What ever happened to arcade games?

[VideoGameCritic]

I'm talking about games like Outrun, House of the Dead, NBA Jam, and Afterburner.

What happened to them? They were my favorite genre. Fantastic eye candy, fast action, and high playability.

It seems like all we have today are super-involved console games or throw-away cheap mobile games.

[Rev]

I miss arcade games as well. It seems like the 6th generation was the last real console that had arcade games (minus the Wii, which had it's fair share of arcade shooters). I'm not sure where they've gone... They're one of my favorite genres but it seems like most of them (if they are released) tend to be on the download stores only. Probably has to do with these types of games perhaps not bringing in enough money to justify disc releases. These types of games are one of the big reasons I love my Dreamcast, since they flourished on the console.

[Hardcore Sadism]

I believe portable design is what keeps Arcades from flourishing. It'd be infinitely convenient if someone could perfect the feel of an arcade in handheld or even 'laptop' form hardware.

[Sut]

When Sega died (yeah ok it's still around but it's more of a publisher nowadays) arcade style games died.
Unless of course you wish to enter the world of downloadable games as there seems to be more arcade style games there.

[Oltobaz]

As a matter of fact, the 360 and the PS3 are full of arcade games, mostly vs fighters established franchises new iterations, but also manic shmups (the 360, especially) and remakes and or straight ports from games of yesteryear. Console Arcade sticks are available and super commonplace in Japan, any video game stores carry those, considering how big arcade gaming is over there. Tokyo, Osaka... arcades all over the place!

[scotland]

While I understand not liking a mobile touch screen as a controller for twitch games, that feeling may not be shared by the kids. From Fruit Ninja to Flappy Birds, mobile phones and tablets are being used as arcades on the go.

For instance, the game Geometry Dash was quite popular the other day at one of our local schools, the only thing to do is tap the screen. The kids will sit and watch each other play, just we did at the vanished arcades. From what I see, mobile games are winning the competition for younger kids and doing so with arcade action.

[jon]

That was my favorite genre too. While I always loved the arcades, especially around 93-95 with explosion of NBA Jam, MK series, the Sega Model 2. There's something about the graphics for the Model 2, Neo Geo, etc., that I feel graphics aren't that endearing anymore. You don't get sucked into a great atmosphere like Virtua Fighter 2. There aren't any breathtaking scenery, It's all grey and like you're in some war zone.

[Hardcore Sadism]

There aren't any breathtaking scenery, It's all grey and like you're in some war zone.

And lot's of hyperbole too.

You know?

[GamingTheSystems]

Arcade style games are still being made and are available as cheap downloads. Even the Ouya is full of them. I remember seeing a lot in the 3DS e-shop as well. Only a few become high profile games; Resogun is a prime example. You just have to go searching for them in the download shops; they have zero marketing dollars so you aren't going to know about them ahead of time.

[jon]

It's the fact they're being made as cheap downloads that's the problem. For there to be any progress, we need these fast paced, easy to play games having big budgets and at your local Gamestop. There could really be a revolution in arcade minded, simpler 3d games and interesting 2d games with cool graphics. I couldn't wait to see a console like that enter the marketplace. It would dominate.