The Most Legendary Arcade In North America

[@gallonthegreat7036]

As a New Yorker glad to see people showing Chinatown fair some love it was the Mecca back in the 90s for arcades

[@UnderTheSkin13]

Couch play is great but there's something about the arcade experience that can't ever be replaced.

[@dragonmares59110]

The problem i see here is cost mainly. Rent is way too much, cost of maintenance is really high, cost of the cabinet is high, people have competition against 60$ games (or less and soon free to play fightning game like RIOT project L) instead of pay a dollar for 2-3 rounds...I love the concept of arcade but i don't see it financially viable at this moment.

[@danielestrada5511]

I think stuff such as Arcade bars being a good thing. Pay entry fee and you get unlimited game time on any machine. The problem is the quality of the machines tho

[@ponpoon5415]

Yeah this only could work in places where the cost of a console and games is very high so playing at the arcade isn't as bad.

[@MatthewCobalt]

@@danielestrada5511 Don't ypu think it's kind of ironic that, for all the years people had been trying to sanitize and morally clear arcades for kids, now a mix between an Arcade and a Bar is now a legit thing to want.

[@danielestrada5511]

@@MatthewCobalt well honestly most people that like arcades are on the older demographic anyways LOL. But yeah very ironic. I had a blast playing SF 4 and Tekken Tag Team at an arcade bar the other day with some friends. FYI I am like 22 and even I barely missed the arcade era.

[@THENAMEISQUICKMAN]

@@ponpoon5415 This is why arcades are popular in countries like Brazil and places in the middle east. Ever wonder why places like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have CRAZY good Tekken scenes or why Latin America is the home of the King of Fighters community? This is one of the biggest reasons.

[@WahrerKuroKiba]

Ah yes, the nostalgia for a culture and time I could not have possibly witnessed myself, because A: too young, and B: no Arcade scene in my home country

[@Mr.Electricc]

I don't even like fighting games but all these stories about the amazing community makes me wish I liked playing them more.

[@Duffy_SSBM]

Look for a local Melee scene near you! The community is great

[@shinbakihanma2749]

I remember first playing STREET FIGHTER IV at Chinatown Fair, a good several months before it released on home consoles. I actually rolled there with one of my homeboys (RIP Derm), and the place was packed. At the time, it was insanity, and I couldn't believe there was a new Street Fighter game. Good memories.

[@MSDarkspyro]

Man history is so cool especially when two completely different subjects combine

[@marco0445]

Classic landlord moves. Love it.

[@kirashachiroku]

I really want to experience an arcade like a genuine one, I played Street Fighter 2 one time about 4 years ago but that arcade I went to closed down recently at a beach I used to go to. That generation of gaming and competitive play must have been so cool.

[@mrt445]

If you want to revive arcades just create a 24 hour bar with arcade on the ground floor and 50 gaming PC's on the first floor.

[@southsidesaiyan8641]

Except for very specific places like the Las Vegas strip, I don’t think establishments can sell alcohol all day.

[@mrt445]

@@southsidesaiyan8641 It doesn't have to sell alcohol 24 hours a day but it should be open 24 hours a day for gaming.

[@invertbrid]

Man arcade era were the best....in a way it was indeed golden age of video games. Queueing to play while meet with lot of ppl with same interest.

[@remixtheidiot5771]

the arcade scene in japan is definitely still alive. the neighboring country of philippines aka my home still has some pretty decent arcades as well. i still fondly remember the time back in 2019 before the pandemic when me and my brother along with some friends went out to the mall to pass the time during a blackout. that's how i discovered and played Sound Voltex for the first time and fell in love, and also got bodied by my brother when we decided to play in a street fighter crossover cabinet thing (i forgot the cabinet's name) when i tried using the newbie killer Guile strat thing on him. it was fun. they're definitely rare nowadays; small, and barely populated with people. but it's nice to know there are still people maintaining such a business around here considering how it seems to be over there in the west.

[@gabrielrussell5531]

The center of the New York fighting game scene has pretty seamlessly moved to Next Level Games

[@sprayandprayjay]

I'm so glad I had the privilege of playing at this arcade growing up.

[@battlericky17]

Didnt see a chicken coming into the mix lol

[@TetraBui]

HOLY SHIT I GO TO CHINA TOWN EVERY SATURDAY AND I LOVE STOPPING BY THERE EVERY TIME TO LOOK AROUND I WAS LITERALLY JUST THERE YESTERDAY China town has a very excellent basketball community too! I highly recommend going there to eat their food. it's perfect. - A fellow Chinese-American.

[@chubbysolaireeaterofpussy3192]

i dont live in NY anymore but chinatown was always super awsome!

[@TetraBui]

@@chubbysolaireeaterofpussy3192 What was one of your favorite restaurant eater of pussy? Is it PetSmart?

[@kgregorius8550]

Hope to one day go to New York and try it out for myself glad I found this video.

[@Kevin_Zheng]

Same, used to get groceries around E Broadway, didn’t know this place was just around the corner

[@BlahNetworkBro]

YESSS THIS IS WHAT WE COME HERE FOR YESS!

[@JR_Donofrio]

Let’s GO CHINATOWN FAIR.

[@jeremyc4786]

It's a shame wasn't around during the arcade era, but with how locals are now they've kind of Supplanted the arcade and I think that's great. While we no longer have the passive nature of having a place that always has a cabinet that you can play on, we now have weekly tournaments that we can go to and easily find like-minded people to play. It's like we went from a general place you *might* run into someone who plays to having an explicit time where anybody and everybody can get together and play kind of like a club

[@OgGunClappaNum1]

I used to go to the restaurants around CF as a kid. I always wanted to go in there but as a kid I was scared t go in cause it some tough looking dudes hung out in front.

[@datboijohnny2buy415]

Just wanted to say thank you for this video it really brought me back. Sam was my grandfather and is greatly missed

[@eddyde115]

Lots of fun times there in the late 70's early eighties as it was the closest arcade to my home in downtown Brooklyn. Thanks for the memories...

[@shadow12k]

I always go into this place off of nostalgia after eating Ramen right next door. Never knew it was gaming history. Also it’s still there.

[@doublestarships646]

I don't understand how arcades just flat out died here when it's still somewhat thriving in other countries. We really hate leaving the house lol.

[@theberms03]

As a local, CTF was the spot, and you were probably going to run into SOMEONE you knew lol

[@33ScottyPimpin]

Was just at Chinatown Fair for the first time today. While there aren't many fighting games there anymore I was so hype to see MVC2 there. DDR was sick too

[@evolutionated1125]

Well that's gone too the Tekken pedestal that had MVC2 is gone now. I was there like 3 days ago

[@33ScottyPimpin]

@@evolutionated1125 Dang that is unfortunate i wish they would give their fgc roots more love

[@romeodelacruzjr7035]

Love this place. Always a great place play games.

[@ijbokn]

Wow I've been to Next Level before but didn't know the story behind Henry wow

[@AnhDonoi]

I love this video. I was there was some clear footage of Southern Hills Golfland

[@LoxeAeon]

Great piece love all the FGC content!

[@CptCanondorf]

Why am I crying?

[@Minebot45]

Now I kinda want a video about Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield, Illinois. It may not have the same storied history as Chinatown Fair (GGA only opened in 2010), but their collection is more than worth taking a look at: among their almost 1000 cabinets, they have the unreleased _Primal Rage II_ and an exceedingly rare Sega R360 (only around 200 were ever manufactured).

[@user-lb6bf8rd9m]

I literally have a picture of this arcade when I went to new york and didn't know abt the history of this... wish I went in :( Thank you for sharing this! ❤

[@herbbot8241]

I used to come here as a kid I think it's still open was in Chinatown few months ago lol

[@Duffy_SSBM]

Great little documentary! Worth noting there's still a large Melee scene in Manhattan with the Nightclub that takes place on Wednesdays at OS NYC

[@kamyu3755]

not gonna lie. I miss old arcades. wish them the best

[@Riku_michael]

Never knew about this spot now I'm curious to go there

[@erickp3003]

As someone who lived through the arcade era, I think I would not have been into fighting games if the internet did not progress the way it did now. At least here in the Philippines, the arcade scene where I live was super cut-throat, so I actually did not learn how to properly play because once I get my turn I would just get bodied and no one is willing to teach me how to play. I was contented with going to the arcade during lunchtime when no one is around, play against the AI, and leave once the good players arrive. I'm only just picking up fighting games again after 20+ years because there are a lot of videos now that teach you how to play, sites like Dustloop, and games have rollback netcode. I respect the history of arcades and the legendary players that they produced, but I prefer the FGC the way it is now.

[@jeremyharvin8420]

if you wanna hear more stories from the Chinatown fair days check out the No Frillz podcast with Yipes and Chris Matrix. They have a lot of the people mentioned in this video as guest. Great video.....im not trying to promote anything just want people to get to know more about the fgc

[@UNDFTDGordon]

No Frillz is hype.

[@John_DaMan]

Wow i've been to Chinatown fair in the 2000s when i was introduced by a friend, i had no idea it existed since the 70s...crazy

[@MSDarkspyro]

I was scared when they changed to look like a "normal arcade" when I went back to NY to visit

[@AnhDonoi]

08:37 I think Henry cen would have something to say about that

[@thiminhhieunguyen4646]

The man have a dream, and damn his have a really good dream..!

[@dOuPdMe]

Wish people were still into arcades. I think it creates a community that everyone can go to

[@finstersrc30]

I remember when it was also a cool Museum the large Dragon stood out. . Had to be in the 70s.

[@zakutenakazumiya1516]

As much as it hurts to say it, but we've reached a point in time where don't need arcades anymore. Arcades these days no longer support the FGC and they just do random claw games and gambling games, they're just "Kids Casinos" in my eyes now. NLBC is doing probably the next best thing, converting itself into an FGC Playspot where it's a fusion of an arcade and a console rental lounge exclusively for fighting games, allowing for a local scene to grow. Having these kinds of playspots are better for the FGC longterm, even in an age where fighting game companies are now embracing Rollback Netcode, there's just that sensation that you can only get from playing in locals.

[@jbalien20]

Chinatown fair is back.

[@coachmcguirk6297]

The origonal version of Chinatown fair should have been made a cultural landmark. The fact that they let it close is so sad.

[@takeonparis]

Do I *wish* I could play at Chinatown Fair??? I DID play at Chinatown Fair! Unfortunately I had no idea about the place's history or lineage... but word spread all the way to France, just as I was moving back to Chicago, that the only place in America you could play Street Fighter IV was in New York. As fate would have it... this directly coincided with a close friend's birthday. So less than a week after getting back to Chicago... I was in New York searching for this weird arcade in Chinatown. It wasn't easy to find... like AT ALL! hahahha. But long before Google Maps... I found it. And I played on THAT EXACT MACHINE that the guy built. At the time I assumed that Capcom had sent the machine as a test machine. I had no idea that someone had constructed their own cabinet. I don't even remember looking at the cabinet. I don't remember looking at my opponent either! I could've been playing against Justin Wong for all I knew! :) I just played my game, met my friend for his birthday, and went home happy. Who knew that I was a (very small) part of fighting game history? (Also... I don't remember a chicken. KInda surprised I didn't notice that... but there are chickens all over Chinatown!)

[@ValueYourTimeOnEarth]

Glad I played video games there in my youth

[@DwAboutItManFr]

Damn, this is an amazing story, never heard about it before but i feel nostalgic.

[@SylverstoneKhandr]

The only thing I give credit to the rebranded Chinatown Fair for was introducing me to an arcade game called Killer Queen. Was unlike any other arcade game I played, though I wish I was there for the proper golden age. Did visit Next Level many times, that was a pretty great spot.

[@lukedanielgalon1596]

Honestly it is so iconic needs to stay up but at least it has its own successor before the original closed down

[@whostolecookiesfromthejar]

Legendary episode. Wish fighting games were this relevant nowadays but

[@onihaiena6152]

Considering SF6, Tekken 8 and MK1 are all coming? I feel like it's safe to say they're starting to again :)

[@ProjectShinkai]

damn its close, i kinda want to drive 5 hours just to see it.

[@gamingcyborg88]

I only went there twice once in 98 and once in 02 the first time I was there it wasn't a packed house I didn't play but I watched my brother play a few games it wasn't until the second time I was at Chinatown fair that I played on my first cabinet I think it was Tekken 2 I got beat bad but I will always remember that

[@thechknnuggetgod1709]

I wish arcades were still around

[@user-vt6sl3hm9k]

Arcades were the best community get together place. I don't understand why they got rid of it

[@Juggale]

If you did wanna do a video on another arcade I would recommend looking into Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield IL

[@pumpSHO]

I need an arcade again

[@MsDboyy]

Small but infamous arcade 🎮🗽☯️

[@Sin606]

I only grew to appreciate CTF more after the reopening. I went to the older one and it was a very crazy place to go. Only a few times you can look at someone's back and it felt like they've had their own symbol on their back.

[@Eric-rh8zl]

God I miss this place

[@fhjunior6183]

Thanks for the vid

[@johnlund3088]

Very informative video but the dates on both Sf2ce and Mvc are wrong

[@djfenixpr]

I didn't know the story of this arcade, and I go there weekly.

[@julianguyen650]

Sweet. I remember going here when I went to New York

[@2001coolchemist]

I miss playing fighting games at the arcades. Similar to CF our local arcade turned its machines into a more casual kids friendly environment to cope with the times, and I guess fighting game producers don't want to make arcades anymore.

[@faradise3819]

It's just not as financially viable with all of the costs: building, distributing and maintaining the machine compared to digital distribution and also the rise of online gaming. To be honest, you don't have arcade machines to recreate this kind of environment, a lot of underdog fighting game scenes rise from just having fighting games on PC (pretty sure Pakistan Tekken scene was like this). In that regard, PC bangs/rentals are also technically arcade but it's kinda weird that seemingly very little people thought of playing fighting games there.

[@beastsamurai4839]

big thumbs up 👍👍

[@PharoahsKingdom]

You got a few dates wrong. The NES came out in 85 (In the U.S.) and SF2 came out in 91.

[@glennnyc]

At this point "Last Great" is a misnomer. There are now multiple arcades in Brooklyn, strictly focused on the FGC. However, none of them have the chicken or vibe of CTF.

[@Ridlay_]

Yo that’s super cool.

[@spencerhansberry5156]

7:57 lol

[@bertstoker9299]

A good while ago, you guys announced that you partnered with Blizzard to make content on their Esports. When will you guys be starting on that?

[@adalbertodejesus2808]

If you grew up in Harlem then you should know about cojacks.please reply if you remember that iconic store.

[@chicken1696]

i wish there is an arcade like this here in jakarta

[@Wavedashnoir]

I just want friends who play fighting games

[@neonsamurai4604]

Why dont these old Arcade places rebrand as internet cafes like in Asia.

[@panache2521]

I wish I was just ten years older so I could have lived in the arcade hay day

[@otaking3582]

"Most Legendary Arcade in North America"? I'm pretty that Galloping Ghost would beg to differ.

[@adewilson132]

Chinatown fair had a much longer history though and was actually around when arcades and arcade games were still new. Galloping ghost (while great) is just a throwback to arcades back in the day and doesn’t really have many newer games.

[@otaking3582]

@@adewilson132 They have plenty of rarer games and prototypes, and more people have heard of it.

[@SpeedKing..]

As a Pakistani, proud of that guy

[@KingChuck47]

The syndicate? You mean empire arcadia

[@Wavedashnoir]

I love in Washington apparently we don't like arcades or sum

[@Monado6]

I didn't live in ny

[@helgenx]

Hearing all these sob stories, but just know, that we still have a few spots here. Next Level, XenoZero, Red Parry, show them support. It's not the exact same experience, but you will still meet people, play and have a good time.

[@mrt445]

Arcades in the west were great in the mid 90's when everyone was playing fighting games but at some point only the fanatics were left in the early 2000's and they sucked the fun out of gaming because they took everything so seriously, like getting pissed off when they lost a match and personally hating people who beat them, or openly laughing at people who lose (and I'm talking about people they don't even know and not bantering with friends). The arcade scene also died because fighting games look and function worse now than they did in the 90's. Everything is now generic realistic 3d graphics which do not suit 2d based fighting games.

[@WhatisaLee]

Looks are subjective. But function is objectively better. Rollback netcode is causing a resurgence. The reason why they're niche is because it takes patience and time to learn them and most people don't have that.

[@THENAMEISQUICKMAN]

You think people acting like children started in the 2000s? As soon as vanilla SF2 dropped people were risking getting fucking stabbed/shot each time they dared to use a throw lmao

[@922apocalypse]

Hadoken

[@daeseanboyd2939]

Why you gotta call it dingy

[@CocoMura]

oh me heart

[@Rustypiggynowork]

Went there after school one day a few years ago and they had all these lame modern games and I was so disappointed. They didn’t have any real arcade games. I had even heard they had them towards the back but unfortunately absolutely none.