As gamers grow increasingly older, so does interest in the gaming platforms of yesteryear. In the past, video games resided solely within the realm of childhood. While there were exceptions, most of the time adults only attempted to play consoles, computers, and arcade machines with their children, and would rarely switch on their childs NES, Genesis, or Amiga by themselves. Times have changed though, and in the current generation of gaming it isnt unusual to see someone in their 30s or 40s playing an Xbox 360 or a Nintendo Wii. Indeed, the video game industry has grown out of the bedroom to sit alongside cinema as the most profitable form of entertainment in the world, accessible by all.

With this increased interest in video games has come a form of nostalgia specific to those who grew up in the late 70s, 80s, and 90s; retro gaming. Not only are older gamers obsessed with playing the latest cutting edge technology, but they are equally, and sometimes even more-so, interested in reliving the days of their childhood by playing the games and platforms of the past. There is a sizeable market now in collecting older game consoles, computers, and peripherals. This is reflected in the number of articles and videos on the net that directly discuss and review these once forgotten pieces of electronic history.

One important aspect of this nostalgic trip is the re-discovery of the arcades. The arcades ( also known as amusements) were a place where kids could use tokens or money to play video games via arcade cabinets. Each piece of credit would gain a player either extra lives, or continues, allowing them to attempt to complete the game. Arcades still exist, in fact Im sure most of the people reading this will have used them before, but they are increasingly filled with gambling machines rather than games to be enjoyed.

For many of those who wish to preserve this era of gaming, a substantially lucrative market for retro arcade machines has developed over the years. The marketplace can be broken down into two categories; collectors and enthusiasts. Collectors are mostly interested in buying arcade machines as an investment, while enthusiasts buy them for the love of playing games, and to relive their childhood. With this love for retro arcade machines comes a hefty financial investment. Most arcade cabinets start off at a cost of several hundred dollars stretching into the thousands. This is not a cheap hobby. As well as this, arcade cabinets take up a substantial amount of room and are therefore often only suitable for those with the space to house them. There are many cabinets sold on-line purely down to buyers not taking into consideration the sheer size of an average machine.

One solution to both issues of storage and money, is to buy a MAME (Multi Arcade Machine Emulator) cabinet. While these cabinets can still cost hundreds of pounds, they do allow the owner to store literally hundreds of games on the one machine. Buyers must be aware, however, that not all games are legally distributed, and should check that the games stored on the machine are not illegally pirated copies.

It would seem that this market is only going to grow as retro arcade machines increase in value in conjunction with older gamers wanting to stay in touch with their past. If you have the money ( and the space) maybe you would like to experience the thrill of the old arcades from the comfort of your own home.