there is!

[dunpeal2064]

Ah that's so cool! That must've been one of the special meets from here, where Dave K brought his gems. Muchi Muchi Pork is a fave - if nothing else than for it's gorgeous graphics and absolutely bonkers theme.
I'm glad it introduced you to some of the best gaming there is!

Yeah! I remember looking over at my wife playing Muchi Pork and seeing the screen flooded with 10k medals, and I've been hooked ever since. Still play it at least once a week, what a game!

[Faith]

Yeah! I remember looking over at my wife playing Muchi Pork and seeing the screen flooded with 10k medals, and I've been hooked ever since. Still play it at least once a week, what a game!

Hahaha!!~ Wow, that was a bit surreal for me to read >.<!~

My hubby (who... sadly will never touch STG) loves to watch me play Muchi Muchi Pork too, it is such a crazy and fun game! I really should try actually 1CC it some day... but... problem is I always have too much crazy fun and laughs with it to really focus on clear... and... with time it had just become my "let hair down relax"-STG. It is always good to always have a few of those to take break from the crazy focus and dedication for all other STG I play. Cannot always 100%!~

[Dave_K.]

Short video of said meet, and dunpeal's wife playing MMP!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoT3dPcanbQ

I believe this was the second shmupmeet we had there, as I don't see the RedStorm LCD cabinets (they were all sold off by then?). In the first meet we had, I setup Mushihimesama 1.5 (xbox port) on it.

[segasonicfan]

Short video of said meet, and dunpeal's wife playing MMP!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoT3dPcanbQ

I believe this was the second shmupmeet we had there, as I don't see the RedStorm LCD cabinets (they were all sold off by then?). In the first meet we had, I setup Mushihimesama 1.5 (xbox port) on it.

This is great!! Thank you for digging this out of the archives and sharing with us