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An arcade game is a machine that became popular in the mid-late 20th century. They can be found in public places such as malls, amusement arcades, game shops, restaurants and other places.
They are usually video games, pinball machines, and electromechanical games.
The late 1970s through the 1980s witnessed a surge in these arcade games as various games and brands were continuously produced to cater to the ever-increasing demand for the machines and the gaming experience that they offer. In the early 1990s, these games also enjoyed some level of popularity and only started dwindling in popularity with the advent of console gaming and PC games.
Although arcade games (and arcades in general) certainly aren’t as popular as they once were they are still loved by many people even today. But did you know that playing arcade games can actually have some benefits for you as well?
So what are some of the benefits of arcade games?
Arcade games have been known to improve cognitive abilities, help your reflexes, reduce stress, and can even aid in cutting cravings to increase weight loss.
If you would like to know more about the benefits of arcade games, besides the obvious fun, keep reading!
The arcade games are usually short levels in which difficulty levels increase at a rapid speed, and have simple and intuitive controls. Arcade Games have a focus on the gameplay rather than on the content or story behind the games.
These games were addictive for a lot of people and they kept coming back for a more fun experience. To play the arcade game, customers usually pay a little sum like 10 to 50 cents for a game session. Some arcade centers offer discounts on multiple sessions to keep their customer loyalty up.
Although arcade games have suffered their share of criticism, mostly for its addictive nature, it had (and still has) some benefits.
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4 Benefits Of Arcade Gaming
Arcade gaming has been said to have amazing health benefits for children and adults alike. Some of the benefits of arcade gaming may include the following:
1. Arcade Games Improve Cognitive Abilities
Arcade gaming even at its most basic level requires multitasking, which is a quick and effective decision making ability and so on. A lot of times during gameplay, the player is forced to make split second decisions, and follow up closely on such decisions.
Whether you make the direct decisions all the time or not, the ability to make quick decisions will be developed over time in the brain. This is why arcade games and arcade machines are considered beneficial and beyond just entertainment.
2. Arcade Games Improve Reflexes And Muscle Memory
If you are using the complex controllers that come with arcade games or the simple joy stick style controllers arcade games, the more games you play, the better developed your muscle memory becomes.
As a result of this muscle memory, you will be able to develop and improve on your reflexes, as well as hand-to-eye coordination which can be useful in your daily life for driving, typing and many more activities.
It has even been shown by studies that professions that require fine motor skills, like a surgeon, have seen gamers outperform their non-gaming counterparts by a large margin. This is another reason why the arcade game is a good investment.
3. Arcade Games Reduce Stress And Depression Levels
If you feel tired or stressed out over something, a little time in front of an arcade game will definitely do a lot to reduce your stress level, maybe even completely remove your stress if you play the game long enough.
Studies have also shown and proven that gamers that suffer from anxiety or depression usually showed notable improvement in their condition after playing a video or arcade game. There are even games that have been developed by health professionals specifically to cater to stressed, anxious and depressed patients.
4. Arcade Games Check Cravings And Help In Weight Reduction
Mostly, cravings are functions of boredom and anxiety. Cravings lead to overeating, and most times overeating leads to being overweight. It’s a cycle that never ends if you are not careful.
If you have an arcade game in your household or close to you, opting to go for a game at the arcade machine is going to check your cravings, drastically reduce your overeating, and consequently improve your weight loss.
Whether you are running a game house, or you just want to have an arcade game in your own house, you can be sure that you don’t only get entertainment, you also get health benefits, and for an arcade game center, your clients or customers will come over and over again.
Do Arcade Games Still Exist?
These machines still exist to date, albeit at a dwindled quantity. Most of the arcade games are available as collector’s items, but you can still get some of the recently produced arcade games for your gaming pleasure.
Also, there is a newer version of the arcade game called Arcade 1up that has been created to offer players a feel of the old arcade machine gaming experience but at a fraction of the cost.
These Arcade One Up machines are 3/4 scale models of a regular size arcade machine. Although they are smaller they are still extremely playable and also extremely fun.
If you want them to be taller to be the regular size of a arcade machine you may purchase a razor to make them the proper height.
Ceremony different games available for these arcade one up machines and some people have even purchased them to create an arcade in their house. One of the best things about the Arcade One Up machines is that they normally only run a few hundred dollars rather than a few thousand dollars.
How Much Do Arcade Games Weigh?
If you are also wondering how much do arcade games weigh, then you are not alone.
While there might be differences in the actual weight of arcade games, on average, an arcade game weighs about 300 pounds. This is a very important factor to consider when you are deciding whether or not to get one of these machines for yourself.
Whether in the household or in an arcade game shop, you have to consider the weight of the arcade game for easy movement of the machine, as well as the positioning.
Popular Arcade Games
Some popular arcade games available in the past include Galaxy Game which was released in the year 1971, the 1972 Pong arcade machine, the Space Invaders arcade game of 1978, Pac-man in 1980 which introduced mascot characters to gaming, 1983 Dragon’s Lair, 1986 Out Run which brought a renewed experience to gaming.
It also included 1989 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or TMNT, 1991 Street Fighter II, Mortal Kombat 1992, 1998 Dance Dance Revolution or DDR and a lot of other games that influenced the world of gaming and gave the arcade game its popularity.
Conclusion
Arcade gaming has been said to have amazing health benefits for children and adults alike. Arcade games have been known to improve cognitive abilities, help your reflexes, reduce stress, and can even aid in cutting cravings to increase weight loss.
Besides all the benefits arcade games have, the best benefit is having a good time while playing the games.