Spotting an arcade cabinet in the wild is like coming across a childhood best friend you haven’t seen since primary school. All the memories of playing in the school yard and the inside jokes come flooding back—and there’s the warmth in your heart and a twinkle in your eye that you haven’t felt in years. While many gamers still play video games, just in different formats, arcade games occupy a unique place in gaming history.
Since arcade games were confined to a specific place, they were an activity that evoked a full-on sensory rush. The clink of the coins dropping into the slot, the 8-bit music, the bright visuals on the big screen, and the satisfaction of seeing your name on the leaderboard. These old-school games have retained their charm and excel at keeping players hooked.
So, what have modern games learned from their retro predecessors?
Table of Contents
Immediate Gratification
Although immediate gratification has become even more relevant in a world full of technological distractions, arcade games took advantage of this concept long ago. Every title embraced that concept, immersing players in the game the moment they dropped quarters into it. There were no long tutorials or loading screens, just a brief description of the controls and what to do at the start. That dopamine release was only milliseconds away, and we didn’t have to wait to enjoy that feel-good chemical like we typically do now.
We can see a modern extension of this technique in mobile and online gaming through onboarding incentives or when we get a free bonus on registration with an online gambling platform. Whatever the format and niche, it offers an immediate dopamine hit similar to getting a free life or more retries.
Simple Controls That Require Deep Mastery
Classic arcade games appealed to such a broad audience because they were so easy to pick up. With limited buttons and simple controls, the gameplay mechanics were never complex enough to overwhelm the player. This accessibility lets people of all ages have fun, yet those who want to be competitive and become experts at the game could do so.
For example, the Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat series both allowed inexperienced players to use basic combinations and occasionally button mash if they were in a panic, but they also featured secret combos and real depth for competitive players who were interested in learning the strategy and timing.
It’s a tactic frequently mirrored in casual mobile games like Subway Surfers or Candy Crush Saga, where anyone can become obsessed with the game, though few players make it to the highest levels.
Escalating Rewards and Difficulty
As simple as arcade games seemed, they truly mastered the basics. Developers managed to find the sweet spot between increasing difficulty and rewarding player process, giving gamers both the satisfaction of achieving something and tackling a challenge. It was a blend that kept players playing and coming back for more. Despite the ‘threat’ of higher HP enemies, tougher levels, and new obstacles, there was also the triumph of increasing your high score, earning power-ups, and unlocking the next level.
Today, that familiar arcade formula is replicated in modern games, with higher stakes and just enough reward to keep us chasing whatever’s next.
Providing Sensory Overload
The best games engage your senses in some way, whether it’s fear sparked by a dark setting, excitement resulting from fast movements and bright colours, or tension from rising music. Visual and auditory design play a huge role in player engagement, even back in the arcade days. Arcade cabinets had to attract gamers from meters away, enticing them to give them a try. Not to mention how dynamic the arcade itself felt with its neon carpets, chatting, and noise from each cabinet.
Modern games have amplified these sensory cues significantly, thanks to technological developments. Directional audio enhances immersion, making you feel like you’re part of the world, rewards are paired with crisp sounds, and mobile games bombard your screen with animations that captivate your attention.
The Competition Factor
At an arcade, you have an audience. People checking out how you’re doing and those waiting in line to get their turn created a unique form of pressure that upped the competition. The highest-scoring player’s name would often stay on the screen as a constant reminder of who you had to beat. There was also the leaderboard, where you could knock someone off the list and replace them with your name.
These deeply satisfying competitive thrills have extended far beyond the local arcade, now connecting players across the world. You’ll find worldwide and country leaderboards featuring top players, offering even bigger bragging rights.
Urgency and FOMO
While Gen Z popularised FOMO, it’s an inherently human experience that affects everyone to some degree. Arcade games leveraged this concept by limiting the number of lives or setting time limits on levels. It made every moment much more urgent and important, so players would feel pressured to succeed.
And that certainly didn’t disappear with today’s games. Especially with the new mobile game format, the pressure is on with daily challenges, limited-time offers, and timed events, pushing the player to take action.
Lessons from the Arcade Era
Arcade games may seem outdated today, especially to those who didn’t experience that era firsthand. But modern games wouldn’t have the pizzazz and addictive pull they do now without them. The arcade never really died. People enjoy them now with a renewed sense of nostalgia and novelty, and their influence lives on in the games we play on our smartphones and consoles.
