Isn’t it fun manipulating the knob, gently guiding it back and forth, and maybe to the side, pushing forth on and into new levels of enjoyment? As you thrust forward, your eyes focus intently, and all your energy is focused on just one thing…

No, not that. Get yer mind outta the gutter! I’m not talking about that joystick!

I’m talking about the joystick attached to the console of a cabinet-size machine– the old-style arcade games that surfaced in the 1970’s, exploded in the early 1980’s, and matured during the 1990’s. Today, you don’t see these games much anymore, except in a handful of arcades, mini-golf courses, bowling alleys, and dingy laundry rooms and bars. There’s Dave and Buster’s, of course, but most of what they have are ninja style games, Dance Dance Revolution, and the like.

Quite a few games have made the transition to video gaming systems, especially in the case of Nintendo’s stable of games. I’ve played Ms. Pac Man, Galaga, and other classic games at home. But somehow, it just isn’t the same. I miss the games of old.

This weekend, people in the San Francisco Bay Area will get a real treat, and I’m a bit envious I can’t be there. Maybe next year… What’s happening is California Extreme, which will be in San Jose– it’s a convention hall turned superarcade. Not cheap ($30-35), but it is advertised as having tons of games. I checked the list of games that will be there– wow. Some I’ve found here and there during my travels, such as Donkey Kong. But one game I haven’t played in a long time that I’d love to try again is Dragon’s Lair. This was a somewhat more expensive game than the others because of the cartoon graphics. I never got all that good at it, because it was 50 cents a pop. Still, I haven’t seen a working game for probably more than fifteen years now. A very good friend of mine who also grew up during the same time told me once it’s one of the harder games to find out there. Well, it’s gonna be in San Jose this weekend…

There’s one game I’d love to try again that isn’t on the list, probably because it’s a much older game. In fact, it was the second video game I’d ever tried (the first was Pong, the granddaddy of them all): Sea Wolf. I first encountered it in a pizza parlor in New York sometime in the late 1970’s. I think the last time I saw a working one was in the mid-1980’s. Oh, well, can’t have everything.

If you’re in the San Jose area and you love video games, go give it a try, then come back and tell me about it. Guess I know what I’ll be doing at this time next summer!

If you enjoy video games, what’s your favorite? What game would you want to play again? In the meantime, have fun with that joystick! Heh heh heh…