How Much Are Video Games/Coin ops to play?

Johnnyt

Burn all jump cues
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What is the average price for a video game to play compared to a coin op pool table? Thank you. Johnnyt
 
What is the average price for a video game to play compared to a coin op pool table? Thank you. Johnnyt

Depends on where you play and what game you are playing. My college arcade had games that cost one token and you could buy 5 tokens for a dollar (but most games cost more than one token). Pool cost $2.50 an hour with membership. There are also games that cost $3 or more depending on what arcade you are at and what game you are playing. based on time, barbox pool is probably cheaper considering beginners might take an hour to finish a rack.

If you are trying to figure out why kids play video games instead of pool, you might also want to take into account that arcades are dying faster than pool halls nowadays. 95% of gaming is now done at home.
 
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Depends on where you play and what game you are playing. My college arcade had games that cost one token and you could buy 5 tokens for a dollar (but most games cost more than one token). Pool cost $2.50 an hour with membership. There are also games that cost $3 or more depending on what arcade you are at and what game you are playing. based on time, barbox pool is probably cheaper considering beginners might take an hour to finish a rack.

If you are trying to figure out why kids play video games instead of pool, you might also want to take into account that arcades are dying faster than pool halls nowadays. 95% of gaming is now done at home.

Yes thats what I was wondering. Then I did a little research and found out the prices are a little lower for the video on average. You get better at pool and your game is over faster. You get better at a video game and you stay on it longer. Anyhow, like you said, arcades are closing faster than pool halls with all the games you can buy for your home. Thank you. Johnnyt
 
Wow, this is actually a VERY interesting topic when you give it some thought. Leaving aside the cost to play an arcade game and the downfall of video arcades in general, it is interesting to ponder what the relationship is between arcades and poolrooms. The two pasttimes are very similar and I would venture to say that both venues attract the same type of personalities.

With that said, the game console combined with online gaming have killed video arcades for good (except for the nostaligia rooms). Pool will always require a public venue so it'll never follow the plight of the arcade BUT I do wonder if the game console has conditioned the typical introvert to stay indoors rather than venture out to a public venue for self-improvement.
 
Yes thats what I was wondering. Then I did a little research and found out the prices are a little lower for the video on average. You get better at pool and your game is over faster. You get better at a video game and you stay on it longer. Anyhow, like you said, arcades are closing faster than pool halls with all the games you can buy for your home. Thank you. Johnnyt

Actually, it depends. Many coin-op tables in bars, as I'm sure you know, are king-of-the-hill formats. You pay for the first game and if you win, the challenger pays for the next. So, the better you get, the more you play.
 
Man I miss this game...made plenty of $ at the ol arcade gambling on it.
 

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Killer Instinct?

Yes sir, I used to destroy in that game!...they used to have that at two places I went to when I was 15-18...Laser X in Urbandale at the mall, and Loco Joes in Clive which also had a bunch of pool tables and was the place to play pool in Des Moines in the late 90s for under 21.
 
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