Charleston Fun Park

Charleston's Best

  • 
  • 
  • 
(843) 971-1223
3255 N Hwy 17   |   Mount Pleasant, SC 29466
Locally Owned. Locally Operated.
Click here for holiday hours and hours of operation.

Buy A Gift Card


  • Home
  • Attractions
  • Specials
  • Birthdays
  • Group Events
    • Youth Groups
    • Family Reunions
    • Corporate Groups
    • Church Groups
    • Company Picnics
    • Motor Coach / Tour Operators
  • Education
    • School Field Trips
    • Fundraising
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
    • Employment
    • Charitable Giving

The Evolution of Arcade Games

October 12, 2018 by Writers Leave a Comment

Group playing Deal or No Deal Video Game at Charleston Fun ParkDid you know that the history of arcade games dates all the way back to 1909? The history of arcades is full of fun facts!

Skee Ball

The first skee ball game was invented in 1909. Originally, skee ball alleys were 36 feet long! In 1928, the size was reduced down to 14 feet to allow for more players in a smaller area.

Coin-Operated Machines

It wasn’t until 1931 that the first coin-operated machine was created, called Baffle Ball. Over the next few years, a slew of pinball machines were designed. These machine were considered gambling and were heavily regulated. Many states actually banned them outright! In 1947, pinball machines began using flippers, turning the machines into games of skill rather than chance.

Coin-Operated Video Games

The first coin-operated video game was Galaxy Game. Installed at Stanford University, this machine cost a whopping $20,000 in 1971. That’s roughly $115,000 today!

A year later in 1972, Pong was released and quickly became the first commercially successful video game operated by coins. Pong was soon surrounded by dozens of competitors as more than 15 different companies began producing video games between 1972 and 1984.

A few notable titles during this Golden Age of video games are Space Invaders (1978), Asteroids (1979), and of course Pac-Man (1980)! Pac-Man is considered the most successful video game of all time. Its 350,000 individual cabinets racked up over $2 billion. (That’s about $3.4 billion with inflation.)

Once you’re done reading about arcades and are ready to play in one, head on down to Charleston Fun Park! We have an amazing arcade with well over 50 games. Make your plans to visit today!

Filed Under: Blog, Uncategorized

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hours of Operation

Click the button below to see our holiday hours & hours of operation.

Click Here!

Welcome!

Looking for something fun to do with the family? Charleston Fun Park has something for everyone! Go-Karts, Two Miniature Golf Courses, Axe Throwing, an amazing Arcade with Prizes, and Virtual Reality Attractions like our VR Coaster and OMNI Battle Arena! Our Concession Stand serves Dippin' Dots, ICEE, F'Real Milkshakes and more! Parents, you can relax on our outdoor patio with a beer or a glass of wine while the kids have their run of the park.

Trusted Partners

© Copyright 2021 Charleston Fun Park
website & digital marketing byTrustworkz