Arcade art

If you love computer games then there is an odds on chance that you grew up going to the Aladians caves of seaside arcades,I would look foward to going and playing on them when I had family holidays or day trips.

Although now it seems the places have changed to endless gun simulators and car racing games that don't really offer much personality betwein them.

I suppose this is prelude to an undeserved good old days tirade....well almost.

I just loved the idea of going to the beach amusments and looking out for the latest games on offer and then talking about them with my mate Ross at school.

Double Dragon,Final Fight and Bad Dudes were firm favourites with us and we used to try and out class each other with how many street thugs we beat up.
The most violent method often out shinned the score we got and because Ross never actuley shut up he usualy managed to make his stories sound better.

Elbow block to the face indeed.

My older brother Robert used to be pretty damn good at the arcade machines and for a long while I would trapes around the machines he went on and watched him play.
At this stage I was rarely allowed any change to play the things so I watch Robert and most times was covinced that my God like brother was the best arcade player in the entire planet or at least holiday season.

Then when the years past and I grew older these machines which often housed my favourite games died out,the sweet shops near my school used to have a few machines in thier shops(a death wish if you ask me) and for a time my dreams were allowed to live.
After I had finished school I didn't really have the accsess to these machines,seasides no longer wanted the old style cabinets and game consoles stemed the demand.

Then came MAME a programme that allowed you to play old arcade favourites on your P.C,it was a blast and from here I started to apprciate the presentation that went into these things.

The flyers and cabinets often sported some brilliant niche stylised art work i.e Tron and A.P.B we all know Pacman and Space Invaders have been made into T-Shirts but I think they are missing a trick.
I would love a company to take away the logos and indetifyable markings of the art and print the art styles to clothes as there are some outstanding visuals to be seen here.


The Overdrive and City Connection pieces are good examples of art that could do well minus the game name,they could work as great art motifs on bags and other clothing.

Persoanly I am waiting for my must have arcade piece and then taking down to the printing shop and having a hoody made out of it...after I have had a Protect and Survive top done of course ;)