1980s video game arcades

[Frankie's Market]

Remember when Space Invaders and Pac Man were all the rage and when the neighborhood arcades were the favorite afterschool hangouts? Of course, virtually all of the arcades from that golden era of video games are now long gone, with the prime exception of Fun Factory. (Is Tilt still around?)

There were other large arcades that ate up too many of our quarters. There was Mitsukoshi, Castle Park, Game World at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, Crown's Space Center in Kaka'ako. Not too mention all of the smaller businesses that sprouted up next to schools. Growing up in Kalihi, there was Coco's Amusement on the corner of Kuakini and Liliha, which is now a craft supply store. Yogi's Amusement on King and Mokauea, which is now a Zippy's. Fun Warehouse was on King and Kalihi, but is now a KFC. And who could forget Mimi's on Houghtailing St. (right across from the Board of Water Supply Museum).

Does anyone else have memories of their favorite neighborhood game parlors?

[Random]

Does anyone else have memories of their favorite neighborhood game parlors?
Back in the 80's?

There was one arcade in the town of Kaunakaka'i. Before it was an arcade, it was a pool hall. I remembered having spent my afternoons and sometimes evenings which is about walking distance from my home. While others go for the popular Space Invader and Pac-Man, I was more into Krazy Klimber (you have to work two joysticks to move the climber up, down, or sideways to prevent angry building tenants dropping potted plants and hope you fall). It only have one foosball and there is usually a line to play it during peak hours.

Sadly, the arcade business didn't last long. But it was a good childhood memory.

[GeckoGeek]

The arcade room in Hemingway hall at UHM. Not that great, but it was right next door to KTUH where I was hanging out a lot at the time.

Before that, I'd play the pinball machines (studying elastic collisions - physics homework, you understand) at the game room in campus center.

After I grad, there was (maybe still is?) an arcade down in Puck's alley that was near where I worked.

[joshuatree]

Remember when Space Invaders and Pac Man were all the rage and when the neighborhood arcades were the favorite afterschool hangouts? Of course, virtually all of the arcades from that golden era of video games are now long gone, with the prime exception of Fun Factory. (Is Tilt still around?)

There is a Tilt in Puente Hills CA still open for business. Are they related? Dunno...but it sure brought back memories when seeing it.

[808shooter]

Mitsukoshi was one of my favorite places to go. I'd catch the bus into Waikiki to check that place out. Game World was another favorite place (other than the fact that we got mugged there a few times...:-(

There was a game at the Round Table Pizza near Ala Moana called Naughty Boy. A Japanese arcade game where you were a little boy who threw rocks at stuff to break them. I think you'd throw rocks at police and teachers too. I wasn't real good but it's my all time favorite game.

I forget the name of the pool hall there at the top of Pucks Alley but that's another ex favorite hang out. Hmmm got mugged on the way there a few times too.

[Kalihiboy]

I was transcribing some old newscasts from 25 years ago awhile back and several arcades were shut down for illegal activity such as slot machines or gambling practices happening on-site. I know one of the places was in Kaimuki, cannot think of the name now, but I think it's located where Big City Diner is now.

Tilt was at Windward Mall wasn't it until a few years ago??

Aj

[Frankie's Market]

I was transcribing some old newscasts from 25 years ago awhile back and several arcades were shut down for illegal activity such as slot machines or gambling practices happening on-site. I know one of the places was in Kaimuki, cannot think of the name now, but I think it's located where Big City Diner is now.

Tilt was at Windward Mall wasn't it until a few years ago??

Aj

Back in the day, there were quite a number of arcades using illegal machines. I'm not familiar with the one in Kaimuki. But at Kapalama Shopping Center, there was Classic Amusement, where the video poker games were rather blatently displayed. That place got raided by HPD and shut down sometime in the mid-1980s.

Another popular one was Crown's Billiards, over at Kapahulu. They were more discreet, putting bingo pinball games in a back room behind the cashier's counter. But even they eventually suffered the same fate as Classic's.

Tilt was the 2nd most successful arcade business in Hawaii, behind only Fun Factory. At its peak, it had numerous locations, such as Pearlridge, Windward Mall, Ala Moana, and Mapunapuna.

[tvguy]

I forget the name of the pool hall there at the top of Pucks Alley but that's another ex favorite hang out. Hmmm got mugged on the way there a few times too.

Corner Pocket


After I grad, there was (maybe still is?) an arcade down in Puck's alley that was near where I worked.

Captain Video was right next to what was then Mama Mia Pizza. There was also another Captain Video in Manoa Marketplace

Tilt was the 2nd most successful arcade business in Hawaii, behind only Fun Factory. At its peak, it had numerous locations, such as Pearlridge, Windward Mall, Ala Moana, and Mapunapuna.

Line I often heard at the Ala Moana Tilt location: "I like borrow quarter". Like they were gonna pay me back! :D Learned to hide money in my shoes so to avoid and I'm quoting again, a "search-take", which meant a much larger kid would force a smaller kid to show them that their pockets were empty (The search) and there was nothing of any value for "taking". Sometimes they would even pat people down.

Some of these "borrowers" were even shrewd enough to stand right by the change machine, so after a kid changed their bills to quarters, they could not deny that they had any quarters to lend to the "borrowers".

And NEVER be stupid enough to carry the latest Grandmaster Flash cassette tape that you just bought from Tower Records out in the open, cause a larger kid will claim it for themselves and immediately play it in their boombox....I think I'm going to hide in a corner a cry now........:mad:

[infinitypro]

Some arcades were "fronts" for "Game Rooms." I remember one on McCully and Beretania which I believe is now a Territorial Savings? Next to Shell and across from KFC. In addition to the regular arcade games there were also "nickel" machines...never understood it, but then again I was there for the QUARTER games!

Anyways, NOE and I were just talking about this last night, I loved MOON CRESTA which is now GALAGA. I liked JOUST too, but not so much ASTEROIDS. The PAC MAN series is a classic, I think I still can remember my "patterns" for the different levels.

Anyone remember the "hole" in the quarter, string attached, drop it in just enough to "trigger" a new game and then yank it back out?

[oldiebuff]

I was transcribing some old newscasts from 25 years ago awhile back and several arcades were shut down for illegal activity such as slot machines or gambling practices happening on-site. I know one of the places was in Kaimuki, cannot think of the name now, but I think it's located where Big City Diner is now.

Tilt was at Windward Mall wasn't it until a few years ago??

Aj

Are you referring to Kaimuki Cue? Where last time I checked, it was turned into a Chinese dim sum restaurant that is owned by the same guy who used to own Sea Fortune in Chinatown?

[oldiebuff]

Carnival Carnival was another big hit of the 80's into middle 90's they had a spot at Pucks Alley and the other I believe was in Pearl Kai Shopping Center.

[Pomai]

For us Kaneohe kids, it was Shakey's Pizza Parlor, then Farrell's (where Time's Coffee Shop now stands), then Tilt in Windward Mall. My favorite game at Tilt back then was Sega's "Hang On (http://www.sega-mechatro.com/products/database/zoom/images/hangon_b.jpg)" roadracing sim-game.

We'd also hit the arcade at Mistukoshi in Waikiki every once in a while.

The ultimate had to of been Castle Park's Castle Arcade, with TWO full levels of stuff, plus that cold A/C after a day (or night) out on the rides. Hit the batting cage, then the go-karts, then the arcade. Ah, those were the days.

Remember the Space Invaders song by Uncle Vic (http://www.brentradio.com/Videos/SpaceInvadersSong.mp3)? <--click on that link to hear it!
"He's hooked he's hooked, his brain is cooked". lol

[infinitypro]

For us Kaneohe kids, it was Shakey's Pizza Parlor, then Farrell's (where Time's Coffee Shop now stands), then Tilt in Windward Mall. My favorite game at Tilt back then was Sega's "Hang On (http://www.sega-mechatro.com/products/database/zoom/images/hangon_b.jpg)" roadracing sim-game.

We'd also hit the arcade at Mistukoshi in Waikiki every once in a while.

The ultimate had to of been Castle Park's Castle Arcade, with TWO full levels of stuff, plus that cold A/C after a day (or night) out on the rides. Hit the batting cage, then the go-karts, then the arcade. Ah, those were the days.

Remember the Space Invaders song by Uncle Vic (http://www.brentradio.com/Videos/SpaceInvadersSong.mp3)? <--click on that link to hear it!
"He's hooked he's hooked, his brain is cooked". lol

Shakey's...oh yeah those were the days!

I also remember "IMPERIAL" on Citron(?) behind Washington Middle School, and "CIRCUS CIRCUS" on Sheridan near WalMart Keaaumoku.

We were just talking about being into the handheld type of games too, basketball, football, Space Invaders.

[DannyWilliams]

Growing up in Waimalu in the 80's I lived right next to Waimalu Shopping Plaza and there were many places there that had video games starting from......


Safeway which had theirs in the corner where the magazines were (which became an extension of the meat dept) while I was still there.
I remember playing "Popeye", one of the "Donkey Kong" games which involved ropes and another game that started with an "X" ( I think) that your man looked like a boomerang and you shot objects coming towards you and each level you completed you would hyperspace to the next frame.

the next shop that had video games also was (name wise I forget) but PHONE MART was there at one time. Anyone rememba? That place was a hangout with da Waimalu Kidz at one time....

When Magoos was at Waimalu they had video games too also and Diners and a specialty pet store rounding up the business there with video games.

Next to Waimalu Shopping Plaza, Newton Square? there was one space over there facing the canal side had video games there also. I remember playing once called ? your man is a missle tank and you circle around finding targets to shoot at to accumulate points. I sucked on that game cuz I circle around and see a another tank coming towards me and firing.

[infinitypro]

Growing up in Waimalu in the 80's I lived right next to Waimalu Shopping Plaza and there were many places there that had video games starting from......






...and Diners and a specialty pet store rounding up the business there with video games.



They only removed their video games earlier this year, when the last one finally stopped working.

[zff]

I spent most of my quarters in Fun Factory Pearlridge. My all-time favorite was easily Tempest. It was the only game I was good enough at where people would gather behind me to watch me play. Tron and Scramble are probably 2nd and 3rd, but I played pretty much all of them.

Have any of you ever heard of MAME (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAME)? It allows you to play nearly all of these old arcade classics on your PC.

[Vanguard]

Have any of you ever heard of MAME (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAME)? It allows you to play nearly all of these old arcade classics on your PC.

I got it once, but I could never get it to work. There are a few classic arcade games I'd love to play, like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (when was that? 1990-1991?).

[tvguy]

Have any of you ever heard of MAME (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAME)? It allows you to play nearly all of these old arcade classics on your PC.

Best shareware program ever. Allows you to play THE ACTUAL programs that ran on the game machines, without spending quarters. For Mac folks, go to macmame.org to download the program. I so enjoyed the program that I sent the programmer a box of macadamia nuts! The ROMs that contain the games are hard to find now that there are places where you can pay to play some of these old games. For those of you dying to relive the days of your youth, PM me and I can "help". :p The ROM file for a game are smaller than a MS Word document.


The ultimate had to of been Castle Park's Castle Arcade, with TWO full levels of stuff, plus that cold A/C after a day (or night) out on the rides. Hit the batting cage, then the go-karts, then the arcade. Ah, those were the days.


Don't forget swimming in the green water at "Water Country"

[GeckoGeek]

Captain Video was right next to what was then Mama Mia Pizza.

Captain Video! Yeah, that sounds right.



"I like borrow quarter" "search-take"

Ah yes. My public school days. I was tall enough I could just say "don't have" and walk away.

[808shooter]

[QUOTE=tvguy;167249]
Line I often heard at the Ala Moana Tilt location: "I like borrow quarter". Like they were gonna pay me back! :D Learned to hide money in my shoes so to avoid and I'm quoting again, a "search-take", which meant a much larger kid would force a smaller kid to show them that their pockets were empty (The search) and there was nothing of any value for "taking". Sometimes they would even pat people down.
[QUOTE]
ahhhhh fahken a. That brings back some memories. Hehah.

"I like borrow quata"

"search-take"

classic. I'm glad I can laugh at that stuff now. I'd say it was a time of character building.

[GeckoGeek]

I remember playing once called ? your man is a missle tank and you circle around finding targets to shoot at to accumulate points. I sucked on that game cuz I circle around and see a another tank coming towards me and firing.

Was it Battlezone (http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7059)? Battlezone was like one of the first first-person games. You actually saw things from the tank's point of view. It used simple vector graphics (every thing was lines).

My thing was Defender (http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7547).

[Kalei99]

Growing up in Waimalu in the 80's I lived right next to Waimalu Shopping Plaza.

Eh! I grew up in Waimalu too. I don't meet too many people who even know where Waimalu is located!


The ultimate had to of been Castle Park's Castle Arcade, with TWO full levels of stuff, plus that cold A/C after a day (or night) out on the rides. Hit the batting cage, then the go-karts, then the arcade. Ah, those were the days.

I worked at Castle Park when it first opened. What a nightmare! The place was packed from opening to closing. Got into a lot of trouble after hours, though. Almost got fired for dumping a box of laundry detergent in the fountain out front -- they couldn't prove who did it and I denied the whole thing! Plus, I wasn't the only one there.... :D

[cezanne]

"I like borrow quarter". Like they were gonna pay me back! :D Learned to hide money in my shoes so to avoid and I'm quoting again, a "search-take", which meant a much larger kid would force a smaller kid to show them that their pockets were empty (The search) and there was nothing of any value for "taking". Sometimes they would even pat people down.

Some of these "borrowers" were even shrewd enough to stand right by the change machine, so after a kid changed their bills to quarters, they could not deny that they had any quarters to lend to the "borrowers".

And NEVER be stupid enough to carry the latest Grandmaster Flash cassette tape that you just bought from Tower Records out in the open, cause a larger kid will claim it for themselves and immediately play it in their boombox....I think I'm going to hide in a corner a cry now........:mad:

LOL! Too funny! I used to feel bad for those kids being terrorized by those punks. Once you give... they'll bother you everytime you see them.

I never was into the video game scene but in the 80's college days we used to ride our "cruisers" (whoa flashback) from the dorms to go to that little arcade next to MamaMia's too.

[Pomai]

Eh! I grew up in Waimalu too. I don't meet too many people who even know where Waimalu is located!



I worked at Castle Park when it first opened. What a nightmare! The place was packed from opening to closing. Got into a lot of trouble after hours, though. Almost got fired for dumping a box of laundry detergent in the fountain out front -- they couldn't prove who did it and I denied the whole thing! Plus, I wasn't the only one there.... :DAha, was YOU that did that! No wonder when I went snorkeling in there, the water tasted like soap. :D

The last time I visited Castle Park, it was at night with my then-girlfriend and her younger sister to watch a dance performance by Bad Boy's Club, which later became The New Generation. Remember them? "Maestro" had a fantastic "Earth, Wind & Fire" kinda' voice. Roni, of Artist Groove Network was also in that group.

O.K. while we're confessing Castle Park "mis-adventures" here, who else here is guilty of line-driving balls against the structures at the Miniature Golf course?

I remember at the Go-Kart track, we'd watch the race before to see which guys had the fastest cars, then when it was our turn, we'd all run after those cars in a rough-take fit.

As for MAME games, they're alright and a great way to go down memory lane. But being emulated and played in a small window on a computer monitor with a keyboard 'controller' just isn't the same as being on the full-sized arcade machine with the original controls. Plus, for some reason, paying a quarter made you appreciate the game that much more.

[Frankie's Market]

Some arcades were "fronts" for "Game Rooms." I remember one on McCully and Beretania which I believe is now a Territorial Savings? Next to Shell and across from KFC. In addition to the regular arcade games there were also "nickel" machines...never understood it, but then again I was there for the QUARTER games!

Yep, see my post re: Crown's Billiards.

But I know of one arcade where even MORE sinister things took place. Yogi's Amusement (formerly on the corner of King and Mokauea Sts., next to the Salvation Army thrift store) was a front that was used by Henry Huihui's gang. No doubt some money laundering was taking place, but I suspect that perhaps more serious crimes were being planned there. I remember the change counter looked like the kind you see at a Money Mart, except that the glass was a one way mirror. And there were security cameras all over the place, even in the back of the building. When Huihui turned informant and news came out about the arcade being a front, I assumed the cameras were there so that they would get a heads up when HPD came a-knockin'. But other people have told me that the cameras were there primarily because Huihui was worried about getting hit by a rival. Yikes, I'm sure glad that DIDN'T happen while I was there. :eek: I remember spending many an hour getting my fix of Zaxxon and Defender. :D

[Frankie's Market]

Aha, was YOU that did that! No wonder when I went snorkeling in there, the water tasted like soap. :D

The last time I visited Castle Park, it was at night with my then-girlfriend and her younger sister to watch a dance performance by Bad Boy's Club, which later became The New Generation. Remember them? "Maestro" had a fantastic "Earth, Wind & Fire" kinda' voice. Roni, of Artist Groove Network was also in that group.

O.K. while we're confessing Castle Park "mis-adventures" here, who else here is guilty of line-driving balls against the structures at the Miniature Golf course?

I remember at the Go-Kart track, we'd watch the race before to see which guys had the fastest cars, then when it was our turn, we'd all run after those cars in a rough-take fit.

As for MAME games, they're alright and a great way to go down memory lane. But being emulated and played in a small window on a computer monitor with a keyboard 'controller' just isn't the same as being on the full-sized arcade machine with the original controls. Plus, for some reason, paying a quarter made you appreciate the game that much more.

My favorite memory of Castle Park was my older brother getting beaned in the ribs TWICE in the 70 mph batting cage. Ho, I remember he wanted to attack that pitching machine. :D

I agree with you on MAME. You just don't get the same feeling playing the games on a PC. Try playing Krazy Klimber on a PC using a keyboard. That'll make you go,.... uh, Krazy.

[DKP]

Kaimuki Cue (a.k.a. Cuez) was the spot! It's too bad there were too many illegal activities going on that ultimately forced the place to shut down (I heard from a friend, not sure if that is the real reason they closed...but 'stuff' was going around there all the time.)

I also miss Joy Square.

My favorite memory of Castle Park was my older brother getting beaned in the ribs TWICE in the 70 mph batting cage. Ho, I remember he wanted to attack that pitching machine. :D

I agree with you on MAME. You just don't get the same feeling playing the games on a PC. Try playing Krazy Klimber on a PC using a keyboard. That'll make you go,.... uh, Krazy.

http://webpages.charter.net/celamantia/mamecab/

MAME can rule if you build your own cabinet.

I helped a friend design and build a cabinet for the old Star Wars 'pilot' game (it's the game found in the sit-down unit at Ice Palace.) It was a bit generic as we used a MS steering wheel as the control stick. We could've ordered actual arcade control items (easily to get online), but chose to save $. The good thing is all the nostalgia games require very little in the way of computer resources, therefore, you can use old, cheap (or free, just ask the right businesses) desktops.

There are other, even better, websites out there with more creative cabinet designs that we're going to try. Next time we'll order trackballs, a steering wheel, a Star Wars yoke, and regular joysticks. We're gonna strive to build a cabinet with all these built into the same unit, one on every side of the rectangle. Choose a game from it, then rotate the screen to the proper side.

With today's HDs we're gonna have over a thousand games on it. Not just arcade but console as well, thanks to all the other free emulators out there :)

Now if only I had the time to play them all.

http://www.vintagearcade.net/ <--- Good stuff! Someone buy me Skeeball, please!

[na alii]

I was transcribing some old newscasts from 25 years ago awhile back and several arcades were shut down for illegal activity such as slot machines or gambling practices happening on-site. I know one of the places was in Kaimuki, cannot think of the name now, but I think it's located where Big City Diner is now.

Tilt was at Windward Mall wasn't it until a few years ago??

Aj
A lot of those video arcades were disgussed for those gambling machine parlors. I hate to admit but I was one of them that use to gamble on the black jack video machines.

[na alii]

Growing up in Waimalu in the 80's I lived right next to Waimalu Shopping Plaza and there were many places there that had video games starting from......


Safeway which had theirs in the corner where the magazines were (which became an extension of the meat dept) while I was still there.
I remember playing "Popeye", one of the "Donkey Kong" games which involved ropes and another game that started with an "X" ( I think) that your man looked like a boomerang and you shot objects coming towards you and each level you completed you would hyperspace to the next frame.

the next shop that had video games also was (name wise I forget) but PHONE MART was there at one time. Anyone rememba? That place was a hangout with da Waimalu Kidz at one time....

When Magoos was at Waimalu they had video games too also and Diners and a specialty pet store rounding up the business there with video games.

Next to Waimalu Shopping Plaza, Newton Square? there was one space over there facing the canal side had video games there also. I remember playing once called ? your man is a missle tank and you circle around finding targets to shoot at to accumulate points. I sucked on that game cuz I circle around and see a another tank coming towards me and firing.

I also grew up in Waimalu and went to that video arcade place next to City Mill. The front portion had video games but in the enclosed area in the back there was a camera above and either you had to be a member or like us we knew the guy that worked there. It was like a mini casino with video gambling machines.

The missle tank game you are referring to is called Battlezone. A lot of those 80's games I have on my PSP thru the homebrew.

[zff]

Any of you guys remember Atari Football? I believe it was the first video game with trackballs. You got quite a workout playing it, IIRC.

[Pomai]

All this talk about old school video games had me thinking about SCORCHED EARTH (http://www.dosgamesarchive.com/download/game/144)....

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1071/1459446141_64d8ac715f_o.gif

Scorched Earth, claiming to be "The Mother of All Games is a classic MS-DOS program (runs on current Windows OS) that bouts 2 tanks against each other in a 2-dimensional terrain, usually on mountainsides. Players adjust trajectory and power to hit the opponent, and winners receive more money to buy better weapons. Gotta' love that MIRV!

The strategy and design is so simple yet totally addicting! If you've never played the original Scorched Earth, check it out.... highly recommended!

In today's world of WII, XBox-360 and PS3, games like this, Pac Man and other "back-to-basics" classics can be refreshing.

[infinitypro]

Any of you guys remember Atari Football? I believe it was the first video game with trackballs. You got quite a workout playing it, IIRC.

I do! My little brother would play it like a mad boy! It was actually more of a workout than the ARM WRESTLING one remember?

[Erika Engle]

Q: Tilt was at Windward Mall wasn't it until a few years ago??

A: It still IS at WWMall, though it moved to a main concourse area. That might have been a temporary move while the original space at the end of one of the mall's "spokes" was renovated ...

I'm not sure, as I didn't walk through the whole mall during a quick stop there the other day -- I was there on a mission -- to pick up my boys' pre-ordered, pre-paid Halo 3 game. My daughter "upgraded" their Collector's Edition order to the Legendary Edition that comes with the helmet. It is way cool, in a geeky-gamer sort of way.

In nowadays gaming terms, I'm a noob. Likely to be pwned. Loved the various editions of Mario (not including Super Smash Bros., which I don't understand). Got into Super Metroid and Tomb Raider, which I really enjoyed playing.

Once in awhile I'll break out a PS2 disc with arcade classics on 'em and play Battlezone (the tank one), which was one of my favorites for long time. I wasn't that good but I loved to play the game. Tempest was fun but maddening, because I was even less good on that one.

I bought Super Bust-a-Move because I had so much fun playing it on arcade machines too.

My late hubby and I once enjoyed some gaming time at Joy Square during a weekend getaway at Hilton Hawaiian Village. We also enjoyed some late night pupus and karaoke there after a work function and stayed way too late.

Going WAY back in time, having cocktails while playing Galaxians at Victoria Station was fun. It didn't take long before one's point-scoring ability became diminished, however. ;)

Sorry for the long post, but what a fun walk through time!

[DannyWilliams]

I assume that HAWAIIAN BRIANS still goin strong?
And speaking of HB, did they once have a location on Keeaumoku at one time?
I could be confusing them with someone else. It was in the vicinity of The Like Like Drive In. Not to stray off of Vids I got a kick out of playing this certain Rachel McClish Pinball Machine that how should I say made grunting noises :D

[infinitypro]

I assume that HAWAIIAN BRIANS still goin strong?
And speaking of HB, did they once have a location on Keeaumoku at one time?
I could be confusing them with someone else. It was in the vicinity of The Like Like Drive In. Not to stray off of Vids I got a kick out of playing this certain Rachel McClish Pinball Machine that how should I say made grunting noises :D

HB is now on Kapiolani Blvd., and some months ago they were in the news due to noice, loitering, traffic complaints from an adjacent condo.

STRAYING: Classmates of mine were playing there, walked across the street to eat at Diner's, a car came ripping out of the parking lot, lost control and ran them both over. :(

[DannyWilliams]

HB is now on Kapiolani Blvd., and some months ago they were in the news due to noice, loitering, traffic complaints from an adjacent condo.



soooo HB was on Keeaumoku at one time.
I did visit the Kapiolani location and yeah on weekends that place gets SUDDENLY jammed pack bizzy

[Frankie's Market]

soooo HB was on Keeaumoku at one time.

It was, right where Ross Dress For Less now stands.

Another '80s establishment still going strong is Chuck E. Cheese's. Of course over there, the coin-op video games were only a supporting element, not the main attraction. (They pay the rent with b-day parties.) And anyhow, if you were over the age of 10, you didn't want to be seen hanging around a Chuck E. Cheese.

[infinitypro]

It was, right where Ross Dress For Less now stands.

Another '80s establishment still going strong is Chuck E. Cheese's. Of course over there, the coin-op video games were only a supporting element, not the main attraction. (They pay the rent with b-day parties.) And anyhow, if you were over the age of 10, you didn't want to be seen hanging around a Chuck E. Cheese.

Chuck E. Cheese still going with the new generations, if you go, check out the Wheel of Fortune game for kids? Not even, it's for adults! :D

[Frankie's Market]

Chuck E. Cheese still going with the new generations, if you go, check out the Wheel of Fortune game for kids? Not even, it's for adults! :D

Indeed. So much for their slogan, "Where a kid can be a kid."

[woodman]

God! I miss Time Pilot.

[tvguy]

The Hawaiian Brian's on Keeamoku had a Popeye's chicken directly across the street...I remember because I had my car towed from there!

And if you think hitting line drive into the obstacles at Castle Park was bad, we used to grab a bunch of balls from the ones that "ate" your balls and used the BMX track just outside as our personal driving range.

And Chuck E.Cheese in Aina Haina was orginally Showbiz, a Chuck E. Cheese ripoff.

[Pomai]

And if you think hitting line drive into the obstacles at Castle Park was bad, we used to grab a bunch of balls from the ones that "ate" your balls and used the BMX track just outside as our personal driving range. .Hana' koko' lele. And I thought MY friends were bad. :eek: :p

Getting beaned twice at the batting cage takes the cake though! I think I got beaned once. Pitching machines (http://www.baseballtips.com/pitchingmachines.html) suck. There's just NO character. lol

If anyone has PHOTOS of their time at Castle Park, that would be awesome!

I got nuttin' in photographs, yet for some reason, I have a total visual memory of Castle Park. "Hanabaddah dayz" to da' max!

[Kalihiboy]

Are you referring to Kaimuki Cue? Where last time I checked, it was turned into a Chinese dim sum restaurant that is owned by the same guy who used to own Sea Fortune in Chinatown?

Okay I checked the tape out tonight as this has turned into a fun topic. You are correct it was indeed Kaimuki Cue and it was shut down via a FBI/HPD raid 25 years ago. They had the most violations, I see old Poker machines being carried away in the parking lot. Here are some others that were also cited or busted for illegal activity at the time 25 years ago:

Surf Amusement (McCully)
Farrington Billiards (N. King St.)
Pearl City Fun & Games (P.C. Shopping Center).

Perhaps some of these bring back memories! I have old commercials for Castle Park. That closed in 1987 or so right? Did the shopping center where K-Mart, McDonald's etc. is now near the Stadium replace it?

Aj

[zztype]

Yep. Castle Park is now Kmart, Sack n Save, Checker, Office Max, Jamba, Starbucks, McDonalds and Chevron on Salt Lake across from Aloha Stadium, called Stadium Marketplace.

[infinitypro]

As much fun as it was, Castle Park really needed to close. As I recall, there were drownings (notice the 's'), only went in the water once...and that was enough for me it wasn't all that clean. But, I did love the race track, and never got beaned so the batting cages were fun, but my fave were the video games.

QUICK STORY: After a family day at Castle Park, we hopped in the car and drove home to Manoa. As we were piling out of the car we could all hear a cat howling. We immediately went into the house and all of our cats were fine, happy and dandy! But, we could still hear the crying! We realized that it was coming from the car...a beautiful cat had ridden home with us from Castle Park to Manoa while hanging on to the rear axle!

[GeckoGeek]

We realized that it was coming from the car...a beautiful cat had ridden home with us from Castle Park to Manoa while hanging on to the rear axle!

Ho! Por 'ting! It must have been really scared.



I remember spending many an hour getting my fix of Zaxxon and Defender. :D

[Places a quarter on the machine.]

[speedtek]

After school I use to go down to Waialae Bowl and attack the Dark Knight Pinball Machine. EKF had one in Waikiki too but it was always broken. I almost bought a restored one off of ebay but got scared when the shipping was $500. so I bought a Pachinko machine instead. A few years ago my friend was throwing away a space invaders sit down console that still worked. I didnt have the room to keep it so it sat on the street and got vandaled. When i look on ebay today i get sick....$1000

[infinitypro]

Ho! Por 'ting! It must have been really scared.





[Places a quarter on the machine.]

She was, since she was a beautiful orange, black and white calico, we named her calico. We already had (4) cats, so we negotiated with the 'rents to keep 'nother. They reluctantly agreed, and a few months went by and she was "hapai" :eek:. So then, we had to hustle to give away the kittens to good homes because the ratio of cat to child was 3:1!

Good memories.

[Walks over to change machine for more quarters]

[infinitypro]

After school I use to go down to Waialae Bowl and attack the Dark Knight Pinball Machine. EKF had one in Waikiki too but it was always broken. I almost bought a restored one off of ebay but got scared when the shipping was $500. so I bought a Pachinko machine instead. A few years ago my friend was throwing away a space invaders sit down console that still worked. I didnt have the room to keep it so it sat on the street and got vandaled. When i look on ebay today i get sick....$1000

I dream about my ultimate game room consisting of the Pac Man family, sit down Galaga and Moon Cresta, billiards...you know just a macked out toy room!

[Frankie's Market]

I dream about my ultimate game room consisting of the Pac Man family, sit down Galaga and Moon Cresta, billiards...you know just a macked out toy room!

In other words, just like Ricky Schroeder's living room in Silver Spoons, right? :)

[infinitypro]

In other words, just like Ricky Schroeder's living room in Silver Spoons, right? :)

YES, except the racing car bed...I no fit, anymore!

[joshuatree]

YES, except the racing car bed...I no fit, anymore!


Just get an Escalade bed instead. Updated 21st century version of the racing car bed. :p

[infinitypro]

Just get an Escalade bed instead. Updated 21st century version of the racing car bed. :p

Now that's a thought, wait...okay, it's mines I just added it to my "daydream"! :p

Does anyone know where we can go NOW to play these games? Pearlridge FF are all the latest games, Diner's took their last standups out, I know the laundromat in Kona still has a GALAGA, made doing laundry fun.

[genepark]

You would think a nickel or penny arcade would be somewhere in Chinatown or even Kaimuki.

I lived in Fullerton, Calif., and in the downtown area we had a place called "The Reagan Years," compete with a caricature of the Gipper playing an arcade game. It had all the classics, and it only cost a nickel to play.

[1stwahine]

You would think a nickel or penny arcade would be somewhere in Chinatown or even Kaimuki.

Yes, there were several arcades in Chinatown. The only "Legal" one remaining is Nickki's Arcade on Hotel Street. Across the street there was Risque which I lost plenny kala playing PinBall Machines.:o Luckily, I broke dee habit and dee odda (cough,cough) habit and found something useful to do...Blogging!:p

Auntie Lynn

[craigwatanabe]

Sometime in the late 70's there was a video arcade room in the Hyatt Regency in Waikiki on the second floor near the Kokohead tower.

[Vanguard]

Sometime in the late 70's there was a video arcade room in the Hyatt Regency in Waikiki on the second floor near the Kokohead tower.

I clearly remember a video arcade room in the Sheraton Waikiki hotel. I think it was on the ground floor, but I'm not sure. I played "Star Wars" there once in the mid 80's.

[DKP]

Okay I checked the tape out tonight as this has turned into a fun topic. You are correct it was indeed Kaimuki Cue and it was shut down via a FBI/HPD raid 25 years ago. They had the most violations, I see old Poker machines being carried away in the parking lot. Here are some others that were also cited or busted for illegal activity at the time 25 years ago:
Aj

They may have been raided 25 yrs. ago, but they shut down more recently than that. I'm 25 now and I used to haunt the place between the ages of 9 and 14.

Either way, it's closed :(

[Kalihiboy]

They may have been raided 25 yrs. ago, but they shut down more recently than that. I'm 25 now and I used to haunt the place between the ages of 9 and 14.

Either way, it's closed :(

They were raided and had to close for sometime 25 years ago last week I think it was for a near exact date. However, as you state they must have paid their fees and re-opened and stayed in business for several more years.

Aj