Video arcade

A video arcade is a venue where people play arcade videogames that are housed in colorfully-decorated cabinets. The cabinets consist of a video monitor, gameplay controls (often a joystick) and buttons, computer hardware and software, sometimes including sound hardware and a coin-, token-, or magnetic card-based payment mechanism.

While most classic 1980s-era videogames such as "Space Invaders" and "Donkey Kong" are played in tall upright cabinets, some games such as Ms. Pac-Man are played in smaller boxes with a flat, clear glass or acrylic glass top. As well, some car racing games such as "The Fast and the Furious" and flight simulation-style games include a seat or enclosed area for the player.

In addition to videogames, arcades may also have other games, such as pinball machines, redemption games, merchandiser games, or coin-operated billiards tables. In some countries, some types of video arcades are legally allowed to provide gambling machines such as slot machines or pachinko machines.

Video arcades started springing up in the late 1970s and were most popular during the golden age of arcade games, the early 1980s. Arcades became popular with adolescents, which led parents to be concerned that videogame playing might cause children to skip school. Many video arcades began closing in the late 1990s, as the technology of home videogame consoles began to rival and eventually exceed that of arcade games. However, video arcades remained popular in Japan, where they are called game centers.