Can the Arcade Be Born Again?

The ease with which retro games can be ported to the iPhone may be the harbinger of a major arcade comeback.

As gaming tech advanced, many classic games like Quake and Space Ace were left to gather dust, their quaint graphics no longer in step with the platforms of the day. Just when it seemed they may be doomed to fade into history, services like Xbox Live Arcade have begun to resurrect them and introduce them to modern audiences. As Les Chappell explains in Issue 219 of The Escapist, the iPhone is doing its part to feed the flames of retro resurgence:

It’s an odd marriage – the sleek, polished smartphone with the gaming libraries of systems not even a hundredth as complex – but the platform is proving surprisingly versatile for retro fans. Emulators, remakes and direct ports have been flooding the iPhone App Store in recent months, giving a new lease on life to games that would otherwise be close to extinction.

Anything that helps keep these games alive is OK in my book, and who knows? If old-school games prove successful on the iPhone, that may lead the way for brand new games in that style. I’m not entirely sure we need a new Space Ace but a new Doom? Yes, thank you. Read the rest of An Arcade in Your Pocket and let us know what classic titles you hope receive a revamp.