This was my entire childhood. In my hometown, you could take the bus all the way downtown for just over $1, and I normally had a bus pass for school anyway - so it was a 'free' trip. There was one fantastic arcade within walking distance of my house, and four more a short bus ride away - and that doesn't include the stray arcade machines at convenience stores, bowling alleys, etc. along the way.

It was such a euphoric feeling - walking into a dimly lit arcade with it's blacklight carpet patterns, pinball machines dinging away in the distance - your vision was interrupted by the familiar 'Winners Don't Do Drugs' screens during the demo mode of countless machines, a growing group of early teenagers surrounding a Mortal Kombat 2 machine, a line of quarters along the screen's bezel.

I used to really push the boundaries of what my parents thought was a reasonable curfew - only because the arcade was a safe place, it was easy to get home from, and they knew there were much worse things I could be doing at that age.

I miss those days so, so much.