The 10 Coolest Video Arcades of All Time

Image via Complex Original

The cacophony of sounds, sticky floors and greasy buttons, camaraderie and rivalries—these are the things that kept us coming back to our local arcade, weekend after weekend. We probably don't need to tell you that the arcade scene isn't what it used to be, so we won't.

Instead, we decided to write this celebration of the ten best arcades we could think of—whether or not they're still around. Some of these closed a decade ago, and some remain bustling today. From LA to London to Tokyo, these are our ten favorite arcades of all time.

Arcade Infinity

Where: Rowland Heights, CA

What made/makes it great: crowd, selection

Arcade Infinity attracted an incredible following during its decade of operation, especially considering it opened at a time when many were already trumpeting the demise of arcades everywhere. Before it closed earlier this year, it was a hotspot for obscure music games, rare Japanese cabinets and Street Fighter IV and Marvel vs. Capcom 3 competitions.

An LA Weekly article chronicles its final day: "It is a place that has been referred to as legendary, not only by local arcade aficionados, but fans across the country," it reads. "It is a home that many, many people will miss."

Club Sega

Where: Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan

What made/makes it great: location, legacy, size

Club Sega is the oldest Sega arcade in Akihabara, Tokyo's culture and otaku capital, and it's one of the coolest places to visit in Japan. Inside its instantly recognizable red facade you'll find five floors full of classic and new arcade games, cranes, simulator games, and gambling machines.

Its central location in Akihabara only makes it more important to Japanese gaming culture, and its only real rival is Taito HEY, also in Akihabara—and possibly on this list, as well.

Funland at the Trocadero

Where: Picadilly Circus, London

What made/makes it great: location, variety

Sure, Picadilly Circus is a tourist trap if there ever was one, but where better to get your arcade game fix when studying or visiting abroad? The Trocadero is smack in the middle, with tons to do and see around it, and though Funland is currectly closed, it's still worth checking out.

Funland is actually the new name for what in the '90s was Segaworld, a huge arcade complete with a giant statue of Sonic at the entrance. While its glory days ended years ago, it was still a hotspot in London, given its central location, until the time it closed.

Einstein's Arcade

Where: Austin, TX

What made/makes it great: quality, location, legacy

Einstein's was a landmark in Austin, right on the edge of the University of Texas campus, until it closed down suddenly in 2008. Check out this Screw Attack video on it; it was a true classic, with "stand-up games, should to shoulder, all the way to the back wall." The local community of hardcore fighting game players kept it afloat longer than the other arcades in the area, but the place could only float by for so long.

Fortunately, some regulars managed to open up a successor the summer after it closed. Arcade UFO is nearby, hosts all the same regulars, and even houses some of the same exact cabinets, purchased from Einstein's during the transition. It's nice to know that in Austin, at least, arcades live on.

8-Bit Cafe

Where: Tokyo, Japan

What made/makes it great: retro games, themed drinks, hole-in-the-wall charm

This is by far the least traditional arcade on the list, but we couldn't help but include it after we discovered its existence—if only for the gaming-themed drinks, like the "Dr. Mario," served in a lab beaker with pill-like candy on the side.

The arcade part comes in the form of several game stations within the cafe, with classic systems like the Famicom and Super Famicom and a delightful selection of retro games to play while you sip and eat. With none of the bustle or competitive atmosphere of a real arcade, it seems like a perfect spot to relax and enjoy a game with friends.

Chinatown Fair

Where: New York City

What made/makes it great: atmosphere, location, legend

Chinatown Fair was one of the most legendary arcades in New York, and its shuttering in March last year sparked more than just a reverant New York Times article; star gamer and Fair regular Henry Cen opened his own gaming space in Brooklyn, Next Level, upon the arcade's closing. Still, it will never quite capture the atmosphere and culture of the original—nothing could. After all, where are they going to find another Tic-Tac-Toe-playing chicken?

"For decades, Chinatown Fair welcomed everyone — misfits, cool kids, world champions, novices, dancers, fighters, strategists, tourists carrying leftover dumplings from their dinner across the street," reads the article, and its closing has "left the Chinatown Fair diaspora wandering in the desert, looking for a home."

Barcade

Where: Williamsburg, New York City

What made/makes it great: atmosphere, location, craft beers

Barcade gets points for pure coolness. As a contemporary arcade alternative, it offers something few arcades ever have: alcohol. Its appeal is a lot more obvious to your average citydweller, and its staying power is more assured as a result.

Its selection of classic games, ranging from Dig Dug to Rolling Thunder, is surpassed only by its selection of delicious craft beers. And its location in Williamsburg is perfect for the hipster in every one of us.

Taito HEY

Where: Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan

What made/makes it great: location, history, shmups

As one Youtuber who recorded a rare video tour of the massive Akihbabara arcade put it, Taito's HEY (Hirose Entertainment Yard) is "the mecca for 2D gaming" in Japan. It's got the best selection of shooters anywhere, and otaku and tourists alike flock there like shmup-hungry zombies.

The crane, fighting and music games, along with every other genre and type of arcade attraction conceivable, are found here as well, of course. To top off the nerdy bliss, the basement houses a doujinshi shop for fans of self-published manga and comics.

Twin Galaxies

Where: Otumwa, Iowa

What made/makes it great: legacy, legacy, legacy

Twin Galaxies was the arcade that pretty much put competitive gaming on the map. Hell, they practically invented it—and nevermind that they were in Backwash, Iowa. Founded in 1981, by 1985 they had been covered in LIFE magazine, Marvel Comics, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Stern magazine, The Washington Post, Entertainment Tonight and the NBC Nightly News, as well as around 100 other TV appearances, according to their site. Here's an example from 1982 (it's golden).

Over the last two and a half decades, Twin Galaxies evolved into the arcade high score authority and empire they are today. They may have been cast in a shady light in 2007's The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters, but take a look around their site. With everything they've accomplished for gaming and for gamers, you'll realize that they're one of the most important parts of our history—and it all started in Otumwa, Iowa.