NY Chinatown Fair Arcade Room

[DEMONKAI]

A youtuber sent me a cool n good footage of my classic arcade spot in Chinatown. Most of my fellow Newyorkers here already know about the legendary spot and the ONLY real Arcade d@mn there left in NY like this. Manhattan was like the heart of it all way back though. anyway spot has been there for ages. Our fav Import Game stores are near by also.




If you are not from new york and you visit just stop in. here you may be surprised by a Japan import arcade of a new game.
Im hoping KOF XIII gets there cuz i wanna really play that game.

[Sabaki]

Ah, good memories! 90's was the best experience, since you know if a new game was coming out, 9 out of 10 times CTF would get it. From SF Alpha 3, KOF 97 & 98, Virtual Fighter, to even Soul Calibur II, this place got it all. I remember when SF III TS 1st got there, I got outta school early and was there with a huge crowd standing around while it was being configured. Shoot, the live chicken they had in that casing was enough to pull a crowd .

You remember that other arcade in midtown around 49th street and Broadway? It was the only spot I knew that had Virtual On. Then there was Broadway Arcade around 53th street. That was the spot to be at in the early 90's, when KOF 94, Virtual Filter, and SF the movie 1st came out. Man, had more variety of places to go back then. Now, you'll be lucky if you can find a local bodega or laundry spot tagged has an old game like SF vs X-men 

[BigJ]

Found out about this place a couple years back. Great arcade and the stores around there are awesome too.

[DEMONKAI]

Ah, good memories! 90's was the best experience, since you know if a new game was coming out, 9 out of 10 times CTF would get it. From SF Alpha 3, KOF 97 & 98, Virtual Fighter, to even Soul Calibur II, this place got it all. I remember when SF III TS 1st got there, I got outta school early and was there with a huge crowd standing around while it was being configured. Shoot, the live chicken they had in that casing was enough to pull a crowd .

You remember that other arcade in midtown around 49th street and Broadway? It was the only spot I knew that had Virtual On. Then there was Broadway Arcade around 53th street. That was the spot to be at in the early 90's, when KOF 94, Virtual Filter, and SF the movie 1st came out. Man, had more variety of places to go back then. Now, you'll be lucky if you can find a local bodega or laundry spot tagged has an old game like SF vs X-men  

  You remembered the chicken?? D@mn u get props on that Thats classic CTF sh*t right there. and hell yeh man i remember the arcade in midtown. My HS was right by there. West manhattan High school. Man i was living in that arcade when Rival schools and Xmen COTA came up in there. Man there will freakin business dudes in suits gettin it with Xmen Cota

Great times man. There was two spots. the one you mentioned and i think another like damn there right smack by times square. that one was a bit more gutta though haha...i only went there cuz they had Killer instinct Gold....

[Sabaki]

You remembered the chicken?? D@mn u get props on that Thats classic CTF sh*t right there. and hell yeh man i remember the arcade in midtown. My HS was right by there. West manhattan High school. Man i was living in that arcade when Rival schools and Xmen COTA came up in there. Man there will freakin business dudes in suits gettin it with Xmen Cota

Great times man. There was two spots. the one you mentioned and i think another like damn right smack buy times square. that one was a bit more gutta though haha...i only went there cuz they had Killer instinct Gold....

Man, that chicken was around long enough. Shoot, you just hoped it never kicked the bucket, 'cuz it was the spot's mascot . I know its not there anymore, but it was throughout the 90's and maybe early 2000's. Yeah, I was frequent in CTF . Used to come down with a group at times to play KOF 97 & 98, or take our shots at one of the SF games there. I played Rival Schools there abit, but once the local game store around my way got it, I didn't go to CTF that much. Shopping around CTF was great...naw, it still is.  JnL was top dog for years and  still is followed by the store in the mall (uses to be Penguin Village, now they changed their name after some ol' racing anime I watched a while ago).

The one in Times Square is the one I'm talking about, on the same line as the Marriott. Yeah, I know what you mean, the spot pulled in a rougher & older crowd . I didn't go there that much, just once in awhile, especially when one of my friends was big into SFIII TS and could parry anything save for all the hits of one of Elena's Brave Dance SA. I think that spot used to be 2 rooms, then it got reduced to one before they closed up shop.

I know there's gotta be more people here from NYC who used to go to CTF. Even if it was later, since that spot started to hold local tournaments for some games like MvC2.

[Scar]

The Arcades were awesome back in the days..

Long lines usually meant new game had arrived and you always needed 2 quarters to challenge the current winner.

You lose 1 quarter to the Arcade and 1 to the winner of the match..

Those were the days, the stuff you young ins missed out on.

[Violent Ken Masters]

I wish they had metal slug, fighters and beat em ups at my arcade. My arcade only has rail shooters, and don't get me wrong, they were really good rail shooters like Terminator Salvation and Rambo...





Its too bad they never see ports to consoles anymore like in the good ol days, I still have my T2 Arcade port for the Sega Genesis.

[DEMONKAI]

Man, that chicken was around long enough. Shoot, you just hoped it never kicked the bucket, 'cuz it was the spot's mascot . I know its not there anymore, but it was throughout the 90's and maybe early 2000's. Yeah, I was frequent in CTF . Used to come down with a group at times to play KOF 97 & 98, or take our shots at one of the SF games there. I played Rival Schools there abit, but once the local game store around my way got it, I didn't go to CTF that much. Shopping around CTF was great...naw, it still is.  JnL was top dog for years and  still is followed by the store in the mall (uses to be Penguin Village, now they changed their name after some ol' racing anime I watched a while ago).

The one in Times Square is the one I'm talking about, on the same line as the Marriott. Yeah, I know what you mean, the spot pulled in a rougher & older crowd . I didn't go there that much, just once in awhile, especially when one of my friends was big into SFIII TS and could parry anything save for all the hits of one of Elena's Brave Dance SA. I think that spot used to be 2 rooms, then it got reduced to one before they closed up shop.

I know there's gotta be more people here from NYC who used to go to CTF. Even if it was later, since that spot started to hold local tournaments for some games like MvC2.

yeh the Mall across The street from J&L was like my last resort if j&L was sold out of a game i wanted. Still poppin with those animes though

[Kriven]

You guys are making feel bad for my generation. I knew we missed out on a lot of awesome stuff, but now I really wish we had more arcade spots around. If only for the social aspect. I mean, crowding around a machine sounds way more fun then popping onto XBL in your living room, alone except for the voices on a microphone...

[DEMONKAI]

You guys are making feel bad for my generation. I knew we missed out on a lot of awesome stuff, but now I really wish we had more arcade spots around. If only for the social aspect. I mean, crowding around a machine sounds way more fun then popping onto XBL in your living room, alone except for the voices on a microphone...

hell yeh man its nothing like hearing a crowd go crazy when its a close match win Or you when you Take "That guy" off the machine that No one seemed to be able to beat and everybody cheers when ya do beat em haha...you become like some cool underdog for the moment ...fun times

[-Whiplash-]

You guys are making feel bad for my generation. I knew we missed out on a lot of awesome stuff, but now I really wish we had more arcade spots around. If only for the social aspect. I mean, crowding around a machine sounds way more fun then popping onto XBL in your living room, alone except for the voices on a microphone...

Man I know what you mean. I may love these 2d games, but I never got to experience the arcade. The closet I got was playing soul calbiur 2 at the arcade back in like 2004, there's a place hear with sf3 somewhere, but I don't know where.

=/

[DEMONKAI]

Man I know what you mean. I may love these 2d games, but I never got to experience the arcade. The closet I got was playing soul calbiur 2 at the arcade back in like 2004, there's a place hear with sf3 somewhere, but I don't know where.

=/

well if your ever in NY you need to visit chinatown fair. im confident you will redeem yourself on that note in all good fun.
And im sure will go back home with game (No tax) from J&L good ol import gamin store

[Sabaki]

Remember when there was a popular game and you had to put your quarter up on the side of the screen to let peeps know you got next? Sometimes it could get crazy with 5+ quarters lined up. Man, you had to keep track of your turn 'cuz you could miss it & your quarter .

[DEMONKAI]

Remember when there was a popular game and you had to put your quarter up on the side of the screen to let peeps know you got next? Sometimes it could get crazy with 5+ quarters lined up. Man, you had to keep track of your turn 'cuz you could miss it & your quarter .

hell yeh i was just clownin on that on FB for that KOFXIII release. sh*t used to be real hectic in my hood when it came to that bro. if u were a chump and them local bullies in there indeed youd be getin got and only 3 people in line to play instead of 15 in the city

[C.R.O.M. jodafro619]

ah man memories of high school playland arcade on broadway was a great hangout spot sure, people got robbed and they sold drugs in there, but hey i knew all the goons !! good times.... hahahaha. i remember people selling fatalities for mk2 when i was 15!! same for the combos and finishers for killer instinct!! but they closed both playlands ( the other was on 50th) due to everybody and their mother cutting school there. i learned from so many people there and at chinatown fair. i poke my head in ctf every now and then to see if any latest arcade games surfaced or to just test my skills against some the best in the city! good times......

[Sabaki]

ah man memories of high school playland arcade on broadway was a great hangout spot sure, people got robbed and they sold drugs in there, but hey i knew all the goons !! good times.... hahahaha. i remember people selling fatalities for mk2 when i was 15!! same for the combos and finishers for killer instinct!! but they closed both playlands ( the other was on 50th) due to everybody and their mother cutting school there. i learned from so many people there and at chinatown fair. i poke my head in ctf every now and then to see if any latest arcade games surfaced or to just test my skills against some the best in the city! good times......

Ah,that's what the place was called! Yep, that place was shady, and the owners promoted that bigtime .

[♦ßlôödÑinjå♦]

I used to play in Funcoland in Grand concourse on fordham Rd.

[DEMONKAI]

Ah,that's what the place was called! Yep, that place was shady, and the owners promoted that bigtime .

yeh that was pretty much the "Gutta grimey" spot i was talkin about. But by 50th st thats where all the suits went to rock. it was a lot cleaner. But you know us Kids n Videogames we dont give a d@mn we rollin to play whatever game thats hot at the time and available..
no matter how grimey.

its like the show "Everybody hates chris". Thats based my neighborhood literally true story. most the stuff he clown on is true or slightly exaggerated. My point is Docs was the spot to play Sf2 at the time and all the local goons and bullies went there. I knew most of em and pretty much if you were a nobody or just some new jack in the hood u were gettin robbed Or at least set up later for those quarters if they saw you poppin in mad coins. So in manhattan that sh*t was just like that and hell yeh the owners of that spot we talkin bout didnt give a d@mn either smh