The arcade games of today consist mostly of competitive or ticket games. It is quite different from the times of old-school games like Galaga, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong. Arcade games are basically coin-operated machines that are programmed with video games. 

Once you drop the appropriate coin in the slot, the machine allows you to play the game. The concept of arcade gaming is easy to understand. It is this simplicity that people love even today. 

The origins

The concept of arcade gaming began in the late 1930s. In those days, there were a few coin-operated pinball machines. As the years passed, games became even better. By the late 1960s, arcade games were a source of great fun and excitement. 

One big example from those times is the light gun shooter games. The players were given a gun made of plastic. Then, pointing at the screen, they had to shoot whatever appeared on it. One of the most popular games was Duck Hunt. Some of the earliest racing games appeared around this time as well. 

Grand Prix was one such racing game, which was introduced in 1969. Developers began wondering if they could make a game with a steering wheel. Some thought about creating a game with aircraft controls. As a result, we now have a lot of variety in arcade games.

Popularity in the 1970s and 1980s

The market for arcade games had become a lot better during the 1970s. Even small kids could play the games like Pac-Man and Space Invaders. Within a short period of time, arcades had become immensely popular. Many food chains began keeping coin-operated arcade machines in their outlets. 

The 1980s brought an even better technology in these games. Now the players had the freedom to choose different ways to play their favourite games. The most popular were the motion-controlled games. With these games, kids could sit on a plastic motorcycle and ride by controlling its motion. 

According to the motions, the game was controlled on the screen. Towards the end of the 1980s, many had begun to lose interest in arcade games.

The fighting games of the 1990s

In the early 1990s, gaming enthusiasts were introduced to competitive fighting games. This began with the introduction of Street Fighter II by Capcom. When it came out, the arcade gaming scene came alive once again. Crowds of enthusiastic gamers began to throng the coin-operated arcade machines once again. 

The success of Street Fighter II resulted in the introduction of many such games. King of Fighters, Mortal Kombat, and Virtua Fighter were some of them. With the revival of interest in arcade games, racing games were re-introduced.

Today’s arcade gaming scene

In recent times, arcades comprise mostly of games that have different mechanisms of control. Much of the popular arcade games are now dance games, shooting games, and rhythm games. Fighting games have still not diminished in popularity. Today, many of the popular arcade games focus more on the competition. This is a good strategy to make the players come back for more.

The post A Brief History of Arcade Gaming appeared first on fantasylandminigolf.com.

Those games were something that players of those times had never seen before. Spacewar! is considered to be among the earliest video games. It was developed and released in 1962 at MIT by Martin Graetz, Steve Russell, and Wayne Wiitanen. The doors to the golden age of gaming were opened by Nolan Bushnell. He is a game developer who formed the iconic video game development company, Atari, in 1972. 

Later, the coin-operated game cabinets became extremely popular in malls and pizza parlours. Here are some of the best arcade games that have now become classics:

1. Space Invaders

Developed by the Japanese company Taito, Space Invaders was the biggest shake-up in gaming during 1978. It is a basic game that tasks the player with stopping space invaders from getting to the bottom. In this game, you’re an alone ship that’s constantly shooting at the wall of enemies. 

As the game progressed, things got a little more exciting. The enemies moved faster and you had to match their pace as well. Space Invaders sold extremely well, making the equivalent of over $1 billion by 1982. With this, it became the highest-grossing game of all time. 

The profits resulting from all of its versions amounted to $13 billion. What really set it apart from others was its gameplay, which was simple yet addictive.

2. Pac-Man

If you were around as a gamer during 1980, you’ve certainly lived the key moments in gaming. Arcade gaming witnessed one of the biggest booms with the release of Pac-Man. It was truly a fast-paced maze game. The player-controlled the titular character, as it consumed the dots all over the maze. At the same time, the player also had to avoid the ghosts Blinky, Inky, Clyde, and Pinky. 

Things got pretty frantic as you went up against each level, avoiding these cute little foes. People battled over high scores relentlessly in this classic game. Over the years, this game has featured on many different platforms. Theoretically, the player could just keep going until all the lives were lost.

3. Street Fighter II

The sequel to the first Street Fighter game was released in 1991. It had some really charming and colourful characters along with a killer soundtrack and tight controls. Street Fighter II has been played numerous times by many until now. You’d certainly understand why this game is so special if you’ve played it yourself. 

There were some unforgettable fighters in the game, such as Ryu, Ken, Feilong, and Blanka. Crowds would throng the Street Fighter II cabinet in those times. The last updated version was Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition. It was released in the year 2018.

The post Top 3 Arcade Games That Have Now Become Classics appeared first on fantasylandminigolf.com.

This would also remind you of the legacy that these games have left behind. An arcade game can be defined as a coin-based machine that’s designed to play a game based on motion graphics. It is also referred to as a video game. Some of the interesting features of arcade games are listed below:

1. There’s no story involved

Most of the classic arcade games have never tried to tell a story. These games usually have easily recognizable settings and revolve around certain themes. Some are into sports, while others explore the experiences of war. One thing worth noting is that there’s plenty of creativity involved in the gameplay. 

The designers of classic arcade games were not required to come up with great stories. They just picked an exciting theme and developed an entertaining game around it. There were, of course, a few games that broke the conventional settings.

2. Gaming takes place on a single screen

Most of the gameplay is classic arcade games that took place on a single screen. It was largely owing to the limitations of technology. Players, therefore, had to make their moves only in a certain portion. One can always remember Pac-Man, Joust, and Mario Bros from the 1990s.

3. Number of tries

Classic arcade games typically follow the pattern of allowing players only a finite number of tries. When the player reached that number, the game would be over. This pattern was possibly derived from the pinball games. They had given players three or five balls for decades. Most of the arcade games evolved over a period of time. 

Now multiple lives were given, which allowed new players to learn the game’s mechanics before it was over. With this, they were given the chance to understand how the game worked. Getting extra tries our lives serve as a motivation for players to play again and improve their game.

4. Simple games

Players could easily learn classic arcade games because of their simple features. When it came to mastering these games, things became quite tough. Players could enter the game of Centipede and get an idea about how the game worked. This happened mostly by the time they reached their third try. One could easily learn these games through trial and error. 

Of course, there were some that had tricky concepts like shields and health. Commercial aspects of these games were probably one of the biggest factors behind their simplicity. Besides, when the classic arcade games were initially introduced, there was hardly any competition. So, there was no need for the developers to create highly complicated games.

5. Scoring

All these games included a scoring feature. It allowed players to accumulate points for accomplishing a variety of objectives. Let’s take the example of Centipede. In this game, the players score a point for destroying one mushroom and 10 points for a centipede segment. 

Such scores also allowed players to know how well they were doing in the game. Arcade games also had the feature of allowing players to enter their name next to their score. This happened when they reached the highest score ever made by a player on that machine.

The post 5 Fantastic Features of an Arcade Game appeared first on fantasylandminigolf.com.

If you’re new to online casinos, you can take the help of a reliable casino review website. One such site is Casinos Jungle. This immensely popular casino review site has all the information you need about online casinos. You’ll also find unbiased reviews and ratings of the popular online casinos provided by experts in the field. Check for example their review of Red Dog Casino here.

With the help of these reviews, you can choose an online casino that suits you the best. You can also try some of the online casino games for free! To know more, visit www.casinosjungle.com

Now, let’s take a look at some of the situations that would be ideal to play online casinos:

1. When you’re in a hotel and have nothing to do

Sometimes, the plans of sightseeing or visiting a popular spot during your vacation might be foiled. There can be many reasons for it, such as bad weather or a sudden political crisis. In such situations, it’s dangerous to venture out of your hotel room. You might make a few phone calls or watch television while sitting idle in your room or suite. 

However, you’ll soon get bored and wonder if there was something exciting to do. Well, this would be your best chance to grab your smartphone and play an online casino. Before you do this, make sure that your hotel offers good internet connectivity.

2. When you’re at a family entertainment park watching your kids play

If you’re a parent, you might’ve come across such instances. You’ll have nothing much to do when the kids are at play in an entertainment park. This is especially true if you have someone to keep a watch on your kids. You can use this opportunity to play some online casino games to keep yourself busy for a while. It would be a great idea to kill time and do something that might help you win some cash! 

3. When you’re waiting for your flight at the airport lounge

When you still have plenty of time before getting on to your flight, you might get to the lounge. While there, you can take out your phone and play an online casino game if nothing else interests you. Today, most of the airport lounges across the world provide free Wi-Fi. You can benefit from this high-speed internet connection to play the most exciting online casinos. 

This is not just limited to airports. You can also play such games on your phone while waiting for trains at the railway stations.

4. When you’re waiting for someone at a shopping mall

Waiting for someone to arrive at a shopping mall can get a lot frustrating at times. Especially when the one you’re waiting for has called and said that it would take some more time. You might roam around and do some window shopping as well, but it’s far from being exciting. How about playing an interesting online casino game? 

Well, since you’ve got some time, this would be a good choice. Moreover, both of you might’ve decided to meet at a certain spot. If you choose to play an online casino, you don’t need to move to a different place. You’ll have lots of fun until your friend or partner arrives.

The post 4 Ideal Situations for Playing Online Casinos appeared first on fantasylandminigolf.com.

More than anything else, it’s the place that matters. Everyone likes to be in a place that’s quite unusual and refreshing. You’d certainly want everyone to appreciate the place where you’ve organized the event. So, why not choose a mini-golf course? 

It would not only be an unusual place for everyone present at the event but also very exciting. The best part is that you can organize any kind of event you want. Here, we have listed the type of events that can be organized at a mini-golf course:

1. Private parties

Such events include birthdays, get-togethers, and graduation parties. Mini golf courses would have a large amount of space for these functions. So you don’t need to worry about your guests being uncomfortable. When it’s a mini golf course, there’ll be plenty of opportunities to have loads of fun. 

This is one particular place where people of all ages can enjoy themselves. If any extra arrangements are needed for the occasion, the staff would be happy to help. Moreover, there’ll be some excellent spaces at the mini golf course to click some fabulous snaps.

2. Corporate events

Company events give the employees and their superiors the chance to know each other better. It’s always a wonderful feeling to meet and greet each other in a non-working environment. Besides, the corporate events allow everyone in the organization to shed their inhibitions and have some light-hearted conversations. 

Such an event can be made even more enjoyable by organizing it at a mini golf course. If you’re in charge of the arrangements, you can also set up some activities. Make sure that you organize activities that allow some friendly competition. In the end, prizes can be given to individuals with the best scores. 

Golf competitions can also be arranged to add some more excitement. This would encourage teamwork and garner a lot of appreciation from the employees.

3. Fundraisers

Choosing a mini golf course for your next fundraiser would be an excellent way to ensure community engagement. It even increases your fundraising abilities as you get a lot of people to participate. Different kinds of games and activities can be arranged at the mini golf course for such events. They include a mini golf tournament and a hole-in-one challenge. 

You can charge a certain amount of dollars for participating in these games. A certificate or a suitable prize can be given to the winners in the end.

4. Trade shows

Mini golf courses can also make for fantastic places to arrange a trade show. You’ll have more prospects, which might translate into greater sales. It’s often hard to get people to stop by your booth. For this to happen, you must have something to offer them free of cost. 

You can move away from the traditional approach of giveaways. Instead, you can organize a hole-in-one competition at the mini golf course. In this way, more visitors would visit your booth and participate in the activity. You can then reward the winners with the giveaway items.

The post Events That Can Be Organized at a Mini-Golf Course appeared first on fantasylandminigolf.com.

You don’t have to try too hard to convince your children to accompany you to such places. Kids love to play and they’ll be quite excited to visit a park with their parents. However, it’s important not to leave your kids to their own devices once you get there. The idea of visiting such places is to allow them to try out new activities. Here are some of the games that kids can play at parks and entertainment centres:

1. Hide-and-seek

Most of the kids would know how to play hide-and-seek. Those who don’t know how to play hide-and-seek can learn it easily from their parents. In this game, one goes in search of others who hide themselves to avoid being caught. The game would end only when the kid who is searching finds all those who’ve been hiding.

2. Tug of war

One of the most exciting outdoor games, tug of war is excellent for teaching children about team effort. In this game, the entire group of children is divided into two teams. Everyone is placed evenly on the opposite ends of the rope. Stronger kids must be kept at the extreme end. Children who are weaker must be kept in the middle. 

Then, a spot is marked in the ground, showing the exact boundary. Each of the teams then tries and pulls the rope towards them as hard as they can. The team that gets pulled across the line or the boundary loses.

3. Follow the leader

You can take a walk around the park and tell the kids to follow you. They must copy every move that you make. It may involve walking at a slower pace at some spots and hopping around in other places. Everyone must be encouraged to take turns and be the leader. This game not only allows everyone to stroll the park but also gives children a lesson or two in leadership.

4. Hot and cold

In this game, a small object like a coin or a small ball is used. One needs to hide the object somewhere while others close their eyes. Once the object is hidden, the individual who hid it tells others to open their eyes and search. Those searching for the object can be given some clues. When they’re close to the object, the word ‘hot’ must be said aloud. When they are farther away from the object, use the word ‘cold’. 

5. Scavenger hunt

This is another exciting game to play at parks or entertainment centres. It must be planned in advance. Make a list of things to be gathered from the park. You’ll also need a bag to put those things in. Whoever gathers everything mentioned in the list first becomes the winner. 

Now, this game can be made more challenging for the kids. To do this, mention the things to be gathered in riddles. For example, a leaf can be mentioned as ‘I’m green, but I’m not a grass’.

The post Games Children Can Play at Parks and Entertainment Centres appeared first on fantasylandminigolf.com.

However, there are many other simpler rides that have more relaxed restrictions on height. Here, we’ve listed the common types of rides you’ll come across in an amusement park:

1. Ferris Wheel

This is perhaps one of the most common among the rides that you’ll find in an amusement park. For many years, these rides have given many fantastic moments for kids as well as their parents. The Ferris Wheel is named after George Washington Gale Ferris Jr., who had originally designed and constructed it. 

He had built it for the World’s Columbian Exposition, which was held in 1893 in Chicago. Today, you’ll come across thousands of replications of the Ferris Wheel across the world.

2. Carousel

You’ll certainly find the carousel in most of the amusement parks. It has been featured in drawings that date back to 500 CE. This points out to the fact that it was popular even in the ancient times. The carousel is also called ‘merry-go-round’ and comprises a rotating platform with seats moving up and down. 

The seats of the carousel are made of wood, plastic or fibreglass today. They’re often made to resemble decorated animals, such as horses, deer, giraffes, and fish.

3. Coin-operated rides

As the name suggests, this type of ride in amusement parks is operated by a coin. The ride rotates, swings, or jumps the moment a coin is inserted. You’ll usually see such rides before a small store or a stall in the entertainment parks. Such rides can also be seen in shopping malls and local fairs. 

The coin-operated rides are usually small in size and created for small kids. Such rides are extremely affordable and easy to operate as well.

4. Roller coasters

They are among the most thrilling rides found in amusement parks. Along with the Ferris Wheel and carousel, roller coasters are a major attraction for kids. It consists of an elevated track with steep slopes and tight turns. People ride in open cars that run on this track, which generally completes a circuit. 

The oldest form of roller coasters is believed to have originated in Russia. They were built as slides with a 50-degree drop and had supports made of wood.

5. Water rides

Bumper boats, electric speed boats, paddle boats, and water slides fall under this category. You may not get wet while on these rides, but it’s not always so. The water rides attract many riders during summers, as they get to cool off a bit. Some of the water rides are small, while others like the surf-up rides can be quite large.

6. Electric track train

An electric track train has become a common feature among most of amusement parks today. It runs on a fixed track and has a length that varies between 8 and 200 meters. You’ll also find trackless trains in some of the entertainment parks. The electric track train rides can be of varying sizes and shapes as well.

The post 6 Common Types of Rides in an Amusement Park appeared first on fantasylandminigolf.com.

However, the question of how it all began might pop up in the minds of many. They might also wonder how it progressed over the years. So, we’ve made an attempt here to delve into the history of this exciting activity.

The first miniature golf course

We must give all the credit to the Ladies’ Putting Club of St. Andrews. It is thought to be the first miniature golf course in the world. This mini-golf course was established in Scotland in 1867 for female golf players. In those times, women raising a club back and above the shoulders was a violation of social norms. This resulted in the creation of the St. Andrews Ladies Golf Club. 

It eventually became the Ladies’ Putting Club of St. Andrews. Although the course didn’t have those outlandish obstacles, it’s considered prestigious even today. The early mini-golf courses were of three types. One was the pitch and putt, the second was regulation par-3, and the third was the executive course. 

Games were played usually with a putter and short driver during those times. The length of these courses ranged between 50 and 100 yards.

The early 20th century

Miniature golf had reached the United States by the early 20th century. In 1916, a mini-golf course was created by James Barber in Pinehurst, North Carolina. This course featured fountains, walkways, and planters. During the 1920s, the design of miniature golf courses underwent some changes. It broke away from the earlier traditions of design. 

Mini golf courses became more compact, geometric, and efficient while following a classical design. The history of miniature golf took an important turn with the invention of green turf. It was developed in 1922 by Thomas McCulloch Fairborn. His patented design included hulls of crushed cottonseed, which was mixed with green dye and rolled over sand foundation. 

Mini golf courses soon moved to urban areas from the countryside. By the end of the 1920s, there were more than 150 rooftop mini-golf courses in New York City. 

Mini golf courses during the Great Depression

Many individuals considered the regulation mini-golf courses too expensive during the Great Depression. As a result, the ‘Rinky Dink’ golf courses popped up at several places. They featured obstacles that were made out of everyday objects, including tires, cans, pipes, and washtubs. The increasing popularity of such courses led the miniature golf course owners to adopt the zany obstacles. 

The first mini-golf franchise was created by Garnet Carter in 1929. Thus began the Tom Thumb Golf empire. In the years that followed, it witnessed tremendous growth. Tom Thumb Golf accounted for 25% of all mini golf courses in the United States. What made Carter’s course stand out from the rest was that it utilized hollowed-out tree trunks and gnomes.

The post An Insight Into the Early History of Mini Golf Courses appeared first on fantasylandminigolf.com.

Kids are excited when they succeed in getting the ball into the hole. These are the moments of joy that you rarely get to experience these days. Many other benefits await you and your family at a mini-golf course. What would delight you the most is that these benefits are not limited to age or abilities. Right from toddlers to senior citizens, everyone can have loads of fun at mini-golf courses. 

It won’t be an exaggeration to say that they please the mind, body, and soul of an individual. A mini-golf course plays an important role in enhancing family bonds. Now, let’s explore some more benefits that families get to enjoy at the mini-golf courses:

1. They bring family members closer

You might’ve noticed how families sitting in restaurants are lost in their own worlds. Parents are busy looking at their phones while children are left wondering what to do. It is not wrong to own one of the best smartphones. What’s really worrying is that they’re becoming obstacles to family connections. Activities that allow communication between family members make it easier to build meaningful relationships. 

This is where the mini golf courses come into picture. You don’t need phones or tablets while playing your rounds in them. Nor do you require any internet connectivity. This creates a perfect atmosphere for families to be with each other. They can talk, have fun, and get closer to each other at such places. 

As there are plenty of downtimes, you get to engage in long conversations with your spouse. You can also teach your kids some important life lessons while playing mini-golf. They also enjoy all the affection, appreciation, and encouragement from you and your better half.

2. Kids get to learn a lot

Have you ever thought that mini golf can be an educational activity? Well, you won’t believe this but kids truly get to learn a lot at such places. The eye-hand coordination in your children improves to a great extent. It helps them get better at their daily tasks, such as writing. While they’re on the course, your kids have to think through their style of play. 

They’ll need to figure out how to angle their shots and time them properly to hit the ball. This enhances their critical thinking abilities. Kids would need to take turns and display proper sportsmanship at a mini-golf course. Your little ones might have several questions about the course, depending on its theme. This would be a great opportunity for you to educate them on many things in a relaxed way.

3. Everyone gets some physical exercise

During your time spent at the golf course, all of you will burn some calories for sure! This would be especially true if there’s a considerable distance between each hole. Each one of you will need to walk and squat to pick up and set the ball. The arm muscles are also put through a lot of action while playing the rounds. 

Some of the mini golf courses have multiple levels. This adds to the effort needed to manoeuvre the course. More calories would be burned when you work harder. Frequent visits to such places would be a blessing to those suffering from inactivity. Prolonged periods of sitting do affect the health of individuals adversely. 

You, your spouse, your children, and even their grandparents can stay healthy by visiting mini-golf courses frequently. This would help everyone in keeping body weight, cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure under control.

4. Even the differently-abled can have a great time

People who are differently-abled often get dejected when they can’t have fun like others. The differently-abled feel left alone in the midst of a crowd that can do many things they can’t. With mini-golf courses, such individuals don’t have any worries. They can also have fun with others while still using their wheelchairs or walkers. A proxy player can play the portion that they cannot access. 

There are mini-golf courses of all sizes. Some among them allow the differently-abled better access to the holes. They can also benefit greatly from the rentable and smaller mini golf courses. Such miniature golf courses can be set up in parking lots and backyards with a larger space.

5. Players don’t need to be serious at all

You’ll certainly agree with the fact that a mini-golf and PGA Tour are not the same. While the latter is something to be taken seriously, there’s nothing serious about mini golf. Just think of the obstacles and themes at a miniature golf course. 

It’s a place with miniature versions of windmills, strange creatures, space aliens, and dragons. You’ll never see such amusing things on professional golf courses. Playing a round of mini-golf is not like playing a round of professional golf. A miniature golf course would allow you, your family, and your friends access to all its facilities. 

Your time at a mini golf course would take you to another world. You can let your imaginations run wild while trying to get your ball past the bridges and scary creatures. Everyone can get as whimsy or silly as they can at such places.

6. You get to live some memorable moments

You can celebrate someone’s birthday in the family at a mini-golf course. It would be one of the best birthdays that have been celebrated until now. If you’ve been thinking of a different way to celebrate your wedding anniversary this time, you have an opportunity. A mini-golf course can be an unusual but fun place to make your anniversary memorable. 

Besides, your kids would also have an exciting time as they join the celebrations. The staff of the mini-golf course can also make special arrangements for you on request. You can even get some wonderful pictures and videos captured on your smartphone on such occasions. They’ll be a part of the memories shared by everyone in the family.

The post 6 Benefits of Mini Golf Courses That Families Enjoy appeared first on fantasylandminigolf.com.