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Video Arcades in Tucson

 

Hi Everybody.

I grew up in Tucson, been here since 1975 at least.? I've decided to take on the challenge of finding out what I can about the video game arcades which used to exist here.

My first memory of ever playing an actual stand-up arcade machine was with my dad at the Tucson International airport.? This would have to be 1979, best guess.? They had two machines in the concourse we were at.? The games were "Lunar Lander" and "Targ".??

What I've been looking for is pictures or any information folks might have about various arcades around the city.? Like an idiot, I never thought to take pictures back then.

As far as arcades go, not counting Golf n' Stuff (formerly Golf n' Things), here are the ones I can remember.

Space Shuttle -
Originally located on Campbell avenue near Silver street?where the "Boxing Inc" business is now, near Rainbow Guitars.? Closed sometime in the mid 80's and reopened in the shopping center just north of the McDonald's at Ft. Lowell and Campbell.? Closed (best guess) in 1993.

Fun n' Games (?) - Almost directly across the street from the original Space Shuttle, in the little strip shopping center just south of Lucky Wishbone on Campbell.? Closed in the late 1980's (1987 I think).?? I set the high score on "Krull" which stood for the better part of six months.

Mean Machine - Swan & Sunrise - In the shopping center on the northwest corner of the Swan/Sunrise intersection.?? I could bike there from my grandparent's place on Pontatoc.? Closed in 1985, I think.

Wunderland - On far east broadway maybe 1/2 mile west of Camino Seco.? Closed in 1996, if I recall correctly.? This may have been the last surviving true "arcade" in Tucson.?

Superfun - Campbell Plaza.?? This was "my" arcade.? Absolutely huge.? Must have had 80 cabinets including pinball machines.? I think the "Ross" clothing store is it's current location.? I was there the day they rolled in this brand new game called "Dragon's Lair".? This game blew everyone away.? It was in such high demand that they put a TV on top of it so people standing in line could see the game footage.? Despite being 50 cents per play, there were lines for it all the time.


It was located in front of the Campbell Plaza AMC3 cinemas which were in back.?? Just a few years ago when they renovated part of the fa?ade of Campbell Plaza, the outine of the AMC3 theater became visible.? I took a picture of it on an old cellphone which, if I can ever get an interface cable for it, I will gladly upload :).???

Superfun shut down in 1987 or 1988, I think.? It was the strangest business closure I've ever seen.? I go there one afternoon and the place was packed, as it usually was.?? I go there the next afternoon and the building was completely empty, and that place was usually open until 9 or 10 at night.? I can't remember a time that arcade wasn't bustling with people.

Any information people might have on these locations, or pictures, or any other video game arcades would be some awesome nostalgia.

Thanks much.
 

There was the goldmine in the foothills mall when it opened, not sure when it closed. Also an arcade at the west end of el Con mall. My arcade was next to MaMa's pizza at the Estrada De Oro shopping center, Oracle and Magee. Closed in the late seventies I believe.
 

My arcades,
Spanky's by Cowboys nightclub 22nd and wilmot
Spaceport 22nd between Kolb and Prudence
Tucson bowl, they had Astroid, Missile command and pinball. We played and drove the pizza guy Ray nuts.
 

There was a small arcade at Prince Rd and Geronimo Ave next to what I think used to be Mars Hall Music Store. Mostly pinball from what I remember.
 

The only ones I can remember (and very fondly, I might add) are the Red Baron arcade which was on the outside west end of El Con Mall, not the inner hallway. This arcade was later renamed The Gold Mine but it was as Red Baron that I remember it most. This was place was filled with pinballs, all arranged in the middle of the arcade with other games lining the walls. Remember, this was the mid to late seventies so there might have been some primitive video games but it was mostly mechanical games like shooting galleries or skee-ball.
The game I remember the most was called Flying Ace and this game projected a series of images onto a screen that simulated being in the cockpit of WWI fighter. To fire you would push down on a bar and try to make a hit. If you were really good the machine would give you an actual medal (more like a token) that said "Flying Ace". I never got one but a friend of mine did and I was very jealous.
The other arcade was in the University of Arizona Campus that had mostly pinballs and a few pool tables. I only went there once or twice so I have vague memories of it.
 

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It was actually across the street and slightly to the east. It was my hangout from 1982 to 1984. The name though escapes me.

Paul Valles?
Nosce Te Ipsum

On Jul 24, 2014, at 12:46, "kd7eir@... [vanishingtucson]" <vanishingtucson@...> wrote:

?

There was a small arcade at Prince Rd and Geronimo Ave next to what I think used to be Mars Hall Music Store. Mostly pinball from what I remember.
 

you can play pinball at D & D pinball arcade at 331 7th street at 4th avenue.777 4969
 



Pinball machines?? Hate to make you sick but let me tell you about me pinball playing experience.? When I was about 9 or 10 I would go down to the drug store where my dad worked.? Like most drug stores they had a pinball machine.? Teenagers would play the machine after school and run up a long line of free games by winning before going home for dinner.? After they left I would spend a couple of hours playing off these free games.? It was the time of my life in my early years.? By the way the machines back then gave you 5 balls for a nickel.??

Great memories -

James Sorrell
 

Pinballs were a staple of my entertainment during the?formative years in Jr High and High School. A buddy of mine and I would play for hours at Green Acres, Bunny's and later on, at the Silver Room on S. Plummer. We figured out that if you kicked the bottom of the machine with your heel as it was tallying the final score of a game, it would sometimes register several free games!

If you kicked too hard, it would just tilt but it was worth trying.


Azbluewhale

since 1945
 

i remember that green acres arcade well!! many a happy afternoon was whiled away there (early 70's) awaiting parental pick up after multiple rounds of miniature golf!? do you know when this met its end??

another favorite arcade (mentioned in another email) was the student union at u of a.? pinballs galore, pool tables and our favorite, air hockey.?

re. barber shop:? i'm trying to place it on speedway.? what is the nearest major cross street?

best regards and thanks for bringing a smile to my face with green acres!
 

The barber shop is west of Craycroft between Woodland Ave and Beverly on the north side of the street. You have to be looking for it to see it. I don't know how it stayed in business as long as it did after the properties on either side of it were developed. There was no parking except for maybe a couple of Smart Cars or Fiat 500s in front of it.

The roof is partially gone now and it looks like there may have been fire damage inside. The demo seems to be going pretty slow. This building is not going down without a fight!
 

There was also a small arcade at the west end of the strip mall, northwest corner of Swan and Speedway.

Galactic something or another. Got really good at Starcastle there in the 80s. Does anyone remember the Penny Arcade downtown back in the 60s? I was a teen in the 60s and it was a great place to walk on the wild side.

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