Good arcades in LA?

Heya,

Reading the "official tekken to vf" thread prompted this... I've recently moved to LA (from Australia), and want to know where the good arcades are!

I went searching yesterday, and wound up at X-Scape (or something) at the UCLA campus. Good arcade -- had T4, but no VF. The girl at the desk said that she thought they might be getting VF soon, but didn't really know.

Also tried Westwood Arcade in Westwood (near UCLA). Also not a bad arcade. Also had T4 but not VF4.

Can any LA locals give me a heads up on more good arcades? I plan to visit them all, and hopefully the happy sight of a VF4 machine will greet me somwhere

thx,

grib.

 

oh come on help me out here! I can't believe no-one knows a decent arcade in LA!?

 

Southern Hills Golfland is great if you can make the trip (about an hour from LA I think? 40 minuts?). That would be in Stanton I believe.

I liked Japan Arcade, as small as it was and all, but hey, Japanese sit-down machines are nice.

Santa Monica Pier, I don't know what that's like these days...

In any case, I don't know what you're looking for... but good luck finding a nice arcade. VF4 is probably gonna be hard to come by, Sega of America really look like they don't give a shit. They would probably sooner push Sonic Shuffle than VF4. However, I'm hoping VF4 gets the Tekken 2 reaction... Comes out on PS2, then suddenly everyone plays it in the arcades/versus/images/icons/tongue.gif More wishful thinking...

-Chanchai.

 

thx chanchai,

I'll look up SHGL (that's the correct abbreviation, right?).

I live a few minutes from the pier, so I'll check that out.

And what do you mean you don't know what I'm looking for? You do so! It's VF4! I guess Sega of America don't have a great track record... I guessed it was better than Sega Ozisoft's (that's Australia). Maybe I guessed wrong?

Anyway thanks... is that really all there is???

 

There are a LOT of arcades in your area. I just don't know what to recommend to you/versus/images/icons/smile.gif

 

I also live here in LA, and would like to get together sometime if you want...

There are many arcades in LA, but only a handfull that have a chance of getting VF4 I think.

I just called Westwood Arcade (310) 443 4316 and asked about 4, but they said call back after 1:30 and ask for steve.

The UCLA campus is a good bet, and STOOLS make it a nice choice, and I think it's 24 hour maybe, but not sure. They'll probably have it, and it'll be a good place to go on my days off. College kids are usually quick to learn at games (just look at Ice and Chan) since they have nothing better to do... heh heh. So the promise of good comp and sitting down will keep me camped out there sometimes.

The "college arcade" and "family arcade" on Vermont in LA (they're next door to each other) will most likely both have VF4, but expect more hardcore play at college. No stools, but since college is close to me, I'll probably be practicing there most. I'm gonna bring a little stool to sit on (I'm a tattoo artist with back problems), it's pretty roomy in there. Another nice thing about college is 6 tokens for a dollar. When T4 first came, I think it was 3 tokens, but it's 2 already, so 3 plays for a dollar! VF4 will probably do the same thing. Oddly enough, family has just re-installed both their VF3 and VF2 machines, perhaps in anticipation of 4?

The arcade Chanchai mentioned in Little Tokyo's "Yaohan" plaza (it's not Yaohan anymore, but people still call it that) does have a japanese style set up, but most of the machines there are pretty old, even if the boards are new. Most of the sticks are trashed, and look like they've been in use for about 5 years. While they do have new BeMani and Shooting games, they have no T4, and when I asked the guy working there if they'd get VF4, he didn't speak english or japanese and just shrugged his shoulders (korean). A toss up as to whether they'll get it or not.

Cyber Zone on wilshire near western is basically the same deal. Japanese cabinets with stools and new music games everywhere, but only TTT and capcom games.

Then there's Southern Hills Golf Land. I have kind of a love/hate relationship with this place. If you like capcom games and TTT, you should definately go, but otherwise it's a mixed bag. For those games, it's a mecca, with California's best hanging out a lot, espescially on Fri nights. they have stools, and you can eat and drink at the machines, too. They're open late as well. But when they had the test version of VF4, NO ONE would play with me. I think they made so little money off it they've decided not to get the final. Whenever I call, they act like I'm some asshole for asking if they have VF4. And the music games are too close to the fighting games and too loud for my taste, you can't hear shit. It's about a half hour drive from LA in good traffic (prabably 45 mins from Santa Monica). I dunno, nice arcade, but I can't deal with an arcade full of people who only play what I consider to be mainstream crap and consider themselves oh-so hardcore.

As soon as VF4 hits LA, I'm gonna be posting, so we should keep each other informed.

Welcome to California!

Spotlite

 

Regarding SHGL, Capcom and TTT is definitely the main plate there. However, it's also one of the only arcades in North America to have VOOT (5.4 I think). Myke, when you were there, did you see it? I don't know how often the good players play VOOT there these days, but as far as I know, they still play. (the one that travels quite a bit, Mentholmoose/Kirk, is still on IRC and the gamefaqs-VOOT,DC forum quite a bit).

As for VF4, yeah, heard it wasn't doing well there. My chats with some Capcom players and TTT players down there say they'll definitely be playing VF4, but as far as I know, as long as CvS2 is there, they probably won't touch it (well, the TTT players probably will since a lot of them are so upset with T4). It would sadden me greatly if SHGL of all places doesn't pick up the game, but go fig... It's not the best time for arcades, VF3 was royally screwed in the US (by any theory you want to go by on why), VF4 will be out on PS2 in less than a year (supposedly), and who knows all the other reasons/excuses there are. Yet I'm still sort of optimistic...

-Chanchai

 

Nick, I think I've been seeing VOOT machines at other places besides SHGL. In fact I know I have, I'm just trying to remember where. I seems I've been seeing it in old VO cabinets. Maybe at Yaohan...? Anyway, I don't think it's all that rare anymore somehow. Maybe sega dropped prices to distributors trying to unload all their stock of it? I'll try to keep an eye peeled to see if I see it again.

Spotlite

 

That's a funny thing, a lot of the Capcom freaks say "Oh if it gets competition I'll learn it" or "I'll play VF4 when it comes out" but I sure as heck haven't seen them touch the one at SVGL, and by all accounts they didn't touch the one at SHGL either.

X-Cape at UCLA isn't 24 hours but its open most of the time...like 9 or 10 until 11 or 12 if I remember right. They also have a unlimited play thing Friday and Saturday nights and Saturday mornings which is $6 for 3 hours or $3 for 1 hour. I don't know if they'll get VF4 at all, the place is pretty Capcom centered, though not as bad as SHGL I think. Best times to play are probably late afternoon when people are out of class. The worst part is probably parking, which is $5 if you want to park on the campus lot nearby.

 

UPDATE!

first off, the guy at Westwood Arcade to speak to is named David, not Steve. I just spoke to this VERY nice guy (unusual for a US arcade operator); he said while he hadn't heard anything official from distributors regarding VF4 yet, he was going to a small show held twice a year by C.A. Robinson and Co. here in LA to show new wares, where he thinks VF4 will appear.

I asked if it's open to the public, and he said "absolutely!". It happens Friday, he said from 10 am to about 1 or 2 pm.

The address is:

CA Robinson Co.
2891 West Pico Blvd
LA CA 90006
(323) 735 3001
www.carobinson.com

The web site has no info on VF4 or the event, but thought I'd include it anyway.

Guys, I'm gonna be there on Friday, and I'm hoping that any other LA players will show up. If we come out to show support for the game, as people who have been waiting a long time to play it, arcade operators at the show will see that it's in demand, and will be more apt to pick it up. As I have to work at 12:00 on friday, I'll be there at 10:00. Hope to see some of you there.

Spotlite

 

U know...I never understood this ' If it gets competition, I'll learn it".

I have never, ever, gone into a game under such a circumstances. I play n learn the game cause I damn well like the game...not for competition. If there are indeed competition, well it a damn bonus...if not, no harm done, I still enjoy my game.

Just thought I'll insert my 2cents /versus/images/icons/smile.gif

U, yes U~!...We gotta get u in for OT one of these days~!/versus/images/icons/laugh.gif

<font color=red>~~~ 'Flock off feather brain, or u can stick around and find out the hard way!/versus/images/icons/mad.gif~~~'

 

Yes! Everyone who's interested in seeing VF4 in their local arcade should go to the show and vocalize to anyone who will listen why they're there. Your conversation could be the reason why an arcade manager orders VF4 over some other misc game.

kbcat, GodEater and I went to a video game auction a few years ago near Toronto with some interest in picking up a used VF1 game. The games were on freeplay, so we ended up playing before the auction began, and kb and GE showed me bugs in VF1 that I had only heard about before... anyway we were really excited about what we were doing and made a bit of a noise. When the bidding started the VF1 game went for about twice as much as we thought it was worth at the time... way more than we were willing to pay for it. Anyway, we realized afterward that our enthusiasm for playing the game on display fueled the bidding war the raised that VF1's price way too high... Show some enthusiasm about the prospects of playing VF4 and the same thing might happen at the show in LA.

Good luck spotlight!

 

So true, so true. It's like letting other people dictate what you play. Lame.

Do you guys still play OT regularly? I haven't played in awhile, haven't gotten any messages from Adam lately about playing. Then again haven't seen him on the board much lately either.

 

I'll be up for playing the game next week.

 

Adam's DC is dead..something wrong with the controller port
He's waiting the part to arrive so he can fix it~
but hey..there's me, Sal, U and nick now
next week sounds cool
I'm gonna be so buzy from tonight onwards...man I won't even have time for VF4..and the machine is only ten mins away from my place~! /versus/images/icons/mad.gif

<font color=red>~~~ 'Flock off feather brain, or u can stick around and find out the hard way!/versus/images/icons/mad.gif~~~'

 

thx for the reply -- yeah let's definitely organize to catch up when VF4 hits the streets. You're a tattoo artist? Cool, I'm a tattoo collector

I agree the college sounds best.

Would definitely like to get hooked up with good local players. I think I'll be out of my league at first, but that's the best way to learn. Now I'm excited!

grib.

 

awesome! I should be able to make this (long lunch break!)

might see you there spotlite...

grib

 

Yamcha

word... can you imagine people saying "I'll go see that movie... if everyone else does" "I'll eat that, if everyone else does". That's what I'm gonna say to people who say they'll play if there's comp from now on: "So you'll play if that's what everyone else does?" If you want comp, why don't you MAKE some?

Yupa

right you are, we should be vocal about the game. It's a bummer we only found the Sega Enterprises site recently, we might have gotten better buttton layout and a bastardized version of VF.net here in the US (Club Kart carries it's card features here, including color customization, internet ranking, etc. I think that works better because most of the customization features are done in-game. check out clubkart.com). If we had been more active en-masse earlier, who knows.

Nick

I was right, Yaohan plaza has VOOT, in a dedicated VOOT cabinet. I still think I saw it somewhere else as well... They just got Tekken 4, and put in one of their ancient Megalo's. The picture looks good, and you can hear voice etc well, but the speakers crackle and pop, and the sticks are SSHHIIIITTT!!!! Those are the original sticks that came in that Megalo, which probably housed Fighting Vipers or something. That arcade epitomizes what's wrong with the arcade scene here in the us: machines are just slots to put money into, nothing more. They would never think to replace a stick that's 6 years old with crusted cigarette burns and destroyed springs/switches. Even though they're putting a 3 or 4 grand kit inside it... genius. No wonder the arcade scene here is dead.

Everybody should go to Japan just once, to see the other side. When you tell them it's broken, they fix it immediately right in front of you, and give you free games. They keep those places really nice.

Anyway, here's a repeat-post from the VF forum about CA Robinson:

Just checked out the place. They have a VF4 machine, but as it wasn't plugged in, I couldn't see what version it was. They seemed busy setting up, and as I didn't have any real bussiness there today, I just kinda stuck my head in, then split.

The cabinet was the same cabinet as the one at SHGL and Hayward, silver and blue. This seems to be the new standard Naomi cabinet. There were no card readers, of course. They also had Power Smash 2, Virtua Golf, CvS2 etc.

BTW, the place is on Pico EAST of Western, on the north side of the street. The actual cross street is called Kingsley. It's a big yellow building with a black lettered sign, you can't miss it.

I'll probably be there tommorow around 10. Hope to see you.

Spotlite

 

yesterday checked out UCLA's Xcape. What a nice arcade, they seem to take really nice care of all their stuff, and it's something of a fighting game haven, they have everything from Guilty Gear X to 2 Hyper Fighting cabinets. Sadly, No VF. I asked 2 people who worked there what the deal was with 4. The first guy didn't seem to know much, but said they might not since "it's pretty expensive", wrong. The second guy seemed more on the ball, and after I spanked him a little at Tekken 4 (at which I suck), he told me that they definately weren't getting it. That there's "really no reason to get it" since VF3 did poorly, and only VF fanatics play VF, no one else likes it. Then I told him that I had spent a lot of time playing VF4 and that it's a really good game. I went on to say that most of the hardcore tekken people were disappointed with T4, and many of them were interested in trying out VF4. This seemed to really baffle him. He then cracked and told me that there was another guy who actually bought the games for the arcade, and that if I talked to him, they might get it.

In contrast, I also talked to David from Westwood Arcade again, who was once again as pleasant as could be. He told me they were getting VF4 in about 10 days (they had already ordered it).

Now I'm at somewhat of a crossroads at to what we should do. Westwood is also a really nice arcade, and it seems like they take care of their stuff well. But, no stools. It may not sould like much, but at CA Robinson, I felt that playing on the 2P side was a real disadvantage somehow with the shitty layout. It looks like UCLA puts the majority of their big titles in large screen cabinets, which are much roomier. and they have stools. Tekken 4 at UCLA is on a HUGE projection screen, which actually looks really nice, and the cabinet is extra roomy. The sticks are nice, and I have a feeling there will be better comp there (I mean, people LIVE there and shit); although I have to say it was dead last night, and the people I played weren't too hot. But they wouldn't have all those fighting games in big cabinets with nice sticks and stools everywhere if there were no audience there. The Virtua Striker 3 machine at Westwood is in a Megalo, with built in Seats. Maybe he's gonna get a megalo for VF4 as well... or maybe we can badger him into putting VF4 into the VS3 Megalo! Either way, this guy is VERY nice, and I think he might be receptive to us wanting to make a nice set-up for VF4; I just don't know how hardcore an arcade Westwood is, and if it will draw new people.

LA guys, I want to have at least one REALLY nice place to play VF4. What do other guys think we should do? I know College arcade on Vermont is getting it as well, and it'll be cheap there. But that arcade is pretty scuzzy, and not many hardcore guys go there really regularly. If a place gets VF4, I'd even be willing to pitch in with other people to get a real Versus City cabinet that we could convince an arcade operator to put the VF4 board into. I was told about a place in LA that sells versus city cabinets with monitors for $500. A guy like david might be open to this kind of thing....

gribbly, zerom, kuiju brothers...what do you think?

Spotlite

 

Uggh.... You probably know how ANNOYED I am that people spread this whacked rumor of VF4 being $10,000.... I've had my own experiences hearing it here and there... and yet we all know that particular information isn't true. We're not talking VF3 in deluxe cabinets back in 1997 for crying out loud.

-Chanchai