Starcade Arcade St Paul

[@jeddhanson3984]

S. Minneapolis resident here. Child of the 80s and love this arcade! Been here four times and it's so much fun to spend the day playing games from my youth. Staff is super friendly and their are a lot of awesome games! I own a lot of high scores at this time-machine of an arcade!

[@TransoceanicOutreach]

This place is insane, so many perfect crts. Imagine the power cost. I will be visiting from the UK next year.

[@60MinuteGamer]

I'll be heading back myself on New Year's Day to hit up the Bad Penny Pinball and the Starcade!!! So excited that they will be open!!!

[@adamkane7513]

22:10 They are all _"Quarter Munchers"..._ But *Kung Fu Master* mugged me more!

[@60MinuteGamer]

Have been mugged myself by the "Quarter Munchers" too! Recently House Of The Dead nailed me at a Up Down Bar in MKE!

[@La929]

Thanks for taking your time to make great content like this me and everyone who grew up in these times thanks you!

[@60MinuteGamer]

You're Welcome! I sure enjoyed visiting this arcade and it brought back tons of memories. I always enjoy seeing a game that I forgot all about and having that memory restored by seeing it once again.

[@La929]

@@60MinuteGamer I was also surprised by how well maintained all the games are

[@BrandonPenson]

Fellow Midwesterner here... GREAT video! When you mentioned Adventureland, that IMMEDIATELY took me back. I saw those commercials a lot as a kid! This arcade though, I could spend all day here. To answer your question: for me, I would come for the ambience, the wide selection of games and the nostalgia. I will ALWAYS treasure those weekends my brother and I spent at the arcade in the '90s playing games like TMNT, X-Men and NBA Jam. Lastly, It was cool to see Punisher, Star Wars and TRON, and those pinball machines... Ghostbusters and Rescue 911 (I used to watch that with my Grandma) FTW!

[@60MinuteGamer]

I do have to get down and do a video on their pinball section! I plan on doing that before the end of the year...weather permitting.

[@GDLarcade]

The arcade at Adventureland unfortunately burnt down 5 or 10 years ago. I'm pretty sure that they couldn't save anything. For a while they had the main arcade and then a few games in another location over by the log ride I believe. Anyway, fond memories of playing Berzerk, Vs. Excitebike and Ms. Pac-Man at Adventureland. There are a few arcades/barcades in the Des Moines area and there is an auction in town twice a year for arcade cabinets and the like so it's not a bad area for the classic arcade gamer. Starcade looks like a great arcade with a diverse selection of games. A nice excuse for a road trip sometime.

[@BrandonPenson]

@@GDLarcade Oh wow! I didn't know that about the Adventureland arcade. And yeah. Starcade looks GREAT! I need to go to St. Paul sometime! 👍🏾🕹

[@GDLarcade]

@@BrandonPenson yeah, it was pretty sad... I haven't been there for a while to see if they replaced it or not... if they did it was probably only modern stuff We still have the memories anyway.

[@TMNTRaphael-lz5ew]

Feels like heaven

[@60MinuteGamer]

Sure did!

[@fredhurst2528]

Being a vidiot and growing up in the 70's and 80's was something special. I grew up in the cities and remember going to Pop's in downtown MPLS, and the Picadilly Circuses at the Dales, trying out every new game that came out.

[@60MinuteGamer]

Thanks for watching! Pop's seems like a great name for an Arcade/Pool Hall! Did Pop's do pool as well? Totally forgot about Picadilly Circuses!!!! Down in the Southwest they had a franchise known as Pistol Pete's.

[@fredhurst2528]

@@60MinuteGamer Pop's was your standard video game/pinball arcade, but it did have more square footage and later hours than your mall arcades, thus more machines. A bit later on, another franchise opened up at a new mall called Time Out. This arcade featured high score of the week on every game. If you won, you would get some painted quarters, their way of awarding "free plays."

[@mikeohland4149]

im a casual adult .. hardcore 90s kid.. this place is great.. a little disappointed they dont have beer.. but I personally think that will attract more damage to the machines thus ending the great quality and combo of having the kids.

[@adamkane7513]

I would settle for a good 0% beer these days.

[@kbadboy83]

GLAD YOU CAME TO OUR CITY!

[@60MinuteGamer]

Thanks! Heading back soon too.

[@ToJuRacing]

I worked with one of the owners Brian. He is a great guy. Been meaning to make it up there. I am in Iowa. Looks outstanding. Amazing game selection! Thanks for tour and video. Gave you a sub! Cheers!

[@60MinuteGamer]

Hey thanks! I am originally from Iowa myself. Hope you make it up there soon.

[@IllegallySighted]

Great video. I didn't learn this place existed until earlier this year, and I've been living here now for about 15 years. I really need to check this place out soon.

[@60MinuteGamer]

Yes you do! Just a fun day for myself. Can't wait until I get to go back.

[@hibbo1351]

'To the right' is where all the awesome pinball machines are!

[@chadharrigan68]

Yes , back in the early 80s, you had showbiz & Chuck E' Cheeses to play a shit ton of Arcade games. My brother's & I would go visit my aunt on weekends. She would always give us 5$. Her favorite game was Mrs.Pacman.

[@silmarian]

Circus Circus and Aladdin’s Castle were also great mall arcades

[@Hounddoggy33]

Boot Hill is the first arcade game I remember playing. Cheers!

[@60MinuteGamer]

That's a great one! I can remember playing its 2600 port, Outlaw, with my brother and Dad while sitting on the floor in front of the old Zenith woodgrain console unit!

[@tynao2029]

Thanks for showing the Starcade. There used to be an arcade called Starcade in Bethany Beach, Delaware back in the 80s and 90s

[@60MinuteGamer]

You are very welcome! Thank you for watching. I had such a blast visiting this arcade. Definitely need to go back up there and come home with a sweatshirt too!

[@robertcroxtonjr.7623]

4:52 centipede one of my all time favorite old school classics

[@60MinuteGamer]

Centipede was not my first trackball game but it is one of my favorites. First trackball game I played was Atari's Football. That was a great and LOUD game (IYKYK)! Thanks for the comment Robert!

[@jasonsimpkins9069]

I loved me some arcade games but loved me some pinball even more. My buddy and i would drive to our mall with like 75 cents and play for hours. Lol

[@60MinuteGamer]

You ever watch Dave's Arcade on KZbin? I can sit there and just watch them play pinball and explain the different tables as they play!

[@jasonsimpkins9069]

@60MinuteGamer I do Stern pinball videos.

[@anthonysmith8329]

X-men 4-player game

[@bradleymcavoy3432]

You showed Tournament CyberBall 2072! 😎 Another of my all time favorites! That was a Quarter muncher in my Late teens! Others were Discs of Tron, Tempest, RoboTron, Black Tiger, Gyruss, Donkey Kong 3, and you mentioned Sega sit down Star Trek somewhere else in the comments section and that is easily in my top 10 of all Time! 🤩 Some of my other favorites that I haven’t played in a long time are SubRoc 3D, SNK’s Prehistoric Isle, T2, Cabal, Sunset Riders, Dragon’s Lair! Oh God so many great ones and too many to mention! 🤯

[@60MinuteGamer]

Oh man those are all some great games! I haven't seen a Discs Of Tron in years but I was excited when it came to the Xbox 360 Arcade. Plays well but it is just not the same as standing in front of the glowing blue cabinet! Just something about the nostalgic feeling of instantly stepping back in time at these machines.

[@mnatmosphere33]

You should check out 2d con, biggest gaming convention in MN!

[@60MinuteGamer]

Thanks a ton for the recommendation! I am going to have to check that one out.

[@Unconsciouzone]

Williams re-imagined "Robotron" into "Smash TV" toward the end of the arcade game era Big Money! Big Prizes! As a tenn in the late 70's early 1980's I used to go to "PLAYLAND" On Broadway in Times Square NYC..... I could make five bucks worth of quarters last a long long time. Tron was one of the games I could play for hours on a single quarter...Starcastles was another. I avoided "quarter munchers" like the plague. The object of the game for me was quarter stretching. Pinball games were a good way to stretch a quarter if you could find a balanced one that was liberal with "specials" I'm not sure video games ever hit the dopamine spot that winning a free game via "Special" on a pinball machine hit. If you were good enough you could literally take the next persons' case quarter when you were bored and move on to a video game like "Starcastle" and zone out to that for a while.

[@60MinuteGamer]

NICE memories! It sure was an art of making those quarters last.

[@lowellriggsiam]

In Spokane there's a pay one price arcade called "The Church of Jedi Alliance". It's worth a trip if you end up in that area.

[@60MinuteGamer]

Holy crap! What a name for an Arcade!!!! Right up my alley.

[@bobgomez9481]

"the CRTs are great!" @8:35 - except the one vertically rolling there...

[@thomassteele9649]

great content love the games, I hate putting money into raiden and not even getting to play mortal kombat LOL

[@60MinuteGamer]

Thank you! I had a blast visiting this arcade and will definitely be going back soon.

[@Richard-ZA01]

There's a great arcade in Mesa Arizona called Starfighters Arcade. They have most of the vintage arcade games and pinball.

[@60MinuteGamer]

Thanks! That is good to know. I get down to Tucson from time to time and that is not too far off for a day trip.

[@rcender]

My kids and I went last year and had a blast . They did not wanna go home 🤣

[@60MinuteGamer]

Tell them me too! I went on Labor Day and I had to work the next day which means I had to get up by 3:00 AM and I had to do the "adult" thing and force myself to leave when I really wanted to stay until they closed!!!

[@chadharrigan68]

Showbiz pizza!

[@ENTERTAINMENT35]

Personally i like shoving quarters into the machines... Luckily for me theres a place called Retro Source near me i can go to and do just that. And they have the ones i used to play back in the day.... This arcade only has Turtles and X-Men. The other games i like are Simpsons, Turtles in Time, Pole Position 2, T2, Lethal Enfircers

[@60MinuteGamer]

Glad you got somewhere close to you! I have to drive a couple hours to get to a great arcade. I have been looking for a Sega Star Trek sit down to play. Does Retro Source have one?

[@bobgomez9481]

@2:30 - Track And Field needs a battery for high scores. Bunch of junk in the memory...

[@60MinuteGamer]

I can remember Track & Field coming out and everyone pounding the crap out of the buttons so bad that most arcades installed raised sides to the buttons to prevent people from slamming them. If you were lucky to find one without the button protectors, kids were known to use a comb to bridge the two buttons and get an advantage over their opponents. Thanks for the comments Bob! Des Moines, Ia had a beloved barber that shared a name with you! He was a staple on the Southside of DSM.

[@chadharrigan68]

How many tabletops do they have?

[@60MinuteGamer]

They had a few. I'm not sure how many but they do change out the cabinets from time to time.

[@bradybrapples]

you gotta check out galloping ghost just south of the city in chicago! worth the trip!

[@60MinuteGamer]

Most definitely going to hit that one up in the near future!

[@myollinir]

I MISS ALADDINS CASTLES

[@60MinuteGamer]

You and me both! I can remember when they switch from a change machine dispensing quarters to one dispensing tokens!

[@randallgoeswhere]

So many haters in here. This place looks sick Id go if I was around there.

[@arfink]

I used to go a lot back when they were in Roseville. It's a cool place run by some cool people, but there's always been an issue with maintenance. During their entire time in Roseville, not even once when I visited did the sound on the Neo Geo work. And I was there on opening night.They knew it was broken. No attempt was made to fix it. I'm pretty handy with fixing games, and I would often ask the guy at the front desk for the keys to a cabinet to fix basic issues just so I could play, like reconnecting buttons on Street Fighter that had gotten unplugged because their connectors were damaged and they would just fall out, stuff like that. I stopped coming after one particularly bad visit where virtually every game I wanted to play had a problem that made it unpleasant to play, and there were some other teenage guests causing issues and making my children feel unsafe. I hope the Saint Paul location is better in that regard, as that problem seemed to be common to Rosedale Mall. They have an extremely cool collection, but maintenance issues are a big deal. I get it, maintenance is costly, parts are hard to find, and people skilled enough to do the work are hard to find too. There's a few other arcades in the Twin Cities area that do a much better job with keeping things running, those being Can Can Wonderland and Two Bit Game Room. Can Can seems to solve their maintenance issues by offering a high wage to techs, while Two Bit operates on only an event-basis, with certain weekends open or by special arrangement with the owner.

[@60MinuteGamer]

I only noticed one cabinet that was not working which is pretty awesome for these games that are 30-40 years old. There was a birthday party the day I went and it seemed to be very family friendly at this location. I do like Can Can Wonderland but the last time I went I would say there were way too many cabinets in non working order. I would say Can Can has a different feel than Starcade. Starcade has more of an arcade feel to it and Can Can has more of a "theme park" arcade feel to it. Just my observations and I think they are both must see destinations for the gamer.

[@chadharrigan68]

5bucks 25 tokens.

[@luisreyes1963]

Very impressive. But it pales in comparison to Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield, IL. 🕹️

[@60MinuteGamer]

Definitely making a trip to the Galloping Ghost and the Garcade soon!

[@Zoyx]

Well, they haven't fixed the Track n Field.

[@60MinuteGamer]

Guess I didn't notice that since I was by myself this trip. I will definitely take a closer look at it next time. Hopefully I will take someone or maybe see if I can get someone to play it with me on the next trip. Thanks for watching!

[@Zoyx]

@@60MinuteGamer - I'm a big fan of Track & Field, that's why I noticed. It may be unfixable, but it's still frustrating to have it glitched out like that.

[@dannewnam2701]

Reminds me of the voice of Ray Ramano.

[@TheDas9582]

My dad has asteroids.

[@60MinuteGamer]

Great one to have! I had to play the OG and Deluxe!

[@BobbyNight-yh8ls]

There is only one arcade that’s worth visiting that’s galloping ghost it’s the largest arcade in the world no tokens required if tokens were needed I would never go then why do I need to go to the arcade when my consoles play the same and better if any arcade is asking for tokens just look don’t pay these games can be played on the PS4 Nintendo switch or Steam Deck

[@60MinuteGamer]

Galloping Ghost is on my list! Little bit of a drive for me but I will eventually get there.

[@rickybobbyracing9106]

The ghost is awesome, but the rest of your comment, why are you here?

[@mikekanner2156]

@@rickybobbyracing9106why are you bothering these people go mind your own business

[@MystiqEevee]

place kinda sucks..... never been myself but seen reviews and pictures and alot of the cabinets are conversions that are done extremely poorly maybe its changed since ive seen those photos but from what ive seen its alot of badly done conversions now i have no issue with conversions if they were a kit game but stuff like the wonderboy in the mario bros widebody makes me sick....