Arcade Infinity
Brothers Ken and Jeff Tao started in the arcade business with a small arcade shop in Monterey Park, CA that specialized in music games, and were known as some of the first to import "Dance Dance Revolution" (DDR) games into the U.S.
The brothers bought Arcade Infinity in 2000, importing the newest DDR and fighting games from Japan. People traveled from all over the U.S. to play these games and experience a Japanese arcade. When the popularity of DDR started to wane in 2004-2005, the arcade started to shift focus from music games to fighting games, and began importing the newest Street Fighter and King of Fighter games.
Currently, as the Japanese arcade market is shrinking, fewer games are being released to arcades, and more and more people are content to play console games at home. Unfortunately, this is the current dilemma that most arcades in the U.S. face today. If Arcade Infinity wins Save the Arcades, it will help keep the arcade afloat, allowing them to buy new games and fix some of their older games.
The brothers bought Arcade Infinity in 2000, importing the newest DDR and fighting games from Japan. People traveled from all over the U.S. to play these games and experience a Japanese arcade. When the popularity of DDR started to wane in 2004-2005, the arcade started to shift focus from music games to fighting games, and began importing the newest Street Fighter and King of Fighter games.
Currently, as the Japanese arcade market is shrinking, fewer games are being released to arcades, and more and more people are content to play console games at home. Unfortunately, this is the current dilemma that most arcades in the U.S. face today. If Arcade Infinity wins Save the Arcades, it will help keep the arcade afloat, allowing them to buy new games and fix some of their older games.
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Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade
Remember when you weaseled your parents out of every quarter you could, only to blow them all on Pac-Man? Space Invaders? Asteroids? Now that you don't need your parents' permission or a month's allowance, one place still has all your favorites: Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade, the Pacific Northwest's best collection of arcade and home video game classics.
Ground Kontrol was founded in 1999 by two record store employees who loved classic video games. In 2003, five lifelong pinball and video game fans joined up and purchased the arcade, moving it to bigger and better digs in Portland's historic Old Town district the following year.
Ground Kontrol is keeping the classic arcade alive, both for those nostalgic for days gone by, as well as for those who have never experienced a real arcade! The arcade spends a lot of time, energy and money finding the games people love and maintaining them so they play like they're supposed to. If Ground Kontrol wins Save the Arcades, they'll use the money for their customers' benefit by adding space to their second floor, and more classic games for everyone to enjoy!
Ground Kontrol was founded in 1999 by two record store employees who loved classic video games. In 2003, five lifelong pinball and video game fans joined up and purchased the arcade, moving it to bigger and better digs in Portland's historic Old Town district the following year.
Ground Kontrol is keeping the classic arcade alive, both for those nostalgic for days gone by, as well as for those who have never experienced a real arcade! The arcade spends a lot of time, energy and money finding the games people love and maintaining them so they play like they're supposed to. If Ground Kontrol wins Save the Arcades, they'll use the money for their customers' benefit by adding space to their second floor, and more classic games for everyone to enjoy!
Rocky's Replay
Since 1995, Rocky's Replay has been a Central Florida entertainment destination for all ages, featuring both the newest and classic arcade games. The arcade's current owners purchased Rocky's Replay in June 2009 in order to save another local staple business in the community from folding.
Rocky's Replay is themed as a 1920's-30's warehouse, with vintage signs, collectibles and memorabilia, featuring a mix of pinballs, classic-style arcade games and the newest simulator- and racing-style games. Seen in the industry as the "little arcade that could," they're the last remaining true arcade in the Central Florida area.
In a city where many businesses are owned by large corporations, Rocky's Replay remains a small, family-operated business that's a safe haven for the Orlando population. If Rocky's Replay wins Save the Arcades, they'll use the money to help offset the rising cost of game updates and new games, as well as purchase more retro/fan favorites from the last 25 years.
Rocky's Replay is themed as a 1920's-30's warehouse, with vintage signs, collectibles and memorabilia, featuring a mix of pinballs, classic-style arcade games and the newest simulator- and racing-style games. Seen in the industry as the "little arcade that could," they're the last remaining true arcade in the Central Florida area.
In a city where many businesses are owned by large corporations, Rocky's Replay remains a small, family-operated business that's a safe haven for the Orlando population. If Rocky's Replay wins Save the Arcades, they'll use the money to help offset the rising cost of game updates and new games, as well as purchase more retro/fan favorites from the last 25 years.
