Video gaming began after World War II, when primitive punch card and oscilloscope games were played exclusively on university and government supercomputers. But what started as a small niche for the educated and elite quickly found its way into venues every person could enjoy, like bars, lounges, and restaurants. Before you knew it, pinball machines were everywhere, and by the late-'70s, so too were arcade machines. Space Invaders. Pac-Man. Galaga. Arkanoid. While it may be hard for the younger generations to fully grapple with, for older gamers, the arcade really meant something. And it still does today. So let's hearken back to a time before smart phones, or even the Internet. Hell, let's even hearken back to a time before mainstream home console gaming, and show our appreciation for the quarter-gobbling machines that spawned one of modern entertainment's most vital verticals.
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