Youthful memories from boxing to meat: Why have the fighting arcade games in the arcade city been popular for thirty years?

1、 First Encounter: The 'Magic Box' in the Dim Corner
For many people born in the 1980s and 1990s, the scene of their first encounter with fighting arcade games may still be as clear as yesterday. It could be the "game hall" that sneaks in after school, the two inconspicuous machines in the corner of the mall, or the temporary game booth set up at the temple fair - the "box" standing in the corner with a bright screen, always easily catches the eye.
The initial attraction often stems from the most intuitive "sense of confrontation". Unlike single player games that rely on "solo challenges", fighting arcade games have been born with the gene of "human to human competition": toss a coin, choose your favorite character, and the opponent may be a stranger or a friend in the same class. There is no need for complex plot preparation or lengthy rule explanations. Simply control the character's movement through the joystick, use the fist and foot keys to create combinations, and then figure out deadly techniques such as "Wave Fist" and "Rising Dragon Fist" to quickly enter a tense state of confrontation.
In 1987, the emergence of Street Fighter completely ignited the craze for fighting arcade games. At that time, the graphics were still in a rough pixel style, and the character movements were slightly stiff. However, the classic images of "Long" and "Ken", as well as the magical sound effects of "Fuel Consumption Root" (wave punch pronunciation), became the first impression of countless people on fighting games. The later "King of Fighters 97" pushed this trend to its peak. The purple flames of the Eight Gods Temple and the red flames of Kusanagi Jing not only became iconic elements in the game, but also printed on students' textbooks and stationery, and even became a secret code for "identifying relatives" among friends - with just one sentence, "Can you play Eight Gods?", they could instantly bring two strangers closer.
2、 Addiction: not just "playing games", but also a "social ritual"
The charm of fighting arcade games lies not only in the games themselves, but also in the "offline social arena" they construct. In an era without smartphones and before esports live streaming became popular, the fighting arcade machines in the arcade city were the busiest "social centers".
The 'socializing' here carries the purest 'competition and respect'. If novice players frequently fail, there will always be experienced players who take the initiative to give up their positions and teach you the technique of "rubbing moves" hand in hand: "Shake the joystick down half a circle and then press the fist to produce the Rising Dragon Fist" "The Sunflower Three Styles of the Eight Gods should be pressed slowly, don't worry"; If they encounter opponents who are evenly matched, the two can play one game after another, from the evening until late at night, until they run out of coins before bidding farewell. Before leaving, they will also make an appointment to "decide the winner tomorrow at the same time". There are no complex social scripts, no virtual online identities, only on-screen character confrontations, and sincere communication outside the screen - winning will be praised as "technical genius", losing will be comforted as "come back next time". This simple and direct interaction has become a precious "social enlightenment" for many people in their childhood.
In addition to 'confrontation', fighting arcade games also contain many 'collaborative memories'. Some arcade games support a two player team mode, such as in "Three Kingdoms Chronicles" (although it is a level clearing game, it contains combat elements), where two players need to cooperate to release skills and share damage in order to successfully complete the game; Even in purely competitive games, the crowd watching will unconsciously "team up" - some cheer for the player on the left, some shout for the player on the right, and whenever there is a wonderful operation, everyone cheers together. The joy of collective resonance is something that can never be replaced by playing games alone at home.
3、 Perseverance: Thirty years have passed, why are there still people standing still for it?
The gaming industry has already been turned upside down: console game graphics are comparable to movies, mobile games can be played anytime, anywhere, and esports competitions attract millions of people to watch. Walking into today's video game arcade, there are still many people who stop in front of the fighting arcade - there are young people in their twenties, middle-aged players with children, and even elderly people with white hair occasionally inserting coins to relive the feeling of the past.
Some people say that it is' emotions' that have kept it steadfast until now. For those born in the 1980s and 1990s, fighting arcade games are the "time machine" of youth - as long as you hold the familiar joystick and hear the familiar sound effects, you can instantly return to the era of holding pocket money and sneaking into the game hall. All memories of childhood and friendship will emerge one by one with the keystrokes. As a middle-aged player once said, "Now I have a Switch and a PS5 at home, but I still occasionally call to play a few games of 'King of Fighters 97' in the city. It's not because it's so fun, but because every time I play it, I can remember the days when I was a child fighting for joysticks with my friends. ”
But besides emotions, the 'irreplaceability' of the fighting arcade itself is the key to its long-term existence. Compared to today's games that require complex operations and long-term investment, fighting arcade games have the advantages of "low threshold, high feedback": no need to learn complex systems, no need to spend time upgrading equipment, can be played with coins, and a game is only a few minutes long, with a clear winner or loser. This "instant satisfaction" perfectly meets the fast-paced lifestyle needs of modern people. At the same time, its "offline confrontation attribute" cannot be replaced by online games - online battles are separated by screens, and the emotions of opponents cannot be felt; In front of the arcade, you can see the opponent's trembling hands when they are nervous, and hear their shouting when they are excited. This "real sense of interaction" cannot be provided by virtual networks.
4、 Inheritance: From "Game Hall" to "Cultural Symbols", the New Life of Fighting Arcades
Today's fighting arcade games are no longer just "entertainment tools", but have become a unique "cultural symbol". In many nostalgic themed exhibitions in cities, several classic fighting arcade machines are always displayed for visitors to experience for free; Some restaurants and cafes also use arcade machines as decorations to attract nostalgic customers; Even in some movies and TV dramas, fighting arcade games have become a standard feature of "youth themes" - in "The Year in a Hurry", the scene of Chen Xun and Qiao Ran playing arcade games in the game hall has become a collective memory of a generation.
Even more surprising is that the younger generation is gradually accepting this' retro trend '. Many post-2000s will try fighting arcade games in video game arcades out of curiosity; Some gaming clubs in universities also hold fighting arcade competitions to bring classic games to life in new forms. As a post-2000s player said, "The first time I played 'King of Fighters' was because my dad took me there. Now I go to the arcade with my classmates to compete. Although my skills are not as good as my dad's, I think this face-to-face gaming style is more interesting than online blacklisting
From its early emergence in the 1980s, to its nationwide popularity in the 1990s, and now to its nostalgia and rebirth, fighting arcade games have gone through thirty years of ups and downs. It may no longer be the "mainstream" of the gaming industry, but it will always be a "special existence" in the hearts of countless people. Because it carries not only a period of gaming time, but also memories of youth, friendship, and passion from several generations - as long as the joystick can still be pushed and the buttons can still be pressed, this memory will never fade.