Bring Back Your Inner Child: Review On The Retrocade Pro

Any arcade enthusiast born in the 80s would tell you that it was a strange time to be born in. It was when the golden age of arcades started slipping into the sunset, where consoles first began the gaming revolution which would dominate the gaming landscape for the following decade or so. Having said that, any 80s baby would have had a childhood with arcade tokens in hand, exploring through the plethora of arcade cabinets filled with a great sense of dilemma as to which cabinet deserved slotting our precious and limited possessions into. This gave me a great sense of nostalgia, which is why we decided to go back in time and write our pick of the 10 Greatest Games for the 80s babies (late 80s - 90s).   10. NBA Jam Date Released: 1993 Genre: Sports Quite possibly the greatest sports arcade game ever, NBA Jam is sn iconic as it is crazily unrealistic—but hey, where's the fun if you're not having Scottie Pippen pot a 3-pointer from the other end of the court, right? Not forgetting the overly excited commentary, flashing scores digits and 20-foot jumps and dunks.   9. Michael Jackson Moonwalker Date Released: 1990 Genre: Beat 'em Up Not easily found in local arcades but it makes it into our list for the wonderful depiction of pop culture back then. Play as an impeccably-dressed Michael Jackson, beat up bad guys by moonwalking, and save kidnapped children all while bobbing your head to the tunes of 'Smooth Criminal', 'Thriller', and 'Beat it'. 8. X-Men vs Street Fighters Date Released: 1997 Genre: Fighting Newer than the rest on the list, X-Men vs Street Fighters can be best remembered as being one of the greatest fighting crossovers of all time. It wasn't just playing as Ryu or Wolverine, but you could actually play both characters from two universes in the same team, all while performing elaborate combos on your hapless opponents. Avengers, who?   7. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Date Released: 1989 Genre: Beat 'em Up Based on every guy's favourite childhood cartoon, TMNT allows you to choose from 4 playable turtles to go on a crusade and save kidnapped April O'Neil from the evil Shredder. Of course, you're saving the world while eating pizzas and bashing up homogeneous footman with cones, fire hydrants, and oil drums.   6. WWF Wrestlefest Date Released: 1991 Genre: Fighting Now, take a look at the screenshot and tell me you don't remember mashing your buttons crazily to get out of the 3, 2, 1 pins! This game was simply huge with a massive roster of incredibly iconic characters—Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, Mr Perfect, Big Boss Man. As a WWF watching 7-year old, this was the simplest form of a dream come true. It truly is the greatest WWF game of all time. 4. KOF 98 Date Released: 1998 Genre: Fighting Another latecomer of the era. KOF (King of Fighter) 98 is easily the best and most iconic version of the KOF series. It was never a surprise to see multiple KOF machines lining up in the arcades, all fully occupied with players exhibiting their combos. Even now, KOF 98 represents the benchmark of what a fighting game should be like.   3. Golden Axe Date Released: 1989 Genre: Beat 'em Up Easily the most asked-for game by our patrons, Golden Axe is the pioneer of the fantasy genre that would go on to inspire some of the greatest titles in history. As a Beat 'em Up, Golden Axe features unique characteristics like spells, making it vastly different from the regular hack-and-slash that you'd encounter aplenty during that gaming period.   2. Metal Slug Date Released: 1996 Genre: Beat 'em Up You know, I love Contra. In fact, I grew up playing Contra. But Metal Slug just blows it out of the water, simple as that. From the very first instalment, the attention to details of this epic war Beat em Up was just incredible. You have tonnes of different weapons to choose from, grenades to throw, POWs to save and tanks to ride in. What more can we say? And now to the Number 1...   1. Street Fighter II: The World Warrior Date Released: 1991 Genre: Fighting One of the greatest—if not the greatest—of all time. How many times during your childhood have you tried performing Ryu's Hurricane Kick/ Shoryuken on your hapless siblings? I rest my case. Despite having simpler gameplay as compared to later titles, SFII still remained timeless when the editors replayed it on one of our own cabinets. The fighting dynamics are so perfectly designed to combine both skill and strategic timing, while every character remains uniquely balanced and playable. But it's not just the fighting that makes SFII the best. It is how the sound of the plane zooming across the map from the moment you've inserted your coin, to having Ryu's iconic theme song blast through the cabinet. The goosebumps rise on your skin, adrenaline and blood pumping through as you actually believe for a moment that you're indeed on a quest to becoming the World Warrior. Simply put, there's no greater arcade game for this generation than Street Fighter II. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xI284D4y1q4 That rounds up our list of the 10 Greatest Arcade Games for the 80s babies, and if like us, you're itching to play some of these games all over again, check out our range of Retrocade Series in person, and have a go at these games again on a full-sized cabinet with authentic arcade controls! You can also take a look at our updated favourites here as well.

Have you ever heard of the term ‘barcade’? If you haven’t, a barcade is exactly as it sounds: the combination of both a bar and an arcade all wrapped up in one convenient location. Barcades usually favor stocking more classic retro games than modern ones—think pinball machines, old Daytona racing games, and other classic arcade staples in the 90s—while serving you snacks and your favourite boozy beverage of choice on the side. For me, the barcade is the arcade’s older brother, cooler and more refined while still loving the same things, with a penchant for alcohol after growing up.   While barcades seem like a novelty concept considering how most trends come and go in today’s brand of living, The Men’s Cave team beg to differ.  The barcade experience appeals and interests us because it represents how we as adults never really grow up and are simply kids at heart with more adult-like tastes. It caters to the notion that you don’t have to be in a specific age group just to be able to enjoy games that you used to love—and still do—as a child.  This is the same type of spirit The Men’s Cave has constantly strived its best to capture within the products and services we provide for our customers. It’s also this spirit that drives our enthusiasm to help people create their own one-of-a-kind ‘man cave’ that will allow their homes to be both a place of respite and enjoyment. Therefore, it feels fair that we look along the same vein at barcades since it provides a similar experience but in a more public setting. Perhaps a man’s cave is just your own private and personalised barcade within the reaches of your own home? The notion is difficult to dispute.  [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1000"] Beercade Headquaters in Chicago.[/caption] The barcade is pretty much a childhood playground with alcoholic treats and finger food! Much like a man cave, the barcade provides sanctuary for the young at heart while giving you a fun and relaxing place to chill and just be yourself regardless of whether you’re there with company or not.  For many of us at a certain age, drinking becomes less of a rite of passage into adulthood—the first time you get to drink legally as an adult—and more of a pastime, a way for people to socialise and forget their worries for a temporary moment. It is what replaces the joy of gaming as we grow up because it’s deemed as ‘more appropriate’ for the working adult. However, the TMC team disagrees on such a thing, which is where the barcade comes in.  As the name suggests, alcohol and games are things that can both go hand-in-hand, especially as we grow older. Growing up doesn’t mean we have to let go of one thing for another and the barcade concept is proof of that, having thrived over the past few decades and is still going strong. It’s not reshelling your childhood memories to you but rather, barcades allow you to continue enjoying the same things while catering to the older you.    Fun tip for you: Barcades are probably the only place where drunk driving is allowed and actually encouraged by both friends and family (as long as it’s within the premise!) Still, not all barcades are created equal. Some only provide specific types of retro games instead of having a more general range, while others might put more emphasis on their alcohol section and provide drink pairings with the games they have to allow for a more immersive experience. Regardless of the different types of barcades there are, one thing’s for sure: No barcade is complete without a wide plethora of classic childhood games! Even if you’re unsure of what kind of barcade would suit you, there’s at least the guarantee that you’ll have tons of fun trying out all the games and drinks each of them will have to offer. If any of this has managed to tickle your interest, you can check out this list of barcades in Singapore to visit or plan your next social gathering at: click me! However, do bear in mind that the barcade is a concept that isn’t tied down to a specific location. By the end of the day, the most important thing about a barcade is not in having a fancy location or all the latest gadgets, it’s the joy and memories you make while you’re there, combining an adult palette for booze and an unwavering love of video games and other classic childhood games.

80's favourite Retro Arcade Machine Every time I saw Street Fighter in the arcade, it was like a trip straight down memory lane. During that time, I would usually spend about 80% of my time in the arcade just hanging with my friends as we smash buttons across the Street Fighter screen. In this particular space guide series, we will guide you on how to fit these "bulky" retrocade machine into your own home. Despite the common misconception about how bulky these arcade machines are, many are surprised by the actual footprints that pinball machines make.   Calculating The Area Required The recommended space needed for a retro arcade machine is about 68cm x 68cm (2.2ft x 2.2ft)—slightly above 4 sqft. An ideal spot for the machine would be to lean it against the wall next to a power socket, as the machine runs on a 240v AC voltage. Also, remember to check out our Space Guide series if you're interested in fitting any other game tables into your personal space or home. We're here to help prove that building your own man cave is not a dream anymore. #BuildYourMen'sCave