No More Gamerooms in Chicago? (Gurnee, Marshall: for sale, house, movie theater) - Illinois (IL) - City-Data Forum

Jesse69 · 01-09-2010, 03:34 PM

I think there are no more dedicated gamerooms in Chicago like there used to be in the 80's and 90's. There used to be Funzone and Chicago Game Company by Lane Tech. Alladin's Castle at the HIP. Now, if you want arcade games, you gotta go to Chuck E Cheese or Dave & Busters. I just lately went to the Chuck E Cheese on Fullerton by the Marshalls and the game selection sucked...

So there really aren't any dedicated gamerooms anymore? They probably died because everyone now plays PC or console games like Xbox?

When did Funzone die?

SmartGXL · 01-09-2010, 03:56 PM

Isn't there a place at Belmont and Sheffield called "Place for games" or something like that? There was as about a year or so ago.

Jesse69 · 01-09-2010, 04:46 PM

That was Dennis's Place for Games. I rarely went there, and I don't know if it still exists.

Now you can play almost all of the old arcade games on your computer through MAME. I just bought an ebay PS/2 trackball and played Centipede on my computer today! And I got a real Defender, Stargate Defender, and a "Multi-Williams" arcade game that has Robotron, Defender, Stargate Defender, Moon Patrol, Sinistar, Joust, Bubbles, and Splat!

Sometimes the old games are better!

M60608 · 01-09-2010, 07:36 PM

Only place I can think of that is still open that has an arcade is Haunted Trails.

There was a place called Play Ball by 47th and Kedzie that I used to go to for the batting cages they had an arcade and indoor miniature golf.

There was also a place in Ford City that had a big arcade, not sure if that is still there , I think that was all that was in there were arcade machines.

Avengerfire · 01-09-2010, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jesse69

That was Dennis's Place for Games. I rarely went there, and I don't know if it still exists...

It certainly does not. It has not for a handful of years.

Senor Boogie Woogie · 01-10-2010, 03:23 AM

I think that the arcades are dying out simply because we can play them online or have home systems which is just as good as anything in a gameroom. I think perhaps there might be some games in bars and whatnot, these are the places to look. I am sure that there is some gamerooms left in the city of Chicago.

I play Asteroids on the computer all the time. I think about as a kid that I would play about a dollar's worth on that game, and this was 1980 dollars. Now there are many sites to play asteroids, I use the site below. If you are good in Asteroids, play me, I need some competition!

Arcade Boss Games - Play Free Online Arcade Games with Highscores

I do miss pinball. I was a GOOD pinball player. WILLIAMS from Chicago made wonderful pinball games that kept me going for hours on end. Williams made the best games. I would love to find a place that had vintage pinball machines to play, but unfortunately, having a pinball machine is a lot of maintenance and work. If I had the money and the expertise, I would collect pinball machines as a hobby.

I would like to find a good American football game to play online. I live in China and there are no American football games for sale and I have tried to find some on the internet, the closing thing I can find is TECMO BOWL which is OK, but I always beat the other team, usually using one pass play almost every time. It doesn't have to be Madden, just something entertaining and challenging.

i blame history · 01-10-2010, 10:33 AM

This is probably way too far away for most people's tastes, but just last weekend my husband and I discovered Gurnee Mills and the absolutely MASSIVE arcade they have there, plus carnival ride, ice skating, mini golf, and laser tag. I felt like I was 8 again, it was great. We just went back last night and played some Dance Dance Revolution for the first time in 4-5 years!

Coming from Ohio, the drive isn't crazy to us. Aside from seeing Chuck E. Cheese in a few places as well as Dave & Busters, this is all I know of. The big movie theater on Western in (near?) Logan Square has some games and DDR, but I believe you need a movie ticket to get that far in. Th ticket taker is positioned just before the games.

williepotatoes · 01-10-2010, 10:52 AM

For what it's worth, the Grand avenue Shrimp House still had Ms. Pacman and Galagga as of about a year and a half ago. Not exactly a gameroom but It's a fun way to pass time while waiting for yor order.

Be forewarned, the joystick and buttons tend to be a little greasy.

Swandaddy · 01-10-2010, 10:59 AM

What would be awesome would be if somebody would open up an arcade/LAN place or something where people could go in, pay a few bucks, and play for example Xbox 360 online live, etc, with big HDTV's. That way the "arcade" would still be up to date current with the games most gamers are familiar with (Madden, Halo, etc etc etc) but still have the face to face contact with other gamers like what used to be back in the day. I'd totally be jonesing up over a Madden tournament with other live in your face people instead of just having to sit at home and play online.

jlawrence01 · 01-10-2010, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senor Boogie Woogie

I do miss pinball. I was a GOOD pinball player. WILLIAMS from Chicago made wonderful pinball games that kept me going for hours on end. Williams made the best games. I would love to find a place that had vintage pinball machines to play, but unfortunately, having a pinball machine is a lot of maintenance and work. If I had the money and the expertise, I would collect pinball machines as a hobby.

Out in Las Vegas, they have opened a "hands on" museum where you can play all of the old Bally, Gottlieb, and Williams machines. I believe that at some point, MOST pinball machines were made is and around Chicago.

Las Vegas Pinball Hall of Fame Pinball Museum, Nevada NV, Tim Arnold