It's the end of an era, here in Sheboygan.

[Archae]

At our local Mall here in Sheboygan, we've lost something.
The "Aladdin's Castle" game arcade has closed.

About 4 or 5 of the video games were moved into a little room in a mostly unused area, most notably "Dance Dance Revolution."

I first began going to the Castle back in the late 1970's, when there were rows of pinball games, that had the rotating drum scoring method.
When digital scoring hit pinball, we welcomed it.

A game called "Space Wars" was introduced, and it was a big hit.

"Pong" hit the arcade, and people were lined up to play it.

Then a HUGE hit came to the Castle.
Space Invaders.

After that came "Pac-Man," "Donkey Kong," many more.

The pinball games were reduced to one row.

I have fond memories of my friends and I getting big blisters from pounding the trackball on the football game "X's and O's."

The ultra-violent games pretty much took over, led by the first "Mortal Kombat."

The last pinball game was based on "South Park," and was taken out last year.

Now the Aladdin's Castle is closed.
I admit that home videogames was what did the Castle in.
(I have a Playstation 1 and Gamecube myself.)

But it's still sad, an old favorite hang-out is gone.

[Guy Fawkes]

1. I went there every time I visited Sheboygan...

It was almost as good as the Kohler Toilet Museum :P

[hfojvt]

4. Is there a Kohler toilet museum in Sheboygan?

I must visit that, but Sheboygan is very far off the track. Maybe I can get my parents to go there and get me a t-shirt.

[Archae]

8. Yes, Kohler does have a museum.

And it has more than just toilets.

[hfojvt]

10. Well, I clean more than just toilets too

but I key on them. I am at 8,000 and counting.

[trof]

2. I've always wondered...is Sheboygan an Indian name?

Or Native American or whatever we're saying now.

[xmas74]

5. Many towns in WI are based on Native names.

Mr. Coleman, my fourth grade teacher, would be so proud to know that I paid attention in WI history!

[Dudley_DUright]

3. Ah yes, they also had one of these in the East Town Mall in Madison

Brings back lots of memories. I remember many hours and quarters wasted playing Space Invaders. :-)

[48pan]

6. At 25 cents to two dollars a game...

I won't be missing the arcades. Ms. Pacman was always a favorite for me. Eight-ball Deluxe was my favorite pinball machine.

[Pithlet]

19. Wow, 2 bucks a game.

It's been years and years since I've been to an arcade, and I would figure they've gone up, but two bucks? That's probably what did them in.

[Kraklen]

7. I don't think it's the home consoles.

They've been around as long as the arcades.

I think it's the two bucks a game that did it in.

When I was a kid I'd be perfectly willing to blow my 5 buck allowance on Smash TV (the most ultraest violentest game ever. bar none) a quarter at a time. No way in hell I'd ever put in two bucks for one game.

[Archae]

9. I've never seen a $2 game.

But I have played 2 token (50 cent) games.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

20. Smash TV rocked

RIP mall arcades. I used to beg my parents to drop me off at the arcade at the mall. great memories.

[Jara sang]

11. We had an Aladdin's Castle at our mall

In the eighties, that place was awesome. Right next the Pizza place, can't tell you how many Saturday's I spent there. I mourn the loss of your beloved landmark.:cry:

[SlavesandBulldozers]

21. amen

you will be sorely missed mall arcade. sniff sniff.

[gizmo1979]

12. Fellow sheboyganite.

I remember spending my paper routes calender money at aladdins castle.There was a game you shot at airplanes that sucked most of it.Ah those were the days.I actually worked at Murphys during high school 76-79.I was a stock boy.Ate alot of hot dogs at that Little place down by pennys.

[Archae]

13. I know the place you mention.

It's now a cookie selling store.

I forget, where was Murphy's?
Where Kohl's is now?

But the game you mention, was it "1942?"
And at the Castle, remember the claw game where the player picked up toy cars and dropped them into a hopper?

And there were times high scorers on certain games would get their names on the game.
I did a few times.

[gizmo1979]

14. Yes Murphys was where Kohls is.

I don't remember the claw game.But that was a long long time ago.

[Archae]

15. Ok, I remember Murphy's now.

Did you hear about the incident in that store with a bat?
I was there.

[gizmo1979]

16. No I didn't.

A real bat or a baseball bat?

[Archae]

17. Real bat.

Somehow, back in 1980, a bat got in through a vent.
It flew into the hair styling place that's where the videogame place is now.
The women inside ran out screaming, the bat flew into Murphy's.

Clerks were chasing it with a broom, a guy with a cane nailed the bat and killed it.

[gizmo1979]

18. can't believe no one told me that.

I must of been out of the loop by then.