The object of my affection
Recently, Jackie and I made our way down to Eau Claire Market to mindlessly spend our extra tokens and eat at the most underrated restaurant in Calgary, the Eau Claire theatre diner. It’s not the most mature diversion for a man of 28 years, but I can’t deny how much fun I have going to the Eau Claire arcade.
Whether it’s playing the latest Japanese shooting game or a ridiculously hard drumming rhythm game or dumping token after token to win more tickets for overpriced DVD’s, we almost always have a blast. For Jackie and I, the arcade was one of those great options when there wasn’t really anything else going on in Calgary. Plus, the restaurant makes great diner food that was far better than some its pricier competitors – cough Galaxy and Avenue diners – cough.
Alas, no more. With our recent visit, we were shocked to see that the arcade/lounge/restaurant has now been closed. As we ascended the escalator, we both stood stunned at the boarded up windows and ratty paper sign. With the recent changes to the market, it appears the arcade is either being renovated, or more likely, simply removed.
Harder better faster sadder
To put it bluntly, it sucked the wind out of our night. I know it seems rash, but I was actually depressed. One of our most reliable activities was gone, in a heartbeat, and with no replacement in sight.
Unfortunately, arcades are going the way of the dinosaur – and Calgary has no other decent arcade. Well, there is the bus depot or the airport, but those hardly count – the games are the same ones I played when I was eight. The University used to have a great arcade and then it was halved and shoved into a cramped little corner in favour of a giant, useless Greek restaurant. Now the Cove arcade is no bigger than a walk in closet – not ideal conditions, unless you are a hardcore game – which Jackie and I are not. Southern Fun might still be around downtown, but I don’t have the courage to stroll through a swath of prostitutes and drug-dealers to get there. Some of the other theatres have mini-arcades, but these only serve as cursory waiting areas. They aren’t enough to keep you entertained for more than twenty minutes, unless you are really fascinated by the social experiment that is dance-dance revolution.
Arcade decay sustain release
Arcades are on the decline and the reasons are simple. Home gaming has improved exponentially both in terms of scope, cost and interactivity. One feature of recent arcade games was delivering an experience hard to replicate in the home – dance-dance revolution, guitar games, shooting games etc. That was part of the thrill – the number of unique peripherals and applications.
This is no longer an advantage. The Wii and games like Guitar Hero bring that same level of interactivity into the living room – and at approximately the same cost as a prolonged stay at an arcade. Plus, you get to own those games. In the arcade, their yours only as long as you have money to feed them.
Hail social
Still, despite the relative equality between home and arcade gaming, I feel like I’ll be missing out. Arcade games bring a unique and kinetic social experience. There’s something thrilling about sampling a wide variety of unique and clever games with the company of friends. That experience will be hard to replace – even with the dearth of interesting console games. It’s not the first time I’ve witnessed the end of a great arcade – I could easily wax nostalgic about the arcades that used to inhabit Market Mall and Chinook Mall – but Eau Claire is the hardest because it seems so final now.
Old geeks die hard, I guess.
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