If you think modern microtransactions are bad, check out a few classic arcade games sometime. Sure, they might only ask for a quarter or 50 cents to play, but that’s just the starting price. As soon as you run out of lives, it’s time to feed the machine again. In theory, you might be able to beat an arcade game for just a quarter. Actually getting there took weeks or months of practice.
It wasn’t uncommon to have to drop $20, $50, or even more to see the ending of some old arcade games. And of course, that was just for one playthrough. Yup, classic gaming was a whole different beast from what we have in the 21st century with its host of mods and accessibility options. But even taking into account that these games were designed to make as much money as possible off of you, a few were truly devious.
It wasn’t uncommon to have to drop $20, $50, or even more to see the ending of some old arcade games. And of course, that was just for one playthrough. Yup, classic gaming was a whole different beast from what we have in the 21st century with its host of mods and accessibility options. But even taking into account that these games were designed to make as much money as possible off of you, a few were truly devious.
- 3/30/2024
- by Matthew Byrd
- Den of Geek
Features: Paul W.S Anderson, Ernest Cline, Warren Davis, Eugene Jarvis | Written by Andrew Hayward (story editor) | Directed by Joshua Y. Tsui
As somewhat of a gamer I often take for granted the pioneers of the genre… Case in point, here is a documentary about some guys that helped shape my love of gaming! And they didn’t even know…
When I came across Insert Coin online I saw the tagline “inside Midway’s 90s revolution” and that gave me massive flashbacks to my youth. I instantly started to think of the many Midway games I, and every other kid like me, used to play. Either at home on cartridge or in the glorious amusement arcades (shout out Johnny Bingos)… Personally I was obsessed with games like Mortal Kombat and NBA Jam.
There have been some truly great video game documentaries over the last few years; covering the rise and...
As somewhat of a gamer I often take for granted the pioneers of the genre… Case in point, here is a documentary about some guys that helped shape my love of gaming! And they didn’t even know…
When I came across Insert Coin online I saw the tagline “inside Midway’s 90s revolution” and that gave me massive flashbacks to my youth. I instantly started to think of the many Midway games I, and every other kid like me, used to play. Either at home on cartridge or in the glorious amusement arcades (shout out Johnny Bingos)… Personally I was obsessed with games like Mortal Kombat and NBA Jam.
There have been some truly great video game documentaries over the last few years; covering the rise and...
- 12/23/2020
- by Kevin Haldon
- Nerdly
"We wanted to crush the player." An official trailer has debuted for the documentary Insert Coin, another fascinating video game history doc film looking back at Midway Games. This originally was set to premiere at SXSW, then officially premiered at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival this summer. Insert Coin: The Midway Chronicles is the amazing behind-the-scenes story of one of the greatest video game studios of all time – Midway Games. Led by the "godfather of video games" Eugene Jarvis, the company pioneered the concept of live action gaming, kickstarting a new arcade boom and grossing billions of dollars in the process with massive hits like Mortal Kombat and NBA Jam – franchises still popular today. Through intimate and often hilarious interviews with the people who were there, we witness how a small, tight-knit group of friends deal with next level success and the roller coaster ride that comes with it. As a geek,...
- 11/25/2020
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
An essential documentary for video game fanatics of a certain age (and perhaps only for that demographic), Insert Coin is a comprehensive look at Williams-Bally-Midway, best known for their over-the-top arcade games like Mortal Kombat, Rampage, and Narc. Director Joshua Tsui enjoys access to the talent that had been at the Chicago firm and created groundbreaking bitmap designs using early motion-capture techniques to add a certain realism in 2D gaming. While the film is a rather in-depth exploration of the personalities at the company, from the executives to designers (along with a few fans including Ready Player One author Ernest Cline), it seems laser-like in its focus on the timeline. One wishes it offered a few more viewpoints along the way with more archival footage to flesh out the cultural landscape beyond the arcade. We’re told early on in an energetic title sequence that Williams was the punk rock...
- 3/22/2020
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
As gamers, we’re always looking for the next big thing, whether it’s a disruptive new way to play (e.g. virtual and augmented reality) or an innovation in what makes games tick (ray tracing). But sometimes we’re so busy pushing forward that we forget to look back. Fortunately, two upcoming documentaries will take us back to the days when arcades were still swallowing our quarters and Nintendo and Sega ruled our living rooms.
Insert Coin, by 25-year game industry veteran and indie filmmaker Josh Tsui, chronicles the history of Midway Games, the legendary studio behind such arcade classics as Mortal Kombat, NBA Jam, and many more. Console Wars, which tells the story of how Sega tried to bring down Nintendo with the Genesis, is the documentary version of the beloved non-fiction book of the same name by Blake J. Harris, who directed the film with documentarian Jonah Tulis.
Insert Coin, by 25-year game industry veteran and indie filmmaker Josh Tsui, chronicles the history of Midway Games, the legendary studio behind such arcade classics as Mortal Kombat, NBA Jam, and many more. Console Wars, which tells the story of how Sega tried to bring down Nintendo with the Genesis, is the documentary version of the beloved non-fiction book of the same name by Blake J. Harris, who directed the film with documentarian Jonah Tulis.
- 3/19/2020
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
The designers of Resogun and Super Stardust HD are teaming up with legendary Defender creator Eugene Jarvis for a new game...
One of the very best launch titles for the PS4, Resogun mixed classic 2D shooting with the technical sheen you'd expect from a current-gen game. For developer Housemarque, its pared-back action was an evolution of the kinds of games it's been making since the early 90s: in fact, the Finnish studio's first ever commercially-released game was also a shooter - the fondly-remembered Stardust, made when the team still called itself Bloodhouse.
Resogun has even earned the admiration of legendary game designer Eugene Jarvis - famous for such classics as Defender, Robotron, Smash TV and the ultra-violent Narc. Jarvis, it's been revealed, is to join forces with Housemarque on a new game which, he says, will "mash up old-school arcade with mad voxel tech":
“When I saw Resogun I...
One of the very best launch titles for the PS4, Resogun mixed classic 2D shooting with the technical sheen you'd expect from a current-gen game. For developer Housemarque, its pared-back action was an evolution of the kinds of games it's been making since the early 90s: in fact, the Finnish studio's first ever commercially-released game was also a shooter - the fondly-remembered Stardust, made when the team still called itself Bloodhouse.
Resogun has even earned the admiration of legendary game designer Eugene Jarvis - famous for such classics as Defender, Robotron, Smash TV and the ultra-violent Narc. Jarvis, it's been revealed, is to join forces with Housemarque on a new game which, he says, will "mash up old-school arcade with mad voxel tech":
“When I saw Resogun I...
- 2/13/2015
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Fans of the side-scrolling shoot ‘em up genre may want to sit down for this one; Super Stardust and Resogun developer Housemarque has announced plans to work with Eugene Jarvis, co-creator of the legendary Defender series, on a brand new game.
The Finnish studio confirmed the news during an event in its native capital Helsinki, and later Jarvis himself took to Housemarque’s blog to express his own excitement about the new-fangled allegiance.
“When I saw Resogun I couldn’t believe how these Housemarque guys took Defender to a new level. I wondered… what would happen if we teamed up? Mash up old school arcade with mad voxel tech and crazed nouveau Helsinki gamers… All I know now is that it is going to be explosive.”
Undoubtedly, it’s a tantalizing partnership for fans of the genre. Couple the legacy of a titan such as Defender with the bleeding-edge gameplay...
The Finnish studio confirmed the news during an event in its native capital Helsinki, and later Jarvis himself took to Housemarque’s blog to express his own excitement about the new-fangled allegiance.
“When I saw Resogun I couldn’t believe how these Housemarque guys took Defender to a new level. I wondered… what would happen if we teamed up? Mash up old school arcade with mad voxel tech and crazed nouveau Helsinki gamers… All I know now is that it is going to be explosive.”
Undoubtedly, it’s a tantalizing partnership for fans of the genre. Couple the legacy of a titan such as Defender with the bleeding-edge gameplay...
- 2/12/2015
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Once an arcade mainstay, the side-scrolling shooter seems to be dwindling from existence. Ryan looks back at a sadly neglected genre...
In a furious blast of energy, a pair of classic shooters arrived in 2004: the PlayStation 2 titles R-Type Final and Gradius V. Coupling traditional side-scrolling action with up-to-the-minute, often quite striking graphics and sound, the games took the genre from late 20th century arcades and into our 21st century living rooms.
Yet even as these games offered up a sharp refinement of a tried-and-trusted relic from gaming’s silver age, they also signalled what now appears to be the genre’s epitaph. Even as R-Type Final showed how polished a side-scrolling shooter could look on a current-gen console, and Gradius V hinted at some fresh ideas which could be explored further in the future, these games brought their respective franchises to an end.
So what went wrong? Why was this genre,...
In a furious blast of energy, a pair of classic shooters arrived in 2004: the PlayStation 2 titles R-Type Final and Gradius V. Coupling traditional side-scrolling action with up-to-the-minute, often quite striking graphics and sound, the games took the genre from late 20th century arcades and into our 21st century living rooms.
Yet even as these games offered up a sharp refinement of a tried-and-trusted relic from gaming’s silver age, they also signalled what now appears to be the genre’s epitaph. Even as R-Type Final showed how polished a side-scrolling shooter could look on a current-gen console, and Gradius V hinted at some fresh ideas which could be explored further in the future, these games brought their respective franchises to an end.
So what went wrong? Why was this genre,...
- 8/15/2014
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Odd List Ryan Lambie 1 May 2013 - 09:34
Blood, guts and controversy abound, as we delve back to look at the evolving gore and mayhem in a dozen 80s videogames...
Ah, the 80s. The decade of video nasties, The A-Team, Boy George and Ronald Reagan. A time of conspicuous consumption and voluminous hair, the 80s was also the decade where videogames rapidly evolved, from the blocky 8-bit computers and consoles at its beginning, to the more powerful 16-bit systems at its end.
The 80s was also a period where the depiction of videogame gore would be realised with ever greater detail - much to the consternation of media watchdogs, who commonly regarded games as bleepy toys for children. The mainstream furore which would greet Mortal Kombat was still just over the horizon, but from the start of the start of the decade to its end, mischievous (and sometimes cynical, it has...
Blood, guts and controversy abound, as we delve back to look at the evolving gore and mayhem in a dozen 80s videogames...
Ah, the 80s. The decade of video nasties, The A-Team, Boy George and Ronald Reagan. A time of conspicuous consumption and voluminous hair, the 80s was also the decade where videogames rapidly evolved, from the blocky 8-bit computers and consoles at its beginning, to the more powerful 16-bit systems at its end.
The 80s was also a period where the depiction of videogame gore would be realised with ever greater detail - much to the consternation of media watchdogs, who commonly regarded games as bleepy toys for children. The mainstream furore which would greet Mortal Kombat was still just over the horizon, but from the start of the start of the decade to its end, mischievous (and sometimes cynical, it has...
- 4/30/2013
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Inspired by the announcement that an adaptation of 80s coin-op Rampage is in the works, here’s a list of ten other 80s videogames we’d like to see in cinemas…
If the news we brought to you on Friday is to be believed, we could soon see a big-screen adaptation of 80s arcade machine Rampage before too long. And with recent years seeing Hollywood take inspiration from such disparate properties as Battleship (out next year), Stretch Armstrong and Asteroids, it seems that the dusty arcades of yesteryear are becoming as inspiring as old board games and half-forgotten toys.
With this in mind, we’ve dredged through the history of the 80s golden age of coin-ops to bring you a few of our own adaptation concepts. Do bear in mind that some of these ideas are better than others, so if you’ve suggestions of your own, feel free to...
If the news we brought to you on Friday is to be believed, we could soon see a big-screen adaptation of 80s arcade machine Rampage before too long. And with recent years seeing Hollywood take inspiration from such disparate properties as Battleship (out next year), Stretch Armstrong and Asteroids, it seems that the dusty arcades of yesteryear are becoming as inspiring as old board games and half-forgotten toys.
With this in mind, we’ve dredged through the history of the 80s golden age of coin-ops to bring you a few of our own adaptation concepts. Do bear in mind that some of these ideas are better than others, so if you’ve suggestions of your own, feel free to...
- 11/18/2011
- Den of Geek
"Fable" creator Peter Molyneux is pretty well-known in the gaming community for his tendency to speak hyperbolically and tease ideas that don't always deliver. Fortunately, "Fable" is one of his biggest ideas, and it has delivered over the course of three Xbox/Xbox 360 console releases, each of which improves on its predecessor. Between that series, not to mention "Syndicate," "Black & White," "Populous" and "Theme Park," it should come as no surprise to learn that the longtime developer of original games is being honored at this year's Game Developer's Conference with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Molyneux, who started working with games in 1982, will be receive his honors on March 2 in San Francisco. He joins an illustrious group, which includes id Software founder John Carmack, "Metal Gear Solid" creator Hideo Kojima, Sid Meier, Richard Garriott, Shigeru Miyamoto, "Defender" and "Robotron: 2084" creator Eugene Jarvis, "Marble Madness" creator and longtime industry consultant Mark Cerny,...
Molyneux, who started working with games in 1982, will be receive his honors on March 2 in San Francisco. He joins an illustrious group, which includes id Software founder John Carmack, "Metal Gear Solid" creator Hideo Kojima, Sid Meier, Richard Garriott, Shigeru Miyamoto, "Defender" and "Robotron: 2084" creator Eugene Jarvis, "Marble Madness" creator and longtime industry consultant Mark Cerny,...
- 1/19/2011
- by Adam Rosenberg
- MTV Multiplayer
Racketboy, a site dedicated to retro gaming, recently sat down with Mark Turmell and Eugene Jarvis, two names that you probably saw a lot in early '90s arcades. One of their most beloved arcade games, "Smash TV," has stolen many a quarter over the years and proved to be one of the best retro purchases in the early days of Xbla.
During the podcast the two speak about the possibility of a sequel to "Smash TV." You can listen in here. Personally it's the sorta game that would really only work in downloadable format, but dreaming of the murder game show, dual-stick shooter with 3D graphics and tons of fabulously worthless prizes makes my heart flutter. Make it happen, people!
During the podcast the two speak about the possibility of a sequel to "Smash TV." You can listen in here. Personally it's the sorta game that would really only work in downloadable format, but dreaming of the murder game show, dual-stick shooter with 3D graphics and tons of fabulously worthless prizes makes my heart flutter. Make it happen, people!
- 11/10/2009
- by Russ Frushtick
- MTV Multiplayer
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