The one and only time I ever went into the closest thing we have to a retro arcade around here, Dave & Buster's (and I'm stretching the word "retro" almost to it's breaking point here, because the game selection was nothing more than glorified, giant mobile phone versions of the classics, with a couple exceptions), the sound was so loud that my wife and I couldn't even hear each other talk unless we yelled. We couldn't understand anything the staff was saying either. It was a terrible experience, and I doubt I'll ever go back.
By far, my biggest pet peeve is broken controls. I recall th day they opened our first retro arcade here and I went for opening night excited to play some classics and nearly half the games had some kind of control problems, making the game unplayable. Now, games get wear and tear and broken games are going to happen, but having that many games with broken controls was unacceptable. I finally went back a few years later and it hadn't improved much. I was going to show off my mad video gaming skills to my date and the arcade cock blocked me. Lol
My #1 is arcades that don't maintain their machines properly. Broken controls or a screen that looks like it's on its last legs. There's a place near Columbus OH called Pins Mechanical and it's free to get in which is cool but half the machines are broken. Ya get what you pay for which in this case..is nothing.
Within the arcade there are certain games with music/sounds that hit way harder than others, yet are usually turned down too low to enjoy. The powerful bass in good old Space Invaders is almost never set correctly, yet it adds palpable tension to the gameplay when it is. TL/DR: Curate the volumes of individual games based on what each brings to the room AND the overall soundscape.
My game room is on the same circuit as my wifes office. Not only do i crank up my music pins, it also makes her lights blink. You think she would be more gratefull that im letting her share this experience.
I couldn’t agree with your more and something that is has been a failure from management of several barcade style arcades especially! So many barcade and brewery locations I have visited in the past decade don’t understand that your core customers do not want to hear a sports event and or very modern hip hop and drill rap at place that is filled with all 80s arcades primarily! A lot of my arcades visits are disappointing these days as the machine sounds are turned extremely low and inaudible making it difficult for me to fully immerse into a game. Making me want to leave almost as soon as I arrive. In addition, their techs do not fix machines and so many just let things go. Management needs to start rethinking their models as they will not survive as a sports nightclub disguised as a retro arcade. On a positive note, there are so many stellar arcades that are doing it correctly balancing 80s music with 80s arcades. While also having the music balanced low enough not to over power he sounds of the arcades and pinball machines. They also keep up with fixing their machines! These are the business models I will continue to support.
Why on Earth would a retro arcade ruin the experience of HEARING the sounds of the classic games by having music blasting? I’ve only ever been to “retro arcades” in Tokyo, and luckily there is no music playing in their arcades. Just the audio coming out of the classic video game machines...as it should be!
