Within these darkened dens of pixelated action, quarters clinked, bleeps and bloops filled the air and rivalries were forged over now-classic games like “Pac-Man,” “Donkey Kong,” “Galaga” and “Joust.” Each cabinet was a battleground, every high score a badge of honor.
In the '80s and '90s, the metro Phoenix landscape was dotted with spots featuring arcade games and pinball machines, serving as social hubs where gamers came to compete and connect. Beloved destinations like Video Round-Up in Scottsdale and Wunderland Nickel Palace in Mesa and Glendale were local favorites.
Longtime Valley resident Briggs Cunningham had fond memories of Starship Fantasy, an elaborate spaceship-themed arcade with locations in Tempe and Glendale back in the '80s. “Walking in felt like stepping onto some futuristic spacecraft. The carpet was this wild, sci-fi design — super cool — and they had model spaceships hanging from the ceiling. It totally had that classic '70s vibe, like something out of ‘Star Wars’ or ‘Battlestar Galactica,’” Cunningham says. “The smell (of electronics warming up) hit you right away. And then there were all the sounds. Machines beeping, blasting and clanging all at once.”
Video Round-Up in Scottsdale was another local favorite. Situated in the 777 Plaza along Scottsdale Road just north of Thomas Road, the arcade and pool hall owned by Rick Caldwell operated from the 1980s through the 2000s.
Scottsdale resident Crystal Tod-Smith fondly recalls experiencing countless nights and misadventures at Video Round-Up as a teenager.
Crystal Tod-Smith, center, with friends inside the pool hall at Video Round-Up in Scottsdale.
Provided by Crystal Tod-Smith
During the '80s and '90s, arcade games could also be found in convenience stores, nightclubs, laundromats and nearly every mall in the Valley. Even Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport had a game room at one point.
In the early '90s, Scottsdale resident Tony Thill managed Metro Midway, a sprawling arcade and "family entertainment complex" inside the now-demolished Metrocenter, co-owned by his father, Vernon Thill.
The entrance to Metro Midway. The "family entertainment complex" inside Metrocenter in Phoenix opened in 1990 and had rides and the latest games.
Provided by Tony Thill
“Metro Midway was where the old ice rink was in Metrocenter,” Thill says. “It was a different time for arcades. When a new game came out, we would buy 10 of them. We had more than anybody.”
In honor of National Arcade Day on April 8, here’s a look back at some of the Valley’s iconic and beloved coin-op joints from over the years.
Family entertainment center Golf N' Stuff, which opened in 1976 near Metrocenter and featured a Taj Mahal-like arcade. The place is now known as Castles N' Coasters.
Randall J. Witte
A interior photo of Golf N' Stuff's arcade taken by former Valley resident Randall J. Witte in 1984.
Randall J. Witte
An '80s photo of the exterior of Red Baron arcade at Christown Mall in Phoenix.
Provided by Chris Williams
Valley resident Briggs Cunningham at '80s arcade Starship Fantasy in Tempe.
Provided by Briggs Cunningham
An exterior photo of Starship Fantasy, a spaceship-themed arcade near Rural and Baseline roads in Tempe.
Tempe History Museum
Graham Central Station's game room, which was designed and outfitted by Valley resident "Danger" Dann Frank.
"Danger" Dann Frank
A photo of King Ben's Castle, a two-level arcade at Golfland Sunsplash in Mesa, from the 1980s.
Provided by Tony Jones
An early '80s photo of The Pinball Store at 43rd Avenue and Indian School Road, which was co-owned by Valley pinball guru "Danger" Dann Frank.
"Danger" Dann Frank
The Tempe location of Aladdin's Castle, a national arcade chain owned by game company Bally Manufacturing.
Tempe History Museum
The exterior of the Superfun Arcade at the now-defunct Paradise Valley Mall
Provided by Rick Ivansek
Escalators inside Metrocenter leading to Metro Midway, which was in the spot previously occupied by the mall's ice rink.
Provided by Tony Thill
An overhead view of Metro Midway, which featured a mix of arcade games and rides.
Provided by Tony Thill
A game room inside the now-demolished Terminal 2 at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
"Danger" Dann Frank
A photo of the game room at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport from the '90s. The space later became a food court.
"Danger" Dann Frank
Arcade games that were available for play inside the game room at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in the '90s.
"Danger" Dann Frank
Valley resident Crystal Tod-Smith, right, with a friend at Video Round-Up in Scottsdale.
Provided by Crystal Tod-Smith
