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Old Irish arcade photos - do they exist?

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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,482 ✭✭✭Kidchameleon


    I first saw guiles hand cuffs in the XL Bowl in Palmerstown. Some guy did it, went off for 5 mins then came back and continued his game!


  • Posts: 2,799 ✭✭✭ Marlee Plain Plan


    Grandeeod wrote: »
    Another Dublin arcade I was in a few times in the 80s - Rathmines. It was facing Pat Graces and I think it eventually became a dump called Tram co in a new build.:D

    I think it was called Leisure something. Centre or Zone or Complex :confused:


  • Registered Users Posts: 205 ✭✭Ravenholm


    The few I remeber are The Pierrot Club on the Quays, there was one on O'Connell street in the 80s too, maybe a precursor to Dr Quirkeys. I remember it had the full sit-in Afterburner cabinet which was awesome. :cool:

    Ned Kellys Snooker club on O'Connell had loads of arcade machines.

    There was another large arcade in the lane just off Talbot Street and Malborough Street.

    These are all 1988 - 1992 as far as I remember


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,270 ✭✭✭✭Skerries


    anyone remember Caesars Palace in Phibsboro?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,482 ✭✭✭Kidchameleon


    Where exactly was the perriot club?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 12,048 ✭✭✭✭Grandeeod


    Batchelors Walk near O'Connell street. Snooker heaven at first, but Video game heaven eventually.:D


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,270 ✭✭✭✭Skerries


    wasn't there one under the bridge at Connolly station as well?


  • Posts: 7,499 ✭✭✭[Deleted User]


    If you watch the commitments there is a place with a good few pins,
    I think its the hideout


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,994 ✭✭✭Shapey Fiend


    My town of Ennis had about 3 fair sized arcades and several other scatterings of cabs in takeaways circa Mortal Kombat 1. They all started dying off around 1994 along with the place where you could play SNES, Mega Drive & Mega CD by the hour. We'd a shop dedicated exclusively to rentals as well.

    When I was in Dublin I usually hit Dr. Quirkies, some other place that was near Easons on the same street and an arcade at the place now known as Amusement Casino on Westmoreland St. That one in particular was a real gem I remember playing Golden Axe there when it was brand new and they still had stuff like Defender. It wasn't the biggest arcade but everything they had was really good.

    I was in Barneys in the mid 00's and they had maybe 3 Astro City cabinets in fairly battered condition. Amusingly one of them had a majong panel which you don't expect to see in Dublin.


  • Posts: 7,499 ✭✭✭[Deleted User]



    I was in Barneys in the mid 00's and they had maybe 3 Astro City cabinets in fairly battered condition. Amusingly one of them had a majong panel which you don't expect to see in Dublin.

    I think a member on here bought those,safteyboy


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  • Registered Users Posts: 27,317 ✭✭✭✭super_furry


    sugarman wrote: »
    Anyone remember this place in Tallaght? Was in the village next to PTSB, was knocked during the boom and apartments were built in its place. Prob closed 2002 or 2003. There was a small 'arcade' to the door on the right. It was closed a few years before the main Snooker hall.. so prob late 90s? Vague memory of it, all older late 70s, early 80s stuff like Pacman, Defender, Galaga etc..

    I remember that alright. Was a few dodgy machines just inside, definitely a Street Fighter and a Mortal Kombat but they were usually in rag order. We used to pop in there on the way back to the Square from the bowling alley, which had a decent arcade selection back then.

    The snooker club in the Belgard was another decent spot for oddball machines. First place I remember getting Super Streetfighter II, they had that weird Sega hologram fighter as well as a load of Neo Geo stuff.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,994 ✭✭✭Shapey Fiend


    Limerick City wise there was The Buzz (with a big bee over the door) opened around 1994. They'd Daytona, loads of Neo Geo stuff, Wardner.. on sort of three split floors pretty exciting at the time. The Vic snooker club had a lot of cabinets too.

    Galway had the Funzone over Supermacs that was pretty huge. They'd about a 100 cabinets you could pay by the hour. Included a load of early 90's pinball, bajillion neo geo games and big simulator versions of Virtua Racing. It was still open till about 10 years ago I think they replaced most of it with snooker in the early 00's though.

    The pool/leisure center in Salthill had a huge selection. There were two other fairly substantial arcades down on the seafront where I used play Shinobi and Alien Storm.

    There was a bowling alley opened outside the city (closed about 3 years ago) and they'd a Cycraft. Think it was running that Sega Kart game though so not much craic.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,482 ✭✭✭Kidchameleon


    an arcade at the place now known as Amusement Casino on Westmoreland St. That one in particular was a real gem I remember playing Golden Axe there when it was brand new and they still had stuff like Defender. It wasn't the biggest arcade but everything they had was really good.


    Was that the place with the Indian statue outside? We used to refer to that place as "The big chief". They had an arcade version on Doom there.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,701 ✭✭✭geotrig


    Limerick City wise there was The Buzz (with a big bee over the door) opened around 1994. They'd Daytona, loads of Neo Geo stuff, Wardner.. on sort of three split floors pretty exciting at the time. The Vic snooker club had a lot of cabinets too.

    .

    There was also the savoy and "sticks" ,with the odd place usually near shops dotted around the place.
    Also funworld (before it was supermacs , no idea what it was called back then ,maybe it was still funworld !!!)it had a pretty good selection back then also with some nice big cabs ,sit down afterburner , house of dead, mad dog mccree and a few others ,all my money was spent on afterburner though.
    The vic had a lot of stuff over time and cycled games and dedicated cabinets quite a bit eventually that slowed down but early ninties they used to change them regulary.Also added a pay by hr console zone at one point which had neo aes's !!
    The Savoy had a pretty good selection for a time as well (had sf2 electrocoin duets) ,with a good lot of cabs , "sticks" was the same although i rarely went in there ,just the odd time to get a go on enduro racer ,
    I vaguely remember the buzz but as you said a lot of games over the 3 floors was very bright and had a few crap pool tables also !

    I do remember the odd photos being taken back then in the vic and savoy so someone must have some pics !

    I remember going to the place over supermacs and thepace in lesisure centre in galway but no idea what they had anymore.
    Doge wrote: »
    Can you remember the Arcade in the Savoy where you could pre paid cards that could activate the machines, like a leap card for arcade machines if you will?


    I often wonder how it compared in size to the Dublin Arcades and if it was the biggest arcade in the country.
    it seemed pretty big at the time but I was only 10ish and have vague memories.



    .
    Im think i was in the savoy and vic (somewhere near the river)in cork ? names ring a bell but not sure now and good selection of games in both. both seemed a good size but similar to others about.


  • Registered Users Posts: 32,371 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    Was that the place with the Indian statue outside? We used to refer to that place as "The big chief". They had an arcade version on Doom there.
    That's the place, forgot all about it. Strider was one of the first cabs in the door. They might have had aliens too.

    sign says establised in 1974

    https://goo.gl/maps/cLgvzQ6nvw72


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,994 ✭✭✭Shapey Fiend


    Forgot the Savoy in Limerick. They'd SF2 and Mortal Kombat on the ground floor and tons of other stuff upstairs in the bowling area King of Monsters and Asterix stick in my mind.

    Just remembered another one in Galway off Eir Square had 4 player Sega Hot Rod. My folks were fairly lax so I was always wandering into these places by myself despite being 7 or 8 years old think I'd to get out of there cos some older kids kept trying to make me smoke a cigarillo see if I'd throw up :D.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,930 ✭✭✭Doge


    geotrig wrote: »
    Im think i was in the savoy and vic (somewhere near the river)in cork ? names ring a bell but not sure now and good selection of games in both. both seemed a good size but similar to others about.

    Yeah the Vic or more formally known as The Victorian Sporting Club was the go to Arcade in Cork for a long time.

    Victoria-Sporting-Club-Cork-744x431.png

    They kind of kept up with the times and brought out the latest cabs. It also had pool tables on the ground floor and had a dedicated Snooker Hall upstairs.

    The only Arcade that seems to have lasted in Cork til now is "The Colosseum"
    or Leisure Plex as its known these days. Bit of a poor selection though and machines weren't well maintained, although it does have the New Daytona now.

    I'd still love to know just how big the Arcade in The Savoy in Cork was, it seemed huge at the time.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,994 ✭✭✭Shapey Fiend


    Casinos are an incredible business you rarely see one close. I think the machines pay back out 60pc of the money (at best) and 20pc goes on tax so the rest is your margin. Best of all the regulations mean that you're not even required to pay punters their winnings. This guy lost €9k in a day, won €7.5k the following day because the machine was faulty and the casino still didn't pay out. http://www.thejournal.ie/court-gamblers-not-paid-d1-casino-3296996-Mar2017/

    Why would you even bother having arcade machines with that good a racket?

    I remember being parked outside a casino in Ennis in 2010 or so on a Monday at 7pm. Proper bottom of the recession. I saw 20+ people go in in 15 minutes and nobody come out except to hurredly smoke a cigarette then go back in.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,013 ✭✭✭SirLemonhead


    o1s1n wrote: »
    Speaking of slides, any of you guys remember The Fun Factory (Was in Stillorgan I think)? Slide and ball pit heaven.

    I distinctly remember at one point they had a few arcade machines on feeplay, only game that comes to mind is Sf2 - it would randomly reset which was annoying.

    I think they also had a few console kiosks up in the viewing area.

    That was in Dún Laoghaire, if you're thinking of the same one (was there more than one Fun Factory?). I don't remember the arcade machines but they did have a room of Super Nintendo kiosks, up on the floor of the balcony level you walk in on.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,701 ✭✭✭geotrig


    Forgot the Savoy in Limerick. They'd SF2 and Mortal Kombat on the ground floor and tons of other stuff upstairs in the bowling area King of Monsters and Asterix stick in my mind.

    Just remembered another one in Galway off Eir Square had 4 player Sega Hot Rod. My folks were fairly lax so I was always wandering into these places by myself despite being 7 or 8 years old think I'd to get out of there cos some older kids kept trying to make me smoke a cigarillo see if I'd throw up :D.

    The cabs downstairs in the Savoy was definitely late on in it's time ,early days had no cabs downstairs with everything up stairs, it was probably at it's best then, although it did have pit fighter :problem:
    The vic had a 4player hot rod as well and was my go to place to drag out my mula ,loved that game.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,701 ✭✭✭geotrig


    Doge wrote: »
    Yeah the Vic or more formally known as The Victorian Sporting Club was the go to Arcade in Cork for a long time.

    Victoria-Sporting-Club-Cork-744x431.png

    They kind of kept up with the times and brought out the latest cabs. It also had pool tables on the ground floor and had a dedicated Snooker Hall upstairs.

    The only Arcade that seems to have lasted in Cork til now is "The Colosseum"
    or Leisure Plex as its known these days. Bit of a poor selection though and machines weren't well maintained, although it does have the New Daytona now.

    I'd still love to know just how big the Arcade in The Savoy in Cork was, it seemed huge at the time.
    Yeah that's the one, used to sneak down anytime we where down to play cbc and had a bit of free time


  • Registered Users Posts: 34,284 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    That was in Dún Laoghaire, if you're thinking of the same one (was there more than one Fun Factory?). I don't remember the arcade machines but they did have a room of Super Nintendo kiosks, up on the floor of the balcony level you walk in on.

    Yep that's the same one alright! Didn't realise it was In Dun Laoghaire, can you remember whereabouts?

    I only have memories of bring transported there in a car as a 7-8 year old and have no real frame of reference as to where it was :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 32,371 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    o1s1n wrote: »
    Yep that's the same one alright! Didn't realise it was In Dun Laoghaire, can you remember whereabouts?
    The fun factory was where the Top Hat was, a roller disco which was also a gig venue.

    BSMmwOACcAEzLDs.jpg

    it was here
    https://goo.gl/maps/SMNfssp7pZK2


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,906 ✭✭✭CosmicSmash


    I remember seeing Metallica there, it would have been back in 1988, it was a great gig.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,146 ✭✭✭CathalDublin


    If you watch the commitments there is a place with a good few pins,
    I think its the hideout

    That's upstairs in the Palace nightclub on Camden street


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,270 ✭✭✭✭Skerries


    rubadub wrote: »
    The fun factory was where the Top Hat was, a roller disco which was also a gig venue.

    I remember going to the Top Hat from the Northside with our Summer Project group in the early 80's and Renee and Renata being played to death
    'send your love my darling, send your love!'


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,142 ✭✭✭✭Hurrache


    sugarman wrote: »
    Anyone remember this place in Tallaght? Was in the village next to PTSB, was knocked during the boom and apartments were built in its place. Prob closed 2002 or 2003. There was a small 'arcade' to the door on the right. It was closed a few years before the main Snooker hall.. so prob late 90s? Vague memory of it, all older late 70s, early 80s stuff like Pacman, Defender, Galaga etc..

    doyleshall.jpg

    It was to the left when you entered the door wasn't it? Spent a small fortune in there on Hammering Harry, Bubble Bobble and Stryder I think was there. It was a world away from the arcade in the bowling alley.
    rubadub wrote: »
    That's the place, forgot all about it. Strider was one of the first cabs in the door. They might have had aliens too.

    sign says establised in 1974

    https://goo.gl/maps/cLgvzQ6nvw72

    That was a dodgy enough place. Used to get girls coming over and asking you for money. When you told them no, they'd point to a guy sitting across the way and say they'd get him to beat the **** out of you if you didn't.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,048 ✭✭✭✭Grandeeod


    That's upstairs in the Palace nightclub on Camden street

    Was it not once Ricardos in the old Camden Cinema in those days?


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,146 ✭✭✭CathalDublin


    Grandeeod wrote: »
    Was it not once Ricardos in the old Camden Cinema in those days?

    Not sure, Ricardos was upstairs in the palace nightclub? I only really knew the place in the late ninties when it was the palace nightclub upstairs and downstairs and then again in later years when it turned back to a snooker hall but I'm pretty sure that's where the guy's playing earthshaker is.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,482 ✭✭✭Kidchameleon


    Does anyone remember the "Tallaght Sports Bowl". I was only ever in it once, I remember a big line of SF2's. Not sure what else was in there


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